• CARRIE UNDERWOOD TAKES HOME THIRD ACM ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

    Carrie Underwood won the Academy’s highest honor for Entertainer of the Year with the first ever tie in that category (with Thomas Rhett). This is Carrie’s third win, making her the most awarded female in the ACM Entertainer of the Year category in ACM Awards history.

    Carrie helped kick off the 55th Annual ACM Awards performing “Before He Cheats” from the Grand Ole Opry House as part of the show’s opening along with fellow Entertainer of the Year nominees. In celebration of the 95th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, Carrie honored trailblazing female Opry members by performing a medley of songs including Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man),” Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” Dolly Parton’s “Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That,” Reba McEntire’s “The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia,” and Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing.”

    Carrie will release her first Christmas album, My Gift, on Friday, September 25th.

     

  • BRANDON LAY RELEASES “STARTIN’ YOUNG.”

    EMI Nashville’s Brandon Lay releases new song “Startin’ Young” today. Written by Brandon, Ross Copperman and Erik Dylan, “Startin’ Young” follows the memories and regrets of a young couple not ready for the love they’d found. The girl never far from our protagonist’s mind, Brandon sings, “When the thought of you runs through my mind either way I think, if I’da been a little older I coulda handled you better.”

    Fans can hear Brandon perform “Startin’ Young” and more today live at 5pm CT on his official Instagram @BrandonLayMusic and again on Wednesday, Sep. 23 for Risky Jam 9pm CT @WhiskeyJam.

    Called “A country-rock version of Bruce Springsteen” (Rolling Stone), Brandon tallies over 150M streams with songs including “Speakers, Bleachers and Preachers,” “Yada Yada Yada,” “For My Money” and more. For Brandon, whose hometown sits almost halfway in between two of music’s most influential cities, inspiration came from all sides. “You were hearing out of each ear: rock & roll and R&B to the west in Memphis, and country to the east in Nashville,” shares the Jackson, Tenn. native. Also an avid road warrior, Brandon has toured with some of country’s biggest artists including Dierks Bentley, Cole Swindell, Brantley Gilbert, Eli Young Band, Old Dominion and Kenny Chesney.

    For more information on Brandon, please visit www.BrandonLay.com.

    Audio / Brandon Lay talks about his new song, "Startin' Young."

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    Brandon Lay (Startin’ Young) OC: …connect with it. :29
    “So, ‘Startin’ Young’ is definitely a looking back song. It’s kind of about, it’s definitely about the first love, and anybody that’s been in love has a first love out there somewhere and when you fall for ’em it’s kind of like a bad habit. It’s no different than whiskey or cigarettes. It’s definitely easy to overdo, and that’s kind of what this song’s about — easy to overdo and hard to quit is kind of the themes that falling in love can do, and I just hope people can connect with it.”

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  • MADDIE & TAE ANNOUNCE HOLIDAY PROJECT WE NEED CHRISTMAS OUT OCTOBER 23RD.

    Platinum-selling duo Maddie & Tae announce their first ever holiday release, We Need Christmas, available Oct. 23. The six-track project features two originals, “Merry Married Christmas” and title track “We Need Christmas,” plus beloved holiday favorites including “This Christmas,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

    Limited edition We Need Christmas merchandise and autographed memorabilia are available now for pre-order at weneedchristmas.maddieandtae.com.

    “We are so proud of this project and loved recreating some of our favorite Christmas classics as well as write some of our own,” say Maddie Font and Taylor Kerr. “Making We Need Christmas was such a bright spot for us this year and we hope this project brings a little joy and peace to our fans during this difficult year.”

    Christmas came early for Maddie and Tae as they unwrapped what they had assumed to be props at the We Need Christmas photo shoot to find personalized plaques celebrating the official RIAA Platinum certification for “Die From A Broken Heart,” the duo’s recent No. 1 song at country radio.

    We Need Christmas Track List:

    1. This Christmas (Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor)
    2. Holly Jolly Christmas (Johnny Marks)
    3. O Come All Ye Faithful (Traditional)
    4. Merry Married Christmas (Maddie Font, Taylor Kerr, Josh Kerr)
    5. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector)
    6. We Need Christmas (Maddie Font, Taylor Kerr, Matthew West, AJ Pruis)

     

    Produced by Jimmy Robbins and Derek Wells

  • KEITH URBAN’S 10th STUDIO ALBUM THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1 OUT TODAY AMID MASSIVE PROMO BLITZ.

    Today, Keith Urban celebrates the release of his tenth studio album, THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1.  With the album’s release, comes a global promotional blitz that began on Wednesday night with the network television performance debut of Urban’s duet with P!nk on “One Too Many.”  The official music video for the track, which is blowing up in numerous countries around the world, debuted on Facebook yesterday, and is now available wide today.

     

     

    In addition, today sees multiple performances including appearances on ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, the release of lyric videos for every song on TSON, as well as THE SPEED OF NOW Global Livestream via Amazon Music’s Twitch channel within the Amazon Music mobile app and on Amazon.com/live airing at 9pm ET.

    Urban will also take part in tomorrow night’s ‘iHeartRadio Music Festival,” streaming on the CW App and CWTV.com and on iHeartMedia radio stations at 9PM ET/6 PM PT.  Next week brings even more from THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1 including Wednesday’s performance on Late Night with Seth Meyers and the CW Network will also broadcast the two-night televised iHeartRadio Music Festival on Sunday, September 27th (8:00-10:00pmET) and Monday, September 28th (8:00-10:00pmET).

     

    TSON delivers the power of lifting people up and seeking hope in every – even the challenging – moments, and it serves as the distillation of the music that Urban has been exploring throughout his career.  From “Out The Cage,” featuring funk/pop icon Nile Rodgers and Breland, to the giddyup rock of “Tumbleweed,” his 39th Top 5 “God Whispered Your Name,” his slinky soul pop duet with P!nk “One Too Many,” “We Were,” featuring Eric Church and the old-flannel tumble of “Forever.”  Urban has never sounded so immersed in the music.

    Always seeking new collaborators, THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1 defines one of the most wide-ranging careers in modern music, trusting the moments is as much THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1 as anything.  Urban possesses an unadorned willingness to bring the best musical touchstones together seeking not just to expand but to unite influences, genres, trends and the human heart.  He casts his sessions, follows his inquisitiveness and trusts his collaborators.

    “It’s letting go of parameters, boundaries, expectations, limitations of any sort and taking the most honest and accurate photograph of who I am and where I am musically and personally right now,” says Keith.  For a man who sets an ever-higher bar, it’s a serious standard. But for the multi-instrumentalist, it’s also the reason to keep exploring.

  • MICKEY GUYTON DELIVERS POWERFUL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS PERFORMANCE WITH KEITH URBAN.

    Capitol Nashville’s Mickey Guyton performed the powerful “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” with surprise guest Keith Urban on last night’s Academy of Country Music Awards, watch HERE. Since its release earlier this year, “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” has continued to receive critical acclaim with NPR saying it’s, “a cry of the heart by a remarkable singer and writer who deserves to be a full-on superstar.”

    Mickey co-wrote “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” along with all five additional tracks featured on her new EP, Bridges. In addition to “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” Bridges includes the autobiographical “Black Like Me” which Mickey is set to perform on NBC’s TODAY this Monday, September 21. Bridges has been praised by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard and more with Paste Magazine declaring that “Mickey Guyton is the unapologetic voice country music needs right now.”

    About Mickey Guyton:
    Mickey Guyton was born in Arlington, Texas and began singing in church at a young age. She was drawn to a variety of artists with big voices including Dolly Parton, Cece Winans, Whitney Houston and LeAnn Rimes. After signing to Capitol Records Nashville, Mickey’s first appearance was an all-star concert at the White House captured by PBS. In 2015 she released her self-titled EP featuring her debut single “Better Than You Left Me.” The following year she was nominated for her for first Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Vocalist. Mickey returned to the ACM Awards in 2019 performing “I’m Standing With You” from the BREAKTHROUGH movie soundtrack alongside Chrissy Metz, Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina and Maddie & Tae. The last few years, Mickey has been focused on her songwriting and she just released her new EP, Bridges, on September 11. Bridges includes “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?”, which Variety called “…exquisitely sung, moving and brilliant,” as well as, “Black Like Me,” a song Mickey cowrote in March 2019 at a cross-genre writing camp. Due to demand, “Black Like Me” was released in June and has been praised by critics and fans alike with HITS noting the song “nudges America’s conscience with personal truth and gospel fervor.”  Her latest single “Heaven Down Here” was written in recent months as a plea to God to spare a little love for this world in need. Mickey and her music have been featured recently by The New York TimesCBS This MorningNPRBillboardThe Los Angeles TimesEntertainment WeeklyELLE, Paste, Rolling StoneThe Wall Street JournalAmerican Songwriter and Pollstar.

    Audio / Mickey Guyton talks about performing on this year's ACM AWARDS.

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    Mickey Guyton (performing on the ACM AWARDS) OC: …to people. :35

  • KEITH URBAN GETS READY TO RELEASE HIS NEW ALBUM, THE SPEED OF NOW PART 1.

    Keith Urban is getting ready to release his new album, The Speed of Now, on Friday (September 18th). The collection, Keith’s tenth studio album, features 16 tracks, including his recent Top 5 single, “God Whispered Your Name,” “We Were” – featuring Eric Church, the song’s co-writer, as well as the original solo track, Keith’s new duet with P!NK on “One Too Many” and “Out The Cage,” the album’s opening tune, which highlights a collaboration with Breland and the legendary guitarist Nile Rodgers.

    Keith says the title originally was about how fast life’s little moments were flying by, but took on a whole new meaning after COVID-19 hit with a worldwide pandemic.

    “This title came to me in October of last year, and it was more of a comment about how fast everything was going,” says Keith. “So, the title was a bit of a comment on that, but it took a 180 and suddenly now means something very, very different.”

    The Speed of Now Part 1 Track List:
    1. Out The Cage ft. Breland & Nile Rodgers
    2. One Too Many (Duet with P!NK)
    3. Live With
    4. Superman
    5. Change Your Mind
    6. Forever
    7. Say Something
    8. Soul Food
    9. Ain’t It Like A Woman
    10. With You
    11. Tumbleweed
    12. God Whispered Your Name
    13. Polaroid
    14. Better Than I Am
    15. We Were
    16. We Were ft. Eric Church

    You can catch Keith on ABC’s Good Morning America on Friday, plus on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tomorrow night.

    Audio / Keith Urban talks about the title of his new album, The Speed of Now Part 1.

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    Keith Urban (TSON title) OC: …very different. :16
    “This title came to me in October of last year, and it was more of a comment about how fast everything was going. So, the title was a bit of a comment on that, but it took a 180 and suddenly now means something very, very different.”

     

    Audio / Keith Urban talks about what goes into the make-up of his new album, The Speed of Now Part 1.

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    Keith Urban (TSON is a combination of elements) OC: …insight into that. :28
    “I just try to take the most accurate, honest photograph of who I am, where I’m at, who I’m listening to, what my life is like, what it’s been like, what my aspirations are, the way I feel about things, people, the world. I try and capture all of that on a record, and themes, the themes that I write about which is quite diverse on this record. So, if you wanted to know who I am, this record would give you a good insight into that.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (available September 18th)

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    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (available this week)

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    Video /

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  • AMAZON MUSIC ANNOUNCES KEITH URBAN’S THE SPEED OF NOW GLOBAL LIVESTREAM.

    Keith Urban and Amazon Music today announced that they will join forces for “THE SPEED OF NOW Global Livestream,” an interactive concert experience that will feature the debut of new music from his new release THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1 out on Friday (September 18th). Filmed live from a state-of-the-art studio in Nashville, Tennessee, the four-time GRAMMY Award winner is inviting viewers to participate in the performance via interactive functionality. The concert experience will begin at 9pm ET on September 18th on Amazon Music’s Twitch channel and within the Amazon Music mobile app via Twitch and Amazon Music’s new live streaming functionality, as well as on Amazon.com/live.

     

    Designed as a choose-your-own-adventure experience, “The SPEED OF NOW Global Livestream” will present unifying interactivity to bring audiences together in a way that feels familiar and exciting. Featuring an immersive LED set with multi-camera angles filming on a four-walled soundstage fans are in for an unprecedented night and a set list featuring songs off the new album in addition to past hits. Leading up to September 18th, fans can explore Keith Urban’s Amazon Music Store, highlighting a collection of his music and merch with an exclusive t-shirt, only available for a limited time, or they can shop the collection during the show in the accompanying carousel on amazon.com/live.

    THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1, Urban’s tenth studio album, serves as the distillation of the music that Urban has been exploring over his career.  From “Out The Cage,” featuring funk/pop icon Nile Rodgers and Breland, to the giddyup rock of “Tumbleweed,” and his slinky soul pop duet with P!nk on “One Too Many,” Urban has never sounded so immersed in the music.  Always seeking new collaborators, THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1 defines one of the most wide-ranging careers in modern music.  His current single “God Whispered Your Name,” is currently in the Top 5 and the year thus far as seen a series of monthly releases from THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1 including “Polaroid” and “We Were,” featuring Eric Church.

    Keith Urban has spent the better part of his life harnessing a deep-seated passion for music. His authenticity, talent and driving musical inquisitiveness, helps to understand why he is one of the most successful and well-respected artists in the world.  Besides four Grammy Awards, Urban he’s won thirteen Country Music Association Awards, fifteen Academy of Country Music Awards, four People’s Choice Awards, four American Music Awards and celebrated more than 6 billion streams.

    He is a world-renowned artist, musician, producer, songwriter, singer who remains restless and musically fearless.  His live shows are notorious. An explosive experience of energy and showmanship, Urban’s concerts connect with every soul whether in an arena of 15,000 or outdoors in front of 50,000.

    His musical virtuosity and fluidity has seen him collaborate with a diverse group of artists that include Billy Gibbons, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, John Mayer, Julia Michaels, Justin Timberlake, Dzeko, Miranda Lambert, Nile Rodgers, Post Malone, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones and Vince Gill.

  • ACM AWARDS 2020 WILL BE A STAR-STUDDED SHOW.

    The Academy of Country Music will present its annual awards show on Wednesday night (September 16th). The show was postponed from April in Las Vegas to September in Nashville due to the global pandemic (COVID-19).

    For the first time in the show’s history, the awards will take place in Nashville, broadcasting from three iconic Country Music venues: Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. The reigning Entertainer of the Year, Keith Urban, will host the show from The Grand Ole Opry House.

    Performances include a star-studded medley from the night’s Entertainer of the Year nominees – Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett – to kick off the show, as well as other performances by Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Pink, Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani, Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Riley Green, Tenille Townes, Thomas Rhett with Jon Pardi, Eric Church, Mickey Guyton, Morgan Wallen, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown, Florida Georgia Line, Trisha Yearwood, Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan.

    Eric Church is set to perform the anthemic “Stick Tat in Your Country Song,” while Luke Bryan will sing his multi-week No 1 summer smash “One Margarita.” Taylor will perform her Top 40 country hit, “betty,” and Carrie Underwood will turn in a medley of songs by the format’s most iconic female artists, including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. Mickey Guyton will sing the critically-acclaimed “What Are You Gonna Tell Her,” and the night’s host Keith Urban will perform with P!ink on his new song, “One Too Many from his upcoming album, The Speed of Now Part 1.

    Newcomer Caylee Hammack picked up her first ACM Award for Music Event of the Year for the Miranda Lambert-led collaboration, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” which also featured Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes and Elle King.

    Universal Music Group Nashville is celebrating its honorees (see below).

    Eric Church leads our nominees with three, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. He was also nominated as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “Some of It” – marking his eighth and ninth nominations in the category.

    Reigning Female Artist of the Year Kacey Musgraves earned three nominations including her seventh nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she received her first Single of the Year nomination as both artist and producer for “Rainbow.”

    Carrie Underwood is nominated for a pair of awards, including Entertainer of the Year, as well as Female Artist of the Year.

    Little Big Town also picks up a pair of nods for Group of the Year and Video of the Year for “Sugar Coat.”

    Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley and Keith Urban are nominated for Male Artist of the Year; Jon Pardi is up for Album of the Year for Heartache Medication; and Brothers Osborne and Maddie & Tae are up for Duo of the Year.

     

    The 55th ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, hosted by Keith Urban, will be broadcast Wednesday, September 16th (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on CBS  and will be available to stream on demand on CBS All Access.

     

    ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

    Luke Bryan

    Eric Church

    Luke Combs

    Thomas Rhett

    Carrie Underwood
    FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Kelsea Ballerini

    Miranda Lambert

    Maren Morris

    Kacey Musgraves

    Carrie Underwood
    MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Dierks Bentley

    Luke Combs

    Thomas Rhett

    Chris Stapleton

    Keith Urban
    DUO OF THE YEAR

    Brooks & Dunn

    Brothers Osborne

    Dan + Shay

    Florida Georgia Line

    Maddie & Tae
    GROUP OF THE YEAR

    Lady Antebellum

    Little Big Town

    Midland

    Old Dominion

    The Highwomen
    ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett

    Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Thomas Rhett, The Stereotypes, Cleve Wilson

    GIRL – Maren Morris

    Producers: busbee, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris

    Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi

    Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi

     

    What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs

    Producer: Scott Moffatt

    Wildcard – Miranda Lambert

    Producer: Jay Joyce

     

    SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    God’s Country – Blake Shelton

    Producer: Scott Hendricks

    One Man Band – Old Dominion

    Producer: Shane McAnally

    Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves

    Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian

    Rumor – Lee Brice

    Producers: Lee Brice, Dan Frizsell, Kyle Jacobs, Jon Stone

    What If I Never Get Over You – Lady Antebellum

    Producer: Dann Huff

     

    SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

    10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

    Songwriters: Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers

    Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Shay Mooney Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI), Big Machine Music (BMI) / Buckeye 26 (ASCAP), Jreynmusic (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Bieber Time Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music (ASCAP) / Poo B Z Inc. (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP).

    Girl Goin’ Nowhere – Ashley McBryde

    Songwriters: Jeremy Bussey, Ashley McBryde

    Publishers: Songs of Song Factory (BMI) / Universal Tunes (SESAC).

    God’s Country – Blake Shelton

    Songwriters: Devin Dawson, Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt

    Publishers: Relative Music Group (BMI), Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing (BMI) / WB Music Corp. / Georgia Song Vibez / We-volve Music (ASCAP) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Neon Cross Music (BMI).

    One Man Band – Old Dominion

    Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi

    Publishers: WB Music Corp/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing. Rezsongs/Reehits World/Smacktown Music, a division of Smack Blue, LLC/Unfair Entertainment  (ASCAP) adm. by Me Gusta Music. We’re Really Doin’ It Publishing (ASCAP) adm by Words & Music. Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing.

    Some Of It – Eric Church

    Songwriters: Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Bobby Pinson

    Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music, admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music/Little Louder Songs, admin. by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music/Not A Track Guy Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights (BMI).
     

    MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

    Producers: Dan Smyers

    Record Label: Warner Music Nashville

    Dive Bar – Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton

    Producers: Garth Brooks

    Record Label: Pearl Records, Inc.

    Fooled Around And Fell In Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King

    Producer: Jay Joyce

    Record Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville

    Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

    Producers: Michael Trent Reznor, Atticus Matthew Ross, YoungKio

    Record Label: Columbia Records

    What Happens In A Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell

    Producer: Dann Huff

    Record Label: The Valory Music Co.

    Audio / ERIC CHURCH TALKS ABOUT THE ENERGY EXCHANGED BETWEEN HIM AND HIS FANS IN THE AUDIENCE AT HIS SHOWS.

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    Eric Church (performing energy) OC: …type of crowd. :40
    “Well, I think for me every night I try to empty the tank. There’s always that energy floating around. It’s a palpable thing, and it’s up to me to start that exchange and get the crowd to give it back to me and then watch it build on itself and just to have that experience. We have one night here in whatever city we’re in, you know, we’ve got this night. I’m not gonna see you for a while you’re not gonna see me for a while, you know? And I love being able to capitalize on that moment and trying to live in that moment and get as much energy exchange between myself and the crowd as we can. I love that. That’s my favorite part of what we do. I love being around people, I’m very passionate about my music, and I love people who are passionate about the music too and I love playing a show for that type of crowd.”

    Audio / LAST YEAR, CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKED ABOUT HER ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION FOR LAST YEAR’S CMA AWARDS…AND THE SAME SENTIMENT HOLDS TRUE FOR THIS YEAR’S ACM AWARDS.

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    Carrie Underwood (Entertainer nod 2019) OC: …sorry boys! (laughs) :28
    “I personally feel like entertainer. It’s everything, right? So, I feel like people kind of narrow it down to tours, but I feel like there’s so many more components to it. And, you know, I’m blessed and lucky to be nominated, obviously, and fantastic company. It would be amazing, but of course, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it. (laughs) Sorry boys.” (laughs)

    Audio / A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, LUKE BRYAN TALKED ABOUT BEING NAMED ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR FROM BOTH THE ACM AWARDS AND CMA AWARDS.

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    Luke Bryan (Entertainer wins) OC: …got it right. :49
    “The title is what it is, you know? I mean, my focus in life when I’m on stage is entertaining these fans. If it’s my smile and my demeanor, if it’s my song that does it, if it’s me picking up a child out of the audience and letting them sing, it’s not being so premeditated that you can see it from a mile away. I mean, my main thing is be a fan up there that just gets to sing. That’s kind of how I’ve always approached it, and being called the Entertainer of the Year makes me want to do that to the best of my ability every night for the rest of my life as long as I’m on stage. I want people to leave my shows and go, ‘You know what? Whoever’s voting him Entertainer of the Year, they got it right.’”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack, who was nominated for a pair of awards going into this year's ACM AWARDS, has won her first for Music Event of the Year.

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    Caylee Hammack (ACM Music Event of the Year win) OC: …of women. :42
    “Getting to recreate this song with women that inspire me so very much was already a huge blessing for me. To get to perform it every night for the encore of Miranda Lambert’s show that I got to be on tour with her for, it was already this huge blessing for me and then to be nominated was a huge deal and now, we’ve won an ACM for vocal event of the year, this is unreal. And I wish there was another word I could use for it, but unreal is truly it. This is so very special, and I’m just so honored to be in this group of this caliber of women.”

    Audio / KACEY MUSGRAVES SAYS SHE WROTE “RAINBOW” AS A MEMO TO HERSELF, BUT SAYS IT CAN HELP PEOPLE ACTUALLY SEE THE SUN THROUGH THE CLOUDS.

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    Kacey Musgraves (Rainbow) 1 OC: …make it through. :48
    “The song ‘Rainbow’ was actually written a handful of years ago as sort of a little bit of a memo to myself. I think we can all get stuck in a mindset that things are never gonna improve or you can easily focus on kind of the bad parts of whatever you’re going through and not really realize that if you pulled your head above the water you’d see that the sun is actually shining and that everything’s actually okay. I think one of the reasons that people may relate to the song a lot is because, though it was written to myself, I think that it can take the shape of like whatever someone’s going through – whether it’s coming out and not having the support or just any kind of a situation that they don’t feel like they may make it through.”

    Audio / ERIC CHURCH TALKS ABOUT HIS SONG "SOME OF IT."

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    Eric Church (Some of It coming of age) OC: …figure it out. :56
    “That’s a song, a coming-of-age song, it’s an adult song. It’s adult music. If you listen to the thematics in that and what it’s about, it’s about being older and having some wisdom about you. I think that’s something that I appreciate in my fan base now that early on probably wasn’t there. We were young and drunk and fighting and stupid. But I think now to see them grow – to see the fan base grow – it’s just one of those songs that came along at the right time. And again, it was such a blessing that happened. It wasn’t going to be on the album. It was just one of those freak things that I put it on the album, the last song on the album. The album was done, and all of a sudden it becomes the pillar, one of the pillars on the album. I think again, you go back to it’s one of the great things about music, is you just never know what’s going to happen until it’s all said and done. You can try to plan all you want to, but you’ll probably not going to figure it out.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi is excited for his ACM Album of the Year nomination.

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    Jon Pardi (nominated for ACM AWARD for album) OC: …it’s awesome. :32
    “Being nominated for an ACM Award is always awesome, especially when it’s for Album f the Year. From all the hard work we put in to making this record to seeing it as a nominee for Album of the Year is amazing. It’s such a great honor to just have a nomination – to still be in the game is what I’m saying, and I put in a lot of hard work and it’s just so fun. It’s my favorite category to be in and the most, it’s the one I want to be in because that means all the songs help you get that nomination. I think that’s so great, and we work so hard on picking songs. So, it’s awesome.”

    Audio / MADDIE MARLOW OF MADDIE & TAE TALK ABOUT BEING NOMINATED FOR THE ACM DUO OF THE YEAR AWARD.

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    Maddie & Tae (ACM 2019) OC: …this year. :35
    “Being in the Duo category, especially being the only females in that category, is really, really special. We are just in such good company. Every single duo that’s nominated this year, we are really good friends with and we love and support and root for, but just the fact the industry acknowledges what we’re doing, especially after the crazy past couple of years we’ve had, just to get that nod saying, ‘Hey! You’re doing good. Keep doing what you’re doing,’ is so special. We do not take that for granted ‘cause we didn’t expect that at all, and so it was a huge shock for us and such good news for us this year.”

    Audio / BROTHERS OSBORNE SAYS IT'S AN HONOR TO BE NOMINATED AT THIS YEAR'S ACM AWARDS.

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    Brothers Osborne (being nominated) OC: (TJ) …but it really is. :26
    JOHN: “One of the things I love about the country music genre is “It sounds cliché to say it’s an honor, but it really is that it’s a family. We’re all really, really close. We’re all a bunch of misfits thrown together. We’re all a little different, but we love one another and respect one another, and I’m just honored for the both of us to be a part of this awesome family.” TJ: “I will say to add on that, it sounds cliché to say it’s an honor to be nominated, but it really is.”

  • JON PARDI ANNOUNCES THE DELUXE VERSION OF HIS CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED ALBUM HEARTACHE MEDICATION DUE OUT ON OCT. 2ND.

    Platinum-selling triple threat Jon Pardi is announcing the release of Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version), due out on October 2nd. Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version) is the extended version of Pardi’s critically-acclaimed album Heartache Medication,” which debuted among the top albums on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and garnered the “hero in the making” (Variety) a double nomination as both artist and producer for ACM’s Album of the Year category and a nod for CMA’s Album of the Year. Oct. 2nd is the one year anniversary since Pardi, for the first time, headlined back-to-back nights of the Ryman Auditorium during his album release week for Heartache Medication, and it’s also the night he got engaged.

    Pardi delivers the Deluxe Version with his previously released 14 tracks, plus three new bonus tracks including “Bar Downtown,” “Beer Light,” and a new version of his current hit single “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” (Western Version). Fans can pre-save Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version), here: https://strm.to/JPHeartacheMedicationDeluxe. The pre-order will be available on Sept. 18th. *View the full tracklisting below.

    With the release of his highly-lauded album Heartache Medication, Pardi doubled-down and “…cut a path through modern country by stubbornly sticking to fiddles, steel guitar, and dive-bar jukebox energy” (The New York Times). Critics hailed his blend of “honky-tonkin’, boot-stompin’ tracks about whiskey, women and song” (The New York Times), naming him the only country artist/album represented in The Los Angeles Times “Best Albums of the Year” list (#4) and called him an artist that “…proves that Country music is still thrillingly alive” (Rolling Stone). Critics continue to laud his impressive “state-of-the-art blend of traditional instrumentation and progressive grooves that points to country’s future” (Rolling Stone), saying;

     

    “Like a nicely aged Tennessee Whiskey, Pardi’s music is strong stuff.” –Associated Press

     

    “A hero in the making” –Variety

     

    “the kind of country music multiple generations came to know, and love can still work on a mass scale” –Variety

     

    “Jon Pardi brings Authenticity back into country music.” –People

    “Jon Pardi’s hyperactive honky-tonk brings the past into the present.” -NPR

     

    “Pardi continues to apply new ideas to country’s old sounds” –Los Angeles Times

     

    “ Pardi…deserves credit for combining throwback twang with modern production techniques in a way that appeals to country music fans of all ages and listening preferences.” –Wide Open Country

     

    Paving his way as an all-encompassing producer, singer and songwriter – Pardi co-wrote “Beer Light” and co-produced the three additional tracks with longtime collaborators Bart Butler and Ryan Gore.

     

    The ACM/CMA winning artist recently became the first country artist to have two #1 singles on Country Radio in 2020. Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version) follows the release of “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” (Western Version) and Pardi’s RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS– an eight-song album that features a combination of songs Pardi is both inspired by, and loves to perform-and his ACM/CMA nominated album, HEARTACHE MEDICATION. For more information visit www.jonpardi.com.

     

    Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version) Tracklist*

    1. Old Hat (Jeff Hyde, Matt Jenkins and Ryan Tyndell)
    2. Heartache Medication (Jon Pardi, Barry Dean and Natalie Hemby)
    3. Nobody Leaves A Girl Like That (Bart Butler, Marv Green and Jimmy Yeary)
    4. Ain’t Always The Cowboy (Brandon Kinney and Josh Thompson)
    5. Me And Jack (Jon Pardi, Rhett Akins, Bart Butler and Luke Laird)
    6. Don’t Blame It On Whiskey (Featuring Lauren Alaina) (Eric Church, Michael Heeney, Luke Laird and Miranda Lambert)
    7. Tied One On (Bart Butler, Chase McGill and Jamie Paulin)
    8. Oughta Know That (Jon Pardi, Bart Butler and Luke Laird)
    9. Tequila Little Time (Jon Pardi, Rhett Akins and Luke Laird)
    10. Buy That Man A Beer (Clint Daniels, Justin Lantz and John Pierce)
    11. Call Me Country (Jon Pardi, Bart Butler and Driver Williams)
    12. Just Like Old Times (Jon Pardi, Jeff Hyde and Michael Heeney)
    13. Love Her Like She’s Leaving (Bart Butler, Dean Dillon and Jessie Jo Dillon)
    14. Starlight (Jon Pardi, Bart Butler and Jeffrey Steele)
    15. Bar Downtown (Josh Osborne, Josh Thompson, Matt Dragstrem)
    16. Beer Light (Jon Pardi, Brice Long, Jeff Hyde)
    17. Ain’t Always The Cowboy (Western Version) (Brandon Kinney and Josh Thompson)

     

    Audio / Jon Pardi talks about how well "Bar Downtown" and "Beer Light" will fit on the deluxe version of his ACM AND CMA-nominated album, Heartache Medication.

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    Jon Pardi (Bar Downtown and Beer Light on HM Deluxe) OC: …awesome. :23
    “‘Bar Downtown’ is awesome. I love this, and I heard this song back when we could go downtown. I thought it was great, and it was just an infectious melody and it’s that wondering where she is kind of song, and I love those kind of songs so I’m glad it made it on the Heartache Medication Deluxe. But I felt like these two songs fit on the Deluxe and when they come out, hearing them all together with the Heartache Medication playlist, it’s gonna be awesome.”

  • REBA McENTIRE CELEBRATES THE RELEASE OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF “RUMOR HAS IT” ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA.

    Reba McEntire celebrated the release of the 30th Anniversary of her iconic album, “Rumor Has It” earlier today with an appearance and performance on ABC’s Good Morning America. Check it out below.

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