Some of UMG Nashville’s talented artists have recited the age-old holiday poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” This year, we have Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, TJ and John Osborne (Brothers Osborne), Jordan Davis and Brandon Lay doing the honors.

For your convenience, we’re offering a produced and a dry version of the holiday classic.

Keith Urban

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

TJ Osborne

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

John Osborne
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.

Lauren Alaina

More rapid than eagles his reindeer they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

So up to the house-top the reindeer they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

Darius Rucker
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

Jordan Davis

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

Carrie Underwood
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

Brandon Lay

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

Luke Bryan

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

Alan Jackson

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Happy Holidays!

Chris Stapleton, Emmylou Harris, Eric Church, Jimmy Buffett, Bobby Bare, Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson, Margo Price, Micah Nelson, Nathaniel Rateliff, Ray Benson, and Steve Earle have been added to the all-star lineup of Willie: Life & Songs Of An American Outlaw, A Willie Nelson All-Star Concert Celebration. They join previously announced performers Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, The Avett Brothers, George Strait, Jack Johnson, John Mellencamp, Kris Kristofferson, Lee Ann Womack, Lyle Lovett,Norah Jones and The Little Willies, Sheryl Crow, Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, and Vince Gill.

This once-in-a-lifetime concert event will take place Saturday, January 12th, 2019 at 7PM CT at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. This historic event will honor living legend Willie Nelson and feature his greatest hits performed by today’s biggest superstars.

The event will be filmed for a broadcast television special to premiere on A&E Network in 2019.

Additional tickets have just been released and are on sale now online at Livenation.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, and at the Bridgestone Arena box office. VIP packages including great seats and exclusive merchandise are also available.

In his 85th year, Willie Nelson is more prolific than ever. In 2018 alone, he’s released his 67th studio album (Last Man Standing), a stirring collection of his favorite Sinatra songs (My Way) and headlined the largest touring festival in North America (Outlaw Music Festival). Willie is America’s music hero. It’s hard to put into words what he means to singers, songwriters, musicians, and people all over the world. Through life’s ups and downs, heartbreaks and rewards, Willie and his songs have been a dear and constant friend to all of us. He’s a trusted father figure to millions of Americans by lifting them up through FARM AID and his annual JULY 4th PICNIC. He’s the clear inspiration for dozens of today’s biggest music stars
from all genres of music.

Little Big Town will be featured on NBC’s Today Show on Wednesday (December 19th). The segment was shot during their annual Christmas program at Blackberry Farm this past weekend.

Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour album, which was named CMA Album of the Year last month, has made it onto several Best of 2018 album lists. The latest include AP (Associated Press) and GQ.

Maddie & Tae have been added to the Country Thunder lineup in Kissimmee, Florida March 22nd – March 24th.

Kip Moore took to the stage for a sold-out “Evening with Kip Moore at the GRAMMY Museum”on Friday night (December 14th) in Los Angeles. Hosted by Executive Director Scott Goldman, Moore offered insight into his career path so far and played a powerful solo acoustic set for the packed audience at the GRAMMY Museum’s Clive Davis Theater.

During the evening, Moore answered questions from the audience, and his performance included a moving rendition of his current Top 10 single “Last Shot” and the fitting “It Ain’t California” for the LA crowd, taken from his recently released ROOM TO SPARE: THE ACOUSTIC SESSIONS EP. 

Moore recently announced the extension of his Room To Spare: Acoustic Tour, following a sold-out run this fall. Moore will head out on a stacked tour with shows scheduled in the U.S., Canada and The U.K. Tickets to all four dates of Moore’s upcoming U.K. shows in London, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester sold out within minutes of going on sale on Friday.

Kip Moore’s current single “Last Shot” is the second taken from his revered third studio album SLOWHEART and follows his fourth No. One hit “More Girls Like You.” Moore’s third studio album SLOWHEART garnered instant praise from critics as his “most complete, cohesive declaration of his artistic sensibilities yet” (NPR,) as well landing on multiple “Best Of” lists including Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, UpRoxx, Bobby Bones Show, Taste Of Country, Sounds Like Nashville, The Boot, PopMatters and Whiskey Riff. SLOWHEART follows the acclaim that surrounded Moore’s sophomore album WILD ONES and his PLATINUM debut album UP ALL NIGHT that spawned three No. One hit singles, including GOLD certified “Beer Money,” PLATINUM certified “Hey Pretty Girl,” and the DOUBLE PLATINUM breakout hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck.” For more information, visit kipmoore.net.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Recording Academy™/photo by Rebecca Sapp, Getty Images © 2018
Right Photo: Kip Moore pictured with Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum, Scott Goldman

Clare Dunn is headed home to southeast Colorado for Christmas to celebrate with her parents and sister. When she has time to watch a Christmas classic, it’s usually either White Christmas or Christmas Vacation.

When she and her family sit down for Christmas dinner, it’s not your usual turkey or ham. “I’m a steak girl, so I always talk my parents into grilling steak at Christmas,” she laughs. “So, that’s usually my favorite thing about Christmas, food-wise.”

You can see Clare perform a pair of songs during The 87th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade. While it premiered on the CW Network on December 14th, American Forces Network and the Hallmark Channel will air on December 19th and December 22nd, respectively. (Check local listings for times in your area.)

Travis Denning grew up in Warner Robins, Georgia with his parents and sister. One of the family’s Christmas traditions was to open presents on Christmas Eve, which actually gives them more time to spend together.

“My favorite Christmas tradition is we always open presents the night before and used to, I always thought it was ‘cause me and my sister ragged on my parents until they let us. But now the older I get, and to me it really does make a difference. I wake up on Christmas Day and think about what it really means instead,” says Travis. “My parents always do a big breakfast; mimosas on Christmas morning. It’s just such a great family affair, and I just think ultimately in opening presents on Christmas Eve versus Christmas Day, we get to spend time reflecting on what it really means.”

What Christmas means to Travis goes beyond exchanging gifts. “The older I got, as cliché as it sounds, I mean it really isn’t about the gifts. It’s more about drinking some whiskey with dad while the little nephew or whatever open presents or my little cousins,” he says. “It turns into sentimental things and what matters. For me one year, that was a shotgun and then it was a, just a Stranger Things coffee mug that my mom got me, which I drink [out of] every morning. Those things that are just more like, ‘Hey-I thought about you and I put a lot of you in this gift,’ you know, and that’s what I love about it.”

The Georgia native was recently announced as part of both the CMA Kixstart and Opry Nextstage programs.

Dierks Bentley will end 2018 on a high note with a performance of his Top 10 and climbing single “Burning Man” during the finale of The Voice (12/18 at 7:00P CT on NBC). “The hard-charging track” (Newsday) is the second release form his No. One selling ninth studio album THE MOUNTAIN, which earned Bentley the highest first week sales of his career and follows his 17th career chart topper and “most affecting song” (Rolling Stone), “Woman, Amen.”

As Bentley co-wrote 10 of the album’s 13 tracks that are unified by themes of presence and positivity, critics continue to applaud “one of the most joyful, brazen, and cohesive collections of his career” (Entertainment Weekly). His “music that’s designed to challenge” (New York Times) has been featured as one of “2018 Best Albums” by Esquire, USA Today, Rolling Stone, The Tennessean, Sounds Like Nashville and is one of the only Country albums on Billboard’s all-genre year end list. Additionally, the “downright euphoric” collaboration with Brandi Carlile, “Travelin’ Light,” landed on Esquire’s list for “Best Country Songs of 2018.” Just a few short months since its release, THE MOUNTAIN garnered multiple nominations including “Album of the Year” nods from the ACM and CMAs has been streamed more than 245 million times.

“Credit goes to Bentley’s heady mix of earnestness and confidence, both of which are on display all across the 2018 set. While most of his industry peers are still dropping lines about hot young things in cutoff shorts, Bentley digs into the importance of family, the transformative powers of love and monogamy and the hard-won perspective found in his forties. Amen is right.” – Esquire

“Bentley releases the most thoughtful, complete collections in Country music, and THE MOUNTAIN is among his best….a spacious, uncluttered showcase of Bentley’s heart and creativity that reflects the natural beauty of the Colorado mountains where it was written and recorded.” – USA Today

“There’s the rock & roll Bentley…the banjo and fiddle-loving Bentley…and the sultry piano-ballad Bentley. But the magic in THE MOUNTAIN is how it blends all of these elements, with each musical moment nodding to the next. Bentley no longer seems concerned with getting to the top. Rather, he’s perfecting the path of his ascension.” – Rolling Stone

“Whether it’s delving into bluegrass, as he did on 2010’s UP ON THE RIDGE, or contemplating the complexities of life with 2018’s THE MOUNTAIN, Bentley is stealthily one of Country Music’s most adventurous artists.” – Billboard

Outside of his 40-city tour trek, Bentley brought his love of the west to life by teaming up with Live Nation for the inaugural SEVEN PEAKS FESTIVAL in Buena Vista, CO over Labor Day weekend. The three-day festival included multiple stages and a campground set in front of the awe-inspiring collegiate peaks mountain range, creating one of the freshest and most eclectic Country music festivals. Bentley performed several times over the weekend, along with artists such as Miranda Lambert, Elle King, and the Del McCoury Band.

“Nothing and no one can get in his way” (Elle Magazine) as Bentley created professional endeavors outside of the music industry after he partnered with Flag & Anthem to create an exclusive new lifestyle collection, Desert Son. With its name inspired by some of the more autobiographical lyrics off THE MOUNTAIN, the offering will features vintage-washed tees, raglans, hoodies and hats along with a handful of women’s tees. Bentley also expanded his “Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row” franchise this year with Riot Hospitality Group as its fourth location opened on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, the street Bentley called his second home when he first moved to Nashville to pursue music.

Pegged as “one of Country music’s most enviable brands, equal parts affability and authenticity” (Forbes), Bentley continues to be a dominant voice for the genre with over 8.6 billion overall digital streams. He continues the momentum next year with the launch of his 2019 BURNING MAN TOUR, which kicks of Jan. 17 in Hamilton, ON, CAN, featuring special guests Jon Pardi, Tenille Townes and the Hot Country Knights.

PLATINUM-selling duo, Maddie & Tae’s “Die From A Broken Heart,” has been included on Esquire’s Top Country Songs of The Year list, out today. The honest, heart-rending track is the second song off their forthcoming concept album. “Their finest moment yet,” the song quickly resonated, breaking into Spotify’s Viral 50 charts in both the U.S. and Canada.

“‘Die From A Broken Heart’ is one of our most personal songs from the upcoming album, but to see the way it’s connecting with the fans and how they’re relating it to their own stories really means the world to us,” Maddie & Tae shared.

Listen to “Die From A Broken Heart” here: http://strm.to/DieFromABrokenHeart

**Award-winning duo Maddie & Tae are drawing praise for their new single “Friends Don’t,” “anchored around their stellar vocal pairings and some of the tightest harmonies on Music Row (Rolling Stone). “The sound is identifiable while still representing a distinct step forward” (Billboard), giving fans a taste of what to expect from their highly-anticipated forthcoming full-length album, due in 2019.

Maddie & Tae first broke out in 2013 with their brilliant take down of bro-country, “Girl In A Country Song,” which took Country radio by storm, skyrocketing to the top of the charts and quickly going PLATINUM. The duo became only the third female duo in 70 years to top the Country Airplay charts, also earning trophies from the Country Music Academy and Radio Disney Music Awards along with multiple ACM, CMA and CMT Award nominations. Receiving widespread praise from NPR, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, Glamour and others, country music’s hottest stars including Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice and Brad Paisley have welcomed Maddie & Tae on the road, with Carrie Underwood recently inviting the duo out as direct support on her 2019 Cry Pretty Tour 360.

For additional information, visit www.maddieandtae.com.

MCA Nashville recording artist Clare Dunn will perform two songs as part of The 87th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade. Clare — getting ready for the 2019 Next Women of Country Tour with Cassadee Pope and Hannah Ellis — will perform a moving rendition of the Christmas classic “O Holy Night,” and her hit “Tuxedo.”

A national two-hour special premiere is slated to air on The CW Friday (December 14th) at 8pm ET/7pm CT.  American Forces Network and the Hallmark Channel will air on December 19th and December 22nd, respectively. (Check local listings for times in your area.)

Known for her transfixing live shows, her gifting as a power vocalist, songwriter and producer, plus her unparalleled guitar artistry, Clare Dunn is an artist on the ascent.

Clare is a “masterful guitar player who can do it all” (CMT) with “big, soaring vocals and serious guitar prowess” (Rolling Stone).  As a testament to her stage presence and live show, Clare caught the attention of rock legend Bob Seger who, after hearing her sound check only once, invited her to open for his Ride Out Tour.

UMG Nashville is pleased to bring you a unique holiday special to help you program your stations. The three-hour program is spot-free (includes 10-14 minutes of local avails per hour; non-exclusive).

Click here to download the special.

A Country Christmas is a three-hour, multi-artist special hosted by Lauren Alaina, and features classic holiday tunes, as well as Christmas thoughts, memories and more from many of your favorite country artists, including Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Alan Jackson and George Strait, among many others. We’ll also give you some bonus content and liners, as well.

CLEARANCE WINDOW:

Friday, December 14th – Sunday, December 25th