HOT COUNTRY KNIGHTS
Bio
Some said this moment would never happen. But in spite of 30 wasted years
and countless bad decisions, the ’90s influenced country band Hot Country Knights has
come riding in to save Country music from itself, after signing a worldwide recording deal
with Universal Music Group Nashville (UMGN). The Knights promise to bring real ’90s
Country music back to a format that’s been drowning in male sensitivity, cashmere
cardigan sweaters.
Famous for never giving up on the dream of the ‘90s, the Knights spent the last few
decades watching as country morphed from a proudly vigorous genre into something
almost unrecognizable. But lead singer Douglas (“Doug”) Douglason, lead bass player
Trevor Travis, lead guitarist Marty Ray (“Rayro”) Roburn, keytar/fiddle player Terotej
(“Terry”) Dvoraczekynski, steel guitarist Barry Van Ricky and percussionist Monte
Montgomery have the antidote as The K Is Silent puts the “T” back in country.
“Some artists out there tried to put the ‘O’ back in country, that was a thing for a while….
but what it’s really missing is the ‘T,’” band leader Douglas (“Doug”) Douglason said.
“Country music has Low-T right now…it could use a pick me up, if you know what I mean.
Those record label people over at Universal finally realized that only the Knights could be
up to a task this big and hard.”
With a forthcoming project built on the bounding rhythms and bright, organic euphoria of
live Country music – with truly gratifying lyrics. The Knights are adamant about the fact
they could have done it themselves. Instead, they allowed longtime admirer Dierks
Bentley to produce – a partnership born from a deep sense of man-to-man pity.
“Boy he sucks, basically,” says lead guitarist Rayro. “I didn’t want to have to be the one
to say it, but we’re helping him out, let’s just be clear there.”
“When [Dierks] first moved to town he was struggling, and he saw us crushing a big
venue,” Douglason adds, although he can’t recall which Hooters’ parking lot it was. “We
inspired him, so he thinks he’s paying us back in some way by offering to produce us –
but we all know what’s really going on here. He’s trying to grab onto the old mullet and
ride it as hard as he can.”
Despite Bentley’s involvement, the Knights emerged with a collection they predict will
have fans lined up around their local Tower Records and Sam Goody locations, with the
first single “Pick Her Up” featuring Travis Tritt to get the action started.
A classic barnstormer featuring rollicking guitar solos and a freewheeling guest
appearance by ‘90s icon Travis Tritt, it’s a sound the band has dubbed “Hot Country
Knights 101.” “We wanted to introduce our fans to what actual, real country music is,”
Douglason explains. “None of that snap-track shit that’s out there now. So this is just
straight ahead, balls-to-the-wall slapping out that tempo.”
Other unforgettable moments include the modern-day drifter’s lament, “Asphalt,” a
touching ballad about the band’s curve-hugging motivation. As dedicated road warriors,
they’ve basically lived out of a van their entire existence – even when they weren’t
touring.
“The road calls and you answer,” says the Russian born Terry. “You go town to town, you
meet pretty lady, share boiled-rabbit soup, glass of wine, and then you must move on to
next town. It’s just the way it is.”
“It’s really well rounded,” Douglason says of the track’s ample emotional cushion. “It’s a
tender song, and my mom loves it.”
“We’re just keeping it ‘90s, the way it’s supposed to be,” says Travis, the band’s lead bass
player and sometimes co-lead singer.
After all this time, some may ask “Why now?” It comes down to something much more …
substance. According to the band, they couldn’t just sit back and watch Country let its
proud heritage droop and sag.
“See, we were out on the road singing a lot of other people’s hits, and we called
them Greatest Hits because by us singing them, it made them great,” Douglason
explains. “But this is a step beyond our Greatest Hits. This is all original material, and it’s
the best stuff to come out of Nashville since like, 1999. I’m excited for the fans to hear it.”
“And I’m excited for them to buy it,” Rayro adds.
News
View all news on HOT COUNTRY KNIGHTSDALTON DOVER RELEASES NEVER GIVING UP ON THAT COLLECTION.
Named a Pandora 2023 Artist to Watch, an Amazon Music 2023 Breakthrough Artist to Watch: Country Class and a member of CMT’s LISTEN UP 2023 Class, Dalton Dover releases his eight-song collection Never Giving Up On That via Mercury Records/UMG Nashville, featuring two new songs including “Dirt Roads and Jesus” and an alluring cover of “If I Ain’t Got You.” Listen to Never Giving Up On That HERE.
“This has been such an exciting time in my life, and it means so much to be able to share it with all of you,” shares Dover. “So many milestones and memories have been made with these songs and what better way to celebrate that than putting them all together and adding some new ones. We can’t wait to bring more new music to you soon.”
Along with “If I Ain’t Got You,” a staple and fan-favorite in his live set, “Dirt Roads and Jesus,” written by Dover with his producer Matt McVaney and Alex Maxwell, is a striking ballad, expressing where he feels closest to God. As he debuted the song during his first performance at the Grand Ole Opry, he explained he’d faced some tough times throughout his life, but his faith has always brought him out the other side to better days.
Today’s release follows barn-burner “Night To Go,” praised by MusicRow as Dover “has already proved himself to be a masterful country balladeer, a story-song teller, a heartache prince and a heart-tugging sentimentalist…He can also spit out a country rocker with the best of ‘em: this kicks hillbilly butt,” asserting the song is “more proof that stardom should knock on his door.”
Dover’s first official single “Giving Up On That” debuted as the most-added song at Country radio and continues to climb the charts. The official music video, filmed near Dover’s hometown in Rome, Georgia, will premiere next Wednesday, Sept. 27 on CMT, CMT Music, CMT.com and Paramount’s Times Square Billboard.
He made his international debut earlier this year at C2C: Country to Country Festival’s CMA Songwriters Series before joining Chase Rice on the Way Down Yonder Tour. This summer, Dover performed across four stages at CMA Fest, including the Nissan Stadium Platform Stage, and played Luke Combs’ Whiskey Jam Bootleggers Tailgate Party at Gillette Stadium in July. He has been on the road with select dates supporting Tyler Hubbard, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore and Priscilla Block among festival performances. For more information and tickets, visit DaltonDoverOfficial.com.
Never Giving Up On That Track List:
- Giving Up On That (Dalton Dover, Adam Craig, Josh Pierce)
- You Got A Small Town (Adam Craig, Jamie Paulin, John Pierce)
- Damn Good Life (Dalton Dover, Alex Maxwell, Jackson Free)
- Baby I Am (Jason Gantt, Dan Isbell, Nate Smith)
- Night To Go (Cole Taylor, Trea Landon, Shane Minor, Michael Carter)
- Hear About A Girl (Adam Craig, Michael Carter, Jim McCormick)
- If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys)
- Dirt Roads and Jesus (Dalton Dover, Alex Maxwell, Matt McVaney)
Dalton Dover Upcoming Tour Dates:
Sept. 23 Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (w/ Justin Moore) Greenwood Village, CO
Sept. 26 CMT Equal Access Showcase Nashville, TN
Sept. 27 Pasadena Rodeo Pasadena, TX
Oct. 8 WPOC Sunday in the Country Columbia, MD
GLOBAL SUPERSTAR CARRIE UNDERWOOD RELEASES DENIM & RHINESTONES (DELUXE EDITION).
8-time GRAMMY® Award-winning superstar Carrie Underwood releases Denim & Rhinestones (Deluxe Edition) today featuring six new tracks – five brand new songs including the beautifully aching “Drunk And Hungover” written by Nicolle Galyon, Hillary Lindsey, Jordan Reynolds, Underwood’s current song on country radio “Out Of That Truck,” plus a special live version of “She Don’t Know,” recorded LIVE from Underwood’s 43-city arena tour, The Denim & Rhinestones Tour. Critics have raved about the deluxe tracks released so far:
“OUT OF THAT TRUCK”
“Carrie rocks out on this defiant stomper addressed to her ex. She vows that no matter how hard he tries, he’ll never erase her memory from his truck, because they shared so much in it. A winner.” – MusicRow
“TAKE ME OUT”
“Underwood wants to rekindle romance with some simple solutions—some flirting, some kisses, some attention. Most of all, take her out on the town. The gently pulsing rhythm and hushed soprano harmonies are the icing on the audio cake.” – MusicRow
“‘Take Me Out’ is meant to slow dance to. The tempo lays the groundwork for the longing in Underwood’s voice. She sings about wanting to spend more time with the person she loves. As life can be chaotic at times, it’s important to make time for those who matter most. The softer, more vulnerable Underwood songs make people realize why they love her all over again.” – Nash News
“GIVE HER THAT”
“Carrie Underwood is willing to “Give Her That” in her new song. The acoustic slow burner “Give Her That” finds the singer reminiscing on a past love who’s moved on to a new woman. Underwood acknowledges that while her ex’s new love may be champagne sweet and a Covergirl face full of Southern belle, she can’t replace the memories they shared together. When the chorus kicks in, the country star affirms that she’ll always have precious mementos that range from his old Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt she still wears to the necklace his mother gave her.” – American Songwriter
“An old flame has burned out, but the smoke hasn’t cleared on Carrie Underwood’s latest release “Give Her That.” The reflective ballad, set to appear on the deluxe edition of Denim and Rhinestones, digs deep into the details to remind a past lover that even though he’s moved on, the singer has left an undeniable and irreplaceable mark.” – Rolling Stone
Underwood recently shared a new trailer for the deluxe release, which includes some never-before-seen footage of the creation of Denim & Rhinestones.
Listen to Denim & Rhinestones (Deluxe Edition) HERE
Underwood returns to her ongoing REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World Theatre Friday night (September 22nd), having just announced new dates extending the residency into 2024 (info HERE). She currently stars in her 11th consecutive show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football, airing now for the 2023-2024 season. This Sunday, she will attend the Steelers-Raiders game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where she will also be interviewed live by Sunday Night Football’s Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on NBC’s pre-game show Football Night in America.
Denim & Rhinestones Deluxe Edition track listing:
- Denim & Rhinestones
- Velvet Heartbreak
- Ghost Story
- Hate My Heart
- Burn
- Crazy Angels
- Faster
- Pink Champagne
- Wanted Woman
- Poor Everybody Else
- She Don’t Know
- Garden
- Out Of That Truck*
- Give Her That*
- Drunk And Hungover*
- Damage*
- Take Me Out*
- She Don’t Know (LIVE from The Denim & Rhinestones Tour)*
*Deluxe Edition tracks
Audio / Carrie Underwood was sent “Drunk And Hungover,” and she loved the metaphor of being drunk on love and hung up on your ex.
DownloadCarrie Underwood (Drunk And Hungover) OC: …cool one. :30
“’Drunk And Hungover’ is a song that I got sent to me from Hillary Lindsey and Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynolds. I love the metaphor of having the relationship, like being in a great relationship as being the drunk, but missing a past relationship being hungover. I just love the metaphor and how you can’t be drunk and hungover at the same time and how it’s not fair to the people that you’re spending your time with. I love the song. I love the melody. I just think it’s a really cool one.”
Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (available now)
DownloadVideo /
LUKE GRIMES RELEASES NEW TRACK, “BURN,” FROM EP PAIN PILLS OR PEWS OUT OCTOBER 20th.
Mercury Nashville / Range Music recording artist Luke Grimes today released the song, “Burn,” from his forthcoming eight-song EP, Pain Pills Or Pews, which comes out October 20th. Written by Grimes, Randy Montana (Luke Combs, Parker McCollum) and Josh Thompson (Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton), the song was produced by Dave Cobb.
“‘Burn’ came from a simple classic rock style melody and the idea of running headfirst into a heartbreak, almost asking for it,” said Grimes. “The song always had a bit of Tom Petty vibe as he’s always been a big influence for me. Getting in the room with Randy Montana and Josh Thompson showed me what seasoned songwriters can do with a simple idea; I love how this track turned out.”
PRE-SAVE PAIN PILLS OR PEWS | HERE
After the release of his debut EP, Grimes will be heading out on the road to bring fans live performances of his songs this fall. Tickets go on sale today at 10am local time at www.lukegrimesmusic.com. Grimes will also perform for the first time at the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural festival this weekend in Franklin, Tennessee and he will be returning to Stagecoach in Indio, California in April 2024.
Track List Pain Pills Or Pews:
- No Horse To Ride (Luke Grimes)
- Hold On (Foy Vance)
- Ghost Of Who We Were (Luke Grimes)
- Where It’s Blue (Colton Venner)
- Burn (Luke Grimes)
- Playing On The Tracks (Luke Grimes)
- Oh Ohio (Luke Grimes)
- Ain’t Dead Yet (Luke Grimes)
Upcoming Show Dates:
| 11/9 | Columbus, OH | Newport Music Hall |
| 11/10 | Philadelphia, PA | Theatre of Living Arts |
| 11/30 | Minneapolis, MN | First Avenue |
| 12/1 | Rosemont, IL | Joe’s Live |
| 12/7 | Dallas, TX | The Factory in Deep Ellum |
| 12/9 | Austin, TX | Emo’s |
| 12/15 | Washington, DC | 9:30 Club |
| 12/16 | Boston, MA | The Roadrunner |
Tickets Available HERE
About Luke Grimes:
Grimes’ debut track, “No Horse To Ride,” debuted inside the Top 10 of the Country Songs sales chart at No. 7. In its second week of release, “No Horse To Ride” racked up 95K Shazams, placing it No. 2 on the Shazam Country chart, No. 2 on the Shazam Top 200 USA chart and No. 37 on the Shazam Global chart, a rarity for a country artist. Spotify placed the song on the cover of its Country Hits 2023 playlist, with the song in the No. 1 position, and the song has been on eight Spotify Viral Charts.
Known for his role as Kayce Dutton on the hit television series, “Yellowstone,” Grimes has been making music for years and is prepping his first major label project. When not on set, Grimes can be found spinning his favorite country albums and songwriting at home in Montana or in Nashville writing with some of Music Row’s elite including Jonathan Singleton, Tony Lane, Randy Montana, Brent Cobb, Jamey Johnson, Love Junkies, Josh Osborne, Jon Randall, and Jessie Alexander.
Grimes grew up playing music in the church as the son of a Pentecostal pastor. His father also laid the foundation for the music he loves, introducing him to the works of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. The Ohio native is now finding his own voice and style as an artist, inspired by the likes of Colter Wall, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, and the late Townes Van Zandt. Grimes continues to tour this summer at fairs and festivals across the country.
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