• Parker McCollum Burn It Down
  • Tyler Hubbard Back Then Right Now
  • Jordan Davis Tucson Too Late
  • Sam Hunt Outskirts
  • Anne Wilson Rain in the Rearview
  • Chris Stapleton Think I'm In Love With You

News

ALAN JACKSON LAUNCHES 25th ANNIVERSARY KEEPIN’ IT COUNTRY TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JON PARDI AND BRANDY CLARK. (AUDIO AND PRESS RELEASE)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 20, 2014) Country superstar Alan Jackson rings in 2015 with the continuation of the multi-faceted 25th anniversary celebration and the launch of his 25th Anniversary KEEPIN’ IT COUNTRY TOUR. Sponsored by Kubota Tractor Corporation, the tour kicks off in Fort Myers (Estero), FL on January 8 and will culminate at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver (Morrison), CO on May 17, 2015. Joining Jackson on his KEEPIN’ IT COUNTRY TOUR will be Capitol Records Nashville’s Jon Pardi and Grammy/CMA/ACM nominated hit singer/songwriter Brandy Clark.

Alan Jackson’s 25th Anniversary KEEPIN’ IT COUNTRY TOUR will be a memorable celebration for his longtime fans as well as legions of new fans who are discovering his music through the many songs that have withstood the test of time and influenced many new artists of today like the tour’s special guests Jon Pardi and Brandy Clark. Fans will hear the songs they love from the man who wrote them and made them famous including his massive debut hit, “Here In The Real World” to “Chattahoochee,” “Drive,” “Gone Country,” the summertime party-anthems “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” and “Good Time,” and many, many more.

Alan Jackson’s 25th Anniversary KEEPIN’ IT COUNTRY TOUR:

JAN 08           Fort Myers (Estero), FL                   Germain Arena

JAN 09           Tampa, FL                                        USF Sun Dome

FEB 20           San Diego, CA                                 Valley View Casino Center

FEB 21           Laughlin, NV                                     Laughlin Events Center

FEB 27           Los Angeles, CA                              Nokia Theatre LA Live

FEB 28           Phoenix, AZ                                       Ak-Chin Pavilion

MAR 06          Dallas (Grand Prairie), TX              Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

MAR 27          Augusta, GA                                      James Brown Arena

MAR 28          Greenville, SC                                    Bon Secours Wellness Arena

APR 09          Wilmington, NC                                   Cape Fear Community College

APR 17          Kansas City (Independence), MO    Independence Events Center

APR 18          Enid, OK                                                Enid Event Center

APR 24          Roanoke, VA                                       Civic Center Auditorium

MAY 01           Sioux City, IA                                      Tyson Events Center

MAY 02           Brookings, SD                                     Swiftel Center

MAY 08           Green Bay, WI                                     Resch Center

MAY 09           Bloomington, IL                                    US Cellular Coliseum

MAY 16           Salt Lake City (West Valley City), UT        USANA Amphitheatre

MAY 17           Denver (Morrison), CO                               Red Rocks Amphitheatre

 

More dates may be added soon.

Jackson’s tour is an extension of the already year-long 25th anniversary celebration which kicked off this summer with the opening of his exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, Alan Jackson: 25 Years of Keepin’ It Country, which will run through March 2015. This month the multi-platinum selling Grammy winner is also playing two record-breaking sold out shows at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater making him the first simultaneous artist-in-residence and major museum exhibit subject.

Tickets and information for all KEEPIN’ IT COUNTRY TOUR dates will be available via local outlets and by visiting www.alanjackson.com, where you can find information about Alan, his tour schedule, music and more


About Alan Jackson

In his 25-year career, Jackson has been steadfast in his love for traditional music while enjoying major chart success.  Since signing his record deal in June 1989, he has sold nearly 60 million albums worldwide and ranks as one of the 10 best-selling country artists of all-time. He has released more than 60 singles—registering 50 Top Ten hits and 35 #1s (including 26 Billboard #1s).  He has earned more than 150 music industry awards—including 18 Academy of Country Music Awards, 16 Country Music Association Awards, a pair of Grammys and ASCAP’s Founders and Golden Note Awards.  He is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry.

Alan Jackson is one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music.  He is in the elite company of Paul McCartney and John Lennon among songwriters who’ve written more than 20 songs that they’ve recorded and taken to the top of the charts.  Jackson is one of the best-selling artists since the inception of SoundScan, ranking alongside the likes of Eminem and Metallica.  

About Jon Pardi

California native and Capitol Records Nashville rising country star Jon Pardi released his debut album, Write You A Song, on Jan. 14, 2014.  The Los Angeles Times calls Write You A Song “one of the year’s best country albums.” The release features his Gold-certified Top 10 tune “Up All Night,” along with hits “What I Can’t Put Down,” “Missin’ You Crazy” and his brand new “When I’ve Been Drinkin.’” Pardi has a laid back, fun-loving approach towards life and it comes through in his music and his raucous live show. His charisma and authenticity strike a chord with county audiences, as he wins over fans one-by-one and show-by-show.

Pardi’s sound is undeniably country — paying homage to some of his musical heroes such as Dwight Yoakam, George Strait and Alan Jackson.  Discovering his ability for performance back at the tender age of three when he sang ALABAMA, Alan Jackson and Hank Williams, Jr. karaoke with his grandmother, Pardi has since shared the stage with Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church and many more of today’s hottest country artists.  For additional information, visit www.JonPardi.com.

About Brandy Clark

Brandy Clark’s debut album, 12 Stories, was named the best album of 2013 in any genre by New York Magazine’s Jody Rosen, New York Post’s Michaelangelo Matos, NPR’s Ann Powers, Slate, and Boston Globe’s Sarah Rodman. The album was the No. 2 record for Fresh Air’s Ken Tucker and a top 10 choice for Los Angeles Times’ Randall Roberts and The New Yorker’s Sasha Frere-Jones, among many others. She earned two 2014 CMA nominations (one for New Artist of the Year, the other for Song of the Year for co-writing Kacey Musgraves’ hit “Follow Your Arrow” with Musgraves and Shane McAnally), won the 2014 Music Row Breakthrough Artist Award, and toured with Eric Church and Jennifer Nettles. She also opened for Loretta Lynn at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. When reviewing 12 Stories, Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times wrote, “This is the country debut of the year.” Rolling Stone’s Will Hermes noted, “Her debut is all airtight craftsmanship, sly wit and precise detailing that treats mainstream style like artisanal fast food.” New York Magazine’s Rosen remarked, “She’s a brisk, vivid, witty storyteller; her tunes unfold in old-fashioned weepers and chugging honkytonk, with fiddles, pedal steel, and vocal harmonies driving home the punch lines and pathos,” while NPR’s Powers called her “A storyteller of the highest caliber.” Hitfix’s Melinda Newman wrote that Clark was “the best new artist country radio isn’t playing” and that 12 Stories “made almost every music critics’ best of 2013 list for its heart, wit, smart wordplay, and Clark’s expressive vocals.”

Clark was nominated for her first GRAMMY Award earlier this year for Best Country Song for “Mama’s Broken Heart,” (a song she co-wrote with McAnally and Musgraves) which Miranda Lambert took to No. 1. That song also earned Clark her first CMA and ACM nominations, both for Song of the Year. She also wrote The Band Perry’s No. 1 hit “Better Dig Two” with McAnally and Trevor Rosen. Other artists to record her songs include Sheryl Crow, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, and more. For more information visit www.brandyclarkmusic.com.

Suggested Tweet: 

Alan Jackson’s 2015 #KeepinItCountry Tour w/ special guests @JonPardi & @TheBrandyClark has been announced  at alanjackson.com/tour.html ! #25AJ

Twitter Cheat Sheet: @AlanJacksonOfficial, #AJ25, #KeepinItCountry, @JonPardi, @TheBrandyClark

Audio / Jon Pardi (AJ tour) 1

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AUDIO: Jon Pardi is so excited about joining Alan Jackson on the road, as is his mother, Shelly.

Jon Pardi (AJ tour) 1 OC: …Chattahoochie, I mean. 1:03
“When I found out that I was going to be on tour with Alan and on the middle slot – which is a huge deal for us because we’ve always been the 20 minute guys; like, ‘Alright-see you later. We played five songs, and we’re out.’ So, that’s really my first middle slot – when you have an opener, then you got the middle and you have the headliner. My manager was totally egging it on, like, ‘Oh yeah. We got a middle slot.’ I was like, ‘With who?’ He said, ‘Are you ready?’ He was like, ‘Alan Jackson.’ I was like, ‘ALAN JACKSON? Are you serious? You’re joking, right? There’s no way. I mean, it’s Alan Jackson!’ And then it dawns on you. You’re so excited and you’re jumping up and down, you can’t tell everybody. I called my mom, of course. She started ccrying. ‘Alan Jackson! You don’t know how much we listen to Alan Jackson! I love Alan Jackson!’ She started going off, and any time she thinks of a George Strait or Alan Jackson, she thinks of my grandmother that we all [loved]. She influenced me, and she was always singing for all of my family, you know, ‘Don’t Rock the Jukebox’ or Chattahoochee,’ I mean.” 

 

 

LITTLE BIG TOWN PREPARES FOR A BUSY PAIN KILLER ALBUM RELEASE WEEK. (PRESS RELEASE)

NASHVILLE TN (MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2014) – Newest inducted members of the Grand Ole Opry, Little Big Town, prepares for what will be a busy release schedule for their sixth studio album Pain Killer, in stores Oct. 21. The foursome will wrap up their mentoring session with good friend Blake Shelton on “The Voice” (10/20, 10/21); stop by “Good Morning America” (10/21) for a live performance; broadcast live (8pm eastern) from the iHeart Radio Theatre in New York for iHeart Radio Country Live! (10/22),  “The View” (10/23), and will wrap up by making a stop on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (10/30) for an exciting performance with The Roots.  

In addition to the heavy TV schedule, Little Big Town will be performing an album release concert in NYC the night of Oct. 21 at the Best Buy Theater. Fans can expect a full run-through of Pain Killer and also fan favorites such as “Boondocks,” “Pontoon,” and “Tornado.” 

Early buzz surrounding the release of Pain Killer includes rave reviews from Rolling Stone Country calling it “…perhaps the best album the group has released…” and “ABC News Radio” who says “The material is daring, and Little Big Town’s vocal performances remain unmatched…destined to be a favorite…” To pre-order Pain Killer click here:http://smarturl.it/yhtsqn.  

Little Big Town will launch The Pain Killer Tour on November 8th in Youngstown, OH with openers Brett Eldredge and Brothers Osborne.  For more information on tour dates and album release activity visit www.littlebigtown.com.

SAM HUNT’S ‘NIGHT’ LEADS THE WAY FOR MONTEVALLO. (AUDIO)

Sam Hunt’s debut single, “Leave the Night On,” has climbed into the Top 3 and poised to hit the top of the charts, and it couldn’t be better timing with the release of his debut album, Montevallo, next week (October 27th). Sam explains “Leave the Night On” is a good representation of the album.

“‘Leave the Night On’ is a song that sort of represents the album as a whole,” says Sam. “I feel like it captures all of the elements in one song. As far as a song that could represent what the whole album is about, I think that’s just a good choice.”

Sam is on the road with Kip Moore and Charlie Worsham on the CMT On Tour: Up in Smoke. Their next stop is Thursday (October 23rd).

Audio / Sam Hunt (Leave the Night On represents album)

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AUDIO: Sam Hunt says his debut single, “Leave the Night On,” is a good representation of the rest of his album.

Sam Hunt (Leave the Night On represents album) OC: …the project. :15
“‘Leave the Night On’ is a song that sort of represents the album as a whole. I feel like it captures all of the elements in one song. As far as a song that could represent what the whole album is about, I think that’s just a good choice. It’s a good front of the boat for the project.”

Video / Sam Hunt - Leave The Night On

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LITTLE BIG TOWN JOINS THE GRAND OLE OPRY. (AUDIO, PHOTOS, PRESS RELEASE)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (Oct. 17, 2014) – The critically acclaimed Grammy®-winning vocal group Little Big Town (Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman and Jimi Westbrook) were formally inducted into the Grand Ole Opry this evening by Opry members Little Jimmy Dickens and Vince Gill. The group had been invited to join the Opry on October 3rd by Opry member and friend Reba McEntire. The night marked a major milestone for the group whose first-ever public performance together was on the Opry in 1999.

The group opened its set with a performance of its hit “Bring it On Home,” hearkening back to its Opry debut. On that night, as the members recalled backstage, they had been accompanied by only a borrowed guitar. After the group’s performance of the smash “Boondocks,” Dickens and Gill took the stage along with Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher to present the group with its Opry Member Award.

“The word ‘family’ really means something out here. It really does,” Gill said to the group. “You’ll make friends like I have with this man right here,” he continued, nodding to Dickens. “You’ll be so be blessed by the friends you’ll make out here, and they’ll last your entire life. Welcome to the family, and remember to come here as often as you can.”

After the group shared its thanks to the Opry, family members, friends, and others who’d helped make its Opry dream come true, the members invited Gill to join them on their final song of the night, the Kris Kristofferson classic “Why Me.” “Welcome them home!” Gill cheered before a standing ovation sold out audience.

Backstage, group members reflected on having grown up with the Opry and on its importance to their music. “This feels like the biggest moment of our lives and our career,” Schlapman said.

“I’m so excited about sharing this moment with the band,” Fairchild added. “We’ve been through the highest of highs together, and this is sure to be the highest. This is as good as it gets.”

Sweet reflected on everyone at the Opry having embraced the group over the years. “It feels like home,” he said. “It’s family.”

“There’s nothing like walking those halls backstage,” added Westbrook, later sharing amazement with the other members that the group’s name would be added to the Opry Member Gallery at the Opry House backstage entrance.

About Little Big Town
Critically acclaimed Country group, Little Big Town – consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, and Jimi Westbrook – first entered the music scene more than 15 years ago with hits such as “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good As Gone” and Grammy-nominated single “Little White Church.”  The quartet’s fifth studio album Tornado was released on September 11, 2012 and debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Chart where it stayed for five consecutive weeks.  The album has been certified Platinum with sales of more than 1 million copies and features #1 hits “Pontoon” and “Tornado.”

Collectively, the group has earned more than 25 award show nominations and has taken home the award for ACM Top New Vocal Group, CMA Single of the Year (“Pontoon”), CMA Vocal Group of the Year (2012 and 2013), ACM Vocal Group of the Year, ACM Video of the Year (“Tornado”), a Grammy Award for Best Country Group/Duo Performance (“Pontoon”) and an Emmy award (Outstanding Original Song-“Good Afternoon”).

Little Big Town recently completed their sixth studio album working again with producer Jay Joyce. The first single off of the new album entitled “Day Drinking” is quickly climbing the Country radio charts.  The album, entitled Pain Killer, is set for release on October 21.

For more information on Little Big Town please visit www.littlebigtown.com.

About the Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry® is presented by Humana®.  Opry performances are held every Friday and Saturday of the year, and the Tuesday Night Opry continues through December 16.  To plan an Opry visit, call (800) SEE-OPRY or visit opry.com. The Opry presents the best in country music live every week from Nashville, Tenn.  Celebrating nearly nine decades of entertainment, the Opry can be heard at opry.com and wsmonline.com, Opry and WSM mobile apps, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and its flagship home, 650 AM-WSM. The Grand Ole Opry is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE: RHP).  For more information, visit opry.com

Audio / LBT (becoming Opry members)

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AUDIO: Little Big Town describe what it means to be members of the Grand Ole Opry.

LBT (becoming Opry members) OC: …way, you know? :54
PHILLIP: “My first feeling is it just feels like a family, and I feel like we’re being welcomed into a small family. It’s not like everyone’s invited as members of the Opry. It’s a small group of people, and it’s such an honor. I have such good warm feelings when I think about coming to play the Opry. It feels like home. It’s like family when you come here. It’s heartwarming.” JIMI: “It is. There’s nothing like walking these halls through here. From the very first time we ever came in here, it’s magical. You walk through and see all those pictures and the history and the tradition.” KAREN: “We feel a responsibility for that, to keep it going.” JIMI: “It means something. It really does.” KAREN: “And to preserve that reverence. I think it’s serious, you know? And we feel a great responsibility to carry on the tradition. It feels super serious in the most amazing way, you know?”

Audio / LBT (full circle moment)

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AUDIO: Little Big Town’s first public performance was at the Grand Ole Opry May 1999, and they explain how it is a full circle moment.

LBT (full circle moment) OC: (Phillip) …borrowed guitar. :14
PHILLIP: “This is so full circle for us. This was the first place that we ever played in front of human beings in a public way. We didn’t have a band. We didn’t have any musicians, just us, and here we are tonight.” JIMI: “And one borrowed guitar.” [laughs] PHILLIP: “Yes! One borrowed guitar.”

Audio / LBT (Opry best night)

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AUDIO: Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild says through all of their ups and downs

LBT (Opry best night) OC: …for sure. :31
“It’s incredible that a band that stepped on this stage for the first time and then got a record deal then lost a record deal, then got a record deal, then lost a record deal,  and then had a great record and then the label folded, and then made another record. It’s such a crazy story. We’ve had babies together and all these incredible moments. So, standing up here tonight, I know we’re gonna look down at each other and it’s gonna be as good as it gets, for sure.”

 

ERIC CHURCH RACES AROUND THE SUBJECT. (AUDIO)

Audio / Eric Church (Talladega)

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Eric Church is climbing the country charts with his latest single, “Talladega,” which is from his CMA-nominated album, The Outsiders.

The song, while making reference to the famed NASCAR track, isn’t about car racing, but about life itself and some golden care-free moments that you had and still look back at with joy and wistfulness.

“When you see the [title of] the song, you think it’s about racing, but it’s not,” says Eric. “It’s about guys having an experience built around a town. When I hear the song in my head, I see that. I can envision that movie is playing in my head when I hear that song.”

Eric is nominated for four CMA Awards, including Male Vocalist, Album (for The Outsiders) and Single and Song of the Year for “Give Me Back My Hometown,” which he wrote with Luke Laird (also the co-writer on “Talladega”). Eric won his first CMA Award in 2012 for Album of the Year for Chief. The 48th Annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena November 5th at 8pm on ABC.

Audio / LINER Eric Church (Talladega)

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AUDIO: Eric Church talks about the song, “Talladega,” from his new album, The Outsiders.

Eric Church (Talladega) OC: …hear that song. :13
“When you see the [title of] the song, you think it’s about racing, but it’s not. It’s about guys having an experience built around a town. When I hear the song in my head, I see that. I can envision that movie is playing in my head when I hear that song.”

LITTLE BIG TOWN HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR PAIN KILLER. (AUDIO)

The release of Little Big Town’s latest album, Pain Killer, is just days away, and the band just hopes that folks love it as much as they do.

“I love this record so much. It is more than I could have ever hoped or dreamed,” says LBT’s Karen Fairchild. “When we started, it was a painful process this time. I don’t know why…. it was a good process. It just wasn’t as easy as the other one.”

Bandmate Jimi Westbrook agrees. “We had to work on it. Put in the time and the work and the effort,” he says. “It’s always good, and it makes you appreciate it on the other side a lot. I’m with her. I just hope people love it and embrace it because I feel really good about it.

The album, which features their latest hit “Day Drinking,” follows up their platinum album, Tornado, which yielded the band awards and their first two No. 1 songs.

Little Big Town, who will become members of the Grand Ole Opry on Friday (October 16th), are set to release Pain Killer on Tuesday (October 21st).

Audio / LBT (hopes for Pain Killer)

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AUDIO: The members of Little Big Town talk about their hopes for their new album, Pain Killer.

LBT (hopes for Pain Killer) OC: (JIMI) …good about it. 1:00
KAREN: “I just hope people love it as much as we do because we love it. I love this record so much. It is more than I could have ever hoped or dreamed. When we started it was a painful process this time. I don’t know why. It has its own personality, busyness.” PHILLIP: It was a transformational kind of record because we went through that and we went through that midway through little transformation and kind of came out the other side. I think after ‘Tumble and Fall,’ it started feeling differently.” KAREN: “It’s true. It was good – it was a good process. It just wasn’t as easy as the other one.JIMI: We had to work on it. Put in the time and the work and the effort. It’s always good, and it makes you appreciate it on the other side a lot. I’m with her. I just hope people love it and embrace it because I feel really good about it.

Audio / LBT (hopes for Pain Killer) 2

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AUDIO: CUT 30: Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet talks about his hopes for Pain Killer.

LBT (hopes for Pain Killer) 2 OC: …test of time. :24
PHILLIP: “Winning awards and having success, commercial success with Tornado, I think, gave us a bigger platform, and for me, I hope that platform – I’m really proud that we made Painkiller, because it’s the best thing we’ve ever done and that we have a platform to share it on is amazing. So, I think we wanted to step up to the challenge and know there’s a great platform here, what are we going to put on it? And we wanted something to stand the test of time.”

BILLY CURRINGTON AND SAM HUNT CELEBRATE THE NO. 1 SUCCESS OF WE ARE TONIGHT. (AUDIO)

Billy Currington and Sam Hunt celebrated the No. 1 success of the song “We Are Tonight” at a party in Nashville on Wednesday (October 15th). Billy recorded the tune, which was written by Sam Hunt, who is also enjoying success on the charts with “Leave the Night On.”

Before Luke Bryan was a household name, he wrote the No. 1 hit, “Good Directions,” also recorded by Billy, who seems to have a knack for finding talented singer-songwriters.

“It’s really nice first of all to connect with the new writers and new artists in Nashville,” says Billy. “I’ve been here quite a few years now and when I hear great voices like Luke Bryan and Sam [Hunt], I never can believe that they never keep the song.” Billy also got his start writing songs for other people, such as George Strait, Tracy Byrd and Marty Raybon.

Billy is getting ready to hit the airwaves with his new single, “Don’t It.”

Audio / Billy Currington (finding talented singer songwriters)

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AUDIO: Prior to the No. 1 party for “We Are Tonight,” Billy Currington, who cut the Luke Bryan-penned “Good Directions,” talks about finding talented writers/artists, such as Sam Hunt.

Billy Currington (finding talented singer-songwriters) OC: …very special. :
“I mean, it’s really nice first of all to connect with the new writers and new artists in Nashville, I mean, I’ve been here quite a few years now and when I hear great voices like Luke Bryan and Sam [Hunt], I always question, I never can believe that they never keep the song. But then I revert back to the time when I first moved to town, and all I ever wanted to do was sing. It wasn’t too much about writing, but just started writing a lot and fell into it. Got into a position to where do I keep these songs for another five years until I get a record deal or start pitching them? So, I decided to start pitching them, and started getting cuts. I don’t know, just the relationships I gained with the artists that cut my song(s). It was very special.”

Audio / Sam Hunt (writing We Are Tonight)

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AUDIO: Sam Hunt talks about writing “We Are Tonight.”

Sam Hunt (writing We Are Tonight) OC: …kept going. :20
“We were writing a different song, and then took a little break and came back and I remember singing the little ‘Whoa/Whoa part,’ and I think, Josh, started chanting the ‘We Are Tonight’ part, and that was inspiring enough to know just that little piece combined that we were onto something, so we just sort of kept going.”

A DATE’S BEEN SET FOR CMA COUNTRY CHRISTMAS. (PRESS RELEASE)

NASHVILLE – Some of the biggest names in music will come together to celebrate the holidays on “CMA Country Christmas,” a two-hour special hosted for the fifth year by Jennifer Nettles airing Monday, Dec. 1st (8:00-10:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The special is a celebration of the season featuring some of the top stars in music performing holiday songs and getting into the Christmas spirit. The special tapes in front of a live audience Friday, Nov. 7 (7:30 PM/CT), at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Artists already announced include Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Lucy Hale, Hunter Hayes, Little Big Town, Idina Menzel, Nettles, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith and Carrie Underwood.

For the third year, audience members are being encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the taping to help make the holidays brighter for Nashville area children. The Nashville-based non-profit group Generosity will have volunteers on site with specially marked bins to collect toys beginning at (5:00 PM/CT) on Nov. 7. In 2013, the group collected more than 5,000 toys.

Tickets for “CMA Country Christmas” are on sale now and can be purchased at CMAchristmas.com; by calling (800) 745-3000; or in person at the Bridgestone Arena Box Office, located at 501 Broadway (corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, Nashville). Tickets for “CMA Country Christmas” are $25 for Upper-Level seating and $50 for Lower- and Club-Level seating. Ticket prices include tax, but exclude applicable service fees.

For updates and information visit CMAchristmas.com

“CMA Country Christmas” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

Chevrolet™ is the Official Ride of Country Music.

*Suggested Tweet* Don’t miss #CMAchristmas hosted by @JenniferNettles airing Monday, Dec. 1 on ABC! {link URL}

 

ERIC CHURCH EXTENDS THE OUTSIDERS WORLD TOUR INTO NEXT YEAR. (PRESS RELEASE AND VIDEO)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Wednesday, Oct. 15 – Eight long years ago, Eric Church stepped foot onto the stage of the legendary Madison Square Garden and changed the trajectory of his career forever. At the time, his debut album Sinners Like Me was receiving critical acclaim and his debut single “How Bout You” was climbing the charts and as opener for a country trio on a chilly October 14, 2006 evening, Church was ready to play long and loud and late into the night…or at least that’s how the story goes.

The Chief hasn’t been back since.

Fast forward eight years, and the EMI Nashville recording artist is ready to recreate that long and loud and fateful night. Except this time, the Chief is in charge. Now holding the deserving title of headliner, Church is preparing to take the MSG stage once again on October 17, 2014 in celebration of his top selling album The Outsiders, his rising single “Talledega” and the unveiling of the second leg of Eric Church: The Outsiders World Tour.
 

The much anticipated and long overdue show in New York City is just one of the many highlights of a year that has found Church tirelessly touring the country, consistently at the top of the charts and serving as the toast of a bevy of award shows. To commemorate his return performance in The Big Apple, Church will also perform on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, Oct. 15 on NBC at 11:35 pm ET/10:35 CT. At the upcoming 48th Annual CMA Awards, airing live on November 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, The Outsiders is nominated for CMA Album of the Year and has also earned Church three additional CMA nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year, as well as both Single of the Year and Song of the Year for his No. 1 hit song “Give Me Back My Hometown.” 
Church told The New York Times earlier this year, “I always say that we don’t make these songs for Music Row, we make them for the front row,” and both fans and critics agree. A Rolling Stone cover artist, the publication raves The Outsiders World Tourpacks “a serious punch,” and SPIN Magazine notes “he’s the most exciting, sonically fearless singer in Nashville.”
And based on the staggering success of The Outsiders World Tour, Church will take on the New Year with the launch of the second leg of the tour in New Orleans on January 8, 2015. The second leg of the 2015 tour will proceed as follows:
Jan. 8| New Orleans, LA| Smoothie King Center  
Jan. 9| Tupelo, MS| BankcorpSouth Arena
Jan. 10| Nashville, TN| Bridgestone Arena
Jan. 14| Oklahoma City, OK| Chesapeake Energy Arena
Jan. 16| Las Vegas, NV | The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Jan. 17| Las Vegas, NV| The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Jan. 18| San Diego, CA| Valley View Casino Arena
Jan. 22| Fresno, CA| Save Mart Center
Jan. 23| Los Angeles, CA| Staples Center
Jan. 24| Phoenix, AZ| US Airways Arena
Jan. 27| Denver, CO| Pepsi Center
Jan. 29| Spokane, WA| Spokane Arena
Jan. 30| Boise, ID| Taco Bell Arena
Jan. 31| Salt Lake City, UT| EnergySolutions Arena
Feb. 4| Sacramento, CA| Sleep Train Arena
Feb. 5| San Jose, CA| SAP Center 
Church’s current album, The Outsiders, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and the Billboard Country Albums Chart earlier this year, featuring his No. 1 hit “Give Me Back My Hometown” and his new single “Talladega.”  The Outsiders is the follow-up to Church’s Platinum-certified album Chief, (named the 2012 Album of the Year by both CMA and ACM, and GRAMMY-nominated for Best Country Album) which featured five Top 20 singles: “Homeboy” (certified Platinum for sales in excess of one million singles); the Top 10 “Like Jesus Does” and the Top 5 “Creepin’” (both certified Gold for sales in excess of 500,000 singles each); and two No. 1 hits “Drink in My Hand” (certified Platinum) and “Springsteen” (certified Double Platinum for sales in excess of two million singles). Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me (2006) and his sophomore album Carolina (2009) are both RIAA Gold-certified. Carolina had three hit singles: the Top 10 “Hell on the Heart” as well as Top 20 hit “Smoke A Little Smoke” and Top 10 smash “Love Your Love The Most,” which were both certified Gold. Sinners Like Me spawned three Top 20  singles: “How ‘Bout You,” “Two Pink Lines,” and “Guys Like Me.”
Visit www.ericchurch.com for more information. Follow Church on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ericchurch and on Twitter at twitter.com/ericchurch

LUKE BRYAN WILL EXTEND HIS THAT’S MY KIND OF NIGHT TOUR INTO 2015. (PRESS RELEASE)

NASHVILLE – (October 14, 2014) – Luke Bryan will extend his highly successful “That’s My Kind of Night Tour” with a winter leg in early 2015.  The 2014 tour has produced sell outs in each market it’s played including four sold-out stadium shows with crowds of 225,000 fans, two sold-out concerts in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, a string of double-play dates that broke venue attendance records and he became the debut country act to play Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.  Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch will open the 2015 winter leg.  Ticket on sales begin this Saturday, Oct. 18 at 10am for the Louisville, Kentucky date.

Over the weekend, Luke wrapped his sixth annual “Farm Tour” performing for over 110,000 fans during the eight city run.  A portion of the ticket proceeds are granted for local college scholarships (“Luke Bryan Farm Tour Scholarship”) to students from a farming family within the communities the tour plays. The 2014 “Farm Tour” was sponsored by 5-hour ENERGY®, Texaco, Cabela’s, Miller Lite, and AT&T U-verse®

2015 “That’s My Kind of Night” Tour:
2-10     Grand Rapids, MI        Van Andel Arena
2-11     Evansville, IN              Ford Center
2-12     Louisville, KY             KFC Yum! Center
2-14     New Orleans, LA         Endymion Extravaganza *
2-18     Estero, FL                    Germain Arena
2-21     Orlando, FL                 Amway Center
*not TMKON Tour
 
Live Nation is the national tour promoter for the 2015 “That’s My Kind of Night Tour” and Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is sponsoring the tour.  
 
Citi is the official credit card of the “That’s My Kind of Night Tour” with Citi cardmembers having access to presale tickets through Citi’s Private Pass Program.  For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com.
 
Since the debut of his first album in 2007, Luke has sold nearly 6.4 million albums, 24.9 million digital tracks from his four studio albums and placed 11 singles at No. 1.  Luke’s current No. 1 single “Roller Coaster” is the from his Crash My Party album, which has sold over two million copies with 7.8 million digital downloads and was the best-selling country album in 2013.  The album contains four additional No. 1 hits including “That’s My Kind of Night,” “Crash My Party,” “Drink A Beer,” and “Play It Again.”  Luke made Billboard chart history earlier this year by reaching the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “Play It Again” and “This Is How We Roll” with Florida Georgia Line claiming the No. 2 spot.  Luke becomes the first artist to ever hold the two top positions since the chart began in 1990.
 
Luke will perform on the upcoming “48th Annual CMA Awards” on Wed., Nov. 5 and is nominated for three CMA Awards- Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist and Album of the Year for Crash My Party­.
   
Randy Houser took country fans and industry insiders by storm with the 2013 release of his Stoney Creek Records album How Country Feels. Scoring three consecutive No. 1 hits with the title track, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” and “Goodnight Kiss,” Houser also earned an American Country Award for Most Played Radio Track: Male (“How Country Feels”) and his first No. 1 as a songwriter (“Goodnight Kiss”). His new single, “Like A Cowboy,” is the fourth release from How Country Feels and was written by Houser and Brice Long. Previous successes include Houser’s 2009 Top 5 hit “Boots On” and debut power ballad, “Anything Goes.” For more information and the latest tour dates, visit www.RandyHouser.com.
Broken Bow Records’ Dustin Lynch occupies a unique place in today’s country music. Thanks to his classic sensibilities, he’s been heralded as the heir to George Strait’s throne. Yet with one listen to his Gold-selling, two-week #1 smash, “Where It’s At,” it’s obvious the young Tennessee native knows how to combine his traditional influences with an edgy intensity that places him at the vanguard of today’s contemporary country scene. Since the release of his Platinum-selling debut single, “Cowboys and Angels,” Lynch has surpassed 17.9 million views on YouTube/ VEVO and earned multiple awards show nominations.  Lynch’s new album WHERE IT’S AT debuted as the #1-selling digital Country album in the U.S. and earned over 500,000 Spotify streams in its first week alone. Rolling Stone Country named Lynch one of “The Best Things We Saw at CMA Music Fest 2014” while he was heralded as one of Country music’s ‘Sexiest Men of 2014’ in People Country, Us Weekly and Closer Weekly.  For more information visit http://www.dustinlynchmusic.com  
 
The Farm Tour was sponsored by 5-Hour Energy®, Texaco, Cabela’s, Miller Lite, and AT&T.
About 5-Hour ENERGY®
5-hour ENERGY® is a liquid energy shot that provides a feeling of energy and alertness that lasts for hours. It contains a blend of B-vitamins and amino acids, zero sugar, four calories, and caffeine comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee. It is available at retail outlets in the United States and Canada as well as throughout the U.K., Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and South Africa.
 
About The Texaco Brand
The Texaco brand is an American oil retail brand, founded in 1901, when “Buckskin Joe” Cullinan struck a geyser of oil in Spindletop, Texas. Since that day, the Texaco brand has become one of the world’s most iconic and enduring brands. From quality products and celebrity endorsements to catchy television and radio jingles reminding motorists to “trust your car to the man who wears the star,” the Texaco brand, along with the Texaco Star, has become a highly recognized element of Americana. And today, more than a century after its birth, the legacy continues – the Texaco brand focuses on delivering performance. The unbeatable cleaning power of Texaco with Techron demonstrates the brand’s unyielding commitment to quality and helps customers get the best performance they can from their cars and trucks. For more information, visit http://www.texaco.com/.
 
About Cabela’s Incorporated
Cabela’s Incorporated, headquartered in Sidney, Nebraska, is a leading specialty retailer, and the world’s largest direct marketer, of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise. Since the Company’s founding in 1961, Cabela’s has grown to become one of the most well-known outdoor recreation brands in the world, and has long been recognized as the World’s Foremost Outfitter. Through Cabela’s growing number of retail stores and its well-established direct business, it offers a wide and distinctive selection of high-quality outdoor products at competitive prices while providing superior customer service. Cabela’s also issues the Cabela’s CLUB Visa credit card, which serves as its primary customer loyalty rewards program. Cabela’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CAB”.
   
About Miller Brewing Company
Miller Lite, the original great-tasting light pilsner beer, (MillerLite.comFacebook.com/MillerLite, @MillerLite on Twitter) was introduced nationally in 1975 and is among the top-five selling beers in the United States.  Miller Brewing Company operates in the United States and Puerto Rico as part of MillerCoors, a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company. Learn more atMillerCoors.com, at Facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter through @MillerCoors.
 
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best global wireless coverage, based on offering roaming in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier and offers the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV service with the AT&T U-verse® brand. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.  Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://about.att.com or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/att.  © 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.  Reliability claim based on data transfer completion rates on nationwide 4G LTE networks. 4G LTE availability varies.

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  • Alan Jackson with WUSN/Chicago’s Jeff Kapugi and Marci Braun, as well as UMG Nashville’s Mike Dungan and Steve Hodges.