Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

We are less than two weeks away from the release of Luke Bryan’s Spring Break…Here to Party album. It includes many of the songs released from his previous Spring Break-themed EP’s, as well “Just a Sip” and “Buzzkill” – two original songs he wrote for the album. The Georgia native is proud of how the music on his Spring Break releases has grown over the last few years. ““The toughest hurdle is making sure that you’re looking at the body of the songs and make sure that they’re good enough to be what you wanna represent yourself with, and we’re just proud that we started a little idea and that it’s grown into something,” says Luke. “We just felt that it was time to put a physical CD together that people can go purchase in all kinds of all environments.” Spring Break…Here to Party will be available in stores and online March 5th.

Luke is set to take a break from his Dirt Road Diaries Tour to once again play a pair of shows at Spinnaker’s Beach Club in Panama City, set for March 12th and 13th. Fans can also catch him in Orange Beach (aka Gulf Shores) on March 14th.

AUDIO: Luke Bryan says it was time to put out a full CD of his Spring Break songs.

Luke Bryan (proud Spring Break music has grown) OC: …all environments. :25
“The toughest hurdle is making sure that you’re looking at the body of the songs and make sure that they’re good enough to be what you wanna represent yourself with, and we’re just proud that we started a little idea and that it’s grown into something. And we just felt that it was time to put a physical CD together that people can go purchase in all kinds of all environments.”

NASHVILLE – The CMA Foundation donated $1.2 million to benefit music education programs for Nashville’s 81,000 public school students from 2012 CMA Music Festival through the Keep the Music Playing campaign at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center Tuesday night.

The announcement raises CMA’s Keep the Music Playing support of music education in Metro Schools from $5.3 million to more than $6.5 million. This money has been used to build music labs and purchase instruments and supplies for ALL 144 Metro Nashville Public Schools through a partnership with the Nashville Public Education Foundation.

“Providing instruments for every Metro school is a tremendous accomplishment,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “When we started this program in 2006, instruments in Metro band programs were more than 30 years old – if they were lucky enough to have them at all. Seeing what this program has accomplished on behalf of our artists is extremely gratifying. Keep the Music Playing is making a difference by helping to make quality music education a reality for our children.”

In 2006, the CMA Artist Relations Committee established the Keep the Music Playing program to give back to the community on behalf of the hundreds of Country artists who perform and make appearances at CMA Music Festival each year for free.

The announcement of the 2012 CMA Music Festival donation was made at a reception prior to the Fourth Annual CMA Keep the Music Playing All Stars Concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The All Stars Concert honors the best elementary, middle, and high school performance groups selected from Metro Schools. 

CMA Award nominee Scotty McCreery hosted the concert and was on hand for the donation announcement, which was attended by band directors and music teachers from Metro Schools, as well as representatives from The CMA Foundation, CMA Board of Directors, Music City Music Council, and Nashville Public Education Foundation.  

Famous for winning American Idol before he graduated high school, McCreery understands firsthand the importance of music education. In addition to hosting the CMA All Stars Concert, McCreery performed “The River” (made famous by Garth Brooks) with students from Sylvan Park Elementary School.

“When I was in high school in North Carolina, I was very involved in the school’s music program which provided the foundation that inspired my music career today,” said McCreery.  “And as a proud performer at the past two CMA Music Festivals, it’s an honor to represent CMA’s Keep the Music Playing, a program that gives back to schools in such a big way. Hosting the All Stars Concert and performing with the students of Sylvan Park Elementary has been an unforgettable experience and I’m glad I was able to share the stage with such talented young people.”

McCreery was American Idol’s youngest male winner in 2011, as well as the show’s first Country male star. His first studio album, Clear As Day, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts, making him the youngest male in history to open at the top of the all-genre chart with a debut release. The project also garnered the highest sales of any Country solo album released in 2011, held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for six weeks and earned Platinum status in just 13 weeks. His hits include “The Trouble With Girls,” “Water Tower Town,” and “I Love You This Big.” His first headlining tour, “Weekend Roadtrip,” kicked off on Feb. 14.

In the midst of a budding career, McCreery is also pursuing an undergraduate degree at N.C. State University. He grew up singing in church in the Raleigh satellite community of Garner, N.C.  He led a praise-and-worship group called Audience of One. He also sang with an advanced high-school chorale group called Die Meistersingers. It required him to sight-read music, perform classical pieces, and compete with similar groups on a national level.

“Putting instruments in the hands of children is one of the most important initiatives undertaken by The CMA Foundation,” said Kitty Moon Emery, Chair of The CMA Foundation Board of Directors. “Supporting music education is an investment in the future of our city and our industry. It is an honor to nurture these young performers and provide them with the resources and opportunities they need and to advance their skills and achieve their dreams.”

CMA created the nonprofit (501C3) CMA Foundation in 2011. The Foundation exists to provide financial support to worthwhile causes that are important to CMA and the Country Music community. The group places special emphasis on serving the needs of CMA’s core constituents and nonprofit organizations with initiatives that preserve the legacy of the format, support music education, and respond to other needs identified by CMA.

In addition to Emery, the Mayor of Nashville, the honorable Karl Dean; Nashville Public Education Foundation Board Chair Michael Carter, Sr.; and Director of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Dr. Jesse Register attended the announcement.

During the program, Michael Weidman, Chevrolet National Promotions Manager, presented a new Chevrolet Traverse, which will be used to pick up and deliver instruments for the Keep the Music Playing-funded instrument repair facility for Metro Schools; which means repaired instruments will get back into the hands of students faster.

“Chevrolet supports America’s youth and understands the value and role music can play in the lives of students,” Weidman said. “We are proud to support such a worthwhile cause and remain committed to our outstanding partnership with the Country Music Association and Keep the Music Playing.”

Studies show students who participate in the arts are more likely to graduate. Metro’s performing arts students have a 96 percent graduation rate compared to 78.4 percent for the general population. Sixty percent of Metro students are involved in music education classes – including 100 percent of elementary school students.

The music programs keep the students engaged in high school, but the musical training also provides access to potential college scholarships so these students can further their education and earn degrees.

All Stars are selected by Metro Nashville Public Schools Coordinator of Performing Arts Dr. Nola Jones and include Antioch High School Wind Ensemble, Croft Middle Design Center Advanced Orchestra, Meigs Academic Magnet Wind Ensemble, the Nashville School of the Arts Festival Choir, Oliver Middle School Wind Ensemble, and Sylvan Park Elementary School.

“In Metro Schools, we’re providing every student with the foundation to excel in higher education, work and life. Music education is an essential part of that,” said Register. “Keep the Music Playing has provided musical instruments to our students who come from 130 nations around the world. With musical instruments in their hands, students share a common language and opportunity to transform their lives.”

With this announcement, the total figure for the Keep the Music Playing program is $7.6 million. This figure includes a $1 million endowment gift for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s “Words & Music” program, which assists language arts and music teachers with classroom instruction in the basics of songwriting; support of the 2012 W.O. Smith summer camp program; and a recent instrument donation to P.S. 103 in the Bronx, NY.       

Gary Allan’s new single, “Pieces,” is a unique and positive way to look at previous relationships. He co-wrote the song with Sarah Buxton and Odie Blackmon, and it’s about taking things from people you had a relationship with and those “pieces” are what makes you who you are at this moment – the good and the bad; the happy and sad. One of the best “pieces” Gary has taken is “finding good in others.” He says, “It’s that whole no matter how bad or annoying a person is, there’s something good you can take from them. I think that’s the biggest lesson I’ve gotten from people.”

“Pieces” is the follow-up to the California native’s recent number-one single, “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain).” Both of the songs are from his new album, Set You Free, which debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.

AUDIO: Gary Allan explains one of the best ‘pieces’ he has taken from previous relationships.

Gary Allan (Pieces) 2 OC: …from people. :12
“I think finding good in others. It’s that whole no matter how bad or annoying a person is, there’s something good you can take from them. I think that’s the biggest lesson I’ve gotten from people.”

Lady Antebellum gave their new single, “Downtown,” an acoustic twist. 
It’s the first single from the band’s new album GOLDEN, which will be available May 7th!

Nashville, TN (February 19, 2013) –  Dierks Bentley, Josh Turner, Montgomery Gentry and Kenny Rogers are the latest additions to the ever-growing list of talent set to take stage for the final Nashville concert of George Jones’ career.  Taking place at the Bridgestone Arena on Friday, November 22, 2013, the sure-to-be unforgettable show is already gearing up to be a star-studded event with already announced artists Charlie Daniels, Lorrie Morgan, Randy Travis, Jamey Johnson and Gene Watson. 
 
“I am excited that my friends all want to be with me on this show,” says George Jones.  “This is sure going to be a fun and emotional night with lots of memories, friends, and great country music.”
 
Tickets for the Nashville finale are currently on sale at all Ticketmaster locations.

Lady Antebellum appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America Tuesday morning (February 19th) to announce the details of their fourth studio album, Golden, which is set for release May 7th. The three wrote the title track with label-mate Eric Paslay over a bottle of wine in Charles Kelley’s library room. ““It’s actually the last song we wrote for the record,” Charles tells The Huffington Post. While a few details have yet to be finalized, the collection will include 11 or 12 songs, half of which were written or co-written by the group. Paul Worley is once again at the helm for Golden, having produced all Lady A’s previous releases.

“This album feels to me like one of those that from start to finish could be a good road-trip record and that’s what we wanted,” said Lady A’s Charles Kelley. “It’s one of the reasons why the term ‘golden’ was kind of cool. I think about road trips and driving down the road with those little streaks of sunshine popping through the trees, especially at sunset. ‘Golden’…it just gives you this warm, easy feeling.”
 
“Writing and recording this record really took us back to when we first met each other,” added Hillary Scott. “When I first met the boys, we spent a lot of time around the piano at the house they lived in at the time. We didn’t really know each other at all, but there was still some magic and then the harmonies – that’s how it all started – that blend of our voices and that blend of our songwriting craft. So, it’s exciting that even on our fourth record, we can still find that.”

“The word ‘golden’ to me conjures up a lot of pictures,” continued Dave Haywood. “In the title track, it depicts driving down the road at sunset but, to me, it also depicts a special time in our career…a ‘golden,’ special time for us. We definitely want to value this time in our careers because it’s such a treasure that we can still sit in a room and write songs together. I personally feel so humbled to still be making records that people are excited to hear.”

The trio didn’t really feel much pressure on making this new album. “We spent the most time with this one, and we finally kind of had some time,” says Charles. “We got off the road, and nobody really gave us an end date, which was kind of nice.” Lady A’s Dave Haywood says the new album has a lot more energy to it, which makes them all pretty excited. “We’re cruising around town kind of listening to mixes. It’s fun to kind of have some really good rockers, especially with the first single.”

The new album’s lead single “Downtown” already stormed the Country radio charts, becoming the trio’s career highest charting debut. People noted “this preview of Lady A’s next album is slinky, sexy fun…crazy-catchy and downright soulful.”
 
Lady A’s previous three studio albums have paved the way for Golden, which follows over 11 million album sales, six career number-one hits and seven GRAMMY awards. Last year alone, more than one million fans in over 11 countries welcomed the ACM and CMA award-winning trio on their headlining tour.

The first single from Golden, “Downtown,” has been speeding up the country charts…already sitting inside the Top 15.

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum talk about their new album, Golden, which will be released May 7th.

Lady A (new album) OC: (Dave) …as well. :32
CHARLES: “We spent the most time with this one, and we finally kind of had some time. We got off the road, and nobody really gave us an end date, which was kind of nice. So, they kind of – the label and everybody – waited until we felt like the music was at a point to be heard.” HILLARY: “I think it was at the end of August when we started recording.” DAVE: “We’ve been working on it a ton, and it’s got a lot more energy and a lot more tempo than some of our past projects, which is what we’re fired up about. We’re cruising around town kind of listening to mixes. It’s fun to kind of have some really good rockers, especially with the first single, as well.”

Check out the behind-the-scenes video of the making of Easton Corbin‘s new video for “All Over the Road.”

Check out the video Luke Bryan shot for Cabela’s.

Darius Rucker and Randy Houser sat down with NBC’s Lestor Holt about Musicians on Call, which brings musicians to the bedside of patients who are too sick to leave their rooms. The story aired Saturday night (February 16th) on NBC Nightly News.