Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Dierks Bentley will talk about his new album, Gravel & Gold, and Reba McEntire dishes on her new restaurant in Oklahoma when they appear on CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown this weekend. Catch all of the action both Saturday (February 25th) and Sunday (February 26th) beginning at 9am ET/8am CT.

https://twitter.com/cmtHot20/status/1628545267405316100

Dierks Bentley stops by to perform on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday (February 27th).

Little Big Town will help celebrate the legendary Ronnie Milsap’s 80th birthday at the Grand Ole Opry on March 25th. Trace Adkins and Mark Wills will also perform.

Dierks Bentley readies his 10th studio album GRAVEL & GOLD for release Friday (February 24th). The collection, which features his latest single “Gold,” is a diverse, 14-track album about perspective and self-awareness at many levels from the personal to the professional. It’s also a testament to the many strains of country music Bentley has mastered and cultivated in his career, from the arena shaker to the barroom weeper to the bluegrass fireballer.

The Arizona native, who spent part of the pandemic in Colorado, recorded this new album not once, not twice, but three times. “You know, the first time I went to go in to record this album was during the pandemic, and it wasn’t a lot of fun being in the studio where you had to get Covid testing and you had to wear a mask,” recalls Dierks. “Very non-conducive to making art, to making music, so it really kind of messed up the session a little bit. And I cut 14 songs and decided it just was missing a little bit of the spark that comes from the fun of being in the studio and collaborating with your friends without all of those restrictions. So, the first take didn’t go so well because of that, but it just got more fun the more I worked on it, and by the time I went back in to the studio for the third time, man, it was nothing but just great vibes, great energy and I think you can hear that throughout the whole album.”

GRAVEL & GOLD Track List:

1. “Same Ol’ Me” (Luke Dick, Jon Randall, Dierks Bentley)
2. “Sun Sets In Colorado” (Ross Copperman, Tommy Lee James, Josh Osborne)
3. “Heartbreak Drinking Tour” (Luke Dick, Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Ross Copperman, Dierks Bentley)
4. “Something Real” (Luke Dick, Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Ross Copperman, Dierks Bentley)
5. “Still” (Jeff Hyde, Ryan Tyndell, Jeremy Spillman, Dierks Bentley)
6. “Beer At My Funeral” (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers)
7. “Cowboy Boots” (Featuring Ashley McBryde) (Casey Brown, Jordan Minton, Hunter Phelps, Dierks Bentley)
8. “Gold” (Luke Dick, Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman, Dierks Bentley)
9. “Walking Each Other Home” (Luke Dick, John Osborne, Dierks Bentley)
10. “Roll On” (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers, Dierks Bentley)
11. “All The Right Places” (Josh Osborne, Ross Copperman, Dierks Bentley)
12. “Ain’t All Bad” (Casey Brown, Jordan Minton, Hunter Phelps, Dierks Bentley)
13. “Old Pickup” (Neil Thrasher, Tony Martin, Michael Dulaney)
14. “High Note” (Featuring Billy Strings)  (Jim Beavers, Charlie Worsham)

To celebrate the release, Dierks will livestream a special performance from Nashville’s CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Thursday (February 23rd).  The livestream – An Evening With Dierks Bentley: The Road To Gravel & Gold – will feature hits from his award-winning career and new songs from his upcoming 10^th studio album. To watch, tune into 3point5, a new Twitch channel powered by Universal Music Group’s °1824 beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

Multi-media entertainment mogul and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Reba McEntire will serve as Mega Mentor on Season 23 of NBC’s four-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series “The Voice,” premiering Monday, March 6th (8-10 p.m. ET/PT).

Reba joins superstar coaches Chance the Rapper, Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan and Blake Shelton to mentor the remaining artists who have made it through the Battle Rounds as each team prepares for the Knockouts that begin April 17th. Having served as Battle Advisor to Team Blake during the show’s inaugural season, it’s most fitting Reba returns as Blake coaches his final group of artists and bids farewell to the competition.

With a career that spans across music, television, film and theater, Reba has celebrated unprecedented success with 35 career #1 singles and more than 58 million albums sold worldwide. She recently earned her 60th Top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, extending her record for the most Top 10 hits among female artists. With a plethora of accolades under her belt – 16 ACM Awards, 15 American Music Awards, 9 People’s Choice Awards, 6 CMA Awards, 3 Grammy Awards, and a GMA Dove Award – Reba is also a 2018 Kennedy Center Honors recipient. The Oklahoma native and Golden Globe-nominated actress has 11 movie credits to her name, held a lead role on Broadway in Irving Berlin’s “Annie Get Your Gun,” and starred in the six-season television sitcom “Reba.”

Dierks Bentley will livestream a special performance from Nashville’s CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Thursday (February 23rd) to celebrate the release of his forthcoming album Gravel & Gold out Friday (February 24th).  The livestream – An Evening With Dierks Bentley: The Road To Gravel & Gold – will feature hits from his award-winning career and new songs from his upcoming 10^th studio album. To watch, tune into 3point5, a new Twitch channel powered by Universal Music Group’s °1824 beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

Dierks is currently making his way up the country charts with his latest single, “Gold.”

ABOUT DIERKS BENTLEY:

The 10th album landmark speaks to how time has flown in Bentley’s unique, 21st-century career. He landed his first publishing deal in 2001 and released his debut album in 2003, producing an instant No. 1 single. The years since have revealed a rare consistency that’s fueled longevity – eight more albums that reached the top of the Country sales charts, resulting in 21 No. 1 songs, eight billion streams, three CMA Awards, 14 GRAMMY® nominations and membership into the Grand Ole Opry. Trendy sounds have ebbed and flowed around him over these two decades, but fans have relied on Bentley for something more nourishing and individual. Bentley also has created professional endeavors outside of the music with his Flag & Anthem lifestyle collection Desert Son, along with his “Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row” franchise hosting four locations. For more information visit www.Dierks.com.

Carrie Underwood continues to rock the U.S. packing New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden last night, part of her 43-city arena tour, THE DENIM & RHINESTONES TOUR.  A critical and commercial smash, the tour continues through March 17, with upcoming shows including Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena.  Underwood is joined on THE DENIM & RHINESTONES TOUR by special guest Jimmie Allen on all dates. The tour is promoted by AEG Presents.

For upcoming dates and more information, go to http://www.carrieunderwoodofficial.com/tour/.

(L-R) Bill Simmons (The AMG), Brad Paisley, Cindy Mabe (UMGN), Kendal Marcy (The AMG)

Universal Music Group Nashville announces the signing of country music superstar Brad Paisley to EMI Records Nashville. Paisley has cemented his place in country music history as one of the genre’s most talented and decorated male solo artists. For more than 20 years, his songwriting and unmatched showmanship led to numerous accolades and awards including three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards.

The signing reunites Paisley with UMGN Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan and President Cindy Mabe. Dungan was instrumental in signing Paisley to his first deal at Arista, and Mabe served as Paisley’s marketing point person through many of his early album cycles including his breakthrough projects, Mud on the Tires and Time Well Wasted.

“There were two people that should get the credit that you even know my name – Mike Dungan and Cindy Mabe. I ran into Mike at the fishing department at Walmart after having met with several labels and he talked me into signing my first deal with Arista. They assigned this woman named Cindy Mabe to me – we graduated the same day at Belmont. I got to work with her on my first few albums and now I get to work with her at UMG,” said Paisley. “Cindy’s a genius and terrific human being. She heard what I was up to with the new music, and she pointed me further into the direction I was headed. I’ve never had this kind of enthusiasm and empowerment. She said, ‘Make music that matters.’ It’s an amazing thing to work with Mike and Cindy again. It’s great to know they believe in this music as much as I do.”

“Brad is a true creative.  He has no boundaries to what he uses as his canvas. He has used his voice and his words as a gift to heal the world through his philanthropy, his song writing, his guitar playing, his entertaining, his music videos, his sense of humor and his heart,” said Mabe. “He has been a part of the country music duo with Carrie Underwood that helped define country music to the world. And getting to reunite with my friend and collaborator in his next creative adventure is something I’ve wanted for a long time. I cannot wait for him to share the music he has created with the world.”

Paisley, a consummate entertainer and creator, is finishing his next studio album, the first for UMG Nashville, expected later this year. This Friday, Feb. 24, Paisley is set to release a new song from forth coming album- “Same Here,” written by Paisley, Lee Thomas Miller and Taylor Goldsmith, and produced by Luke Wooten.

Paisley joins UMGN’s esteemed roster including Alan Jackson, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Caylee Hammack, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, George Strait, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Josh Turner, Kylie Morgan, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Mickey Guyton, Parker McCollum, Priscilla Block, Reba McEntire, Sam Hunt, Sam Williams, Tyler Hubbard, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, Maddie & Tae, The War And Treaty, and more.

ABOUT BRAD PAISLEY: Brad Paisley has earned his place in country music history as one of the genre’s most talented and decorated male solo artists. Over the past 20+ years, his songwriting and unmatched showmanship have won him numerous awards, including three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards including a highly coveted Entertainer of the Year honor and recognition as the most successful CMA Award co-host in history, alongside Carrie Underwood, for 11 consecutive years. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Paisley has written 21 of his 25 No. 1 hits became the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 singles. The superstar’s past works have amassed 5 billion career streams.

Forever a prolific performer, musician, and entertainer, Paisley’s first prime-time television special, Brad Paisley Thinks He’s Special (2019), garnered more than 18 million viewers. As a globally known superstar, Paisley has routed nine tours to Europe and last fall made his first-ever trek to Australia.

Paisley’s additional endeavors include his new “American Highway” Bourbon, his collaborations with Peyton Manning on the national Nationwide insurance ad campaigns, and his partnership with Boot Barn® to develop “Moonshine Spirit by Brad Paisley,” an exclusive line of jeans, hats, T-shirts, jewelry, belts, and woven shirts.

Paisley and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, are co-founders of nonprofit organization The Store, a free-referral based grocery store, which aims to empower low-income individuals and families in the Nashville area. For more information, visit www.thestore.org.

Jordan Davis grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, and since he’s experienced Mardi Gras nearly every year of his life, he’s got a lot of advice for those who will attend for the first time in the future.

“My main piece of advice is everybody needs to experience New Orleans at least once,” says Jordan. “Another piece is just pace yourself. It is pretty much a month-long party, so just pace yourself, try to stay hydrated that’s not alcohol, have a blast and catch a bunch of beads. Get a sign – that’s another piece of advice. If you’re really going after beads, get something that catches their eyes. Also, when it comes to making signs, best advice, make it a hoop, ‘cause if you have somebody on a float, if they have something to throw at, you’re gonna get a ton more beads.”

Mardi Gras Day is Tuesday (February 21st). Also known as Fat Tuesday, it’s the last day of the Carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The most popular time to visit New Orleans is the extended weekend before Mardi Gras when you can catch parades, like Endymion, Bacchus, Zulu, Rex and all of the festive celebrations throughout the whole city.

The Louisiana native, who is making his way up the country charts with his latest smash, “Next Thing You Know,” just released his brand new album, Bluebird Days, on Friday (February 17th).

Jon Pardi and his wife Summer welcomed their first child, daughter Presley Fawn, on Saturday (February 18th). She weighed in at 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 20.21 inches long.

Our Baby girl is here and ready to Pardi haha DAD joke!
Presley Fawn Pardi
2•18•2023
5:05am
7lbs 12oz
20.25 inches pic.twitter.com/5QPa59BXBD

— Jon Pardi (@JonPardi) February 18, 2023

Luke Bryan is one of the headliners for the  inaugural BEACH IT! Music Festival, which will also feature fellow headliners Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett. They’re set to take over the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Friday, June 23rd through Sunday, June 25th. The three-day, two-stage festival’s main stage will also host performances by Riley Green, Jo Dee Messina, Kip Moore, Megan Moroney, Brothers Osborne, Jameson Rodgers, Nate Smith, Alana Springsteen, Cole Swindell, Lily Rose and Hailey Whitters.

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Chris Stapleton joins P!nk on the song “Just Say I’m Sorry,” which is from her brand new album, Trustfall. They also had a duet on 2019’s “Love Me Anyway.”

On the heels of being 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, MusicRow-dubbed “master country talent” Dalton Dover releases his highly anticipated first single “Giving Up On That” via UMG Nashville/Mercury Records.

“It feels incredible to finally be able to share ‘Giving Up On That’ with the world,” says Dover. “I performed it during my Grand Ole Opry debut, and for it to be my first official single with Mercury Records makes this song even more special to me.”

“I hope everyone can relate to it, as we’ve all had those relationships where we regret not bringing our best selves to the table until it’s too late, and I hope it finds the folks that need to hear it most,” he explains.

Written by Dover with Adam Craig and Josh Pierce, “Giving Up On That” showcases the Georgia native’s sharp vocals as he pleads with a long-gone lover, recounting his previous screw-ups and outlining the steps he’s taken to prove his loyalty and his desire to try again.

     I pray it ain’t too late
     For you to see what I’ve turned into
     I just wish my workin’ on me is workin’ on you
    But since you said goodbye,
    And hit me with them taillights
    I swear I’ve changed everything but your mind

    Cause girl I’m giving up on
    Drinking as much as I used to
    When I had you
    Giving up on
    Just saying I’m gonna change
    I’ve given up on passing the blame
    Everything
    Made you walk out on what we had
    But when it comes to wanting you back,
    I ain’t ever giving up on that

Lyrics available for download HERE.

Next month, Dover prepares to make his international debut at C2C: Country to Country Festival’s CMA Songwriters Series before joining Chase Rice on the Way Down Yonder Tour in April. Dover honed his captivating live show last year with two performances at CMA Fest, opening for Luke Comb’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium show in Atlanta, Ga. and joining Priscilla Block’s Welcome To The Block Party Tour.

After being named a Spotify 2022 Artist to Watch, he released “Hear About A Girl,” earning praise from Billboard noting, “Dover’s voice is both intimate and commanding on this track,” while MusicRow asserts it confirms “we’re in the presence of a master country talent when this man sings…Make him a star. Now.” He followed the song with “Damn Good Life,” with The Boot sharing, “Dover is savoring every moment in his uplifting new single,” while Country Now observes, “Between the optimistic narrative that Dover delivers through his crisp vocals and the carefree tune highlighted by the impressive guitar strum, nothing but a good time can be had when this song comes through the speakers.”

In addition to a deal with UMG Nashville, Dover has signed with Sony Music Publishing in partnership with Droptine Music Publishing along with United Talent Agency.

Dalton Dover Upcoming Tour Dates
March 9           C2C Country to Country – London 2023                   London, England
April 6             Touch of Texas                                                           Binghamton, N.Y.
April 7             Parx Casino                                                                 Bensalem, Pa.
April 8             The NorVa                                                                  Norfolk, Va.
April 13           Empire Live                                                                Albany, N.Y.
April 14           House of Blues                                                           Boston, Mass.
April 15           Starland Ballroom                                                       Sayreville, N.J.
June 22            Rams Head Live                                                         Baltimore, Md.
June 23            Mulcahy’s                                                                   Wantagh, N.Y.
June 24            Kegs Canalside                                                           Jordan, N.Y.

Jordan Davis today releases his highly anticipated new album, Bluebird Days. This week, Davis performed new song “Tucson Too Late” on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! He also recently performed his current radio single, “Next Thing You Know” on NBC’s TODAY. He will also visit CBS’ The Talk on March 31st for a performance and interview about the release of his new album and recent milestones including his fifth career No. 1 at country radio, sold-out headlining dates across the US, and more.

Featured by The Tennessean, American Songwriter, Billboard, and more, Bluebird Days debuted to early rave reviews, with  Billboard noting “Davis soars on ‘Bluebird Days’” and Entertainment Focus echoing, “Jordan Davis comes of age on new album ‘Bluebird Days’ and shows the world the type of mature, meaningful and melodic songwriter he is.” The 17-song album includes Davis’ recent multi-week No. 1 “What My World Spins Around,” and breakout hit, “Buy Dirt.” Written by Davis along with his brother, Jacob Davis, and brothers Matt and Josh Jenkins, the 2x Platinum hit “Buy Dirt” garnered numerous accolades including Song of the Year at the CMA and NSAI awards, as well as Billboard, AMA, iHeart and ACM award nominations and has more than 900 Million streams to date.

Of the new album, Davis shared with American Songwriter:“‘Buy Dirt’ [opened] this new lane of being able to connect with fans…I hope people can listen to my music and get something out of it the way that I did when I listened to a Kristofferson song or a Prine song… I hope that people can see that there is happiness in [this album] and even in some of the sadder songs, those sad songs helped get me to where I’m at now.”

Davis also spoke with Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen on Apple Music Country, about the highly anticipated follow up to his RIAA Gold-certified debut album, Home State, as well as his appreciation for his past experiences and where he is in his life. “If there was a ‘Bluebird Day,’ that is a life, then I’m in it right now. It’s just a special time and I don’t forget how blessed I am to be in it.” The rest of Davis’ interview and full episode of Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen on Apple Music Country will be available today at 11am PT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET or anytime on-demand at apple.co/_TodaysCountry.

Having solidified himself as one of the industry’s top singer/songwriters, 2022 marked a breakthrough year for Davis. In Bluebird Days, the award-winning singer and songwriter continues that momentum- allowing listeners to take a deeper look into his past and what has made him one of the most in-demand hitmakers in the industry through a combination of new tracks and fan-favorites. Bluebird Days is a “rich, deep, meaningful album” (Entertainment Focus) that digs deep into Davis’ personal experiences and offers a wide range of emotions, meditations, and memories, matched by his signature sound blending traditional and contemporary genres and styles. “It’s not just the lyrics…it’s the way he summarizes life, love, family,” notes Taste of Country.

“I’ve settled into a really good headspace in writing songs, which is rooted in being honest—about past things that I’ve gone through, good or bad, and about some things that have kind of scared me about the future,” says Davis. “The big thing for me was to show my growth. Growth in shows, growth in the songwriting, growth in the topics we’re touching on. I really wanted to show how I’ve changed as an artist and a songwriter, for the better, than on my first album.”

With Bluebird Days, Davis invites his fans to explore the vulnerable side of him, with songs like “Fishing Spot,” a homage to his late grandfather. The title track “Bluebird Days,” examines his life as a child of divorced parents, while “Short Fuse” allows the Shreveport, LA native to open up about a side of him that he keeps close to his chest. The spirit of those cloudless, sunny days and moments of lightheartedness and appreciation shine on songs like “Damn Good Time” and “One Beer in Front of the Other,” while “Tucson Too Late” reunites the award-winning team behind “Buy Dirt” and has earned comparisons of Davis to Keith Whitley (The Tennessean).

Davis’ next single, “Next Thing You Know,” has already raised its hand as a fan-favorite, earning over 150 Million streams to date ahead of its official impact at country radio next week (2/21). The full 17 track album, Bluebird Days, is available HERE.

Bluebird Days Track Listing:

1. Damn Good Time (Jordan Davis, Matt Dragstrem, Chase McGill)
2. Money Isn’t Real (Jake Mitchell, Jameson Rodgers, Josh Thompson, Sarah Turner)
3. Tucson Too Late (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)
4. What My World Spins Around (Jordan Davis, Matt Dragstrem, Ryan Hurd)
5. Sunday Saints (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Benjy Davis)
6. No Time Soon (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)
7. You’ve Got My Number (Jordan Davis, Jason Gantt, Josh Osborne)
8. Next Thing You Know (Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne)
9. Fishing Spot (Jordan Davis, Will Bundy, Josh Miller, Josh Thompson)
10. One Beer In Front Of The Other (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)
11. Bluebird Days (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Dorr, Chris LaCorte)
12. Part Of It (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Matt McKinney, Jordan Walker)
13. Short Fuse (Jordan Davis, Paul DiGiovanni, Josh Thompson, Emily Weisband)
14. Whiskey Weak (Jordan Davis, Paul DiGiovanni, Jamie Paulin)
15. Midnight Crisis – Featuring Danielle Bradbery (Jordan Davis, Paul DiGiovanni, Derrick Southerland)
16. What I Wouldn’t Do (Matt McVaney, Emily Reid, Travis Wood)
17. Buy Dirt – Featuring Luke Bryan (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)

Produced by Paul DiGiovanni