Country Beat Magazine - Spring 2020 by CountryBeatMagazine

TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume 3 • Issue 1 Spring 2020 PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Neal Nachman DIRECTOR OF SALES AND PROMOTIONS: Liz Stokes

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GRAPHIC ARTIST: Neal Nachman DIRECTOR OF MULTI-MEDIA: Kenny Moore ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Liz Stokes LEGAL COUNSEL: Shobha N. Lizaso

T TIS GHT R A TLI O SP

EDITORIAL INQUIRIES: info@countrybeatmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Alanna Conaway Terry Canter Kelly Geist Marianne Horner Melissa Kucirek Liz Stokes

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PHOTOGRAPHERS: Neal Nachman Joe Orlando PUBLISHED BY: Full Access Media Group 9713 Takomah Trail Tampa, FL 33617 813.400.3110 (Office) • 813.200.3916 (Fax) PAGE 16

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Taylor Swift Drops Political Song ‘Only the Young’ from ‘Miss Americana’ Taylor Swift’s documentary Miss Americana is available now on Netflix — and she’s shared a lyric video for a brand-new song exclusively for the film, “Only the Young.”

“I think girls in our society are taught that other people’s approval is of paramount importance to their self-worth,” Wilson said. “I really related to those questions of: ‘Was I nice enough? Do they like me? Are people mad at me?’ When I heard Taylor verbalize that, I was just like, ‘Oh my God. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.’ And I thought it would be so comforting and relatable to so many women to know that, even if you’re a celebrity at the highest level, you still ask yourself those questions.”

The track soundtracks Swift’s recent political awakening — documented in the movie — making reference to Election Night 2016 as well as the devastating school shooting epidemic that has rocked the U.S. over the past decade. Swift concludes that “only the young” can save the future and create change. “They’re not gonna help us/Too busy helping themselves/ They aren’t gonna change this/ We’re going to do it ourselves,” she sings, backed by a children’s choir. Miss Americana follows Swift’s retreat from the spotlight following a series of controversies — including her refusal to endorse Hillary Clinton until very late in the election cycle — and her attempt to return with her albums Reputation and Lover. In an interview, director Lana Wilson revealed that much of her focus was on portraying the pressure Swift had been under to be a “nice girl” in the public eye since she was a teenager. 4

Hot Country Knights Plot 2020 One Knight Stand Tour Dierks Bentley has gotten used to playing arenas and sheds on his headlining tours, but he’ll scale down to theaters and clubs when he takes his faux Nineties band Hot Country Knights out for a run of headlining shows this April. This marks the group’s first official tour as headliners, having previously opened shows for Bentley on occasion. Dubbed the 2020 One Knight Stand Tour, the new trek will have Bentley and his costumed bandmates traveling from California all the way back home to Nashville, where they will close out the run with an April 29th gig at the Ryman Auditorium. Additional stops include the famed 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., the Country Beat Magazine

Buckhead Theater in Atlanta, and their largest stage at the Talladega Superspeedway on April 25th during the NASCAR series Geico 500 weekend. Hannah Dasher, Tenille Townes, Rachel Wammack, and Lainey Wilson will take turns opening shows. Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Friday, February 7th at 10 a.m. local time. Along with the news of their first tour, Hot Country Knights have released the video for their new song, “Asphalt.” A double-entendre-laced power ballad that comes dangerously close to offensive, “Asphalt” is the spiritual child of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s butt-obsessed “Baby Got Back,” masquerading as wistful leaving song. “There’s one big ol’ reason why I’m even leaving at all/It’s that asphalt,” Bentley and bandmates sing, in earnest multi-part harmony. Hot Country Knights also previously released the Travis Tritt collaboration “Pick Her Up,” which has been shipped to country radio as their debut single.

Brooks & Dunn Announce First Tour in 10 Years Brooks & Dunn will spend the majority of the summer on the road. On Tuesday (Jan. 14), the country duo announced the Brooks & Dunn Reboot 2020 Tour, its first trek in 10 years. The tour will kick off on May 15 in St. Louis and run through Sept. 19.

“The memories of playing live are what have kept the fire burning for us,” Kix Brooks added. “Performers who have had the kind of nights like we’ve had with our fans, can never really let that go. Live is where we’re most at home, and it’s gonna feel good to be back in the saddle.” While 2020 marks the Country Hall of Famers’ first time on the road in 10 years, that doesn’t mean the band has been taking a break from performing and recording new music. Brooks & Dunn have spent several years in Las Vegas for the longest running country residency, Reba, Brooks & Dunn: Together In Vegas. The five-year stint will return to Colosseum at Caesars Palace for select dates in April, June, October and December. Additionally, Dunn recently released his solo country and rock covers project Re-Dunn earlier this month.

Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill Set for 2020 Bluegrass Nights at Ryman Although Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium has hosted concerts and events from virtually every musical genre in its 128-year history, its integral role in the birth of bluegrass is one of the hallowed venue’s most important claims to fame. Shortly after its restoration and renovation led to the reopening of the Ryman in June 1994, two of the world’s most influential bluegrass artists, Alison Krauss and Bill Monroe, took the stage for the first of what has become an annual tradition: the Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman concert series. This year’s six-week series begins Thursday, June 18th, with the Del McCoury Band and the Lil Smokies, followed by Dan Tyminski and Molly Tuttle, the SteelDrivers, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Dailey and Vincent, and Vince Gill.

The latter three acts all participated in the concert series in 2019. Sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms and hosted by legendary Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs, each concert will be preceded — weather permitting — by Pickin’ on the Plaza, which will feature performances by local bluegrass acts. The Ryman’s Café Lula will also offer food and drink specials. Passes for the entire series, as well as individual show tickets, go on sale this Saturday, February 1st, at 10 a.m. CT, and will be available at the Ryman and Grand Ole Opry House box offices and via ryman.com.

Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt Lead 2020 iHeartCountry Festival Lineup iHeartMedia has announced the lineup for the 2020 installment of its iHeartCountry Festival. Set for May 2nd in Austin, Texas, the concert features some of modern country’s heavy hitters. Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, and Sam Hunt are among the headliners. Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, Dustin Lynch, Jon Pardi, and Chase Rice are also on the bill, along with appearances by Bentley’s Nineties country band Hot Country Knights and radio personality Bobby Bones. The iHeartCountry Festival will be held at Austin’s Frank Erwin Center. Presented by Capital One, the festival, which is entering its seventh year, will stream live on LiveXLive and be broadcast over iHeartCountry radio stations. Tickets go on sale to the general public on February 7. Lady Antebellum released the album Ocean in November. Following their iHeartCountry appearance, they’ll launch their own headlining tour, Country Beat Magazine

with Jake Owen and Maddie & Tae, on May 21st in Albuquerque. Bentley, meanwhile, is releasing an album of original material with the Hot Country Knights, the comic-leaning band he fronts under the alias Douglas Douglason. Travis Tritt appears on the group’s first single, “Pick Her Up.” The iHeartCountry Festival is just the latest country festival to announce its lineup. Bentley will also perform at July’s Windy City Smokeout in Chicago; Jon Pardi will appear at Michigan’s Faster Horses, also in July.

The Oak Ridge Boys Begin 20/20 Tour Across North America GRAMMY® winning, Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys have kicked off the new year strong with “The Oak Ridge Boys 20/20 Tour.” This tour will see the legendary band crisscross the country from Florida to Nevada and just about everywhere in between. With nearly sixty concerts in over twenty states announced already, The Oak Ridge Boys have 20/20 vision when it comes to hitting the road this year! “We are stoked about all that 2020 has to bring! A new David Cobb produced album is in the works and a huge tour chock full of beautiful theaters and performance centers, as well as a myriad of fairs and festivals across the nation,” say Joe Bonsall. “Our updated set lists this year includes hits and favorites as well as some deep cuts and a tribute to 40 years of the “Together” album. Add some Gospel and a wave of the Flag and we will be bringing a middle America show for the entire family. We may be coming to your town, so COME ON OUT and HEAR US SING!” 5

By Liz Stokes 11-time No. 1 hit rising superstar Cole Swindell will launch his headlining Down To Earth Tour on March 5, 2020 in Toledo, OH. Joining Swindell on his Down To Earth Tour are special guests HARDY and Trea Landon. I had the pleasure to interview Cole before he starts his own, "Down To Earth Tour" while he finishes up opening up for Thomas Rhett on his "Center Point Road Tour." I asked Cole what is looking forward to most about his up coming tour and he said, "I think this time around, we've learned a little more about how headlining goes. This will be the second time we've headlined. Last year, we were out on the Sunset Repeat tour with Luke Bryan. But the year before, I got to take out folks with me, and that was kind of the first year I'd ever went out on my own after being on a bunch of big tours. There's a lot more that goes into it from, catering to everything about it. It's kind of all on you. We had the luxury of being on big tours my first four or five years and just learning from the best of the best. And I think this time around, we'll have a better grip on it. And like I said, I mean the first one went great, but I'm just excited to see what we learned from the first one, and 6

make sure that HARDY and Trea Landon have fun and we take care of them the way we've been taken care of these past years or so." Cole tells me why he picked Trea and HARDY. He says, "When you're doing a tour, you're trying to find something that fits. And honestly, I mean there's so many great artists out there, but at the level we're at right here, kind of in the middle, you got to find who fits with you. And I think for HARDY, for me, I came up through the songwriting world. And like a lot of people do these days, and I had several songs for other people before I ever got my record deal. And that's the same for HARDY, except for I think he's got way more than I did at the time I got my record deal. I mean he's literally, probably the hottest songwriter in Nashville right now. And I've just been a fan of his writing and his voice. And then he's got his Hixtape out. He even asked me to sing on it. That kind of started the thing when he asked me to sing it because I was already a fan. And we were thinking about tour mates and who we could get out with us. I had his name as the top of my list, and we went to work on it. He was the first one we went after. I wanted to make sure we could lock down HARDY. He might have one radio hit out Country Beat Magazine

there, but he's got a ton of hits for other people. I know my fans are going to love him and he's going to be a huge part of this tour. And Trae Landon is a Georgia boy that i'm a huge fan of. He's brand new and I'm a big fan of his voice and his songs. I am also looking forward to writing songs with HARDY. Hopefully we use our time wisely, and when we have time at the end of the day, we're writing songs. Because I'll be recording my next project this year, so we've already recorded a couple things, but we'll be looking for the best of the best." Cole says, "the Thomas Rhett tour is going to be massive and that's going to get the year started for us. Me and TR have been buddies for a long time, and that was my first number one as a song writer his song, "Get Me Some Of That. It's crazy. We were on the FGL cruise in 2014 I think and we kept saying, 'Man, one day we're going to tour together.' And that's been five years ago and here we are. I am so proud of him and just proud to call him my friend. He's a hell of a songwriter. But just as a person, he's somebody that we all in music industry look up to him and Lauren. It's going to be good company all summer. I can't wait to get out there with all three of them."

then. And that's exactly the reason why it definitely fits the Down to Earth Tour because you think about the other people. I mean, without them, you wouldn't be there. And it's like when people out in public, they're like,"Man, I bet you get tired of taking pictures. "I'm like, "Hey, one day, they're not going to there, and that's going to be way worse. I am a fan, so I know exactly what it feels like to love somebody." Cole has had nine number one singles and says, "That's crazy! I can't fathom that. But it's been a good several years so far. We're going to hope I can do it for nine more!" "Love You Too Late" is Cole's current single and says, "I wrote that with Brandon Kinney and my producer Michael Carter. And Michael is an unbelievable guitar player, so most of the things we write together are pretty. I remember we were on the bus out on the road writing, and Michael just started playing a little tempo thing. And I was humming something over it, and we ended up getting into that chorus somehow. And I Photo: Robby Klein

I've tried to learn from everybody I've been with. If you don't, then you're wasting an opportunity I think. The biggest thing is I think just watching how they treat their people, the people that work for you. Not just the fans. The people that are busting their butts all day. And I mean, just everybody I've been on tour with, you can't say enough great things abut them. I'll never forget the last night of Dierks Bentley tour. You know what a great guy Dierks is. It was me and Jon Pardi that were out with him, and we were standing backstage and there was this security guard standing over the deck. He was just talking about how much fun the year had been and he wished us luck and all that stuff.And I just remember Dierks said, "You see that security guard right there?" He's like, "That guy is helping make this thing happen. "He's like, "Any chance you can go shake their hand, introduce yourself, invite them backstage, it'll mean the world to them." Cole said, "I'm getting choked up thinking about it because, "God, who thinks of that?" So that's something I've done since

Photo: Matthew Berinato

Cole tells me the reason he chose to name his tour, "Down To Earth Tour" is because, "For me, when we were coming up with the tour, I had just finished my Down Home Sessions the fifth version of that, and there's a song called Down to Earth. I did it because you got to build things around the tour name, and to me, I think it's going to be amazing, and I think with the whole Down to Earth thing, I just knew and had the idea of what if we went to promote the whole thing and everything around the tour was the whole space thing? So me and HARDY went to space camp in Huntsville, Alabama and filmed the whole promo thing for the tour. It was mainly just to have an idea of something to work around, something we could build around the tour that was cool. And I'd like to think me and HARDY are pretty down to Earth guys, so I found it just fit the whole vibe and whole outer space thing. I don't even know what we are going to do with that. We're starting to build our set for the tour right now, so who knows? I just thought it was interesting and we couldn't really call it the Breakup in the End Tour. That's probably the best reason! Or Love You Too Late Tour. That's the whole reason I did that Down Home Sessions, is just I feel like a lot of my songs that hit you right in the heart, but I've got a fun side too that kind of started my career. And that was the whole point of the Down Home Sessions is, "Hey, look. Let's just make this fun. There's no agenda here. Let's just have fun songs and something a little different than what we usually do." Over the years Cole says, "I've been so fortunate to be out with the artists I have been like "Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, FGL, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and currently Thomas Rhett. I mean if you would of told me where I would be right now, I would've never believed. Like I said, "To do this with good people and people your a fan of, I'm a huge TR's as far as music, as a person, all that stuff." They are the best of the best and I try to learn a little bit of everything. I mean, how does Kenny Chesney reach the top person in a stadium every single night? It's just everybody does it a little differently. How do you make it a show and not just playing songs like you're a cover band? How do you make it a show?

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remember saying, Well, somebody saying something about wide open, wide open. And I stopped, I was like, "Hey, that's it, right there." I was like, "We just got to not mess that up and get to the wide open part!" And we really didn't know what we were doing. We were just kind of humming about a girl leaving or whatever, heading down the interstate. And then, We got to the end of it, and somebody said something about saying I love you too late. And we were like, "Man, that could be the title. I certainly I lived that song, but it wasn't like, "Hey, I'm writing this song about this girl or anything. It just came out in that situation. I think a lot of guys have them. And I think you try to hold your feelings in and not say how you feel. And then, it's too late.

They're not going to put up with that forever, and I've been through that. And I don't know why I have to live my songs, but I feel I can't sing or write anything that I haven't lived or I don't want to live or something like that. Like a love song, people are like, "Who do you write all these songs about? And I'm like, "Hell if I know." I'm just prepared!" I asked Cole if he has a favorite song that he likes to perform live and he said, "That's a tough one. Because I love all of them. But there are some special moments. I mean, for me, getting to thank our men and women in the military, police, firefighters, all that stuff in the Ain't Worth the Whiskey at the end of the show. I mean, that's a huge moment, and I think it's funny. We were just talking about like I say,

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the breakup song or whatever, but I mean, for a song to start out about an ex that's kind of done you wrong and to turn it into such a big moment in my show, getting to salute all those brave folks. I mean, that is probably my favorite moment of the night. That, and just the stories of "You Should be Here" that I hear every night in meet and greet. And getting to sing that song every night and look out there and see from children to grown men, people with tears in their eyes. And it's you wonder who are those tears for? I know who I'm singing it about, but you don't get to hear everybody's story. But I always say this on stage, I say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If this is the most special song I'm ever a part of, I'm good with that.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I had to write it, but it's just been the most powerful song I've ever been a part of." Cole tells me his greatest musical accomplishment is, "Winning New Artist at the 50th ACM's. That was pretty amazing but honestly I think, "You Should be Here" is bigger than that. I think it always will be. I think that song, as much as I wish I didn't have to write it, I think that is by far the biggest thing I've done in my career. Just from the stories I've heard. My dad wouldn't have wanted to get any kind of recognition, that's how he was. Never took a compliment, just kind of shook his head. He was such a humble guy. So I think writing "You Should Be Here" is by far the biggest accomplishment of my career.

Photo: Mark Weaver

By Melissa Kucirek It’s less than a week into the new year, the new decade, and a phone chat with country singer-songwriter and guitar impresario, Lindsay Ell, yields inspirational nuggets left and right. She’s calling from her home in Nashville, a rarity for this road warrior. She’s also in the midst of writing and recording a follow-up to her May 2018 album, The Continuum Project, via Stoney Creek Records. Calling from her Nashville home, her voice is the same engaging energy; that same instant feeling of sincerity that fans across the globe have embraced in such hits as “Waiting On You” (2017) ,“Criminal” (2017) and “What Happens In A Small Town” (2019). She sounds fresh, reflective and even philosophical in the conversation. She talks about turning 30, her favorite foods and even one-hit wonders. “I do have a few resolutions,” Ell said. “I want to find balance. Rest is mandatory. I’m kind of bad at being a workaholic, and I want to make a bit more time to maybe find a boyfriend. I’m very proud of all that I’ve accomplished…there isn’t really a pressure (to have a boyfriend) as a songwriter being in a relationship definitely lends itself into inspiration. I’m not opposed to exploring those areas of the heart.” Ell, who was born in Calgary, Alberta, 10

Canada has a long history of making music. At age 10, she started exploring songwriting and hasn’t looked back. Just five years later, fellow Canadian rocker Randy Bachman from Bachman Turner Overdrive and The Guess Who, took Ell under his wing. The guy behind such hits as “Takin’ Care of Business”, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”, and co-writer for “American Woman,” “These Eyes” and “No Sugar Tonight” – to name a few, gave Ell a key piece of advice. “He said ‘this industry is a like an emotional roller coaster’,” she said. “I really feel about the songwriting process is that we can think too much, I get distracted sometimes, and someone like Randy Bachman helped me streamline and he’s so good at getting to the chase of what is important, and how to make general concepts that work better.” In addition to working with Randy Bachman in the studio, she also got to meet his son, Tal Bachman. Tal’s “She So High” (1999) catapulted to the top of the US Adult Contemporary Charts, and while many think it went away after a meteoric rise, Ell championed her friends song, noting that “She’s So High” had a second life. “The song got another life of its own after a contestant on UK American Idol sang it,” she said. Country Beat Magazine

She’s been riding the roller coaster well herself, including garnering much attention for her guitar skills. Her debut album in 2017, The Project, yielded three singles. Ell co-wrote the lead single, “Waiting On You” with Sugarland’s Kate Bush producing all of The Project’s 12 tracks. The second single “Criminal” showcases Ell’s virtuoso guitar skills. She plays with confidence and authority, yet all accessible to her fanbase. She’s playing with them, not at them. She’s channeling her feelings through the guitar in “Criminal” and it’s a tone that is unforgettably layered and fuses blues, country and pop into one. Ell had the help and guidance of another iconic musician to assist Dann Huff. He’s the guitarist on Giant (“I’ll See You In My Dreams”) and played guitar on albums for Michael Jackson, Steven Curtis Chapman, Juice Newton, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers and many, many more. “(Dann) Huff is my guitar player idol,” Ell said. “When we were in the studio, we were working on getting the guitar to sit in a mix, he told me to communicate with my guitar.” Fans loved the chemistry between Ell and “What Happens In A Small Town” with Brantley Gilbert. The song reached No. 1 on the (US) country airplay chart

in 2019. At the suggestion of Scott Borchetta, president of Big Machine Label, Ell gained the opportunity. “Scott song the song as more of a duet,” she said. “He suggested me, and Brantley agreed, and it just went great from there, I’m grateful.” It didn’t end there. From there Ell joined Gilbert at the CMA Fest in front of over 50,000 fans. She also hit the road as part of Gilbert’s “Not Like Us Tour”. Ell’s impressive touring resume has also included support to The Band Perry, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Chris Isaak and others. The songs are starting to come for Ell’s newest album. She and her team are writing all the time and she’s taking that energy and synergy she’s learned from her road travels into the studio. She’s also learning to balance, New Year’s resolutions or not, upon turning 30, and having a health scare. In early 2019, she underwent surgery to remove precancerous cells. She kept her more than one-hundred thousand YouTube subscribers, and nearly three-hundredfifty thousand Instagram followers. In typical Ell fashion, she was honest, sincere and open to her fanbase. She’s translating these stories and experiences into what she does best: music. “I’m the most fresh in the morning,

I’m a morning person,” Ell said. “Generally, though, I write best late at night.” Besides music, she’s loves to eat. She really adores the many mom-andpop cuisine restaurants in Nashville. “Nashville is in such a foodie time,” she said, laughing that because she’s 30 now, she does have to watch what she eats. “I love some of the cool, local places.” One thing she isn’t good at? Curling. Yes, curling, the winter sport many

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Canadians are assumed to love. She said she’s not (shocker) that great of an ice skater either. She’s laughing of course when she tells these little tidbits, but she’s quick to point out that one of her best friends growing up is an outstanding curler. I’ll let it slide. (see what I did there). The call is a perfect chat and fans of Ell should know that her voice is genuine and just as delightful as her music and social media presence.

Photo: Neal Nachman

Photo: Kailey Dickerson

By Melissa Kucirek Sometimes it’s best to start with the last question first. “Something exciting, like ‘holy cow!’” Russell Dickerson said. “Or, I know, ‘Today’s The Best Day.’” Dickerson is wrapping up the phone interview with answers to the last question posed – what the title of his autobiography would be? In doing so, he’s capturing the positivity and infectious charm that many in the country music word have become increasingly fond –after all he is one of music’s rising stars. Dickerson’s “Every Little Thing” notched the top spot on Billboard Country Airplay chart, as well as the Mediabase chart. In the order of things, this is Dickerson’s third consecutive No. 1 single – “Every Little Thing” follows “Yours” and “Blue Tacoma”. All three are from the 2017 debut album, Yours, via Thirty Tigers. Dickerson is also credited as co-writer. Dickerson is calling from Nashville. He’s on a break while recording in the studio. He’s telling me how exciting it was to watch the charts, and go neck-in-neck with Luke Bryan, and how his team kept him abreast of the chart position. While he’s not able to give any sneak peaks or divulge much on his next album. All he will tell me is that he’s 16

in the “middle stages” and comes in for a few hours at a time and “falls down the rabbit-hole.” He is able to paint a clearer picture of the man behind three No. 1s. It’s evident as the conversation continues that his infectious smile is not just for the cameras. On the other line is a humble man, a 32-year-old from Union City, Tenn., and in this time of thanksgiving and gratitude, a man that shares his success with his team and his wife. “The first thing I thought of this morning was how far we’ve come,” Dickerson said. “Being in the music industry was always the plan. Nine years later, it’s crazy. I just woke up proud.” His EP Yours follows his Die To Live Again EP (2011). “Yours”, the single, though released in 2017, continues to gain momentum on streaming services and YouTube views. “Blue Tacoma” hit No. 1 in 2018 and is a lush, gorgeous love song. Dickerson co-wrote every song on the album. His writing process varies – sometimes he and his team start from nothing. “Every Little Thing” (the third single) is inspired by his wife, Kailey. The two met while studying at Belmont Country Beat Magazine

University in Nashville where they had the same voice teacher. The couple has been married for nearly seven years. “She would describe my music as full of life,” Dickerson said. The song is a punchy, get-up and go song. It’s a wave of summer love and a year-round devotion to dance to. Dickerson’s vocals are deep and he has a natural twang in his vulnerability. As he sings “‘Cause I love every little, every little, every little thing about her love/ Just a little, just a little, just a little ain’t enough / Gotta get a, gotta get a, get a little more of all she does I’m all hung up, ’cause I love/Every little, every little, every little thing about her love” a vibrant, inescapable whistle follows the listener. “I had a light whistle going and my producer (and co-writer ) Casey (Brown) said to use it in the track,” Dickerson said, taking the time to actually whistle on the other end and giving me a personal concert with the lyrics “My baby, she’s Alabama, my Dixieland delight.” Fans have come to love Dickerson’s jump-in attitude. They witnessed it firsthand in the title track video. Shot on a shoe-string budget in

“We love having guests over and my wife is so good at conversation,” he said. “What I like most about it is just hearing people’s stories and talking about the real stuff in your life. And we eat delicious food!” Dickerson’s favorite menu items include a good steak, pork chops and he’s even made spaghetti pasta from scratch. When he’s not in the studio or on the road – he will perform with Jimmie Allen (“Best Shot”) and Jordan Davis “Singles You Up” and “Take It From Me”) on select dates – he’s ready for some downtime during the holidays. “I’m looking forward to being bored,” he said, laughing a little. “For just a day. But we like to do antiquing, thrifting on our down time. I’m a wannabe reader, I’ll go a few chapters in on a book, and then fall off. The priority is really to be with family. Life is so chaotic right now.” Something tells me he will take the chaos with stride and spin it in a positive way to make it work for him – Dickerson is scheduled to perform select 2020 dates with

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Photo: Kailey Dickerson

black-and-white, Dickerson is singing passionately on a highway road. Wide open skies, ominous clouds emerge and a thunderstorm nearly interrupts the filming. They didn’t stop and captured an electric performance from both Mother Nature and Dickerson. The poignant video captures an artist with vulnerability and courage. If the video were done in any other way – it wouldn’t have had the same impact. Covered in rain, Dickerson belts out “But I came to life when I first kissed you / The best me has his arms around you”. It’s worth noting that it took almost three years for “Yours” to reach the top of the charts. Further proof that determination, faith and talent are etched in Dickerson’s psyche. Dickerson really is living his best life, and his reach seems to be growing with each endeavor. He and his wife recently purchased a house they plan to renovate. Yes, of course, they are watching HGTV for inspirations. One of their favorite things to do is have guests over for dinner.

Chris Lane (“Fix”) and later Kane Brown (“Lose It”, “Good As You”). Dickerson might be a “wannabe reader” but the chapters in his book are already being written – one song at a time and one day at a time. Nine years in, sure, but things are just getting started.

Photo: Neal Nachman

Photo: Matthew Berinato

By Melissa Kucirek The story behind Matt Stell’s No. 1 hit “Prayed For You” has made its rounds through the media, and his fans know that Stell and his co-writer and manager Ash Bowers got a call from co-writer Allison Margaret Veltz that she was running late. She had an idea to pass along, “bigger than I could fathom, didn’t know you from Adam, but I prayed for you.” Stell and Bowers took it from there and it became the genesis to the song. “It was about a week before she had met her now-husband. We just took off from there and wrote a song about a character that’s a lot like me in some ways,” Stell, 35, said. He’s calling from his Nashville home and took the time to chat before he made to the studio to write. Surprisingly, he’s home. Afterall, in 2019 alone, he’s toured with Granger Smith, fellow Arkansas-native, Justin Moore, Jake Owen and Chris Young. Finding time to write has been a challenge, but Stell works at it every chance he can get. “I love doing that as much as I like to perform the songs,” Stell, who’s EP Everywhere But On via Arista Records has seven tracks, said. “I like it all as a packaged deal, I won’t lie, but I love the writing part of it. A lot of times that’s the most fulfilling. It’s getting those ideas 22

out and seeing if they resonate with people. I really like that.” With the relentlessly heart-stirring chorus “‘Cause every single day, before I knew your name, I couldn’t see your face, but I prayed for you. Every heartbreak trail when all hope failed, on the highway to hell, I prayed for you. I kept my faith like that Old King James said I’m supposed to. It’s hard to imagine, bigger than I could fathom, I didn’t know you from Adam, but I prayed for you,” audiences agree. “Prayed For You” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay and No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 this past October. Stell can also boast that the song has over 200 thousand Spotify streams. “Prayed For You” also has a high tempo – it doesn’t “drag” he said, another reason for its success. “It started asking for that tone pretty early on,” Stell said. “When you’re writing songs for consumption you’re wanting to have as much tempo as possible…I learned that from being around songwriters who had done it a long time.” Stell, who also spent 10 years of his childhood growing up in South Florida, graduated from high school in a class of 27. Plan A was to get to Nashville and create and perform music. Plan B Country Beat Magazine

was medical school. He didn’t study music in college. You might say, though, that his studies did prepare him for songwriting. He holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy and religion; his master’s is in “communication as it relates to power struggles within people in groups.” “It doesn’t seem like it would be all that applicable to what I’m doing now, but I found myself in that critical thinking mold quite a bit. I’m glad I had that experience,” Stell said. It also doesn’t seem like there’s a struggle to get to know Stell himself. On the call he seems very down to Earth. Like his songs on Everywhere But On, he’s to-the-point and poignant. He’s more than polite and humble. It’s tough to pin down what fans might not know about him – like most country stars, he’s got a close, open connection with his nearly forty-thousand Instagram followers. They know he’s tall (he’s 6’ 7” and played basketball for a time at Springfield, Mo.’s Drury University). They know he likes golf, too. “I hate mayonnaise,” Stell said, matterof-factly. “I really don’t like mayonnaise (he laughs). I can deal with it as an ingredient but I hate it as a condiment.” Now that promoters and venues know what not to include in his green room

Photo: Matthew Berinato

rider, they will not be surprised to learn that on a typical show date, Stell does his part in soundcheck and tries to hit the links (he takes his golf clubs everywhere, he said). One of this favorite days this year happened in Minnesota while on tour with Chris Young. “I went out to play golf with a member of the Eli Young Band,” Stell said. “Came back (after golfing) and had a killer show in front of a great crowd.” He’s also a coffee connoisseur. “I like to drink exotic coffee,” he said. “I’m a coffee guy. I love bougie coffee. My favorite is when I get to a place and they have a few things roasted, and they have the flavor notes posted on the menu. So, I order that way. I like black coffee, sometimes pour over, but I like all the different kinds of beans and blends.” Condiments and coffee aside, something about Stell’s voice and demeanor give off an old-fashioned, gentleman appeal. He’s not flashy, nor is he arrogant. Maybe it’s because of his height, but there’s a stoicism about Stell. When he talks about seeing John Mayer at the Nashville Bridgestone Arena, and how he himself has had to adjust to performing arenas, he makes sure to give a nod to the “unsung heroes.” “Our front of house mix guys do a great job,” he said. “What they do is very important. If it doesn’t sound good, you’re not going to have a good time.” What is important, it seems, to Stell is crafting a career with integrity and songs that have meaning. He’s off to a stellar

start. Up next for Stell are some gigs with Thompson Square, as well as Lanco. His first-ever headlining tour kicked off January 24, 2020, in San Diego. He’s also already working on his next album.

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“The creative side – from producing and figuring out what songs we’re going to do, all that is what I love. That process has been ongoing. We’re going to be releasing some new stuff early next year. I’m really excited about it.”

Photo: Neal Nachman

By Liz Stokes

Many people may recognize Hayley Orrantia as the actress who has played Erica Goldberg on the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs for the past seven years, but when Orrantia isn’t on a TV set, she’s making time for her other passion: music. The singer/ songwriter and actress recently released her new song, “Find Yourself Somebody,” which is about that rare kind of break up when both parties truly want the best for one another. “It was kind of inspired by a former relationship I hazd where it just didn’t work out, and we just weren’t right for each other, but we still had love for one another and wanted the best for each other,” Orrantia told Sounds Like Nashville in an exclusive interview. “We just wanted us to find somebody else that we could be happy with and have fun with. It’s kind of meant to be a happy break up song, which I feel like you don’t see that much of anymore.”

Written by Orrantia, Johnny Simmen and Robyn Collins, “Find Yourself Somebody” finds the singer in a bittersweet position — wishing her former love happiness with someone else. “Love’s a good remedy for a little heartbreak,” she sings in the bridge. Even though the tune is about the end of a relationship, the overall vibe of the song is hopeful, as Orrantia’s lyrics about moving on and finding new love are paired with an uptempo beat. “The point of the song is that it doesn’t have to end in a bad way. You can just encourage that person to go out and find somebody that makes them happy,” she says. “We wanted to make sure that was kind of played out in the production of the song. It does feel a little more upbeat, a little more happy in the way we produced it just because, at the end of the day, all you can do after a break up is pick up the pieces and be happy for each other and carry on.”

According to Orrantia, “Find Yourself Somebody” is just the first of a string of new music she’ll be releasing soon. She will also be heading out on tour in the spring. “I’ve got two more singles lined up and ready to go,” she says. “I would like to, in the future, plan on releasing another EP or an album, but for now, I’ve just got a series of singles that I’m excited to share with everyone.” Orrantia can currently be seen sharing her acting and musical talent on the seventh season of The Goldbergs, as her character is in a band. In addition to releasing new music, Orrantia says she hopes to keep acting into the future. “I would love to expand and do more comedy, specifically movies,” she says. “I would love to dabble in dramas. I don’t plan on trying to limit myself as far as what I would try out for just because it’s fun. It’s always fun to be out there and try something new and be a little different.”

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Photo: Neal Nachman

Photo: Robby Klein

By Melissa Kucirek Calling from her home in Nashville, it’s a rare day off for singer-songwriter, Gabby Barrett. It’s raining outside and the mood of the day is anything but dreary. She’s home with her husband, Cade Foehner, and the 20-next month, American Idolalum sounds wise beyond her years. She may be still carving out what direction her art will take her, or how her songwriting skills will grow, but her self-motto of “keep knocking – don’t give up on your dreams rings true. She gives advice all the time, she said, that “keep knocking on doors and eventually one’s going to open.” More like kicked open, with a sassy song and an unstoppable charisma. Barrett’s song “I Hope” is roaring its way across the airwaves and recently notched a Top 25 spot. Co-written by Barret, Zachary Kale ( “Dig Your Roots” from Florida Georgia Line, “Only King 40

Forever” from Elevation Worship) and Jon Nite (“Whatever She’s Got” from David Nail, “Tip It On Back” from Dierks Bentley, “Strip It Down” from Luke Bryan and an arsenal of other hits), “I Hope” is an edgy, country track that begs for an immediate reaction. With lyrics like “I hope you both feel the sparks by the end of the drive / I hope you know she’s the one by the end of the night/ I hope you never ever felt more free/ Tell your friends that you’re so happy” Barrett’s vocal prowess and delivery in the track is confident, constrained and anything but timid. “‘I Hope’ was one of those songs that when I wrote it, with a few friends of mine, Jon Nite and Zachary Kale, that some people are able to tell when a song is just going to be a huge, and strong automatically,” she said. “But for someone that has to listen to it, produce Country Beat Magazine

it and have to decide, that isn’t always the case. I remember being in the writing room and Jon Nite said that this might be the biggest album of my career. I really started to get excited about it, how many people believed in it.” Initially released after Barrett’s stunning third-place finish on American Idol, Warner Records signed on the Pittsburgh, Penn.-born singer/songwriter and got behind “I Hope”. Barrett said she was excited that they were ready to push the single to radio. “Heck yes, I called the whole family, and I remember telling them which station it was going to be on,” Barrett said, recalling hearing the song broadcasted for the first time. “It was played on Sirius XM The Highway. They jumped on it automatically from the beginning. We all listened to it at the same time, and it was just a real exciting time to hear

music that you’ve worked really hard on to be played on the radio with your family. I come from a crying family, so tears were flowing.” Barrett comes from a large family – she’s one of eight children born to Blaise and Pam Barrett. Fans flocked to Barrett’s humble beginnings and she credits her family and her upbringing for helping her achieve her goals. “Being from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and anyone that knows people there are very hard-working, and very supportive, especially of their local talent, and sports teams,” she said. “I learned from being on American Idol how unbelievably supportive they were and behind me. It’s just very nice to see and have a city so behind you… .growing up there it definitely helped shape me into being a hard-working, dedicated person especially towards music. My family did that as well. My family’s all based in Pittsburgh and it just runs in the family, too.” She’s carried that energy and that love well-into 2020. Just last month she released a lyric video for “Hall of Fame”. Co-written with Kale, Trannie Anderson and Adam Doleac (“Don’t” from Darius Rucker, “Put It Off” from Kane Brown and his own recording, “Whiskey’s Fine”.) The video is a gushy, chemistryladen pictorial scrapbook of Barrett’s journey with husband (and fellow American Idol alum, Foehner. The photos are actually from her phone’s camera roll. The catching lyrics include “You’d be up there on that stage / Shining brighter than the lights/ And I’d be out there in the crowd/ Telling everybody that you’re mine.” “I just wanted to give people a little more personal look at my relationship with him. The song’s about him so I just wanted to be centered on our relationship. I think it came out really cool,” she said. Balancing success and prioritizing family or homelife is paramount, Barrett adds about her marriage. She acknowledged that it does help that her husband is a musician and is more understanding of the in-and-outs of life on the road and on-stage.

“It’s very important to establish early on, even before all of this happened, and if it didn’t then get management, everyone working around you, of what is your priority,” Barrett said. “To some people, career is more important than anything else, and for other people it’s family over everything else. I always told myself and my husband that my husband will be my first priority over everything. I think that’s probably a key to keeping your marriage healthy. I think it’s important to make sure you’re carving out enough time and communicate with your spouse so that they don’t feel like your career is the first thing for you, but they should feel like they are the first thing to you.” During the interview Barrett wasn’t able to disclose 2020 tour plans, other than saying she would be making her

debut at the world-famous Stagecoach Festival, April 24 – 26, in Indio, Calif. She knows it will be “hot outside” and is stoked for being a part of the atmosphere. She’s locked in for the Sunday performance, and will share the stage with Pam Tillis, Neal McCoy, Jon Pardi, Alan Jackson and Eric Church. To mentally prepare for the Stagecoach gig, she said she will treat it just like her other shows and to give people something to remember. “I just get really excited and come up with a plan of how I’m going to separate my shows from everyone else,” she said. Barrett said she thinks her husband would describe her sound as “edgy country.” It’s safe to say that her fans are calling her sound remarkable.

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Photo: Neal Nachman

Photo by: Neal Nachman