Volume 25 | Issue 188
PUBLICIZING SINGERS, WRITERS & MUSICIANS TO MUSIC ROW AND BEYOND SINCE 1995
“Precious” Music Advice From Preshias
Also Inside: Recaps from Bonnaroo, CMA Fest, and Summerfest; Previews of Live on the Green, Pilgramage Festival, Americanafest; NMG’s Sounding Board Album Reviews and more.
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Letter from Publisher & Editor Howdy, How about the cute the front cover of my adorable children, Stetson and Caylee? The twins recently turned 8 and I can’t wait for them to get older so that I can have the framed cover handy once they hit their teen years. Once again the Country Music Association has pulled off a successful CMA Fest for all Country fans not to mention all the extra people in town for the Preds. Records were definitely broken, and I know that the week was an overall success in our books. I am still not caught up on my sleep. I took care of the interviews and events for the festival throughout the week, which was extraordinary. I was able to interview Stella Parton, Lewis Bryce, David Frizzell, Clay Walker, Tyler Jordan, Ray Stevens, Ty Herndon along with a many others that you will read about in this issue. Nashville Music Guide was also lucky enough to sponsor Glenn Templeton as a team mate during Craig Campbell’s 5th Annual Corn Hole Challenge, which raised money for cancer research, education and awareness. Other celebrity team members included Jerrod Niemann, Parmalee, Mindy Campbell, Craig Campbell, and Thompson Square. The Nashville Music Guide made a very special video with condolences sent to the Country Queen Loretta Lynn with multiple country stars Wishing her to get well soon including Daryle Singleterry Darryl Worley, Clay Walker, Easton Corbin, and numerous others. You can checkout the video on nashvillemusicguide.com. I was able to keep myself busy and entertained by attending Ty Herndon’s Love and Acceptance Benefit Concert at the Wildhorse Saloon hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan, The Country for a Cause at the Nashville Palace and numerous other fundraisers throughout the week around Music City. It is so important to us to be a part of promoting and sharing these benefits. When artists take their time to give back, it is important that we take the time to acknowledge that even beyond the bright lights and charts they still care just like you and me. One of my favorite concerts this year was the 20th Annual Moore and Moore Fan Club Party at the Nashville Palace. Performers included David Frizzell, the legendary Johnny Rodriguez, Barbara Fairchild, T.G. Sheppard and many more. We interviewed each performer and you can find that on our Youtube channel by following the link provided in the story. I would also like to thank all the artist who gave us the opportunity to interview them. I would also like to thank all the publicist for the VIP passes, the early entrance and the special attention that we received. We are excited and look forward to future events. Our Managing Editor, Amanda Andrews was at Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN during the same week and spent some time on the Farm covering acts that have been broadening our fan base. While I am not to “hip” on these acts or their music - I think the only name on the line up that I knew was Luke Combs - she does a great job of bringing in the other genres and artists that are coming out of the Nashville music scene. Be sure to checkout her review of this year’s Bonnaroo in this issue. I would like to give a special congratulations to my advisor, colleague and friend, Preshias Harris, who has just recently released a book about song writing and the music business, The College of Songology 101. I call Preshias the walking music encyclopedia. Preshias is a sweetheart and has written for the Nashville Music Guide since it started in 1995. Her column, “Inside Track on Music Row” is one of the longest running columns and has been published whether in print or online monthly throughout the years. When it comes to the people to know in the music business, Preshias Harris is that somebody. Honest and hard-working, she is very special and dear to the Nashville Music Guide. You can take what she says as the gospel because she’s been there and done that; not to mention she’s very great at what she does. Preshias is a mentor to young artists and basically anybody who wants to sit down and listen on how to put the right foot forward in the music business. I suggest you pick up a copy of her book - digital or print - and soak in all that it’ll teach you. To sum it up, I also would like to say we appreciate all of our readers that pick up our magazines or go to our site and read. Thank you very much to all of our advertisers. I would also like to thank Jessica Andrews for helping with my twins during CMA Fest as well as Joe and Denise Kent for spending some time with us during that busy week. Until next time! Randy Rich NashvilleMusicGuide.com 4
Contents Features 6 8 11 12 14 16
Craig Wayne Boyd Dylan Schnieder Joe Diffie Lewis Brice
23
“Precious” Advice
Clay Shoot
American Young
from Preshias Harris
18 CMA Fest Wrap-up 20 Bonnaroo Wrap-up 22 Stella Parton 23 Tyler Jordan 24 Ray Stevens 26 Magic City Hippies 26 Mondo Cozmo 27 Blossoms 27 Walker Lukens 28 Ty Herndon
30
Love and Acceptance
Moore & Moore Fan
Clay Walker
Chords for Hope
39
SummerNAMM 2017 Music Industry Day
Departments 4
Editor’s Letter
9 Business Spotlight
10 Sounding Board 15 Artists On The Rise 34 Inside Track 37 Songwriter’s Nights/ Open Mics
Club Party
32
36
6th Annual Pro AM
16
40
Music Venues
Publisher & CEO Randy Rich Editor@NashvilleMusicGuide.com 615-973-2188 Managing Editor Amanda Andrews akandrews@NashvilleMusicGuide.com Contributors Preshias Harris, Jessica Northey, Rick Amburgey, Sherryl Craig, Steve Kilgore, Jessica Andrews, Tina Anderson, Captain Joe Kent, Katherine Poole, Krys Midgett, Olivia West, Jan Braun Photography Bob Coan, Jerry Overcast, Randi Radcliff, Chad Lee, Michael Jenkins, Julianna Birdwell, Cilene Bosch, Chloe Hall, Alexandra Arielle Founder Dan Wunsch HOW TO REACH NMG Press releases, CD Reviews Editor@NashvilleMusicGuide.com Physical Mail PO Box 330670 Nashville, TN 37203
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Music is life. Without music I wouldn’t be, there was no plan B. My music makes me feel real emotion. Support music because it is life. Rooted in the southern tradition of country music and topped with a rebellious flair, Craig is an extreme talent who excelled at singing and playing the guitar at age of four. He received long-due critical and mainstream recognition as the Season 7 winner of The Voice under Team Blake.
said Craig. “When trying to get the music out there, you have to have the right team behind you and I have that. I have CMG behind me and they have stepped up and partnered with Reviver Records and it has really been amazing They’ve put their team in full force for me and it’s really an All- Star Team.”
Growing up in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Mesquite, Craig’s childhood was highly influenced by gospel and country music and he later became the choir director at his hometown church.
Now that the team is in place, Craig will be hitting the road for a radio tour for the remainder of the summer.
“My grandma had albums and music around,” said Craig. “It was a big influence on me and included artists like Johnny Cash which I chose for The Voice. Another song I specifically remember was “Yakety Yak.” It was one of my favorite songs growing up and I loved playing the sax part. I’ve actually utilized it as inspiration in my latest project.” After a trip to Nashville, Craig signed a publishing deal with EMI and after several years of prolific songwriting, he began touring heavily, logging more than 1,000 shows in four years, touring with acts like Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser and Brantley Gilbert. In addition, Craig also played with Rascal Flatts during their Vegas Riot! nine-show residency at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas before continuing on his headlining West Bound and Down Tour. Since winning The Voice, Craig has been busy touring, recording a new album, inking endorsements and other deals. Some exciting recent news is during Winter NAMM 2016, Dean Guitars released a model created with Craig Wayne Boyd. Complete with a mini jumbo body, mother of pearl star inlays, and has his initials, CWB, on the headstock. While Craig has been in the music industry for well over a decade, getting the exposure he did on The Voice was a game-changer. “I don’t think any kind of exposure is ever going to hurt you especially when it’s 15 million people a night and you become the person in their living rooms,” said Craig. “I think that using that to your advantage is something you have to really work on because it is a different approach that is kind of backwards. People know my name, people know my face, and now we have to get them to know my music. Most people that start in Country music have the reverse challenge of people knowing your music but not knowing who you are.” While facing this challenge, Craig has been putting together a powerhouse team to achieve these goals and get his new music out there. “I don’t think that this challenge has been easy, but it’s been fun,” NashvilleMusicGuide.com 6
“I need to take a step back and focus on the music for a minute and get ready for the release of the new album this Fall,” said Craig. “I was blessed to have the time on the road to tour and thank my fans but now is time to give my fans what they are looking for and that’s new music. My fans have been amazing and the ‘Yallers’ are pumped and growing the CWB army. It’s amazing to me how many of them come out to every single show when I am in their town.” Craig will be releasing a single off the album in September. “For the single and most of the new album I reached back into my old school mentality of music,” said Craig. “Growing up, I bought my first saxophone when I was 13 at a garage sale down the street from my house. I paid the $100 off as I went to the folks that owned it and by the time I was in high school I was first chair with that sax and I took it to college with me. And you will hear it and a lot of my childhood musical influences on this new project.” For more information on the upcoming album and Craig Wayne Body visit: craigwayneboyd.com Interview by Randy Rich & Story by Amanda Andrews
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Music is amazing. My music makes me feel like having a good time. Without music I would be lost. Support music because it promotes positive energy when people get together to listen to music and that’s really needed in the world right now. Dylan Schneider is wise beyond his years, especially when it comes to his songwriting. A typical, small-town kid with dreams of playing baseball in the big leagues, Schneider’s direction shifted when he began listening to and connecting with country music. “It was hard to go from baseball to music, said Dylan. “I always wanted to be an MLB player, but when I got to my freshman year of high school, I felt like I was done. Plus, I wanted to focus on my music and that’s what I started to do. In high school, Schneider started a band with some friends but it became apparent quickly that his friends were not into the whole music thing as much as he was so he continued to pursue music on his own. “I played out locally quite a bit. Playing acoustic sets for people was always much more fun than having a real job like most kids my age and I started doing cover videos on Youtube.” The progress was enough to catch the attention of artist manager Sean Pace, who made the trip up to his hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana to enlist Schneider as a client in early 2016. From there, and with the addition of co-manager Joey Russ, the team continued to capitalize on his talents and grow his fan base. “I met my manager, Sean Pace last year when he reached out to me through Instagram,” said Dylan. “We got to talking and he just knew what he was doing with the marketing and stuff like that and took me under his wing.” With a collective social media following of nearly 600,000, his videos have seen over 30 million views to date. In July 2016, he released debut EP Wannabe and, shortly thereafter, released follow-up EP 17 in October. “It’s been pretty wild to watch mu socials grow,” said Dylan.”We just kept putting covers out on all the social platforms and people reacted to them.” Dylan’s biggest influences are Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley and Jason Aldean. Over the years he has spent time studying each of them while creating his own thing including writing his own songs. He has a publishing deal with Sony/ATV. Schneider’s most recent release was his new EP Spotlight’s on You, which was released in April of 2017 and hit #1 on the iTunes Country Charts. As well as working on new music, content, and tour dates, Schneider’s focus remains the importance of the fan. “At the end of the day, I’m nothing without my fans,” said Dylan. “When I write, I’m thinking, ‘how is this song going to sing live, and how will the audience react and identify?’ What I do, most importantly, is for my fans. My job is to connect and show them a good time.” For more information visit: NashvilleMusicGuide.com 8
Interview by Randy Rich Story by Amanda Andrews
BUSI ESS SPOTLIGHT Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to Learn More About What These Businesses Have To Offer.
Nashville Gig Finder
NGF connects players to gigs and gear worldwide. Join free by downloading the App or by visiting NashvilleGigFinder.com
GIVE A LITTLE NASHVILLE
The purpose of the new magazine is to promote charities and charity events. My passion is helping others and so I thought this would be a fun way to do it.
TrashyFEM
At TrashyFem, each shirt is a conversation starter and a catalyst for positive interaction, communication and education.
Live on the Green
Produced and presented by Lightning 100, Live On The Green is a free, outdoor music festival held in Public Square Park in Nashville, TN.
Rocket Songs
Rocket Songs is the song marketplace for original artists. Thousands of songs in every genre, every single one written by a pro.
SUMMER NAMM
Celebrate local music stores & honor the industry’s Top 100 Dealers. Enjoy starstudded events & the lure of Nashville night life while making connections.
Pilgrimage Festival
A multi-genre musicfest featuring some of today’s hottest local & national touring artists, many performing acoustically, at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, TN.
To Write Love on Her Arms
TWLOHA is a movement dedicated to presenting hope & finding help for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, & suicide.
Big Star Studio
Big Star Studio Productions mission is to promote artists to music row and beyond by giving them the full “Nashville experience.”
FADD’S
Come play with us! We have 5 party buses and 2 trolleys to serve all your entertainment and transportation needs! We have DJ’s and all just for you!
Americanafest
Music Festival in Nashille, TN that focuses on advocation for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world.
Nashville Music Guide
Stay up to date on what is happening in the music world with singers, writers and musicians not just in Nashville but beyond. Like us on Facebook.
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Anything I Wanna Be by Dannie Marie Dannie Marie has a Taylor Swift with an edge kind of feel. I found that her sound is Taylor Swift meets Britany Spears. Edgy but fun. Her music is upbeat. Her album has a balance of fast pace and slow songs. From feisty songs of breakups to love songs. I feel like this would be a great album to listen to during a summertime road trip. All of her songs tell a new story. She does a great job of talking about life and the journey girls go through over time. Heartache and finding love seem to be her main themes. “Here Comes the Bride” gives the picture of the little fantasy wedding with a tragic end. What I enjoyed most about this song was the alternate ending with the “Wedding Version”. It allowed for the fairy tale ending every little girl dreams of while I can see the original version tugs at your heart strings of young girls everywhere. “Anything I Wanna Be” is an encouraging song. It has the ability to make you feel free to do whatever you choose in life. This is possibly my favorite song on the album because of the encouraging message throughout. Sound wise “Anything I Wanna Be” I really enjoyed the banjo. “It’s Workin’ On Me” is a song that stuck out to me because it has a balance of her edgy, but sweet sound. It took me back to my high school crush years. Dannie Marie has written all of the songs presented on her album Countin’ Down Summertime. The album showcases here a California girl with a small town feel. She is family oriented as her mother is her manager and her brother plays guitar for her band. Her music is pop country. I definitely see her album inspiring young adults everywhere. www.danniemarie.com | www.facebook.com/lovedanniemarie | @lovedanniemarie Review By Taraya Harvey, tarayajones@yahoo.com, June 2017
The Pirate Sessions III by Jesse Rice Jesse Rice reminds me of Kenny Chesney in many ways. He has a fun and energetic sound that makes you feel like packing your bags and going on vacation. I knew shortly after listening to his music that I wanted to go sit on a faraway beach and relax to his songs. Whether you are alone or sitting around with friends you will remember the good times while you listen to his songs. He has more upbeat songs than that of slow songs on the album The Pirate Sessions III. His song “Get Your Island On” stands out to me the most. This song is one of the main songs that made me link his music to that of Kenny Chesney. It gives you the warm feeling of the beach or partying with friends on warm summer days. He also mentions Jimmy Buffett within multiple songs, which we all know to be one of Chesney’s favorites as well. Rice gives us the very well-known island feel with a few stops on traditional country roads with songs like “Hope Town,” featuring the slow feel of country life. Most of the lyrics found within the songs are about living life on warm summer days. Rice composes his own music. He has lived in music city since the early 2000’s where he has worked with artists such as Lady Antebellum, Florida Georgia Line, and Colt Ford. He wrote the song “Cruise” sung by Florida Georgia Line, which became his first #1 hit. Rice’s album The Pirate Sessions III has a fun country feel. I see country music fans of all ages finding his album to be uplifting and enjoyable. www.jessekrice.com | www.facebook.com/JesseRiceMusic | @JessekRice Review by Taraya Harvey, tarayajones@yahoo.com, July 2017
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With the recent release of Jason Aldean’s hit “1994” that namechecked many of Joe Diffie’s twelve Number One hits, the legendary singer found himself squarely back in the hearts and minds of country fans. The multi-platinum-selling artist has never slowed down – writing, touring and recording a myriad of projects including his critically acclaimed 2010 bluegrass album “Homecoming,” and his upcoming ”Country Unplugged” acoustic tour with fellow hit makers Mark Chesnutt and Lorrie Morgan. The video for his most recent single “Girl Ridin’ Shotgun,” which features cameo appearances from such superstars as Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Lee Brice, Tim McGraw, and Keith Urban has amassed well over 7 million views on Youtube.
Records, it will be a compilation of Country songs that he has amassed over the last three years and a couple of collaborations will be included.
Now that tour season is winding down and the Fall is quickly approaching, Joe is working on a new project. “It will be sometime this fall and I don’t have a name for it yet. I hate to be so vague but it’s pretty good stuff.”
“A lot of people think that if you’re not on the radio all the time that you have disappeared,” said Joe. “This is not true. We are still out on the road doing 80 to 90 shows a year - thanks to William Morris Booking Agency.”
What we do know is that it is going to be released on Silverado
For more information on Joe Diffie visit: www.joediffie.com
“I am still working on the logistics of the collaborations,” said Joe. “Everything is bascialy finished, just need to coordinate schedules to get in the studio for finishing touches.” Joe Diffie is a Grammy and ACM award-winner. He is a member of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 20 years. Joe and his team are rocking it out and refuse to let the lengthy career loose steam.
Interview by Randy Rich, Story by Amanda Andrews .
Music is uplifting and spiritual. It evokes emotions, feelings and memories. It’s a really huge part of life. Without music, I would be a blue collar work somewhere. My music makes me feel happy. Support music because there’s a lot of starving musicians. It’s such a huge part of life and can invoke so many emotions. It can make someone feel happy, sad, loved - it definitely needs to be supported.
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Interview by Randy Rich, Story by Amanda Andrews Comprised of songwriter/musician, Kristy Osmunson, and songwriter/producer, Jon Stone, American Young released their debut album in late 2016. Penning 11 of the 12 tracks, showcasing Osmunson and Stone’s natural songwriting abilities, the record features their first single, “Love is War,” along with tracks such as “God Sends a Train,” which speaks of the reallife devastation Osmunson endured when her mother was hit by a train but lived and eventually walked again, “Be Here,” which pleads for a moment of peace without the distractions of today’s world, and “Something to You,” which Osmunson fought back tears to record in the studio.
it’s a fresh conversation with vulnerability. My family was military so I understand that sacrifice is a two-way street.”
Since their formation, American Young has done several European tours and have learned a lot about how they respond to Country music.
Bold, honest and true Jon shared with us the pros and cons of being involved in every aspect of this new project.
“We linked up with a few local artists over there and we got to learn a lot touring outside of America,” said Jon. “They have a plethora of terrestrial radio there unlike in America. They still find a lot of their music via the internet and are really into new music but it is easier to get radio airplay there. It’s amazing how they respond to Country music. I have started considering country, American music because it’s grown and expanded so much sub-genre wise.” Europe even has a festival called Country to Country that is very similar to CMA Fest. “Country music has such great conversations because it’s based around great songs,” said Kristy Both separately and together have travelled significantly overseas doing music, some of which included work with the military. They have a song called “Soldier’s Wife” that they performed on Fox and Friends and has had over 3 million views. “The first time I started traveling overseas I got to go to Spain and Italy doing USO shows,” said Kristy. “There was even one show where we got to play over this beautiful volcano outside of Niece. You learn so many interesting things when abroad. I even got to go to some hospitals over there and see what was happening.” “Soldier’s Wife” — which was inspired by a true story — pays tribute to those who often make the ultimate sacrifice for our country’s freedom, and the song has become a fan favorite, both of those who have served and of the loved ones of those currently serving. “When Jon wrote “Soldier’s Wife” with Billy Montana and Hannah Blaylock, I was just sitting on the couch listening to them cut demos and was truly touched,” said Kristy. “I think NashvilleMusicGuide.com 12
The momentum cannot be stopped for American Young musical masterminds, Kristy Osmunson and Jon Stone. Their New Album, available for pre-order, has you foolishly flirting with folk country’s “Point of View” and then tantrically hypnotizes you with harmonies of “Love Is War”. Kristy and Jon deliver an organic sound creating a movement of delivering hope through music without boundaries as seen in their chemistry, songwriting and poetic performances.
“Being a producer, writer, and an artist allows me to see things from the beginning all the way to the end without any gaps in it,” said Jon. “Sometimes I’m so scared to let go of it and let anyone else do anything because I know what I’m talking about and want to be involved in every step of the process. I still have a lot to learn in every step of the process but the more I do it the more I want to hold on to it because I feel like I know where it should go.” Their upcoming album has great songs with honest stories that evolve from what they are doing and where they are going. For more information on American Young and their latest music visit: www.AmericanYoung.com
“Music is love and is essential. Without Music I would by lost and Jon would be in the horse world. My music makes me feel like I need to get a whole lot better, that I’ve got a lot of places to go ... it really just depends on the song too. Support music because it’s the right thing to do and what else are you going to do.”
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With a sound rooted at the intersection of country, rhythm & blues and southern rock, Lewis Brice comes at you with highenergy stories, sounds that catch the ear and beats that make you want to move. Born and raised in Sumter, South Carolina, he grew up singing in church choir and praise bands. Throughout his career he has spread his music in front of attentive audiences and continuously grown a strong fan base along with supporting charities in the process. Lewis started an annual music concert called Lewispalooza in 2010 to benefit local charities. “It all started when I was on the road with my buddy Nick Nolan. We had been on the road for 72 days and two days when we weren’t on the road I booked the show in Nashville. The idea of Lewispalooza was to give my friends an opportunity to play music and to give back to charity. The first year it was for Musicians on Call, we switched it up for a bit with St. Jude, and a couple of years ago it was a benefit for a guitar player friend that passed away from brain cancer. There’s always a good cause behind the show.” This year the funds were raised for Hope Song. Founded in April 2016 by John Wesley Satterfield and Coby Sherlock at Chipsa Hospital in Playas de Tijuana, Hope Song continues to support the patients at the hospital while they undergo extensive alternative treatment for cancer. Hope Song arranges for two to three artists to travel to the hospital from Nashville every week to perform for the patients each night. Their vision is to provide funding for cancer treatment to those who cannot afford it in the future. Also during this year’s show, Lewis performed a few songs from
Music is awesome and soothing and really makes you think about things and can sometimes even pull problems out. My music makes me feel like a rock star. Without music, I would be digging ditches or working the family business. Support music because it helps people in emotional ways. NashvilleMusicGuide.com 14
his upcoming, self-titled EP, which was released July 14. It was co-produced by his brother and Country artist, Lee Brice. “I send most if not all of my songs to Lee to get his opinion,” said Lewis when we asked about sharing songs with Lee. “He’s got a bunch of songs so doesn’t need mine, but heck, if he want to have a song of mine I would let him have it. Overall, we work great together and it’s been awesome having him co-produce this EP. The hardest part has just been getting everyone in the same room, at the same time to get it done.” Lewis’ current single from the EP is “Best Ex Ever.” The quirky song showcases the fact that while exes might be able to remain friends, it doesn’t mean that their new lover might agree with the friendship. “I’ve had a bunch of ex-girlfriend’s,” said Lewis. “I was writing it with Mike Walker and Benjy Davis (Plaid Flad) and we were trying to find a fun way to give homage to exes. We had a little riff going and was toying with ‘best sex ever’ and it all of a sudden hit us, ‘best ex ever.’” On top of the release, Wiliam Morris is already booking him dates for the Fall to promote the new music and prepartion for next years’ Lewispalooza is already in the works. For more information on Lewis Brice visit: www.lewisbrice.com Interview by Randy Rich, Story by Amanda Andrews
ARTISTS O
THE RISE
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to Learn More About What These Rising Artists Have To Offer.
Jada Vance
She recently returned to the studio for her new EP. Which will be available this Summer 2017. Also, you can find her first EP, “Read My Lipstick” that was produced by Billy Davis and Chip Davis on iTunes and Spotify.
Southern Halo
Southern Halo consists of sister Christina, Hannah, and Natalia. Check out their new single on Country radio, “Living Like That” and catch them during CMA Fest 2017.
Tony McKee
Check out Tony McKee’s latest single, “Problem With Me” featuring Eric Lee Beddingfield that is impacting Country radio now.
David Frizzell
Be sure to catch David’s autograph signing during CMA Fest in the Fan Fair X Hall and his performance on the Durango Stage. For more information on David visit: www.davidfrizzell.com
Scarlet Revolt Scarlet Revolt’s Album Cold Town (feat. Philip Hatfield, Eve Marcum-Atkinson, CJ Davis & Phil X Crace) is now available on iTunes.
Mustang Sally
Sex and the City meets Honky Tonk with a knack for telling it like it is. This is a group of career musicians, recording professionals and road warriors.
Southern Compromise Hailing from Jennings County in Southern Indiana and sponsored by Budweiser, this group of 5 very talented musicians with unique skills and vocals all put together makes a big sound.
Kamber Cain
No stranger to the stage, this high-energy crowd pleaser with a dynamite voice just released a new music video for her latest single, “I Don’t Think of You!” Be sure and check it out along with Kamber’s other music and videos.
Lexi Lew
Check out her latest single “Roses” on iTunes. Follow on FB/IG @LexiLewMusic & learn more about her suicide awareness efforts. Now available for bookings.
Roots of a Rebellion
If you like techno and reggae you are going to want to check out there latest album, A Brother’s Instinct. You can also catch them at Exit/In’s on July 22nd with The Wild Feathers and more. #TNReggae
Lane Roberson Lane Roberson may be young, but he has honed the craft of old school-outlaw Country song writing. Definitely one to keep your eyes and ears tuned for.
Friday Night Flyers
Starting off with “Friday Night Flyer” and ending with “Give it Back”. If you like country music, listen to “Southern Pride” and “Whisky Lies”. This is a traditional county music in a Millennials country music world! NashvilleMusicGuide.com
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“Precious” Music Advice from Preshias Promotions Coordinator with George Jones University.
She is a sought-after judge at talent contests, including the nationally promoted Country Showdown. She also serves as Artist Relations/Nashville Division for Boulder Creek Guitars and for Country Rewind Records for whom she also writes album liner notes She also began writing her syndicated column “Inside Track on Music Row,” for Nashville Music Guide in 1995 and we couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this historical column. She is credited with one of the longest running Country Music Columns in the US and appears globally on websites around the world. Pictured Above: Preshias and Mike (Preshias’ husband) with Morning Express Host and Singer, Robin Meade Preshias Harris is a music career development consultant with special emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters as part of her College of Songology℠. Working one-on-one with clients, she focuses on ‘chasing the dream’ while understanding the realities of the music industry. She maintains a writers’ room on Music Row – named The Sangtuary – for her clients and their co-writers. To her “kids” she is fondly known as “Mama P.” “Keep in mind, that as a songwriter, there will be days when you have just a phrase, a line or a title in mind … and that’s all.” Preshias said while sharing some song writing advice to our readers. “Creativity has no clock, so whether it comes to you a line at a time or as fast as you can sing it, write it down, record it, hum it into your phone…do whatever you have to do to NOT lose it. Don’t be the person that says, “I thought of that title. THAT was my idea.” Instead, be the songwriter with the credit on the album.” NashvilleMusicGuide.com 16
A perfect example of the importance of this advice was when John Newton wrote the lyrics to “Amazing Grace” he had no way of knowing the impact that his words would have over the next 250 years; the tears that would be shed while singing it, the stages it would be sung on, or the people it would bring closer to Christ. Fortunately, during a violent storm at sea in 1748, he managed to jot down a few words in his journal that he later developed into the hymn that would inspire millions for generations on. She has been in Nashville for 27 years. She began her career as an intern to the VP of Publicity at BNA Records and started to build a network of music industry contacts from coast to coast. She wrangled on-air celebrity interviews for radio DJs broadcasting from Emerald Studios during Fan Fair and CMA Week, and handled promotion and media relations for the NY Times best-seller, Chicken Soup For The Country Soul. She has also served as song plugger and A&R assistant to an award-winning songwriter, and as
In her column you will find industry insider news, album reviews, and artist Q&A’s. From her Music Row offices, Preshias (over the years) has interviewed everyone from Alabama to ZZ Top for articles and stories published in numerous music magazines. Preshias is a member of ASCAP (as a publisher), BMI, CMA, The Recording Academy, The National Association of Talent Directors, and a life member of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).
Her first try at book writing was being the author of I Know Country! a collection of 366 day-byday country music Q&As. CDX CD service features these daily questions for show prep for Country stations around the globe.
notes on everything he or she has accomplished or applied to their personal and respective songwriter business plan,” Harris added. “It’s makes for a good checklist and future reference.”
Preshias’ latest book is The College of Songology℠ 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s ‘Need to Know’ Handbook, available in print and e-book versions from CollegeOfSongology.com.
While Preshias may be one of the busiest women in the music industry, she is “Music Row’s “Queen of Networking” and a music industry walking encyclopedia miracle.
In the book, she addresses every aspect of the song writing business as an aid to assist songwriters in turning “writes” into royalties. Feature chapters include: “Performing Rights Organizations;” “Song Publishing” (and the pros and cons of self-publishing vs. signing with a song publisher); “Recording Demos”, “How and When to Copyright Songs”, “Licensing: Where the Money Is” and an “A-to-Z” reference that highlights hundreds of music industry terms and definitions. “We included ‘workbook’ segments at the end of each chapter to allow the songwriter to keep tabs and make
Preshias has endured over 80 surgeries, been blind, crippled and in a wheel chair. She is currently fighting skin cancer. She has survived Pictured Below: Amanda Colleen Williams at Preshias’s breast cancer, two knee book signing for The College of Songology 101. Preshias replacements, two hip said that she is one of her favorite singers. replacements and two kidney transplants surrounded by family, friends and and these are just some music, will serve as a reminder to of her health surgery milestones. One cherish every moment the Lord gives would think this would slower her us on this fine earth,” said Preshias down, but you have to run to keep up Harris. with her. She discussed her book and all that she has overcome during a book signing at Two Old Hippies with Music Starts Here’s Doak Turner. “Everyday is a blessing and we’re hoping this intimate and fun afternoon,
Follow Preshias: www.nashvillemusicline.com Check out “Inside Track on Music Row”: http://www.nashvillemusicguide.com/ category/music-row/inside-track/
“What a wonderful evening. We took a photo opp before we headed to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Awards. One of inductees Aaron Barker, was an artist on BNA Records when I as an intern, so I was even more excited as usual! Supporting Songwriters is a part of our life - being a table sponsor as “Preshias Music Family” was inspiring and uplifting for my artists and songwriters!” - Preshias Harris My Class of 2016 - Songwriter Family (L-R): Nick Halsted, Bailey Callahan, Nick DeLeo, Lindsey Rebecca Harding, Carmen Mariea, Justin T. Dukes, Nikki Moore, Hannah Emerson, Anna Barrow, Courtney Bumbacher and Marie Mattei.
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CMA FEST 2017: Breaking Records and Making Memories
Lodge – along with signing fan autographs at multiple intervals. It was a display of generosity and stamina that, did what Fan Fair has been about since 1972 - getting up close and personal with their fans, which is part of the reason her debut album Wildhorse has been so successful without a huge radio hit. Artists such as Tracy Lawrence, Lonestar and Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers all took the Budweiser Forever Country Stage, and fans swayed and rocked to the music the entire time.
Music City was full of exceptional sights for the 2017 CMA Music Festival, thanks to a plethora of country stars and the Nashville Predators’ playing in the Stanley Cup finals. While the Preds didn’t come away with the cup, country fans had a golden time, catch-ing concerts from mainstream A-listers, rising stars, and under-the-radar acts.. Prior to the official Thursday kickoff for CMA Fest, the busy week was already underway with special events all over town, includ-ing at the Ryman. Darius Rucker hosted the 8th Annual Darius and Friends Benefit Concert which included Michael Ray, Dan + Shay, and Luke Combs. The event has raised over $1 million for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The abundance of causes and money raised during the week of events was endless. The following day, Craig Campbell hosted his 5th Annual Celebrity Cornhole Challenge. Joining him this year was Thompson Square and Jerrod Neiman. Campbell’s Cornhole Challenge raised money for a cause very near to the singer’s heart, Fight Colorectal Cancer. Garth Brooks made one of his famous surprise CMA Music Festival appearances, walking on stage at Nissan Stadium Thursday night and kicking off his unannounced set with “Thunder Rolls.” In a ball cap and strumming his acoustic guitar, Brooks worked the stage during “That Summer” and went straight into “The Dance” as fans lit up the stadium with their cell phones. Brooks paused and let fans sing the last word, then flowed into “Friends in Low Places,” pacing the front of the stage during the set. While it has been close to 27 years since “Friends in Low Places” was released, country music fans haven’t forgotten the song that helped propel Brooks to super-stardom. The crowd, more than 50,000 strong, came in loud on the first word and sang with Brooks, through the last chorus. One of the great things about CMA Fest is the chance for fans to meet their favorite artists by attending their fan club parties. If there was an award for CMA Fest Team Player, the 2017 edition would go to RaeLynn. The “Love Triangle” singer-songwriter played an incredible five shows during the week – Pandora’s country showcase on Tuesday, the Cracker Barrel Stage, Radio Dis-ney, Chevrolet Riverfront Stage and a stripped-down set at HGTV
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While the Lukes, Blakes and FGLs may get the lion’s share of publicity at CMA Fest, the backbone of the festival are the veteran artists who connect today’s Nashville with its roots. Bobby Bare, Jeannie Seely and T.G. Sheppard all turned in nostalgic sets on the Fan Fair X concourse, with the appearance of Johnny Rodriquez a rare treat. Although the 65-year-old Texas singer sported a cast on his right hand that prohibited him from playing guitar, he was in excellent voice during a heartfelt performance on Friday after-noon, offering hits like “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico” and “You Always Come Back (To Hurtin’ Me).” But it was his beautiful rendition of his 1973 Number One “That’s the Way Love Goes” that reminded fans how important Rodriguez was to Seventies country. As CMA Fest was in full swing, Wildhorse Saloon hosted the star-studded 3rd Annual Ty Herndon Concert for Love and Ac-ceptance. This year the event raised money for the Oasis Center. The 27th City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game took place on CMA Fest Saturday, and started with a powerful national anthem by Reba McEntire. Players included Billy Ray Cyrus, Lauren Alaina, Kellie Pickler, and The Property Brothers and commentary by Jeannie Seely, Lee Greenwood and Tim Rushlow. This year’s game broke an all-time attendance record. Also breaking attendance records this year was the actual CMA Fest. Visitors came from all 50 states and 18 different countries. Sunday proved a searing day in direct sun, and Luke Combs took the Riverfront Stage just past noon, but it was standing room only for the fans assembled. Just as it was for his over-capacity acoustic set at the Radio Disney Stage on Saturday. And as it was during his HGTV Lodge set later on Sunday. And as it was earlier in the week at his genre-crossing Bonnaroo debut. (See a trend here?) Opening with new single “When It Rains It Pours,” off his projected Number One country album This One’s for You, Combs commanded the Riverfront audience with his big voice and expert song craft. By the time he got to “Hurricane,” which he intro-duced as “my first Number One song, my first Platinum song,” the fans were primed. Cell phones raised in hallelujah, the crowd bobbed, pumping fists to his breakout hit. For Combs, this CMA Fest was a star turn of the highest order The festivities ended on Sunday with a great big feud. Family Feud: Country Stars vs. Reality Stars that is. Contestants included Jeannie Seely, Ray Stevens, Craig Campbell, Darryl Worley, and Parmalee as they faced off against stars from shows like “Survi-vor” and “Big Brother.” For our full coverage of CMA Fest visit: NashvilleMusicGuide.com
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was seriously killing it with dirty beats and drops that could make your heart skip a beat.
I’ll be honest – I had low expectations for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival this year. I’ve been covering the annual summer fest in Manchester, Tennessee, for Nashville Music Guide since 2011, and in my personal opinion, the line-up for the festival’s 16th year was mediocre compared to past years. The headliners were U2 (not my thing), the Red Hot Chili Peppers (cool, but they headlined ‘Roo just a few years back in 2012), and The Weeknd (he’s good but not closer-worthy). I’ve heard the secret to happiness is low expectations. After all, you’ve got nowhere to go but up when your bar is way down low. I’m pleased to admit that I was wrong. This year’s festival was filled with pleasant surprises — new-to-me bands that literally blew me away, stellar weather for most of the weekend, and a reinvented DJ/hip-hop stage that featured up-and-coming acts into the wee hours of the morning. Never mind the Thursday night arrest of 45-year-old David E. Brady of Albany, New York, for attempting to sell thousands of fake drugs (counterfeit ecstasy, acid, mushrooms, and more), claiming he was doing “God’s work.” Luckily, he was taken into the Coffee County Jail before he could do too much damage. Thursday night is always low-key with lesserknown acts performing on the festival’s five main stages. We arrived in Manchester around 6PM Wednesday, picked up our press credentials, and set up camp. We always go a day early so we have time to scope out the scene and relax before hitting the festival full force. We headed into Centeroo Thursday early evening with no real agenda. We popped by a screening of the Nashville Predators Stanley Cup playoffs game at the Which Stage, our first Bonnaroo sports viewing experience – it was a hard game to watch. As for the music, we didn’t recognize too many names on the line-up for Thursday night, but we were eager to check out the new Other Stage and catch Mondo Cozmo and Herobust. Herobust opened for Ludacris when he came to Middle Tennessee State University earlier this Spring and although we didn’t know who he was then, he left an impression to secure a must-see slot in our Bonnaroo shows. Herobust is a dubstep/ glitch hop DJ and composer, who NashvilleMusicGuide.com 20
Bonnaroo’s five main stages are called What Stage, Which Stage, That Tent, This Tent, and in the past, there was The Other Tent. The tents tend to host smaller acts, while the What and Which stages are reserved for headliners and bigger-name bands. The former Other Tent was typically host to DJs and not-so-well-known indie acts, but the tent (literally a large tent shading a grassy area where fest-goers huddle to catch some respite from the summer heat) was upgraded to a full-on stage slightly larger than one you’d find at the Beale Street Music Festival. This new The Other was outfitted with lighting equipment capable of laser shows that gave the area a rave-like feel. Although we missed Kalliopie stage from previous years for late night raging dance parties, The Other quickly became our favorite meet up for dance parties. It would have been nice to have a party bus or something of the sorts that started or ended at The Other like Kalliopie used to have. After Herobust, just to the left of the new Other Stage was another complementary attraction called The Oasis — a sandy faux beach with blacklight faux palms, volleyball courts, and a Bacardisponsored tiki bar. We sat on the edge of the sand in the glow of purple palm trees and took in a few sets as fest-goers spiked balls behind us. Although the temps reached the high 80s on Saturday and Sunday, Thursday was actually quite chilly providing some relief from the warm weather to come. On Friday, I popped by the What Stage (the largest venue on the farm) to catch a bit of Francis and the Lights, an energetic indie-pop solo artist whose stage show involves plenty of synthesizers and processed vocals alternated with some sweet dance moves that have Francis (“the Lights” is a reference to both stage lights and computer pixels) convulsing and spinning across the stage in a dizzying performance. We caught a most of the Cold War Kids show on Friday, although I’ll admit not my favorite. But that didn’t stop me from signing along to their hit, “Hang Me Out to Dry.” Later on Friday night, we stumbled onto, perhaps, our greatest (and most pleasant) surprise of the fest — the Preservation Hall Jazz Band performing at That Tent. This New Orleans-based funky jazz outfit has been around since 1963, and while I’d heard the name plenty of times, this was my first time hearing their music. The brass beats and bass were infectious, and I felt as if I’d been whisked back to some 1960s jazz club, where Jack Kerouac himself would have been bopping and nod-
ding to the music. Bonnaroo always features at least one rock god-style main headliner whose fanbase spans multiple generations. There was Paul McCartney in 2013, Elton John in 2014 (which was my ultimate favorite), and the remaining members of the Grateful Dead in 2015. This year that act was U2 in a rare U.S. festival appearance, and plenty of people were genuinely stoked about that. It was, after all, also the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree album. The main headliner typically closes out the fest on Sunday, but in a rare twist, U2 was set to play on Friday night. Prior to the show there was an elegant dinner and awards ceremony honoring U2 for their humanitarian efforts. It was really cool to be a part of the ceremony and listen to what the founders had to say about the progress and growth of Bonnaroo as well as listen to Bono speak on behalf of U2. I’m sure any U2 fan would have been impressed, but something seemed off with volume on the vocals and the show felt like it lacked energy. That said, even I caught myself singing along to nearly every song since they pretty well stuck to a setlist of hits. Our Friday night experience closed out with a stellar performance by EDM/ trap/electro-house DJ Major Lazer, one of the names I was excited to see this year. Although, nothing will beat watching him perform on the beach at Hangout in May while a tropical storm was coming in off the coast – that was pretty epic. He played well into the early morning hours with hits like “Lean On” and the Justin Bieber collaboration “Cold Water” as a pulsing light show and confetti rained over the crowd. On Saturday, we caught a perfect daytime set by Canadian indie-pop/LGBT rights activists Tegan & Sara, who were joined on their last song by comedians/podcasters 2 Dope Queens Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson. The Queens had performed a set in the air-conditioned comedy/cinema tent earlier in the day. While we missed their set, we did catch a screening of cult classic Napoleon Dynamite and Q&A with Jon Heder (Napoleon himself) in that
comedy/cinema tent later in the evening. Well after sunset, we dropped into the last half of Chance the Rapper’s set, which ended beautifully with his 2 Chainz/Lil’ Wayne collaboration, “No Problem.” And then it was time for the Chili Peppers. As teen of the ‘90s, I was, of course, a Chili Peppers fan, and though I saw them headline ‘Roo just a few years back, this show didn’t disappoint. Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and company stuck to the hits, which lead to a crowdwide 90s sing-along of epic proportions. On Sunday we caught up-and-comers Tank and the Bangas. This New Orleans-based funk-soul group has been getting a lot of press lately, after they won NPR’s 2017 Tiny Desk Contest. The vivacious lead singer, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, dropped slam poet-style verses to a rhythm of saxophone, synth, and bass as the large band performed in dayglow costumes in front of a colorful backdrop that looked to be inspired by an acid trip. Sunday night at Bonnaroo: Usually at this point in the weekend, the epic four-day music festival in Manchester, Tenn. would be sent off with a nice warm set from a rock legend. But times have suddenly changed: This year, Bonnaroo was a rager into its final hours, with performances from pop star Lorde and rap phenome Travis Scott, and finally, its headliner: The Weeknd. The Canadian R&B hit maker brought a jolt of energy to a crowd that had been partying for 96 hours straight. His 75-minute set rarely took its foot off the gas. As closing time approached, funky, upbeat "I Can't Feel My Face" perhaps his biggest pop hit to date - had more fans dancing than ever, and this enthusiasm didn't go unnoticed. So while I wasn’t so impressed with U2 (other media reports from the weekend seem to show that most attendees were far more impressed than me), I discovered my love for 1960s jazz and some new, up-and-coming acts that just may be the best thing I’d never heard of. Story by Amanda Andrews NashvilleMusicGuide.com
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Music is my life. It is food to my soul. It is the voice of God and then some. Without music I would be broke. If I had a Plan B it would been in the church or social work. My music makes me feel blessed. Support music because it is the voice of God and an anointment for the spirit. If you asked Stela Parton what her secret to success in her career is, you might be surprised by the answer. We were... “Always by kind to everyone because you don’t know who they might be and on top of that, it doesn’t matter who they are. They are still God’s baby.” From the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains she emerged from extreme poverty and disenfranchisement to see her dreams of performing on the Grand Ole Opry come true and to become an international award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, author, and producer. Stella recently relived those humble beginnings while filming NBC’s made-for-tv movie Coat of Many Colors. At the request of her sister, Stella served as a consultant on the film and landed the role of “Corla Bass.” The film is based on her sister Dolly Parton’s well-known song “Coat of Many Colors.” Musically Stella most recently has been in the studio recording her 36th album aptly titled Survivor that will feature all new original songs alongside Stella’s interpretations of songs by Avicii & Bob Seeger. She has also been promoting the reissue of Stella’s three Elektra Records albums; Country Sweet, Stella Parton & Love Ya in addition to her latest release Mountain Songbird an album honoring the song writing of her sister Dolly. “The reissue is being done by Man in the Moon Records in London,” said Stella..”The last one was out in 1979 so to have those NashvilleMusicGuide.com 22
on the market digitally on Amazon.com and worldwide is great.” Stella’s entertainment career is filled with awards and accolades including being named the Christian Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist and Mainstream Country Artist of the Year, the Alabama Country Music Hall of Fame’s Entertainer of the Year, Most Promising International Act by the CMA/GB, Honorary Ambassador of Country Music in Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and New Zealand, not to mention being inducted into the American Country Music Hall of Fame. And most notably is her presence abroad. “It’s amazing the market difference between American and abroad,” said Stella. “They even have created line dances to a couple of my songs that I perform when I am in Europe.” Stella’s career is like a kaleidoscope of creative talent – beautiful, inspiring, heart-warming and full of color – encompassing everything from music and writing to acting. Thankfully, she has never been one to be held back by the proverbial “glass ceiling,” or any other creative boundaries, Stella’s pure and characteristic blend of country, bluegrass, gospel, jazz and blues mixed with her sincere and faithful heart makes her one of America’s richest musical treasures. For more information on Stella Parton visit: www.stellaparton.com Interview by Randy Rich, Story by Amanda Andrews
Music is life. Without music, I would be a pipe liner. My music makes me feel comfortable. Support music because it is probably one of the most powerful things that there is. It helps people get through everything they do. It is its own form of religion, in a way people need it.
Tyler Jordan is from Bethel South, Carolina and to say he has a hometown fan base is an understatement. Tyler’s influences have really helped him to shape a diverse fan base that ranges from ages 15 to 60. “Man, the whole town loves me there. I have kept in contact with a lot of people and I was really good friends with most of people I went to school with and we bonded through sports and music.” Tyler started playing music in high school whenever he had the opportunity and even had a local venue where he would play Bluegrass. His dad had bought a guitar, played it for a bit and then never messed with it again.
“I try to write at least 30 minutes everyday. I believe if you put yourself on a schedule, overtime it will become a habit. Kind of like going to the gym. Getting the motivation to do it everyday is the same process you would use for writing songs. Sometime you don’t come up with anything, but you get a little bit more creative each time and writers block becomes less common. Sometimes I start writing based on a guitar melody that I came up with and other times it comes from a line that I think of while riding down the road or something and then have to figure out the guitar from there.” Silverado Records signed Tyler about two years ago. Since then he has been on their Summer on Repeat album and was picked to be on the third volume of its Silverado Signature Songrwiters Series. Showcasing tracks from Country music songwriters, this series pays homage to the immense and diverse songwriting culture that is prevalent in Nashville.
“I played the gym, the courtyards, talent shows, and The Depot (venue in home town). I am pretty sure I played all over there at some point or another.” A lot of his passion for guitar and music came from the musical influences that he grew up on. “I was a big fan of Garth Brooks. Seeing him and watching videos of him playing really interested me. Keith Urban and Garth Brooks are my two biggest influences. They have an authenticity and it’s just real music. Garth’s lyrics are real and passionate to me. I admire Keith’s phenomenal guitar playing.” Tyler’s sound and image are important to him and he appreciates the blend of traditional and newer Country music. “I don’t want people to get an image from me that is not real or true. When I don’t understand how I am feeling, I sing about it. Music is a very emotional connection for me. I think this makes me more modern but with some traditional influences. Tyler moved to Nashville in 2010 and enrolled in NADC (Nashville Auto Diesel College) as a backup plan, which he has yet to have to utilize. His secret his writing regimen.
“It’s been a blast so far, I started out as a songwriter first and then an artist which I’ve always enjoyed. But it’s very hard to pursue the artist route without a team behind you. But they gave me the opportunity so I thought I would jump on it. We just started working on my album a couple weeks ago and are wrapping that up. By the end of the summer we should have some music out there for everybody. Since this album is part of the songwriter series, we split it up a little bit in a way it is to show people who I am as a songwriter. and show off what I can write.” Some final words from Tyler Jordan were to his fans. “I want to be a part of creating. I won’t let you guys down I’ll keep writing and performing as much as I can I’m very loyal to my fans I will not betray them or hide away after a while I want this for the long haul and if they’re willing to ride with me let’s do this.” For more information on Tyler Jordan visit: www.facebook.com/musictylerjordan/ Interview by Randy Rich, Story by Amanda Andrews
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His humor is keenly observant and rich in nuance. His style is unaffected and unpretentious which for the past fifty years has allowed for entertainment that is both witty and guileless. From his multi-million selling comedy hit, “The Streak” to the socially aware “Mr. Businessman” to his Grammy award winning pop standard “Everything Is Beautiful” his talent has touched so many. Not only a singer and composer, Ray has also produced, arranged and played on the recordings of some of Nashville’s most legendary performers. In 2015 “Ray Stevens’ Nashville” his memoir of his life in the music business was released and was later turned into a 30 minute TV Show of the same name airing on RFD-TV. “Ray Stevens’ CabaRay Nashville” the TV Show is available in 48 million households nationwide and has received rave reviews. He recently announced the summer 2017 lineup of musical guests for the show which will air through October of 2017. The second season of the popular national television show, - which will be aired through PBS - starring country and comedy music legend Ray Stevens, is chock full of talent including Restless Heart, Shenandoah, John Michael Montgomery, Michael W. Smith, Mark Wills, Rhonda Vincent, and more. Along with the release of the new season of “Ray Stevens Nashville”, Ray has been putting the finishing touches on his new 27,000 square foot, state-of-the-art music venue, CabaRay, that is slated to open later this summer. “CabaRay has been a lot of fun designing,” said Ray. “It is the perfect venue for the entertainer because they will really be able to connect with the audience. There is 200 theater seats in the balcony and 500 table settings on the main floor - it’s model resembles an old-style Vegas showroom.” CabaRay is located in West Nashville about 10 minutes from downtown off Charlotte on River Road. The venue boasts intimate seating for 700 and free parking - which is more valuable than many realize when parking is becoming more scarce in Nashville. “When people get to Nashville they go to the Grand Ole Opry and the attractions on Lower Broad. The goal of CabaRay is to give them a third or fourth place to come,” said Ray. This is not Ray’s first venue venture. In 1991, he opened his two thousand seat Ray Stevens theater in Branson, MO. From 1991 to 1993 during the tourist season Ray performed twice a day, six days a week for 1,600,000 fans. Several years later in 2004 Ray reopened the show for another season and in 2006 the show closed permanently when Ray sold the theater. “Nashville is starting to feel like Branson used to feel to me, said Ray. “When I built my theater there in the early 90’s the excitement from the tour business was just really building and it’s really building here now. Sure enough Branson, turned out to be a mecca for tourism for years. I think Nashville’s coming years are going to be spectacular.” While Ray’s career accolades and successes are too many to list, we couldn’t resist the temptation to ask him what his Plan B would have been if music had not panned out ... “I was coming to Nashville in 1962 at the age of 22 to take a job at Mercury in their AR department. I moved to Nashville on January 2nd and on the 20th - 18 days later - I cut “Ahab the Arab” and I can honestly say I have had a charmed life since I moved here.” Needless to say there was no need for a Plan B for this musically inclined businessman. For more information on Ray Stevens visit: www.raystevens.com NashvilleMusicGuide.com 24
Interview by Randy Rich, Story by Amanda Andrews
CAPTAIN JOE KENT - Songwriter, T.V. Personality, Author, Captain - Co-writer with Hank Williams Jr., #ThePartysOn - Narrator & Theme Songwriter, History Channel’s series #MississippiMen - Author: ‘Towboat Joe’ & ‘Financial Fitness’ - Contributing Writer: Nashville Music Guide and other publications Press Kit: www.reverbnation.com/rpk/4255464 T. J. Kent Music tjkentmusic@yahoo.com www.tjkentmusic.com
- Captain, M/V Ron Hull
#SeeYouAtTheTopOfTheCharts
ALBUM AVAILABLE NOW: AUSTIN GREGORY AND FRIDAY NIGHT FLYERS
The Outbreak 1-Friday Night Flyer 2-Southern Pride 3-Pipeliner 4-Borrowed Time 5-Familiar Jane 6-Ring In The Drawer 7-The Same 8-Whiskey Lies 9-Sleepy Eyes 10-Honky Tonk Time 11-Darlin’ 12-Bedbugs 13-Give It Back
Digital Available at www.tjkentmusic.com/fnf/ Watch for Austin Gregory’s new solo album coming soon!
“This is Traditional County music in a Millennial’s
Country music world!” NashvilleMusicGuide.com
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From the streets and dive bars of Miami to the stages at Bonnaroo and other music festivals across the country, Magic City Hippies Robby, Pat and John are making moves with their indie funk sounds. Encouraged by the international reach and positive reception of their debut, they decided to expand their sound and approach under the betterfitting moniker Magic City Hippies (after the title of their debut LP). In July of 2015, the Magic City Hippies released the Hippie Castle EP, and the lead-off track “Fanfare” hit #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral Top 50. It has accumulated over 2 million streams to date. They are currently working on a new album that will release in the fall. “
We have a lot of stuff leading up to the release,” said Robby. “Including singles and more. We are really excited to be playing new music and you are not going to be able to stand still when listening, you might even get your stank funk face on.” They still have a few more shows this summer with Hippocampus and sources say they might even be at Sewanee later this year. For more information on Magic City Hippies visit: www.magiccityhippies.com Story by Amanda Andrews
Music is the one thing we want to do all the time, all day. Without music, we would be dead. Support music because it needs it. Music is emotional and deep and is felt in the entire range of the human spectrum. Everyone reacts to it and needs it in their lives. festival headliner who will have the crowd singing along to every word while the sun is setting and challenging everything you know about music in the process. Mondo Cozmo has hit the festival ground running this summer playing festivals like Hangout, Governor’s Ball, and Bonnaroo. “I could never afford tickets but I am excited for the opportunity to play. We killed Governor’s Ball and getting to perform a night slot at Bonnaroo as a new band is the ultimate.”
Story by Amanda Andrews Mondo Cozmo can be summed up by the following, “I order 2 beers whenever I go to a bar. I pick up the phone when my mom calls. I record songs in the bedroom. Not sure if I graduated high school. I want to do whatever I want. I’m best left to myself. I’m thinking of changing my phone number. The live show is going to destroy.” When you think of this Philadelphia-born, Los Angeles-based Mohawked and tattooed troubadour think ... Dylan fronting Oasis with Beck making the beats. Mondo Cozmo has the attitude of the Manchester bands of the 90s… Working class, honest, inspirational, cautiously hopeful, and socially observational. It is a bold statement demanding attention: Future
Mondo recently got the opportunity to play with Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons during a show in Las Vegas. “I didn’t get to meet him before the show I just got to talk to him over the phone. And he agreed to come up and do it. The first time I saw him was when he walked out on stage and I was like here we go and it was so great he killed it. He was probably one of the nicest people we’ve ever met.” Plastic Soul is Mondo’s debut album that is set to release on August 4th. “I wrote the songs myself with help from my wife. The record came out really quick and I’m really excited about it. We got to release my religiously sex track “Shine” first and I got out to hear honest feedback before deciding to do the album. I then had an idea of where I was going with the record because I knew what they wanted to hear.” For more information on Mondo Cozmo visit: www.mondocozmo.com
Music is the only thing I’m good at besides digging holes. Without music I would be digging holes. Support music because it’s a thread that brings people together. NashvilleMusicGuide.com 26
Blossoms are - Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Josh Dewhurst, Joe Donovan and Myles Kellock - a five-piece band from Stockport, England. Their eponymous debut album spent two weeks at No.1 in the UK when it was released in August - the first time a debut album has spent more than one week at No.1 from launch since 2014. The record, now available in a deluxe format with ten extra tracks, has amassed sales of almost 100 000 copies. When discussing their festival experiences this year, Blossoms collectively agreed that Bonnaroo has a UK festival vibe that is overall carefree and friendly, while Coachella was a bit more serious and somewhat scary. While these are just two festivals that they have played, the difference from coast to coast were very apparent to them. Their sound is synth pop, melodic and timeless. Throw in a bit of dancing and a lot of euphoria and you have Blossoms. “Music very important and you should support music because you know
you want it, people will always support music for that simple fact.” Their self titled album is available now and can be found exclusively on MYSPACE ... or at least that’s what Tom said. Just kidding, it is on everything, but their sense of humor is about as timeless as their music. But on a more serious not, they are advocates of streaming and digital services. “We used to download music and stuff like that,” said Tom. “As long as people are listening to our music and want to continue to listen, it doesn’t matter where they get it.” Blossoms as a whole see the importance of embracing streaming because it’s an instantaneous connection for when new music comes out and makes it easier to find. “Our music first released on YouTube and that’s how we got our initial fan base started. Without the ability for people to find new music with these new services we wouldn’t be here today.” For more information on Blossoms visit: www.blossomsband.co.uk Story by Amanda Andrews
2013, he released his first full length record, Devoted. It received praise from outlets like NPR’s All Songs Considered, American Songwriter, Austin American Statesman, Austin Chronicle, and Billboard and took Lukens and his backing band, The Side Arms, all over the US. After meeting Spoon drummer Jim Eno in a bar, Walker & The Side Arms started recording new music at with him at his studio, Public Hi-Fi. Their first collaboration, ‘Every Night,’ has been streamed almost a million times now. Their second collaboration, ‘Lifted’ from Never Understood EP spent 8 weeks on the specialty commercial radio charts and garnered Walker spots at festivals across the country.
So what was our big take away from Walker Lukens, the Austinbased, Houston-bred singer, multi-instrumentalist? That his two favorite foods are pizza (any kind) and fries with ketchup. As much as he loves being on the road to perform his music, he gets absolutely excited about the food he gets to try when travelling. We told him to get a selfie in one of the Bonnaroo tees with the unicorn riding the spicy pizza pie. All jokes aside, Walker is a gastronomist wordsmith whose craving for melodic success is undeniable. n
He is currently in the process of dropping a bunch of karaoke videos of songs from the EP and is planning for music to be released this Fall. For more information on Walker Lukens visit: www.walkerlukens.com Story by Amanda Andrews
My music makes me feel free. Without music I would be teaching English. Support music because it’s a vital part of who we are as a society.
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Ty Herndon’s Concert for Love and Acceptance Sparked a “Love” Revival in the Heart of Nashville Ty Herndon’s second annual 2017 Concert for Love and Acceptance brought together a coalition of musicians and celebrities, for a night filled with incredible entertainment in support of Nashville’s at-risk youth. The proceeds Pictured Above: CMT’s Cody Alan and Ty Herndon of the event went Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Images directly to benefit Nashville’s own Oasis Center. Hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan, the night included performances and appearances by Billy Gilman, Kree Harrison, Ryan Kinder, Runaway June, Michael Ray, Street Corner Symphony, Thompson Square, Trent Harmon, Mickey Guyton, and comedian Dana Goldberg, Noah Guthrie, Ken Block of Sister Hazel, and Kingston, former Everyday Sunday member, Trey Pearson, and European popstar, Bastian Baker, who became the first international artist to participate in the event. CMT hosted as the event’s media partner, in collaboration with GLAAD as a nonprofit partner; local sponsors included Mitchell Gold + Bob Wil-
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liams, Wade Weissmann Architecture, and Retief Skin Center. Grammynominated and Dove Award winning artist Ty Herdon created this event, when Pictured Above: Ty Herndon and CEO of GLAAD, his 20th anniSarah Kate Ellis versary fan-club Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Image party turned into a gathering in support of Nashville’s at-risk youth. The driving force behind the benefit is Herndon’s desire to foster positive cultural change, encourage Nashville’s youth to live to their fullest potential, and to celebrate tolerance, love and acceptance for everyone. To watch the interviews that Nashville Music Guide did during the red carpet at the concert, go to our Youtube page.
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20th Annual Moore & Moore Fan Club Party at The Nashville Palace
The 20th Annual Moore & Moore Fan Club Party during CMA Fest took place at The Nashville Palace and included performances by Barbara Fairchild, Johnny Rodriguez, Joseph Hott, Julie Keech-Harris, Dianne Sherrill and more. Twin sisters, Debbie & Carrie Moore, known as country duo, Moore & Moore, hail originally from Belton, MO but have become bona fide Nashvillians. They have shared the stage with a diverse hatful of artists including country legends Alabama, George Jones, Mickey Gilley and the Oak Ridge Boys to an array of top-notch celebrities such as Donny Osmond, Kenny Chesney, Jerry Reed, Dierks Bentley, Smokey Robinson, Jerry Springer and the Temptations. Their accolades include performances on the Grand Ole Opry and an extensive tour with the Statler Brothers. Moore & Moore have written #1 songs, traveled the world, and have received numerous awards including “Country Duo of the Year” and “International Entertainer of the Year”. Their success has prompted appearances on a variety of television shows on CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, WTBS, TNN/Heartland, GAC, CMT, RFD & the BBC. Their steadfast commitment to country music proves that they are not going anywhere, except forward! With a career that is always on the move, great things are most certainly around the corner. Nashville Music Guide’s Steve Kilgore had the opportunity to interview of the performers throughout night about their time in the industry, stories of old and buzz on what we can see coming soon.
To watch the interviews from the Moore & Moore show visit our YouTube Page or scan the QR code.
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6th Annual Celebrity Pro-Am Sporting Clay Tournament Country Music artists came together for the 6th Annual Celebrity Pro-Am Sporting Clay Tournament to benefit The Tug McGraw Foundation. Jennifer Brusster, President and CEO of the Tug McGraw Foundation, estimated that over $700,000 has been raised in six years for brain-related trauma and tumor research, as well as foundation programs. The Tug McGraw Foundation (TMF) was established by Tug McGraw in 2003 to raise funds to enhance the quality of life of children and adults with brain tumors and their families by stimulating and facilitating research that addresses the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual impact of the disease. Recognizing that other areas of brain research – such as traumatic brain injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – inform the science surrounding brain cancer, TMF has widened its scope to include a broader spectrum of the neurosciences to support advances in medical care and quality of life for our nation’s battle-wounded, ill and injured service members. Nashville Music Guide had the opportunity to do live interviews during the event and we have created a short video on the event. It can be found below or by following the QR Code to our Youtube page. Pictured: Mark McGraw
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Bluegrass Hall of Famer Doyle Lawson who has been with the label since 2003. Lawson will produce Donna’s first album on her new label. Tour dates and more at donnaulisse.com.
I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me - Psalm 6 – 13
mark following the sold-out eighth annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert, sponsored by A.O. Smith, in June. This year’s concert, auction and ALBUM NEWS: Together, Country Music icons Wynonna golf tournament alone raised $402,000 for St. Jude, breaking the previous year’s and Naomi Judd made musical history record and bringing the cumulative throughout their career receiving eight total raised for all years to $1.2 million. Gold and eight Platinum records, selling Rucker welcomed surprise guests Brooks over 20 million albums and scoring & Dunn, Dan + Shay, Luke Combs and twenty Top 10 hits between 1984-1990. Michael Ray, John Oates of legendary Now, Curb Records is bringing fans the ultimate collection of those years together. pop duo Hall & Oates and KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, Paul Sanchez and more The Judds – All-Time Greatest Hits was released on Friday, June 30 – and features than 2,400 fans to the sold-out event, making its debut at historic Ryman each of the classic hits that helped to make them a household name on Country Auditorium. Tour dates and more at dariusrucker.com Radio in the 1980s and 1990s. The twenty-one song set includes each of the BLUEBIRD CAFE NEWS: duo’s top ten hits, as well as “You Can’t The iconic Bluebird Cafe is turning 35, Go Home Again (Flies On The Butter),” and is kicking off a year of celebration a recording from 2011. Beginning with with special performances, appearances, the classic #1 hit “Mama, He’s Crazy” other milestones and acknowledgements. in 1984, and continuing through 1991’s The 90-seat music venue will be the “One Hundred and Two,” the duo epicenter for events at the club and across established a career that will stand with the country over the next 12 months. one of the top duets in Country Music history. Fourteen times the duo topped the Amy Kurland opened the small but Billboard Country Singles chart, and each influential Bluebird Cafe as a restaurant in a nondescript strip center just south of their five studio albums were certified Gold or Platinum. More at facebook.com/ of downtown Nashville in June of 1982. She added a stage as an afterthought, and thejudds. live music became a staple of the eatery. She offered the club as an outlet for ARTIST NEWS: Danielle Bradbery kicks off a whole new songwriters and aspiring artists to perform and with the help of regular performers chapter with the release of her new lead Thom Schuyler and J. Fred Knobloch, track “Sway” on Big Machine Records. The highly anticipated new song from the pioneered the idea of presenting 20-year-old singer/songwriter establishes songwriters “in the round,” where writers set their chairs in the center of the room her move into making honest music as to play their original material, telling the she, for the first time, plays a part in penning the track, weaving her own story stories and inspirations for their songs. In 2008, Kurland sold the legendary venue into her music. “Sway,” co-written by Bradbery, Johan Fransson and GRAMMY to the Nashville Songwriters Association International, (NSAI). Show schedules Award-winning Emily Weisband, exemplifies the 2017 CMT Music Awards and more at bluebirdcafe.com nominee’s new sophisticated sound that BLUEGRASS NEWS: shows her wide variety of influences Donna Ulisse is one of the most highly including pop, R&B, soul and country. The lead track will give fans the first taste regarded songwriters in bluegrass. She has been nominated for the prestigious from her forthcoming project, due later International Bluegrass Music Association this year. Bradbery has worked on finetuning her unique sound since getting her (IBMA) Songwriter of the Year award every year since its inception, and won start winning season four of NBC’s The Voice. More at DanielleBradbery.com and that top honor in 2016. Ulisse has now joined forces with the equally formidable facebook.com/DanielleBradbery Mountain Home Music Company. Having signed with the label as a recording artist, she concurrently brings her prolific BENEFIT NEWS: songwriting to the relationship through Nine years after first pledging his a deal with Windsor Forest Publishing. support to St. Jude Children’s Research Both Mountain Home and Windsor Forest Hospital® and the thousands of children are part of the Crossroads Entertainment the healthcare institution treats, Darius & Marketing company. Ulisse was Rucker and his many friends have introduced to Mountain Home by surpassed the $1 million fundraising
BOOK NEWS: At a time when women’s lives have never been more public, more debated, more celebrated and in many ways, more scrutinized, ‘Woman Walk the Line: How the Women of Country Changed Our Lives’ arrives. The book is a collection of 27 women writers of varying age, race, sexual orientation and occupation. These deeply personal essays reflect how one country artist served as the life pivot that shifted everything in each writer’s life, from Maybelle Carter to Dolly Parton, k.d. lang to Taylor Swift, and more. Named for an Emmylou Harris’ song honoring holding one’s own confidence, ‘Woman Walk the Line’ is part of the University of Texas Press’ American Music Series. Set for a September 13 release, it can be preordered now at Amazon. Jimmy Wayne, recording artist and best-selling author, is back with his first children’s book, “Ruby the Foster Dog,” set for a November 1st release. When Ruby (Jimmy’s real life dog’s name), an adorable mixed-breed puppy with an underbite, gets mixed up in a daring attempt to help foster kids, she learns that love can overcome any obstacle… even a broken heart. Abandoned in a shelter as a puppy, Ruby wonders if she’ll ever be adopted by a family. When a goofy looking, scruffy-faced man wearing ski goggles in the middle of the summer stops by the shelter, he adopts Ruby. Mr. James was not the family she was expecting, but could he still be the answer to her prayers? Readers will walk away from Ruby the Foster Dog with a full heart, fun facts about the United States, a strong desire to help foster dogs and foster kids find homes and forever families. They will understand how to be a star that shines for others. Ruby’s story parallels the plight of the more than 400,000 children in foster care, the 30,000 who age-out annually at 18-years-young, and the 100,000+ children waiting to be adopted. In 2010, Jimmy walked halfway across America (from Nashville to Phoenix) to raise awareness for kids aging out of the foster-care system. Read more at jimmywayne.com and projectmmh.org
bluesy, horn-backed, vocally soaring duet “Bad Feeling.” The two first met in 2004, when he and Hank Williams Jr. appeared in Gretchen’s “Redneck Woman” video. Gretchen is now the road for a nationwide summer tour, her first in three years. Album info and tour dates at GretchenWilson.com CLUB NEWS: For the first time since the Prohibition Era, the Nashville Palace will offer Music City an authentic supper club entertainment experience as it presents “Tim Rushlow & His Big Band: Swingin’ at the Palace!” The eight-night residency, sponsored by WSM-AM, Gray Line Tours, Jack Daniels and Shure Microphones, begins November 10. Tickets available at swingingthepalace. com. Rushlow and his all-star 22-piece Big Band will entertain guests with Great American Songbook classics by Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Dean Martin, as well as fan favorites from Elvis, Buddy Holly and others. Guests will enjoy a delicious dinner and cocktails in a romantic, candle-lit setting. Tim Rushlow first achieved multi-platinum success as the powerhouse lead vocalist of country super group Little Texas and is now living his life-long dream as a curator of the Great American Songbook. CMHOF NEWS: John Anderson, the veteran Country performer who has influenced countless artists since making his chart debut forty years ago, is now the subject of a new spotlight exhibit currently at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. Anderson is one artist who can definitely attest that he worked on the Grand Ole Opry – in more ways than one. In addition to playing the WSM Radio show many times as a performer, Anderson was part of the construction crew that helped build the Opry’s current home – which opened in 1974. “I am very grateful and flattered that the folks at the Country Music Hall of Fame would consider me for an exhibit,” said Anderson. “This is something that most artists only dream about and for me it’s becoming a reality. Love and thanks to the fans who have supported us through the years as well as the folks at the Hall of Fame.” More at johnanderson.com and countrymusichalloffame.org
DUO NEWS: The new buzz is about the new duo called ‘The Sisterhood.” It is comprised of CD RELEASE NEWS: Alyssa Bonagura (Riptide Ukes – Love Gretchen Wilson is Ready To Get her and support her) and Ruby Stewart. ROWDY after a three-year hiatus from Bonagura is the daughter of Kathie Baillie touring and releasing new music. That is and Michael Bonagura of Baillie & The coincidentally the name of her new 12-cut Boys. Stewart’s father is Rod Stewart. album that hit mid-June on Redneck Cannot WAIT to hear for myself what Records. Teaming back up with Blake I’ve been hearing about. They are signed Chancey to produce an album that is their with Sony Nashville. kind of country, Gretchen also wrote or co-wrote all of the 12 songs with some INDUSTRY NEWS: of Nashville’s best and most seasoned Chase Rice has inked a new deal with songwriters. Gretchen was joined by long BBR Music Group/BMG, and that time friend Kid Rock on the album’s means new music for fans, and soon.
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Rice has been assigned to the Broken Bow Records imprint, where he joins labelmates Jason Aldean and Dustin Lynch. Rice has been one of country music’s most exciting figures since arriving in Nashville. He co-wrote Florida Georgia Line’s megahit Diamond certified “Cruise” and his 2014 major label debut album, Ignite the Night, opened at No. 1 and yielded two Top 5 hits with “Ready Set Roll” and “Gonna Wanna Tonight,” in addition to over 900,000 in album sales. For news and upcoming tour dates, visit www.chaserice.com or follow on Twitter @ChaseRiceMusic and www.Facebook. com/ChaseRiceMusic. INT’L NEWS: EmiSunshine enjoyed a special and spectacular welcome at the 70th Festival de Cannes in Cannes, France. Upon the invitation of notable film director Eugene Jarecki, the twelve-year-old from East Tennessee concluded her show at the Southgate House Revival (Newport, KY) and hopped a plane to travel to the French Riviera (some 13-plus hours) to attend one of the film industry’s most-famed and elite events, brushing elbows with Hollywood’s most decorated producers, screenwriters, directors and actors. The invitation followed Emi’s guest appearance in Jarecki’s documentary titled “Promised Land.” The film also highlights Emi’s performance of her selfpenned/self-produced track “Danny Ray” (and the bonus track from her new CD project, RAGGED DREAMS, anticipated in August 2017). Tour dates and photos at theemisunshine.com LABEL NEWS: (Capitol Records Nashville) Lady Antebellum earned their fifth debut at the Number #1 position on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart with their critically acclaimed sixth studio album HEART BREAK after moving over 53,000 units upon release. Additionally, the album Entertainment Weekly immediately skyrocketed to the Top 10 on iTunes charts in 15 countries around the world, including UK, Ireland, Scotland, Canada and South Africa where their YOU LOOK GOOD WORLD TOUR stops later this year. Tour info at ladyantebellum.com. MEDIA NEWS: Congrats to Crystal Gayle on the 40th Anniversary of “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” It was released on June 24, 1977. “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” opened the world’s eyes to Gayle. The crossover smash earned her a Grammy® Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and also made her album, We Must Believe In Magic, the first by a female country artist to go platinum. She was awarded CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 1977 and 1978, and the Academy of Country Music honored her with the same award in 1976, 1977 and 1979. Gayle is currently putting the finishing touches on a new album that
will include some of her favorite classic country songs of all time.
Day tickets are $30.00 at the door or $20.00 in advance. Learn more at namm. org/… But wait, there’s more! The MUSIC NEWS: 34th Annual American Eagle Awards, Recording artist, actor, songwriter and presented by the National Music Council, musician, Charles Esten, made his hosting brought major star power to NAMM’s debut at the 2017 CMT Awards, which Music Industry Day. The awards honor saw a tune-in of more than 3 million individuals and institutions that have viewers. The star of CMT’s ‘Nashville’ made comprehensive contributions to then unveiled another first — not just for musical life in America. More about the himself, for the music industry at large. National Music Council at musiccouncil. On July 7th, he became the first artist to org release 52 original songs, back-to-back, through a unique music campaign he NUMBER ONE NEWS: named, #EverySingleFriday. “I’ve been Once again, Atlantic/WEA’s Michael writing and performing music since I Ray celebrated another number one, was in college and had a deep catalog of for “Think A Little Less” penned by original songs I wanted to put out,” said Thomas Rhett, Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins Esten. “Last July, I decided to release and Barry Dean. This makes the second one song a week, every single Friday. number one single from Michael’s debut Here we are, almost a year later, and self-titled album. His summer touring we’re still going strong.” Download dates are full and he has a new single the #EverySingleFriday tracks at Apple “Get To You” that was released in June. Music and read more at charlesesten.com It’s going to be a grrrreat summer for this Eustis Florida native, who calls NAMM NEWS: Nashville home. …Don’t we love going The 2017 Summer NAMM Show is set to to celebrate Country Music milestones! welcome a variety of music legends as it As Darius Rucker scores yet another No. returns to Nashville’s Music City Center, 1 at Country radio with “If I Told You,” July 13-15. The National Association of the first single from his forthcoming Music Merchants Inc (NAMM) will once fifth studio album on Capitol Records again be showcasing a complete product Nashville, he looks back on a banner landscape while celebrating the local week. “If I Told You” is the eighth No. community music store and honoring 1 single for Rucker since his debut in the industry’s Top 100 Dealers. The country music in 2008. “If I Told You” annual summer gathering of the music marks Rucker’s first collaboration with product, pro audio and entertainment tech producer Ross Copperman. The song was community brings together top brands, written with Copperman’s co- hitwriters professional development sessions and Jon Nite and Shane McAnally. Updates an opportunity to network with peers, at dariusrucker.com… Dan + Shay (Dan with Music City as the backdrop. This Smyers/Shay Mooney) will soon be year’s show will welcome a variety celebrating with their WAR radio promo of legendary performers, including a team. They have the number song in this special performance from country music last week of June. “How Not To” third pioneer and multi-Grammy® award chart-topper for the dynamic duo. I get winner, Charley Pride, who will release shout out the songwriters too! They are his new album, “Music in My Heart” Adam Hambrick, Paul DiGiovanni and on July 7. Pride continues to perform Kevin Bard. concerts worldwide and will perform on Saturday, July 15 at 1:00 p.m. on the OPRY NEWS: NAMM Reverb Stage on the Terrace When asked who his dream Opry duet as part of the show’s Music Industry partner was in an interview, Blake Day. Attendance at NAMM trade Shelton answered “Steve Wariner.” It’s shows is restricted to owners, suppliers, not surprising as Wariner has had one of employees, endorsed artists and guests of the longest-lasting and most influential NAMM member companies. However, careers in country music history. During on the final day, July 15, NAMM is a special star-packed CMA Week Opry open to the public and welcomes and performance, the pair sang a duet on invites musicians, songwriters, sound “Lynda” -- one of the singer/songwriter’s and recording professionals, music 22 No. 1 hits. 2017 also marks the 30th educators and students to experience Anniversary of the song released in 1987. Music Industry Day. There will be a “I am humbled by Blake’s answer to that chance to attend workshops, check out the question and singing with him on the new gear and enjoy artist performances. Grand Ole Opry stage was a heck of a Music Industry Day offered a once-atime. He’s one of the giants of today so I year opportunity to demo new music am glad we got to do this,” said Wariner. instruments and products, attend He is one of only five guitarists bestowed workshops, enjoy live performances, and with the “Certified Guitar Player” honor network with industry leaders at Summer by Chet Atkins and is a member of the NAMM, an exclusive, trade-only event. Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, the Music In addition to musical instrument and City Walk of Fame and the Grand Ole product demos from more than 1,600 Opry. More at SteveWariner.com music product brands, Music Industry Day featured workshops designed to RADIO NEWS: bolster careers in music. Music Industry Walker Hayes is one of Rolling Stone’s
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2017’s “Country Artists to Watch” and one of CMT’s “New Artists You Need to Know.” Hayes took that momentum and delivered his single “You Broke Up With Me” to Country radio in late June. With nearly 50,000 copies of the single already sold and over 8 million streamsand-counting, he’s heading into stations with impressive early fan engagement. The witty and unapologetic track, co-written by Hayes, Thomas Archer and Kylie Sackley, and produced by Grammy Award winner Shane McAnally, serves as his first release. The Arista Nashville promotion team is overseeing Hayes’ radio promotion in tandem with the Monument Records staff. More at walkerhayes.com SONGWRITER NEWS: Craig Wiseman’s BIG Loud Shirt Publishing has re-upped the contracts of the talented Sarah Buxton and mega hit writer Rodney Clawson. TOUR NEWS: Voice of an angel artist, Alison Krauss will be hitting the road this fall, kicking things off on September 18 in Hershey, PA…. Valory Records “Golden and Platinium Boy” and new daddy and about to be daddy again (he and his wife Lauren are expecting after their recent adoption) Thomas Rhett has extended his Home Team Tour into the fall. It will start into the fall season on September 22nd in Los Angeles, CA. VIDEO NEWS: Country Superstar Kenny Chesney has an awesome contest that he is doing that involves Nashville Universities Belmont University and Middle Tennessee State University. He has invited the students to create the video for his song “All The Pretty Girls.” The winning entry will receive a $5,000 scholarship and have their video world premiere on CMT. Any student may submit a video and it can be lyric, live action, animation, etc. “Get creative, get real. Get inside the song and show us how ‘All The Pretty Girls’ looks, feels and resolves.” Students can submit video entries through July 23. The winner will be revealed July 31. WWWEBSITES TO CHECK OUT: www.bouldercreekguitars.com www. ascap.com | www.bmi.com www.soundexchange.com www.nashvillesongwriters.com www.collegeofsongolgy.com. WHO’S LOOKING * WHO’S CUTTING: Kayla Adams, Chase Bryant, Dierks Bentley, Randy Houser and Runaway June. Preshias Harris provides this exclusive monthly column with Nashville Music Guide to keep artists, musicians, writers and more up to date on the news that is coming from music row and beyond. It includes music industry news from labels, publishers, writers, singers and more.
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Clay Walker’s 8th Annual Chords of Hope Benefit Concert
For the eighth year in a row Clay Walker hosted his benefit concert Chords of Hope in partnership with his charity Band Against MS (BAMS) in Nashville on June 6th at 3rd & Lindsley. The event, presented by Teva and BAMS and sponsored by Pinnacle, featured surprise performances throughout the night. The night raised money to fund research, education and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis through donations to the MS Center at Vanderbilt Medical Center and to BAMS to continue their work. To date Chords of Hope has raised well over $200K just for the MS Center at Vanderbilt Medical Center. “This is our 8th year putting together Chords of Hope and every year the event and even the fans who come out and support keep getting better,” said Clay. “The amount of money that continues to get raised to help support research and education through BAMS and the MS Center at Vanderbilt is incredible and this night is truly a special one for me and for Music City!”
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Band Against MS was founded by Clay Walker in 2003 with the goal of helping others living with the same disease he has battled since 1996. To date, BAMS has raised more than 4.5 million dollars. As a true fan favorite with a devoted legion of followers across the country Clay Walker has sold over 11 million albums; had 11 No. 1 hit singles, four RIAA Platinum and two Gold certified albums, under his belt. His most recent ninth studio album She Won’t Be Lonely Long received critical praise from fans and media alike. To learn more about Clay Walker and BAMS, visit www.claywalker.com and www.bandagainstms.org. To watch our exclusive interview with Clay Walker visit our Youtube Page (Nashmusicguide) or scan the qr code.
songwriters’ nights and open mics downtown
BourbonStreetBlues&BoogieBar 220 Printers Alley Open Jam w/ The Corey Mac Show Mondays, 8pm
Back Alley Diner
217 Arcade Aly Songwriter’s Night Tuesdays, 6-9pm www.backalleydiner.com/musiciansbooking-info
TheListeningRoomCafe
217 2nd Ave S. The Movement Songwriters Night Tuesday, 8:30-10:30 Bookings: Chase Armstrong www.listeningroomcafe.com/bookings
The Bridge Bar
611 Commerce St. Jack Scott’s Songwriter’s Night Tuesdays, 6-9pm www.writerartist.com
east nashville
TheFamilyWash
626A Main St. Lightning 100’s Writer’s Night Wed. 6-9pm Each night, 20 writers perform 2 songs each. First-come, first-serve. Didn’t make it on the docket this week? Sign up to be featured the following week.
elliston place
CafeCoco
210 Louse Ave Open Mic, Tues. & Thurs. 7pm The club features all types of music with a mostly college-age crowd.
green hills
BluebirdCafe
4104 Hillsboro Rd. Open Mic, Mon. 6-9pm Sign up is now done by phone and begins at 11 am on the Monday you want to play. 615-943-8168.
the gulch
Two Old Hippies
401 12th Ave S. Kids Open-Mic (17 & under) Sundays, 1-4pm
8th avenue south
DouglasCorner
2106 8th Ave Donnie Winters’ Songwriters Night Open-Mic, Tuesday Nights, 8pm Sign-up 1-6pm Call: 615-292-2530 on Tues. you wish to play. Arrive by 8pm to perform 2 songs.
hillsboro village
Belcourt Taps
2117 Belcourt Ave. Songwriter Sundays Sundays, 7-9pm www.belcourttaps.com/songwriters
midtown
TinRoof
1516 Demonbreun St. Revival 615 Writer’s Night Tuesdays, 8pm booking@revival615.com
Soulshine
greater nashville
Ri’chardsCafe
4420 Whites Creek Pike Open Mic, Wed.-Fri. 5:30-6:30pm Featured artists/rounds: Wed.-Sat. 6:30-8:30pm; Sun. 12:30-2:30pm Bookings: booking@richardcafe.com www.richardscafe.com/bookings
MillenialMaxwellHouse
2025 Rosa L. Parks Blvd. Lee Rascone’s Songwriter’s Nights Wed & Thurs, 7-10pm Bookings: youlookbad@bellsouth.net
Turn One
3208 Gallatin Pike Open-Mic/Writer’s Night Thurs. 7pm
Skully’s Saloon
333 Swinging Bridge Rd. Nashville’s Unsigned Writer’s Night Thurs. 8pm Contact: Billy Lee
Sam Ash Music
1647 Gallatin Pike N. Writers Night/Open Mic Wednesdays, 7-8:30pm 615-860-7475
Phat Bites
2730B Lebanon Pike Open Mic, Tuesdays, 9pm Writers Night, Wednesdays, 8pm
1907 Division St. A Little Help From Me Friends Song writer’s Night presented by Rock’n’Roll Basement, Wednesdays, 7-10pm First-come, first serve to perform 2 songs. Sign-up starts at 7pm
MozzarellaPizzeria
1028 16th Ave S. Writer’s Night hosted by Janet & Charles Cox, Thursdays, 7pm Booking: jscox131313@gmail.com
Broken Spoke
Bobby’sIdleHour
Sam’s Jams Writer Rounds Wednesdays, 12-8pm jericat@yahoo.com
3921 Lebanon Pike Hit Song Casa (Monthly) Booking: Joyce Medlock aj@joycemedlock.com
1406 Brick Church Pike Open-mic, Thursdays, 7pm Songwriter’s Night, Fridays, 7pm Showcasws, Saturdays, 7pm
Blue Bar
1911 Division St. Music Row Freakshow Wednesdays, 7:30pm Booking: Terri Jo Box
west end
CommodoreBar&Grill
2613 West End Ave. Debi Champion’s Songwriter Nights Tues, Wed, Thurs, and Sun nights Writers Round start at 6pm
Sundays 8 PM Writers Night (Audition Only)
Open-mic, 10:30pm, Sign-up by 9pm championdebi@hotmail.com
Tues through Sat – Early shows feature some of the best up-coming writers. Late shows feature hit writers and established bands. Bookings: earlyshowbookings@bluebirdcafe.com
Rick and Tammy’s Songwriters night Fri and Sat 6:30pm Bookings: Drop by Venue, bring CD If you would like your songwriters’s night or open-mic added to our listings, please send the information to Amanda: akandrews@nashvillemusicguide.com
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NMG Spotlights and Advertising Opps. BUSI
Nashville Music Guide’s “Artists on the Rise” and “Business Spotlight” are excellent for providing your potential ESS SPOTLIGHT clients and fans with special deals, newest releases, and more.
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to Learn More About What These Businesses Have To Offer.
Origami Owl
Barbara Dwyer
Her gift is showing others how to overcome challenges, build influence, improve confidence, and develop strong communication skills.
Tell your story with a living locket or expression tag; dream, believe, inspire or love. Let me help you create your story. - Brittney Sells
Tax ProEZ
Offers aid in resolving IRS Liens, Levies and Disputes. We have the team, talent and commitment to insure you get fair & equitable treatment with the IRS.
Dove Chocolate Discoveries Gourmet Chocolates with a Business opportunity. Drink Mix; Baking mix; Savory & Health Line. Team Manager Sharon Rowley 615-474-5891
Contact us for more details on current promotions and advertising opportunities. Editor@NashvilleMusicGuide.com
Grace Adele
A new line of handbags, clutches, wallets, clip-ons & accessories, together with matching jewelry & scarves.. Order from link to receive a free gift.
Shutter Creek Photography Create EYE-STOPPING images that drive your PR message home to fans, clients and customers. Let’s shoot! Angela Howell 615.477.3769
Skully’s Saloon
Stefani Cliburn
Get Swim Suit Ready with the Ultimate Body Wrap that Tightens, Tones & Firms in as little as 45 mins. Try for Only $25 or for FREE, ASK ME HOW?
Come to Skully’s Saloon for our Songwriter’s Night every Thursday night. Click on the QR Code to fight out about our events.
L & B Tax Service
TK Graphics
Let us help you maximize your return. Call 615-712-7507 for a free estimate. Scan the code for a chance to win a $50 gas card.
When you need a bold, unique look, my freelance design services can give your project a bold new face! Redefine with TK Graphic Design!
My Tip Jar
ManCave
Where friends get together to eat, drink, & enjoy good company & great products. You can place orders, host a MEATING, or become a ManCave Guide. NashvilleMusicGuide.com 8
my
Tip Jar
Tip Jar is a mobile app that allows bands to accept tips. Finally one spot for fans to tip bands from one app. Currently offering pre launch specials.
Nashville Music Guide is a premiere independent music magazine. Nashville Music Guide is the only magazine that publicizes singers, musicians and writers to Music Row and other targeted music markets including international markets, like Canada. For over 20 years, Nashville Music Guide has succeeded in being the fastest growing, music magazine for over hundreds of thousands of music fans. Access the power of Nashville Music Guide today in print, online and at live events. We take our tagline “Publicizing Singers, Musicians, & Writers to Music Row and Beyond Since 1995” seriously—so you’ll find Nashville Music Guide to be a publication like no other. With respect for both our subjects and our readers, Nashville Music Guide is for anyone who is selective in their approach to consuming the Nashville music culture.
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you? Join PR and marketing expert Jillian Kelleher, founder of Nashville-based Connector Entertainment Group, and a group of industry insiders for this insightful think tank about the importance of growing your career organically and how artists and brands can tap into local markets as a gateway for global exposure. Don’t miss out on a chance to understand exactly what labels, publishers and brands look for when your tipping point arrives.
Music Industry Day, Saturday, July 15 Attendees will be able to: • demo the latest music products on the market and visit an expansive show floor with more than 1,600 brands • participate in relevant education sessions taught by industry leaders • experience exciting events including live music on the NAMM Terrace • enjoy exhibitor booth demonstrations • play along with music-making circles Music Industry Day Panels: NAMM IDEA CENTER Booth #463 Open 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m. 10:30 a.m. How to Build an Audience on Instagram Ryan Carter, Parachute Media Want to take your Instagram marketing to new heights—without taking up all your time? Here, Ryan Carter, social marketing expert and founder of Parachute Media, will show you how to maximize your efforts and build a huge Instagram following. He’ll break down the elements of a successful Instagram post, give examples of other musicians and artists who are killing it on the platform, and discuss features you aren’t using but should be. Carter will also show how to monetize your Instagram presence and leverage sponsors for new content. 11 a.m. The Future of the Guitar (Double Session) Presented by Guitar Player Magazine Guitar Player magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary with this special session, diving into the big question: What does the future of guitar look like? Featuring Mike Molenda, editor of Guitar Player, and several industry luminaries, this high-profile panel will take on that question in full force. Join them for a frank and insightful conversation on where the guitar is going and what we can do to influence changes in the industry. A not-to-miss session for guitarists, music industry professionals and anyone interested in charting the future. 12 p.m. Musician Marketing: Insider Tips to Grow Your Brand (Double Session) Jillian Kelleher, Connector Entertainment Group (Moderator), and Panel These days, it’s easy to get caught up in chasing the next big thing: the newest blog, the coolest label and the brand with the most social media numbers. But are these folks really who you should be chasing after? Have you been so distracted by name brands that you’ve neglected to pay attention to those already paying attention to
1 p.m. Hit Songwriting: Making the Most of CuttingEdge Trends (Double Session) Thornton Cline, Award-Winning Songwriter and Author (Moderator); Michaela Clarke, Recording Artist; Eric Masse, Producer; Michael Garvin, Songwriter; and Gareth, Recording Artist It’s becoming increasingly more difficult for songwriters to get their songs cut. In this hard-hitting session, Thornton Cline will lead a panel of hit songwriters, artists and producers. They’ll share how they use musical, business and technology trends to succeed in getting their songs cut and licensed for various venues. Plus, they’ll reveal why it pays to stay on top of current and emerging trends. A must-see presentation for songwriters. 2 p.m. The Art of Endorsement Deals (Double Session) Jen Lowe, Endorsing Artist (Moderator); Meredith Hamlin, Kyser Musical Products; Ron Bienstock, Scarinci Hollenbeck; Alan Friedman, Friedman, Kannenberg & Co.; and Dan Lipson, Emerging Artist Network So you want an endorsement deal? Great! Let’s talk about do’s and don’ts, insider tips and best approaches for getting signed. In this session, you’ll hear directly from experts who will guide you on how and what to prepare, along with what the endorsee and endorser should bring to the table. Jen Lowe, endorsing artist, will lead this interactive Music Industry Day panel discussion with artist relations and industry insiders. Leave knowing what steps you need to take to get an endorsement deal. 3 p.m. 2017 Songwriter Success Summit (Double Session) Presented by Nashville Songwriters Association International Discover what you need to know as a songwriter in 2017! Join Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) for an in-depth panel discussion on the business and craft of songwriting. This session will cover everything from writing for artists and publishing deals to red flags to watch for in contracts. It will also cover pitfalls of experienced songwriters, staying on top of (and beyond) the trends and how to achieve commercial success without the help of a publisher. Additional sessions, as part of the A3E panels: Open 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Sessions start on the hour unless otherwise noted 10:30 a.m. A3E Opening Presentation: Disruptive Technology for the Traditional Musician
A3E opens the day with a performance to showcase the latest advancements in new technology for production and performance. 11 a.m. The Future of Bass Guitar and Drum Technology (A3E) Nashville touring musicians have become increasingly challenged to replicate the sounds of contemporary pop on stage. A3E Conference Chair Doug DeAngelis was a pioneer in translating electronic sounds to the arena stage with live players. Join DeAngelis and a panel of special guests for a deep dive into the latest technology offerings for drummers and bass guitarists. 12 p.m. The Future Of Production in Nashville: A Masterclass in Contemporary Country (A3E) Last year, Kelsea Ballerini’s production team packed the A3E chairs for a complete breakdown of the production techniques behind her charttopping album “The First Time.” This year, A3E continues the tradition with a masterclass in contemporary country. Join the production team for a deep dive into how a hit album was made, from songwriting, to programming, to live recording, to final masters. 1 p.m. New Technology Platforms for Musicians: Virtual Realty and Game Audio A3E In the Internet-era business of music, the most important device to achieve success is one-tomany exposure. This A3E session will focus on two technology-driven platforms that offer tremendous marketing and exposure opportunities to artists who are savvy enough to dive into new waters. Whether you are a band, a singersongwriter or a DJ, you can utilize virtual reality and gaming to expose your music to a massive global audience through one-to-many incidental exposure. 2 p.m. Exploring the New Sounds Of Music City (A3E) A3E explores several genres of music, including pop, indie rock and hip-hop, that are emerging in Nashville. If you are a musician looking to learn about the latest tools, applications and technology used to break new ground, this is a session you won’t want to miss. Meet like-minded performers and cutting-edge producers who are pushing the envelope to new extremes here in Music City. 3 p.m. Metadata Masterclass for Musicians and Developers (A3E) Metadata guru Chris McMurtry teaches a masterclass on organizing your music data to maximize the earning potential of your music. As a musician, former employee at Apple and the founder of DART, McMurtry is the definitive voice of best practices for your musical data. This masterclass will teach you the latest metadata standards to prepare your music streaming and online sales. For more info: https://www.namm.org/ summer/2017/music-industry-day
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