Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Air Supply's Russell Hitchcock Releasing New Country Album May 10
Recorded in Music City’s Curb studios alongside producer Rob Rappaport, the 2-disc CD package features 20 new songs—from love-struck ballads to broken-hearted melodies and swingin’ door up-tempos—crafted by some of Nashville’s best-of-the-best A-list songwriters. The compilation captures a broad spectrum of song topics among the cuts “Fallin’,” “These Walls,” “May The Best Man Win” and “Cash’s Last Days.” Music aficionados will also enjoy the accompanying 24-page full-color booklet display of pictures, lyrics, musical credits and more, chronicling the musical experience–an exclusive keepsake created especially for longtime Hitchcock fans.
The project features tracks penned by Nashville songwriters including Wes Hightower, Hal Ketchum, Jimmy Ritchey, Rusty Tabor and Josh Thompson and in keeping with the Better Angels contemporary philosophy to record “music worth hearing,” the label will simultaneously release two cuts to radio; “Far Enough Away From Colorado” and Hitchcock’s personal favorite, “Hold Me Like You Love Me” (written by John Ozier and Nick Sturms) will hit radio airwaves later this month.
“I am more than pleased with this project,” Hitchcock reveals. “This is not a departure for me, I simply stepped outside the Air Supply box to dip a toe into other waters, an ocean of music that I’ve admired from afar. This compilation will touch hearts the same way Air Supply music does—just when fans close their eyes as they listen, they’ll hear and feel a different musical vibe. I feel like we ended up with a great piece of art! Recording in Nashville enabled us to create an organic product; the Southern hospitality, passion and extraordinary talents of the musicians, one and all, bled through into the studio. It reminded me of recording in Australia in 1976.”
The 2-disc package is available now for pre-order via Russell Hitchcock’s website with an official worldwide release date set for May 10, 2011.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Keith Whitley, Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner, John Michael Montgomery Among Seven New KY Music Hall Of Fame Inductees
“This year’s inductees include some of the most recognizable music artists in the world,” says Lawson of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. “The ceremony taking place in April 2011 will feature performances by this year’s class as well as some of this state’s greatest music achievers.”
Previous Inductees include:2008 Class: Crystal Gayle, Dwight Yoakam, Florence Henderson, Norro Wilson, Les McCann.
2006 Class: Sam Bush, John Conlee, Todd Duncan, Lionel Hampton, Naomi & Wynonna Judd, John Jacob Niles, Dottie Rambo, & Mary Travers.
2004 Class: Ricky Skaggs, J.D. Crowe, Billy Vaughn, Howard & Vestal Goodman, Coon Creek Girls, Jerry Chesnut, & Boots Randolph.
2002 Class: Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, Osborne Brothers, Everly Brothers, Merle Travis, Bradley Kincaid, Red Foley, Tom T. Hall, John Lair, Jean Ritchie, Grandpa Jones, & Rosemary Clooney.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Miranda Lambert Starts New Trio Pistol Annies With Ashley Monroe & Angaleena Presley
"I started this new project, and we're gonna debut on the Girls' Night Out [special]," said before the show. "And I can't say too much about it, because I want it to be a surprise."
What she would say, though, is this: "It's a girl named Angaleena Presley from East Kentucky and Ashley Monroe, and they're both artists on their own and they're great friends of mine. We've just been writing songs like crazy, and I always wanted to do a girl project. It's not your typical girl trio. We definitely have an edge. [laughs] We sing a lot about housewives."
Check out the Academy of Country Music’s ‘Girls’ Night Out’ concert special to see Pistol Annies debut performance on April 22. No word yet on whether Pistol Annies will record an album together, but keep checking the trios Facebook page and official website for more updates.
John Berry Looks To Fans For Help With Upcoming Christian Album Project
Active as a recording artist since 1979, he has recorded more than fifteen studio albums, including one platinum album and two gold albums. In his career, Berry has also charted nineteen songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the Number One single "Your Love Amazes Me" from 1994 and six additional Top Ten hits: "What's In It for Me," "You and Only You," "Standing on the Edge of Goodbye," "I Think About It All the Time," "Change My Mind," and "She's Taken a Shine."
Fans will have the opportunity to contribute funds to the album and depending on the contribution, they'll receive anything from an autographed 8x10 photo to Berry doing a performance at their church. Berry outlines his initiative in a letter to his friends below:
Dear Friends, Family, and those Friends I haven't met yet,
I am so excited to be starting on my 25th album/cd and 1st Christian project RealMan.RealLife.RealGod. God has blessed me with some great songs and I can't wait to share them with you.
I found a great web-site that helps artist organize and raise funds for their creative projects, KICKSTARTER.COM. You are able to pledge varying amounts and these pre-order pledges will not only help create this project, but it will allow you to join in on the progress as it moves forward. I hope you will take advantage of all the great packages being offered...everything from a RealMan.RealLife.RealGod. project t-shirt, signed cd, free concert tickets, private concerts and much more.
This pledge drive will last for 40 days. Kickstarter will not charge your card until my goal has been reached at the end of the 40 days. If I do not reach my goal in the 40 days, there is no charge to your card at all.
I hope to be finished with this project by the end of July and expect to have my music to you in August. Because of your donation, you will receive the CD before the official street date.
Thank-you for considering being a part of this project and making it possible that I can share Christ with others through my music. I look forward to seeing you in your hometown real soon.
johnberry
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Kenny Loggins Forms New Country Band Blue Sky Riders With Gary Burr & Georgia Middleman
“The best part,” says Kenny Loggins of that meeting with Gary Burr as he wrote for “How About Now,” his well-received 2008 release, “was that when we sang together, we sounded like brothers. The last time I experienced that kind of blend was with Jimmy Messina in 1971.”
Loggins, one of the premiere voices in modern popular music, called Burr, one of Nashville’s most accomplished writers, afterward and asked if he’d like to form a band. Then he suggested they look for a third, female voice. "I’ve got the perfect person,” said Burr. “Georgia Middleman. She’s the best I’ve ever worked with.” Loggins flew to Nashville and the three sat down to write.
“What a meeting!” says Loggins. “We wrote our first song and were singing with a three-part blend that comes once in a lifetime.”
With that, Blue Sky Riders was a reality.
Middleman, a renowned singer/songwriter, says the experience has reminded her of the Joseph Campbell line, “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.”
“I’m definitely looking bliss in the eye right now,” she says.
All three sing lead amid the three-part harmonies that told each of them from the beginning that they had something special.
For Loggins, Blue Sky Riders is a new creative step forward in a career filled with magic moments. His hits, early on as half of Loggins and Messina and then as a solo artist, include “Danny’s Song,” “House at Pooh Corner,” “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” “Angry Eyes,” “Whenever I Call You Friend” (with Stevie Nicks) and “This Is It,” a series of movie theme songs, including “I’m Alright” (Caddyshack), “Footloose” (Footloose), “Danger Zone” (Top Gun), and “Nobody’s Fool” (Caddyshack II), and later AC smashes including “Conviction of the Heart,” “The Real Thing,” “If You Believe” and “For the First Time.” His songs have been covered by artists including Barbra Streisand, Lynn Anderson, Anne Murray and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Loggins and Michael McDonald co-wrote “What A Fool Believes,” which received a Grammy for Song of the Year, and “This Is It,” which earned Loggins a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal.
Burr is a member of the Country Music Songwriters Hall of Fame and has been named Songwriter of the Year by ASCAP, Billboard and NSAI with 13 #1 hits under his belt. His hits include Juice Newton’s “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me,” Conway Twitty’s “That’s My Job” and Wynonna’s “To Be Loved By You,” and his songs have been covered by LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Garth Brooks, RIcky Skaggs and Lynyrd Skynyrd, among many others. He has written and performed with Ringo Starr, had a worldwide hit with the Ricky Martin/Christina Aguilera smash “Nobody Wants to be Lonely,” and topped the charts with Kelly Clarkson’s “Before Your Love” and Clay Aiken’s “This is the Night.” He has toured with Carole King and produced Olivia Newton John, and early in his career spent three years as lead singer of Pure Prairie League.
Middleman was still a teenager when she began opening for artists like Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. Drawn to Nashville’s creative energy, she quickly landed a publishing deal with Polygram and released the well-received Endless Possibiities on Giant Records. She wrote Keith Urban’s 2010 chart-topper “I’m In,” and singles including Tracy Lawrence’s “It’s All How You Look At It” and Sarah Buxton’s “Innocence.” Her songs have been recorded by Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Terri Clark, Mark Chesnutt and Joe Nichols, among many others. She has toured with Radney Foster and sung backup for Jack Ingram, Marty Raybon, the Warren Brothers and many other Nashville artists.
The trio will open for Loggins on his summer tour as they continue to work on an album’s worth of songs. You can here some of their early songs HERE.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Taylor Swift & Miranda Lambert Lead 46th Annual ACM Award Winners
Swift is the eighth and youngest female to take the award in the 40 year history of this category; previous winners include Loretta Lynn in 1975, Dolly Parton in 1977, Barbara Mandrell in 1980, Reba McEntire in 1994, Shania Twain in 1999, The Dixie Chicks in 2000 and Carrie Underwood in 2008 & 2009.
Miranda Lambert won Female Vocalist of the Year and Brad Paisley won Male Vocalist of the Year. This is Lambert’s second consecutive win as Female Vocalist of the Year and Paisley’s fifth consecutive win as Male Vocalist of the Year. Lambert won four awards during tonight’s telecast, making her the
night’s top winner. Sugarland won Vocal Duo of the Year; the group who headlined the first-ever ACM Fan Jam tonight accepted their award from the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Lady Antebellum won Vocal Group of the Year; the group’s second consecutive win in this category. The Band Perry was honored as New Artist of the Year in tonight’s broadcast.
Nearly 155,000 fans casted their online and text votes for the New Artist of the Year category, making it the largest fan vote for this category. Following is the list of winners in the 14 categories voted on by the membership (excluding the Entertainer of the Year and New Artist categories, which were voted on by a combination of professional ACM members and fans):
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Brad Paisley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Sugarland
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)
Eric Church
NEW VOCAL DUO or GROUP OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)
The Band Perry
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
The Band Perry
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Need You Now - Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville)
Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Composers: Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin
Publishers: Built On Rock (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI),
Tomdouglasmusic (BMI)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Trent Hardville
Director: Trey Fanjoy
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
As She’s Walking Away – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson
Southern Ground/ Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall
Up & Coming New Nashville- Hellbound Hellcats
The band started out in 2006 as a straight-up rockabilly/country duo, consisting of front man Alexander Brown and standup-bass player Jordan Peddie. Heavily influenced by Montreal's ever-growing rockabilly scene, they soon became masters of their craft-playing in clubs and bars in and around Montreal. In 2007 the addition of drummer Sylvain Lemire rounded out the equation bringing in the pulsing rhythm section that has made the Hepcats the band they are today.
The trio hit the road running, touring relentlessly at venues large and small….everywhere from the Toronto Convention Center to The Cadillac Lounge to just about every watering-hole, tavern and show-bar across Canada. All in all, The Hellbound Hepcats have played more than 500 gigs in the last 2 years. You name it, The Hellbound Hepcats have played it.
In 2009, The Hellbound Hepcats recorded and produced their first full-length in Montreal. The collection was recorded “off the floor” to capture the original feeling, intensity and rhythm that characterizes authentic rockabilly, as well as to record the spontanaety and musicianship of their live performance. Their self-titled debut album caught the ear of Stomp Records, who immediately signed the band point blank. The Hellbound Hepcats will be hitting the road this summer in support of their self-titled debut including appearances on the Montreal Jazz Fest, Vans Warped Tour, Hotrod Hootenany as well as festival and club shows across the nation.
Their new 13 track self-titled rockabilly album is a homage to the spirit of rebellion that gave birth to the rock n' roll of the 1950's. The album was recorded at Moonbabe Studio with engineer/producer Tean Schultz. All the songs were written over a a four year span by lead-singer and guitarist Alexander Brown and stand-up bassist Jordan Peddie. From heart-throbbing ballads like “She's The Reason Why” to beat-bopping dance tunes like “Gimme More” and “Brand New Forty-Five”, the sound and themes of the songs are diverse. From the arrogance of “How Many Girls” to the tenderness of “She's The Reason Why”, the album draws inspiration from the never-ending battle between love and lust.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
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