New Music Video From Scotty McCreery and Hootie and the Blowfish - "Bottle Rockets"

That Nashville Sound Sunday Newsbytes - Record Store Day & Steve Azar's New Radio Show

Everybody stay safe, hunker down at home if you can, say a little prayer for our front line of first responders and medical personnel and use this music we love as a diversion.

~ Roots & American Music Society (RAMS), a not-for-profit record label based in Memphis, Tennessee, has teamed with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) to orchestrate and create a meaningful recording project titled Love Lives On. The combined creative endeavor aligned TAPS military families, who have endured the loss of a loved one, with some of the music industry’s most gifted and renowned songwriters to pen the family members’ intimate and personal stories in music and song. Featuring special guest vocal performances by award-winning recording artists Vince Gill, Billy Ray Cyrus, John Rich, Paul Overstreet, Andy Griggs, Pam Tillis, Lee Roy Parnell, Lonestar, Gatlin Brothers and more, complemented by A-list studio and touring musicians. The album will be out on May 22, 2020. You can listen to the title track by Lonestar, Vince Gill & friends HERE. 

~ Steve Azar's The I Don’t Have To Be Me (‘Til Monday) Radio Show is coming to country radio coast to coast this July. During this 4-hour weekend show, Azar will be sharing the stories and talents of his peers in country music, their greatest hits, past and current, as well as hosting some candid conversations with them and other pals from TV, film and sports. Azar says, "As you know my song, "I Don’t Have To Be Me (‘Til Monday)" has always been about escapism. Just getting away from the hustle and bustle of routines. I introduced and shared it with you through the power of radio 20 years ago and to this day it’s still rocking. I’m thankful for that!"  You watch/hear a preview of what to expect HERE.

~ We announced last week that Record Store Day was pushed back from April to June 20th this year. What we didn't announce was the list of country(ish) vinyl that will be available as special releases only for this unique day.  You can see the entire list HERE.

   An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band: First Set - The Allman Brothers Band
   A Rooster Says - Brandi Carlile
   Classic Cash: Hall Of Fame Series - Early Mixes (1987) - Johnny Cash
   Pearl Cadillac (Feat. Andra Day) - Gary Clark Jr
   "The Unraveling" b/w "Sarah's Flame" - Drive-By Truckers
   "Times Like These / It's About Blood" - Steve Earle
   Live at the Austin Outhouse - Blaze Foley
   The Man With No Shadow - John Wesley Harding
   Live at Nick’s Fat City, 1995. - Hootie And The Blowfish
   Shooter Live at Bonnaroo - Shooter Jennings
   Angel With A Lariat - K.D. Lang & The Reclines
   Drag - K.D. Lang
   Cover Your Tracks EP - Corb Lund
   Live From The Palomino - Midland
   The Atlantic Albums - John Prine
   The Kentucky Sessions - John Prine/Kelsey Waldon
   Live At The Orange Peel - Son Volt
   Hillbillies in Hell: Volume X - Various Artists
   March of Dimes - Hank Williams

~ And if you didn't see them, a couple of country artists did their favorite Kenny Rogers songs as tributes to the legend who passed away yesterday.

   Jake Owen - "She Believes In Me"
   Jason Eady - "Ruby (Don't Take Your Love To Town)"

New Music Video From Hootie and the Blowfish - "Hold On"

Hootie & The Blowfish To Release Imperfect Circle On Nov. 1

Artist: Hootie and the Blowfish
Album: Imperfect Circle
Label: Universal Music/Capitol Nashville
Release date: November 1, 2019

After a summer of sold-out shows, the band Billboard praises as “back and better than ever”  continue the excitement into the fall with today’s announcement of Imperfect Circle, the first new album from Hootie & the Blowfish in nearly 15 years.

“There’s something timeless about their sound,” proclaimed USA Today in a story breaking the news of the album. “From their stupendous 1994 debut Cracked Rear View, which is certified 21x Platinum (equivalent to 21 million certified units sold), to their anticipated reunion album, Imperfect Circle... Hootie & the Blowfish appear ready to pick up where they left off as a pop music phenomenon. Yet they haven’t forgotten where they began because, really, they never left that place.”

“Whatever the descriptive shorthand used — roots rock, alt-country, jangle-pop or country-rock — Hootie and the Blowfish’s material has aged extraordinarily well, fond remembrances aside,” noted the Dallas Observer at a recent show, proclaiming that “the honey-voiced Rucker is still, 25 years on, one of the best singers in any genre, full stop.”

“Rucker has — no exaggeration — one of the great voices in contemporary pop music, a dynamic and sophisticated baritone that’s full of gravity,” agreed the New York Times in a June Arts & Leisure cover story after sitting in on the recording process for Imperfect Circle. “The rest of the band makes spry work of otherwise staid idioms. Bryan is a patient decorator with guitar, never overpowering an arrangement, and as a rhythm section, Felber and Sonefeld are insistent but amiable.”

Following the nostalgic summer tour, fans now eager to hear new music by the iconic band can get early access to a first track called “Rollin’” available exclusively at www.Hootie.com, before it becomes available for purchase and streaming on September 6.

New Music Video From Darius Rucker - "For The First Time"

Darius Rucker Invited To Become Newest Member of Grand Ole Opry

Great fun was had by all at the Grand Ole Opry last night when Darius Rucker was invited to join the Opry family fellow member and friend Brad Paisley. He will formally be inducted into the Opry on Tues., Oct. 16. That show will air live on “Noteworthy at the Opry” on GAC at 8 p.m. Central.

After Rucker had performed his hits “Alright” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” as well as his current single “True Believers,” Rucker agreed to field questions from members of the audience. After answering questions posed by two fans, a third “fan”, Opry member Brad Paisley, appeared in the audience with a two-part question. First question: “Are you still the worst poker player in the world?”  Second question: “Would you like to be the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry?”

Managing an “Oh, you’re kiddin’ me,” “Yes, I would!” and “Wow!,” Rucker embraced Paisley, who added, “Welcome him home, everybody! This is his new home right here!” After Rucker performed “Wagon Wheel” and Paisley performed a set of his own, Rucker returned to the stage saying, “You guys got to share one of the most special nights of my life tonight.” Addressing his new Opry family, he added, “Thank you for opening your arms and letting me in.”

“We are extremely excited that Darius will be joining our Opry family,” said Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher. “He’s forged an incredible, diverse musical path which has led today to the top of the country charts. It’s been clear from the moment Darius first stepped on our stage in 2008 in what high regard he holds the Grand Ole Opry and similarly how much Opry fans love Darius’ music. We look forward to him becoming an official Opry member in just a couple of weeks.”

CD Review- Darius Rucker- Learn To Live

Hootie has hit a home run again. It seems like Darius Rucker’s first single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” has been embraced by country fans- hitting number #1 on the charts this week. And after listening to Learn to Live, it would not surprise me if the album had the same effect.

Of the 14 songs on Learn to Live, it feels like at least 12 of them could be singles. It ranges from the honky-tonk blow-off song, “All I Want,” which is Brad Paisley guitar-infused, to “If I Had Wings,” which shows off Rucker’s softer side. It includes background vocals from Alison Krauss and Vince Gill. It has the coolest father/daughter song with “It Won’t Be This Way For Long” and “I Hope They Get to Me in Time” is an interesting perspective of a life flashing before your eyes in an accident scene. This is not just another rocker who has gone country. This is a man who clearly established he could sing when he was fronting Hootie & the Blowfish. But now he’s proven that the country roots — the ones so many claim to have had all along — are genuinely his. Every song has something that feels honest-to-goodness country.

And it’s also noteworthy to celebrate the fact that an African-American has hit the top of the charts as well. It’s interestingly timed as Barack Obama is making a historic run for the presidency. Darius’ trip to the top in country doesn’t set any precedents, but it’s the first time in over two decades an African-American has had a No. 1 hit in the format. Ray Charles joined Willie Nelson at No. 1 in 1985 with "Seven Spanish Angels," while Charley Pride was the last solo artist to do it with "Night Games" in 1983. With fellow African American country artist Rissi Palmer primed for stardom as well, this will hopefully be another great influence and chapter in country music’s history.

Much has been debated about the influx of pop stars into country music. Rucker is usually thrown into that argument. However, listen to the ten-million album selling “Cracked Rear View” by Hootie and the Blowfish. It’s not much different than the Eagles and today’s electric guitar leading acts Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban. Rucker hasn’t changed course at all, country has just finally found its way to his home in Charleston.

This album is one of the year’s best- a five out of five star.