New Music Video From James Otto - "These Hands"

New Music Video From James Otto - "Texas Hold 'Em"

Randy Houser Sets November 2 As Release Date For New Project, Magnolia

Artist: Randy Houser
Album: Magnolia
Label: Stoney Creek Records
Release date: 11/2/18

Following his return to country radio with “What Whiskey Does,” Randy Houser has announced his new full-length album, Magnolia, will be released Nov. 2 via Stoney Creek Records. Also released today is “No Stone Unturned” a new song off the new album, and one of Houser’s personal favorites. Houser will launch his “Magnolia Tour” in October.

Magnolia marks a new era for Randy. Feeling impassionate about the music he was performing, the Mississippi native slowed things down to refocus on creating music. For nearly two years, Houser hunkered down in his good buddy and co-producer Keith Gattis’ studio in East Nashville to invest his energy into songwriting, concentrating on his guitar work and cultivating a rootsy and raw new sound that is un-polished yet authentically Houser—the end result of this musical exploration is Magnolia
“This album was a total reset for me in every way possible. With the last album, I just didn’t have time to create, and it was obvious that it didn’t all come from my guts. Because of that, the music just didn’t feel as genuine,” said Houser. “When writing for this new project, I knew the production had to lean on songs and melodies, not a bunch of tricks and loops. That was the catalyst for album. So, for the past two years we’ve been focused on trying to find a unique sound and trying to best serve the songs.”

Magnolia Track Listing:

“No Stone Unturned” (Randy Houser, Dallas Davidson)
“Our Hearts (feat. Lucie Silvas)” (Randy Houser, Kylie Sackley, Rob Hatch)
“What Whiskey Does (feat. Hillary Lindsey)” (Randy Houser, Keith Gattis, Hillary Lindsey)
“Whole Lotta Quit” (Randy Houser, Travis Meadows)
“No Good Place to Cry” (Randy Houser, Gary Nicholson)
“New Buzz” (Randy Houser, Keith Gattis, Jeff Trott)
“Nothin’ On You” (Randy Houser, Jaren Johnston, Tony Lane)
“What Leaving Looks Like” (Randy Houser, John Osborne, James Otto)
“High Time” (Randy Houser, Brice Long)
“Mama Don’t Know” (Randy Houser, Jaren Johnston, Tony Lane)
“Running Man” (Randy Houser, Jeffrey Steele)
“Evangeline” (Randy Houser, James Otto )

Rascal Flatts Are Newest Grand Ole Opry Member Invitees

Big Machine Records artists and multi-platinum selling group Rascal Flatts is the latest invitee to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The trio was surprised with the news Tuesday night during their performance on the Opry. Twenty-year Opry member Vince Gill made an unscheduled appearance, interrupting singer Gary LeVox, bassist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney mid-performance.

The band seemed genuinely surprised and expressed heartfelt emotion with tears in their eyes. The crowd gave them a standing ovation. The trio joins a recent slate of longtime stars invited to join, including Blake Shelton and The Oak Ridge Boys.

Opry membership is one the highest honors for a country musician and comes with an unwritten commitment to the history of the genre and a requirement to perform at least 10 times a year.

Fellow musicians were quick to recognize the achievement. James Otto tweeted:

Congrats @JayDeMarcus & @rascallflatts on being asked to join the @opry! Huge honor!

Below is video shot from back stage - Vince Gill announces that Rascal Flatts will be inducted as members of the Grand Ole Opry on Oct. 8th!

James Otto Splits From Warner Brothers

James Otto, who had a No. 1 hit with "Just Got Started Lovin' You" in 2008, has exited the roster of Warner Bros. Nashville after two albums- the most recent being Shake What God Gave Ya this past September.

He announced the news via Twitter. "Hey y'all Warner Brothers Records & I have mutually agreed it's time to part ways. More news to come shortly," he tweeted Tuesday morning (March 1).

He later added, "No worries Ottomaniacs this is not the last you've seen/heard from me. Just a new chapter. Thanks for all the support & well wishes."

Otto's debut album, Days of Our Lives, was released on Mercury Records in 2004. Otto's second album, Sunset Man, was released on Warner Bros. and featured tracks produced by John Rich and Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus.

After his number one hit, Otto has been unable to match that singles success, with subsequent singles like "For You," "These Are the Good Ole Days," "Groovy Little Summer Song" and "Soldiers & Jesus all reaching right around the top thirty mark on the Billboard Hot Country charts.

Ronnie Milsap & James Otto Duet on the Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Show

Forward to the 36 minute mark of Jimmy Fallon's show this last week to catch James Otto & Ronnie Milsap duet on "Good Things Gone Bad."

CD Reviews- James Otto- Shake What God Gave Ya

The Background:
James Otto may be 100 percent country, but he’s also got a heart of soul. On his third album, Shake What God Gave Ya, Nashville’s breakout star puts his God-given lung power to work on a set of songs that make even more determined use of the old-school R&B grit in his powerhouse voice. “I look at my sound as somewhere between Nashville and Memphis,” says Otto, setting the new record’s compass point firmly on the map.

“With ‘Just Got Started Loving You,’ the beat and groove of that song could easily have been ‘I got sunshine on a cloudy day…’—that kind of thing,” he says. “And the fact that that went over at radio was an eye-opener for me, because it really opened the door for me to be able to do a lot more of that on this album. I never would have expected that it would have gone over the way it did. But I’m really thankful that it did. And hopefully the same people that loved that song will get a lot out of this record.”

The Review:
It’s probably symbolic that on the press release for James Otto’s third album, he’s quoted as saying he’s the he’s the “love child of Ronnie Milsap and Barry White.” It was Barry White’s deep soulful baritone that became synonymous with groovy love-making songs in R&B. And if there was ever an album that tried hard to be the backdrop soundtrack to getting your groove on with the love of your life, this is it.

That’s not to say that this country soul sound is entirely new. Artists such as Conway Twitty, the before-mentioned Ronnie Milsap and Delbert McClinton, all have pioneered that crossover sound and made very successful careers out of it.

Otto enlists his hero Milsap on the 70’s flashback in sound in groove on a great little track on “Good Things Gone Bad.” And Otto effectively uses his groovy love mojo which gets a great workout on tracks like “Sun Comes Round Again” and “Let’s Just Let Go.”

The album comes on the heels of one of Otto’s peers, Randy Houser's They Call Me Cadillac. While Houser utilizes a similar country soulful sound, he does so while telling his own autobiography in song. Otto takes a different and lighter tact throughout this album, concentrating on more universal topics of love and ladies.

The one big exception to this theme is the strong pro-military ballad, “Soldiers and Jesus.” Otto utilizes both personal heroes in thanks that “To me, they're both heroes for the path that they chose, ‘cause one fights for my life, one fights for my soul.” It’s a touching tribute to those who have laid down their lives to make ours better.

Otto’s whispery and gravel-laden voice is one of the strengths of the album and sells the sexy theme of the album well. And if you add this one to your collection, just be sure to pick up some candles, bubble bath and roses to go along with it.

Sounds Like:
Randy Houser Lite

Track Highlights (suggested iPod adds):
Groovy Little Summer Song
Soldiers and Jesus
Good Thing’s Gone Bad (With Ronnie Milsap)
Sun Comes Round Again
Let’s Just Let Go

The Verdict:
Three & A Half Stars Out Of Five

Travis Tritt Tells Billboard He's Starting His Own Label

Twenty years after releasing his first album, Travis Tritt plans to take his recording career into his own hands.

The Georgia-based country star tells Billboard.com that before he releases his follow-up to 2007's "The Storm" he plans to open his own label - though unlike something like Toby Keith's Show Dog Nashville, Tritt says that "it's strictly for me to release my music on.

While the label does not have a name just yet, Travis says he's leaning toward calling it Post Oak Publishing. "[It's] in the process," he says. "[We're] working on putting together investors to be a part of it. We're getting very, very close to getting it off the ground."

As far as the creative end of the label, Travis plans to keep it to a minimum of who gets involved. "It's strictly going to be me," he states. "I feel like I've got enough experience over the years. I know what it takes to put a record together, so I'm not looking for people to come in and shape it."

Travis plans to start work on the new album soon, and he has been talking with James Otto and Lee Roy Parnell about collaborating on some songs for the project. "In the meantime, I've been writing on my own," he reports. "It's like Roger Miller used to say, 'Every now and then, like a dog having puppies, you have to crawl under the house and do it yourself.'"

New Music Video From James Otto- "Groovy Little Summer Song"

TNS Video History- James Otto Covers Bob Seger's "Night Moves"

People Magazine Offers 11 Complimentary Country Song Downloads

Click here to get 11 free country songs to download into your iTunes! "People Magazine Country Playlist" is offering this free download through April 19. This download includes:

1. James Otto - Groovy Little Summer Song
2. Jimmy Wayne - Just Knowing You Love Me
3. Allison Moorer - The Broken Girl
4. Joe Nichols - The Shape I'm In
5. Dolly Parton - Jolene (live)
6. Steve Azar - Sunshine
7. Sarah Buxton - American Daughters
8. Josh Thompson - Won't Be Lonely Long
9. The Band Perry - Hip to My Heart
10. The McClymonts - My Life Again
11. Janine Turner - Mockingbird Hill

New Album & Single Forthcoming From James Otto

Big James Otto (Just Got Started Lovin’ You) has announced a brand new album coming out in the fall and is just releasing a brand-new single called Since You Brought It Up that he calls country soul. Check out these fun suggestive lyrics to go along with the new track...

Since you brought it up, why don’t you bring it over,

I’d love to see you standin’ in my door,

Your auburn hair fallin’ on your shoulders,

Come on baby are you waiting for,

You got the wine, I’ve got all night,

We’re only getting’ older,

Since you brought it up,

Why don’t you bring it over?

Listen to the track here...

Club Connection Announces Top Ten Country Dance Club Hits for 2008

Marco Club Connection has announced its list of the ten most requested and played country dance club songs of 2008. For the fifth consecutive year, a panel of more than 215 nightclubs and dance instructors throughout the country were surveyed during the last four weeks of 2008 to compile the data. "This year we had the highest number of clubs participating in our survey ever," says Venue Marketing Specialist Bobbe Morhiser. "It's great to see a mix of new artists like Adam Gregory and The Zac Brown Band on the list along with veterans Alan Jackson and Toby Keith."

The results for the most played country dance club hits for 2008 are as follows:

#1 - Alan Jackson "Good Time" - Jackson's G-O, O-D, T-I, M-E was the runaway favorite for 2008, garnering up to three spins a night during the peak of the song's popularity in the summer last year.

#2 - The Zac Brown Band "Chicken Fried" - Interest in this song grew from its initial support in the Southern clubs and spread nationwide within weeks of its release.

#3 - Kid Rock "All Summer Long" - This mash-up of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" was an instant success on country dance floors.

#4 - Matt Stillwell "Shine" - Stillwell's debut single has remained on club playlists for more than six months as interest in this newcomer continues to grow.

#5 - Toby Keith "She's a Hottie" - Clubs were ecstatic to have a new up-tempo Toby Keith song last spring. The success of this single reserved Keith a spot in the Top Ten Country Dance Songs for the fifth year in a row.

#6 - Lady Antebellum "Love Don't Live Here" - This fresh new act exploded on the dance club scene last February with their unique fusion of country and rock.

#7 - Sugarland "All I Wanna Do" - Jennifer Nettles' catchy vocal hook and pop appeal made this song destined for success in the clubs.

#8 - James Otto "Just Got Started Lovin' You" - Otto struck a chord in club patrons across the country with this soulful breakout hit.

#9 - Adam Gregory "Crazy Days" - Gregory's dance remix of his first U.S. single, "Crazy Days," was used in clubs for a classic line dance called "walk the line."

#10 - Craig Morgan "International Harvester" - Morgan chugged into the #10 spot with this heartland hit.

James Otto Undergoes Surgery

Big James Otto stunned everyone but himself in 2008 with one of the biggest smash singles of the year- Just Got Started Loving You. Now word comes out that he'll have to do a little less Loving and little more healing. From his blog, James writes:

"I haven't told anybody cause I didn't want you to worry.... But I'm going under the knife today to repair a torn rotator cuff & remove the bone spurs that caused it. I wont be canceling any shows but could be in a sling for a few. I should recover pretty quickly but will require 6 weeks of physical therapy. There are lots of exciting things this year and I need to be at full strength to accomplish them all. I love you all and will see you on the road soon."

Here's wishing James a speedy recovery and a wish to head back in the studio and record more tracks for his next album.