Music Industry News Archives - Page 14 of 37

Inside Track on Music Row: what’s new in Nashville

October’s Inside Track by Preshias now posted at NMG

You’ll find around 30 news items in this month’s column that I have been writing for more than a quarter of a century! Inside Track on Music Row is the longest continuously-published monthly country music column in America – and probably the world.

Thanks, as always, to Amanda Andrews and her crew at Nashville Music Guide for making Inside Track on Music Row look SO good every month. For October, you’ll find the entire column with added music, videos, photos, graphics and more.

Among the many news items and stories in the October 2020 Inside Track:

Keith Urban’s new album, The Speed of Now
Reba McEntire’s 30th Anniversary edition of Rumor Has It
Ashley Gorley named Songwriter of the Year for a record fifth time
New music from Shenandoah, their first in 26 years
Chris Stapleton drops another single, ahead of the November release of Starting Over
Hit writer Kent Blazy (“If Tomorrow Never Comes”) releases Authentic album
Christmas albums from Dolly, Carrie, Maddie & Tae and more
Updates on rescheduled tours for Scotty McCreery, Lee Brice
The only 2020 live gig for superstar group Alabama
New single, video and Neon Town album from David Adam Byrnes
Ray Stevens is livin’ it up in quarantine with hit song and video
UK trio Essex County crossing the pond with “Love at First”

Plus more ‘news you need to know’ for music industry insiders and country music fans. It’s all in the October Inside Track on Music Row at Nashville Music Guide Magazine (print and online). Find the October edition of Inside Track on Music Row by Preshias here.

NMG has been publicizing Singers, Musicians, and Writers to Nashville’s Music Row and Beyond Since 1995.

Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com

Preshias talks about this week’s Nashville news

Mac Davis passes, new albums from Chris Stapleton, Shenandoah and Dolly, the Opry at 95 and more

Watch the show on YouTube here.

Among the topics they discussed:

The sad loss of singer-songwriter Mac Davis at age 78
“Cold,” the new song from Chris Stapleton’s upcoming album, Starting Over
Every Road is the title of the new album from Shenandoah – their first album of all-new music in 26 years
The Grand Ole Opry celebrates its 95th year with a lot of stars but not much of a ‘live’ audience
Carrie Underwood is set to perform songs from her Christmas album, My Gift, on an HBO Max Special
Time-Life is releasing a 19-DVD deluxe set titled Dolly: The Ultimate Collection, and Dolly Parton’s Holly Dolly Christmas album arrives October 2nd
An “I Know Country” Q&A from Preshias’ book of the same name, and more!

Find this week’s Y’all Show on YouTube here or see the show and read the program notes at the Y’all website here.

Preshias talks ACM Awards and more on Y’all Show

See Preshias talking with host John Rawl on this week’s Y’all Show, September 23, 2020

Nashville Music Line: Maddie & Tae Christmas CD, Keith Urban

Click on link above to watch the video

Among other topics, Preshias and Jon discuss:

The results of the 2020 ACM Awards, the first time the show has been held (without an audience) in Nashville
A new 16-track album from Keith Urban
Christmas albums from Maddie & Tae, Carrie Underwood, Runaway June Terri Clark and Dolly Parton
Alabama’s only gig in 2020
A biopic miniseries about George Jones and Tammy Wynette
A new outdoor stage at the Ryman Auditorium
This week’s I Know Country Q&A and more

See this week’s Y’all Show here.

Luke Bryan reaches out to fans on music.com

Talks about each track on new album, Born Here Live Here Die Here

By Preshias Harris

Recording artists are always looking for ways to promote their music, and emerging artists usually have an additional challenge: a limited promotion budget.

Read on to learn more about an innovative option and how one of country music’s biggest stars is making it work for him.

The worldwide pandemic has created major problems for musicians who need to get in front of their fans. With a total halt put on touring, country artists have now had to go for months without that all-important fan interaction.

Fan reaction to new songs

Most artists try out one or two new song at a concert to judge the fans’ reaction. Then they and their marketing teams can use that reaction to decide which new music to release. But no concerts mean no fan reaction.

Now many artists are using social media and the internet to reach out to their fans. One online destination – https://music.com/ – seems the ideal place to link artists with their fans, and Luke Bryan is one of country music’s biggest stars to take full advantage of the opportunity the site offers.

Music.com is focused on artist-forward, first-person storytelling. At the site, artists share personal thoughts and ideas about their music in a deeply personal way. Now Luke is doing just that, sharing personal details about each track on his new album, Born Here Live Here Die Here (Capitol Nashville). Released August 7, 2020, the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Album charts. Here’s Luke’s page at music.com.

Ashley Gorley hits 50th No. 1

The only songwriter in any genre with 50 Airplay No. 1s

by Preshias Harris

Ashley Gorley at the 2020 MusicRow Awards. Photo: Preshias Harris

Hitmaker and songwriting powerhouse Ashley Gorley set a new record August 3 as he notches his 50th No.1 song at Country radio with LOCASH’S Mediabase chart topper, “One Big Country Song.”

Gorley isn’t just the first songwriter in the Country format to achieve this feat, but it stamps him as the only songwriter of any genre to earn 50 No.1s in the history of the Mediabase and Billboard Airplay charts.

Gorley wrote “One Big Country Song” with fellow hitmakers Jesse Frasure and Hardy. The song follows Gorley’s 49th No. 1, “Hard to Forget,” recorded by Sam Hunt. Gorley’s first No. 1 was “Don’t Forget to Remember Me” for Carrie Underwood. in 2006. Scroll down for a full list of all 50 of Gorley’s chart-toppers.

Thank you, Ashley Gorley, for my delight at being able to watch you write your way into global music history. It makes me extremely proud of my Kentucky connection, along with our shared love of Kentucky Wildcats basketball. Now let’s get Ashley nominated for the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame! This would be a wonderful boost for our Kentucky Music legacy. Danville, Kentucky, native Ashley needs to be alongside the Everly Brothers, The Judds, Dwight Yoakum, The Kentucky Headhunters, Exile, Steve Wariner and the rest of our history of Kentucky Music inductees. – Preshias Harris

#kymusichalloffame #hitsongwriter #50number1s #ascapsongwriteroftheyear

Brett Eldredge, Bill Anderson, Chris Young, in the news

Catching up around Nashville’s Music Row

Despite the continued restriction on touring due to the pandemic, there is still a lot going on in country music. Among the good news: streams in the country music genre are up 21% for the first six months of 2020 vs the same period last year! But wait, there’s more. Including:

Tyler Childers’ hilarious new animated music video for “Country Squire”
‘Nash trash’ duo Hasting & Co. sport a new “Canadian Tuxedo”
Brett Eldredge takes fans on a Sunday Drive” with new single
Chris Young test-markets “If That Ain’t God” on social media
Whisperin’ Bill Anderson reimagines big hits on his 73^rd album
We need music more than ever during pandemic
Stars and fans honor Charlie Daniels at memorial service
An I Know Country Q&A to test you Country IQ!
…and more. Scroll down to continue reading

Need a reason to smile? You need to take a look at the official music video for Tyler Childers’ “Country Squire”! The hilarious animation is directed by Kentucky-based comic book artist, Tony Moore (known for his award-winning work on The Walking Dead, The Exterminators and Fear Agent), “Country Squire” is Moore’s first music video project and was created in partnership with Bomper Studio. Watch the animated video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxuLRkHn7rQ

A scene from Tyler Childers’ “Country Squire” video

Remembering Charlie Daniels: Preshias on the Y’all Show

Charlie Daniels – October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020

This week’s livestream of the Y’all Show With Preshias was just one day after we heard the sad news about the passing of Charlie Daniels at the age of 83. Ya’ll Show host Jon Rawl and I had many memories to share. But we also caught up on some more of this week’s news from Music City.

Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood postpone Facebook Live show
Glen Campbell remembered: new memoir from Glen’s widow Kim
New music from Opry veteran Jeannie Seely
Carly Pearce surprised with Gold and Platinum Awards
Jimmie Allen’s new EP features all-star collaborations
Luke Bryan takes “One Margarita” to Airplay No. 1
An I Know Country Q&A for July 7
… plus more from this week’s Y’all Show With Preshias. Scroll down to read more

It’s hard to believe that we have lost one of music’s most iconic figures – Charlie Daniels. Even though he was 83, he still seemed so full of life and energy, right up to the end. Just a few weeks ago, he appeared in a “together-but-separate” type of video with Larry Gatlin, Ray Stevens, TG Sheppard and others, singing Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again.” In the video, Charlie even mentions how his tour bus is itchin’ to get back on the road when the virus has subsided.

I have known Charlie, his lovely wife “Miss Hazel” and son Charlie Jr for many years. Charlie always treated me with kindness and respect, as he did with everyone he met. I have so many memories of Charlie…

The Y’all Show with Preshias, June 30, 2020

Gabby Barrett, Rascal Flatts, Caylee Hammack & Reba, Tenille Townes, Kenny Chesney … Jon and Preshias talk about that and more!

Livestreamed on The Y’all Show

Another edition of our weekly livestream of the Y’all Show hosted by Jon Rawl. Watch the entire episode here on the Y’all Show YouTube channel.

Gabby Barrett is Country’s ‘golden girl’ breaking records with her album Goldmine
Rascal Flatts set to release seven-track EP July 31
Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Orlando ‘virtual’ launch party postponed
Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum remains closed – for now
Reba joins Caylee Hammack on “Redhead” song and video
Tenille Townes (Lemonade Stand) & friends have “Big Hearts for Big Kids”
Kenny Chesney score 31^st chart-topper with “Here and Now
A country music Q&A from my book I Know Country
…and more from this week’s Y’all Show With Preshias. Scroll down to read more

Gabby Barrett is Country’s new ‘golden girl’ as she continues to break records with her debut album Goldmine. Among her achievements:

Gabby is the first-ever female artist with a Country song to log over 10 million on-demand streams in a single week with 11.3 million.
The ACM New Female Artist Of The Year Nominee has racked up nearly 400 million on-demand streams to date.
Gabby is the youngest artist to have a debut #1 in over two decades.
Additionally, Goldmine breaks the first day Country streaming records on Amazon Music globally with first-day streams exceeding any other debut Country album ever.

Covid-19 lockdown inspires country artists

From heartfelt to funny: songs to get us through the virus

Country music is where songs tell stories. What better music genre to express the hopes and fears of us all as we deal with the fear and uncertainty of the current coronavirus? Here are some of the songs that are worth a listen, along with links to the accompanying videos:

Big & Rich: “Stay Home”

In the official video, John Rich sits by the guitar-shaped pool at his Mt. Richmore home (carefully-placed bottles of Granny Rich Whiskey on the table beside him!) and is joined remotely by Big Kenny with fun lyrics such as:

The shelves are bare and empty / Because some people just don’t care / Got one roll of toilet paper / And I’m down to my last square

Thomas Rhett: “Be A Light” ft. Keith Urban, Chris Tomlin, Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott

A sweet and inspiring song encouraging us all to take the opportunity to do what’s right for ourselves and each other.

In a world full of hate, be a light / When you do somebody wrong, make it right / Don’t hide in the dark, you were born to shine / In a world full of hate, be a light

Here’s Thomas singing an acoustic solo version of the song while self-isolating.

Don’t let Covid-19 kill your career

Two ways to promote your music globally on a budget

You’re a singer/songwriter or a musician. The Covid-19 pandemic has shuttered venues around the world from small bars to giant arenas, so you can’t perform, you can’t sell merch and you can’t reach out to new fans. What can you do?

My friend Christian Lamitschka has some options that might help you. Christian is the president of Country Music News International Magazine and Radio Show. CMNI is based in Germany and has a global reach with a strong presence in both the USA and the UK. It is one of the largest online music magazines with online and on-air FM radio shows. Christian is a true country music fan and flies to the USA for events such CMA Fest and the Country Radio Seminar, often interviewing stars and emerging artists.

Christian Lamitschka interviewing emerging artist Andrew Hopson for CMNI

Christian asked me to let you know he wants to help you maintain a presence with your existing fans while attracting a new audience to your music. He has two offers that are definitely worth checking out and should fit your budget.