Music Industry News Archives - Page 28 of 36

Midland’s debut single tops Airplay chart

“Drinkin’ Problem” first Number One for Midland

It was a five-man Number One party Wednesday afternoon: the three members of Midland and their two co-writers, jointly hosted by ASCAP and BMI.

Members of Midland at the Number One party, flanked by Shane McAnally (far left) and Josh Osborne (right). Photo credit: Preshias Harris.

They gathered with friends and music industry execs at The Sutler in Nashville to celebrate the band’s debut single which is also their first career Number One single. Titled “Drinkin’ Problem,” the track was originally issued on an EP and is now the lead-off single from their new album, ON THE ROCKS, released September 22.

“Drinkin’ Problem” was written by the three members of Midland, Mark Wystrach (lead vocals), Jess Carson (lead guitar & harmony vocals) and Cameron Duddy (bass & harmony vocals). They share writing credits on the Number One with superstar writers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. (Osborne has fourteen Number Ones as a writer; McAnally has twenty-five Number Ones as a writer and eight as a producer!)

“Drinkin’ Problem” was produced by Osborne, McAnally and Dan Huff.

A ‘first’ for Big Machine, too

Notably, the song also scores another ‘First.’ It is the first debut single from a new act to top the Airplay charts for Big Machine Records and their roster of artists.

Commenting on how the song came about, Jess Carson said, “Three friends going in, all together. That was a lightning-rod moment.”

During the celebration, Huff said to Mark, Jeff and Cameron, “The fact that you have a very clear understanding of who you are makes me so proud to be part of this team.”

Co-producer Osborne said, “[We believed] somebody is gonna make this record with them and if we don’t, we are going to regret it.” He added, “The label allowed all involved to chase their passion.”

“This is soul music,” said McAnally. “I’m serious — it’s has a soul!” He added, “Because it was embraced in a commercial sense, it’s wonderful. They didn’t have to compromise.making music. People are hungry for it.”

In addition to “Drinkin’ Problem,” ON THE ROCKS includes twelve more tracks, all written or co-written by members of Midland. The trio all hail from the town of Dripping Springs, Texas.

Midland’s follow-up single, “Make A Little,” is already impacting Country radio. On the CDXTRACtion chart for October 11, 2017, the new single was the “Most Added” song of the week, meaning it was added to the playlist of the most reporting radio stations. You can find the video for “Make A Little” at YouTube here.

Midland are currently touring as part of the ‘CMT On Tour Presents Jon Pardi’s Lucky Tonight Tour’ (Surely this year’s most awkwardly-titled tour) and in early 2018 are scheduled to be part of The Breakers Tour with Little Big Town and Kacey Musgraves. See Midland’s full tour schedule here.

Bluegrass goes ‘Boo-Grass’ for October

Tribute to Merle Haggard to re-broadcast

Bluegrass fans who have access to RFD-TV have a treat in store this month. Reno’s Old Time Music is reaching into its bag of “tricks” to “treat” fans to hauntingly good “boo-grass” throughout the month of October.

Tune in for a new episode of BLUEGRASS HALL OF FAME spotlighting inductee, the late Charlie Waller & The Country Gentlemen, FRONT PORCH GOSPEL and BEST OF BLUEGRASS.

Additionally, show host and SPBGMA Preservation Hall of Greats inductee, Ronnie Reno, will introduce a brand new series demanded by fans of the show. SUPER PICKIN’ will feature the best bluegrass pickers in the business for an all-instrumental show. Tune in this October for Part 1.

Merle Haggard Tribute

Finally, Reno’s Old Time Music will re-air the highly-demanded TRIBUTE TO MERLE HAGGARD to close out the month.

If that wasn’t enough good news, Reno’s Old Time Music is now available to over 18 million DIRECTV subscribers via the new RFD-HD platform in high definition, giving even more fans a chance to enjoy the fantastic October line-up.

Reno’s Old Time Music – October Lineup

Sept. 30 – Oct. 5: Best of Bluegrass

Oct. 7 – 12: Bluegrass Hall of Fame Series–

Charlie Waller & The Country Gentlemen

Oct. 14 – 19: Front Porch Gospel

Oct. 21 – 26: NEW SERIES–Super Pickin’ (Part 1)

Oct. 28 – Nov. 2: Tribute To Merle Haggard

“Reno’s Old Time Music” airs weekly in prime time on Saturday night at 7:00 P.M. Eastern and Thursday morning at 6:30 A.M. Eastern on RFD-TV and is sponsored by Derksen Portable Buildings, The Crooked Road-Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, Hadley’s Southern Kitchen and the Old Time Music Store (click HERE for more information and for exact times in your area).

For more information on Ronnie Reno or “Reno’s Old Time Music,” go to www.ronniereno.com.

Singing with someone else’s lungs

Transplant gives voice back to singer

You’re a gifted singer with your voice at its peak and a promising future ahead of you. And then the doctors break some terrible news: You need a double lung transplant.

For anyone, that news would be shocking. But for a singer, that could also mean the end of all of one’s hopes and dreams.

Charity Tillemann-Dick. Photo: John Armato

That was the news given to opera singer Charity Tillemann-Dick in 2009, and she has told the story surrounding that momentous event in a new book, ‘The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts’(available here at Amazon and all major retailers). On September 30, she spoke to NPR’s Scott Simon about the frightening news, the surgery and the aftermath. You can hear and read the moving interview at NPR’s website here.

She told Simon that she almost died during the transplant surgery – she flat-lined twice – and the doctors left her chest open for two weeks. She was in a coma for 34 days and it was months before she could breathe on her own.

“My voice was gone”

She told Simon, “When I woke up from the surgery, I saw the nurses and my mother, and I was just so profoundly grateful to be alive and I opened my mouth to say ‘thank you’ and nothing came out. My voice was gone.”

Charity underwent both the usual post-surgical therapy and also vocal training: learning to sing with somebody else’s lungs.

“There’s something very mystical about singing. Because we all have these two tiny little flaps of skin in our throat, but some people can’t really sing at all,” Charity told Simon during the interview. “And some people sound like angels when they do it, you know? [Laughs.] And no one really knows why!

“And I think that for me, singing with someone else’s lungs, it never lets me forget that I’m not the one who’s in charge — whether you call it fate or chance or God, that we all have a reason that we’re here; we all have a song to sing, whether it’s musical or not. And I am very conscious of the fact that I am one of the human embodiments of my organ donor’s life.”

“We’re usually one another’s angels”

Imagine: singing with someone else’s lungs. As she stood backstage, ready for her debut at the Lincoln Center, all she could think about was the person she had never met who generously pre-planned the donation of their organs for transplant.

Charity’s amazing experience, and the many people whose skill and selfless generosity gave her a new lease on life, have had a profound effect on her. In the interview, she said, “I think sometimes we want winged figures to bring us miracles, but I think in life we’re usually one another’s angels.”

Transplants saved my life, too

The subject of organ donation is very important in my own life. I’m alive today thanks entirely to kidney transplants, firstly from my father, Sheldon, and then from my sister Tishia. My brother Ken’s life was saved with a kidney donated by a stranger who had pre-planned their organ donation, and my friend Jim is healthy today due to a liver transplant.

To learn more about organ donation and how you might save a life, go to this informational U.S. Government website. By registering as a donor, you could give up to 8 people a second chance. Did you know that 20 people die every day due to the shortage of available organ donors and more than 116,000 Americans are awaiting transplants right now? Please become a donor!

October ‘Inside Track on Music Row’ posted

Big & Rich, Craig Wayne Boyd, EXILE and more

My column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ is America’s longest-running monthly country music column, and here’s a ‘heads up’ to let you know that the full October 2017 column is now posted at my other website, I Know Country. Meanwhile, here’s a taste of a few items from the column…

Big & Rich are doing it for the party!

Big & Rich have released their sixth studio album DID IT FOR THE PARTY, guesting on several national TV shows and a major media blitz. They will also be the musical guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” October 2.

The new project features 13 new songs, all produced by Big Kenny and John Rich. Fans, who are dubbed the “Freak Parade,” can order the album now on Apple Music / iTunes, Amazon and Google Play, as well as pick up a CD at major retailers nationwide through a partnership with TWIX®.

In addition to the lead single “California,” the album is classic Big & Rich, featuring a combination of upbeat anthems like the “Congratulations (You’re A Rockstar)” and “No Sleep,” while also showing their softer side with the heartfelt tribute to their sons, “My Son” featuring The Isaacs. Thirty Tigers and The Orchard are handling marketing and distribution for the album. Tour dates and more at bigandrich.com

Craig Wayne Boyd’s TOP SHELF

Fans who pre-order Craig Wayne Boyd‘s new album, TOP SHELF, will receive an instant download of Boyd’s never-before-heard new single, “Stuck In My Head.” The album will be released everywhere Oct. 27 by Copperline Music Group and is available for pre-order at iTunes.

Those who pre-order can also receive Boyd’s “We Sweat” through instant download from September 29, and will receive the track “Better Together,” which Boyd co-penned, on October 13. TOP SHELF has been described as ‘a musical kaleidoscope – a whirl of celebration, heartbreak, the sweet pain of love, and the comfort of faith’s embrace.’

During his rise to fame after winning Season 7 of NBC’s “The Voice,” Boyd’s “My Baby’s Got a Smile on Her Face” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, becoming the second song (following Garth Brooks’ “More Than a Memory”) to achieve that level of chart success. More at craigwayneboyd.com.

EXILE’s ‘Fan Appreciation’ show set for Oct 17

EXILE will stage a fan appreciation concert at the Wildhorse Saloon October 17. Soon-to-be announced special guests will help the band kick off the road to their 55th anniversary “No Limit Tour” in 2018.

Partnering with WSM-AM for the free show, Exile is set to perform at 6 p.m. CT with special guests starting at 4 p.m. CT. Concert details at WildhorseSaloon.com. 2018 will be the 55th anniversary for the band, which formed in Richmond, KY. Since beginning in 1963 the band has had No. 1 hits on both the pop and country charts, achieving ten No. 1 hits on the country chart. Today, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame members continue to tour performing their greatest hits and fan-favorite on-the-road songs from over the years. More at Exile.biz and Facebook/Twitter.

A personal note: Growing up in Kentucky, in the late 70’s to the mid 80s, a day didn’t go by without hearing Exile on the radio. So to be able to celebrate their ’55 years in the business’ kick-off concert is like one item marked off my bucket list!

Read the complete column, and an archive of many previous columns, at iknowcountry.com and check out my music Q&A book, “I Know Country!”

How you can help music people hit by hurricanes

MusiCares reaches out to victims of Harvey & Irma

Musicians, singers and songwriters are among the many thousands of people hurt by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. But a hand is reaching out to help them, and you, too, can help.

Trying to make your way in the music industry can seem like a lonely and precarious pursuit, living from gig to gig, royalty check to royalty check. Simply paying the rent or finding money for medical bills can be an ongoing struggle. When disaster strikes – in the form of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods – music people can face personal catastrophe.

MusiCares is there to help music people in need. In addition to their regular assistance programs, MusiCares has set up a special Hurricane Relief Fund, and you can donate at musicares.org/donate.

MusiCares provides safety net for music people

MusiCares is a charitable organization operated by the Recording Academy (The GRAMMY people) that provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical, and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality.

I know personally several people who have been helped by MusiCares, and I can vouch for their integrity and the real assistance they provide.

ASCAP donates $25K to MusiCares

ASCAP rapidly donated $25,000 to MusiCares to help provide relief for members of the music community affected by the hurricanes.

“Our hearts go out to our members who must now recover from these catastrophic storms,” said ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, in a press release a few days ago. “ASCAP has always believed in harnessing the strength of our collective community to build a stronger future for music creators. In that spirit, we are pleased to join forces with our friends at MusiCares in helping to rebuild a future for those members of our community who need our help putting their lives back together.”

Do you need MusiCares’ help?

Musicians and music professionals can request disaster relief by contacting the South Regional MusiCares office at 615.327.0050 or toll-free at 877.626.2748, or by submitting an application here.

Animals need our help, too

photo: The Humane Society of the United States

So many pets were separated from their owners by the hurricanes that animal welfare organizations need our help too. A story in USA TODAY outlined the steps being taken: The national effort being undertaken by the Humane Society of the United States, Wings of Rescue, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, GreaterGood.org, the Best Friends Animal Society and other organizations involves flying homeless dogs and cats who already populated Texas shelters to facilities in other parts of the country.

Those animals will go up for adoption in their new area while Texas shelters make room for pets who might wind up lost or abandoned in the wake of the hurricane and floods.

How to help pets in peril

To donate to the Humane Society of the United States, click here.

To donate to Wings of Rescue, click here.

To donate to Best Friends Animal Society, click here.

Don’t get scammed!

Whenever disaster strikes, some unscrupulous will come out of the woodwork to take advantage of innocent donors. It’s always advisable to only donate to well-known and accredited organizations such as MusiCares and other charities I’ve listed here. If you are in doubt about how genuine a supposed charity really is, you can check if it is accredited by Charity Navigator, Charity Watch or the Better Business Bureau.

And all major charities working in disaster relief make a point of stating that money is the best donation for fast effective help, as warehouses quickly fill up with donated blankets, food and other items can divert resources away from more pressing work.

Please check out MusiCare’s website to see how you can help – or to find out how MusiCares can help you.

Brett Young gets RIAA GOLD, PLATINUM Awards

Number One single and smash hit album honored

(L-R) EVP Big Machine Label Group/BMLG Records President Jimmy Harnen, Brett Young, Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Photo Credit: BMLG Records

Brett Young is collecting Gold and Platinum Awards like a seasoned veteran. I have to remind myself that he’s a relative newcomer to Nashville with, essentially, one major label album and an EP to his name. But don’t let that fool you. He’s proving to be a hit machine.

CMA New Artist of the Year Nominee Young’s self-titled album has been certified GOLD by the RIAA. The album’s first single, “Sleep Without You,” achieved RIAA PLATINUM status, and another single, “In Case You Didn’t Know,” snapped up a RIAA 2X PLATINUM award.

Bridgestone Arena surprise for Brett

A few days ago, Young was surprised onstage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, where he was appearing on the last stop of Lady Antebellum’s ‘You Look Good’ world tour. Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta and EVP Big Machine Label Group/BMLG Records President Jimmy Harnen stepped on to the stage to honor the rising star with his awards in front of a cheering crowd of fans.

Young is quick to recognize those who have been instrumental in the development of his career. I was present at his first Number One party, held at the new FGL House, and he made a point of singling out Michael Martin, ASCAP’s Vice President who heads up Nashville Membership office. He said, “Meeting my mentor Michael Martin and his advice and wisdom is what brought me here.”

During the RIAA presentation at Bridgestone Arena, Young said, “I’m just doing what I love, so it’s cool to see this music mean something to other people too,” He added, “I’m so honored and thankful for the support of my fans, my team and Country radio for making all of it possible.”

“In Case You Didn’t Know” instantly soared up the charts, earning the title of the first Country song released in 2017 to hit PLATINUM status. The song thrived in the video format as well, landing a place in Vevo’s Top 10 Videos of 2017 (so far), surpassing 100 million views, joining the rankings with Zayn and Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar and DJ Khaled.

Baseball injury leads Brett to Nashville

Brett Young happens to be one of several singers and songwriters I know personally who can attribute their decision to switch career paths from sports to music as a result of a baseball injury. Born in Anaheim, California, he went to Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship after turning down pre-draft selection by both the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Minnesota Twins. However, his major league pitching hopes were dashed by an elbow injury and he returned to his first love: music.

The phrase “New Artist of the Year” doesn’t tell the full story of Young’s musical journey. After replacing baseball with music, he spent eight years in Los Angeles, performing and recording several albums. But his decision to move to Nashville proved to be a wise one. He was signed to Big Machine Label Group in 2015 and his six-song self-titled EP was released in February 2016. Young co-wrote the hit single “Sleep Without You” with Justin Ebach and Kelly Archer. “In Case You Didn’t Know” followed in January 2017. A month later, BMLG released Young’s self-titled album, produced by the legendary Dan Huff. A third single, “Like I Loved You” was released to country radio in July.

A baseball injury that probably seemed like a career killer at the time proved to be the catalyst to a successful new career, GOLD and PLATINUM awards, a nod from the CMA and millions of fans.

You can find tour dates and music at Brett Young’s official website here and follow him on Facebook here.

‘Bump, Bump, Bump’ hits country radio

Song shows lost love can lead to freedom

Re Mattei is a particularly unique talent that stands out even in a city that is filled with unique talents. If any proof of that is needed, give a listen to Re’s new single, “Bump, Bump, Bump,” hitting country radio on September 18, 2017. Meanwhile, the track will be available via all major digital retail and streaming outlets (Amazon/iTunes/ Pandora/Rhapsody/Spotify) on Sept 15.

The single is a taste of what’s to come with her album, BELIEVIN’ IS SEEIN,’ due out in the early spring of 2018. It will be released on TrendyGirl Records, for whom Re is their flagship artist.

I’ve known Re for several years now, as a friend and – full disclosure – as a client, while we worked together to move her career forward. I’ve seen her songwriting and her stagecraft develop to the point where she’s a star in the making.

Re wrote the “back-in-the-swing” tune with Danielle Todd and co-produced the track alongside Bartley Pursley (who has also produced notable, award-winning artists such as Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and Liz Carlisle, and has engineered projects for Blake Shelton and Montgomery Gentry).

The song’s storyline transforms the darkness of love-loss and heartache to an illuminated freedom. Re’s musical influences include the traditional country of artists such as Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Johnny Rodriguez, but also gravitate toward 80s pop rock trendsetters, eerie steel and electric guitar riffs. She brings those influences together in this song (as I said, she’s unique) setting the tone for this ‘failed love’ story, while the chorus brings to life a revived spirit portrayed by a powerful bass drum.

“Of all things, a Budweiser truck on the roadway reminded me that music has been my medicine,” said Re. “I recalled heading downtown with a group of girlfriends after a hurtful breakup and getting lost in the beats of my favorite tunes—what I call the ‘bump.’ Music can make people feel alive even in the darkest of moments; ‘Bump…’ paints both a gray emotional intensity contrasted by an enlightenment and glimpse of hope. …and that’s the magic of music.”

Inspiration can come from the strangest places: for Re it was the rhythmic rumble of a beer truck!

Berklee College of Music grad

Re (derived from her birth name Marie) is a Berklee College of Music graduate; she earned her bachelor’s degree in guitar performance. The New Jersey native began her pursuit in the live music entertainment sector just weeks before graduation. Responding to a personal, hand-written invitation, Re auditioned for the all-female, Top 40, seven-piece band—the Uptown Girls. She landed the guitar-player/vocal gig on the spot and toured with the group in a three-year stint performing at nightclubs and military bases in Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Hawaii.

Left to Right: Shane Allen, Re Mattei and Simba Jordan. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

Re moved to Music City in the early 90s with the goal of concentrating on her songwriting and recording skills to ultimately launch her independent solo career. She has performed at the Bluebird Café, Opryland Hotel and the Tennessee State Fair (WSM-AM stage) and, most-recently, Re made an impromptu appearance at NAMM 2017 (Nashville). Teaming with producer Bart Pursley, she recorded and released her debut single, “Country Love,” in 2014.

‘Bump, Bump, Bump’ music video

In conjunction with the September 2017 country radio release, Mattei will introduce the corresponding “Bump Bump Bump” music video (created by Think House Productions/filmed in Columbia, TN and at The Country in downtown Nashville). You can find the video here on YouTube, among other places. Re will embark on her four-week radio tour beginning October 16, 2017. Grassroots Promotion will spearhead the radio promotion campaign; Visual Image Marketing (Steve Baker) will oversee the video promotion.

In my opinion, success is on its way for Re Mattei. Yes, she has the talent, but equally important, she has the determination to find and hold that success. I truly believe that music is part of her soul. Listen to “Bump, Bump, Bump,” watch the song’s music video and see if you agree.

Follow Re Mattie on Facebook here.

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Country’s ‘Gentle Giant’ passes

Don Williams, May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017

The world of country music will miss Don Williams. I know I will.

His unique voice, both deep and mellow; his endearing smile and winning personality; even his ‘scrunched-up’ signature hat, so different from the pristine Stetsons worn by many of his contemporaries.

Don truly was the ‘Gentle Giant’ who gave us seventeen Number One country chart toppers, along with many other hits and numerous albums. His style was so distinctive because, in a way, his subtle, laid-back delivery differed from most of the sounds coming out of Music City back in the 70s.

Signed by ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement

Although the Floydada, Texas, native had been singing and playing throughout his childhood and teenage years – allegedly winning an alarm clock in a talent contest at the age of three – his break came when he moved to Nashville and secured a songwriting deal with legendary music publisher and songwriter ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement. Clement later signed Williams to a recording contract and the chart hits began with “The Shelter of Your Eyes.”

His first Number One was 1974’s “I Wouldn’t Want To Live If You Didn’t Love Me,” and from that date through 1991, every one of his singles would make the Billboard Country Top 40 chart. He became an international star: he was popular in England at a time when most radio listeners could only name Jim Reeves and Dolly Parton as country artists. Hits such as “Tulsa Time,” “It Must Be Love” and “She Never Knew Me” established him as a consistent presence on stage and on the radio. However, Williams’ popularity also got him cast on the big screen in “W.W. and The Dixie Dancekings” and “Smokey and the Bandit II.”

“I Believe In You”

His most memorable – and most iconic – song was recorded in 1980: “I Believe in You.” His eleventh Number One on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, it was also a crossover hit peaking at number 24 in Billboard’s pop charts. To this day, it has remained a well-loved romantic ballad, popular across succeeding generations. The song was written by Roger Cook and Sam Hogin. Whenever I see Roger performing at Writers’ Nights around Nashville, he only has to sing: “I don’t believe in…” for the crowd to start cheering, whistling and applauding before he even finishes the first line. (On a sidebar, Roger was a popular recording artist in his own right back in his native England. His voice has matured to become similar to Don’s and I’m guessing Roger sang the demo that Don and his A&R team recognized immediately as hit material for Don.)

Don continued to be a major crowd-pleaser, touring and performing for sell-out crowds, even after radio programmers had decided to no longer put his songs in the ‘add’ column. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010. His final performance was in 2016. He said, “It’s time to hang up my hat and enjoy some quiet time at home.” Don passed away September 8, 2017 in Mobile, Alabama.

More about Don at his official website.

September’s ‘Inside Track on Music Row’

September’s “Inside Track on Music Row” is now posted and ready to read. It’s my monthly roundup of country music news and is the longest-running monthly country music column in America. You can read the entire column (and previous columns) at my “I Know Country” website, and it is also posted at Nashville Music Guide. (Thank you, NMG, for the Inside Track logo, above!) Here are three quick column items as a ‘teaser.’

KENTUCKY MUSIC HALL of FAME NEWS

In my homestate of KY, The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame has announced their ‘Class of 2018’ inductees. They are: Grand Ole Opry Star David “Stringbean” Akeman; 5-time IBMA Female Bluegrass artist of the Year Dale Ann Bradley; Grammy & Dove Award winner Jason Crabb; superstar recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus, hit songwriter and recording artist Jackie DeShannon; and “Boy with the Lute” Opry member Bobby Lewis. The induction ceremony will be held May 11, 2018, at the Center For Rural Development in Somerset, KY. The KMHoF honors Kentucky-born performers, songwriters, publishers, promoters, managers and other music professionals who have made significant contributions to the music industry locally and around the world. Former inductees include Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, Florence Henderson, Clarence Spalding, Rosemary Clooney, and many more.

ROAD NEWS:

Dierks Bentley’s 2017 WHAT THE HELL WORLD TOUR has proven to be a force to be reckoned with as crowds of 25,000+, the biggest of his career, continue to flood arenas and amphitheaters across the country. He claimed the top spot on Billboard’s “Hot Tours” list selling more than half a million tickets before summer concert season even began. From impromptu bluegrass sets in disguise to dancing in aisles with security guards, to touching salutes for military members to backstage antics with Jon Pardi, Bentley once again proves it’s the spontaneous moments that count. “I don’t want security, I don’t want anyone pushing people around. I’d rather risk bodily harm than have anyone be pushed or shoved,” said Bentley. “I’m dancing with girls in the aisles; I’m giving massages to the security people, like chop sueys on their backs.” Tour details at dierks.com.

R.O.P.E AWARD NEWS:

Rex Allen Jr., noted as “the Golden Voice of Country and Western Music,” is among some of the most legendary names in music on the 2017 R.O.P.E. Award Show Ballot. Allen is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, as well as Songwriter of the Year. Allen is nominated alongside a long list of legends, including Leona Williams, Jeannie Seely, Gene Watson, The Osborne Brothers, Bill Anderson, Dallas Frazier and Willie Nelson. Voting is underway now. Winners will be announced October 5th at R.O.P.E.’S 30th Annual Golden Banquet at the Al Menah Shrine Temple in Nashville, Tennessee. The event will include a special tribute for Country Music Hall of Fame Member Mac Wiseman. Rex Allen Jr. is currently on his farewell tour, Sunrise to Sunset, but continues to record. Tour info and more at rexallenjr.com

… and the full column can be found on the ‘blog’ page at iknowcountry.com.

It’s a bloomin’ boom in babies for country music moms and dads to be

‘Country’ babies on the way

Something in the water? Something in the air? Whatever it is, there will soon be several additions to the families of country artists in Music City. Baby bottles and diapers are in the future for these folks:

Dylan Scott had a chart-topper with “My Girl” but the Curb Records artist and his wife Blair are expecting their first child and nope, it won’t be a girl. The couple held a ‘reveal’ party, pulling poppers that showered out blue confetti. So the new addition will be … a boy!

Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and wife Hayley announced that they, too, have Baby Number One on the way. The baby – a boy – is due in December. Hayley told People magazine that it’s something they’ve been looking forward to for a while, but “It’s all about God’s timing.”

Brantley and Amber Gilbert will also be shopping for baby clothes. They are expecting their happy event in November. Again, People magazine made the announcement (back in May) about the Gilberts’ good news after almost two years of trying.

Jason Aldean and wife of two years Brittany Kerr also found the path to parenthood threw them a few curves along the way. But former American Idol contestant Brittany took to social media to post: “Surprise! We are pregnant!” It’s blue bootees for the newest Aldean as the couple announce their first child will be a boy.

Chris Lucas – one half of the duo LOCASH – and his wife Kaitlyn are expecting their third child – a girl – in September. The new baby will join six-year-old brother Caden and one-year-old sister Remi. Lucas told Nash Country Daily, “I think I’m done after that. My wife is done for sure!”

Meanwhile, Lady Antebellum is staging a one-band baby boom of their own. Hillary Scott and husband Chris Tyrrell are expecting baby number two in February next year.

And Lady A’s Dave Haywood and wife Kelli will welcome their second child (a girl) in December. So, congrats and best wishes to all those proud parents to be and their babies.