New Music Archives - Page 5 of 11 - Nashville Music Line

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

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.

Inside Track: more April updates

More updates from April’s Inside Track on Music Row

My column, Inside Track on Music Row, has been a mainstay of the Nashville Music Guide for more than twenty five years, and is now read by country music fans around the world via the Internet.

Send me stuff, I love to get it! preshiaswriter@hotmail.com or contact me here.

Idol alum Alexandria Corn “Cheated Better” with new single
Becky Buller passes “The Barber’s Fiddle” down through generations
Brandy Clark’s new album, Your Life Is A Record
Young Fables release ‘homemade’ EP
Street named to honor Conway Twitty
Joe Hanson moves on with “Part of Me”
scroll down to read these stories…

Alexandria Corn’s ex could have “Cheated Better”

Rising country artist AND American Idol alumna Alexandria Corn is a scorned woman in her newest single “Cheated Better” in which she laments the lackluster cheating of an ex-boyfriend. She advises that he could have been smarter by anything from bringing a change of clothes to making sure to come up with an alibi. With her detailed lyrics placed over a pop-influenced melody, “Cheated Better” is a force to be reckoned with. Written by Corn with Khiana Meyer and Mandy McMillan and produced by Sam Grow, listen to the single here.

Inside Track on Music row: April sneak peek

Quick look at this month’s column

Here’s a quick look at some of the stories from the April 2020 edition of my column Inside Track on Music Row, the longest continually-running country music column in the USA. I’ve been writing this column for more than a quarter of a century (Phew!) and you can catch the full column (and archived previous columns) when it is published at Nashville Music Guide.

ACM Awards to clash with Americana Awards
New album from Craig Morgan
Maddie & Tae know The Way it Feels
CDB set Volunteer Jam date
Opry icon Jan Howard passes

Scroll down to read these stories…

ACM news: ACM Awards set for same date as Americana Awards

The ACM announced the new date for the 55th ACM Awards. It has always been held the first week in April following a full week of charity events, golfing tourneys, etc. The new Awards date is going to be Wednesday, Sept. 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will stream live and on demand on CBS All Access. As previously announced, the 55^th ACM Awards® will be hosted by reigning ACM® Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award® winner Keith Urban for the first time.

Inside Track on Music Row March 2020

by Preshias Harris

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Songs write themselves, we just hold the pen” – Garth Brooks on stage at the 2020 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN.

My column, Inside Track on Music Row, is the longest-running country music column in the USA and now worldwide on the Internet! Send me music stuff, I love to get it!

Preshiaswriter@hotmail.com TN/USA. Google “Preshias”

Here, below, are just some of the news items in the March 2020 column that is published by Nashville Music Guide. Scroll down to continue reading…

Lauren & Thomas Rhett welcome baby Lennon Love
Love Lives On tells stories of fallen warriors’ survivors
Cody Purvis on “Drinkin’ Terms” with Billboard Indicator chart
Brandy Clark: “Love Is a Fire” can warm you or burn you
“Copper Coil” new song from duo Band Steele
CJ Solar’s “Watered Down Whiskey” heralds new EP
Outlaw music from Billy Don Burns
Chris Bandi’s first step on hallowed Opry stage
Tin Pan South tix going fast: grab yours now
Scroll down to read these news stories from Inside Track on Music Row

BABY NEWS

County singer Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins welcomed their third daughter last month. Her name is Lennon Love Akins, and she weighed 9lbs 2oz and a head full of dark hair and blue eyes. His father Rhett Akins and his wife Sonya are expecting a boy in March… More baby news… Shay Mooney (Dan+ Shay) and wife Hannah welcomed their second child, another boy, named Ames Alexander on February 21st in Nashville. He joins big brother, three-year-old Asher James.

Kolt Barber: real cowboy country artist

Combining love of music and rodeo

By Mike and Preshias Harris

Many country artists wear cowboy hats and sing songs that evoke visions of ranches, horses and cowboys, but Kolt Barber has lived that life and has the bruises and broken bones to prove it.

We caught up with Kolt at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville to hear about his new single, two albums and a unique tour that combines music and rodeo.

Kolt recorded the new single at Square One Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, where Kolt was able to really develop the song organically.

“Set the Night on Fire”

“The new single is titled ‘Set the Night on Fire,’” said Kolt. “I went into the studio without a demo. I’d written the song and we started creating it, in the studio, from scratch. We were able to take our time. If I liked something we went with it, if I didn’t like something we took it away. It was really cool; instead of the normal, fast-paced way of ‘you have a demo, you cut it, you’re done,’ we were able to sit and create. It was a really cool experience and I really enjoyed it.

Steeldrivers’ new album is Bad For You – in a good way

Album review by Preshias Harris

Outlaw bluegrass with a gritty, bluesy edge

All music genres seem to have sub-genres that are either extensions of the main genre or a fusion of two different but similar genres (Think: Rockabilly, for example). The Steeldrivers are a band that straddles different genres, creating music that is unique and doesn’t fit easily into any category.

They have sometimes been described as “goth-grass,” a blending of bluegrass and goth-rock. Their music is certainly anchored in the traditions of bluegrass with the familiar sound of banjo and fiddle. At the same time, their music often taps into some of the darkest depths of human emotion, giving a gothic edge to the songs.

Now comes their latest album, Bad For You (Rounder Records), set for release on 07 February, 2020, their first album since 2015’s The Muscle Shoals Recordings that won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

Inside Track on Music Row October

October column ready to read now!

The October edition of my monthly column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ is now posted at Nashville Music Guide’s website. It is the longest continually-running monthly country music column in the USA.

Thanks as always to Amanda and her crew for making ‘Inside Track’ the best looking (and most read) country music feature on the Web!

Among this month’s music news items in the column…

Singer-songwriter, Phil Vassar, is bringing his 20 years of hits to venues across the country with Stripped Down, an intimate, acoustic show in 14 cities from coast to coast with more dates to be added… Read the full story here.
Jason Aldean has revealed more details behind his next effort 9 (Macon Music/Broken Bow Records), to be released Nov. 22. ACM “Artist of the Decade” Aldean offers 16 interwoven tracks in an era of stand-alone singles… Read the full story here.
Lady Antebellum’s forthcoming album Ocean, set for release Nov. 15 on BMLG Records, marks a new beginning that brings the multi-Platinum trio back to their roots… Read the full story here.
The late Ralph Murphy will be honored with the Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 14. Ralph Murphy lived his life in service to songwriters… Read the full story here.
Christmas 4 Kids, a non-profit organization that benefits hundreds of underprivileged children in Middle Tennessee, announced its all-star concert lineup. They including Phil Vassar, Matt Ramsey of Old Dominion, Lonestar, Eddie Montgomery, Craig Wiseman, Jeffrey Steele and more. The show is set for Monday, November 25 at the Ryman Auditorium… Read the full story here.

Plus so many more music news items. See them all in the October Nashville Music Line.

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

Midland, Highwomen, Phil Vassar, TG Sheppard, Hannah Bethel on Inside Track

Your first look at at October’s Inside Track on Music Row

by Preshias Harris

October will be here before we know it, and so will the October edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row in Nashville Music Guide. It’s the longest continually-running Country music column in the USA. Here’s you first chance to read just a few items that will be included in the column.

Double GRAMMY® nominees Midland return with Let It Roll, their second critically-lauded project. … Scroll down to read more
The Highwomen—the acclaimed collaborative movement formed by Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires—released their highly anticipated self-titled debut album … Scroll down to read more
TG Sheppard released Midnight in Memphis on September 20. The new project is his first solo country album in more than 20 years … Scroll down to read more
Independent Country/Americana singer-songwriter, Hannah Bethel, has been named as a Featured Artist endorsee of the legendary Gretsch Guitars brand … Scroll down to read more
Singer-songwriter, Phil Vassar, is bringing his 20 years of hits to venues across the country with Stripped Down, an intimate, acoustic show … Scroll down to read more

Continue reading “Midland, Highwomen, Phil Vassar, TG Sheppard, Hannah Bethel on Inside Track”

Garage Tapes: Exile releases long-lost demo treasures

30-track double album launched ‘underground’

by Preshias Harris

Not many bands can claim a history going back fifty-five years with five original members from the 1980s still touring today. One of those rare bands is Exile who have scored chart hits in both the pop and country genres.

On Saturday, July 13, I spent the afternoon underground with Exile. The band was celebrating the release of their new album, The Garage Tapes, in The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee. It was sweltering hot and humid outside but refreshingly cool inside the Caverns as Exile took the stage to answer questions during the sound check prior to the show.

Exile perming at The Caverns for the release of ‘The Garage Tapes.’Photo: Bev Moser, B! Noticed P.R.

The Garage Tapes is a 30-track double album consisting of tracks that have remained largely unheard since they were recorded between 1979 and 1982. In answer to my question, Exile’s J.P. Pennington said the tracks were originally just demos (demonstration recordings) of songs that were recorded at LEMCO Studios in Lexington, KY.

“Cecil Jones, the owner of LEMCO was a big fan of ours,” said J.P. “So that’s how it sort of came about. In exchange for us working as session musicians, he’d give us studio time. We’d go in there almost every night for weeks, months.” Continue reading “Garage Tapes: Exile releases long-lost demo treasures”