Tag: Exile

Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw, LANCO and more in the news

‘Inside Track on Music Row’ May 2021 now posted!

The May 2021 edition of ‘Inside Track on Music Row’ is now posted at Nashville Music Guide! It’s the longest continuously-running monthly country music column in the USA, and as always Amanda and her team at NMG have added all the ‘bells and whistles’ with links, videos, photos and music you won’t find anywhere else. Read the entire column here at NMG.

Among the content you will find there…

  • Chris Stapleton takes home Album of the Year Award at the ACM Awards for Starting Over, produced by Dave Cobb…
  • Share a “First Beer” with LANCO as their current single reminisces about “our first drink and the people we were with”…
  • Alan Jackson asks Where Have You Gone with his first studio album of new music in six years, set for release May 14…
  • Kolt Barber is on the road, combining his traditional brand of country with rodeo on The American Cowboy Showdown…
  • Larry Gatlin reveals that he was the ‘unnamed country singer’ with a cocaine addiction in Matthew McConaughey’s new memoir Greenlights…
  • Exile – my favorite Kentucky group – announced a VIP live online concert set for May 20, 2021…

…plus a whole lot more, ready for you to read right now. Hop on over to Nashville Music Guide’s website here and catch up with the news on my ‘Inside Track on Music Row.’

 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

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”

July ‘Inside Track on Music Row’

Column posted and ready to read now

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.

As always, my thanks to Amanda and the NMG staff for making ‘Inside Track’ the best looking (and most read) country music feature on the Web!

Among this month’s 30+ music news items in the column…

  •  Exile to celebrate new double album with fans & industry, July 13
  • Brett Young’s Acoustic Sessions EP set for September release
  • Blake Shelton joins Garth Brooks in ‘Fun’ Dive Bar duet
  • NAMM Music Industry Day set for July 20
  • Scroll down for brief summaries and links
ALBUM NEWS

A little over forty years have passed and over 8 million records have been sold, including three Gold records and eleven number one hit songs since Exile began making music in a small garage in Lexington, Kentucky making demos of their songs. Exile will now share their most current CD project, Exile – The Garage Tapes.  The 30 song, two CD compilation is set for release in the upcoming weeks.  Industry and fans are invited to celebrate at a VIP CD release event to take place in the cave at The Caverns in Pelham, TN on July 13. … Read the full story here. Continue reading “July ‘Inside Track on Music Row’”

117 Entertainment Group marks first anniversary

A Nashville success story

Congratulations to Zach Farnum, the founder and president of 117 Entertainment Group.  Launched in May 2017, in only one year Zach has built the company into a multi-faceted entertainment firm specializing in publicity and marketing campaigns for musicians, brands and events.

I received the following photo and email from Zach and I thought you would like to read it too.

[L to R]: 117’s Max Dacosta and Heather Scarlett Trotter, Bobby Bare, Lee Roy Parnell, Cherish Lee, John Berry, Exile Band Official’s Marlon Hargis, Jeannie Seely, Tim Rushlow, Kendall Gary, Shane Owens Country, Exile’s Sonny Lemaire, 117’s Bev J Moser, Scott Brown of the Scooter Brown Band, Exile’s Steve Goetzman and J.P. Pennington. Kneeling front center: Zach Farnum. (Not featured but present: Jerry Lee Lewis III, Exile’s Les Taylor Music, Lewis Brice)
“A year ago yesterday I announced a new endeavor… all on my own with one client, Chuck Negron Formerly Of Three Dog Night. From there, thanks to many friends, one by one, 117 Entertainment Group picked up more and more amazing artists. Paige Hamilton, Karl Braun and Pepper Meiler were there from the beginning supporting me professionally — but we were blessed with Bev J Moser in late June which started a rapid up-hill climb.

“It’s been a rollercoaster with ups and downs but now we’ve got over 20 incredible acts on our roster, a management and a live division and two more great team members – Heather Scarlett Trotter and Max Dacosta. Seeing this seed grow has been the biggest joy of my life and I truly can’t believe this picture.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you — to all who believed in me from the beginning, to all who support us now and to all who came last night — especially our clients who gave their time for our celebration! My heart is full.” –  Zach Farnum

Again, kudos to Zach and all at 117 Entertainment.  More information at their website, here.

Stars join John Berry for ‘Songs and Stories’

Season 2 hits TV in April

‘Songs and Stories with John Berry’ Season 2 will soon be coming to U.S. television, as a new series of tapings wrapped up a few days ago.

The tapings took place over four nights in the Natchez Hills Winery at The Fontanel, on Whites Creek Pike in Nashville. The intimate venue, seating no more than a hundred guests, was an ideal setting for the laid-back show.

In each show, Berry talks with his featured guest who shares personal stories about the music that has changed their lives and inspired them to become the artists they are today. Each artist also joins Berry and the band to perform some of those songs.

Berry feels that ‘Songs and Stories with John Berry’ is a title that sums up the essence of the show. “For me and so many others, songs help us express what we feel inside and stories are the inspiration for the song that lies within,” he says.

New shows start airing in April

The season kicks off in April with the following shows scheduled:

Episode 1, Week of April 02: Mac Macanally;

Episode 2, Week of April 09: Rhonda Vincent;

Episode 3, Week of April 16: Steve Dorff;

Episode 4, Week of April 23: Ryan White;

Episode 5, Week of April 30: John Schneider.

(Left to Right): Blane Howard, John Berry, Sean Thomas Berry, Preston James at ‘New Artists Show’ episode of ‘Songs and Stories with John Berry. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

Episodes airing in May and June will feature Radney Foster, Terri Clark, Tracy Lawrence, Daryle Worley, Pam Tillis, Exile, and will wrap up with a ‘New Artists’ Show’ with Sean Thomas Berry, Preston James and Blane Howard. A ‘Best Of’ compilation show will air highlights of Season 2 during the week of June 25.

At one of the tapings, Tracy Lawrence recalls a decision that changed his life. He had two years of college under his belt in Louisiana and was earning money in tips while playing in bars in the evening. “I decided, if I don’t go to Nashville now, I’ll never go,” he says.

John Berry performs with guest Tracy Lawrence (Right) during a show taping. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

He took the $700.00 that he’d made in tips over the past few weeks, packed his guitar in his car and headed to Nashville. Speaking about the music he is making now, he says, “I’m not chasing hits anymore. I’m going back to what I was passionate about.”

Each of the artists shares similar stories about their lives and their music, often revealing personal experiences that are connected to their songs.

TV show channel listings

The second season of ‘Songs and Stories with John Berry’ will be shown on numerous outlets, including The Family Channel, Heartland TV, The Country Network, ROKU and more. For show time listings in your area, click the ‘Where To Watch’ tab at www.songsandstories.com

A 3-disc DVD set of the first season of ‘Songs and Stories with John Berry’ is available for $30.00 at http://johnberrystore.bigcartel.com

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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