Music City USA News

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Randy Travis Sues to Prevent Release of DWI Arrest Video

^ Randy Travis has taken legal action to prevent the release of a patrol car video of his 2012 drunken-driving arrest near his home in Tioga, Texas. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday (May 14) in Austin against the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas attorney general’s office. Police reports indicated Travis was found [...]
Read More... [Source: Country Music Nation]

Randy Travis Sues to Prevent Release of DWI Arrest Video

Randy Travis has taken legal action to prevent the release of a patrol car video of his 2012 drunken-driving arrest near his home in Tioga, Texas. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday (May 14) in Austin against the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas attorney general’s office.

Police reports indicated Travis was found naked by the road after crashing his Pontiac Trans Am. He pleaded guilty in January to driving while intoxicated and was sentenced to two years’ probation. A judge granted a request from Travis’ attorneys to block the video from being released. After media groups requested the video from law enforcement authorities, the attorney general’s office ruled this month that the judge did not have the authority to bar the video’s release.

-via CMT.com

Posted 05/17/2013
Read More... [Source: Country Music Nation]

Thunder On The Mountain Presents: Live Google+ Hangout with Colt Ford

CMNB and Thunder on the Mountain LIVE Interview with Colt Ford!

Continuing our interview series with upcoming country music festival Thunder On The Mountain, CMNB will be interviewing Colt Ford via Google + hangout on Wednesday, May 8th at 4:00pm CST! This brand new festival boasts an amazing line up, and we’re taking you behind the scenes with these fun chats getting the low down on the fest, how artists prep for their live shows, what they have in the works for 2013 and more!

You can watch the interview below as soon as its live at 4pm on Wednesday, and you can get involved by submitting questions in the comment section below, by tweeting us at @CMNBlog, finding us on Google+ or commenting on the event page on Facebook! Basically, no matter what social channel you prefer, you can reach us.

Thunder On The Mountain Presents…Colt Ford!

Thunder On The Mountain takes place June 6th-8th on Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, AR! For ticket info and details head on over to their official site! Be sure to keep up with them on Twitter (@THUNDERontheMTN) using the #Thunder2013 hashtag.

Call In And Wish George Strait “Happy Birthday”

George Strait has a Birthday App, where you can send a message to the King of Country Music, as he turns 61 on Saturday (May 18th). You can find it on Facebook HERE, and it also allows you to call in and record a congratulations message for what will hopefully be his 60th No. 1 single with “Give It All We Got Tonight.”

In addition, you can hear a clip of the song and have a link to buy it sent to your phone. The app also features all of the celebrity messages to George and a video piece from him about the new album!

Wish George Strait a Happy 61st Birthday by clicking HERE.

Pistol Annies Hush Hush-Music Video

The Official Music Video For The Pistol Annies Current Single “Hush Hush.”

Below is the official music video for the Pistol Annies single, “Hush Hush.” The single is the first release from the Annies’ sophomore album, Annie Up.

The song is about keeping secrets and keeping up appearances. The video features the ladies and their families at a Sunday afternoon potluck, where things get a little out of hand.

Watch “Hush Hush” and tell us what you think. Under the video is the track listing for Annie Up, which hit stores last week!

Annie Up Track Listing:
1. I Feel A Sin A Comin’ On
2. Hush Hush
3. Being Pretty Ain’t Pretty
4. Unhappily Married
5. Loved By A Workin’ Man
6. Blues, You’re A Buzz Kill
7. Don’t Talk About Him, Tina
8. Trading One Heartbreak For Another
9. Dear Sobriety
10. Damn Thing
11. Girls Like Us
12. I Hope You’re The End of My Story

Brian Davis Invited To Open The Jägermeister Tour

Brian Davis Has Been Invited To Open Up For Aaron Lewis On The 2013 Jägermeister Country Tour.

Brian Davis has been invited to be the opening act for the 2013 Jägermeister Country Tour this summer. Davis will be opening for Aaron Lewis now through June 23 where he will play his last show in Evansville, IN.

“This is going to be the kickoff to a rocking summer being asked out on the 2013 Jägermeister Tour with my buddy Aaron Lewis,” Davis said. “I can’t think of a better way to continue my touring year having just gotten off the road with Brantley Gilbert and now heading out with Aaron Lewis! This is right up my alley and my fans are going to love it and I hope to get to meet and make some new ones.”

You can check out this VIDEO to learn more about Davis’ life on the road and his current album, Under the Influence.

Check out all the tour dates for this tour by clicking below and pick up Davis’ current album, Under the Influence, now.

Corey Smith At George’s Majestic Lounge-Show Review

Corey Smith Ends A 10-Day Run At George’s.

This past Saturday, May 4, Corey Smith played George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville. It was the day after dead-day for the University of Arkansas and the last show of Smith’s 10-day run on the road.

Of course the crowd wasn’t strictly Razorback co-eds, as George’s pulls fans from all over Northwest Arkansas, the River Valley, Oklahoma and Missouri. But no matter where people came from, they were all there to have a good time and enjoy Smith’s music.

Andy Frasco opened the show and definitely had the crowd pumped and ready to go. Smith took the stage a little after 10:30pm and entertained with his hits “If I Could Do It Again,” “Twenty-One,” “Maybe Next Year,” “Drinkin’ Again,” “Party” and more!

The best part of seeing one of Smith’s shows, in my opinion, is singing along and dancing with your friends (and usually some complete strangers, or “friends for the night” as I like to call them). Everyone suddenly has a kinship when yelling “and they wonder why folks don’t trust ‘em no more.”

Before the show, I had a little time to talk with Smith about his upcoming Grand Ole Opry debut. He will perform Saturday, May 18.

“I’m excited, it’s a feather in my cap, a milestone,” Smith said. “It was always a dream of mine to play the Opry and my grandparents see it.”

Y’all be sure to watch and see which two songs Smith will play with the Opry band in a few, short weeks!

Keith Urban’s Performance Of “Little Bit Of Everything” On American Idol

Fox's "American Idol 2013" Finale - Results Show - Arrivals

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Keith Urban performed his new single “Little Bit Of Everything” live for the first time last night on the season finale of American Idol. “Little Bit Of Everything” serves as the first single from his forthcoming album. Watch Urban’s performance below and pick up a copy of “Little Bit Of Everything” on iTunes now by clicking HERE.

Jennifer Nettles to Release her First Solo Album - 2013-05-17

Acclaimed country artist Jennifer Nettles announced today that she will release her first solo album this fall. The power vocalist – and multiple Grammy, AMA, ACM Awards, CMT Awards and CMA Awards winner – has enlisted the help of esteemed producer Rick Rubin on the project. Rubin, previously co-president of Columbia Records and founder of Def Jam Records, has worked with a variety of artists such as Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Sheryl Crow, The Avett Brothers, Lana Del Ray, Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Dixie Chicks. "I am absolutely thrilled and wholly proud to be working with Rick”, said Nettles. “If you ask any musician who is on their producer ‘bucket list’, Rick would be on each and every one."

This weekend, Jennifer will be in Las Vegas as a presenter at the Billboard Music Awards on May 19.

Ben Wells Teams Up With Fireball Whisky

Ben Wells Teams Up With Fireball Whisky, Lake Life Freshwater Apparel and JH Audio For His Untuck Ya Shirt Tour.

Ben Wells has an exciting couple of months ahead and we couldn’t be more happy for him! For those of you who haven’t heard, he is gearing up for his first independent headlining tour, Untuck Ya Shirt. If that wasn’t exciting enough, he now has teamed up with three brands (Fireball Whisky, JH Audio and Lake Life Freshwater Apparel) to make his tour just that much better.

“It’s awesome how these opportunities keep coming to us,” Wells said. “We’re going to take them one step at a time, and hopefully continue to grow with the partnership and with the fans.”

If you haven’t heard of Fireball Whisky then you might be living under a rock…because it is ALL I hear people ordering these days. The brand describes itself as a “Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to the face if his legs were on fire and tasted like cinnamon.” If that doesn’t get you interested in trying it, then I don’t know what will! Lake Life Freshwater Apparel is a worldwide clothing/apparel company found & operated in North Carolina. Wells marks the companies first music endorsement relationship. JH Audio is one of the best in the business at making the most detailed, accurate in-ear monitors.

“One of the endorsements I’m personally excited about is JH Audio. I rely on my in-ear monitors day in and day out while on stage, the quality of JH16’s are incredible. I definitely can’t wait to grow with this company and it’s awesome to be apart of such an awesome family.”

Wells Untuck Ya Shirt tour kicks off June 7 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Find a show near you, because you won’t want to miss this party!

The Problem With Award Shows: The Artists Who Should Win And Don’t

Country Music Awards: Who Isn’t Winning That Should?

Every time the nominees list for a country award show is announced, there’s always a little bit of controversy. Each fan gets angry if their favorite hasn’t been included, for example the snubbing of Carrie Underwood at this year’s ACM Awards for Entertainer of the Year, or when an artist gets nominated that people feel haven’t earned their place, for example Kacey Musgraves for Female Vocalist of the Year at the very same awards. Everyone has their own idea about who deserves that
coveted award, because it’s a simple matter of aesthetics. However, for me, there are a few that pop up again and again as snubbed, and they are as follows. This is just a small selection of a few artists I would like to see winning or being nominated for major awards, and you are welcome to suggest more in the comment section below!

Too Many Men?

The problem with mainstream country is that the scene is crowded with male solo artists. In comparison, the female and group categories are not picking from such a huge list of artists, and thus we get a very similar selection for each awards show. The duo categories are usually so lacking that Sugarland, who haven’t released an album since 2010, continue to be nominated in each award show on a near-constant basis. They’ve been on hiatus for a good year or more, yet is there any other major label duo who is a clear choice for that nominee spot? True, the award shows should be about good music period, but the fact is they’re part of the corporate machine, and there is simply no other duo that springs to mind to fill that position.

However, the male categories are always crowded, and well-known yet still smaller acts like Lee Brice get somewhat forgotten among the rabble. Then there’s a personal favorite of mine, Eric Church, who is now beginning to be recognized, but still encounters the problem of often being nominated and rarely winning. Acts such as Darius Rucker who are hitting #1 on Country Radio get ignored entirely (to my knowledge Darius didn’t even go to this year’s ACMs).

Not the Right “Sound”?

As for women, Miranda Lambert seems to be on a roll of late winning awards, and clearing up at last year’s CMA Awards. But the Pistol Annies, the band she’s a member of, remain firmly in her shadow, and as far as I know they haven’t been nominated for a single major country award yet (correct me if I’m wrong!). In fact, I feel if it weren’t for Miranda, they wouldn’t be invited to every show, and they certainly wouldn’t have performed with Blake Shelton at the ACMs in April. Ashley Monroe too, also a member of the Pistol Annies, perhaps explained by her more traditional-orientated output, is hugely critically acclaimed and not awarded. But if we’re looking for less traditional sounds that are more likely to be nominated, where is Holly Williams on the list? The daughter of Hank Jr., her music incorporates folk and rock influences, yet the mainstream scene in general has never really accepted her.

Is It Ageism?

In addition, there are plenty of artists in their 40s who no longer have the awards clout they once did, but that can be put down to the ageism of the industry. Artists like Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Martina McBride and Sara Evans are among these.

But is it ageism? Scotty McCreery is putting out music that’s a cut down the middle between traditional and contemporary, and he is just 19 years old with boyish good looks to boot. Yet aside from a couple of New Artist awards around the release of his debut album, Scotty has been largely overlooked in the mainstream awards.

Record label issues can have an impact on whether an artist is welcomed by an awards show. In 1999 the CMA Awards committee was monopolized by people from major labels and Mike Curb resigned after they refused to let LeAnn Rimes perform. And this may be the reason for more genuine country releases like ‘Family’ (2007) and ‘Lady & Gentlemen’ (2011) being snubbed at all mainstream country award shows since the early few years of her career (although when considering her level of fame she has won comparatively little awards in any format at any time of her career).

Acts like Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Kenny Chesney have monopolized the award shows for years and likely will continue to do so for some time to come; that is until someone of equal appeal and measure takes over to win the same awards year after year.

Can We Hear Something Different?

I am all for artists not to my personal taste winning awards because I can appreciate hard work and talent when I see it. Still, while I will not make a comment on the potential industry ‘fixing’ that may or may not go on behind the scenes, it would be nice to see something a little different, a little pleasant surprise, for once.

Vickye is a guest contributor! Find her on her own site www.forthecountryrecord.com or Twitter, @FTcountryRecord!

The Band Perry Rocks “Done.” On American Idol Season Finale

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The Band Perry was a special musical guest on the season finale of American Idol last night. Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry performed their latest hit single “Done.,” and were joined by Top 5 Idol contestant Janelle Arthur.

“Done.” is the second released single from The Band Perry’s sophomore album PIONEER. Check out the performance below and pick up your copy of “Done.” by clicking HERE.

ACM Presents: Tim McGraw’s Superstar Summer Night To Air May 19 On CBS

Tune-in Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network to watch fifteen-time ACM Award winner and music superstar with more than 40 million in album sales, Tim McGraw spotlight the hottest music of the summer. McGraw called on some of his favorite performers and friends from country music and beyond to help kick off the 2013 touring season in ACM PRESENTS: TIM McGRAW’S SUPERSTAR SUMMER NIGHT.

The two-hour concert event features Tim McGraw performing songs from his latest album Two Lanes of Freedom, and some of today’s chart-topping artists including Jason Aldean (“1994”), Dierks Bentley (“Summer on Fire”), Luke Bryan (“Crash My Party”), Brantley Gilbert (“Country Must Be Country Wide”), Faith Hill (“Piece of My Heart”), Keith Urban (“Long Hot Summer”), Florida Georgia Line with Nelly (“Cruise (Remix)”), Lady Antebellum (“Goodbye Town”) and The Band Perry (“DONE.”). The special will also feature can’t-miss duets and collaborations with John Fogerty, Taylor Swift, Ne-Yo and Pitbull. This once in a lifetime television event is the perfect opportunity for fans to see McGraw on stage with some of today’s biggest music stars.

Ticket proceeds from the live event went to ACM Lifting Lives®, which works to improve lives through the power of music. For additional information about ACM Lifting Lives®, visit acmliftinglives.org.

Thunder On The Mountain Presents…Live Interview with Clayton Anderson

CMNB and Thunder On The Mountain Bring You a Live Google + Interview with Clayton Anderson!

The highly anticipated Thunder On The Mountain country music festival is quickly approaching (just a couple more weeks!), and this week we’re taking a few minutes to chat with another one of the amazing artists from the 3 day line-up! Coming up, we’ll be doing a Google + Hangout with Clayton Anderson on Thursday, May 16th at 3:00pm central to get his inside opinion on this brand new country fest, what’s coming up for him this year and more!

You can watch the interview live below, or come back and catch it later. Also be sure to check in on our Google + page and Facebook for updates and details. Then make sure you’re following us (@CMNBlog) and the great folks at Thunder On The Mountain (@THUNDERontheMTN) on Twitter to make sure you hear all the latest news!

Watch our previous hangouts with Colt Ford, J.T. Hodges and Rose Falcon on our YouTube playlist!

Thunder On The Mountain Presents…Clayton Anderson:

Thunder On The Mountain will take place June 6-8 on Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, AR. For ticket info, artist line-up, lodging and event details visit their official page!

Kellie Pickler Someone Somewhere Tonight: Story Behind the Song

Kellie Pickler Gives Insight Into Her Emotional Connection to New Song “Someone Somewhere Tonight.”

Most often, when I see Kellie Pickler, she is being low key, silly and a whole lot of fun. She is obviously a laid back kind of gal with a really great sense of humor. That being said, it’s interesting to see the flip side of that, and hear her being more serious and insightful. In a recent video posted on her YouTube channel, Pickler is filling in fans on her emotional connection to new song “Someone Somewhere Tonight,” and the story behind the lyrics. It hasn’t been released yet, but this will definitely make you excited to hear more. Check it out below!