It’s been a long road of recovery for country star Randy TravisĀ who suffered a stroke that nearly took his life while being treated for heart failure caused by a viral infection on July 10, 2013. Continue Reading →
Archive | February, 2017
BMI’s “Young Guns” Monthly Showcase
On the last Wednesday of every month, music fans can enjoy listening to young, up and coming songwriters at the Sulter presented by BMI called “Young Guns”.
The series, created by BMI’s own David Preston 9 months ago, is meant to shine a spotlight on new songwriters mostly in the country genre. It’s a mix of both full band and acoustic performances depending on the artist’s preference.
I had the opportunity to attend the January showcase and throughly enjoyed the show featuring Olivia Bey, Sela Bruce, Charlie’s River, and Paulina Jayne.
As an added plus, love the venue of the newly-reopened and historic the Sutler, which offers great sound in a very cool setting since 1977 when original owner Johnny Potts first opened its doors.
Be sure to check out this fun series featuring BMI’s newest songwriters who I am sure you’ll be hearing about in the years to come every last Wednesday at 8pm at the Sutler in Nashville. Sponsored by Pickers Vodka.
1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes & Friends Tribute To Randy Travis Sold Out Show Features Garth Brooks, Wynonna, Alabama, William Michael Morgan, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker And More
1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis was a star-studded event enjoyed by a sold-out crowd. The concert featured performances from over 40 artists including Tanya Tucker singing Travis favorite āI Told You So,ā The Bellamy Brothers singing āDigginā Up Bonesā and a special rendition of āForever and Ever, Amenā from Garth Brooks. Continue Reading →
The Stars Came Out To Honor Randy Travis
On February 8th, the stars were out in Nashville to pay tribute to country star Randy Travis in downtown Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena.
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Garth Brooks, Chris Young, Charles Esten, William Michael Morgan, Josh Turner, Chris Janson, Scotty McCreery, Tanya Tucker, Montgomery Gentry, Kenny Rogers, Alabama, Wynonna Judd, and many others were on hand to pay tribute to this Continue Reading →
CHARLES ESTEN ADDED TO LINEUP FOR 1 NIGHT. 1 PLACE. 1 TIME: A HEROES & FRIENDS TRIBUTE TO RANDY TRAVIS
CMTās āNashvilleā star, Charles Esten has been announced to join the cast of over 40 artists for the historic night paying homage to Country Music Hall of Famer Randy Travis. Grand Ole Opry members Jeannie Seely, Riders in the Sky, John Conlee, Dailey & Vincent, Jan Howard and Rudy Gatlin will come together for a tribute of their own as fellow Grand Ole Opry members. The event is tonight at 7 p.m. at Bridgestone Arena and tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.
The event, titled 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis, will also feature performances from over 40 artists including Garth Brooks, Alabama, Rodney Atkins, Kane Brown, Mark Chesnutt, James Dupre, Jeff Foxworthy, Montgomery Gentry, Ben Haggard, Chris Janson, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Neal McCoy, Scotty McCreery, William Michael Morgan, Joe Nichols, Paul Overstreet, Shane Owens, Michael Ray, Collin Raye, Ricky Skaggs, Kenny Rogers, Daryle Singletary, Michael W. Smith, The Bellamy Brothers, The Randy Travis Band, Ricky Traywick, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Josh Turner, Phil Vassar, Chuck Wicks, Wynonna, Chris Young.
āThe reason we named this 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time is because it truly is that. The evening will not be filmed or aired on television or anywhere else. If you want to experience this amazing lineup, youāve got to be in the audience tonight,ā said producer Tony Conway of Conway Entertainment Group/Ontourage Management.
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Randy Travis Foundation; a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides support for victims of strokes and cardiovascular diseases as well as arts and entertainment education for at-risk children. For more information, visit www.randytravisfoundation.org.
In October, Randy Travis was officially inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame. The multi-platinum country giant suffered a massive stroke in 2013 and has since made miraculous strides towards recovery. He recently sang āAmazing Graceā at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony as well as the tagline to his iconic āForever and Ever, Amenā at the 2016 CMA Awards in November alongside numerous country legends and stars.
1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis is produced by Mary Travis along with Tony Conway of Conway Entertainment Group/Ontourage Management, Mike Smardak of Outback Concerts of Tennessee, Inc. who is also the promoter of the event and Kirt Webster of Webster and Associates.
About Randy Travis
With lifetime sales in excess of 25 million, Randy Travis is one of the biggest country record sellers of all time and the most recent inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame class of 2016. His honors include seven Grammy Awards, 10 Academy of Country Music statuettes, 10 American Music Awards, two Peopleās Choice awards, seven Music City News awards, eight Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association and five Country Music Association honors. In addition, three of his performances earned CMA Song of the Year honors, āOn the Other Handā (1986), āForever and Ever Amenā (1987) and āThree Wooden Crossesā (2003). To date, he has 18 No. 1 singles, 29 top-10 smashes and more than 40 appearances in feature films and television shows to his credit. Ten of his albums are Gold Records. Eight are Platinum. Two have gone Double Platinum. One is Triple Platinum and another is Quintuple Platinum. In 2004, Randy was honored with his own star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is honored on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville, TN. He has been a member of the cast of the Grand Ole Opry since 1986. Since his near fatal stroke in 2013, with the help of his wife Mary and vigorous physical therapy, Randy continues to make improvements in his speaking, walking, and yes, singing.
About Charles Esten
Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Charles “Chip” Esten grew up in Alexandria, VA. After starting his acting career in Los Angeles, he was pleased to make his theatrical debut in London, portraying Buddy Holly in the hit West End musical “Buddy.” In that role, he was honored to perform for H.R.M Queen Elizabeth and then, for President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush at The White House. Since then, he has appeared in films and on television, most notably on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and “The Office.”
In 2014, 2015 and 2016 he joined his cast-mates in headlining the āNashville in Concertā tour with sold out shows across the US and this summer, the UK and Ireland. He is proud to serve as the National Light the Night Walk Honorary Chair for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Hereās where you can follow Charles Esten on Social Media:
Twitter @CharlesEsten
Facebook Charles Esten
Instagram charles_esten
About Jeannie Seely
āMiss Country Soulā Jeannie Seely is a GRAMMYĀ® award-winning artist who has been recording and performing for more than six decades. A Pennsylvania native, Seely moved to LA where she met many songwriters including Dottie West who ultimately encouraged her to move to Nashville. Within a month, Porter Wagoner hired her as the female singer for his road and television series. On September 16, 1967, Seelyās biggest dream came true when she became the first Pennsylvania native to become a member of the world famous Grand Ole Opry. Seely subsequently became the first female to regularly host segments of the weekly Opry shows. Sheās also credited for changing the image of female country performers by being the first to wear a mini-skirt on the Opry stage. On March 2, 1967, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences honored Jeannie with the 1966 GRAMMYĀ® Award for the “Best Country Vocal Performance by a Female.” A BMI-awarded songwriter, Seelyās songs have been recorded by Country Music Hall of Fame members Faron Young, Merle Haggard, Connie Smith, Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Ernest Tubb and Little Jimmy Dickens, as well as by many other artists including Doyle Lawson, Lorrie Morgan and Irma Thomas. Along with placing records on the Billboard country singles chart for 13 consecutive years, Seely also served as a radio disc jockey on her own Armed Forces Network Show.
About John Conlee
Kentucky native and Grand Ole Opry member, John Conlee, has one of country musicās most recognizable voices. Self-penned and signature hit āRose Colored Glasses,ā was the first of over 30 hit singles, most of which charted in the Top 10 or better. Some of the songs from the John Conlee hit list include āBack Side of Thirty, ā āLady Lay Down,ā āFridayNight Blues,ā āCommon Man,ā āIām Only In It For The Loveā and āDomestic Life.ā All of Conleeās hits have that unmistakable common thread ā that unique voice. In 2015, Conlee hasnāt slowed down and continues to cut songs with substance with the release of Classics 2 that includes a tribute to law enforcement titled āWalkinā Behind the Star.ā
About Dailey & Vincent
Five-time Grammy award winners individually, three-time Grammy award nominees collectively, four-time DOVE Award winners, and winners of 35 IBMA Awards altogether (including 3-time IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award winners and 3-Time Vocal Group of the Year Award winners), Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, backed by one of the best bands on tour today, are some of the most reputable and elite entertainers in American music; bluegrass, traditional country and gospel music. The concoction of the fantastically instinctive vocal blends of Daileyās tenor and Vincentās reedy harmonies, has gained them well-deserved praise for their own distinctive style and worldwide recognition as American Music gold. Dailey & Vincent has garnered world-wide attention with their first national, top-rated television series, āThe Dailey & Vincent Show,ā on RFD TV and over 500 airings of their PBS special āDailey & Vincent ALIVE – In Concert.ā Their most recent CD, Dailey & Vincent ALIVE, debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts and remained at the top position for over 15 weeks. For more information, visit DaileyandVincent.com.
About Storme Warren
Storme Warren is celebrating his 32nd year in Broadcasting in 2016. You can hear him daily on SiriusXM Satellite Radio on “The Highway” as it’s morning show host. A twenty-three year veteran of the Nashville music industry, Storme is also known as the “Dick Clark” of Country Music and can be found hosting numerous high profile events in Music City and around the globe including Nashville’s annual “Let Freedom Sing” Independence Day party and “The Bash on Broadway” New Years Eve celebrations. Music festivals all over North America, the Caribbean and Australia also recruit his talents as a live event emcee. Behind the scenes Storme runs Stone Beaver Productions, a full-service video production company. His Television credits as Host and contributing talent include TNN, CNN, GAC & CMC. As a producer, Warren has created numerous live and recorded Television concert events, DVDs and specials. As a proud member of the Nashville Community, Storme serves on the board of directors for the T.J. Martell Foundation for Cancer research. He is also a proud Eagle Scout and family man. He and his wife Allison have two teenage boys and live in Franklin, Tennessee.
Lady Antebellum Is Back! Brand New Single, Tour, And New Album On The Way
In case you missed it, Lady Antebellum is back with a brand new single just released to country radio called “You Look Good”, a new album on the way, and a tour planned.
A photo posted by FOCUS on the 615 (@focus_on_the_615) on
I was lucky enough to be one of the few who got to see them perform together live for the first time in public in over a year for a secret show that they streamed live on Facebook at OZ in Nashville. It was a fantastic show that I wanted to basically go on forever! Check out the video clip below from the performance.
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The new song “You Look Good” is an midtempo country song with just a touch of 70’s funk to it complete with a horn section. Just a very cool vibe, and it feels like they are having fun again after a break they took to work on some solo projects. The new album is slated to release later this year.
They also announced a new worldwide tour this year that will include Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young. Catch them on the road, it’s going to be a good one.
To buy their newest single, you can find it here: http://umgn.us/LadyApurchase
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WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN’S DEBUT #1 CELEBRATED IN NASHVILLE
A capacity crowd of friends, family, and Music Row insiders packed Nashville venue South on Monday, January 30th to celebrate the team behind Warner Music Nashville recording artist William Michael Morgan‘s debut #1 single, “I Met A Girl,” co-written by hit songwriters Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Trevor Rosen. The tune marked the 7th chart-topper for MCA songwriter/recording artist Hunt, the 25th for prolific writer/producer McAnally, and the 6th for Rosen, who is a songwriter/artist member of the band Old Dominion. “I Met A Girl” publishers Old Gringo Music, Rehits Music, SmackSongs and Universal Music, as well as producers Scott Hendricks and Jimmy Ritchey, were also on hand to congratulate the group. ASCAP Senior Creative Director Mike Sistad and Creative Manager Beth Brinker hosted the party, sponsored by First Tennessee Bank.
CASEY DONAHEW STOPS BY KFRG
Almost Country Records’ artist, Casey Donahew, had the opportunity to stop by KFRG to talk about his new single “Kiss Me” during his recent West Coast run. California was a welcome site for Donahew and his band, who have been battling ice and snow on the road to make it to their recent shows. Ā
BLUE CHAIR BAYĀ® RUM OFFERS CONSUMERS THE āKEY TO THE KEYSā
As many snowbirds across the country are dreaming of days filled with sand and sun, Blue Chair BayĀ® Rum is offering the perfect antidote to any wintertime blues with its āKey to the Keys Sweepstakes,ā a nationwide sweepstakes that will launch in conjunction with the brandās newest premium flavor Key Lime Rum Cream. Sweepstakes entrants will have the chance to win one of several prizes, with the Grand Prize winners scoring a trip to be at a private show with eight-time Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney in Key West, Fla.
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āKey Lime Rum Cream was almost inevitable,ā says the man deemed āThe Peopleās Superstarā by The Los Angeles Times. āOne of those classic island tastes, it was only a matter of time until we captured the flavor of one of my favoriteĀ desserts.Ā And now that we do, well, the cocktails we can make…ā
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With a bright citrus aroma and flavor notes of tart key lime balanced with a creamy meringue sweetness and hints of cinnamon, almond and amaretto, Key Lime Rum Cream is the perfect ingredient for beach-ready cocktails like a Key Lime Colada or a Key Lime Martini. Blue Chair Bay Rum, which was founded in 2013, reflects Chesneyās commitment to excellence and has established a taste standard that has evolved to contain some of the beverage industryās most intriguing flavors.
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To enter the Key to the Keys Sweepstakes, consumers must either find a ākeyā symbol under the tamper tape of 500 select Key Lime Rum Cream bottles or download an image with further instructions at https://keysweeps.bluechairbayrum.com. Ā The sweepstakes will open for entries on Wednesday, Feb. 1 and close on Wednesday, May 31, 2017.
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Prizes being offered are as outlined below:
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Grand Prize ā One winner and his/her guest will win airfare to Key West, Fla. and lodging in Key West, with a $500 stipend for activities. They will be invited to a private show by Kenny Chesney.
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Second Prize ā Five entrants will win a Blue Chair Bay Key Lime Rum Cream-themed guitar with Kenny Chesneyās autograph.
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Third Prize ā 10 entrants will win a Blue Chair Bay swag pack.
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About Blue Chair BayĀ® Rum
Blue Chair BayĀ® Rum, which had one of the industryās most successful launches in the history of wine and spirits, is a collection of premium-blended rums created on the shores of the Caribbean and inspired by multi-platinum songwriter and entertainerĀ Kenny Chesney’s love of the islands. Blue Chair Bay Rum is made with exceptional care using natural ingredients. Blue Chair Bay Rum is available in 50ml, 750ml 1L and 1.75L bottles. Blue Chair Bay White Rum 40% ABV; Blue Chair Bay Coconut, Coconut Spiced, Banana and Vanilla Rum, 26.5% ABV. Blue Chair Bay Key Lime Rum Cream, Banana Rum Cream and Coconut Spiced Rum Cream 15% ABV. Please enjoy Blue Chair Bay Rum responsibly. Bottled by Fishbowl Spirits, Rochester, NY. Fishbowl Spirits, LLC, Nashville, TN. Rum Specialty, 15% alc/vol. www.bluechairbayrum.com.
Ā Continue Reading →
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