FOCUS on the 615
Nashville's premier entertainment blog including album, song and show reviews and exclusive artist interviews.
In a business of dreams, Rainey Qualley has had several come true in recent months. She signed her first record deal, heard her first single on the radio for the first time and signed with a major booking agency among them. This week, she had two more come true on the same night – or nights, actually. She opened for one of her heroes, Willie Nelson, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the famed Ryman Auditorium.
CMA Music Festival will be the hottest concert destination of the summer with today’s announcement that Country Music superstars Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan,Eric Church, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Neal McCoy, Oak Ridge Boys, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts,Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker, Cole Swindell,The Band Perry, Keith Urban, Wynonna & The Big Noise, and Zac Brown Band will each take the stage during the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. The 2015 CMA Music Festival takes place Thursday, June 11-Sunday, June 14 in downtown Nashville.
TV personality Melissa Rycroft speaks onstage during “Stars For Wishes” 2015 on January 17, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Make A Wish)
Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee raised some $250,000 at its star-studded, third annual “Stars For Wishes” event at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville on January 17th. Hosted by TV personality Melissa Rycroft, the evening was filled with heartfelt performances by Gary Allan, “Stars For Wishes” founder Jonathan Cain (Journey), Scotty McCreery and Street Corner Symphony.
Photo Credit: Meghan Sinclair/Team Coco
Platinum-selling country star and Streamsound recording artist Kristian Bush made his debut appearance on TBS’ CONAN with a lively, groove-filled performance of his Top 20-and-climbing hit single “Trailer Hitch” last night (2/18). Watch here:http://teamcoco.com/video/kristian-bush-02-18-15?playlist=featured-videos.
Chris Young’s 14th Annual Fan Club Party has been set for Wednesday, June 10th at 9:30am from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. Tickets for the exclusive event are open to current and new fan club members only and include a live performance by Young, followed by a meet & greet with photo opportunity and a guided Opry backstage tour. Tickets are only $50 (plus service fees) and will go on sale Monday, February 23 at ChrisYoungCountry.com. Click HERE to join Chris Young’s fan club and buy tickets to this year’s party!
The Academy of Country Music and Kohl’s Department Stores announced today that Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett and Cole Swindell have been named nominees for this year’s ACM New Artist of the Year Award Presented By Kohl’s. The winner will be announced during the LIVE broadcast of the50th Academy of Country Music Awards, co-hosted by Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM – 11:30PM ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.
It’s not just baseball players shaking off the off-season. As the sport’s biggest stars head to the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues to gear up for the Major and American League Baseball season, country music’s biggest star is bringing his band together for their first musical rehearsals in over two years.
The Academy of Country Music announced today that additional ticket packages will go on saleon Friday, February 20th at 10:00 AM CT for the previously sold out 50th Academy of Country Music Awards on April 19, 2015 at AT&T Stadium, and ACM Party for a Cause®: 50 Years of Music & Memories onApril 17-18, 2015 at Globe Life Park, in Arlington, Texas. The ticket packages, available Friday at Ticketmaster.com ranging from $145-$585, were made available through creative stage design to accommodate more fans for the historical 50th anniversary celebration. There are also a limited number of VIP packages available, for more information please call 817-892-4400.
The Academy of Country Music’s philanthropic arm, ACM Lifting Lives®, announced today that country music luminaries Garth Brooksand Trisha Yearwood will host its first-ever fundraising gala on April 17, 2015, just two days before the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards. The “One Night, Two Cities, All Music” gala presented by Mattress Firm will consist of two shows taking place simultaneously at the Omni Dallas Hotel and the Fort Worth Zoo. The Omni Dallas Hotel gala will feature headliner and ACM Awards nominees Lady Antebellum, and a special performance by Hunter Hayes. Fort Worth Zoo will feature ACM Awards nominees including headliner Keith Urban, and a special performance by Little Big Town. Nancy O’Dell, Emmy®-award winning journalist and co-host of Entertainment Tonight, will join Brooks and Yearwood to co-host the Fort Worth gala.
The “#1 Must Visit Museum for Music Lovers” by Conde Nast’s Traveler, The Johnny Cash Museum teams with Nashville’s oldest and most-honored coffee company Bongo Java to perk up downtown Nashville with the addition of a coffee shop to the museum. Located within The Johnny Cash Museum at 119 Third Avenue South, Bongo Java opening in late February will offer a variety of Bongo Java’s most sought after brews alongside a selection of pastries and gourmet cafe fare.
