FOCUS on the 615
Nashville's premier entertainment blog including album, song and show reviews and exclusive artist interviews.
Mercury Nashville’s Kacey Musgraves is set to perform on ABC’s Good Morning America (June 23) and The View (June 24) in celebration of her highly anticipated sophomore album, Pageant Material. Available at retailers worldwide tomorrow, Kacey co-wrote all of the tracks on Pageant Material as well as co-produced with Shane McAnally and Luke Laird.
Photo credit: Jeremy Ryan
Black River Entertainment recording artist Kelsea Ballerini’s smash debut single “Love Me Like You Mean It” tops both the Mediabase and Billboard Country Airplay Charts for the first time this week. The proven hit co-written by Ballerini earns her a spot alongside only 10 of country music’s leading women including Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood and Carrie Underwood who have achieved a #1 with their debut country single.
Photo credit: Steve Lowry
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP), owner of Ryman Auditorium, Nashville’s iconic National Historic Landmark and world-renowned performance venue, today will unveil its $14 million Ryman Auditorium expansion and daytime tour attraction, which begins with a state-of-the-art theater experience titled “Soul of Nashville.” Visitors will be immersed in the Ryman’s fascinating history as the room brings to life more than a century of legendary performances and a new collaboration featuring Darius Rucker, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill. Once “Soul of Nashville” has provided an introduction to the Ryman story, visitors will enjoy five new exhibits: “Workin’ on a Building,” “Showplace of the South,” “Mother Church of Country Music,” “Ryman Stage to Screen” and “Ryman Renaissance.” Guests will see genuine artifacts and enjoy videos with hosts Charles Esten, Marty Stuart, Nicole Kidman, Ricky Skaggs, Robin Roberts and Trisha Yearwood taking them through each chapter of the Ryman’s illustrious history. Continue Reading →
PLA Media is pleased to partner with the Omni Nashville Hotel’s retail store Five and TENN to showcase some of country music’s rising talent. Come see the CMA Fest artists a day before the exhibit hall opens at the Music City Center.
Photo credit: David McClister
Alabama native and Dot Records recording artist Drake White will join platinum-selling music group Little Big Town as direct support on their tour dates this fall. Hearing White play is reminiscent of being in a southern revival tent with a mix of electric and acoustic guitar, bass & drums laying a thick groove, mandolin and fiddle swirling through the air and organ hovering above it all like the high harmony of a gospel choir. He is turning heads with his foot-stomping, soul-infused new single “It Feels Good” as Rolling Stone recently declared, “…he is a growling, stomping spitfire, blasting his songs with bluesy energy that’s as infectious as his catchy choruses.”
Cingle Records debuted in Nashville earlier this year, and the label this week released its first music to the consumer with singer/songwriter Rainey Qualley’s Turn Down The Lights EP. The Asheville, NC native co-wrote all seven songs on the collection, which was produced by Russ Zavitson and John Ramey. Her debut single, “Me And Johnny Cash,” was just shipped to country radio.
MULTI-PLATINUM artist Kip Moore announced plans for his “Comeback Kid Skatepark Project,” a charitable initiative that will oversee the construction of a series of skateparks to benefit communities and “comeback kids.” At a press conference today, Moore along with Mayor Karl Dean and Salemtown Board Co, revealed the phase one cities of the project including Nashville, TN; Boston, MA; San Marcos, TX; and Annapolis, MD. The inspiration for the name of the project comes from “Comeback Kid,” a personal anthem from Moore’s upcoming album WILD ONES.
Darius Rucker has put together an exciting lineup of some of today’s best country music performers for his sixth annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert June 8 at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville.
The Music City Christian Fellowship (MCCF) has announced that the 35th Annual Sunday Mornin’ Country® Celebration will be held in Nashville, Tennessee at the Grand Ole Opry® House on Sunday June 14, 2015, starting at 2:30 PM. Tickets for Sunday Mornin’ Country® are available through the Opry Box Office (1-800-733-6779) and Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com/event/1B004E8AB8FD6DF3). Discount ticket rates are available for groups of 10 or more. Please call box office for group sales.
Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) announced today that Verizon IndyCar Series Champion and Indianapolis 500 Winner Tony Kanaan will drive the No. 10 Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records car at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. The car will promote Seven-time GRAMMY winner TAYLOR SWIFT and Big Machine Records recording artist Taylor Swift’s THE 1989 WORLD TOUR that kicked off in Japan in early May, and will come to a close in Australia this December.
