Archive | In The Press RSS feed for this section

Bring On The Drawn Butter! Key West Lobsterfest Set For Aug. 10-13

Lobster lovers are invited to sample the savory Florida crustacean during Key West Lobsterfest, scheduled Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 10-13. The festival celebrates the start of the Florida Keys lobster season with a tasty “menu” of events highlighted by an open-air lobster feast on the island’s famed Duval Street.

The flavorful festivities kick off at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, when lobster aficionados can gather at the Sunset Tiki Bar & Grille, 617 Front St., for a lobster boil that also includes shrimp, andouille sausage, crawfish, corn on the cob and new potatoes. Live entertainment and libation specials are to round out the evening’s action.

Known as spiny lobsters, the clawless crustaceans found in Keys waters offer sweet and tender meat. Lobster often is served steamed with drawn butter, baked and stuffed, in creamy bisque or cold in savory salads.

Fans can sample lobster dishes of all sorts at the Key West Lobsterfest Street Fair, set for noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, in the 100 through 500 blocks of Duval. During this enticing festival “entrée,” chefs from local restaurants are to prepare lobster specialties ranging from tempting appetizers to traditional dinners with all the trimmings.

A free outdoor concert is slated for 1-10:30 p.m. with entertainers including Alphonse, Cool Breeze and the Durtbags performing from a stage at the intersection of Duval and Greene streets. Attendees also can browse and buy art, crafts and merchandise from onsite vendors.

Other Lobsterfest events include Friday afternoon’s “Reef & Ritas” catamaran sail and snorkel trip, a Friday night Duval Crawl of downtown Key West watering holes and a mouthwatering lobster brunch Sunday, Aug. 13, at the Smokin’ Tuna Saloon, 4 Charles St.

Event information and ticketing: keywestlobsterfest.com
Key West visitor information: fla-keys.com/keywest or 1-800-LAST-KEY
Social: Facebook · Twitter · Instagram · YouTube · Keys Voices blog

Comments { 0 }

Dierks Bentley Celebrated His 16th #1, “Black”, In Nashville

Pictured (l-r): Ross Copperman, Dierks Bentley, Ashley Gorley

Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Dierks Bentley celebrated his 16th career #1 as an artist and 13th #1 as a songwriter behind “Black” with industry friends and media alike, as they were treated to a chic party by performing rights organizations ASCAP and BMI hosted yesterday (6/22) at Nashville’s new restaurant Hemingway’s Bar & Hideaway. Serving as the third consecutive chart topper off Bentley’s critically acclaimed album BLACK (Capitol Records Nashville), the Gold-certified single and most personal song to date for Bentley was co-written alongside ASCAP songwriter Ashley Gorley, who celebrated his 33rd #1 song, and BMI songwriter Ross Copperman, who celebrated his 16th, and was produced by Copperman along with Arturo Buenahora. Both Copperman and Gorley were named Country Music Songwriter of the Year by their respective PROs in 2016. 

 
​”Black” hit the top of the charts exactly one year after the release of Bentley’s “most fully-formed LP of his career” (TIME), and further illustrates Bentley’s depth and diversity as an artist as the smash hit follows the chart-topping Platinum-certified and award winning hits “Somewhere On A Beach” and “Different For Girls.” ​BLACK serves as one of only two Country albums released since last May that has been certified Gold while simultaneously spawning three certified songs by the RIAA. All three chart toppers released from the multi-nominated Album of the Year record have have seen more than 389 million digital streams.
 
Also on hand to celebrate the ​song were label UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe and publishers Combustion Music’s Kenley Flynn, Kobalt’s Jesse Willoughby, Rezolant’s Tim Wipperman, Sony/ATV’s Josh Van Valkenburg and Warner/Chappell’s BJ Hill
About Dierks Bentley
The “king of the breakup song” (Noisey), continues to balance “robust record sales and heavy radio play with acclaim from even those critics who had seemed allergic to Nashville’s output in the past” (Esquire) as all three singles released from his eighth studio album BLACK (Capitol Records Nashville) have now received certifications from the RIAA. “The bluegrass picker, the love song singer and the stadium rocker all packaged together” (Associated Press) has been a Grand Ole Opry member for over a decade and has amassed 16 No. One songs, 13 GRAMMY nominations and countless nominations from CMA, ACM, People Choice and Billboard Music Awards. More than half a million fans have already flooded sold-out arenas and amphitheaters in 2017 across North America to witness the “wildly entertaining affair” (Tampa Bay Times) that is Bentley’s 2017 WHAT THE HELL WORLD TOUR. Special guests Cole Swindell and Jon Pardi round out the full-throttle summer party as Bentley continues “forging ahead into new terrain,” (Hartford Courant). For more information and a full list of tour dates, visit www.dierks.com.
About ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a professional membership organization of songwriters, composers and music publishers of every kind of music. ASCAP’s mission is to license and promote the music of its members and foreign affiliates, obtain fair compensation for the public performance of their works and to distribute the royalties that it collects based upon those performances. ASCAP members write the world’s best-loved music and ASCAP has pioneered the efficient licensing of that music to hundreds of thousands of enterprises who use it to add value to their business – from bars, restaurants and retail, to radio, TV and cable, to Internet, mobile services and more. The ASCAP license offers an efficient solution for businesses to legally perform ASCAP music while respecting the right of songwriters and composers to be paid fairly. With over 600,000 members representing more than 10 million copyrighted works, ASCAP is the worldwide leader in performance royalties, service and advocacy for songwriters and composers, and the only American performing rights organization (PRO) owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. Learn more and stay in touch at www.ascap.com, on Twitter @ASCAP and on Facebook.​
Comments { 0 }

Garth Brooks To Headline First-Ever Concert In Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Photo credit: Michael Benford

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is bringing Garth Brooks to Atlanta on Thursday, October 12, 2017, for a special concert that will also feature Trisha Yearwood.  The show will be the inaugural concert at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, giving fans the first chance to experience the world-class stadium in a full-stage entertainment format.

 

“Two of Arthur Blank’s goals for Mercedes-Benz Stadium were to create premiere home venues for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC, and to attract the best in sports and entertainment to Atlanta,” says Steve Cannon, chief executive officer of AMB Group. “We’ve succeeded in securing the premiere sporting events in America and now have the top-selling solo artist of the 20th century, Garth Brooks, coming to Atlanta to showcase the stadium as an elite music venue. We could not be more pleased to have Garth set this milestone in the stadium.”

 

Tickets will go on sale Friday, June 30, at 10 a.m. eastern time and may be purchased by visiting www.Ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks or by calling 800-745-3000. To learn more about the show, visit Mercedesbenzstadium.com.

 

“Mercedes-Benz Stadium is focused on delivering an unmatched guest experience to everyone who enters the building,” said Tim Zulawski, SVP and chief commercial officer, AMB Sports and Entertainment.  “It was important for us to not only find an artist who could deliver the biggest show in the world, but also has the same fan-focused ideals.  We know the best artist who can deliver and that is Garth Brooks.”

 

“I’m thrilled to be back in Atlanta and honored to play the first concert in Mercedes-Benz Stadium,” says Brooks. “I’ve visited the stadium twice in the last month and all I can say is – the fans are going to love it; it’s truly one-of-a-kind.  We’re going to create a special experience the fans will never forget and I can’t wait to light that place up this fall!”

 

To see the announcement made by Garth Brooks via Facebook Live, click here

 

About Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks recently won Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards for a fifth time, a first for any artist. He is also the first artist in history to receive 7 Diamond awards for the now seven albums certified by the RIAA at over 10 million album sales each and remains the #1-selling solo artist in U.S. history certified by the RIAA with over 149 million album sales. He has received every accolade the recording industry can bestow on an artist. Garth has been inducted into the International Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame and most recently, the Musicians Hall of Fame.

 

Garth is currently on the three-year Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood. The tour began with 11 sold out shows at the Allstate Arena in Chicago. The tour is smashing records previously held by such acts as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and even Garth Brooks.  In two and a half years the tour has sold

over 5.5 MILLION tickets, making it the biggest tour in the world.

 

Garth has also launched Inside Studio G, a weekly Facebook Live series. It airs every Monday on Garth’s

Facebook page at 7:00 PM EST.

You can follow him at:
https://www.facebook.com/GarthBrooks
https://twitter.com/garthbrooks
http://instagram.com/garthbrooks
For more information please visit www.garthbrooks.com

 

About Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Upon its completion in 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be a world-class sports and entertainment facility in downtown Atlanta and home to the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. The multi-purpose stadium will host major sports and entertainment events, including the Super Bowl in 2019, the NCAA Men’s Final Four in 2020 and the 2018 College Football Playoff Championship game. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is proud to be collaborating with twelve founding partners including AT&T, Coca-Cola, Equifax, The Home Depot, NCR, Novelis, SCANA Energy, SunTrust, IBM, Georgia Power and American Family Insurance.

 

If interested in booking in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, contact Tim Zulawski, SVP and chief commercial officer, AMB Sports and Entertainment – Office: 770.965.2771, Cell: 404.617.7591, tzulawski@ambse.com

 

Comments { 0 }

Michael Ray And Writers Celebrate “Think A Little Less”

Pictured: (L-R): BMIsongwriter Thomas Rhett, BMI artist Michael Ray, ASCAP writer Jimmy Robbins,BMI writer Barry Dean. (not pictured: ASCAP writer Jon Nite.) (Photo by Steve Lowry.)

The Sutler Saloon saw a crowd of friends, family, and industry executives converge on June 13 in celebration of “Think A Little Less,” which recently soared to number one on the country charts. Written by BMI writers Thomas Rhett and Barry Dean with ASCAP writers Jimmy Robbins and Jon Nite, the song is the second number one for Warner Music Nashville artist Michael Ray. Fresh off the heels of his moving performance at CMA Fest with Randy Travis, Ray has a new music coming soon and a summer full of tour dates across the country. Congratulations to the country music stars!

Comments { 0 }

City Of Hope Sets Record Breaking Attendance At 27th Annual Celebrity Softball Game

NASHVILLE, TN-June 10th-A group photo of both teams at the 27th Annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game at First Tennessee Park on June 10, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for City Of Hope)

City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game presented by Staples® reached its highest ever attendance at the 27th Annual event during CMA Music Festival at First Tennessee Park. Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe surprised fans by throwing the first pitch. In a friendly competition for a great cause, Team iHeart won the game, 9-6.

Reba McEntire kicked off the event by singing the National Anthem, followed by a performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” by Sara Evans. Team Captain for iHeart Media, Bobby Bones and Team Captain for Sirius XM/Grand Ole Opry, Bill Cody led with the traditional coin toss.

Artists in attendance were Billy Ray Cyrus, Craig Morgan, Kellie Pickler, Jessie James Decker and her husband and NFL player, Eric Decker, Lauren Alaina, Todd Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley and Grayson Chrisley of USA’s “Chrisley Knows Best,” Lunchbox, Eddie, and Ray of the Bobby Bones Show, Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott of HGTV’s “The Property Brothers,” The Swon Brothers, Danielle Bradbery, Aaron Watson, Jackie Lee, Trent Harmon, Maggie Rose, Miss Tennessee, Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, and Kaitlyn Bristowe andShawn Booth of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.”

Legendary artists Lee Greenwood, Jeannie Seely and Tim Rushlow joined by iHeart Media radio personality, Gator Harrison called the play by play. A new tradition and fan favorite!

City of Hope patient and leukemia survivor, Nicole Schulz met, for the first time, her life-saving donor, Rian Lawrence at the mound.

For more information, visit cityofhope.org/softball or follow City of Hope on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT CITY OF HOPE:
City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as one of only 47 comprehensive cancer centers, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the world. City of Hope is located in Duarte, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, with community clinics throughout southern California. It is ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit cityofhope.org.

Comments { 0 }

Star-Studded “CMT Crossroads With GRAMMY® Award-Winning Group Earth, Wind & Fire And Friends Premieres Friday, June 23 At 10pm ET/PT

GRAMMY® Award winning band Earth, Wind & Fire teams up with some of country’s biggest stars when “CMT Crossroads: Earth, Wind & Fire And Friends” premieres Friday, June 23 at 10 PM ET/PT. Joined by friends including Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts,Martina McBride, Dan + Shay, Sara Evans andDrake White, the unforgettable night of electric collaborations took place on the first-ever outdoor “CMT Crossroads” stage from downtown Nashville.

Showcasing Earth, Wind & Fire’s successful catalogue of timeless hits, the musical event drew a packed crowd to downtown Nashville where the iconic funk band proved the ability of their music to transcend any era or genre. Earth, Wind & Fire performed eight of their top singles including classics “Shining Star,” “After The Love Has Gone” and “September.”

To watch Earth, Wind & Fire’s performance of “September” with Lady Antebellum, visit CMT.com. For downloadable photos from the entire show, visit CMTpress.com.

“CMT Crossroads” is produced by Tom Forrest with John Hamlin and Margaret Comeaux executive producing for CMT.

Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most innovative and influential contemporary music forces of the 20th century. With a signature sound beyond category and a groove as deep as the soul of the planet the band has impacted the history of music and pop culture for over four decades. EWF has sold over 90 million recordings earning them a solid spot as one of the all-time bestselling music artists. Rolling Stone and VH1 ranked Earth, Wind & Fire on their lists of the Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll. Originating from Chicago in 1969, EWF’s career achievements include a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2000), a total of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. EWF classic songs have remained staples for last few generations including the hits, “September,” “Shining Star,” “That’s the Way of The World” and “Boogie Wonderland.” Earth, Wind & Fire’s music continues to influence music with artists ranging from Drake, Kayne West, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and more. Founded by music genius Maurice White; EWF’s co-founders Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson continue to tour and perform to sold-out audiences around the world.

CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment. CMT, CMT.com and CMTRadio offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and are the top resource for country music on demand. The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music, CMT App, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

Comments { 0 }

Josh Turner And Writers Celebrate “Hometown Girl”

Pictured: (L-R): ASCAP songwriter Marc Beeson, BMI artist Josh Turner and BMI songwriter Daniel Tashian.

On Tuesday, June 19, friends, family and industry executives united in celebration of Josh Turner’s number one hit “Hometown Girl” at South. Written by BMI songwriter Daniel Tashian and ASCAP songwriter Marc Beeson, the song marks the fifth career number one for Josh Turner, the third for Beeson and the first for Tashian. The track is the second single off Turner’s new Album Deep South, which debuted at number one on the Hot Country Album charts in March. Congratulations to all and much luck to Turner as he spends the summer touring!

Comments { 0 }

Shania Twain: Rock This Country Opens June 30 Through July 2018 At Country Music Hall Of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will examine the life and career of five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain in its newest exhibit, Shania Twain: Rock This Country, opening June 30.

The exhibit will follow the evolution of Twain’s career from her early days performing in Canadian bars to her recent appearance at the Stagecoach Festival in California. Twain has sold more albums than any other female country artist in history.  Successful titles include her platinum-selling debut, Shania Twain; her Grammy-winning, double diamond-selling (RIAA certification for 20 million units) The Woman in Me; the top-selling album in history by a female country artist, Come on Over, and Twain’s third consecutive diamond-selling album release, UP! Twain is set to release NOW, her fifth full-length album on Mercury Nashville and her first album since 2002, on September 29. The album’s lead single, “Life’s About to Get Good”, premiered yesterday on country radio platforms around the globe.

“Shania Twain’s impact on country music is undeniable,” said museum CEO Kyle Young. “Her message of female empowerment and dynamic pop sound electrified country music. Her continued influence is evidenced by artists like Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Kelsea Ballerini. We are pleased to feature Ms. Twain in this career-spanning exhibit.”

Shania Twain: Rock This Country exhibition highlights include:
  • Hooded leather coat with fur trim and fringe, and fur-trimmed boots with Native American beadwork, worn onthe cover of her self-titled 1993 debut album
  • Complete ensemble, including top hat, from 1999 music video for “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”
  • Marc Bouwer leopard-print crop top and matching pants worn during Come On Over Tour (1998–99)
  • Marc Bouwer futuristic princess outfit, with faux-leather coat; diamond and rhinestone earrings; velvet bra and skirt embellished with diamonds and rhinestones; belt with rhinestones and beads; and patent leather and suede boots, worn for her Super Bowl XXXVII halftime performance (2003)
  • Outfit worn by Twain for her Stagecoach performance, including black top with multiple tiers of fringe, a body suit with fringe, crochet-pattern pants, and pumps, April 2017
  • Grammys for Best Country Song, “You’re Still the One” (1998); Best Country Song, “Come One Over” (1999); Best Female Country Vocal Performance, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” (1999)

With an unduplicated collection of more than 2.5 million artifacts, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2017. Twain’s exhibition follows the opening of an exhibit on contemporary superstar Jason Aldean. Upcoming subjects include Loretta Lynn and country music couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

Follow the museum on FacebookTwitterInstagram and Snapchat, and join the conversation using #CMHOF50 and #ShaniaTwainExhibit. For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

Comments { 0 }

Big Machine Celebrates The 100th Episode Of “Nashville”

Maddie Conrad (Lennon Stella) and Clayton Carter (Joseph David-Jones)

Merely hours until the highly-anticipated 100th episode of “Nashville” airs, Big Machine Records has released three brand new tracks on iTunes. The cast celebrates tonight’s significant milestone the only way they know how: performing even more fresh tunes for loyal viewers. In the midst of Highway 65 drama, Deacon (Charles Esten) gathers with a few longtime friends for a writer’s round at the famed Bluebird Café. The lineup features Music City’s potentially future leading lady, Jessie (Kaitlin Doubleday) who performs the Lucinda Williams-penned “When I Look At The World.” Meanwhile, Deacon’s daughter Maddie (Lennon Stella) test drives love song for her boyfriend Clay (Joseph David-Jones) called “Beautiful Dream.” Crafted by real-life tunesmiths Ben Caver and Erin McCarley, both the Ballad Version and Clayton Remix are available now.

Preview tonight’s episode here. “Nashville” airs Thursdays at 9:00P ET/PT only on CMT.

Since the show’s 2012 debut, Big Machine Records has released ten “Nashville” soundtracks including the most recent release THE MUSIC OF NASHVILLE: SEASON 5 VOLUME 2. The music has collectively sold more than five million single-track downloads and garnered over 200 million streams to date.

Follow “Nashville” on CMT:
Facebook: Facebook.com/NashvilleCMT/
Twitter: @NashvilleCMT
Instagram: @NashvilleCMT
Website: www.CMT.com/Shows/Nashville

Follow Big Machine Label Group:
Facebook: Facebook.com/BigMachineRecords/
Twitter: @BigMachine
Instagram: @BigMachineLabelGroup
Website: www.BigMachineLabelGroup.com

Comments { 0 }

Bumble And Lady Antebellum Bring The “You Look Good” Beetique To Nashville

Lady Antebellum performing at Bumble event. Photo credit: Getty Images

WHO: Bumble and Multi-Platinum Trio Lady Antebellum Teamed up to Celebrate and Empower Women at CMA Music Fest

WHAT: Social discovery app Bumble and Grammy award-winning trio Lady Antebellum came together on Saturday, June 10th, to launch the first ever “You Look Good” Beetique at CMA Music Fest. The Beetique featured a beautiful indoor aesthetic that complemented both Bumble’s mission of empowering women and the meaning behind Lady A’s new single- the lighthearted spirit of feeling good.  Bumble users were invited to attend and enjoy a beauty bar powered by Sephora and styling studio from The Dry House, as well as a BFF Lounge, photo booths, a custom menu of bites, and refreshments provided by Brancott Estate Wines, and more, all curated by Cassie Kelley, Founder of Womanista.

Kimberly & Karen from Little Big Town. Photo credit: Getty Images

A number of artists stopped by throughout the day including Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town, Kelsea Ballerini, Sara Evans, Lauren Alaina, RaeLynn, Danielle Bradbery, Post Monroe, Kelleigh Bannen, Lauren Akins, Megan & Liz, Stephanie Quayle, influencers Caroline Hobby, and Brooke Webb of KBStyled.  Music was provided throughout the day from The Bachelorette Season 11 star Kaitlyn Bristowe, who DJ’d the event. Hundreds of festival goers stopped by for a one-of-a-kind experience to cool off, chill out, and see some of their favorite artists.

Select attendees of the Beetique won the chance to attend the evening’s private event “Hottest Date Night Ever,” which featured a special performance by Lady Antebellum with new music from their recently released sixth studio album HEART BREAK (Capitol Records Nashville), including their Top 15 single “You Look Good.”  Brett Young and Walker Hayes also took the stage and performed the intimate event. To see everything that happened at the Beetique and Hottest Date Night Ever, check out hashtags #BumbleBeetique and #YouLookGood, and see highlights at @Bumble on Instagram or blog.bumble.com.

Kelsey Ballerini at Bumble event. Photo credit: Getty Images

About BUMBLE:

BUMBLE is a social discovery app that empowers women to make the first move in every aspect of life: dating, friendship, and business. With over 17 million global users and growing, Bumble has created a selective and meaningful environment to make true, quality connections. The brand highlights women as beautiful, unique, independent, and worthy, and knows there is nothing more compelling than the power of women.

About Lady Antebellum:

With a new sense of history and possibilities, Lady Antebellum’s sixth studio album HEART BREAK had the group on a new mission — setting aside time to put themselves in new surroundings, and concentrate on writing and exploring musical endeavors with no distractions. With busbee in the producer’s chair, the trio had a hand in writing eleven songs on HEART BREAK, resulting in their most intimate and heartfelt work to date. HEART BREAK follows more than 18 million units, nine No. One hits, ACM and CMA “Vocal Group of the Year” trophies three years in a row, and countless other honors including Billboard Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards and Teen Choice Awards. With “big production and sound” (OC Register) along with “a fresh twist with the addition of a live horn section” (CMT) the seven-time Grammy award winning trio is in the midst of their YOU LOOK GOOD WORLD TOUR, featuring special guests Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young. For more information about new music and upcoming tour dates, visit www.ladyantebellum.com.

Comments { 0 }
Verified by MonsterInsights