Tag Archives | Country music

CMT Helps Lead The Way Forward Setting A Standard Within Country Music

By on February 3, 2019 in Music, Special Events, The Latest, Uncategorized

I have always been impressed with CMT, they are not afraid to try new things, take chances or offer support where it is needed.

Six years ago, CMT created the Next Women of Country initiative.  This initiative seeks out the most talented, up-and-coming women in country music.  Each year a new class is inducted into this musical sisterhood bringing them together and offering support.  They are celebrated with an elegant brunch held at City Winery where an ornate stage is set and each new inductee shares an original song during an acoustic round.

This initiative was created to support up-and-coming women in country music has been very successful.  More new women are breaking through on country radio now like Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, and Lauren Alaina; all members of Next Women of Country inducted into it before they achieved success.  However, there is still a long way to go for women trying to break through on country radio.  Not nearly enough women are being played on radio.  Not in comparison to the men.  We just need it to be equal.  CMT seeks to change that with this program they have developed and in support of a yearly tour featuring some of the members of this group.

This past year, CMT took their support of women one step further with their annual Artists of the Year event held at the Schmerhorn Symphony Hall in downtown Nashville.

This elegant, televised, music industry-only event celebrated the best women of country music this year this past fall.  Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum, Maren Morris, and Kelsea Ballerini all were honored for their contributions to country music.  The evening featured performances by them celebrating their music along with fun collaborations with well-known artists from other genres.

This event typically will feature men also like past honorees: Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, and more.  It spotlights the best of country music yearly.  However, since last year, it has become a more socially conscious event with the prior year focused on support & healing from the mass shooting at the Route 91 Festival in Las Vegas where the entire country music community was impacted one way or another and some healing was needed to try to overcome the sadness of this tragic event.

CMT also has the EMERGE program that seeks to support and gather together members along with supporters of the LGTBQ+ community to bring to the forefront issues surrounding members of the community within country music.

This past fall they held an event in their office hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan that featured leaders within the country music industry that are part of the LGTBQ+ community: Shane Tarleton, Anthony Barton, Katie Dean, and Chip Dorsch.  Artist Maggie Rose, who is a strong supporter of the LGTBQ+ community, was also featured on the panel to discuss issues around this community and performed a short set afterwards for attendees.

I hope CMT continues leading the way in country music as they have been doing these past few years by pushing the boundaries and supporting those they feel need it.  If it is a CMT endeavor, it is always guaranteed to be well-produced and high quality.  They are certainly worth supporting for their great efforts towards change and providing quality television programming along with playing country music videos.  This is why I will always give them my support.

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An Evening With Scott Hamilton And Friends On Nov. 19th At Bridgestone Arena

By on October 21, 2017 in Special Events, The Latest

An Evening with Scott Hamilton and Friends will begin at 5 pm on November 19th at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville. This year’s event will include co-host Peggy Fleming joining Scott in hosting the event while @SherylCrow returns to host the music stage. Crow, along with this year’s guests of @DariusRucker, Steve Cropper, @CharlesEsten, Bart Millard (MercyMe), @CassadeePope and @ChrisYoungmusic, will perform on the stage while the world’s best Olympic, World and National Champions skate on the ice rink. ⛸🎶

Bring your whole family with a special promotion of buying 3 tickets, get the 4th one free! 😎

Buy tickets by clicking HERE today before they sell out!

 

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Legendary Songwriter Bob Dipiero To Be Named BMI Icon At The 2017 BMI Country Awards

By on October 1, 2017 in In The Press
Broadcast Music, Inc.®, (BMI®), the global leader in music rights management, will celebrate the extraordinary career of Bob DiPiero by naming him a BMI Icon at the 65th annual BMI Country Awards.  DiPiero will receive this honor in recognition of his unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers over the past 38 years. The event will be held Tuesday, November 7th at BMI’s Nashville office and will be hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and Jody Williams, BMI Vice President, Creative, Nashville.
The BMI Icon Award is presented to songwriters who have distinctly and profoundly influenced the music industry. In receiving the award, DiPiero will join an impressive list of Country music’s greatest songwriters including previous recipients Mac Davis, Vince Gill, Hank Williams, Jr., Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Charlie Daniels, Bill Anderson, Kris Kristofferson and more. 
“Since the early 80’s Bob DiPiero, and his songs, have been a consistent and potent influence on country music,” said Williams. “He is a quintessential professional whose work ethic is matched only by his love of life, his fellow songwriters, and his beautiful wife Leslie.  He’s a mentor, a friend, and world-class songwriter.  He’s the embodiment of a BMI Icon.” 
BMI will also present multiple GRAMMY, CMA and CMT Award-winning singer-songwriter Keith Urban with the BMI Champion Award. He will receive this honor for his work in supporting the next generation of songwriters and music makers, as well as his tireless commitment to numerous music education programs such as the CMA Foundation, the Grammy Foundation, the Mr. Holland’s Opus Fund, MusiCares and more.  Urban’s “All For The Hall” benefit concerts have raised over $2.6 million for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and since 2013, the proceeds from his new URBAN™ Guitar Collection have benefited both the Grammy Foundation and Mr. Holland’s Opus Fund.
“Not only is Keith Urban one of the most talented and prolific songwriters in the industry, but he’s also a true humanitarian,” said Williams. “The BMI Champion Award recognizes his contributions to the music community and his tireless efforts to bring attention to important causes that directly affect the next generation of songwriters.”
Throughout the evening, the private event will also salute the songwriters, publishers and administrators of the past year’s most-performed country songs in the United States from BMI’s repertoire of nearly 13 million musical works. The BMI Country Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year will also be named during the ceremony.

Bob DiPiero

Since first moving to Nashville in 1978, Bob DiPiero has been responsible for an uninterrupted string of country music hits. He’s written over 1,000 songs that have been recorded by top country artists beginning with his very first cut, which he penned himself, “I Can See Forever In Your Eyes” by Reba McEntire. His first number one came in 1983 with “American Made,” by The Oak Ridge Boys. The song later became a national ad jingle for Miller Beer, as well Baby Ruth candy bars. Since then, DiPiero has received many accolades including 50 BMI MillionAir Awards for his country radio staples such as “American Made” (Oak Ridge Boys),”Gone” (Montgomery Gentry), “Worlds Apart” (Vince Gill), “The Church On Cumberland Road” (Shenandoah), “Daddy’s Money” (Ricochet), “Blue Clear Sky” (George Strait), “You Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out Of the Girl” (Brooks & Dunn), “There You Are” (Martina McBride) and “Southern Voice” (Tim McGraw).

Other major awards include two CMA Triple Play awards in 1995 and 1996, a BMI Country Song of the Year in 1995 for “Wink” performed by Neal McCoy and a Country Radio Music Award for Song of the Year in 1997 for “Worlds Apart” performed by Vince Gill.  In 1998, DiPiero was named Songwriter of the Year at the Nashville Music Awards and in 2007 he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and Nashville’s Walk of Fame. The Country Music Hall of Fame honored him with their prestigious “Poets and Prophets Series: Salute to Legendary Songwriter Bob DiPiero” in 2014.  That same year, the Country Music Association presented DiPiero with the CMA Chairman’s Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the music industry and songwriting community.
Keith Urban’s reputation as a premier songwriter, vocalist, musician and virtuoso guitarist has afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with the likes of The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Miranda Lambert, John Mellencamp, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift, Vince Gill and Eric Church, to name a few. Throughout his illustrious career, he’s earned four Grammy Awards, ten Country Music Association Awards, 11 Academy of Country Music Awards, an American Music Award, a People’s Choice, and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Urban is also a member of the Grand Ole Opry and remains the only Country artist to have ever served as a judge on American Idol.
ABOUT BMI:
Celebrating over 77 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in nearly 13 million musical works created and owned by more than 800,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on Twitter @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.‘s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every Monday to stay up to date on all things music.
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Shania Twain Announces 2018 NOW Tour

By on September 1, 2017 in In The Press

In what promises to be one of the most anticipated tours of 2018, Global superstar Shania Twain has announced that she will hit the road next year in support of her new album, NOW.  These dates mark Shania’s first tour since “Rock This Country” back in 2015. Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off May 3rd in Tacoma, WA and will run through the rest of the summer, culminating in Las Vegas on August 4th at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Tickets on sale to the general public began on August 25th. For more ticket information, please visit www.ticketmaster.com.

One of the most highly anticipated albums of 2017, NOW, will be released on September 29 via Mercury Nashville, and is offered as both a 12-track standard and 16-track deluxe album. Fans can pre-order the album HERE and instantly receive “Life’s About to Get Good,” “Poor Me”, and beginning Aug. 18, pre-orders also receive Shania’s brand new single impacting radio Sept. 18, “Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed.”  Shania debuted “Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed” last night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Watch the performance HERE.

Shania is set to headline the Opening Night Ceremony for the 2017 US Open on Monday, Aug. 28, in Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The ceremony will be televised live on ESPN2. She will be performing some of her biggest hits as well as songs from the new album, NOW.

Shania is a five-time GRAMMY Award-winner and the reigning Queen of Country Pop. With more than 90 million albums sold worldwide and U.S. sales topping 34.5 million, Shania remains the top-selling female country artist of all time. Shania’s albums include her Platinum-selling 1993 debut, Shania Twain; the GRAMMY Award-winning, Double Diamond-selling 1995 release, The Woman in Me; Come On Over, the best-selling studio album in Soundscan history by a female artist in any genre and the best-selling country album of all time with over 40 million units sold worldwide; and UP!, Shania’s third consecutive Diamond-selling album release.

 

 

Shania Twain NOW Tour Dates:

Thurs., May 3, 2018                           Tacoma, WA                       Tacoma Dome

Sat., May 5, 2018                                Vancouver, BC                     Rogers Arena

Sun., May 6, 2018                               Vancouver, BC                     Rogers Arena

Wed., May 9, 2018                             Edmonton, AB                     Rogers Place

Thurs., May 10, 2018                         Edmonton, AB                     Rogers Place

Sat., May 12, 2018                             Saskatoon, SK                       Sasktel Centre

Sun., May 13, 2018                             Winnipeg, MB                      MTS Centre

Tues., May 15, 2018                           St. Paul, MN                         Xcel Energy Center

Wed., May 16, 2018                           Sioux Falls, SD                      Denny Sanford Premier Center

Fri., May 18, 2018                               Omaha, NE                          CenturyLink Center Omaha

Sat., May 19, 2018                             Chicago, IL                            United Center

Fri., June 1, 2018                                Ft. Lauderdale, FL               BB&T Center

Sat., June 2, 2018                               Tampa, FL                             Amalie Arena

Mon., June 4, 2018                             Duluth, GA                           Infinite Energy Center

Wed., June 6, 2018                             Dallas, TX                              American Airlines Center

Thurs., June 7, 2018                           Austin, TX                              Frank Erwin Center

Sat., June 9, 2018                               Houston, TX                          Toyota Center

Sun., June 10, 2018                            New Orleans, LA                Smoothie King Center

Tues., June 12, 2018                          North Little Rock, AR           Verizon Arena

Wed., June 13, 2018                           St Louis, MO                        Scottrade Center

Fri., June 15, 2018                              Detroit, MI                            Little Caesars Arena

Sat., June 16, 2018                             Cleveland, OH                     Quicken Loans Arena

Mon., June 25, 2018                           Ottawa, ON                         Canadian Tire Centre

Tues., June 26, 2018                          Montreal, QC                       Bell Centre

Thurs., June 28, 2018                         Québec, QC                          Videotron Centre

Sun., July 1, 2018                                 Hamilton, ON                        FirstOntario Centre

Tues., July 3, 2018                               London, ON                         Budweiser Gardens

Wed., July 4, 2018                               London, ON                         Budweiser Gardens

Fri., July 6, 2018                                   Toronto, ON                         Air Canada Centre

Sat., July 7, 2018                                 Toronto, ON                         Air Canada Centre

Wed., July 11, 2018                            Boston, MA                         TD Garden

Thurs., July 12, 2018                           Philadelphia, PA                   Wells Fargo Center

Sat., July 14, 2018                               Brooklyn, NY                       Barclays Center

Sun., July 15, 2018                              Washington, DC                  Capital One Center

Tues., July 17, 2018                            Pittsburgh, PA                     PPG Paints Arena

Wed., July 18, 2018                            Grand Rapids, MI                 Van Andel Arena

Fri., July 20, 2018                                Louisville, KY                         KFC Yum! Center

Sat., July 21, 2018                               Nashville, TN                       TBD*

Tues., July 24, 2018                            Kansas City, MO                 Sprint Center

Wed., July 25, 2018                            Des Moines, IA                    Wells Fargo Arena

Fri., July 27, 2018                                Denver, CO                           Pepsi Center

Sat., July 28, 2018                               Salt Lake City, UT                Vivint Smart Home Arena

Mon., July 30, 2018                            Phoenix, AZ                          Talking Stick Resort Arena

Wed., August 1, 2018                        Fresno, CA                             Save Mart Center

Fri., August 3, 2018                            Los Angeles, CA                   Staples Center

Sat., August 4, 2018                           Las Vegas, NV                      MGM Grand Garden Arena

*On sale date To Be Announced

 

ShaniaTwain.com | Facebook.com/ShaniaTwain | Twitter @ShaniaTwain | Instagram @ShaniaTwain

 

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

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Jon Langston and Walker McGuire Perform at BMI’s Rooftop on the Row

By on August 22, 2017 in Music, Special Events

Country up and comers Jon Langston and Walker McGuire entertained guests of BMI at their 4th Annual ‘Rooftop on the Row’ concert series on Tuesday night (August 15). The country duo of Walker McGuire, composed of Jordan Walker and Johnny McGuire, kicked off the night with songs such as their Top 40 single, “‘Til Tomorrow”, and “What’s Her Name” – a self proclaimed true story about their time in Mexico.

Jon Langston followed the up and coming duo to close out the show and entertain guests during the sunset. Langston performed his hit “Forever Girl” as well as a medley of hits from artists such as Jon Pardi (“Dirt on My Boots”) and Tim McGraw (“Real Good Man”) before closing out the night with his current single, “Wrong Girl Right Time”.

Both performers are artists to watch out for in 2018. The night was sponsored by George Dickel, Cumulus Radio, Samuel Adams, and Texas Roadhouse and all sponsors were on hand to make sure guests had a great summer night on the BMI rooftop. Head on over to Focus on the 615’s Instagram for more from BMI’s Rooftop on the Row and events throughout Music City!

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William Michael Morgan Rocks BMI’s Third Rooftop on the Row Concert Series

By on July 27, 2017 in Music

BMI Nashville had a successful launch of their ‘Rooftop on the Row’ summer concert series this past May and the momentum has kept on going. On Tuesday night, William Michael Morgan took the stage after performances from up and coming artists Fairground Saints and Payton Taylor, and he didn’t disappoint. Before performing his hit “I Met A Girl”, Morgan nailed a cover of a song from one of his idols, George Strait, when he performed “Check Yes or No” on BMI’s rooftop overlooking Music City. The Rooftop on the Row series is presented by George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey with sponsors including Nash FM, Samuel Adams, Texas Roadhouse, and YETI Coolers – all of which were on hand to make sure attendees were well fed and had a drink in their hand.

This was the third of five ‘Rooftop on the Row’ series and the next one will feature Walker McGuire.

For more information on William Michael Morgan and find out where you can see him out on the road, head here!

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Sara Evans Offers Advice To Young Female Artists At Change The Conversation Event  

By on June 29, 2017 in In The Press

Country music star Sara Evans joined members of Change The Conversation last night, where she spoke candidly about her personal and professional journey and performed several songs from her new album, Words, on Tuesday from The Steps at WME.

In addition to performing the title track from the album set for a July 21 release, Evans also debuted new songs “All the Love You Left Me” and “Marquee Sign,” as well as an acoustic version of platinum chart-topper “A Little Bit Stronger.”

This is a landmark project for Evans as the first release on her new label, Born To Fly Records. Fourteen female songwriters, including powerhouses Ashley Monroe, Caitlyn Smith, Hillary Lindsey, Hillary Scott, Liz Hengber, Sonya Isaacs and of course Evans herself, contribute their words to the stunning, upcoming record.

“I want to talk about why we need to change the conversation,” Evans said during the event. “When I first got my record deal, women were dominating country radio. We had Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack, LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Patty Loveless and on and on. I was fortunate enough to join that group of amazing women.

“So we need to change the conversation and figure out why it is not that way anymore. Why are there not enough women on country radio? Women artists are amazing and they have so much great music that we want to hear and we need to hear, so let’s change the conversation.”

Change the Conversation is a coalition designed to help create an even playing field for women in country music and was formed by Tracy Gershon, Beverly Keel and Leslie Fram in 2014.

It was formed initially to create an informal salon-like atmosphere where women could get together and develop productive ways of solving the problem but has quickly grown into an organization of gaining influence. The organization funds research and hosts events where industry experts address their segments of the industry.

The event, which was sponsored by WME and One Hope Wine, began with a conversation between Evans and Tracy Gershon, a co-founder of Change the Conversation who also helped with A&R duties for this album. “Sara Evans has been one of the most influential and admired country artists of the last two decades, so when she spoke about the importance of changing the conversation, the female artists in the room were inspired and invigorated,” Gershon says.

Adds Change the Conversation co-founder Leslie Fram, “Sara’s impact is undeniable and she proved it again during her performance for Change The Conversation at WME.  After the performance, so many artists said they were moved by the power of her new songs and vocals.”

About Sara Evans: Multi-platinum entertainer SARA EVANS is at the top of her game. With five No. 1 Country singles including “No Place That Far,” “Suds In The Bucket, “A Real Fine Place To Start,” “Born to Fly,” and “A Little Bit Stronger,” which spent 2 weeks in the top spot and was certified platinum by the R.I.A.A., Sara thrills audiences across the U.S. playing close to 100 shows each year. Her “stunning, country voice” (Rolling Stone) has earned her the prestigious Academy of Country Music Top Female vocalist accolade as well as numerous American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Country Music Association, CMT and Grammy Awards nominations. In addition, the CMA awarded Video of the Year honors for her hit chart-topping single, “Born to Fly” from her double-platinum album of the same name. In 2014 Evans released her critically acclaimed seventh studio album Slow Me Down, which debuted at #2 on the Country Album Chart and landed in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, winning over fans and media alike and dubbed her best album to date. Named one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People,” Evans’ career also includes the platinum-selling studio albums Real Fine Place and Restless and the gold-certified No Place That Far. Sara continues to forge a bold, creative path with the launch of Born To Fly Records, distributed by Sony RED, and will release her highly anticipated eighth studio album, Words, on July 21, 2017.

In addition to a prolific country music career, Sara is an accomplished author, lifestyle blogger and Red Cross ambassador who in 2008 was presented with the national Crystal Cross award for her work with the disaster-relief organization.

For more information on Sara Evans, visit SaraEvans.com and ARealFinePlace.com and engage with her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Chris Biano Announces Reality Series “Breaking Country” Airing Exclusively On YouTube Every Sunday Night

By on May 17, 2017 in In The Press

“Breaking Country,” a new television worthy web-based reality show that follows aspiring artist Chris Biano on his pursuit to become a country music star,  premiered May 7th exclusively on YouTube. Biano who moved from Dallas, TX to Music City four years ago to chase his dream, quickly realized how hard it really is to make waves in the country music industry.  

“Breaking Country,” a 20-week series produced by a Franklin, TN based marketing firm, follows his journey as he learns to navigate the world of writing appointments, gigs, vocal coach sessions and everything else that goes into a country music career while also juggling a long distance girlfriend of four years and a day job. 
“When I moved to Nashville I realized there was a never ending pool of talented people who work tirelessly on their craft,” says Biano.  “I wanted the world to see all the sacrifice, hard work, and dedication of someone trying to make it in this industry.  ‘Breaking Country’ is my way of doing that.”
The series features some familiar faces including country star Bryan White, who’s had six chart-topping songs, Title Boxing franchise owner/trainer and Season 12 contestant on The Bachelorette James Fuertes and Biano’s good friend and writing partner Brandon Chase from Season 5 of The Voice. 
“Chris is really using his creative skills to create something unique that an artist in Nashville hasn’t done,” says Bryan White. 
“Chris has a kind of focused determination that you have to have not only for success in fitness but also the music industry,” praises James Fuertes. “Honestly, that’s what it takes. You create goals and you focus on what’s ahead; one step and one day at a time.” 
“I’m so excited for everyone to see this and to be a part of such a cool thing,” says Brandon Chase. “Fans are going to love seeing the ‘real Nashville’.
View the Season 1 trailer here.
View “Breaking Country” episode 1 here.
Tune in every Sunday night at 7:00 pm central here for a new episode.
For extras and behind the scene footage, click here.
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1 NIGHT. 1 PLACE. 1 TIME.: A HEROES & FRIENDS TRIBUTE TO RANDY TRAVIS ADDS WYNONNA, JEFF FOXWORTHY, ALISON KRAUSS, BEN HAGGARD, NEAL MCCOY AND PHIL VASSAR

By on January 12, 2017 in In The Press

Joining the star-studded tribute to Randy Travis on February 8, 2017, will be Wynonna, Jeff Foxworthy, Alison Krauss, Ben Haggard, Neal McCoy and Phil Vassar. Tickets for the highly anticipated event are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations and the Bridgestone Arena Box Office.

The event, titled 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis, will also feature performances from Alabama, Rodney Atkins, Kane Brown, James Dupre, Montgomery Gentry, Chris Janson, Jamey Johnson, Scotty McCreery, Joe Nichols, Michael Ray, Collin Raye, Ricky Skaggs, Kenny Rogers, Michael W. Smith, The Bellamy Brothers, The Randy Travis Band, Ricky Traywick, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Josh Turner with more still to be announced.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Randy Travis Foundation; a 501(c)3 non-profit that raises money for stroke research and rehabilitation.

“Randy and Mary Travis and I are extremely overwhelmed with the artists that are lending their talents for this special night. Once they found out that Randy needed help to fund the Randy Travis Foundation everyone started calling. Funds going into the foundation will help fund numerous stroke research and rehabilitation programs. This will only be one night, one time, and one place and will never happen again. Almost 30 artists have confirmed so far. They will perform with Randy’s band as well as join Randy in his first public performance since his life-altering stroke. We are prepared for there not to be a dry eye in the house,” said producer of the event and Travis’ manager, Tony Conway of Conway Entertainment Group/Ontourage Management.

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 “Amazing Grace” at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony as well as the tagline to his iconic “Forever and Ever, Amen” 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 20 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 People’s 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, “On the Other Hand” (1986), “Forever and Ever Amen” (1987) and “Three Wooden Crosses” (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 Wynonna
Five-time GRAMMY winner and New York Times bestselling author, Wynonna has always revolved her career around telling stories. Whether performing alongside her mother as one half of the legendary country duo The Judds, or pushing the boundaries on her own mega-successful solo path, Wynonna’s ability to reach the heart of the human spirit through her bold and unflinching honesty, is the entertainer’s true gift.

Respected by the millions of fans who are drawn to her music and undeniable talent, Wynonna’s rich and commanding voice has sold over 30-million albums worldwide spanning her remarkable 33-year career. Once dubbed by Rolling Stone as “the greatest female country singer since Patsy Cline,” this iconic performer has received over 60 industry awards, with countless charting singles, including 20 No.1 hits such as “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Why Not me,” and “Grandpa, (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Ole Days).”

About Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best selling author of more than 26 books. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s. He can be seen in his new comedy special with Larry the Cable Guy, “We’ve Been Thinking” which is currently streaming on Netflix.

About Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss effortlessly bridges the gap between bluegrass, roots music, country, rock and pop. She has released 13 albums and has sold more than 12 million records to date. With 27 wins, she is the most awarded female artist in GRAMMY history. She has received a multitude of other honors, including nine Country Music Association awards, and 14 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. Her 2007 album Raising Sand won six GRAMMY Awards including Album of the Year, and 2011’s Paper Airplane with her longtime collaborators Union Station won the GRAMMY Award for Best Bluegrass Album and topped Billboard’s Folk, Country and Bluegrass charts.

Alison will release her new album Windy City on Feb. 17th. The album is a beautifully curated collection of classic songs that was produced by legendary Buddy Cannon. The lead track, “Losing You” is available now.

About Neal McCoy
Neal McCoy has released fifteen studio albums on various labels, and has released 34 singles to country radio.In 1993, Neal McCoy broke through with the back-to-back number 1 singles No Doubt About It and Wink from his platinum-certified album No Doubt About It.His commercial success continued into the late 1990s with two more platinum albums and a gold album, as well as six more Top Ten hits.A seventh Top Ten hit, the number 10 Billy’s Got His Beer Goggles On, came in 2005 from his self-released That’s Life.

Music of Your Life, a big band jazz and country amalgam with Les Brown, Jr. recorded for a public television special, appeared in 2011, with a new studio album, XII, finally arriving in 2012. In 2013 he released Pride: A Tribute to Charley Pride, Neal’s long time friend and mentor. 2015 brought the Big Band Standards CD You Don’t Know Me.Neal has been on 15 USO Tours around the world and continues to say it’s one of the achievements he’s most proud of. He is also the recipient of multiple Humanitarian awards from The Academy of Country Music, The Country Radio Broadcasters and The Masonic Grand Lodge.In 2016 Neal has again made a move to continue his patriotic values by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance “Live” on his Facebook page every morning. He’s reached millions of viewers all over the country and around the world.Neal still maintains a very busy touring schedule all through the year. Make sure to catch a show when he’s near because as Neal says “No two shows are the same!”

About Phil Vassar
Country music hit maker Phil Vassar is a piano-pounding powerhouse on stage who taps into his audiences via social media for song requests throughout his more than 135 shows a year. Phil’s reign of signature songs include 10 No. 1 singles and 26 Top 40 hits ,including “Carlene,” “Just Another Day in Paradise,””Six-Pack Summer,” “That’s When I Love You” and many more.

Follow Phil at philvassar.com and #noPHILter to learn about his upcoming US Album, European album, European tours, and his webisode series, “Songs from the Cellar.”

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CMT’s Next Women Of Country

By on December 21, 2016 in Special Events

CMT's Next Women Of CountryCMT recently celebrated their next class of female country artists at City Winery in Nashville this past November with their annual “Next Women Of Country”. Continue Reading →

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