Tag Archives | Focus on the 615

Album Review: Jordyn Stoddard | “Like Me ‘Til You Love Me”

Jordyn StoddardCountry newcomer Jordyn Stoddard is breaking into the music scene with salty roots and sandy boots. This 16-year-old Jacksonville Beach, Fla., native released her debut single “Like Me ’Til You Love Me” on Monday, and it sums up her personality perfectly.

This carefree song will send you daydreaming about the earliest days of a relationship when it feels like you’re floating together… or maybe you’re just floating down a lazy river by yourself with a drink in your hand. Either way, this song takes you to a great place, and you’ll put it on repeat. Promise.

“You’re smiling, we’re vibing, admit it / This feeling, you’re feeling, go with it.”

Could this be a better debut single?! When Eric Paslay, Chris Wallin and Matt Nolen wrote this song, it was about a couple falling in love. But a clever Stoddard picked it up and spoke directly to her fans, who won’t be able to resist liking her until they love her.

Stoddard began singing karaoke at home when she was 3 years old. She sang a Hilary Duff song at her local fair’s competition when she was 7 and received a guitar for Christmas when she was 12. It sat under her bed for a year until she taught herself how to play from YouTube videos. She may be young, but her maturity translates through her conversation style and music.

Influenced by Stevie Nicks and Kenny Chesney, this girl has an old soul with a fresh approach. She’s been shaped by artists from other genres as well, such as the Dirty Heads and Sublime.

“I want to be country but beachy country, so you can have your windows down and just enjoy it,” Stoddard said.

She’s excited to release her album Southern Tide on March 9.

Everything’s gotta start somewhere / Might as well start right now, right here.

 

Twitter: @jordyn_stoddard

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

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Jerrod Niemann | “Buzz Back Girl”

Jerrod-Niemann-Buzz-Back-Girl-2014

Arista Nashville

I can’t tell if it’s that last shot of Fireball or Jerrod Niemann’s latest release that has me buzzin’ right now! The country-rocker stuck to his favorite theme – drinking – with “Buzz Back Girl.” But this time he shifted gears from tipping them back to tipping his hat.

Lookin’ like that, lookin’ like that/You don’t even know what you’re doin’ to me/You got my buzz back, girl, my buzz back, girl,” Niemann sings in the cheerful chorus.

The special someone in this song cured Niemann’s hangover and turned him into a happy-go-lucky guy. Who needs bloody marys when you have this girl around?! The secret’s out, guys. Niemann confirmed there’s no more reason for that hair-of-the-dog to turn into a 12-pack-deep Saturday afternoon. All you need is a morning with your lady, and you’ll be fine

Niemann nixed the Auto-Tune found in his last two singles – “Donkey” and “Drink to That All Night” – and stuck with a classic-country-meets-pop vibe for “Buzz Back Girl.” However, he did include simulated scratching sounds, which are primarily associated with rap. Is Niemann taking a step in the emerging country rap direction? It’s hard to say, but I doubt it since he’s pretty established in his own style.

“Buzz Back Girl” was written by fellow country star Lee Brice; Kellie Pickler’s songwriting husband, Kyle Jacobs; and founder of Nashville Songwriters in the Round, Phillip Lammonds. This track from his High Noon album, which also features his past two singles, peaked at 35 on the U.S. Country Airplay chart. Niemann is wrapping up his Get Your Buzz Back Tour on Saturday in Orlando, Fla. But that’s not the only thing he’s wrapping. I’d imagine a few gifts are in store for his new bride, Morgan Petek, with their first Christmas as a married couple quickly approaching.

There’s a chance “Buzz Back Girl” could get lost in the mix of cookie-cutter, mainstream music compared to his past, distinct hits like “Lover, Lover” and “What Do You Want.” But for now, I’m jammin’ to this fun song and loving the idea of being someone’s hangover remedy!

Twitter: @jrodfromoz

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

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Interview With Florida Georgia Line

FOCUS Catches Up With Hot Duo Before Stars For Second Harvest Benefit at The Ryman Auditorium

Matt Williams catches up with hot duo Florida Georgia Line during the Stars for Second Harvest benefit at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. The group talks about their massive success since being INTRODUCED at this very event last year, their collaboration with Nelly, and much more!

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Meet New Artist Drake White And His Debut Single, “The Simple Life”

Newcomer Drake White is getting ready to hit the airwaves with his debut single, “The Simple Life.” FOCUS on the 615 had the opportunity to hear him perform the song at Country Radio Seminar (CRS) a couple weeks ago. Pay attention to this guy! Check out the video below as the first introduction to this charismatic performer.

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Book NOW! 1st Annual ‘Music In Motion On The Ocean’ Country Music Benefit Cruise!

NEED TO GET AWAY? Want to hear some great music? Or looking for a way to support a great cause? Why not do ALL at the same time and book yourself a cabin NOW on the 1st annual ‘Music In Motion On The Ocean’ benefit cruise presented by FOCUS on the 615!

Click on the picture below to be taken to the travel site for details and to book your cabin. Hurry, you don’t want to be left out of the fun!

On November 18, Enchantment of the Seas will leave Port Canaveral for a 4-night cruise through the Bahamas. For a special rate you can hear Bridgette Tatum, Danny Myrick, Jesse Lee, Dean Alexander, Big Vinny from Trailer Choir, Kingston, and more artists to be announced! See below for more information on these fantastic artists!

Music in Motion on the Ocean

Ready to book now? Click HERE!

The Artists:

Bridgette Tatum
A native of Florence, South Carolina, Bridgette co-wrote “She’s Country,” by Jason Aldean, the most played song on Country radio stations across the US in 2009. In 2010, Bridgette’s song, “Loud” was selected as the Official Theme Song for the ACC Football Conference’s 2010 Season. In 2012 Bridgette released her own album, Sex, Church, and Chicken. She also gained notoriety with producer credits for new sister-duo Jenny & Ashley, songwriting credits on albums by The Farm and Kristy Lee Cook, and endorsements by Wrangler clothing and Two Old Hippies’ Bedell Guitars.

BridgetteTatum.com

Danny Myrick
After spending a few years singing background vocals on albums by Montomery Gentry, Keith Anderson, Blake Shelton and others, Danny turned his focus to songwriting, where he has had numerous cuts including Craig Morgan’s “International Harvester”, Big and Rich’s “LOUD”, Gloriana’s “How Far Do You Wanna Go” and “She’s Country” by Jason Aldean, co-written with Bridgette Tatum. He has also had multiple cuts by the Jane Dear Girls, Gloriana, Eden’s Edge and Joe Cocker.
Look for Danny’s soon-to-be-released first solo record as well as an upcoming duo project with Alice Peacock.

DannyMyrick.com

Big Vinny
Big Vinny first gained a following with the country group Trailer Choir. Discovered in 2007 by superstar Toby Keith, Trailer Choir went on to tour with Toby, who also co-produced their debut CD. In 2009, Trailer Choir exploded on the airwaves with the merry, rollicking “Rockin’ the Beer Gut,” a song that has sold more than a quarter of a million copies. Their song “Last Man Standing” was used by ESPN and ABC in a national NASCAR promotion. More recently, however, Big Vinny was featured on the NBC Show “The Biggest Loser” making it into the top four finalists. Since then, he has been an advocate for healthy living and inspiration, while continuing his musical career.

Jesse Lee
Jesse has worked with Grammy Award winning producers Mark Bright (Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts), Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift), and Paul Worley (Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride). Her songwriting collaborators have included American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, as well as Hillary Lindsey (Carrie Underwood) and Liz Rose (Taylor Swift). Jesse wrote and released her first single “It’s a Girl Thing,” which peaked on the Country charts at #47, with the music video in heavy rotation on both CMT and GAC. Jesse’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Uncle Kracker, Kristy Lee Cook and Bomshel. Jesse also recorded the song “Kissing in Cars” for the soundtrack of the motion picture “Country Strong.”

JesseLeeMusic.com

Dean Alexander
Dean has been a touring guitarist for numerous artists, and has recently been working with award-winning producer Scott Hendricks (Blake Shelton, Faith Hill). He is currently in the studio working on a debut full-length album for Elektra Nashville.

DeanAlexanderMusic.com

Kingston
Kingston (previously known as The Carter Twins) have written with some of the top writers in town and have been lucky enough to share the stage with acts such as Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean and Phil Vassar. The country duo was introduced to the Nashville music scene in 2009 with their debut EP The Carter Twins that featured the CMT award-nominated track “Heart Like Memphis.” They were also among the rising stars chosen for RyanSeacrest.com’s Favorite Featured Artist of 2012

KingstonOfficial.com

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Here’s A Great Song For This Thanksgiving –THE FARM’s “Be Grateful”

Have you heard THE FARM’s newest song “Be Grateful” at radio now? If not, here’s the official lyric video to enjoy this Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll, and thank YOU for reading FOCUS on the 615!

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Want A Free Song Download From Green River Ordinance?

Well, it’s safe to say that FOCUS have become big supporters of Green River Ordinance and, as a special gift to our readers, Green River Ordinance is offering a free download of their song “Dancing Shoes”.  You’ll be seeing and hearing Josh, the lead singer, performing this song acoustically right here on FOCUS in the next few days along with his interview.   Until then, enjoy a free download of this song just by subscribing to this site on the left hand side of this page.  When I see your email subscription, I’ll send you the free download.  It’s that easy AND by subscribing to the site, you’ll never miss a thing!

Stay tuned for a lot more fun and more giveaways in the future from FOCUS on the 615!

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What A Year! Celebrating Our 1 Year Anniversary As FOCUS on the 615

We’re celebrating our 1 year anniversary today as FOCUS on the 615! Thank you so much for continuing to read this site and helping us to grow.  It’s been a pretty amazing ride and hard to believe it’s only been a year since I first started the site.  Great things are in the works right now and hoping it’s only going to get better from here.   So, stay tuned! 🙂

Also, while you’re at it, let us know what you would like to see more of on this site.  Any suggestions are welcome!

Thanks again for your continuing support and reading FOCUS on the 615! Much appreciated and we (Matt and I) plan to continue bringing you more fun, music-filled interviews, pictures, videos, etc. directly from Nashville!

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Follow FOCUS on the 615 This Week for All Your Country Music Insight

The Billboard Country Music Summit, CMT Awards and Especially CMA Music Fest All To Take Place This Week

Who’s ready? If you’re a country music fan, there’s only one place you should be this week, and that is right here in the 615! But if you can’t make it down for all the festivities, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. CMA Music Fest is the biggest country music party of the year, and will be the highlight of the week, but that’s not all:

Monday and Tuesday is the Billboard Country Music Summit at Cannery Ballroom featuring keynote speakers Luke Bryan, Thompson Square and Willie Nelson. Tuesday morning, I (Matt) will be driving around in a Chevy Volt to all the country music hotspots (stay tuned for more on that), then Tuesday evening we’ll be attending the Muve Music’s Pre-Concert event, taking place before the “Music City Gives Back” concert with exclusive interviews. Wednesday is our friend Jana Kramer’s album release party (can’t wait!), then Wednesday night is the CMT Music Awards. We’ll be at all of these events and more, and will bring you exclusive footage and interviews!

Make sure to follow Focus on the 615 and Matt on twitter for live updates:
@FOCUSonthe615
@mattwilliams27

And keep checking back here for full interviews, photos and write ups. What a week it’s going to be. Here we go!

About the Billboard Country Music Summit

Billboard Country Music Summit
Conceived as the business-related kickoff for the weeklong celebration of Country Music that culminates with the 2012 CMA Music Festival, the Summit has quickly become known for hosting attendees and speakers that are the elite industry players, including established Country Music industry executives, up-and-coming entrepreneurs, and artists that are making a difference. The content and networking at the Summit is unmatched in the industry, focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing this vital genre.

Programming is customized to fit the needs of the Country Music business stakeholders today and tomorrow, touching on recording, touring, radio, publishing, finance, sponsorships, international, digital/social and artist development. Discussions are led by the executives who write the checks, write the songs, book the shows, program the singles, create the campaign and take the stage. In its first two years, the Summit has already hosted compelling artist discussions with such stars as Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Charlie Daniels, Gary Alan and others, with case studies and keynotes that break down the most successful artist development and superstar careers in the genre. There is nothing else in the country music business like it.

About “Music City Gives Back”
Music City Gives BackAward-winning and top-selling country star Rodney Atkins headlines Music City Gives Back with a host of other artists on Tuesday, June 7th in downtown Nashville. Josh Thompson, Thompson Square and others will join Atkins for a night of great music.

The concert will increase awareness, accept donations of needed items and raise funds for tornado victims for the American Red Cross Relief Fund through donation collection locations around the event. The public can make donations at the event or by visiting www.redcross.org.

The CMT Music Awards

CMT Music AwardsCMT kicks off the summer with country’s biggest stars and sizzling performances at the 2012 CMT Music Awards live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on June 6. It’s the only entirely fan-voted award show that recognizes country’s best video and musical achievements. Hosted by Toby Keith and Kristen Bell, this year’s performers include Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Zac Brown Band, Willie Nelson and many many others.

CMA Music Fest

CMA Music FestThe ultimate country music fan experience featuring hundreds of artists from up and comers, to legends and superstars performing on multiple stages. Thousands of fans from around the world come together in the epicenter of the Country Music community to party with countless opportunities to get close to the stars for a treasured autograph or priceless picture. This is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion to discover new artists before they hit it big, hear new music, and meet other fans who share your passion for Country Music in Music City USA

Created for the fans in 1972 and committed to the fan experience in 2012, CMA Music Festival brings it all together – artists, music, autographs, pictures, activities, and more – all for you, the most devoted fans in the world!

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Jana Kramer Exclusive! New Music, One Tree Hill, and What Lies Ahead

We sit down to discuss her record-breaking single, what she really thinks of her One Tree Hill departure, and what superstar she may be joining on the road!

Jana Kramer - Why You WannaIt’s going to be a busy year for our friend Jana Kramer! With the end of an era on One Tree Hill segueing into a blossoming music career, her star is on the rise, and Focus on the 615 is going to be there to cover it the entire way. We were thrilled to catch up with Jana for an exclusive interview. Although we were both fighting off illness, we had a great conversation discussing her music, her new album and what to expect from here on out.

Matt: Yesterday, your single Why You Wanna became the most added debut single in the history of Country Aircheck. Try to describe what that’s been like for you.

Jana: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. Everyone was going “yeah, you broke the record, you broke the record!” but it hasn’t had time to hit me yet! We kind of celebrated breaking it, but the fact that the radio stations actually came through and picked up the song, and the fact that we actually did break the record is insane. I’m excited!

Matt: That’s fantastic, and now the single has been downloaded over 200,000 times!

Jana: I swear One Tree Hill has the coolest and most devoted fans ever. And on top of it, the neat thing is, people will come up to me and say “I love your song, and I didn’t know you were on a TV show!” and that to me is the biggest compliment ever; that people are actually hearing me through my music.

Matt: That’s got to boost your confidence going into a debut album, right?

Jana: Yeah, what’s giving me confidence is just the fact that people like it, and going into the studio this next week [to finish the new album] is going to be exciting.

Matt: Let’s talk about the new album: What can we expect? Is it a simple introduction to Jana Kramer? An all-encompassing repertoire of your musical influence? How would you qualify it?

Jana: It’s me to the core. Scott Hendricks, my producer, and I wanted each song to represent some part of me, and I feel that each song does exactly that. I have my sassy side, and so I have a song that’s very sassy; and then there’s the honest, heartfelt song; then there’s the song that we’ve all been through where our heart was broken… literally each song I’ve lived, I’ve felt, and that’s what I want… for people to get to know me through my music if they haven’t already met me before.

Matt: You’re obviously a country singer, what kind of stylings and country influences are embedded in your music?

Jana: It’s country. It’s not too poppy, it’s more organic sounding. To me it’s refreshing.

Matt: Now, the common saying is “you have your entire life to write your debut album.” Did that prove true for you as well? How long has this been in the making?

Jana: I’ve been into music my entire life, but I never thought I’d be here talking about a “debut album.” I started writing when I was a little girl, but I really seriously started writing when I was 18 or 19. To know that 10 years later an album would actually be a work in progress… it means a lot. It’s going to be amazing, I’m just so excited!

Matt: So, we have to talk about One Tree Hill. Your last episode aired last night. What’d you think of the show, and how’s it feel to be done?

“I was really kind of bummed out with how the exit of my character happened.”

Jana: I was really kind of bummed out with how the exit of my character [Alex Dupre] happened. We didn’t know that we were going to get picked back up, so when we did, the shooting schedule was already in the process. And I didn’t want to wait for 2012 to start my radio tour, so I kind of had to pick one or the other… So they pretty much wrote out my character, which I understand, because they couldn’t shoot around my schedule. But it would have been nice to give my character a little more of an exit. But it all worked out, and I’m happy right now.

Matt: So it’s on to the singing career.

Jana: Yes!

Matt: Can we expect any more acting in the future? Or are you in Nashville to stay?

Jana: I’m definitely in Nashville to stay. I’m totally focusing on this, but if a project comes along that doesn’t interfere with music, I’d definitely do a project here or there. It’s definitely a part of me that I don’t want to lose.

Matt: After this album drops, what’s on the radar next?

Jana: I’m going to hopefully get on a tour. It’s nothing official; we haven’t locked anything down yet, but we’re definitely trying to lock something down very very soon.

Matt: Any idea who you might be touring with?

Jana: Possibly Brad Paisley. But I’ll be doing a bunch of fair dates and shows. I’ll be on the road pretty much the full year.

Matt: Nice! And I hear your debut video comes out next month…

Jana: I know, I’m so excited!

Matt: And sometime late spring, early summer on the album?

Jana: Yes sir!

Matt: Thank you so much for talking with us today!

Jana: Cool, thank you so much!

We’d like to congratulate Jana on everything so far. We are definately looking forward to the video, the album and Jana’s continued success in country music! And stay tuned, because sometime very soon, we will have the opportunity to sit down with her on camera to capture a little more Closer Look @ Jana Kramer.

Click here for our first Closer Look @ Jana!

Why You Wanna (Official Audio) – Jana Kramer

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