Tag Archives | Nashville

Spotify’s Enhanced Hot Country Playlist Brings The Heat At Nashville’s CMA Fest

By on May 24, 2018 in In The Press

The common thread among country music artists and fans is the ability to relate to the songs and stories that connect them. Songs about real people, real stories, and real lives. Spotify is committed to being the connection point for these shared experiences, and thanks to Spotify’s recently re-launched, enhanced Hot Country Playlist, country fans are now enjoying even more opportunities to connect with the stars of the genre.

 

June 7 to 10, tens of thousands of country music fans will descend on Nashville for the Country Music Association’s CMA Fest and will have the opportunity to experience the artist-fan community that Hot Country is fostering live and in-person. Whether you’re watching a live performance from your favorite rising country stars, listening to a new Spotify country playlist through the CMA Fest App, discovering the artist with whom you have the most in common, or making a playlist with the artist you love, Spotify will be on the ground highlighting the stories that connect the past, present, and future of country music community.

 

New Friends at Ole Red

Thursday through Sunday, members of the public can enjoy a stellar lineup of artists at Ole Red, Blake Shelton’s and Opry Entertainment Group’s highly anticipated new restaurant and music venue, and Spotify’s CMA Fest Headquarters. The packed lineup is curated in collaboration between Spotify, The Grand Ole Opry and Ole Red.

 

Some of the featured artists include:

 

  • Trio Midland, ACM New Group of the Year, who will be performing songs from their impressive debut album On the Rocks (Big Machine Records), which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and features their hit debut No. 1 single “Drinkin’ Problem.”
  • Young country singer-songwriter Michael Ray, whose anticipated sophomore album Amos will be released June 1
  • Talented singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, five-time Grammy nominee and CMA Award winner Hunter Hayes
  • Canadian country singer and Canadian Country Music Awards’ Female Artist of the Year 2011, Tenille Townes, who recently signed a record deal with Columbia Nashville
  • American Idol runner-up and ACM Awards’ New Female Vocalist of the Year, Lauren Alaina, who topped the country charts in 2017
  • As well as Maddie & Tae, RaeLynn, Mitchell Tenpenny, Jimmie Allen, Cassadee Pope and many more.

 

For schedule and lineup updates at Ole Red see: visit. www.olered.com/spotifyhotcountry

 

Making the Most of the CMA Fest Partnership

Spotify has also partnered with CMA Fest to enhance the digital and music discovery experience for fans at the festival. Users who authenticate with Spotify in the CMA Fest mobile app will be able to stream music from each of the performing artists, and will have access to a breadth of co-curated playlists. Spotify users who access the app can generate a unique playlist of select CMA Fest artists, catered to their specific music tastes.

 

In addition to the app partnership, Spotify will be taking over CMA’s Music Streaming Lounge on Friday June 8 at Xfinity Fan Fair X at Music City Center. Fans will have the opportunity to come by the lounge, discover Spotify’s new features, and make Spotify playlists in-person with Country artists performing at the festival.

 

Spotify’s participation at CMA Fest shows Spotify’s commitment to fostering growth in the Country Music audience across the platform and the world. Country fans, whether new or seasoned, young or old, can look forward to a Country Music-filled weekend, complete with new favorite songs, bands, music discovery knowledge, and a commitment from Spotify that no matter where they are, they’ll always have country music to take them home.

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HGTV Lodge Headlines Top Country Artists At CMA Fest In Nashville June 7-10

By on May 24, 2018 in In The Press

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 10: An outside view of the HGTV Lodge during CMA Music Fest on June 10, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images for HGTV)

Now in its seventh consecutive year, the HGTV Lodge will once again welcome country music’s hottest stars to the network’s popular and unique venue at CMA Fest in Nashville. From Thursday, June 7 – Sunday, June 10, the 3,500-square-foot HGTV Lodge will offer festival-goers the Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™, including live musical performances by popular artists Dustin Lynch, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Lee Ann Womack, Lee Brice and Luke Combs. In addition, CMA and Grammy award-winning artist and Food Network star, Trisha Yearwood, will bring her Facebook Live show, “T’s Coffee Talk,” to the HGTV Lodge, allowing fans around the world access to this intimate CMA Fest experience. HGTV stars Jonathan and Drew Scott (Property Brothers), Leanne Ford (Restored by the Fords), Page Turner and DeRon Jenkins (Flip or Flop Nashville) and Dave and Kortney Wilson (Music City Fix) also will make special appearances throughout the festival.

The HGTV Lodge also will host performances with many more country music stars, including Ashley McBryde, Cam, Cassadee Pope, Chris Lane, Eric Paslay, Jordan Davis, LANCO, Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, LOCASH, Maddie & Tae, Michael Ray, Morgan Evans, The Cadillac Three and Walker Hayes. In addition, the HGTV Lodge will host a special ASCAP Hit Songwriters Round featuring Ryan Hurd, Jillian Jacqueline and Chris DeStefano and a “Sony Discovered” set featuring Carlton Anderson, Mitchell Tenpenny, Tenille Townes and Rachel Wammack. Great American Country’s Suzanne Alexander will serve as the HGTV Lodge emcee during the four-day event.

“Country music fans get the thrill of seeing their favorite artists up close and personal at the HGTV Lodge,” said Karen Bronzo, senior vice president, brand marketing and partnerships for HGTV. “The Lodge is truly a ‘home for country music fans’ and offers them a unique opportunity to experience extraordinary, intimate performances in a setting that only HGTV could bring to life.”

Conceived and produced by experiential + music agency Pop2Life, a Condé Nast agency, the two-story HGTV Lodge is located in downtown Nashville just minutes from Nissan Stadium and features a unique fan experience with non-stop performances by more than two dozen top country artists.

For access to exclusive performances inside HGTV Lodge, fans must register for CMA Fest Fan Access at CMAfest.com/FanAccess or via the CMA Fest app and then enter the Ultimate Fan Experiences Drawing between Tuesday, May 29, at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET and Thursday, May 31, at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET. All drawing participants will be notified by email and text on Friday, June 1, to log in to their Fan Access account to see if they’re a winner. All prizes must be claimed by Tuesday, June 5, at 12 p.m.CT/1 p.m. ET, or they will be awarded to alternate winners.

Fans can share their love of music and home by uploading photos of their experience at HGTV Lodge on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat using #HGTVLodge. The Lodge also will host several must-see Facebook Live videos with the HGTV stars and will post exclusive artist interviews via Instagram Stories. On Sunday, the network will host a special VIP event at the Lodge for the leading Nashville-area lifestyle writers and social influencers.

For media who want to schedule interviews with the artists appearing at the HGTV Lodge, CMA Media Guidelines specify that only credentialed journalists can conduct interviews onsite at CMA Fest. Media must contact the artist’s publicist and/or record label to set up interviews prior to arrival at CMA Fest. A list of publicist contacts can be found at CMApress.com. Please note that when arranging an artist interview, a scheduled location for the interview must be confirmed with the publicist. If you cannot interview the artist at the Lodge, then an alternative off-site location must be designated. For media interested in touring the Lodge, please contact Chelsey Riemann at criemann@hgtv.com and Amy Hammontree at ahammontree@hgtv.com.

Schedule of Events* at HGTV Lodge (All times CDT): 

Thursday, June 7: 
10 a.m.:        Michael Ray
11 a.m.:        LOCASH
1 p.m.:          Ashley McBryde
2 p.m.:          Chris Lane
3 p.m.:          Jordan Davis
5 p.m.:          Luke Combs

Friday, June 8:
10 a.m.:        Cassadee Pope
11 a.m.:        Kip Moore
12:30 p.m.:  LANCO
2 p.m.:          Jon Pardi
3 p.m.:          Cam
4 p.m.:          ASCAP Hit Songwriters Round: featuring Ryan Hurd, Jillian Jacqueline and Chris DeStefano
5 p.m.:          Lee Brice

Saturday, June 9:
10 a.m.:       Trisha Yearwood
11 a.m.:       Lindsay Ell
12 p.m.:       Morgan Evans
1 p.m.:         Lee Ann Womack
2 p.m.:         Meet and Greet with Jonathan and Drew Scott
4 p.m.:         Dustin Lynch
5 p.m.:         Lauren Alaina

Sunday, June 10:
11 a.m.:       Sony Discovered: featuring Carlton Anderson, Mitchell Tenpenny, Tenille Townes and Rachel Wammack
12 p.m.:       Maddie & Tae
1:30 p.m.:    Eric Paslay
2:30 p.m.:    Walker Hayes
4:00 p.m.:    The Cadillac Three

*All appearances and times subject to change without notice.

ABOUT HGTV
HGTV delivers the superstar experts, fascinating families, compelling renovations and stunning transformations that make all things home fun. America’s favorite way to get entertaining, relatable and inspirational home and lifestyle content, HGTV offers: a top 10 cable network that is distributed to more than 90 million U.S. households; a website, HGTV.com, that attracts an average of 9.7 million people each month; a social footprint of 16.8 million; HGTV Magazine, a monthly publication that reaches more than one million readers and exclusive collections of home-oriented products through the HGTV HOME™ consumer products line.  Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. HGTV is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

About CMA Fest 
The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience™ began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, which drew 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Now in its 47th year, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature Country Music event that hosts fans from all 50 states and nearly 20 foreign countries. In 2017, CMA Fest featured 11 stages with over 350 artists, 1,100 musicians, and 167 hours of music – all to benefit music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $21 million to sustainable music education initiatives across the U.S. thanks to the fans who attend CMA Fest and the artists who perform for free. CMA Fest is filmed for a three-hour ABC Television Network special. 2018 marks the 15th consecutive year of the broadcast.

ABOUT POP2LIFE
Pop2Life is an award-winning, Condé Nast brand experience agency based in New York. Founded by Eric Murphy in 2003, the company offers ideation and strategy, environmental design and creative services, full-service event production, talent procurement, as well as software with a service through Concierge.com. Clients include Discovery Inc., AMC, Capital One, Comedy Central, Lincoln Motor Company, Allure, and iHeartRadio, among many others.

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CMT And PEDIGREE Invite Dogs (And Owners) To First “Paws & Play” Music Festival On Sunday, June 3 in Nashville

By on May 23, 2018 in In The Press

CMT and the PEDIGREE brand are teaming up for the first “Paws & Play” Music Festival in Nashville on Sunday, June 3. The free event is the official kickoff to “CMT Music Awards” week and celebrates the role four-legged family members play in making lives better.

WHAT:   CMT AND THE PEDIGREE BRAND’S FIRST-EVER “PAWS & PLAY” MUSIC FESTIVAL

WHERE:  Cumberland Park (592 S 1st St, Nashville, TN 37213)

WHEN:    Sunday, June 3 at 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Dogs (and their humans) can participate in a number of family-friendly events, including performances by country singer/songwriter, The Voice champion and CMT Music Award winner Cassadee Pope, doggie yoga, canine massage, games, photo opps, food trucks, a beer and wine garden and much more. The event is hosted in association with adoption partner, Nashville Human Association, who will feature adoptable dogs onsite looking for fur-ever homes.

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NFL Draft Coming To Nashville In 2019

By on May 23, 2018 in In The Press

The National Football League has announced that Nashville will host the 2019 NFL Draft, which will take place April 25-27, 2019. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, in partnership with the Tennessee Titans, led the bid process for the NFL Draft on behalf of the city.

The 2019 NFL Draft is expected to draw approximately 20,000 to 25,000 out-of-town visitors, which will generate a significant number of hotel bookings. It is anticipated that the three-day event will be broadcast on four networks, which will generate substantial national marketing for the city.

Mayor David Briley: “The NFL Draft will be another wonderful opportunity to bring the sports world to Nashville and show off everything our city has to offer. I appreciate all the hard work the Convention & Visitors Corp, the Titans and others have put into our winning bid. We’re looking forward to hosting the other 31 NFL teams, the league’s future stars, the fans, and the national and international media next spring.”

Amy Adams Strunk, Tennessee Titans Controlling Owner: “We are thrilled for the city of Nashville, our fans and our team that we have been selected to host the 2019 NFL Draft. The city and the Titans put a lot of effort into this proposal, and we can’t wait to see it come to life next year. I personally would like to thank Commissioner Goodell and the NFL for this opportunity; Metro Nashville Government, led by Mayor David Briley; Butch Spyridon at the CVC; Scott Ramsey at the Sports Council and all those who have contributed to this effort. Nashville is known as an entertainment destination, and we look forward to showing the football world what that looks like on a very big stage.”

Butch Spyridon, president and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp: “Nashville is honored to host the 2019 NFL Draft. We are prepared to deliver a unique Music City experience and an NFL-caliber event. I would like to thank the Titans and owner, Amy Adams Strunk, for their support and the NFL for their confidence.”

At the April 2018 draft, which was held in Dallas, more than 2,000 credentialed media covered the event and over 45 million broadcast viewers watched it over the course of three days on three national networks.

Philadelphia hosted the 2017 NFL Draft and reported $56.1 million in direct spending and $7.9 million in state and local taxes. Attendance over three days was 250,000, representing 42 different states. The room nights sold figure was 18,991.

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Chris Stapleton Pop-Up Shop Confirmed In Downtown Nashville during CMA Fest

By on May 23, 2018 in In The Press

Chris Stapleton will hold an exclusive pop-up store at The George Jones during next month’s CMA Fest. Open June 7–10 from 10:00AM–6:00PM, the store will feature exclusive merchandise, custom Louisville Slugger bats and more.

Stapleton will also perform during this year’s festival—at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 9 (10:30PM) as well as part of Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam at the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, June 6. Moreover, earlier in the evening on June 6, he will perform at the 2018 CMT Music Awards where he is nominated for Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year for “Say Something” with Justin Timberlake and CMT Performance of the Year for “I Won’t Back Down” (from 2017 CMT Artist of the Year) with Jason Aldean, Keith Urban and Little Big Town.

The performances continue a triumphant year for Stapleton following the release his two acclaimed 2017 albums—From A Room: Volume 1 (certified platinum) and From A Room: Volume 2 (certified gold).

In celebration of the albums, Stapleton will hit the road again this year as part of the expansive “Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show” tour. Dates include New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ The Forum and Chicago’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre among many others. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will feature Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb as special guests. All tickets are now on-sale. See below for complete tour itinerary.

Both Volume 1 and Volume 2 take their name from Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (the capital “A” in “From A Room”) where they were recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb. Along with Stapleton on vocals and guitar and Cobb on acoustic guitar, the album features Morgane Stapleton on harmony vocals as well as longtime band-members J.T. Cure on bass and Derek Mixon on drums.

Stapleton was recently awarded Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1), Best Country Song (“Broken Halos”) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Either Way”) at the 60th GRAMMY Awards, Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 1) and Male Vocalist of the Year at The 51st Annual CMA Awards, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 1 as both artist and producer) at the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards and Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist and Top Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1) at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

Moreover, Stapleton is featured on Justin Timberlake’s new song, “Say Something.” The music video—which was filmed in a single shot at L.A.’s historic Bradbury Building—has been viewed over 200 million times. Watch here.

 “CHRIS STAPLETON’S ALL-AMERICAN ROAD SHOW”

May 26—Daytona, FL—Country 500

May 27—New Orleans, LA—Bayou Country Superfest

June 6—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*

June 9—Nashville, TN—CMA Fest – Nissan Stadium

June 15—Houston, TX—Minute Maid Park†

June 16—Brandon, MS—Brandon Amphitheater‡ (SOLD OUT)

June 22—Rogers, AR—Walmart Amp‡ (SOLD OUT)

June 23—Dallas, TX—AT&T Stadium†

June 28—Darien Center, NY—Darien Lake Amphitheater‡

June 29—Philadelphia, PA—BB&T Pavilion‡

June 30—Mansfield, MA—Xfinity Center‡

July 13—St. Louis, MO—Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre‡ (SOLD OUT)

July 14—Louisville, KY—Forecastle Fest

July 15—Birmingham, AL—Sloss Fest

July 19—Spokane, WA—Spokane Arena‡

July 20—Portland, OR—Sunlight Supply Amphitheater‡ (SOLD OUT)

July 21—Seattle, WA—White River Amphitheatre‡

July 26—South Lake Tahoe, NV—Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys‡

July 27—Sacramento, CA—Toyota Amphitheatre‡

July 28—Mountain View, CA—Shoreline Amphitheatre‡

August 2—Billings, MT—Rimrock Auto Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 3—Missoula, MT—Adams Center‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 4—Boise, ID—Ford Idaho Center Arena‡

August 9—Albuquerque, NM—Isleta Amphitheater‡

August 10—Denver, CO—Pepsi Center‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 11—Salt Lake City, UT—USANA Amphitheatre‡

August 16—San Diego, CA—Mattress Firm Amphitheatre‡

August 17—Anaheim, CA—Honda Center‡

August 18—Los Angeles, CA—The Forum‡

August 23—Saratoga Springs, NY—Saratoga Performing Arts Center‡

August 24—Gilford, NH—Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion‡ (SOLD OUT)

August 25— Gilford, NH—Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion‡

September 23—Franklin, TN—Pilgrimage Music Festival

October 4—Cincinnati, OH—Riverbend Music Center‡

October 5—Indianapolis, IN—Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center‡

October 6—Chicago, IL—Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre‡

October 11—Charlotte, NC—PNC Music Pavilion‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 12—Raleigh, NC—Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 13—Bristow, VA—Jiffy Lube Live‡

October 19—Alpharetta, GA—Verizon Amphitheatre‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 20—Atlanta, GA—Lakewood Amphitheater‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 25—Columbia, SC—Colonial Life Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 26—Knoxville, TN—Thompson Boling Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

October 27—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena‡ (SOLD OUT)

November 2—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden‡

November 3—Charlottesville, VA—John Paul Jones Arena‡

November 4—Baltimore, MD—Royal Farms Arena‡

*as part of Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam with John Prine, Margo Price, Connie Smith and more

†with The Eagles

‡with special guests Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb

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Star-Packed Lineup Announced For “Gretsch Presents The Fifth Annual GEORGIA ON MY MIND” To Be Held June 26 At The Historic Ryman Auditorium In Nashville

By on May 22, 2018 in In The Press

The “Gretsch Presents the Fifth Annual Georgia On My Mind” benefit concert is a celebration of the Peach State’s musical mavericks and influence on today’s chart-topping hits hosted by the Peach Pickers: Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, and Ben Hayslip.

 

The Peach Pickers hand-pick a star-studded group of friends to celebrate the music of their home state with proceeds benefiting the Georgia Music Foundation. Performers this year include Lauren Alaina, Travis Denning, Chris Janson, Michael Ray, songwriters Pat Alger and Tony Arata many more.

 

The event returns to the historic Ryman Auditorium on Tuesday, June 26. Tickets are available now for $54.50 and $44.50 via Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, ryman.com,or by calling (800) 745-3000.

 

“For Ben, Rhett and I, it’s almost like organizing a bonfire party in South Georgia every year. We call our friends, they call their friends and we all get together, play the songs we love and tell stories,” said Davidson, who chairs the Georgia Music Foundation. “The fact that the last four concerts have allowed us to donate nearly $300,000 to the Georgia Music Foundation and support music education programs all over our home state is icing on the cake.”

 

Tickets often sell out prior to the concert and surprise guests join the fun each year. Over the past four years, friends joining the Peach Pickers on stage have included Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Big Boi of Outkast, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Kip Moore, T. Graham Brown, Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie, Randy Houser, Lee Brice, Craig Campbell, Tyler Farr, Otis Redding III, Dexter Redding, Billy Currington, Drivin’ N Cryin’, Brent Cobb, Trea Landon, Jon Langston, Cole Taylor, and many more.

 

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famers Pat Alger and Tony Arata will be on hand to perform and receive the Georgia Music Foundation Flamekeeper Award given since 2014 to individuals whose tireless work preserves and promotes Georgia’s musical roots and traditions. Past recipients include Jason Aldean; Deanna Brown-Thomas, daughter of James Brown; Karla Redding-Andrews, Dexter Redding and Otis Redding III, children of Otis Redding; and Georgia Governor Nathan Deal.

 

This year, the Peach Pickers welcome Gretsch, the fourth-generation musical instruments company headquartered in Pooler, GA, as a presenting sponsor. Fred Gretsch, President of The Gretsch Company, said, “As we celebrate our 135th anniversary as a family business run by Dinah Gretsch and me, we are honored to support the Peach Pickers and present ‘Georgia On My Mind.’ The Gretsch family’s goal is enriching lives through participation in music and we’ve seen how proceeds from previous years’ concerts have impacted music education programs around the state of Georgia.”

 

The Georgia Music Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 1994, has distributed nearly $300,000 in grants to deserving music education, preservation and outreach programs since the first “Georgia On My Mind” concert was held in 2014. Proceeds from the 2017 concert benefitted 17 schools and non-profit organizations. Among the recipients were Nuçi’s Space in Athens for its annual Camp Amped summer camp; the Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House in Macon for its 2018 outreach programs; and the Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics in Hephzibah for the purchase of Orff instruments.

Info on the grant program is available at www.georgiamusicfoundation.org.

 

About the Peach Pickers: All Georgia natives, the Peach Pickers have accumulated more than 70 No. 1 songs collectively and individually since 2010 and earned numerous awards and accolades. Their respective catalogs include hit songs “I Don’t Want
This Night To End,” “All About Tonight,” “Gimmie That Girl,” “Just A Kiss,” “When She Says Baby,” “Boys Round Here,” “It Goes Like This,” “We Owned The Night,” “I Don’t Dance,” “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” “Point At You,” “That’s My Kind Of Night,” “Rain Is A Good Thing,” “Small Town Throwdown,” “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” “Star of the Show,” and many more.

 

Platinum sponsor Georgia Tourism is proud to feature native Jason Aldean on the cover of the 2018 Georgia Travel Guide. Free copies are available at www.exploregeorgia.org.

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Rodney Atkins To Host Eighth Annual “Music City Gives Back” On Monday, June 4 At Ascend Park

By on May 18, 2018 in In The Press

Photo Credit: Joseph Llanes

One of Country Aircheck’s “most-played artists of the decade,” Rodney Atkins will kick off a week of country music ahead of CMA Fest 2018 with his eighth annual “Music City Gives Back” concert on Monday, June 4. The star-studded event will be held at Ascend Park and feature a performance by Atkins along with friends Big & Rich, as well as additional artists to be announced in the coming days.

“This show has become a highlight of every summer for me,” said Atkins. “It gets bigger and better each year, and it’s such a fun way for us to give back to the W.O. Smith Music School here in Nashville. We have some great artists joining us this year and I’m so grateful for their support.”

The concert is free and open to the public with first-come, first-served seating. Select artists will also be available to sign autographs in the sponsor activation area from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with performances beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Ally Bank, Carl Black Chevrolet and Wrangler® return for the eighth year as presenting sponsors for Music City Gives Back. Wrangler will share live video of the show at WranglerNetwork.com, while Music City Gives Back will also be heard all across North America on TuneIn’s “Country Roads” station, the most listened to country station on the platform.

Atkins recently released “Caught Up In The Country,” the lead single off his forthcoming fifth studio album expected later this year. Big & Rich are nominated for a CMT Music Award in the 2018 Duo Video of the Year category for their hit single “California.”

 

For continuing updates, follow Music City Gives Back at www.facebook.com/MusicCityGivesBack, on Twitter @MusicCityGB and on Instagram @MusicCityGivesBack.

About Rodney Atkins

Rodney Atkins is an award-winning country music singer/songwriter whose six chart-topping hits include “Take A Back Road,” “It’s America,” “Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy),” “These Are My People,” “Watching You” and “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows).” Having recently surpassed 13 million units sold during his notable career, Atkins also landed six songs on Country Aircheck’s “Top 100 Songs of Our Decade,” including the No. 1 most-played song with his Platinum-certified hit, “Watching You.” He recently released “Caught Up In The Country” to country radio, with a forthcoming studio album expected this fall. For more information and the latest updates, visit www.RodneyAtkins.com or follow online @RodneyAtkins.

About Big & Rich

They are America’s Technicolor cowboys, brothers-in-arms in service to the creed that great music has no boundaries. Individually, John and Big Kenny are first-rate musicians, songwriters, producers, entertainers—and now the creative force behind their own label imprint, Big & Rich Records. Together, they are one of the most truly original musical forces ever unleashed on a welcoming world. Big & Rich have made a career of being relatable and musically relevant since exploding into the public consciousness in 2003 as the rarest of breeds—true country music game changers. With 2004’s triple-platinum Horse of a Different Color, they were able to tap into the best strands of a wide spectrum of popular music, filter them through their pens and voices and produce a sound that is instantly recognizable, if not classifiable.

About Ally Financial Inc.

Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a leading digital financial services company with assets of $170.0 billion as of March 31, 2018. As a client-centric company with passionate customer service and innovative financial solutions, Ally is relentlessly focused on “Doing it Right” and being a trusted financial partner for its consumer, commercial and corporate customers. Ally’s award-winning online bank (Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender) offers mortgage-lending services and a variety of deposit and other banking products, including CDs, online savings, money market and checking accounts and IRA products. Ally also promotes the Ally CashBack Credit Card. Additionally, Ally offers securities brokerage and investment advisory services through Ally Invest. Ally remains one of the largest full-service auto finance operations in the country with a complementary auto-focused insurance business, which together serve more than 18,000 dealer customers and millions of auto consumers. Ally’s robust corporate finance business offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies. For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit www.ally.com/#/disclosures.

About Carl Black Chevrolet

Carl Black Chevrolet is one of General Motors’ top dealers with locations in Atlanta, Nashville and Orlando as well as online at carlblack.com.

About Wrangler

Wrangler has been an icon in authentic American style around the world for more than 70 years. With a rich legacy rooted in the American west, Wrangler commits to offering unmatched quality and timeless design. Its collections for men, women and children look and feel great, inspiring those who wear them to be strong and ready for life, every day. Wrangler is available in retail stores worldwide, including brand flagship stores in Denver and Dallas, department stores, mass-market retailers, specialty shops, western outfitters and online. A VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, Wrangler is backed by one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies with socially and environmentally responsible operations spanning numerous geographies. For more information, visit Wrangler.com.

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Sony Music Nashville Announces Carlton Anderson Signing To Arista Nashville

By on May 18, 2018 in In The Press

Newly signed Arista Nashville recording artist Carlton Anderson is pictured here with Sony Music Nashville staff in Key West (left to right): Sony Music Nashville’s  A&R Manager Margaret Tomlin, A&R Representative Jillian Whitefield, EVP/COO Ken Robold, Director Digital Sales and Streaming Alaina Vehec, SVP A&R Jim Catino, VP Sales and Streaming Caryl Healey Atwood,  EVP Promotion and Artist Development Steve Hodges, Carlton Anderson, VP Arista Nashville Promotion Josh Easler, Sony Music Nashville’s Chairman and CEO Randy Goodman, Senior Director Partnership Marketing Nicole Marinake, VP A&R Taylor Lindsey, Director’s National Promotion Lauren Thomas and EVP Marketing/New Business John Zarling. Photo credit: Adam Davis

Sony Music Nashville has announced the signing of artist and songwriter Carlton Anderson to Arista Nashville.

Anderson is spending time with the Sony Music Nashville team as he prepares to launch his debut single soon. He deftly balances traditional sounds and contemporary themes and was signed as a songwriter at Warner Chappell Music, where he has written with some of the most sought-after songwriters in Nashville.

Anderson grew up in Cypress, Texas, a town northwest of Houston where sports dominated daily conversation and Friday night, but Anderson focused on the other Texas pastime: Music.

Anderson’s musical awakening started with Willie Nelson, who he refers to as “his drug” and quickly advanced to George Strait and a long line of musical mavericks. Styles varied, but the common denominator was that even though they were born in Texas their music transcended borders.

Anderson started working in the oil fields at 16 – two years before it was legal – and worked at a grocery store after school to put away enough money to buy a guitar and small PA so he could play the honky tonks and dancehalls around his hometown after graduation. But the goal was always Nashville.

After three tries he cobbled enough money and the necessary co-sign from his grandparents to attend Nashville’s Belmont University. He moved to Music City and immediately started looking for ways to pay the bills. He dropped off his bag and headed downtown to find a gig. He parked on Fourth Avenue across from the Swingin’ Doors Saloon and heard the band playing “In Color.” He walked in, asked to play a few songs, and the manager offered him a job. He went on to play there five more years.

Anderson was the first to graduate college in his family, which had a firmly grounded “go to work or go to war” mentality, but he learned the ropes through hard work, practice, paying his dues in Texas, and playing for tourists and bachelorette parties in Nashville. He focused on “connecting” with his audience, no matter how distracted or inebriated they were. It wasn’t long before more than tourists were taking notice.

Sony Music Nashville includes is three country label operations – Arista Nashville, Columbia Nashville, and RCA Nashville – and Provident Music Group, one of the world’s leading Christian Music Companies. Sony Music Nashville is a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

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CMA Fest Announces Close Up Stage Artists Of The Day Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan And Dustin Lynch

By on May 17, 2018 in In The Press

Xfinity Fan Fair X, CMA Fest’s Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience where fans get up close and personal with their favorite artists, returns to Music City Center daily Thursday, June 7 through Sunday, June 10 (9:30 AM-5:00 PM). One of the biggest draws is the Artist of the Day session, which spotlights one of Country Music’s favorite acts each day by offering a glimpse into their careers from the CMA Close Up Stage. Dierks Bentley will appear on Thursday, Luke Bryan on Friday, Dustin Lynch on Saturday and Kelsea Ballerini on Sunday.
Country Music superstar Jason Aldean closes out the first night of CMA Fest Thursday, June 7 with a performance at Nissan Stadium. Aldean joins hundreds of previously announced acts performing on 11 stages throughout downtown Nashville during CMA Fest. A limited number of four-day tickets for the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium are still available at CMAfest.com/tickets or through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Additional Close Up Stage programming includes:

• Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum presents an interview with 2018 inductee Ricky Skaggs, hosted by Museum Editor Peter Cooper

• The Making of Words with Sara Evans, joined by producer Mark Bright, songwriters Victoria Banks and Emily Shackelton, and hosted by CMT’s Leslie Fram

• “Good Ole Days” – A look at Tracy Lawrence’s career through the lens of his latest album, Good Ole Days, hosted by SiriusXM’s Storme Warren

• “How to Survive Anything” with Naomi Judd

• Bluebird Café songwriters round featuring Jake Etheridge, Adam Hambrick and Tenille Townes

• Songwriters round with Bill Anderson and Bobby Bare

The full CMA Close Up Stage lineup is available on the CMA Fest app. Additional stages and programming taking place at Xfinity Fan Fair X will be announced soon. Tickets for Xfinity Fan Fair X are available for $10 each day or $25 for a four-day pass. Visit CMAFest.com/tickets to purchase.
Several acts have been confirmed to sing the National Anthem at select stages during CMA Fest. Runaway June will kick off Chevy Riverfront Stage Thursday morning, while each of the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium will open with National Anthem performances by The Oak Ridge Boys with the Marine Corps Band New Orleans on Thursday, “Lil Hank Williams” Mason Ramsey on Friday, Jillian Jacqueline on Saturday, and Ray Stevens on Sunday.
All outdoor daytime stages as well as nightly performances at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater are free and open to the public. Fans can purchase the CMA Fest Nash Pass, allowing a limited amount of VIP early access to nightly shows at the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater. The Nash Pass will also include Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum tour, Ryman Auditorium tour and four-day admission to Xfinity Fan Fair X.
New this year, CMA has an expanded product line of more than 40 various CMA Fest apparel and accessories. Items are available for pre-order online at countrymu.sc/shcom18. Order by Tuesday, May 29 to receive merch before the festival. During CMA Fest, merch can be found at multiple locations across the footprint, giving fans quick and easy access to souvenirs.
Don’t miss a beat—download the CMA Fest app, or get connected with CMA on CMAfest.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and sign up for CMA Country Connection emails to receive the latest news as soon as it’s announced.
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Tickets On Sale This Weekend For “2018 CMT Music Awards”

By on May 17, 2018 in In The Press

PRESALE BEGINS FRIDAY, MAY 18th AT 11AM ET VIA TICKETMASTER

VIP PACKAGES OFFERED TO FANS FOR FIRST TIME

CMT today announced that tickets will go on presale on May 18 and general sale on May 19 for the “2018 CMT Music Awards,” premiering LIVE on Wednesday, June 6 at 8pm ET/PT from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Hosted by Little Big Town, the “2018 CMT Music Awards” is country’s only entirely fan-voted awards show. Fans can purchase presale tickets beginning tomorrow, May 18 via Ticketmaster using password “BUCKLEUP,” and vote now for their favorite artists at vote.cmt.com. A superstar roster of performers and presenters will be announced soon.

TICKET INFORMATION:
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets
Friday, May 18 – presale beginning at 11am ET/10am CT (Password for presale: BUCKLEUP)
Saturday, May 19 – general sale beginning at 11am ET/10am CT

A limited amount of Ultimate Insider VIP Experiences are available for fans seeking celebrity treatment at the 2018 CMT Music Awards. VIPs will have the opportunity to walk the red carpet and snap a professional photo in addition to watching the show from a premium seat or the standing room pit. Before the Awards show, VIP guests will get to attend select rehearsals and soundcheck, while also having guaranteed access to a taping of CMT Crossroads, CMT New Artist Showcase, and more. To view Ultimate Insider VIP Experience details, please visit: https://www.cidentertainment.com/events/cmt-music-awards/.

The “2018 CMT Music Awards” nominations announcement made history last week, as pop sensations Bebe Rexha, with her record-breaking hit, “Meant To Be,” featuring Florida Georgia Line, and Justin Timberlake, with “Say Something” featuring Chris Stapleton, received first time nods for the highly coveted “Video of the Year.” The additional lineup of country stars vying for the title include Blake Shelton, Brett Young, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwoodfeaturing Ludacris, Dan + Shay, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett. Up for four nominations each, Carrie Underwood (who also currently holds the title of most “CMT Music Awards” wins), Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean are tied for most nods.

Follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

About CMT
CMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT App, CMT.com) and social (CMT on Facebook, CMT on Instagram and CMT on Twitter). CMT is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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