Every now and then, songs evoke a physical response — singing along, crying, leaning in to kiss the person you love. Kären McCormick’s“Dancing With Him Tonight” will make you want to put on your favorite high heels and dance with a stranger.
“Giddy on up cowboy show ‘em how it’s done
A little bit of yeehaw never hurt no one”
Born in Africa and raised in Washington, Kären McCormick is quickly placing her distinctive stamp on country music. From the alluring first notes to the 23-year-old’s sultry voice throughout, McCormick’s third release will leave you ready to seek out a scandalous adventure.
“I like the way he moves when he walks by
And I wouldn’t mind dancing with him tonight”
Self-penned and produced by Caleb Lovely and Lucas Hathaway, “Dancing With Him Tonight” illustrates the best way to move on at the end of a relationship — find a cute rebound.
With a vocal blend of Taylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves, the newcomer is already making a name for herself. McCormick snagged a win at Got Talent, Spokane? in 2012 and played two dates on Kelsea Ballerini’s “The Unapologetically Tour”with Walker Hayes. She has opened for Terry McDermott of NBC’s “The Voice” and has racked up over 850,000 views on YouTube.
McCormick released her first autobiographical single, “Just a Song”, last year and has independently garnered more than 20,000 streams. Her sophomore single, “We Were on Fire”, was released in August.
“Dancing With Him Tonight” is available on iTunes, Spotify and all digital retailers.
Kären McCormick is slated to release her debut EP this summer.
Delta Rae just released their newest single, “Hands Dirty”. It is a powerful and honest song written from a female’s perspective about standing up against discrimination, working towards equality, and not giving up by doing what we can to invoke change. One example: exercising our right to vote.
With lyrics like these, I find the song to be very inspiring and thought-provoking:
“I could raise the crops from the earth I could raise my children from birth But when I’m looking for work They say that job ain’t for her I could be a good mans wife I could give a new child life But when I fight for my rights They say no woman, no cry
But I ain’t giving up I can’t count on luck
I get my hands dirty I show up so early They show me no mercy So I just keep working Maybe God could save me Or my boss might pay me Right now no one serves me Maybe their hands are dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty”
In today’s heated climate filled with political discourse, divisiveness, and the #MeToo movement, it’s a very relevant and empowering anthem for women or anyone who has had to fight to be heard. Yes, it might be 2018 and some might think that we have moved past that; however, it is very much still an issue in our world. We SHOULD have already moved past this, but sadly we have not. Women are still making less than their male counterparts. Talented female artists on country radio are struggling to get anywhere close to equal airplay, far below what is given to male artists. Women are still not equal in roles of leadership within our government. Finally, too many women find themselves being survivors of sexual assault finding comfort that they are not alone with #MeToo movement. We’ve got much work to still do and can’t be afraid as socially conscious people to get our “hands dirty” by being proactive about bringing about change with something as simple as starting a conversation about it.
I recently had the pleasure to speak with Brittany Hölljes, who along with her brothers, Eric Hölljes and Ian Hölljes, Grant Emerson, Elizabeth Hopkins, and Mike McKee form the group, Delta Rae.
Delta Rae emerged from Durham, North Carolina nine years ago etching out a sound all their own that can best be described as southern gothic, swampy, folk with strong harmonies blended with an emphasis on big percussion and big voices through the lead of Brittany Hölljes and Elizabeth Hopkins. The group as a whole is filled with passion, purpose, energy, and joy in the creation of music unafraid to step outside the box of what everyone else is doing. Their name taken from a character in a book that the Hölljes’ mother created and writes about that has yet to be published.
Photo Credit: David McClister Pictured: L-R: Back Row – Liz Hopkins, Brittany Holljes, Grant Emerson L-R: Front Row – Mike McKee, Eric Holljes, Ian Holljes
Brittany Hölljes is a bold, beautiful blonde with a razor sharp intellect who gives off a more mysterious vibe and comes alive on the stage, which always seems to put me in mind of musical great, Stevie Nicks. I think it’s just what comes most natural to her from the way she dresses on stage and where she probably feels most comfortable to be herself; expressing herself artistically through music.
Deciding to open up about her own personal experience is what inspired Brittany Hölljes to write this song alongside her brother and bandmate, Ian. There is strength to be found in sharing your truth and putting feelings down into words can be quite healing. Sadly, at the age of 15, she was sexually assaulted. I am so sorry that she ever had to go through that traumatic experience. This vile act, which is much less about sex and more about power over another, is not uncommon in our society. Far too many women have their own stories to share. I believe it is 1 in every 3 women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime, and those stats are derived from those strong enough to report it. I think the actual statistics would shock us if we really knew the full scope of the problem if the unreported experiences were brought to light and figured in; lots of experiences we are now hearing from social media with the #MeToo movement. With the support of her brothers and parents, she survived and came out stronger; although it is something that always stays with you and shapes you for the rest of your life.
Another sad part is that our society has created this rape culture where people are more likely to blame the victims in questioning what they were wearing, if they were drinking, etc., which tries to suggest the blame falls on the female while seemingly excusing the male with the “boys will be boys” comment suggesting that they can’t control themselves. People have to stop this victim blaming. Period.
Brittany Hölljes even experienced some negative feedback from people on the internet after she opened up about what happened in her past, hearing comments like: “get over it”, etc. These responses are just so wrong and hurtful. Always try to put yourself in another’s shoes and show empathy whenever you can. I greatly admire her strength and determination as she shared her truth.
She spoke with The Washington Post about being a woman in country music and how the industry has reacted read the full article here: https://goo.gl/JhcCLq.
Brittany told writer Emily Yahr at The Washington Post, “I wanted to make sure that they knew this song is about female empowerment, but it is also coming from someone who doesn’t always feel powerful, who experienced someone trying to take my power from me. We can rise from that place. … We have to change this environment and narrative so that the next generation and women don’t have to experience this kind of misogyny.”
“It’s really a song for anyone that has had to fight to find their place in this world” and “anyone that is struggling under the thumb of the proverbial ‘man'”, stated the singer when speaking with me over the phone.
You can catch Delta Rae every Wednesday now through December 19th at The Basement in Nashville beginning at 8pm with The Delta Rae Revival. Limited tickets to this intimate performance are still available at: www.deltarae.com.
Below is a glimpse of what you can expect to see, but there is much, much more and you really want to see it in-person.
Guitar slinger, songwriter and talented artist, Ryan Kinder, just released his newest single, “Stay”, to country radio this week.
“Stay” is a poignant, passionate, midtempo, pop and soul-infused tune carried by Kinder’s powerful, soulful vocals and strong guitar skills. My favorite song of his yet! This artist just keeps getting better with each offering.
Written by Kinder, Fred Wilhelm and Luke Sheets, produced by Kinder and Sheets, this hard-hitting ballad delivers a compelling emotional message. Kinder captures the intensity of the lyric and melody with a virtuosic vocal and high-impact guitar solo, all of which heralds his place in the spotlight as a newly unfettered and independent artist.
“At the root, this song is a prayer, a mantra, a plea to the one you love to walk alongside you through life’s journey of ups and downs,” explains Kinder. “Since writing it, I have found strength from this song in my career as well. Music has been my companion and saving grace more times than I can count, and “Stay” reminds me of that.”
Available for streaming now, “Stay” will be included on Kinder’s next album slated for early 2019.
You can listen to it below in the official lyric video:
Born in Knoxville and raised in Birmingham, this immensely-talented artist has enjoyed an unforgettable summer touring with some of his biggest musical heroes John Fogerty and ZZ Top, wrapping up a 22-city run with a stop in London, where he opened the 2018 British Summer Time at Hyde Park Festival featuring iconic legends: Eric Clapton, Santana and Gary Clark, Jr.
“I would have been thrilled just standing side-stage each night,” says Kinder. “But getting to share the same stage with those legendary musicians was a greater experience than I could have ever imagined. And, getting to talk music with Fogerty and Billy [Gibbons] still doesn’t seem real.”
William Wild, one of Sony’s newest artists and Knoxville-based musician, will be performing at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville on August 28th alongside SAWYER and Katie Herzig beginning at 8pm.
He gained an impressive following in the wake of his debut EP, which amassed over 12 million streams on Spotify alone. The music itself is a really unique mix of folk-tinged songwriting and melodies with more modern, pop-leaning production and aesthetic. His music has also landed a number of high-profile placements in film and TV, including 2017’s major motion picture & Sundance favorite Wind River (his track “Feather” featured as the end credits track) and the Kevin Costner-led series Yellowstone (“Morning”).
Get to know Wild in his own words from our interview with him below and don’t miss him at 3rd & Lindsley this week. You’re in for a treat!
1) What made you decide to pursue a career in music?
“I think I’m asking myself this question for the first time these days. I never made the decision to pursue music, there really just came a time in the middle of college where it was the only thing I thought about and wanted to do…so I kept doing it!”
2) What and where was your first performance?
“Preservation Pub in Knoxville, TN. I may or may not have worn a fedora.”
3) Describe your music.
“I love the simplicity of folk songs and I spend most of my time trying to figure out how to write and present those ideas in a weird and fresh way.”
4) Musical influences?
“Neil Young was the first artist that actually got the wheels turning for me. It’s such a specific vibe, yet so plain and upfront.”
5) What do you enjoy doing when not making music or performing in your free time?
“I like to cook and learn about food, exercise outside, and cuddle with my beautiful brown dog, Delta.”
William Wild’s newest single, “Who Do You Love”, is a catchy, uptempo tune reminiscent of classic rock hits of the 70’s. You can listen to it below. We think he’s an artist to watch!
I first became aware of Carrie Manolakos after watching the “This Is Me” video from a rehearsal for ‘The Greatest Showman’ soundtrack. If you haven’t seen this video, watch it below. I must have watched this video well over a dozen times. There is such joy and pure talent overflowing in that room. It is infectious! Carrie was one of the choir members who really stood out in this video. The rehearsal room was filled with some of the best of the best of young, rising Broadway performers. Literally, a “who’s who” list of who to look out for on Broadway in NYC, including Hugh Jackman.
Ok, I realize that Carrie Manolakos has nothing to do with the 615 aka Nashville & surrounding areas. I need SOME kind of tie in to our city to talk about her on here since this site is all about anything related to Nashville. Well, I noticed in her Instagram that at some point in the past few years she DID perform at City Winery Nashville. If we get lucky, maybe she’ll pass through this way again, but there is the connection to Nashville that I was looking for. 😉 Update: According to Carrie she has visited Nashville a few years back working on her songwriting with some of our vast songwriting community.
Anyway, now that I have gotten THAT out of the way, let’s talk about why I think you should get to know Carrie and her music.
She is a standout among singers with such tremendous control of her powerful vocals. While some vocalists with her kind of power can have a tendency to oversing at times, Carrie starts out softly, harnessing her power. She emotes and seemingly feels every lyric as she continues to build until she reaches a dramatic peak where she unleashes the full power of her voice. Her voice is so strong, controlled, and pitch perfect that it simply gives you chills. Well, it does me anyway. Then, she brings it back down softly again. She will quite literally make you gasp from the power and emotion she exudes as she sings. That is the best way that I can describe it. Simply flawless vocals.
In this new, original song by her entitled, “Take Me Down”, you have a power ballad in the pop/alternative rock genre. It’s a mesmerizing and haunting song with lyrics like: “Every hurt that I’ve ever known. I need fear to leave me alone. Take me down to the water’s edge and make me whole.” She sings of pain she is feeling with vivid imagery and yearning to heal from it. It’s a song that everyone can relate to and she sings it so beautifully.
Get to know more about this incredibly-talented singer by checking out her website: www.carriemanolakos.com/
Waylon Jennings was the original outlaw of country music, having a career that has spanned over four decades and continues to influence aspiring and successful artists within the current musical spectrum. Acknowledging his contribution to more than just country music would be an understatement, especially taking into consideration that the Jennings family legacy is carrying the torch boldly for generations to come. Somewhat of a modern day outlaw himself, Waylons grandson Struggle Jennings takes on a tender approach with his latest single, “Bad Company”. Not only does the songs honest interpretation give the listener a taste of Struggle’s diverse talent, we are also introduced to his daughter, Brianna Harness.
Brianna and Struggle have an interesting vocal dynamic. Her pure tone, versus the life experience heard in Struggle’s delivery, works as they sing the simple chorus in the beginning of the song.
“I don’t think you know how to be in love with me, your words don’t comfort me, oooh you should run from me, I’m bad company”
Struggles grit and depth shines as he lyrically conveys a bit of a softer side. Although this is a father/daughter collaboration, the words can be taken into a unique context. Both knowing the difficulties they have experienced from the mistakes made by a fathers controversial past possibly?
The message of “Bad Company” is clear as the female vocal consoles, while the male is trying to warn her. Upon listening to the song for the first time, I don’t think it is meant to be overthought. Struggles natural flow in his verse is brilliant, allowing Brianna to carry the melody with an impressive, yet unique and underlying innocent sound.
With the vast musical history the Jennings family has built, Struggle and Brianna bring us a pleasing representation. One that foreseeably can be taken to another level and would make Waylon very proud.
Coming off his very first number one single “Yours” from his debut album, Russell Dickerson has just released his newest single and video for “Blue Tacoma”.
This mid-tempo tune delevered with Dickerson’s signature smooth vocals is the perfect summer anthem. The video filmed on the coastline fits the mood perfectly and is definitely a winner. I predict this will be his second hit off his album.
Aside from his unique look and style, Filmore continues to push boundaries within the country genre with his latest single, “Slower.” Released today, the catchy anthem integrates guitar twangs, R&B beats and his one-of-a-kind sound, capturing the innovative essence of the rising singer/songwriter himself. Listen up, Sam Hunt fans — Filmore is your next obsession. Catch this new hit on Spotify and iTunes.
Dillon Carmichael brings out our favorite elements from classic country music in his newest single, “Made To Be A Country Boy.” Released today, the anthem is an ode to both southerners and Americans alike, reminding us to appreciate our heritage and remember where you come from. Dillon’s deep, soulful voice bring his touching lyrics to life, giving us a taste of the good ‘ole country music that we all miss. If you’re a Chris Stapleton or Jamey Johnson fan – Dillon’s traditional sound will be right up your alley. Check it out on Spotify and iTunes.
The electrifying country rock band LANCO just released their debut 11-track album,HALLELUJAH NIGHTS, on Arista Nashville on January 19th.
LANCO is comprised of lead singer Brandon Lancaster, bassist Chandler Baldwin, multi-instrumentalist Jared Hampton, drummer Tripp Howell, and lead guitarist Eric Steedly.
After they crossed paths in Nashville during their early 20s, they quickly bonded over their shared small town upbringings and moved in together under one roof where they were able to truly gel as a band melding together their unique sound as they strived to pursue their musical dreams.
All 11 tracks on the full length album were co-written by lead singer and the band’s namesake, Brandon Lancaster. The album was produced by Jay Joyce who did a great job maintaining their signature sound that is best described as twangy rock. At least, that’s how I describe it. A sound that has been applauded by both music critics and fans alike.
LANCO performs at #1 party for “Greatest Love Story” at BMI. Photo credit: Steve Lowry
LANCO is currently busy bringing their high energy stage performance to the public as they make their rounds on national TV shows. This week you can see them perform their multi-week PLATINUM No. One hit “Greatest Love Story” on The Bachelor (1/22 at 7:00P CT on ABC) on Monday, performing their new anthemic single “Born To Love You” on TODAY (1/25 at 7:00A ET/CT on NBC), and then on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday (1/25 at 10:35P CT on ABC).
LANCO made their debut on The Ellen Degeneres Show last week with the popular and renowned host claiming, “you have to watch this”. Yes, we agree, you really DO have to watch this: http://bit.ly/2DktQrw
We had the opportunity to talk with the young, enthusiastic band at BMI just before their #1 celebration for “Greatest Love Story”, where they were also surprised with a plaque honoring them as the first country band to achieve platinum status on a single prior to the release of their album.
The #1 celebration at BMI that followed included tasty Mexican food, full bar, ceremony, and a special performance from the honorees.
HALLELUJAH NIGHTS brings us an anthematic collection of songs about coming of age, small town living, and young love that includes the two-week #1 hit, “Greatest Love Story” and their new single on country radio, “Born To Love You”.
My personal favorites off this album are “Long Live Tonight”, “We Do”, the title track “Hallelejuh Nights”, and “Stars Up”. All highly-infectious, uptempo tunes that I can listen to over and over.
LANCO after being presented with their 1st platinum plaque and being honored for #1 single, “Greatest Love Story”. Photo credit: Steve Lowry
This album will appeal to a broad audience and could easily be a crossover hit that younger listeners will relate to with their heavily rock-influenced sound. Fans of traditional country won’t be thrilled, but fans of just simply good music will enjoy this.
Listen to & buy it now at all digital and streaming outlets. I highly-recommend this album.
LANCO can only fully be experienced live as they meld their high-energy stage performance with their distinctive, twangy rock sound. Lucky for us, they have joined Chris Young’s headlining tour along with Kane Brown, so you can experience their live show soon in a city near you.
According to bassist Chandler Baldwin, the band is excited to embark on this large arena tour as the band has “always envisioned” themselves performing in large arenas regardless of the size of venue they found themselves in and purposely geared their show to capture the attention of a large audience.
One of the reasons the band is so drawn to this genre and what they feel “makes country special”, according to drummer Tripp Howell, is the sense of community and the comradery that is found in Nashville as other artists cheer each other on at local music events like Whiskey Jam at Winner’s.
Can’t wait to hear and see more from this band that instantly made me a fan a year ago as I caught their show at 3rd and Lindsley. Look forward to great things to come since this is only the beginning.
Find out more about LANCO at their site and find out where you can see them live by going to: www.lancomusic.com
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Every now and then, songs evoke a physical response — singing along, crying, leaning in to kiss the person you love. Kären McCormick’s “Dancing With Him Tonight” will make you want to put on your favorite high heels and dance with a stranger.
Delta Rae 
Guitar slinger, songwriter and talented artist, Ryan Kinder, just released his newest single, “Stay”, to country radio this week.
Waylon Jennings was the original outlaw of country music, having a career that has spanned over four decades and continues to influence aspiring and successful artists within the current musical spectrum. Acknowledging his contribution to more than just country music would be an understatement, especially taking into consideration that the Jennings family legacy is carrying the torch boldly for generations to come. Somewhat of a modern day outlaw himself, Waylons grandson Struggle Jennings takes on a tender approach with his latest single, “Bad Company”. Not only does the songs honest interpretation give the listener a taste of Struggle’s diverse talent, we are also introduced to his daughter, Brianna Harness.
Coming off his very first number one single “Yours” from his debut album, Russell Dickerson has just released his newest single and video for “Blue Tacoma”.
Aside from his unique look and style, 
Dillon Carmichael
The electrifying country rock band LANCO just released their debut 11-track album, HALLELUJAH NIGHTS, on Arista Nashville on January 19th.
