FOCUS on the 615
Nashville's premier entertainment blog including album, song and show reviews and exclusive artist interviews.
Country Radio Seminar wrapped up last week to record attendance, bright new stars, and performances by the biggest names in country music. FOCUS on the 615 was there to catch all the action! Here’s a preview of all the happenings at Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2013!
Read more about all the great performances with exclusive behind the scenes coverage of CRS 2013 here: http://focusonthe615.com/2013/03/06/country-radio-seminar-2013-celebrities-surprises-and-stars-of-tomorrow/
As you well know, Country Radio Seminar was last week, chock full of special performances. So how do you end the week of so many amazing shows? With one of the hottest new groups in country performing one of the biggest songs of 2012… then you bring out a superstar to help.
That’s right, the week ended with Florida Georgia Line rocking out to their smash debut single “Cruise.” And wouldn’t you know it… label mate Taylor Swift came out to surprise everybody. What a way to end CRS!
Country Radio Seminar wrapped up last week to record attendance, bright new stars, and performances by the biggest names in country music. The three-day event overtook the Nashville Convention Center as thousands poured in for the annual meeting.
As a media outlet, we have the opportunity to cover the event, and interview some of the brightest up-and-coming stars in the format. We’ll be posting those interviews in the upcoming days; and we’ve also got photo and video coverage of the events, so stay tuned!
So here’s a recap of what our week looked like:
The 21st Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival Presented by Regions Bank is just a month away, and the popular Fast Access Passes went on sale today, March 5, 2013. The limited number of passes always sells out quickly, and fans are encouraged to reserve theirs now by visiting http://tinpansouth.com/2013/tickets.html.
Fast Access Passes for Tin Pan South, which is set for Tuesday, April 2 – Saturday, April 6 at nine Nashville venues, allow patrons to bypass the cover charge at the door. Pass holders are allowed advance seating (room permitting) over those purchasing tickets at the door. Passes may be picked up at the NSAI office, 1710 Roy Acuff Place, Nashville, TN 37203, beginning Tuesday, March 26. For more information on passes, schedule and other festival information, visit tinpansouth.com.
Produced by NSAI, Tin Pan South reigns as the world’s largest all-songwriter festival. Last year close to 350 talented songwriters performed 92 shows at ten of Nashville’s top music venues. Over 9,000 music fans attend the event annually to hear songwriters tell stories behind hit songs they have written and perform the songs as they’re were originally composed.
Where can you find more CMA Award winners and nominees than at the annual CMA Awards? Try the 2013 CMA Music Festival!
The star-packed lineup is bursting at the seams with reigning trophy winners, former Award recipients, and nominees all performing for the most ardent, passionate fans in the world during CMA Music Festival, Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, in Nashville.
Country Radio Seminar 2013 is set to kick off on Wednesday, Feb. 27th at the Nashville Convention Center.
This year’s event includes more than 20 panels, exhibits and educational presentations, as well as featured speakers and panelists from all areas of the radio and records industry.
Known as the biggest Country radio event in the world, the seminar continues to grow with a cutting edge agenda, with a number of networking opportunities and performances from some of the biggest stars in the format.
2005 CMA Entertainer of the Year and four-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban and Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill will return to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, April 16, for We’re All for the Hall, a concert to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Reserved seating tickets, which are priced at $35 and $50 (does not include Ticketmaster surcharge), will go on sale March 1 at 10:00 a.m. CST. A limited number of VIP ticket packages will also go on sale on March 1 at Ticketmaster.com. (Complete ticket purchase information is below.)
This year’s theme Rebels and Renegades, the Outlaws are IN will feature performances from an all-star line-up including Urban, Gill, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Kid Rock, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver and Hank Williams, Jr. It promises to be yet another in a line of one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime concert events highlighting great music, friendship and camaraderie.
Watch out country music world: Casey James is ready to take you by storm. We caught up with Casey on his way through Nashville when he was performing at Exit/In, and we are already looking forward to next time!
After Corey Crowder opened the show with some great, high-energy country music, we witnessed the room fill to capacity waiting for the American Idol alum. As soon as he walked out, the room electrified (mainly with screaming girls) as he launched into his first song.
Casey made a name for himself on Idol with his sick guitar picking skills, as he was on the first season of the show to allow self-accompaniment. But you still haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen him live. Much like current superstars Keith Urban and Brad Paisley, he is his own lead guitarist. However, UNLIKE Keith, Brad, and a few others… Casey doesn’t have another band member on stage with lead capabilities. He has a rhythm/slide guitarist, a bass player and a keyboardist. Meaning those rocking riffs you hear in his music are all up to the man himself.
Casey opened the show with the song that also opens his album: “The Good Life,” a fun, up-tempo tune that planted a good foundation for his set. Another song that will probably be a staple to his show for a while – and should become a single – is “Drive,” a high-energy number that features Casey on a funky steel/electric guitar that allows him to really show off.
He also hit several slower songs such as “Love The Way You Miss Me” and of course his two singles, “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night” and his recent hit “Cryin’ On A Suitcase.”
With only one album to his name, this guy already has all the makings of a superstar. Not only can he play, he’s got a bluesy, country tone to his voice, perfect for crossover hits and the ability to sing just about anything. And yes… he has great hair.
You will start hearing more and more about Casey James in 2013; and watch for the big breakout to come within the next couple years.
Plus, stay tuned to FOCUS on the 615 for a full interview with Casey James coming up at CRS 2013!
Nominations were announced today for the 48th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, a star-studded event honoring country music’s best and introducing the industry’s hottest emerging talent. Produced for television by dick clark productions, the ACM Awards will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7th, 2013 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.
Nominees were revealed online via the second annual ACM digital press conference this morning on the Academy’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Iconic singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, The Band Perry, 2 Broke Girls star Beth Behrs, Little Big Town, Scotty McCreery, Ryan Seacrest, The Talk’s Julie Chen, Sarah Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler, and Sheryl Underwood, plus Entertainment Tonight co-anchors Nancy O’Dell and Rob Marciano all announced batches of nominations in video postings during the approximately 35 minute online event, which culminated in music fans announcing the nominees for the Academy’s biggest prize, Entertainer of the Year: Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift. For the second year, fans were invited to submit videos naming their favorite artist in this category.
Musicians Corner is a nonprofit program that hosts Nashville’s weekly lawn parties in Centennial Park. Musicians Corner’s free community events are free and open to all, where residents and visitors gather to enjoy multi-genre live music, local food vendors, Kidsville activities, Dog of the Day, and a Beer Garden in a beautiful park setting. Musicians Corner events take place every Saturday in May, June, September, and October.
