Tag Archives | country

Show Review: Josh Abbott Band @ Exit/In

By on November 25, 2012 in Special Events

Josh Abbot Band

FOCUS was recently invited to attend the Josh Abbott Band show at Exit/In.  This is another band that is new to us at the site and we appreciated the invitation to see them perform.

Josh Abbott Band hails from the great state of Texas bringing with them that unmistakable Texas sound blended with contemporary country music.  Great musicianship mixed with equally great stage presence, provided a night of great music that seemed to be enjoyed by all! It was a packed crowd in there.  From the moment they took the stage, the crowd was completely captivated by them–singing along and dancing to the music.

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A Closer Look @ Craig Campbell

By on November 23, 2012 in A Closer Look @

Check out this interview we just did with country artist, Craig Campbell! What a great, all-around guy and so talented!

Please check out his music if you haven’t heard of him already. His new song “Outta My Head” is now available for purchase on iTunes.

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A Closer Look @ Maggie Rose

By on October 17, 2012 in A Closer Look @

Check out this interview with new country artist, Maggie Rose! Continue Reading →

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Brantley Gilbert Will Raise Hell On First Headlining Tour

By on October 5, 2012 in In The Press

Photo Credit: Beth Qwinn, Getty Images

NASHVILLE, TN – (September 27, 2012) –  CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Brantley Gilbert will raise a little hell as he embarks on his first headlining tour, which kicks off tonight (9/27) in Lafayette, IN  and continues in Oklahoma City, OK (9/28) and Poplar Bluff, MO (9/29). The 19-city trek will take the hot newcomer across the country throughout the middle of November.

Gilbert took a break from rehearsing to give fans an exclusive first look at the “wheels” that will power the tour in Nashville on Monday (9/24). He then performed an intimate, acoustic set for SiriusXM’s The Highway. Posting the event to his more than 1 million fans on Facebook the star was swarmed by members of the BG Nation all hoping to catch a glimpse.  Continue Reading →

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Taylor Made Debuts New Music Video

By on August 31, 2012 in In The Press

Nashville, Tenn. (August 28, 2012) – Little General Records recording trio Taylor Made released their first ever music video featuring their current single, Things You Don’t Grow Out Of. The video officially released Thursday, August 23rd to networks, blogs, and radio amidst a nationwide radio tour to promote the single, which is currently #48 on the Billboard Indicator chart and #35 on the Music Row chart.  Continue Reading →

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Song Review: Things You Can’t Do In A Car By Due West

By on August 8, 2012 in Album & Song Reviews

Well, here’s another song that’s stuck in my head now.  It’s a good one with some fantastic harmonies.

“Things You Can’t Do In A Car” by Due West written by Due West member, Brad Hull, is an uptempo, catchy, cleverly-written song that’s perfect for summer and anytime really.  Guitar-driven, strong melody, great hook…this song just flows perfectly and is pure country “goodness”.  Another song that should be a hit on radio.   Quality music that is masterfully-produced.  If you like good country music, check them out.

Due West, comprised of Brad Hull, Tim Gates, and Matt Lopez, have some of the best harmonies out there today.  When they get together on the stage, it’s pure magic — as if they were born to sing with each other.  They are each accomplished songwriters in their own right with cuts on albums by Lady Antebellum and Bucky Covington to name a few.

Be sure to check them out and find more of their music on iTunes.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

 

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Billy Ray Cyrus Performs At The Starkey Hearing Foundation’s 2012 Gala on Saturday August 4 in Saint Paul

By on August 8, 2012 in In The Press

Photo 1: Pictured (L-R): Michael Johns, K’naan, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Chevy Chase, Norm Crosby, Starkey Co-Founder Tani Austin, President Clinton, Starkey Founder Bill Austin, Billy Crystal, Forest Whitaker, Billy Ray Cyrus, Glenn Frey, Okello Sam

Nashville, TN – (August 7, 2012) – Multi-platinum recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus, his wife Tish Cyrus and daughter Brandi attended the Starkey Hearing Foundation’s 12th annual “So The World May Hear” Gala on August 4, 2012 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. The country music singer/songwriter/actor brought the house down with his performance.

“It is about the gift of love. It is just incredible that they go all around the world to give people their first chance ever to hear, to sing, to dance, to communicate. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of it,” shared Cyrus when asked about the Foundation.

The evening’s soiree brings awareness to and benefits the organization’s efforts to give the gift of hearing. Starkey Hearing Foundation fits more than 100,000 hearing aids to people in need in the U.S. and around the world each year and has conducted missions in more than 97 countries.

Currently, Cyrus is in the studio putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming album titled Change My Mind to be released October 23. He is set to make his debut in the Broadway play Chicago on Nov. 5, and will continue his run through Dec. 23.

For additional information on Billy Ray Cyrus, please visit www.billyraycyrus.com

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Tim McGraw And Faith Hill Bring SOUL2SOUL To Vegas’ Venetian Hotel

By on August 8, 2012 in In The Press
Pre-sale tickets for this limited engagement begin tomorrow, Aug. 8;
Tickets for the general public go on sale Monday, Aug. 13
TWEET:  It’s official! Country music’s hottest couple @TheTimMcGraw and @FaithHill bring their #Soul2Soul to @VenetianVegas beginning Dec. 7 #Vegas

LAS VEGAS (August 7, 2012) – Collectively, they’ve sold 70 million albums, won eight Grammy Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, 14 American Music Awards, seven People’s Choice Awards and 26 Academy of Country Music Awards.  Today, at a live ‘town-hall’ press conference, The Venetian® Las Vegas announced the biggest musical event in its history – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill “Soul2Soul.”  This limited engagement, which opens on Dec. 7 and covers 10 weekends through April 2013, will take place in the 1,815-seat Venetian Theater.  A ticket pre-sale will begin tomorrow and tickets for the general public will go on sale Monday, Aug. 13.

“Soul2Soul” at The Venetian will mark the first time in six years that McGraw and Hill have performed together in the United States. “Soul2Soul” will feature an all-new production with innovative lighting and set design technologies that were synonymous with the “Soul2Soul” concerts.  The Venetian Theater will also be modified to accommodate this new production.  These “Soul2Soul” concerts will include many of the no. 1 hits that have made them, both in their own right, two of the most significant entertainers of our generation.

“We are creating a show that will be completely different from what we’ve done before – and might ever do again,” said Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. “In arenas and stadiums, you’re always faced with the challenge of finding ways to make people feel closer to the action, no matter where they might be sitting. Now everyone will be close, so it opens up all kinds of creative possibilities and we’re looking forward to exploring those so that we can really give our fans something truly special.”

“It’s not every day that Las Vegas welcomes such stellar star power to the Strip,” said John Caparella, president and chief operating officer of The Venetian, The Palazzo & Sands Expo. “Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are country music’s first couple and we are proud to have such extraordinary talent. When they hit our stage in December it will surely be the hottest ticket in town.”

McGraw and Hill have been dominating the music charts since the early ‘90s and began performing together in 2000 in their record-breaking “Soul2Soul” tour, becoming that year’s top grossing and most successful U.S. tour. Their success continued in 2006 when “Soul2Soul II” returned to the road. It became the highest grossing country music tour of all time, the most attended of the year in any musical genre and remains the highest grossing multi-year North American tour in country music history.

McGraw, whose hits include “Live Like You Were Dying,” “Everywhere” and “Real Good Man,” has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and dominated the charts with 32 no. 1 singles.  He’s won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, 10 American Music Awards, three People’s Choice Awards and numerous other honors. With 7.8 million spins at radio, McGraw was deemed Artist of the Decade from 2000-2010 by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.  Also an accomplished actor, McGraw’s film credits include “Country Strong,” the Academy Award nominated “The Blind Side,” “Four Christmases,” “The Kingdom,”  “Flicka” and “Friday Night Lights.”

Hill’s nineteen-year career has been highlighted by the sale of more than 30 million records worldwide, during which time she has celebrated thirteen no. 1 singles and twenty no. 1 videos. She was the first female artist to have three studio albums – 1999’s “Breathe,” 2002’s “Cry” and 2005’s “Fireflies” – all debut consecutively at no. 1 on Billboard’s Top Pop Album Chart and Country Chart.  Hill is a five-time Grammy Award winner, who has also won three Country Music Association Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, four American Music Awards, and four People’s Choice Awards.  For the fifth consecutive year, Hill is once again the voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Football’s weekly show open.

Members of The Venetian’s loyalty program, Grazie, as well as Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s official fan communities and Clear Channel subscribers will be able to purchase advance tickets through the pre-sale starting tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. Performances are scheduled for 8 and 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 8; 14, 15; Jan. 18, 19, 25, 26, 2013; Feb. 1, 2, 15, 16, 22, 23, March 1,2; April 12, 13, 26 and 27.

Ticket prices are $95.50, $175.50 and $255.50 and $295.50 inclusive of tax.  A limited number of VIP Packages – including preferred seating in the first two rows, a complimentary pre-fixe dinner at a select resort restaurant, two complimentary drinks at the show, a merchandise credit and more – will be available for $1,000, inclusive of tax. Performance dates and times are subject to change. Tickets are available for purchase at any Venetian | Palazzo Box Office, online at venetian.com or by phone at 702-414-9000.

For more information on Grazie and to become a member, please call Grazie Services at 702-414-1500 or visit www.venetian.com/Grazie-Loyalty-Program.

For more information on Tim McGraw and Faith Hill go to www.timmcgraw.com or www.faithhill.com.

 


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A Very Special Christmas Series Celebrates 25TH Anniversary With The Release Of Two Albums Benefiting Special Olympics

By on August 7, 2012 in In The Press

Nashville, TN  (6 August 2012) – The ‘A Very Special Christmas’ holiday music series, benefiting Special Olympics, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this holiday season with the first ever release of two new albums on October 16, each on a different label. Titles of the albums, as unveiled today, are: A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY on Big Machine Records and A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS: BRINGING PEACE ON EARTH on Word Records.

Word Entertainment

Timothy P. Shriver (Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics), Scott Borchetta (President and CEO of Big Machine Label Group), Rod Riley (President and CEO of Word Entertainment), Jimmy Clark (Special Olympics athlete and Global Messenger), the Honorable Karl Dean (Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County), Francesca Battistelli (chart-topping Christian crossover artist, Dove Award winner) and members of Train were on hand in Nashville at Blackbird Studios, where Train is recording “Joy to the World,” to make the announcement. The artists unveiled the artwork for the new projects, which incorporates the legendary Keith Haring Madonna & Child artwork used historically on the series.

“This album series has been a remarkable gift to our Special Olympics athletes,” said Shriver. “Thanks to the generosity of countless incredible people across the music industry, the legacy from the ‘A Very Special Christmas’ album series continues to support and sustain our work to bring the joy of sport to people with intellectual disabilities which in turn fosters a global community of acceptance and inclusion.”

Special Olympics changes lives through the power of sport, as the world’s largest organization dedicated to year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people with intellectual disabilities.

Since 1987, the biggest and brightest voices in the recording industry have generously lent their time and talents to Special Olympics to create the holiday album series ‘A Very Special Christmas,’the single most successful benefit recording series in musical historygenerating more than $100 million in royalties to benefit Special Olympics. The talent was so abundant this year, it called for the release of two full albums, the first time in the history of the series that two albums will be released simultaneously:

A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY – Christina Aguilera, Francesca Battistelli, Michael Bublé, Cheap Trick, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, One Republic, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry, Train, and Wonder Girls.

A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS: BRINGING PEACE ON EARTH – Meredith Andrews, Chris August, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Group 1 Crew, for KING & COUNTRY, Dara Maclean, Jamie Grace, Natalie Grant, and Sidewalk Prophets.

Created by Jimmy and Vicki Iovine and Bobby Shriver, along with Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the ‘AVery Special Christmas’ series has brought together top musical talent who donated their time and talent, and publishers and record labels who gave consent and waived royalties. Twenty-five years and seven albums later, the series has generated over $100 million in royalties and become the largest single source of funding for Special Olympics and its athletes.

Grants from the Christmas Record Trust have enabled Special Olympics to implement programs worldwide, from the United States to Timor Leste, China to Uganda, Cambodia to Haiti and more. In more than 100 of the Special Olympics Programs that have received Christmas Record grants, nearly 25 percent were classified by the United Nations as operating in Least Developed Countries. In these countries the need to support people with intellectual disabilities is critical. In the United States, these funds have also supported Special Olympics programs in urban areas such as New York City, Philadelphia and New Orleans.

Big Machine Label Group

The Christmas Record Trust has also directly impacted the lives of Special Olympics athletes. For example, Cindy Bentley in Wisconsin was born with an intellectual disability, abandoned as a baby and shuffled through foster care. Thanks to the Christmas Record grants her local Special Olympics program received, she got involved in sports competitions, gained confidence and today she holds a full-time job and is an active advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. Najila Agha is a Special Olympics athlete from Afghanistan – a local Special Olympics program started through funds raised from ‘A Very Special Christmas’ albums went from living in an orphanage in Kabul to competing in Special Olympics World Games.

Each successive album of the series has honored the quality of its predecessors with timeless recordings of holiday music by some of the most influential and talented artists of their time. U2, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Madonna, Sting, Bon Jovi, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Wyclef Jean, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, No Doubt, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Vanessa Williams and Bryan Adams are among the stars who contributed tracks to previous albums and whose songs for ‘A Very Special Christmas’ have become perennial favorites on the radio and at holiday celebrations over the years. Learn more about ‘A Very Special Christmas’ at www.averyspecialchristmas.org

# # #
About Special Olympics

Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives through the power of sport by empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect worldwide. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to 4 million athletes in 170 countries worldwide, providing year-round sports training, athletic competition and related programs. Special Olympics takes place daily, changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities all over the world. Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience joy and friendship. Visit Special Olympics at www.specialolympics.org. Engage with us on: Twitter @specialolympics; fb.com/specialolympics; youtube.com/specialolympicshq, and specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com

About Big Machine Label Group:

At the helm of the independent Big Machine Label Group is industry veteran Scott Borchetta, who serves as President and CEO. The conglomerate encompasses Big Machine Records (founded in 2005), The Valory Music Co. (founded in 2007) and Republic Nashville (a partnership with Universal Republic founded in 2009 with Jimmy Harnen serving as President) as well as Big Machine Music Publishing. The Big Machine Label Group’s current artist roster includes Multi-Platinum superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Reba and Martina McBride; Platinum sensations The Band Perry; legendary group The Mavericks; Breakout Gold-selling artist Brantley Gilbert; Chart-topping acts Eli Young Band Justin Moore as well as Hot newcomers Sunny Sweeney, Edens Edge, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, Greg Bates, RaeLynn and Ella Mae Bowen. BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, American Music Awards, CMT Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Award and People’s Choice Award accolades as well as Brit Award and JUNO Award nominations. The label group has also forayed into the racing world, sponsoring the Brickyard 400 as well as back-to-back Indy500 drivers.

About Word Entertainment:

A leader in the music industry for over 60 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including Meredith Andrews, Chris August, BarlowGirl, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Patrick Ryan Clark, Everfound, for KING & COUNTRY, Group 1 Crew, Dara Maclean, Point Of Grace and Sidewalk Prophets and is home to 25 Entertainment, Word Distribution (representing Curb Records and Big Idea/VeggieTales among others), Word Print, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group’s Word Records and Fervent Records.

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Rascal Flatts Prep Launch Of New “Come Wake Me Up” Video With Behind-The-Scenes Special – Available Now Only At CMT.com

By on August 7, 2012 in In The Press
NASHVILLE, TN (August 6, 2012) – Country supergroup Rascal Flatts  give fans a preview of their new music video for their current single “Come Wake Me Up,” which is on the cusp of Top 20, with a behind-the-scenes special, which launched today at CMT.com.  The full video will make its world premiere Friday, August 10 on CMT at 6 a.m. ET, and run at the top of every hour during music hours.
Filmed in Nashville, the video includes a cameo by Joe Don Rooney’s wife, Tiffany Fallon.  Adding to the intensity of the dramatic scenes, two-time female street freestyle world champion Dena Sodano steps in Fallon’s role as the motorcycle stunt driver.  “Come Wake Me Up” was directed by Shaun Silva, who explains the idea behind the video as the fate of two people from entirely different worlds.

“So I had this story unfolding, this moment of – here’s a girl who really is just from a different world than what he’s from,” said Silva.  “Joe Don’s character is doing all the things anybody would want to do for someone they love, but it threatens her identity until one night after an argument, she removes a necklace like breaking free from his lavish grasp.  Her decision to leave, and his to chase after her, only pushes her further towards her foreshadowed fate.”

Rascal Flatts will be featured on CMT all week long as some of their biggest hit videos return to the channel, and will be introduced by the band themselves.  The video premiere will be promoted across all of CMT’s digital platforms including CMT.com, CMT Mobile and nearly 3 million social media fans.

To preview or embed the MAKING OF video, visit: http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/822686/the-making-of-come-wake-me-up.jhtml

CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S.  CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand.  The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.
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