Both have tapped hot new progressive country/rock trio The Cadillac Black as their opening act. They will be opening for rock legend ZZ Top this September and just wrapped the Back To College Tour with Dierks Bentley. Continue Reading →
Tag Archives | Dierks Bentley
What Do ZZ Top And Dierks Bentley Have In Common?
The Cadillac Black To Join Dierks Bentley On Tour This August
Nashville, TN – (August 8, 2012) – It is already proving to be one hot summer for new progressive country/rock trio The Cadillac Black and the heat will continue to rise as they open for Dierks Bentley on his Back To College Tour this August. The tour will visit the SEC campuses of The University of Georgia (8/20), The University of South Carolina (8/21), and The Grove at The University of Mississippi (8/22). This marks the second tour that Dierks has tapped The Cadillac Black to open and they have also landed coveted slots opening for Eric Church, Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top.The tour comes on the heels of The Cadillac Black’s lead vocalist Jaren Johnston producing Dierks’ four-song summer EP titled Country & Cold Cans, available August 21 on iTunes.
“I’m so excited to have had the chance to produce the EP. Dierks and his band have such a great vibe and play so well together,” shares Jaren. “Dierks asked me if we could get some of that ‘dirt’ we put on our music and I said, ‘well, hell yeah!’ I’m super stoked on how it turned out and I think country music fans are in for a treat. Y’all get ready for a party!”
The Cadillac Black have emerged with a sound all of their own, a sound that hovers between radio-ready country anthems, hard-and-heavy rock and traditional Southern folk. You could call it country fuzz, you could call it hipster-billy, you could call it any number of over-hyphenated, adjective-strewn things but when you boil it all down there’s only one way to describe it: damn good music, as pure and refreshing as a country creek.
While The Cadillac Black might be a brand new band, native Nashvillians Jaren Johnston (guitar), Neil Mason (drums) and Kelby Ray (lap steel) have been friends and musical co-conspirators for as long as anyone can remember. They’ve weathered their wild teenage years and even wilder tours, weathered major label letdowns and major league triumphs, conquered Music Row – Johnston co-wrote Keith Urban’s #1 single “You Gonna Fly,” earned a nomination for Music Row Magazine’s 2012 Breakthrough Songwriter Of The Year. Their music has been featured on the CW’s Vampire Diaries and Hart of Dixie, CBS’ CSI Miami, VH1’s Baseball Wives, and the 2011 trailer for FOX’s House.
Currently, The Cadillac Black are playing shows nationwide in support of their self-titled debut album, available now at all digital retailers.
For tour dates and more, visit www.thecadillacblack.com
Album Review: Waylon: The Music Inside Vol. II
In December, Focus was able to cover the Waylon Jennings Tribute at the SiriusXM station in Nashville promoting the new tribute Album, “Waylon: The Music Inside Vol. II.” Well, now we got a chance to finally hear it! And it’s everything a true country fan could hope for.
Blending classic Waylon tunes with more contemporary production, the album features 11 songs covered by some great country names. Each artist pays wonderful tribute to the legend, while making the song distinctively his or her own.
One highlight of the album includes Mama by Jessi Colter, a heartfelt song she performed at the tribute that almost had Bocephus choking up. Jewel covers a beautiful version of Dreaming My Dreams with You, and Colt Ford puts his own rap spin on Only Daddy That Will Walk the Line.
Other standouts include Lonesome, Onry, and Mean by Dierks Bentley, I Ain’t Livin’ Long Like This by Justin Moore, and Love of the Common People by Josh Thompson. Each of these sounds as though the artist cut the original. I could certainly hear any of these songs making their way into these artist’s respective set lists.
Albums like this are a great way to introduce contemporary country fans to music they may not listen to. Sure, country has transformed over the years, but what better way to bridge the gap between the newer material and the material that paved the way. Not to mention, we’re keeping Waylon’s memory alive and well.
The album will be available for pre-order January 24, and in-stores February 7.
Waylon: The Music Inside Vol. II track listing:
1. Lonesome, Onry, and Mean – Dierks Bentley
2. Waymore’s Blues – Hank Williams Jr.
3. Good Ol’ Boys (Dukes of Hazzard Theme Song) – Montgomery Gentry
4. I Ain’t Livin’ Long Like This – Justin Moore
5. Bob Willis is Still the King – Jack Ingram
6. Only Daddy That Will Walk the Line – Colt Ford
7. Rainy Day Woman – Pat Green
8. Love of the Common People – Josh Thompson
9. Mama – Jessi Colter
10. Dreaming My Dreams With You – Jewel
Bonus Track
11. A Long Time Ago – Wyatt McCubbin
Album Review: The Dirt Drifters “This Is My Blood”
Rarely do I hear an album that I want to listen to each song and not skip over, at least, one or two of the songs. I mean, that’s normal. You’re just not going to love every song on an album. There’s always a weak one. Always. No matter how much you like a certain artist’s music, there’s always a weak one that you don’t like as much as the rest of the songs on the album and you skip over it. It’s only natural.
