Academy of Country Music Announces ACM Nominees for Industry & Studio Awards, Including Dave Cobb, busbee, Buddy Cannon & More

Academy of Country Music Announces ACM Nominees for Industry & Studio Awards, Including Dave Cobb, busbee, Buddy Cannon & More

Posted on May 17, 2018

The Academy of Country Music announced ACM Awards nominees in the industry and studio categories. The winners will be acknowledged during the 12th annual ACM Honors ceremony, an evening dedicated to recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 53rd ACM Awards.

The ACM Honors will take place on Aug. 22 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

Check out the nominees below.

Industry Awards Nominees

NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR

  • Cotton Eyed ­Joe ­– Knoxville, TN
  • Dusty Armadillo – Rootstown, OH
  • Keg’s Canalside Events Center – Jordan, NY
  • Moonshine Flats – San Diego, CA
  • Stoney’s Rockin’ Country – Las Vegas, NV

CASINO OF THE YEAR – SMALL CAPACITY

  • Harrah’s Cherokee Casino
  • Resort Event Center ­– Cherokee, NC
  • Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Tulsa, OK
  • The Show At Agua Caliente Casino – Rancho Mirage, CA
  • Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Mount Pleasant, MI
  • The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino – Las Vegas, NV

CASINO OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM CAPACITY

  • Casino Rama Entertainment Centre – Rama, ON
  • Choctaw Casino Resort (Grand Theater) – Durant, OK
  • MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
  • Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
  • WinStar Global Events Center – Thackerville, OK

VENUE OF THE YEAR – SMALL CAPACITY

  • Aura – Portland, ME
  • The Georgia Theater – Athens, GA
  • Iron City – Birmingham, AL
  • Penn’s Peak – Jim Thorpe, PA
  • Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ

VENUE OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM CAPACITY

  • The Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
  • Denny Sanford Premier Center – Sioux Falls, SD
  • The Greek Theater – Los Angeles, CA
  • The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL
  • Whitewater On The Horseshoe – New Braunfels, TX

VENUE OF THE YEAR – LARGE CAPACITY

  • BOK Center – Tulsa, OK
  • The Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
  • The Forum – Inglewood, CA
  • Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – Tinley Park, IL
  • Shoreline Amphitheater – Mountain View, CA

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR

  • Country Concert – Ft, Loramie, OH
  • Country Thunder – Florence, AZ
  • Faster Horses – Brooklyn, MI
  • WE Fest – Detroit Lakes, MN
  • Windy City Smoke Out – Chicago, IL

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR

  • Billy Brill – Billy Alan Productions
  • Amy Bryan – REACH, LLC
  • Nina Rojas – Neste Marketing Events
  • R. J. Romeo – Romeo Entertainment Group
  • Billy Truitt – Peppermill Casino

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

  • Allen Anders – AEG Live
  • Ben Farrell – Lon Varnell Enterprises
  • Charlie Goldstone – Frank Productions
  • Ali Harnell – AEG Presents
  • Brian O’Connell – Live Nation

Studio Recording Awards Nominees

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Brian Allen
  • Joeie Canady
  • JT Cure
  • Tully Kennedy
  • Jimmie Lee SloasDRU

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

  • Chad Cromwell
  • Fred Eltringham
  • Derek Mixon
  • Aaron Sterling
  • Jerry Roe
  • Lonnie Wilson

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Dave Cobb
  • Rob McNelley
  • Adam Shoenfeld
  • Ilya Toshinskiy
  • Derek Wells

PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Jim ‘Moose’ Brown
  • Charlie Judge
  • Gordon Mote
  • Matt Rollings
  • Michael Rojas

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Carl Miner
  • Danny Rader
  • Mickey Raphael
  • Bryan Sutton
  • Derek Wells

STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Paul Franklin
  • Mike Johnson
  • Russ Pahl
  • Justin Schipper
  • Robbie Turner

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

  • Adam Ayan
  • Tony Castle
  • Peter Coleman
  • Jim Cooley
  • Justin Niebank
  • Vance Powell

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

  • busbee
  • Buddy Cannon
  • Dave Cobb
  • Dann Huff
  • Michael Knox
Chase Rice Tears Pectoral Muscle Shooting “Hell of a Music Video” for Upcoming Single, “Eyes on You”

Chase Rice Tears Pectoral Muscle Shooting “Hell of a Music Video” for Upcoming Single, “Eyes on You”

Posted on May 17, 2018

Chase Rice suffered a pectoral injury while shooting a video for “Eyes on You” in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., a couple of weeks ago.

Chase posted an Instagram video on May 16, letting fans know that he underwent successful surgery for his torn pectoral.

“I was in Mammoth Lakes, California, and we shot a music video for ‘Eyes on You,'” says Chase, in part, during the video. “I said it was going to be epic and then I showed later in the day that it was. I had ice on my chest. So I tore my pec and then today I just got surgery for that. And man, it just is what it is. It’s going to be a hell of a music video. I’m excited to release that to y’all.”

Chase, whose arm is in a sling, says he’ll be ready to take the stage on May 18 at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“Eyes on You” is a new tune from Chase’s 2017 album, Lambs & Lions.

Check out Chase’s Instagram video below.

New stage outfit. #yes

A post shared by CHASE RICE (@chaserice) on

photo by Arroyo-O\’Connor/AFF-USA.com

Midland to Headline Nash Country Kick-Off Party on June 5 With Special Guests Radio Romance, Abby Anderson and Brown & Gray

Midland to Headline Nash Country Kick-Off Party on June 5 With Special Guests Radio Romance, Abby Anderson and Brown & Gray

Posted on May 16, 2018

One more night, one more round . . .

The third annual Nash Country Kick-Off Party is going down on June 5 at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom to help CMA Fest (June 7–10) get the party started early.

Reigning ACM New Vocal Group of the Year Midland—and their Grammy-nominated “Drinkin’ Poblem”—will headline the Kick-Off Party, with special guests Radio Romance, Abby Anderson and Brown & Gray.

Sponsored by Nash FM 103.3, all proceeds from the NASH Country Kick-Off Party will benefit Musicians on Call, an organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities.

General admission tickets, which are $35, are on sale now. Doors for the 18-and-over show will open at 6 p.m. CT, with the festivities beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

main photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Looks Like Sam Hunt Spent Some Time in Bernal, Mexico, in Preparation of Releasing New Single, “Downtown’s Dead”

Looks Like Sam Hunt Spent Some Time in Bernal, Mexico, in Preparation of Releasing New Single, “Downtown’s Dead”

Posted on May 16, 2018

To help promote his new single, “Downtown’s Dead,” Sam Hunt posted nine photos on Instagram on May 15 that appear to depict the colonial village of Bernal, Mexico.

Located in the Mexican state, Queretaro, the town of Bernal—population 2,909—is about 150 miles north of Mexico City.

If you take a gander at the screen grab of Sam’s Instagram account below, two of the photos are recognizable Bernal landmarks, including the red colonial church and the Peña de Bernal rock monolith.

There’s a good chance we will hear more in the coming days and weeks about Sam’s visit to Bernal.

Check out what visitmexico.com has to say about Bernal.

This mining town and UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the most energetic places in the world due to the ten million year old, eleven hundred foot high monolith known as the Peña of Bernal.

Walk the Cobblestone Streets
Enjoy the quiet and colorful village where time seems to have stopped. Visit the royal houses, San Sebastián Parish, Las Ánimas Temple and the open-air theater where local actors put on their own creations, contemporary works and classic librettos.

Learn About Its Mining Heritage Stories
Discover the small shops that sell local crafts. Explore amber, amethyst, jade, quartz or other gems that pique your fancy.

Try the Traditional Dishes
Try the quesadillas and gorditas made on a clay hotplate. You will also find various traditional sweets made with various regional fruits, such as quince and peanuts.

photo courtesy of UMG Nashville

Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley Teases New “FGL Boat House” Restaurant in the Florida Panhandle

Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley Teases New “FGL Boat House” Restaurant in the Florida Panhandle

Posted on May 16, 2018

Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley dropped a video on FGL’s Instagram page on May 15 that teased the opening of a new restaurant, FGL Boat House.

FGL’s Instagram Story showed a rendering of the new restaurant with the question, “Anyone think ya boys need to open FGL Boathouse,” before Brian appears on screen, saying, in part: “I guess maybe BK had a couple drinks at lunch and decided to maybe spill some beans about, you know, FGL Boat House, maybe that happens . . . but for real, if y’all want it to happen, it will happen. Let us know.”

The video shows some verbiage that suggests the new restaurant is located on the Choctawhatchee Bay, which is off of Highway 30-A in the Emerald Coast region of the Florida Panhandle.

Watch the video below.

Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley opened FGL House in Nashville in June 2017. The four-story attraction at 122 3rd Ave South features multiple bars, the largest “Cruise” rooftop in Nashville and a basement-level lounge with a baby grand piano.

Ready for Ole Red? Blake Shelton’s Downtown Nashville Restaurant Set for Grand Opening During CMA Fest on June 6

Ready for Ole Red? Blake Shelton’s Downtown Nashville Restaurant Set for Grand Opening During CMA Fest on June 6

Posted on May 16, 2018

Blake Shelton’s Ole Red Nashville will officially celebrate its grand opening during CMA Fest on June 6–10. The restaurant, bar and music venue will host multiple events throughout the week, including a Blake Shelton and Friends concert on June 6, which will not be open to the public. However, fans can enter for a chance to win tickets to the show.

Located at 300 Broadway, the multi-level, 26,000-square-foot entertainment venue features a two-story bar and restaurant, retail area, performance space, dance floor and private VIP booths for small groups. The complex will also include a large, private event space and a 6,000-square-foot rooftop featuring an indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant with panoramic views of Lower Broadway.

“Lower Broadway is the centerpiece of Nashville,” says Blake. “There’s so much great music and fun going on down there all the time and it’s exciting to now be a part of it—it’s a dream come true.”

The Ole Red concept first came to life in Blake’s adopted hometown of Tishomingo, Okla., last fall. Nashville is the second location, with a third planned for Gatlinburg, Tenn., set to open in 2019.

photo by Jim Casey

Listen to Sam Hunt’s New Single, “Downtown’s Dead,” + Full Lyrics

Listen to Sam Hunt’s New Single, “Downtown’s Dead,” + Full Lyrics

Posted on May 16, 2018

Sam Hunt dropped his first new single in more than a year with the release of “Downtown’s Dead” on May 16.

“Downtown’s Dead” was co-penned by Sam, Zach Crowell, Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally and Charlie Handsome, which is the same writing team—sans Charlie—behind Sam’s 2017 smash hit, “Body Like a Back Road.”

According to Nielsen Music, Sam’s “Body Like a Back Road” was the Top-Selling Digital Song of 2017, moving more than 1.8 million units. “Body Like a Back Road” spent a record 34 weeks atop Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, and it outpaced its closest competitor in sales—Brett Young’s “In Case You Didn’t Know”—by almost 1 million units.

“Downtown’s Dead” was produced by Zach Crowell and Charlie Handsome.

Sam will hit the road this month as a special guest on Luke Bryan’s What Makes You Country Tour.

Check out “Downtown’s Dead” below, as well as the full lyrics.

“Downtown’s Dead”

The city’s so in style
All you see for miles are people spillin’
In and out of cars
Man all of these bars are making a killin’

Everywhere I go
Looks like the place to be
I see people that I know
But I feel like there’s no one here but me

Chorus:
Downtown’s dead without you
Girls walk by and friends say hi
But Friday night it might as well be just another
Tuesday night without you
As long as you’re still in my head
There ain’t no way that I can paint a ghost town red
Downtown’s dead
Downtown’s dead

They’re dancin’ in the strobes
Out here in the throes
Loud house music
Everything’s a blur
I don’t hear the words but lips are moving

Tried to get involved
But I’ve ’bout had enough
People wall to the wall
And I’m just holdin’ it up ’cause

Repeat ChorusFree drinks,

bright lights
What am I doin’ with my life
Ok, I quit
I’ve had enough of this

These people are losing their minds
Can’t get you out of my head
I’m callin’ it a night
And I’m crawlin’ back to your bed

Repeat Chorus

photo by Jason Simanek

Big Orange Caravan Rolls Through Memphis, Next Stop Nashville

Big Orange Caravan Rolls Through Memphis, Next Stop Nashville

Posted on May 16, 2018
Phillip Fulmer – Vols AD / Credit: UT Athletics

Memphis marked the second of five stops for this year’s Big Orange Caravan.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Expo Center at Agricenter International hosted the University of Tennessee’s second Big Orange Caravan stop of 2018 Tuesday, with hundreds of orange-clad, energized UT fans enjoying more than two hours of family-friendly fun with a collection of Tennessee coaches, administrators and Spirit Squad members.

Special guests from Tennessee Athletics Tuesday in Memphis included Smokey, Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer, head football coach Jeremy Pruitt, associate men’s basketball head coach Rob Lanier and assistant women’s basketball coach Bridgette Gordon.

“Our whole state is important and Memphis is a huge part of that,” Fulmer said. “Not only do we have a lot of UT athletes from this area, but we have a lot of students and a lot of alumni. The medical school is here. There are so many reasons why this city is important to the University of Tennessee. It’s key to our success to come to Memphis and do well.”

As part of Tennessee Athletics’ collaboration with the UT Knoxville Office of Alumni Affairs in powering the Big Orange Caravan, the Memphis UT Knoxville Chapter awarded a scholarship. This year’s scholarship was presented to Skylar Maguire—an incoming freshman from nearby Bartlett High School who plans on majoring in biology while on Rocky Top.

The Big Orange Caravan rolls on this week, making its next stop in Nashville on Thursday. Held in the Main Concourse of Nissan Stadium, the BOC will coincide with the 52nd annual UT All-Sports Picnic, hosted by the Nashville Region UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter.

From there, the Big Orange Caravan travels to Atlanta on Tuesday, May 22 before wrapping up this year’s tour with a visit to the Tri-Cities on Thursday, May 24. Registration for all stops is open at BigOrangeCaravan.com.

Admission to all Big Orange Caravan events is $5 per person in advance or $10 at the door. Students and youth will receive complimentary admission. Proceeds from admission benefit the scholarship funds of the local UT Knoxville Alumni Chapter (these donations are non-refundable).

UT Athletics

Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Brandi Carlile & More Earn Multiple Americana Awards Nominations [Full List]

Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Brandi Carlile & More Earn Multiple Americana Awards Nominations [Full List]

Posted on May 15, 2018

The nominees for the 2018 Americana Honors & Awards were announced today on May 15, and a familiar name is front and center: Jason Isbell.

Jason, who has won six Americana Awards since 2012, leads the pack with four nominations in 2018, including Album, Artist and Song of the Year, as well as an additional nomination for Duo/Group of the Year with his band the 400 Unit. Other artists with multiple nominations include Margo Price, Brandi Carlile and producer Dave Cobb.

The 2018 Americana Honors & Awards show will be held September 12 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The ceremony is the centerpiece of AmericanaFest (Sept. 11–16), which features more than 100 artists performing at different venues throughout Nashville. For ticket information, visit americanamusic.org.

Check out the full list of nominees.

Album of the Year

  • “All American Made,” Margo Price, Produced by Jeremy Ivey, Alex Munoz, Margo Price and Matt Ross-Spang
  • “By The Way, I Forgive You,” Brandi Carlile, Produced by Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings
  • “The Nashville Sound,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Produced by Dave Cobb
  • “Rifles & Rosary Beads,” Mary Gauthier, Produced by Neilson Hubbard

Artist of the Year

  • Brandi Carlile
  • Jason Isbell
  • Margo Price
  • John Prine

Duo/Group of the Year

  • I’m With Her
  • Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
  • Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
  • Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

Emerging Act of the Year

  • Courtney Marie Andrews
  • Tyler Childers
  • Anderson East
  • Lilly Hiatt

Song of the Year

  • “A Little Pain,” Margo Price, Written by Margo Price
  • “All The Trouble,” Lee Ann Womack, Written by Waylon Payne, Lee Ann Womack and Adam Wright
  • “If We Were Vampires,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Written by Jason Isbell
  • “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile, Written by Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth

Instrumentalist of the Year

  • Daniel Donato
  • Brittany Haas
  • Jerry Pentecost
  • Molly Tuttle

photo by Jim Casey

Luke Bryan Announces 5th Annual “Crash My Playa” Concerts in Mexico

Luke Bryan Announces 5th Annual “Crash My Playa” Concerts in Mexico

Posted on May 15, 2018

Luke Bryan announced his 5th annual Crash My Playa concerts will take place on January 23–26 in Riviera Maya, Mexico. During the four-night concert vacation on the beach, Luke will headline two nights, including his Luke & Friends set.

“Nothing better than a beach vacation mixed with some country music to launch a new year,” says Luke. “It’s an amazing get-away trip for the fans and all the artists performing.”

Additional artists, details about poolside performances and more event updates will be revealed in the coming months. Last year’s event was headlined by Luke, Blake Shelton and Sam Hunt.

Event packages go on sale on May 23 at 1 p.m. ET. Members of Luke’s fan club, Luke’s fan app and previous Crash My Playa guests will have access to pre-sale packages on May 21 at 1 p.m. ET. The event has sold out the previous four years.

photo by Jason Simanek

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