Cassadee Pope dropped a new single, “Take You Home,” which is her first new music since 2016’s “Summer.”
Co-written by Paul Digiovanni, Ben Hayslip and Emily Weisband and produced by Corey Crowder, “Take You Home,” as Cassadee puts it, “is in-your-face musically, really intimate and a little seductive.”
“When you meet someone, there’s a moment where you want to show this other person where you’re from and exactly why you are the way you are,” says Cassadee. “‘Take You Home’ speaks to that. You’re showing this guy that there are lots of layers to you. It’s not about just a one-night stand. It’s about really understanding. I’m in love with it.”
Caroline Jones may have some complex musical skills—guitar, banjo, mandolin, Dobro, keys and lap steel—but if you want a simple look at who she is as an artist, check out her new album, Bare Feet. Demonstrating remarkable musical prowess, Caroline’s new 11-song offering highlights her versatility as a singer, multi-instrumentalist, sole songwriter and co-producer. Caroline has already received high praise from two artists she calls both friends and mentors: Zac Brown, who she toured with in 2017, and Jimmy Buffett, who she is touring with now.
At what age did you realize you wanted to make music your career?
When I was 9 years old, I began taking singing lessons. I had been writing poems and short stories since I learned to read. When I began singing, I realized I could set all of those poems and stories to music. Once I began writing songs, I never wanted to do anything else.
Did you study music in high school or college?
I was trained classically in opera and jazz by Andy Anselmo, founder of the Singer’s Forum, beginning at age 9. During college, I wanted to branch out into the worlds of creative writing and philosophy, which I studied at NYU.
Who are some of musical influences?
Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Keith Urban and Zac Brown Band are my biggest influences. Jewel, Queen, Ed Sheeran, Robert Johnson and Son House are also big ones for me.
What three words describe you as a musician?
Joyful, passionate, colorful.
photo by Philippe McClelland
What would you say is unique about your sound?
I love blending organic acoustic instruments associated with country and folk music—banjo, Dobro, mandolin, acoustic guitar—with modern electronic elements, like synths and programmed beats and processed vocals. I love big production. I love the thrill and musicality of EDM and pop. So blending that with my singer/songwriter style is a blast.
What was the first concert you attended?
Spice Girls in their heyday! You’re jealous.
What’s the last song you heard that blew you away?
Oh, so many. Probably “The Middle” by Maren Morris and Zedd. Perfect production, serious punch and clarity, unbelievable vocals. I knew Maren could sing, but I’m not sure anyone knew she could sing like that. My jaw dropped the first time I heard it.
What’s the first thing you do after a show?
Just take a moment to feel appreciation and gratitude for the opportunity to share my heart and soul with an audience. It’s what I live for and have always dreamed of—and I don’t take it for granted.
What’s your favorite song to cover?
“Fix You” by Coldplay, because of the way it builds.
What family member or friend has been the most supportive of your musical career?
I am extremely blessed to call Zac Brown and Jimmy Buffett friends and mentors. I have toured with both of them and have modeled myself after their passion, integrity and entrepreneurial spirit.
What does your new album, Bare Feet, say about you as an artist?
“Bare Feet” is a song about authenticity and joy. That’s what I stand for and what I want to put out in the world. Sonically, the album shows that I love a variety of sounds and styles, from rock and blues to traditional country to modern pop, and I love painting with a variety of colors, musically speaking.
You play a number of instruments on the new album. How did you become so proficient on so many instruments?
I began learning different instruments to make my solo acoustic show more interesting. I fell in love with slide blues guitar, and so I began learning different tunings. Once I could play in alternate tunings, the five-string banjo, Dobro and more were natural next steps.
You wrote the entire album by yourself. Do you feel like that gives fans a better understanding of who you are as an artist?
Absolutely. The whole point of being an artist is to have a unique message and point of view that you can express to the world. Hopefully, in doing so, I can uplift and inspire others.
Tell me about the album’s title track and new video.
We just released a new video for “Bare Feet” that features some of my tour footage from 2017 with Zac Brown Band. I wanted to capture the joy that my band and I experience on the road sharing this music with audiences.
What does your tour schedule look like this spring and summer?
We will be touring with Jimmy Buffett, Jimmy Buffett and The Eagles, Zac Brown Band and Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Come out and see a show and shake my hand at a signing! I can’t wait to meet you.
Cole Swindell dropped a new video for his current single, “Break Up In the End.”
Written by Jon Nite, Chase McGill and Jessie Jo Dillon, “Break Up in the End” is the lead single from Cole’s upcoming album, which follows his 2016 sophomore album, You Should Be Here. The Georgia native is aiming to score his eighth career No. 1 single with the tune.
“I am honored that my songwriting friends trust me with such an amazing message,” says Cole. “I’m excited and confident in the strength of ‘Break Up In The End’ and it being the first song from my upcoming third album. This is the perfect set up of what’s to come.”
Watch the new video for “Break Up In the End” below.
The Academy of Country Music announced the additions of Kane Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town and Jon Pardi as performers for the 53rd ACM Awards on April 15.
Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line with Bebe Rexha, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett are also set to take the stage.
In addition, Cam, Dustin Lynch, Kiefer Sutherland, Sam Elliott, Ashton Kutcher, David Boreanaz, AJ Buckley, Max Thieriot and Eve have been added as presenters. Previously announced presenters include Drew Brees, Nancy O’Dell, Rebecca Romijn and Lindsey Vonn.
Reba McEntire will return as the host of the upcoming show. The gig will mark Reba’s 15th time as the emcee, her first since 2012 when she teamed with Blake Shelton.
The ACM Awards will air from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
With a voice as sweet as toffee pudding, England-to-Nashville transplant Fiona Culley has been carving out her own space in Music City since crossing the pond six years ago.
In addition to recording a 2016 duet with Darius Rucker, “Life On the Line,” which she co-wrote, Fiona dropped her debut single, “Act Like a Lady,” in 2017. As she gears up to release her second single this summer, Fiona, who cites Alison Krauss, Trisha Yearwood and Lee Ann Womack as influences, is keeping her fans’ interest piqued with a cover of Lee Ann’s 2004 Top 10 hit, “I May Hate Myself in the Morning.”
“I have always loved Lee Ann Womack—her voice is incredible,” says Fiona. “This song has been one of my favorites, and after recent events in my own life, it speaks to me so much. It is hard to let go of someone you love and move on. This is one of those songs I wish I had written.”
Check out the video premiere of Fiona singing “I May Hate Myself in the Morning.”
A handful of country stars helped the T.J. Martell Foundation raise more than $425,000 for cancer research at the 10th annual Nashville Honors Gala on March 26.
Nashville’s Charles Esten emceed the event that honored outstanding community leaders and featured performances by Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Lauren Alaina, Natalie Grant, Danny Gokey and Jeff Foxworthy.
This year’s honorees included:
Janet Ayers – Lifetime Humanitarian Award
David Poile – Spirit of Nashville Award
Frank Bumstead – Frances Preston Outstanding Music Industry Achievement Award
Mike Smardak – Tony Martell Outstanding Entertainment Achievement Award
Dr. James Netterville – Medical Research Advancement Award
The T.J. Martell Foundation is the music industry’s leading foundation that funds innovative medical research focused on finding treatments and cures for cancer. The Foundation has provided more than $280 million for research at eight flagship hospitals in the United States.
Check out the photo gallery below, courtesy of Rick Diamond/Wortman Works Media.
LeAnn Rimes was just 14 years old when she released “How Do I Live” in May 1997.
LeAnn’s version of the tune—you also may recall Trisha Yearwood released the song in May 1997—reached No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, spending a then-record 69 weeks on the chart. Penned by Diane Warren, “How Do I Live” also earned LeAnn a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year in 1998.
More than 20 years later, LeAnn has released a rebooted version of the song, “How Do I Live (Re-Imagined).”
“For my tour last year in the U.S. and U.K., we arranged ‘How Do I Live’ in a new way to reflect where I was coming from musically with my last album, Remnants,” says LeAnn. “I wanted the arrangement of ‘How Do I Live’ to highlight the vulnerability of Diane’s lyric. It’s more of a spiritual experience singing the song this new way, a personal prayer. After the shows, so many of my fans were asking how to get the new version, so we went in to record it as a ‘thank you’ to my fans, hence the title ‘Re-Imagined.’ I greatly appreciate and adore the original version and all that it has done . . . that will always exist and never change. I would love for this new arrangement to sit alongside the original as a companion, highlighting what a classic song Diane Warren created.”
ATLANTA – Zay Green now has bragging rights over future Lady Vol basketball teammates Amira Collins and Jazmine Massengill. The Tennessee signee helped her West team to an 82-79 victory over the East on Wednesday night in the McDonald’s All American Game at Philips Arena.
Green, a 6-0 guard from Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville H.S.), started for the West squad and played 17 minutes. She finished with six points on 3-of-8 shooting and tallied four steals, three assists and a rebound.
Massengill, a 6-0 point guard from Chattanooga (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy), and Collins, a 6-3 forward from Waldorf, Md. (Paul VI Catholic H.S., Fairfax, Va.), came off the bench for the East.
Massengill contributed four points on 2-of-5 shooting, adding two rebounds, a block and an assist in 17 minutes. Collins, meanwhile, connected on one of three field goal attempts and hit a free throw to finish with three points in 13 minutes. She also added three rebounds and a steal.
The trio has another all-star game coming up. They will head to Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 8, where they are scheduled to play in the Jordan Brand Classic at the Barclays Center.
New York Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher and Chattanooga wrestling coach Heath Eslinger join an impressive list of speakers that also includes Peyton Manning, Mike Vrabel and Phillip Fulmer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt announced additional speakers for the Vols’ 2018 Coaches Clinic on Wednesday.
New York Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher is scheduled to speak on Saturday, April 7, while renowned speaker and Chattanooga wrestling head coach Heath Eslinger will lead the FCA Breakfast earlier that morning.
The event is open only to high school coaches and attendees will have the opportunity to attend Tennessee’s practice on April 5 and a scrimmage on April 7 at Neyland Stadium.
Reigning NCAA III national champion Mount Union head coach Vince Kehres
Members of the offensive staff at Texas A&M Commerce – the reigning NCAA II national champions.
“I’m fired up about our Coaches Clinic,” Pruitt said. “One thing about our staff is that there is seven of us who started out as high school coaches. There have been a bunch of high school coaches who have already come to our practices and it’s going to be open door practices to high school coaches all the time. It helped me as a high school coach. People were good to me and gave me an opportunity to go watch practice, to set meetings, to grow as a coach. We want to do the same thing here. We want to be the most accessible program to high school coaches in all of the United States.
“We want to make our Coaches Clinic the best in the country. Like everything else we are starting over. I’m very thankful. We have number of really good guys coming to speak. Peyton (Manning) is coming her to help us. Coach (David) Cutcliiffe, Coach (Mike) Vrabel) – we are going to have a bunch of great guys coming in here to share. I’m excited about that and I’m thankful these guys are doing it for us.”
The event is open only to high school coaches and attendees will have the opportunity to attend Tennessee’s practice on Thursday, April 5, and a scrimmage on Saturday, April 7, at Neyland Stadium.
For information and to sign up, visit TennesseeSportCamps.com.
Tennessee forward Grant Williams received All-American Honorable Mention honors Tuesday as The Associated Press (AP) released its 2017-18 All-American Teams.
En route to unanimous AP First-Team All-SEC honors, Williams led the Vols in scoring (15.2 ppg), finished second in blocks (44) and rebounding (6.0 rpg) and was fourth in assists (66) on the season. During conference play, the SEC Player of the Year ranked ninth in the SEC in scoring (16.1 ppg) and shooting percentage (.463) despite being regularly double-teamed by opponents.
Just a sophomore, Williams has already established himself as one of the best to ever suit up for the Big Orange. So far in his short career at Tennessee, he joined Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Bernard King as the only Vols to earn SEC POY distinction as underclassmen and holds UT’s freshman records for blocks (61) and offensive rebounds (94), which rank second and sixth for single-season marks in program history, respectively.
With 933 career points, Williams is only 67 points shy of becoming the 49th Volunteer to reach the 1,000-point club. He currently stands just outside of the top 10 for UT’s career rankings, sitting at 14th in offensive rebounds (175) and 15th in blocks (105).
Williams was one of four players from the SEC to be named honorable mention, joining Kevin Knox (Kentucky), Yante Maten (Georgia) and Collin Sexton (Alabama).
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Born: New York City
![LeAnn Rimes Re-Imagines “How Do I Live” More Than 20 Years Later [Listen]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/1446/2018/03/29113113/LeAnn-Rimes1.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
