Country artists descended on Europe over the weekend (March 10-12) to be a part of Country 2 Country—a.k.a. C2C—a multi-night country music festival that takes place in European cities London, Glasgow and Dublin.
2017 marked the fifth year of the festival and included artists Maren Morris, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Cam, Chris Young, Jennifer Nettles, Zac Brown, Dan + Shay, Hunter Hayes, Cassadee Pope, Marty Stuart, Brothers Osborne and Reba McEntire.
But it was Reba who used the visit to check out the sites and play tourist over the weekend. After performing in Las Vegas as part of the Reba, Brooks & Dunn: Together in Vegas residency, Reba hightailed it over to Scotland for some fun, and of course, work too.
The superstar took to her Instagram account to keep us updated on her travels. Beginning in Scotland, Reba enjoyed traveling on the Edinburgh train, posing with a man in a kilt and finding Jamie Fraser’s house in Outlander. Then it was off to London for some high tea and a performance.
“Thanks so much London for the super hospitality,” Reba said in the post. “What a wonderful audience! Thanks BBC Radio 2 Country!! And I got to meet @luciesilvas who wrote Hallelujah Amen for my Sing It Now CD. A great night!! #c2c2017london#bbcradio2country”
Dolly Parton has always been very “animated.” But today (March 13), she gave new meaning to the word.
On today’s episode of Lily’s Driftwood Bay, Dolly voiced an animated chicken named Nolene, a famous country music-singing fowl who becomes stranded on Driftwood Bay.
Lily’s Driftwood Bay is a preschool mixed-media animated show on Sprout, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s 24-hour preschool network. It stars 5-year-old Lily who lives in a beach hut with her dad. Every day, the sea washes up a curious new treasure that sparks Lily’s imagination about what might be happening across the way on Driftwood Bay.
“Nolene is a very famous chicken, probably one of the most famous chickens ever there was,” says Dolly in a promo video. “And Nolene gets kinda boat-wrecked, if you will, and she washes up on Driftwood Bay. And so she’s trying to get Salty [dog] to go with her on the road on tour. Now, whether he does, or whether he doesn’t, you’re just going to have to watch and see.”
You can watch a clip of the episode below, and check out sproutsonline.com for the full episode when they post it.
The secret to Jon Pardi’s success may be his boots.
The California native scored his second consecutive No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “Dirt on My Boots,” the follow-up to his previous No. 1, “Head Over Boots.”
“Dirt on My Boots,” written by Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure and Ashley Gorley, is the second single from Jon’s No. 1 album, California Sunrise, which was released in June 2016.
“Having two back-to-back No. 1s is unbelievable,” said Jon. “It’s been so great to have an album people believe in.”
Be sure to catch Jon on Late Night With Seth Meyers on March 14 as he makes his late-night television debut. Jon is also nominated for New Male Vocalist of the Year at the 52nd annual ACM Awards on April 2.
Maren Morris’ breakout album, Hero, landed on many of 2016’s Best Of lists and earned nominations for ACM, CMA and Grammy awards for Album of the Year. But Maren isn’t resting on her laurels when it comes to her major-label debut album. The “My Church” singer has announced that she will be releasing a deluxe version of Hero on March 17.
The deluxe edition will feature three new songs, all co-written by Maren, that were not included on the original version: “Bummin’ Cigarettes,” “Space” and “Company You Keep.” Fans of Maren will no doubt be familiar with the tunes, because the Texas native performs them during her concert sets.
Additionally, Maren has announced that she will be taking her successful headlining Hero Tour overseas to the UK and Ireland. The tour will kick off on Nov. 12 at Dublin Academy, making stops at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire and Bristol Anson Rooms. Opening act for the overseas leg will be Maren’s boyfriend, Ryan Hurd. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 17, the same day HERO Deluxe is available.
The HERO Tour 2017 – UK/Ireland Tour Dates
Nov. 12 Dublin Academy
Nov. 13 Glasgow ABC
Nov. 15 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Nov. 17 Birmingham O2 Institute 1
Nov. 18 Bristol Anson Rooms
Nov. 20 Manchester O2 Ritz
Nov. 21 Sheffield Leadmill
If you needed one more reason to head out to Jamboree in the Hills in Belmont, Ohio, on July 13-16, we can give you 10. Brothers Osborne, RaeLynn and The Cadillac Three are three of the names that have been added to the already stellar lineup.
Joining those previously listed will be Kane Brown, Brett Young, High Valley, Aaron Tippin, Waterloo Revival, Davisson Brothers Band and Dee Jay Silver, with more to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Returning for it’s 41st year—one of the longest running festivals—the four-day festival will kick the weekend off with a free concert Wednesday night, July 12, featuring Neal McCoy. The weekend’s festivities will include previously announced headliners Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum, along with performances by Kelsea Ballerini and Chris Young.
For tickets and to find out all the fun activities in store, visit the Jamboree in the Hills website here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDSjyaQKr78
Raelynn by Joseph Llanes; Brothers Osborne by Jim Wright
Sam Hunt could very well be the next country star to tie the knot. The problem is, we just don’t know yet.
The hunky superstar posted pictures this weekend (March 11) of his snowy outing in Nashville with some friends. One thing that stood out in the photos was that Sam is wearing a black wedding band on his left hand. A sign that he may have already gotten married.
That new music is his current single, “Body Like A Backroad,” and previous release, “Drinkin’ Too Much,” which is said to be about Hannah. While many are speculating that the couple did get married, we have not gotten confirmation from Sam’s camp as of yet. But if the ring is any indication, Congratulations may be in order.
Congratulations?
Check out the pics of Sam with a ring and take note of the huge smile he can’t seem to take off of his face.
Born: Sneedville, Tenn. Lives: Nashville Age: 23 Single: “The Way I Talk” EP:The Way I Talk Twitter:@MorganCWallen
Sneedville, Tenn., native Morgan Wallen got his first taste of the spotlight as a 3-year-old, singing during church services for his father’s congregation. Piano and violin lessons followed, but like many boys, Morgan’s interest shifted to sports as a teen. However, after an injury derailed his college baseball aspirations, Morgan once again found comfort in music. He picked up the guitar and started singing around the house, which prompted his mother to sign him up for The Voice in 2014, where he joined Team Usher and Team Levine before being eliminated in the playoffs. Now 23, Morgan is living in Nashville and recently released his debut single, “The Way I Talk,” which is currently No. 41 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. In addition to co-penning A Thousand Horses’ new single, “Preachin’ to the Choir,” Morgan will be joining Florida Georgia Line’s Dig Your Roots Tour for select dates in April.
I See the Light
“My dad is a preacher. Growing up, I went to church every time the doors were open. From a young age, I took an interest in the music and my mom noticed it. My mom—she’s always pushed me—she noticed it and threw me up onstage when I was 3 years old. I’ve been singing in church and wherever else I got the chance since I was 3.”
Boy of Summer
“I took violin lessons and piano, and learned to read music when I was 5, but around the age of 11, I fell in love with baseball and just focused on that. I didn’t do anything musical. I still sang in church every once in a while and stuff like that, but I didn’t play the instruments anymore. I always loved music. It was never like music was a thing that I just forgot about, but baseball was my passion.”
Sign From Above
“After I got hurt [tendon damage in right elbow] during my senior year of high school, I went through a period of ‘What am I supposed to do?’ I was kind of mad at the world, mad at God even because I had put my whole life into baseball and it just got taken away. So I went through a little period of trying to figure it out and ask myself questions, ask everybody questions, and I just prayed and said I need a sign to what I need to do. I started playing guitar and started writing my own songs—just country songs, just G, C and D pretty much. Just singing them around my mom and she signed me up for The Voice. I ended up making it on the show. So I took that as my sign, you know, like I have a chance to be legit at this so I’m going to give it my all.”
Finding His Voice
“The Voice was a blessing for sure. I really had no idea what to expect, going into it. None at all. And I didn’t know who I was as an artist and I really didn’t know who I was as a person at that time. I was 20 years old and my whole world had just changed. I went on there and I didn’t have my voice figured out either. I was forcing things that didn’t need to be forced and probably doing damage to my voice at the time. So I sounded more like a pop singer when I first went to try out for the show. So they wanted me to sing pop, which I understand, but I’m like ‘No, I want to sing country’ and there was a vocal coach behind the scenes and she really helped me figuring out my sound, like, ‘you don’t have to do this with your voice, just let it be natural, do what feels okay.’ And she really helped me to get my normal voice that ended up being the one I have now. You know, I’ve got rid of all the growl and all that stuff that I was doing and ended up being way more of a country voice than I really thought that I had. And I definitely think that’s my favorite thing that happened throughout the show.”
Lining Up
Going out on Florida Georgia Line’s Dig Your Roots Tour for six dates in April is going to be fun. And I’m doing some festivals with them as well. It’s so cool to talk to some of those guys who have opened for Florida Georgia Line. I was talking to Kane Brown a couple of weeks ago and just talking about how their crowds are insane, like 30,000 people. My third show with them is actually in my hometown so that’s going to be—I don’t have the words for it.
Talk the Talk
“My single, ‘The Way I Talk,’ was released in September and has more than 5 million plays on Spotify and it’s been spinning a ton at SiriusXM’s The Highway, so big thanks to J.R [Schumann, head of country programming at SiriusXM]. I’m going to get another song to them, so we’re trying to work on four or five songs right now and then evaluate what we have and see what we’d like to get played, hopefully. And I’m going to have a full album at some point this year, hopefully. I’m starting to write quite a bit more. I wrote yesterday and I’ll be writing three times next week. I texted my managers yesterday and was like, ‘I want to write more.’ So any time that I get a chance, I want to write just because it’s a cool thing to see a finished product. I love it. Not as much as performing, but I do love it.”
Frankie Ballard and Christina Murphy tied the knot at the Star Hill Ranch in Bee Cave, Texas, on Sunday, March 12, according to posts on their Instagram pages.
Frankie’s post read, “Someday baby, You’ll accomp’ny me…and that day is today! 🙏🏽 @oldsmokeysboots has become my wife🌟,” while Christina’s page said, “My dream just came true✨🙏🏼 @frankieballard MY HUSBAND!!!!”
Christina is a Texas native who spent 10 years working as an actress in LA before starting her own company, Old Smokeys Boots, which reinvents vintage boots with new styles and designs.
On Jan. 30, bluegrass duo Dailey & Vincent got an unexpected surprise during their 100th appearance on the Grand Ole Opry when Marty Stuart invited them to officially join the Opry.
Last night (March 11), the celebration continued as the duo was formally inducted into the Opry by members Jeannie Seely and Old Crow Medicine Show.
Comprised of Jamie Dailey (guitar, bass, vocals) and Darrin Vincent (mandolin, guitar, bass, vocals), the duo formed in 2007 and has earned a number of honors over their decade-long career, including multiple International Bluegrass Music Association awards and three Grammy nominations.
“I had the honor of introducing Dailey & Vincent for their first Opry appearance,” said Jeannie Seely. “I thought to myself that night, ‘I hope one day I get to see them become members of the Opry . . . because they epitomize everything the Opry is onstage and off.’”
“They honor the traditions and respect their elders, but most of all they entertain,” said Old Crow Medicine Show frontman Ketch Secor. “Tonight they join the ranks of country music’s greatest entertainers . . . Welcome Dailey & Vincent to the first family of country music.”
“We love the Grand Ole Opry. It’s in our DNA,” Dailey said as he and Vincent recognized family, friends and their band before closing the celebration with “I’ll Go to My Grave Loving You,” a hit by one of their musical heroes, The Statler Brothers.
With a catalog of crowd-pleasing hits like “What a Crying Shame,” “Here Comes the Rain” and “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down,” the Mavericks have been a staple of country music for more than 25 years. And the band is showing no signs of slowing down.
Two years after releasing their award-winning album, Mono—which helped them cop Group of the Year at the 2015 Americana Awards—the Mavericks are gearing up for the March 31 release of their eighth studio album, Brand New Day. The upcoming album will be the Mavericks first independent offering on their new Mono Mundo Recordings label.
Today (March 10), the Mavericks released a new single, “Damned (If You Do),” an uptempo Latin-infused tune that’s full of horns, drums, accordion and, of course, frontman Raul Malo’s soulful voice, which sounds just as potent today as it did on the group’s self-titled debut album in 1991. The man has pipes.
“‘Damned (If You Do)’ is our ‘rock guitar’ song inspired by the futility of certain situations,” says Raul to Nash Country Daily. “Basically, no matter what, there’s always rock and roll!”
Listen to “Damned (If You Do)” below, a smorgasbord of neotraditional country, soul and rockabilly—with the Cuban flavor we’ve come to relish from the Mavericks.
