This is A Day in the Country with Paul Koffy – August 30th
On this day in 2015, Zac Brown Band was at number-1 with “Loving You Easy.”
In 2011, Jake Owen released his album, Barefoot Blue Night which included the number-one title track
In 2007, Sara Evans album, Real Fine Place, was certified Platinum
And back in 2005, Brooks & Dunn released their album Hillbilly Deluxe – which featured the hits “Believe” and “Play Something Country.”
Photo Credit: Lowfield
Did you catch Chris Stapleton‘s recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers?
From his album, Starting Over, Chris performed “Worry B Gone.”
Check it out here…
Chris is also climbing the country chart with “You Should Probably Leave” – his current single from Starting Over.
Photo Courtesy of UMG Nashville
Ashley McBryde‘s This Town Talks tour completed a 3-show stop at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN this past weekend.
Taking the stage of the mother church of country music, Ashley set the rules for what the fans could expect, “It’s a beautiful night for country music. Here’s what you’re gonna experience: some country songs, some rock songs; some happy ones, maybe some sad ones; some slow ones, some fast ones and some half-ass ones.” Then she added, “Let’s get on with it!”
On Thursday night, the first of the 3 shows, Ashley had a very special guest come out for a song – reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Eric Church!
Eric came out to join Ashley on a performance of the Allman Brothers Band’s classic, “Midnight Rider.”
Ashley also had the show’s opening act Lainey Wilson, return to the stage. As she bought her back out Ashley said, “How about a nice round of applause for our sister, we’re so proud to have her!”
The pair then sang “When Will I Be Loved” – which was made famous by Linda Ronstadt and The Everly Brothers.
At the end of the night Ashley remined the crowd, “You didn’t show up to the Ryman Auditorium tonight because we were going to be here, we showed up tonight because you were going to be here.”
Ashley’s This Town Talks tour will continue with dates through the rest of 2021, then into January 2022.
Aug. 27, 2021 Ryman Auditorium w/ Caylee Hammack Nashville, Tenn.
Aug. 28, 2021 Ryman Auditorium w/ Caitlyn Smith Nashville, Tenn.
Sept. 2, 2021 The Pageant St. Louis, Mo.+
Sept. 3, 2021 Bogart’s Cincinnati, Ohio+
Sept. 16, 2021 The Sylvee Madison, Wis.^
Sept. 22, 2021 The Wilma Missoula, Mont.~
Sept. 23, 2021 Martin Woldson Theatre at the Fox Spokane, Wash.~
Sept. 25, 2021 Showbox Seattle, Wash.~
Sept. 26, 2021 Roseland Theater Portland, Ore.~
Sept. 29, 2021 Ace of Spades Sacramento, Calif.~
Oct. 3, 2021 House of Blues San Diego, Calif.+
Oct. 5, 2021 The Wiltern Los Angeles, Calif.+
Oct. 13, 2021 Ogden Theatre Denver, Colo.~
Nov. 12, 2021 The Eastern Atlanta, Ga.+
Nov. 13, 2021 Tivoli Theatre Chattanooga, Tenn.+
Nov. 14, 2021 The Fillmore Charlotte Charlotte, N.C.+
Dec. 8, 2021 Riviera Theater Chicago, Ill.+
Dec. 11, 2021 ` Mississippi Moon Bar Dubuque, Iowa+
Dec. 12, 2021 Egyptian Room at Old National Centre Indianapolis, Ind.+
Jan. 6, 2022 Brown Theatre Louisville, Ky.+
Jan. 7, 2022 Roxian Theatre Pittsburgh, Pa.+
Jan. 8, 2022 The National Richmond, Va.+
Jan. 13, 2022 20 Monroe Live Grand Rapids, Mich.*
Jan. 14, 2022 The Fillmore Detroit, Mich.*
Jan. 15, 2022 Agora Theater Cleveland, Ohio#
*Morgan Wade as support | ^Adam Hambrick as support | +Priscilla Block as support |
~Ray Fulcher as support | #Support to be announced
Watch this compilation video of pivotal performance moments captured around Ashley McBryde’s song “Girl Goin’ Nowhere”
Headline Photo Credit: Daniel Meigs
Additional Photos Credit: Katie Kauss
This weekend Laine Hardy made his debut on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.
During his set, Laine performed his songs “Authentic” and “Other LA” – both tracks are featured on his upcoming debut album, Here’s to Anyone, which arrives for fans on September 17th.
From the stage, Laine talked to the crowd in attendance at the Opry House, about what the night meant to him. “I’m very grateful to be where I am, here today. Without the help of my family, friends…everybody, I wouldn’t be here tonight.”
Becoming visibly emotional in the moment, Laine continued, “I give all thanks to them, and most importantly I give all of my thanks to the good Lord above for helping me along this journey and getting me where I am today. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t thank Him for everything that He’s done for me”
Laine finished with thanking everyone for coming out to see himself, Lauren Alaina, Michael Ray and Rodney Crowell, “I’m just thankful that everybody came out today…to listen to all these people, and I’m just excited to be here. Happy to be here today.”
Laine’s music wasn’t the only talk of the night – his outfit made a statement as well. His suit was designed and embroidered by Ranger Stitch – included touches that honored not only his heritage as a native Louisianan, but his Korean roots as well. The attire featured many of his home state’s most iconic images; magnolias, and alligators, plus there was a tiger designed in traditional Korean style.
Laine’s debut album Here’s To Anyone will be out September 17th.
Talking about the tracks on the project, he says “I’m a down-home guy, from Southeast Louisiana, and I just want to show all my fans that I’m not going to stray away from who I am, and where I come from. I feel like we really did that with the album and I’m very proud of it.”
Here’s To Anyone track list:
Here’s To Anyone, which is produced by Michael Knox (Jason Aldean), is available to pre-order/pre-save/pre-add now at https://smarturl.it/HeresToAnyone.
Check out the music video for “Authentic” from Laine Hardy…
Photos Credit: Chris Hollo
Thomas Rhett admits that he did not do well at the start of quarantine last year, “The first 30, 40 days of quarantine I was freaking out cause I did not know what to do.”
He was thrown out of his routine, and in a way, with all the time he had on his hands…he didn’t know what to do with himself. “You know, I was like, ‘We’re supposed to be in rehearsal. We’re supposed to be on the road. We’re supposed to be doing this.'”
But it was a conversation with his wife Lauren, that help center Thomas back on the things he knew were important, “My wife was like, ‘Honey, I think you have to just realize that you can’t do this right now. So, maybe why don’t you just take a step back and live some life and then go try to write again.’ And so, I literally didn’t write a song for almost two months, which is the longest I’ve ever gone, I think, in my whole life.”
That’s where the song “Country Again” found its footing, “When I came back, the very first song I wrote was ‘Country Again’.”
When it comes to the word “country”, Thomas says, “I think the word ‘country’ is a pretty strong synonym. I think it means a multitude of things. Just like any other word in the world, it could be construed for good, or construed for bad, you know. I think ‘country’ for a lot of people means boots and fiddle and steel guitar and being in the woods, and I think those things are definitely one meaning, but for me, even in the song ‘Country Again’ it is about that stuff, but it’s more about just a simple way of life, and a lifestyle where you don’t need much to make you happy, and on a musical front the word ‘country’ to me, means an honest story.”
Photo Courtesy of Valory Music Co
This is A Day in the Country with Paul Koffy – August 27th
On this day in 2020, Chris Stapleton sent “Starting Over” to country radio
In 2019, Matt Stell performed “Prayed for You” on an episode of “Bachelor in Paradise”
In 2016, Jon Pardi was at number-one with “Head Over Boots”
And in 2012, Florida Georgia Line’s video for their smash hit “Cruise” made its video debut
Photo Courtesy of Chris Stapleton
Michael Ray‘s EP, Higher Education is available now!
Michael says his new project wouldn’t have been possible without the journey he’s been on in his life and career, “I feel like out of all my records, I’m proud of the success, proud of the hits, proud of getting the opportunity to tour…cuz all of that together led up to this…you know the good and the bad, the highs and lows.”
Michael shares that before 2020, everything felt like it was on fast forward. “It’s fast moving, so you go go go go, and your body gets trained to this and all of a sudden…errr…you’re stopped. It’s all gone.”
The resulting shutdown and home quarantining due to COVID last year gave him time to reflect on what he was doing musical, “I think my mind set wasn’t so much of when’s it coming back it was like ‘What if it doesn’t?’ What if…I knew that it would…but I was just preparing for the worst. And I was like ‘What id that did happen? What if they’re done? Why didn’t I do this? Why wouldn’t have I just said this? Why wouldn’t have I done that?'”
With those thoughts Michael chose and wrote music that had more of a personal connection to him than ever before, like his song “Picture”
Michael knew in creating this more personal music fans would also connect with the songs in a new way, “Country music is a universal language. It’s real. It’s about real life. It’s about real people. It’s about real situations. So, odds are, if you’re writing from a place of a broken heart, or love, or to go ride roads with your buddies and just drink some beer and hang out, other people are feeling that too, and have been through it. It’s the one thing that ties us all together…no matter anything that’s going on in the world, music ties us all together.”
Higher Education track list;
1. “Whiskey and Rain” (Josh Thompson, Jesse Frasure)
2. “Just The Way I Am” (Michael Hardy, Ben West, Josh Miller)
3. “Holy Water” (Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps, Ben Johnson, Michael Hardy)
4. “Picture” (Michael Ray, David Garcia, Michael Hardy)
5. “Higher Education” (Tim Montana, Derek George, Jeremy Bussey, Monty Criswell, Frank Rogers)
6. “Live Without You” (Michael Hardy, Jessi Alexander, Corey Crowder)
7. “Didn’t Know I Was Country” (Michael Ray, Taylor Phillips, Ashley Gorley)
Higher Education also includes Michael’s current hit single at country radio, “Whiskey And Rain”
Photo Credit: Sean Hagwell
Niko Moon‘s debut album Good Time is available now!
As the album dropped at midnight, Niko did a little late-night celebrating, “I can’t believe my first album is here! I hope y’all are celebrating just as hard as we are”
Niko is celebrating because making his debut album was truly a labor of love that started with his wife, Anna Moon, in 2019, “It’s such a good feeling man, I’ve spent over two years working on this album. You know, me and my wife wrote all the songs on the album except for the last one which is a cover of ‘Great Day To Be Alive’ by Travis Tritt. You know, we made it in my studio in my house and it is truly is like from my family to y’all so I wanted to make an album that was just feel good music from the first song of last one and I hope everybody enjoys it.”
Good Time includes the title track, “No Sad Songs” – Niko’s current single, and this track, “Paradise To Me”
For Niko Moon, 2021 has seen him have a number-one song with “Good Time,” head out with Lady A on the What A Song Can Do tour, and now his debut album is available for fans…Niko says this year, for him, truly has been a good time, “I mean it’s unbelievable I’m just feeling so grateful so blessed all I’ve ever wanted to do is just make country music and make people happy and I feel like I’m doing that right now and it’s such a good feeling.”
Talking about his current single at country radio, Niko says, “‘No Sad Songs’ is all about having fun. As we all know, life can be stressful at times and this song right here is all about putting that to the side for a minute and just enjoying life and having fun.”
Niko Moon’s album Good Time is available now…
Photo Credit: Matthew Berinato
Getting to go to a concert to see your favorite artist or even getting to meet them backstage seems like the perfect moment for a life changing question to be asked…but Brantley Gilbert says, guys may want to rethink that opportunity, “We’ve had people propose in meet and greet lines and at shows and everything else. But I tell everybody, it’s like, even when it’s 100% chance that she’s gonna say yes, that you’ve talked about it and you haven’t been in an argument that day, it’s a vulnerable position.”
Brantley thinks guys don’t really think about the moment of the proposal, “It’s somewhere we don’t spend much time in our lives. As men sometimes, not that we’re not willing to, but sometimes we just don’t know how to say what it is we feel.”
But he also think if your style has work so far…keep it up, “You got to this point just doing you, so man, just do you.”
Brantley, like all artists, has seen proposals that went as planned…and he’s also seen plenty that have gone off the rails. So, he offers some good advice when it comes to popping the question, “In your way, tell her what it is about her that makes you want to marry her.”
And Brantley’s worst advice is, “If you can’t come up with anything get off your knee and run in the other direction. That’s terrible advice. (laugh)”
For fans that get engaged at Brantley’s show in the near future…will they use his “The Worst Country Song Of All Time” as their wedding song?
Photo Courtesy of Brantley Gilbert
Chase Rice is hitting the road with Bud Light to bring fans the Bud Light Seltzer Sessions tour. It will consist of dates at smaller, more intimate venues.
Chase says “We’re bringing the energy of our full live show back to some of our favorite small stages.” He adds, “We’ve been dreaming this up for a long time and the timing is perfect because now we get to play some new music for y’all when we play these small rooms!”
Watch the announcement here:
Setting out on Bud Light Seltzer Sessions tour, reminds Chase of his early days of shows, “When I first started playing with just me and a guitar, it was sitting on barstools in venues like these. There’s something really special about stripping it back to how these songs were written, to how I got started. No show will be the same as we’re making it up as we go, but that’s what I love: hearing y’all yell songs from the crowd and us singing them together.”
You can enter for a chance to win tickets at https://budlightseltzersessions.chaserice.com!
Bud Light Seltzer Sessions Tour
September 8 – Columbus, OH
September 9 – Cincinnati, OH
September 10 – Chicago, IL
September 29 – Lexington, KY
October 6 – Madison, WI
October 7 – Detroit, MI
Fans will be looking forward to hearing Chase Rice’s recent number-one hit “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen”
Photo Credit: Kaiser Cunningham
