2014

Garth is back! Written by: Chuck Schultz “It’s a day of joy,” Garth Brooks said at the outset of this morning’s press conference. “Not going to be lying to you, it’s also under a cloud right now.” Sony Chairman/CEO Doug Morris introduced Brooks, confirming the label home for new music from Brooks. “It’s because Doug Morris took the time to find me at my convenience,” Brooks said of his signing with Sony. “Everybody loves everybody when you get started. We’ll see in a year. I hope you don’t regret this. I hope I don’t. I think we’ll be alright.” Producer Allen Reynolds’ retirement has Brooks working with Mark Miller, who engineered the Reynolds-produced albums. “I’ve never had more fun in my life making music,” Brooks said, noting that RCA will handle retail and radio, with new music coming sometime around the end of this month. The double album will land at all physical retailers sometime around Black Friday. “I’m getting my ass kicked by the songwriters right now,” he said. “We’re cutting everything but Garth stuff right now. The level of song-writing stunned me.” “We’ve never allowed ourselves to go digital,” Brooks said. “That will begin in next two or three weeks …” exclusively at garthbrooks.com. “That’s the only place you can get Garth Brooks music.” A window will be opened in which fans can buy the entire catalogue. Based on a promise made to a young fan at a show in Las Vegas, Brooks will call Andy from Atlanta to tell him the date and city of the first tour stop on July 14. Official word will follow at an unspecified time. “We hope we give you a show that makes you forget the ones in the ’90s,” he said. “That is our goal.” Brooks is working with Ticketmaster to keep ticket prices reasonable, with an announcement expected in the next few weeks. Speaking to the cloud he referenced in the open, “Ireland? I don’t have a clue,” he said. “I wish I could tell you I saw it coming … We don’t treat people different, so now what do I do with those 160,000 people, and why are they treated different?” Brooks offered to fly to Ireland immediately and “get on my knees and beg” if the Prime Minister would meet with him. Before the presser got underway, a train sounded its horn behind the venue. It was a fitting metaphor for the train that is now underway and on its way through country music. “Scared? Yes,” Brooks said. “Old? Yes. I want to thank God and everybody that has given me the chance to look at the second half of a career. I don’t know how many artists get this chance.”

Country star Chase Rice is lighting up the airwaves with his RIAA Gold-certified, Top 25-and-climbing single “Ready Set Roll,” but the Columbia Nashville/Dack Janiels recording artist will take his career to new heights with the release of his new full-length album, Ignite the Night, on Tuesday, August 19. Produced by Chris DeStefano, Ignite the Night will hit shelves on a date that proves serendipitous for Rice, as August 19 also marks his late father’s birthday. “Words can’t really express how grateful I am to all the people that came together to make this album happen,” said Rice. “Starting with the fans, who come to my shows night after night and sing my songs back to me – I wouldn’t have a career without them, and I’m excited to get new music out so we can keep the party going. The fact that this album is coming out on my dad’s birthday makes it that much more meaningful. I hope I do him proud.” Ignite The Night Album Track Listing (* denotes release on physical edition only): Standard Edition: 1. “Ready Set Roll” (Rhett Akins, Chris DeStefano, Chase Rice) 2. “Do It Like This” (Dallas Davidson, Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley) 3. “Beach Town” (Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite, Chase Rice) 4. “MMM Girl” (Rodney Clawson, Lynn Hutton, Chase Rice) 5. “Beer With The Boys” (Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley, Chase Rice) 6. “Carolina Can” (Scooter Carusoe, Chase Rice) 7. “We Goin’ Out” (Chris DeStefano, Shane Minor, Chase Rice) 8. “Gonna Wanna Tonight” (Shane McAnally, Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins) 9. “Look At My Truck” (Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Colt Ford, Chase Rice) 10. “U Turn” (Zach Crowell, Shane Minor, Chase Rice) 11. “50 Shades Of Crazy” (Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite, Chase Rice) 12. “What’s Your Name” (Zach Crowell, Nicolle Galyon, Matt Jenkins) 13. “How She Rolls” (Brian Kelley, Chase Rice) 14. “Jack Daniels & Jesus” (Amanda Flynn, Brian Kelley, Chase Rice) 15. “Whoa” (Russell Dickerson, Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Jesse Rice, Chase Rice)(Produced by Scott Cooke)* iTunes Party Edition: 15. “Party Up” (Featuring Colt Ford) (Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Colt Ford, Chase Rice) 16. “Country In Ya” (Adam Sanders, Chase Rice) 17. “Best Beers Of Our Lives” (Chris DeStefano, Shane Minor, Chase Rice) 18. “Ride” (Joseph Somers-Morales, Cody Tarpley) To pre-order Ignite the Night now, visit http://smarturl.it/IgniteTheNight. Having received early support from SiriusXM’s “The Highway,” John Marks has long championed the star, saying: “Chase Rice is country music’s ‘Renaissance Man.’ His new single ‘Ready Set Roll’ [. . .] readily demonstrates his growth as an artist literally on the threshold of stardom.” Rice has been touring behind his 2013 Ready Set Roll EP release and the music has received a huge response from fans and tastemakers alike, with The Plain Dealer noting, “Rice is taking rollicking party-rock and late-model pop-country and blending it up for the Generation Y-Z set.” The artist has already achieved some incredible milestones in the months building up to the album release as well: He released his third EP, Ready Set Roll, in November 2013 (topping the iTunes Country charts and selling more than 41,000 units in the first week without a record label or mainstream radio); launched his first mainstream radio single (“Ready Set Roll”); made his Grand Ole Opry debut; inked a strategic partnership deal with Columbia Nashville and even launched his own apparel line, Head Down Eyes Up. Rice continues to sell out headlining dates across the country and is touring with Dierks Bentley on the Riser Tour. For more information and the latest updates, visit www.chaserice.com or connect directly with Rice on Twitter and Facebook @ChaseRiceMusic.

The third annual Watershed Music Festival has released the full schedule for the three-day music and camping event on Aug. 1, 2, and 3 at the Gorge Amphitheatre, Nashville. Additionally, a second stage will feature up and coming artists including Cody Beebe & The Crooks, Carrie Cunningham & The Six Shooters, Aaron Crawford, McKenna Faith, Massy Ferguson, Old Dominion, Austin Jenckes, Tayla Lynn, Jessica Lynne, Chance McKinney, Caitlyn Smith, Sweetkiss Momma, A Thousand Horses and Austin Webb. The full schedule is available now at watershedfest.com. Watershed Music Festival sold out within 10 minutes of going on sale to the public with over 25,000 three day passes claimed. The heavy hitting lineup features Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Jake Owen, along with Billy Currington, Eli Young Band, Joe Diffie, Randy Houser, Justin Moore, Kip Moore, Cassadee Pope, Brothers Osborne, The Cadillac Three, Chase Rice, Dallas Smith, Adam Craig, Kelleigh Bannen, Lindsay Ell, Lonestar and The Swon Brothers. In addition to the versatile lineup and late night sets, the festival will feature a “Drop Zone” thrill ride, 100 ft. vertigo swing, giant ferris wheel, the world’s largest inflatable water slide and a Foamalicious foam party. Watershed Music Festival is set at the picturesque Gorge Amphitheatre, undoubtedly one of the most scenic concert venues in the world offering sweeping views of the Columbia River Gorge.

Garth Brooks sold a record 400,000 tickets, 10% of the population, for the five-night event in Ireland as part of a most eagerly-awaited comeback tour. Now it seems that two of American country singer Garth Brooks five sold-out comeback concerts at Dublin’s Croke Park stadium this month will be cancelled after objections were raised by local residents. Brooks, is one of the biggest names in country but retired from recording new music and touring in 2001. He had choses Dublin for his five-night “comeback special event”, ahead of a wider tour later in 2014. Residents of the densely populated surrounding area of the stadium have objected to the holding of five successive shows and the local council has refused permission for the concerts scheduled for July 28 and July 29. “The cumulative effect on residents and on some businesses would lead to an unacceptable level of disruption to their lives and livelihoods,” Dublin city council said in a statement. Brooks, has sold more than 125m albums and is best known for hits such as ‘The Thunder Rolls’ and ‘Friends in Low Places,’ has played the occasional one-city run of shows and benefit concerts during his retirement but has never toured. No act, including Ireland’s U2, has ever played five shows in a row at Croke Park, the country’s largest venue, and concert promoters had said some 70,000 of the 400,000 tickets sold were bought by people living abroad. Ticket holders are using social media and the national airwaves to voice their disappointment. Garth Brooks has released a statement saying that for him the tour will feature “five shows or not at all” but he still has faith that “Dublin City Council will make the best decision for the people of Ireland” He added: “To choose which shows to do and which shows not to do, would be like asking to choose one child over another. However this plays out, Ireland has my heart and always will.” It remains uncertain as to how many, if any, shows Garth Brooks will play in Ireland, but we will keep our readers updated as soon as more information is available.

Dolly, who played Glastonbury this month, is continuing to secure her place in the hearts of UK country music fans. The crowd at Glastonbury specifically watching Dolly’s performance reached over 150,000 people. The BBC has also reported that the largest viewing audience ever of Glastonbury tuned in to see Dolly take the stage during their live broadcast. But when Glastonbury ended and the music fans headed home, workers were shocked to find a fluffy white dog was left behind in one of the tents. Workers immediately named it Dolly and as the media became aware and asearch for the dogs’ home began, the dog was renamed Doggy Parton. Now Dolly Parton has stated that she plans to adopt the dog provided the original owners are not found: “I had my manager Danny Nozell call the Happy Landings Animal Shelter to make sure the dog is being treated and cared for properly,” says Dolly Parton. “At this time, nobody has claimed the dog and the dog is in great hands at the shelter. I will take the dog home to America if nobody claims her within a reasonable amount of time.” The legendary lady shows no signs of slowing down as her latest UK album release BLUE SMOKE – THE BEST OF BRINGS brings Dolly to her all-time highest chart position landing at number four in its fourth week of release. Dolly originally entered the chart at number 6, which at the time, was her highest ever album chart position.

British singer-songwriter Sam Hollyman debuted his eclectic style and showcased his song-writing talent at Nashville’s annual CMA Music Festival. The 18 year old performed a full-band set on the Samsung Galaxy Stage which attracted enthusiastic supporters and gained a buzzing interest from new fans. Sam delivered a milestone performance of his young career with a mix of country and Americana styles. The only visiting British artist to be featured at CMA Festival this year, Sam also performed two sets at the Bridgestone Arena Glass Tower Stage as part of the CMR Nashville International Showcases. Hollyman is excited to be a part of country music’s increasing international success and he has recently completed a radio tour in Ireland which included an appearance on the country’s largest radio broadcaster RTE1. His new single ‘One Minute More’ has just been released to UK radio where it has received a great reception from program directors. The song has already smashed its way to number 5 on the UK and Irish Country Charts. Sam’s new album ‘The Red Reel Sessions’ was recorded across the UK and US and is already generating a buzz among fans and industry in both markets. Sam’s inspirations include Hunter Hayes, Alison Krauss and Taylor Swift. This multi-talented teenager has mastered an impressive list of instrument skills including drums, violin, guitar, keyboard and ukulele. A highlight of his young career includes an onstage performance with Canadian crooner Michael Buble which has gained almost 8 million YouTube views. Hollyman also appeared as a contestant on the second season of The Voice UK which further increased his star profile. Hollyman resumes his UK Radio tour now back from Nashville, until mid-July being interviewed and live sessions at various FM and AM stations around the country.

Warner Music UK has launched a Spotify app, under the company’s brand PlaylistMe, that invites people to listen to playlists based on the line-ups of key festivals in the UK and beyond. Created to help people navigate the abundance of music events on offer, fans can use the app to discover festivals based on their location, preferred genre or favourite artists. With festival season well underway, now is the perfect time to locate your perfect festival playlist. The playlists feature songs by a selection of the acts appearing at each festival and are updated throughout the season. The app is intended to create a fun and interesting tool for fans who find it difficult to keep on top of who is playing where, and whose interests vary from headliners to up-and-coming artists of different genres. Festivals highlighted vary from the big names of Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds to the more niche such as Slam Dunk and Bloodstock. There is also a ‘Past’ tab that celebrates a selection of classic festivals from years gone by, including Live Aid 1985, Monsters Of Rock 1988 and Isle Of Wight 1970. The app will drive awareness for all the artists featured, who are also invited to share playlists they feature in to boost excitement throughout the season. There is also an opportunity for festivals and their promoters to get involved thanks to the ‘Featured’ section for key partners to share bespoke branded playlists. Reading & Leeds promoters Festival Republic are already on board: “PlaylistMe offers a great way for us to reach Reading & Leeds fans with songs by artists on the Festival line up. The app gives those already holding tickets a chance to discover bands as they’re added the bill, and also allows us to reach a new audience based on their music preferences.” Melvin Benn, MD of Festival Republic.

June 24 marked the launch of the seventh annual UK Music Video Awards, almost 50 years since the release of the film which is considered the forerunner to the music video: Richard Lester’s ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ on July 6th 1964. Last year, some of the UK’s most exciting young directing talent picked up awards for outstanding music videos including Rudimental’s Not Giving In, London Grammar’s Wasting My Young Years, and Naughty Boy’s La La La featuring Sam Smith. International winners included the video for Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Sacrilege, and French techno artist and DJ, Gesaffelstein’s, video for the track Pursuit (which has since collected the D&AD video award), while video of the year went to Flying Lotus for Until The Quiet Comes which includes a performance by street dancer, Storyboard P. Awards were also presented last year to Led Zeppelin’s Celebration Day for Best Live Coverage, and legendary film, documentary and music video director Julien Temple was honoured with the Icon Award receiving it from The Kinks’ Ray Davies. This year’s UK Music Video Awards, which is set to return to the Southbank Centre in London on Monday November 10, offers more opportunities than ever for individual directors, producers, and commissioners of music videos to gain recognition for an impressive body of film work over the past 12 months. Entries are now open. There will also be a brand new award for the Best Video Artist for a band or individual artist who has delivered an outstanding set of 3 or more videos in the past year. The UK Music Video Awards editorial director, David Knight, says, “This year’s UK Music Video Awards will celebrate the gamut of music video creativity over the past year, and show how music video continues to nurture new talent in every department of filmmaking. The 50th anniversary of A Hard Day’s Night highlights how the art of music film and video in Britain has a fantastic heritage, which the MVAs does more than anyone to recognise.” The UK Music Video Awards 2014 is now open and accepting entries in over 30 separate categories, including genre-led awards, as well as specific technical and craft awards. Entries can be made via the MVA website www.ukmva.com and the deadline is August 6.

Taking a page from classic western film sagas like‘Tombstone’ and ‘Arizona’, chart-topping country star Randy Houser’s new music video for his single, ‘Like A Cowboy’ is as visually epic as Houser’s vocal performance is powerful. The project was helmed by the acclaimed Film Director, Dustin Rikert. Houser spent a week shooting at multiple locations in Tucson, Ariz., including famed Old Tucson Studios, where many major western films have been shot including ‘Arizona’, ‘McLintock!’, ‘Three Amigos’,’ Tombstone’ and more. Under Rikert’s direction, a cast and crew of more than 75 people (including William Shockley of ‘Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman’ fame and Tim Murphy from ‘Sons of Anarchy’) and 50 head of cattle came together for the multi-day shoot, bringing the 1800s period piece to life with ‘Like A Cowboy’ as its soundtrack. You can watch the “Like A Cowboy” video trailer now at http://smarturl.it/likeacowboytrailer. “I really wanted to give [fans] as much as I could possibly give them for a music video and I feel like this song really leant itself to do something unique and special, something that looks just a little beyond where we’ve been,” said Houser. ‘Like A Cowboy’ is the fourth single from Houser’s Stoney Creek Records album HOW COUNTRY FEELS, which has yielded three consecutive number one smashes with the title track, ‘Runnin’ Outta Moonlight’ and ‘Goodnight Kiss.’ Houser is currently touring with Brad Paisley on the ‘Country Nation World Tour’ and continues to perform his own headlining dates across the country.

Dolly Parton, has received, yet, another accolade for RIAA gold, platinum, and multi-platinum career sales of more than 100 million albums worldwide. While attending the historic Glastonbury Music Festival, Dolly took time to speak to journalists before hitting the Pyramid stage in front of a crowd exceeding 100,000 music loving fans. During Dolly’s press event, BBC2 Radio’s Lauren Laverne introduced CTK Management CEO and Dolly Records President Danny Nozell and Glastonbury owner Michael Eavis who made the special plaque presentation which commemorated her sales of 100 million albums worldwide. “I’ve been so busy making records for the past several decades, I didn’t realise I had racked up so many sales. What a great honour to know that I have so many fans that have supported me through the years. Thanks to the RIAA for the acknowledgment and the plaque I feel very honoured and proud,” says Dolly Parton. 2014 has continued to bring Dolly career milestones as her 42nd studio album, BLUE SMOKE , is her highest charting solo album ever in both the United States (landing at number 6 on Billboard Top 200) and in the United Kingdom (landing at number 6 on the UK official chart). Parton’s chart history on the Top Country Albums chart is more befitting of her living-legend status: She’s notched 42 top 10 albums, with six of them going to number one. On the Hot Country Songs chart, she holds the record for the most number among women, with 25.