14 September 2015

PRS Guitars has just launched another ‘exclusive to Europe & Australia’ PRS model, the Fatback 24, from the Wood Library programme. Based on the 30th Anniversary Custom 24, the new guitar features a thicker ‘McCarty depth’ body, some amazing hand-selected, up-graded timbers – and just 60 of the Fatback 24s will ever be made available. Although the body is thicker than a regular Custom 24, the use of lightweight Ribbon Stripe African Mahogany ensures the guitar balances perfectly – and the wide curl flame maple ’10-top’ makes the Fatback 24 look as good as it feels, of course. The guitar also features 30th Anniversary mother-of-pearl birds inlays, very cool ivoroid fingerboard purfling and a choice of six colours: Charcoal Burst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, Fire Red Burst, Faded Whale Blue, Black Gold and Orange Tiger. In terms of playability and tone the Fatback 24 features a Pattern Thin carve mahogany neck (with Gabon Ebony fingerboard and headstock veneer) and PRS’s new 85/15 treble and bass humbuckers harnessed to volume, tone (with push-pull coil-tap) and three-way toggle switch. We’re loving the new 85/15 pickups – they-re incredibly clear, with lots of low-end and a nice sparkly treble that never gets ‘ice-picky’ A PRS tremolo system rounds out the spec of the very special limited edition model, which ships in a similarly limited Black Paisley PRS case. The Fatback 24 carries a recommended retail price of £3750.

With just under two months left until the 2015 CMA Awards several of the nominees were revealed on ABC’s Good Morning America this week with the rest announced on the CMA website shortly after. Steven Tyler and breakout singer-songwriter Kelsea Ballerini helped announce the final nominees in all 12 categories live from Times Square. Ballerini was herself nominated for two awards. The nominees are a mix of country stars such as Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Garth Brooks and several exciting newcomers, such as Sam Hunt, Maddie & Tae, and Chris Stapleton. Eric Church and Little Big Town lead the nominations with Eric Church nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year for the first time and Little Big Town up for five awards. For the eighth consecutive year, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will co-host the show as it airs live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 4. New Artist of the Year: Sam Hunt Maddie & Tae Thomas Rhett Chris Stapleton Kelsea Ballerini Album of the Year: Jason Aldean – OLD BOOTS, NEW DIRT Kacey Musgraves – PAGEANT MATERIAL Little Big Town – PAIN KILLER Kenny Chesney – THE BIG REVIVAL Chris Stapleton – TRAVELLER Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert Kacey Musgraves Carrie Underwood Lee Ann Womack Kelsea Ballerini Male Vocalist of the Year: Dierks Bentley Luke Bryan Eric Church Blake Shelton Chris Stapleton Entertainer of the Year: Garth Brooks Luke Bryan Kenny Chesney Eric Church Miranda Lambert Single of the Year: Kenny Chesney – American Kids Little Big Town – Girl Crush Lee Brice – I Don’t Dance Sam Hunt – Take Your Time Eric Church – Talladega Music Video of the Year: Kacey Musgraves – Biscuits Little Big Town – Girl Crush Maddie & Tae – Girl In A Country Song Miranda Lambert – Little Red Wagon Carrie Underwood – Something In The Water Song of the Year: Kenny Chesney – American Kids Little Big Town – Girl Crush Randy Houser – Like A Cowboy Eric Church – Like A Wrecking Ball Sam Hunt – Take Your Time Musical Event of the Year: DJANGO AND JIMMIE – Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard Lonely Tonight – Blake Shelton & Ashley Monroe Raise ‘Em Up – Keith Urban & Eric Church Smokin’ And Drinkin’ – Miranda Lambert & Little Big Town Wild Child – Kenny Chesney & Grace Potter Musician of the Year: Sam Bush, Mandolin Jerry Douglas, Dobro Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar Dann Huff, Guitar Mac McAnally, Guitar Vocal Duo of the Year Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line Maddie & Tae Thompson Square Vocal Group of the Year: Lady Antebellum Little Big Town Rascal Flatts The Band Perry Zac Brown Band