September 2016

'Great Country Moments' presented by Springer mountain farms® featuring country legends in September

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The month of September brings new releases, CMA memories, and some great Springer Mountain Farms® chicken recipes from featured artists on Great Country Moments. September episodes will feature Moe Bandy, Bill Anderson, Lee Greenwood, T. G. Sheppard, Jimmy Fortune, Mark Wills, Exile and Jennifer McCarter. Through the one-of-a-kind story segments, the featured country stars will take viewers through some of the best times of their career and reveal emotional, exciting, and memorable moments that fans have never heard first-hand. Along with the videos will be trivia questions that viewers can answer to enter a contest to win a variety of prizes. A grand prize of a free FREEZER FULL OF CHICKEN will be given away to one lucky winner who participates in the trivia contest. “Springer Mountain Farms® enjoys many wonderful partnerships with the country music community. Great Country Moments is another great outlet to feature some of country music’s finest with an added bonus, their favorite chicken recipe! We have created a living cookbook that fans and Springer Mountain Farms® chicken lovers can follow along with. I can’t wait to try the recipes out in my kitchen!” said Gus Arrendale, President of Springer Mountain Farms®. The Great Country Moments series features a new video being released each week. The recipe segments will reveal the artist’s favorite homemade recipes using Springer Mountain Farms® chicken, along with a written recipe that will be available to viewers. Some of the stars featured in the series include Johnny Lee, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tanya Tucker, Ronnie McDowell, Jeannie Seely, Deborah Allen, Jimmy Fortune and many more. September Episodes of Great Country Moments Tuesday, September 6 – Moe Bandy Chicken Fajitas Recipe, Bill Anderson New Releases Moment Monday, September 12 – Lee Greenwood Chicken Marsala with Mustard and Mascarpone, T.G Sheppard Elvis Moment Monday, September 19 – Jimmy Fortune Jimmy’s Chicken Recipe, Mark Wills CMA Moment Monday, September 26 – Exile C.R.A.P. (Sweet and Sour) Chicken Salad Recipe, Jennifer McCarter First Radio Single Moment

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Sean McConnell's self-titled album to be released via Rounder Records on 30th September 2016

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Following a path trod by many of his fellow Nashville songwriters, Sean McConnell– whose songs have been recorded by music greats Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Christina Aguilera, Buddy Miller, Rascal Flatts, Marc Broussard, Plain White T’s, Wade Bowen, the Brothers Osborne, Meatloaf, Martina McBride, the Eli Young Band, David Nail and others, and featured on the smash hit television show Nashville – is set to release his eponymous Rounder Records debut album, September 30th. The album was recorded in McConnell’s adopted hometown of Nashville at Sound Emporium B and The Compound with producers Ian Fitchuk and Jason Lehning, who also contributed drums and keyboards, respectively. The album features McConnell on guitar, Tony Lucido on bass, Danny Rader on guitars, banjo, mandolin, and bouzouki, and background vocals by Alyssa Bonagura. The album was mixed by GRAMMY award-winning engineer, Ryan Hewitt. Sean McConnell demonstrates exactly why McConnell has already won such a devoted audience. Especially in places like Texas, where he has been embraced by the homegrown “Red Dirt” community of singers & songwriters. Wade Bowen says “I don’t think there’s anyone better than Sean McConnell. Talented doesn’t even come close to describing the kind of artist that he is. I’m so glad that the rest of the world is finally catching on.” He writes vivid, forthright, effortlessly catchy songs whose incisive melodic craft is matched by their resonant emotional insight. Such instantly memorable tunes as Holy Days, Beautiful Rose, Bottom of the Sea and Best We’ve Ever Been are both catchy and personally charged, conveying an unmistakable sense of personal experience while exploring universal truths. “This record’s a bit of a step for me,” McConnell asserts. “It’s a real storyteller record, and it’s pretty autobiographical. I’m learning how to be more honest and understated in my writing, and I wanted to match that sonically and vocally. When I look at this collection of songs, I see a lot of nostalgia, and looking back on sacred moments. I’m kind of nostalgic and reflective by nature.” McConnell travels the states performing his own style of music that he describes as “lyric driven Americana soul music.”  

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Robert Ellis embarks on UK tour in November

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Following the release of his eponymous fourth album in June, Robert Ellis returns to the UK to play a run of six shows as part of his European tour in November. His latest album is his most personal statement yet and a summation of his career thus far. Robert Ellis follows his critically acclaimed 2014 release, THE LIGHTS FROM THE CHEMICAL PLANT. Robert says, “I felt that in the past year, lots of constructs I took for granted were turned on their head. With this record I feel like I’ve gotten to where I can use the material of my own life as a jumping off point. But now I can do different things with that material.” Robert Ellis plays: November Tue 15th                      BRIGHTON, Prince Albert Wed 16th                    WINCHESTER, The Railway Inn Thu 17th                      PLYMOUTH, The B-Bar Fri 18th                         MANCHESTER, The Castle Sat 19th                       LEEDS, High & Lonesome Festival Sun 20th                      LONDON, O2 Academy Islington Tickets available now

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‘Nashville nights' country music nightclub reveals national dates

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The organisers of Nashville Nights, who run club nights designed for fans of country music, have announced that they will be taking their unique brand of party across the UK throughout the rest of 2016. Inspired by trips to Music City itself, the popularity of the events so far is testament to both the fact that the country scene in the UK is growing, and that the team behind Nashville Nights are doing something right. To date over 1,500 country fans have come together to enjoy the nights, most of which have been at Under The Bridge in London, with DJ Baylen Leonard (BBC Radio 2, Amazing Radio) providing the soundtrack. Many of the artists on the playlist will be familiar to those who attended London’s Country to Country (C2C) festival in March – now one of the largest country festival outside of the US – such as Thomas Rhett, Sam Hunt, Little Big Town, and Kacey Musgraves. Fans are also encouraged to request their favourite songs via social media, using the hashtag #NashNightsUK. In the words of co-founder and Events Director Janine Lambert: “We love dancing to country music, singing along to country music, having a drink and socialising to country music and there was nowhere we could go to do this, no bar or nightclub anywhere that just played the best in NEW Country music from the USA Country music charts, the music we wanted to hear…. We’d been to Nashville, we enjoyed the honky-tonks, the atmosphere, the country music blasting out from every bar and club on Broadway… we wanted to bring the spirit of Nashville back to the UK.” Nashville Nights hits the road later this month, with further dates confirmed for October, November and December: NEWCASTLE – The Cluny – September 17th 2016* BRISTOL – The Tunnels – October 14th 2016* GLASGOW – Classic Grand – October 28th 2016 LONDON – Under The Bridge – November 19th 2016 BIRMINGHAM – The Asylum – November 25th 2016 BRIGHTON – Latest Music Bar – December 10th 2016 (* – Holloway Road guest DJs at these events) Rising country stars Pauper Kings, who are about to join Dan + Shay for their UK tour, are due to perform at the next London night on November 19th. Tickets for all Nashville Nights events can be purchased in advance from CountryTickets.co.uk & NashvilleNights.uk.

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Johnny Lee, Collin Raye, Charley Pride, Janie Fricke, Mark Chesnutt set for September episodes of REFLECTIONS

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Country legends will light up Reflections in September with all-new episodes of the weekly half-hour interview show featuring Johnny Lee, Collin Raye, Charley Pride, Janie Fricke and Mark Chesnutt. Reflections airs on The Heartland Network Thursdays 8/7c (6 p.m. CST on WSMV 4.2 in Nashville) and Saturdays 4/3c.  Reflections is hosted by Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame member Keith Bilbrey. Viewers can also tune in to Angel Two/DISH Network, The Family Channel or AMG TV. SEPTEMBER REFLECTIONS TUNE-IN: Johnny Lee Sept. 3 Collin Raye Sept. 8 & Sept. 10 Charley Pride Sept. 15 & Sept. 17 Janie Fricke Sept. 22 & Sept. 24 Mark Chesnutt Sept. 29 & Oct. 1 Johnny Lee opens up about his first studio album in 10 years, YOU AINT NEVER BEEN TO TEXAS and gives fans an in-depth look at his illustrious career in the September 1 episode. Lee, known for his dynamic stage presence and smash No. 1 crossover hit Lookin’ for Love, chats with Bilbrey about recording new music, touring nearly every weekend and getting his big break when he worked with Mickey Gilley, both on tour and at Gilley’s Club. Lookin’ for Love, the soundtrack from the 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy, which was largely shot at Gilley’s, catapulted Lee to fame. The smash hit became a crossover hit spending three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart while also appearing in the Top 5 on the Billboard Pop chart and Top 10 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. Bilbrey sits down with Collin Raye in the Sept. 8 edition that includes captivating stories about his more than 25-year career. Raye chats about the timeless No. 1 hit Love, Me, that catapulted him in the 1990s and opens up about building a career on songs with an emotional connection to listeners, like Little Rock, which led to more than 100,000 calls to Alcoholics Anonymous from people seeking help for their addictions. The song and video for I Think About You exposed the exploitation of women and children, earning Raye the award for Video of the Year from the Academy of Country Music in 1997. During the Sept. 15 episode, Bilbrey sits downs with Country Music Hall of Famer Charley Pride and discusses his early life as one of 11 children, picking cotton in the fields of the Mississippi Delta, as well as his introduction to music, the songs that inspired him, and his first guitar. Bilbrey also chats with Pride about his 50th anniversary as a recording artist who’s enjoyed one of the most successful careers in the history of country music and is credited with helping to break color barriers by becoming the first African-American to become a force within the genre. A three-time Grammy Award winner, Pride has garnered no less than 36 chart-topping country hits, including Kiss An Angel Good Morning, a massive No. 1 crossover hit that sold over a million singles and helped Pride land the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award in 1971 and the Top Male Vocalist awards of 1971 and 1972. A proud member of the Grand Ole Opry, Pride continues to perform concerts worldwide and has toured the United States, Canada, Ireland, The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand over the last several years. Bilbrey spends the Sept. 22 episode with two-time CMA and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year Janie Fricke, who’s hit the No. 1 spot on the country charts an astounding 18 times. Bilbrey discusses how Fricke was the First Female Voice on the Moon to reaching Gold and Platinum sales status worldwide. Fricke also chats about how her upbringing in Indiana shaped her career to begin recording numerous jingles for Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut and United Airlines. Janie has released 23 albums and 36 hit singles, and she remains one of the most-beloved entertainers in the country field. In the Sept. 29 episode, Bilbrey sits down with Mark Chesnutt who continues keeping traditional-minded classic country music alive with TRADITION LIVES, his first album of all-new material in eight years. Chesnutt also chats about his run up the charts in 1990 with Too Cold At Home, and blockbuster 90s favorites such as Brother Jukebox, Let It Rain, and I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing. Along the way, he has earned one Gold album and four Platinum albums. Reflections is filmed at The Hot Seat Studios, located in Hermitage, Tennessee, and is produced by Jeff Moseley and Brian Covert of CJM Productions. Each week, Keith Bilbrey leads one-on-one insightful interviews with country music’s legendary artists.

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Country newcomer Liddy Clark's single Painted By Numbers premieres on radio Disney country this week

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18-year-old Liddy Clark’s debut single Painted By Numbers had airplay premiere on Radio Disney Country this week. The song, written by Clark, is an anthem of self-love relatable to all, whether you are a high school student or attending your high school reunion. “This song has allowed me to become more confident in myself and helped others gain confidence as well. I couldn’t be happier with the reception of the song and I’m excited to see where this song will go!” said Clark. Radio Disney Country features chart bound young artists and today’s biggest country hits. Phil Guerini, Vice President, Music Strategy, Disney Channels Worldwide and General Manager, Radio Disney Networks said, “We are so excited to be able to support Liddy and use Radio Disney Country as a platform for her new single. We have been early champions of her music and look forward to watching her grow as an artist.” Liddy Clark is an eighteen-year- old singer/songwriter who forges a fresh, new path in country music with keep-it- real lyrics and trailblazing sonic landscapes. Her music blends a world-wide-open youthfulness and “ain’t-scared” attitude, topped-off with a definitive hallmark vocal that has led to over 275,000 Facebook followers. Over the past 6 months Liddy has seen her brand and music championed by the biggest purveyors of talent in the music industry, including spotlight opportunities from Disney. In rarefied air for artists of her age, these opportunities, paired with a work ethic that sees the fiery red-head churn out two-hour sets regularly; have proven her as a welcome addition to the global music scene. Beyond her music, Liddy has been featured in print ads for national brands American Girl, Scholastic Book Club, as well as an X-factor commercial with industry innovator Simon Cowell. She has also been chosen by Seventeen Magazine as a Social Influencer with the Seventeen Social Club, and tabbed by Seventeen to be the first-ever Seventeen PROStyles Twitter and Instagram Takeover participant in country music.

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Ward Thomas release major label debut CARTWHEELS

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Ward Thomas, 22 year old twins Lizzy and Catherine, release their second album and major label debut ‘CARTWHEELS  on Sony Music/WTW Music. Hampshire born and bred, Ward Thomas were barely out of their teens when they became country crossover stars with their independently released 2014 debut album FROM WHERE WE STAND which sold over 25,000 copies, playing 2 UK tours, London’s 02 Arena and Hyde Park in the process. Recorded in London, CARTWHEELS  marks the arrival of two major talents, who write as well as they sing, their trademark harmonies earning them new fans wherever they go. “We have different voices that suit different sorts of songs,” Catherine says. “We call Lizzy the trumpet and me the French Horn.” Title track CARTWHEELS was the first song they wrote for the new album and inspired what was to come. ‘It established our new sound’, says Lizzy. ‘Lyrically it was much more grown up than anything on our debut. Sonically it was a move away from country to lots of other influences we grew up with-Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, KT Tunstall and Taylor Swift’s Red album. We are still influenced by country, we still adore the Dixie Chicks and Kacey Musgraves but this isn’t just a country album’. Produced largely by Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, Jason Mraz, Shawn Mendes) with three tracks by Jimmy Hogarth (Amy Winehouse, Paolo Nutini, Sia), it’s one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year. CARTWHEELS features 14 self-penned songs that capture a range of emotions veering from the joyous to the heartbroken and everywhere in between. Miss it at your peril.  ‘Cartwheels” full tracklisting below: Carry You Home Almost Easy Material Cartwheels Guilty Flowers Lose Me Good On You When It’s Not Me Boomerang Dirt And Gold Where The Sky Is Proof Who I’m Not Safe  ‘Cartwheels’ is available to pre-order now on Amazon, iTunes and the Ward Thomas official store. www.wardthomasmusic.com

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A FORCE OF NATURE debut album from Sari Schorr out today

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Manhaton Records is pleased to announce the debut album A FORCE OF NATURE from one of the most exciting Blues rock singers, Sari Schorr.  Released in the UK and Europe on September 2nd 2016, the album is produced by the legendary Mike Vernon whose credits include Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall & the Blues Breakers, David Bowie, Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Christine McVie and Ten Years After. In January 2015, Mike received a Keeping the Blues Alive award at the prestigious International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. The award was not the only highlight of the weekend for Mike. The second highlight occurred when Mike witnessed the performance of one of the most amazing female blues singers he’d seen in years – Sari Schorr. Mike was so knocked out, he came out of semi-retirement to produce her new album.  Already a consummate songwriter in her own right, with tracks on major labels, Sari has written or co-written almost all the songs on the debut album.  Released by Manhaton Records (home of Robin Trower and King King) the new album features guitarists Walter Trout (John Mayall, Canned Heat), Innes Sibun (Robert Plant), Oli Brown (RavenEye) and keyboardist John Baggott (Massive Attack, Portishead). New York-based Sari Schorr initially gained prominence throughout the blues world after several years of touring the US and Europe with Blues legend, Joe Louis Walker and renowned guitarist, Popa Chubby.  Schorr was recently inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. Sari has appeared on the Conan O’Brian Show, and has toured extensively throughout the US, Europe, Asia and Australia.  She has received critical acclaim for her blustery vocals and emotionally-charged performances, and is described by many blues pundits as a modern-day hybrid of Janis Joplin and Tina Turner – a red-hot blues mama who radiates emotional intensity, connects with and inspires her audiences, and leaves a lasting impression that’s larger than life. Sari’s new band, The Engine Room, features stunning British guitarist Innes Sibun (former Robert Planet guitarist). “The Engine Room truly is a remarkable band,” says Sari.  “Something magical happens when we’re on stage together.  We’re fuelled further by the audiences’ reaction and everything’s possible. I love touring and enjoy the privilege of meeting so many like-minded people who share our love of the Blues.” The album delivers hard-driving Blues-Rock, influenced by the late ’60s British Blues movement.  Sari (who trained as an opera singer) mixes Blues, Rock, and Soul with concrete melodies and poetic lyrics to striking effect.  Says Sari, “I set out to write achingly honest songs about the beauty and the tragedy of the human experience.  I hope my music can be a galvanizing force to inspire, repair and unite people.  I try not to allow constraints on my writing or my performance of the songs.  Most often, I manage to trust my intuition and honestly, Mike Vernon brings out the best in the artists he works with.” “My songs are rooted in the blues and honouring that long tradition is important to me,” reflects Sari.  “My song-writing draws heavily on contrasting melodic hooks with aching harmonies.  I spend a lot of time working over and rewriting my lyrics.  I rely heavily on imagery and enjoy using double-entendres that are entertaining to those who catch them.  My influences are many and various and include Son House, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Lead Belly, Bessie Smith, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Freddie King, Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Peter Green, Robert Plant, Martha Velez and Bob Dylan.” “The album was written in four countries: US, UK, Spain, and Germany. Basic tracks were recorded in London and Seville.  I’m grateful to have such amazing musicians on the album, who gave so generously of their time and talents.  The album features the guitar mastery of Innes Sibun, Walter Trout and Oli Brown and stellar keyboard work by John Baggott.” Sari mixes a passion for music and with a duty of social responsibility. She has devoted her talent and energy to music projects of a grand scale for humanitarian causes. Most notable is her work on a “Toast to Freedom” for Amnesty International, where she collaborated with many musical legends including Warren Haynes, Levon Helm, Keb Mo’, Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon and Carly Simon. Sari’s humanitarian efforts include work in Haiti and India. She founded “Matters” – a non-profit that draws attention to humanitarian causes through the arts.  

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Holloway road to release new single Where We Are Tonight

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Holloway Road appeared on the King Says Country Show (Keep it Country/Sky TV) yesterday to announce that their brand new single Where We Are Tonight will be released via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Bandcamp and other digital outlets on 23rd September 2016. The band will celebrate the launch of their single with a release party at Cargo, Hoxton on the same date. About Holloway Road The first thing you notice about UK duo Holloway Road’s live performance is that it doesn’t look like country music; they’re more baseball caps and trainers than Stetsons and boots. But the sound they make sits somewhere between the country-pop chart and the Nashville songwriting they both grew up listening to. The second thing you notice is the crowd’s response; Holloway Road have spent the last two years playing throughout the UK & Europe, honing their live show, and as a result they understand the importance of being both a standout name on any lineup and a high energy crowd-pleaser. They haven’t been afraid to gain momentum while learning their craft – having played the Martin stage at CMA Fest 2015, performed for the Country to Country (C2C) crowds on two consecutive years, written with Jacob Bryant (John & Jacob), partied with Kacey Musgraves, and landed both their EPs in the iTunes country top ten thanks to radio play across the UK for their single Little Harder – success in a growing international country scene is increasingly becoming part of the Holloway Road story. Where We Are Tonight marks a turning point for the band, who wanted the song to capture the feel of a live set while retaining the pop sensibilities of their previous studio offering Roots. In their own words: “We’re excited to get this single out there – we want to give people a taste of what we have up our sleeves for what’s next to come…”

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