February 2018

#MeToo: Sexual abuse leads Vince Gill to speak out for victims

A personal song about victims of sexual abuse was shared by Vince Gill at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville during this week’s Country Radio Seminar.   The country music star and 21-time Grammy Award winner was sexually abused while he was in 7th grade, but has not spoken about the incident until now. “I had a gym teacher that acted inappropriately towards me and was trying to do things that I didn’t know what the hell was going on. I was just fortunate that I got up and I ran. I just jumped up and I ran,”  Gill told the audience. “I don’t know why. I don’t think I ever told anybody my whole life. What’s been going on has given me a little bit of courage to speak up too.”   Gill showed further solidarity with other sexual abuse victims when he joined the #MeToo movement on.   ‘Forever Changed’ speaks about sexual assault with the lyrics, ““You put your hands where they don’t belong / And now her innocence is dead and gone/She feels dirty, she feels ashamed / Because of you she’s forever changed.”   Addressing the Ryman Auditorium, Gill said, “We’re living in a time right now when finally people are having the courage to speak out about being abused.”   On Tuesday, Gill played an acoustic version of the song.

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'We got fired!': Dierks Bentley and Luke Bryan not hosting ACM awards

An interview earlier this week with Dierks Bentley revealed that both Bentley and Luke Bryan were given the boot from the Academy of Country Music Awards. Speaking to Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Bentley said, “That’s over… We got fired. Is that not common knowledge?”  The comment was made offhandedly while images from Bentley and Bryan’s time hosting the event flashed up on-screen. Bentley replaced Bryan’s former co-host, Blake Shelton, whom Bryan had hosted the show with since 2013. The ACM has since confirmed that Bryan and Bentley will not be returning to the award show, while Bentley’s manager has also confirmed the news. This year’s ACMs will be hosted at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 15.  Information on who is hosting will not be revealed for another 2-3 weeks. 

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Christina Martin Album

Christina Martin announces her new album "Impossible to hold"

Multi award-winning musician Christina Martin has a talent for synthesizing Americana and Pop/Rock sounds into sleek and engaging music with standout messages. On Impossible To Hold, her sixth studio album, Christina continues her significant evolution as one of Canada’s top exporting artists, with a matchless quality that has further developed lyrically, emotionally and sonically since her 2016 award winning album It’ll Be Alright. Christina explains “There was little concern for following any style or trend in writing and recording these new songs.  My commitment was to honour the direction the songs were leading me in. There were dark moments in the process, but I showed up each day to work, and hoped it would all come together.”   A free-flowing sonic exploration is immediately evident. The albums opening title track, ‘Impossible To Hold’, boasts big vocals and gorgeous Duesenberg guitar riffs, courtesy of producer Dale Murray, that are quickly swapped by the refreshing classic-pop collaboration  ‘Always Reminding’ – one of the album’s standout moments. Christina’s storytelling ability continues to shine over these 10-songs, with formerly released single, ‘Lungs Are Burning’, written as a response to the rising Fentanyl drug crisis in Canada and her own personal loss related to addiction and mental illness, and ‘Where The Dark Meets The Light’ drawing inspiration from “the challenges and triumphs of dedicating your life to the artistic journey.” Other highlights include the album’s soulful yet delicate ‘Winter’, an impassioned ‘Deep Dark Red’, and the roaring Rock-infused ‘Foreign’.   Impossible To Hold feels ready-made for arena stage, but equally fitting in the dimly-lit atmospheric listening venues Christina regularly plays. She says “I was inspired to become a performer by watching iconic performers like Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks and Tina Turner live, and music videos of The Pretenders, David Bowie, Annie Lennox. When I write, I can envision the music in larger venues, though I know that performing smaller venues is an important part of my journey and connecting with audiences.” Combining superb taste, passionate singing and thoughtful lyrics, “Impossible To Hold” is where music and poetry meet.   Christina began writing and recording her own music while slogging it out on the Austin, Texas bar scene. Her work has been compared to the likes of Annie Lennox, Chrissie Hynde, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. She has been relentlessly recording and touring in Canada, the UK and Europe, building connections online and in the old-fashioned way, at venues big and small, singing songs about loss, love and perseverance. Her songs have been featured in films, on television, and she’s performed at some of the world’s top music festivals such as; Rolling Stone Weekender Festival, Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival, International Folk Alliance, Reeperbahn Festival and Canadian Music Week.   Impossible To Hold will be released on March 23 via Come Under Records.   For more information, head to www.christinamartin.net. Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/XtinaMartinSpotify

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Americana Awards

UK Americana Awards closes on a high

The third annual UK Americana Awards took place at London’s Hackney Empire on Thursday 1st February, rounding off two days of activities at this year’s AmericanaFest UK, including an evening of artist showcases in venues around Hackney on Wednesday 31st January and daytime conferences.   In a glorious night celebrating the thriving UK and international Americana music scene, an audience of guests, AMA-UK delegates, members of the music industry and the public were treated to performances from Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, a stripped-down, unamplified performance from the front of the stage by Mumford & Sons, winners of The Trailblazer Award, plus a unique, surprise collaboration between Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters and Mumford & Sons.   Also taking to the stage were International Artist of the Year 2018 Courtney Marie-Andrews and fellow nominees Imelda May and Angaleena Presley and UK Artist of the Year 2018 Emily Barker as well as UK Album of the Year winner Robert Vincent, Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award recipients The Wandering Hearts and Award nominees Aaron Lee Tasjan and Worry Dolls.   The evening was capped by an all artist finale of “Wild Flowers” in tribute to Tom Petty.   To mark the second anniversary of the launch of the Official Americana Albums Chart, Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts Company was joined by Wolverhampton Wanderers and England footballing legend Steve Bull to present Robert Plant with the award for Best Selling UK Americana Album of 2017 for his album Carry Fire.   Host Bob Harris OBE presented Robert Plant with the AMA-UK’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the genre and introduced a congratulatory video message from Rich Hall. Billy Bragg and Executive Director of the US Americana Music Association Jed Hilly presented the Trailblazer Award to Mumford & Sons. Danny George Wilson and BBC Radio Ulster’s Ralph McLean presented Come Down & Meet The Folks with the new Grassroots Award and London’s The Wandering Hearts received the prestigious Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award.   The star-studded event saw seven AMA-UK membership-voted Awards presented by Sir Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell, Simon Mayo, Frank Turner, Mary Gauthier, Chris Difford, Sam Baker and Stevie Freeman and Jesse Buckley.   Winners of the seven membership-voted Awards were as follows: UK Album of The Year presented by Simon Mayo I’ll Make The Most Of My Sins by Robert Vincent (produced by Robert Vincent, Michael Gay and Etienne Girard) International Album of the Year presented by Sir Patrick Stewart & Sunny Ozell The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit (produced by Dave Cobb) UK Artist of the Year presented by Frank Turner Emily Barker International Artist of the Year presented by Mary Gauthier Courtney Marie Andrews UK Song of the Year presented by Chris Difford Home by Yola Carter (written by Yola Carter) International Song of the Year presented by Sam Baker & Stevie Freeman Tenderheart by Sam Outlaw (written by Sam Outlaw) UK Instrumentalist of the Year presented by Jesse Buckley Thomas Collison Recipients of Awards from the AMA-UK Board:   Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Bob Harris Selected by the board members, their highest honour is awarded to a UK artist, duo or group in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Americana genre over the span of their career and life in music.   Recipient 2018: Robert Plant The Trailblazer Award presented by Billy Bragg & Jed Hilly Selected by the AMA-UK board and celebrating a UK artist, duo or group that has taken an exceptional path, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps in developing the Americana genre.   Recipient 2018 – Mumford & Sons   Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award Selected by Bob Harris OBE, this special award celebrates the breakthrough artist, duo or group that has particularly impressed the legendary music broadcaster throughout the year.   Recipient 2018: The Wandering Hearts   The Grassroots Award presented by Danny George Wilson & Ralph McLean A newly-established award selected by the board members, this special award celebrates the sometimes un-sung heroes of the UK Americana scene. It is presented to people working in the industry (in a capacity other than as artists) who have made outstanding efforts to support Americana music from the grassroots up.   Recipient 2018 – Come Down & Meet The Folks   The Best-Selling Americana Album of 2017 presented by Martin Talbot and Steve Bull The AMA-UK works with the Official Charts Company to create the UK Americana Chart. This Award is given to the best-selling Americana Album of the year, by a UK Artist.   Recipient 2018 – Robert Plant for Carry Fire  

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Marty Stuart speaks out about plans for Congress of Country Music in Mississippi

Marty Stuart has announced plans to construct an entire complex dedicated to country music.   At a news conference held on Wednesday, the country music star formally announced the coming of the Congress of Country Music, consisting of a convert venue, museum and educational centre.   The site will incorporate the historic Ellis Theatre and will house more than 20,000 country music artifacts from Stuart’s own personal collection.   The Marty Stuart Center will also reside within the complex.   The complex has been under discussion for years but finally seems to be entering into fruition.

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Lanco Hallelujah Nights

LANCO sets a record with debut album

Ahead of their first trip to the UK next month for C2C Festival, platinum-selling breakthrough band LANCO claim the No.1 spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart this week with ‘Hallelujah Nights’, marking the first Country band to open at No. 1 with a debut album since Lady Antebellum in 2008. Featuring their two-week No. 1 hit “Greatest Love Story” and their new single “Born To Love You”, the album has dominated the top of the iTunes Country chart since its release, including going straight to the #1 spot on the UK & Ireland’s iTunes country charts, with growing support from radio stations and shows across the country. “Over the past five years we wanted to ride this dream as far as it would go and it’s hard to find the words to describe our debut record at the top of the chart,” said lead singer Brandon Lancaster. “We couldn’t be more grateful to see people gravitating towards these new songs that represent who we are, and its been wild to see these crowds sing every line back to us.” Following performances on The Ellen Degeneres Show, the TODAY Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the band brought their rhythms to crowds this past weekend NYC, New Jersey, Baltimore and Columbus, Ohio. Rooted in the southern storytelling of Country music with the modern punch of rock & roll, ‘Hallelujah Nights’ is LANCO’s coming-of-age debut album. They are now the only Country band to achieve a platinum single prior to a debut album release, with the two week No.1 “Greatest Love Story.” LANCO’s story begins in the small towns where all five bandmates — Lancaster, bassist Chandler Baldwin, multi-instrumentalist Jared Hampton, drummer Tripp Howell and lead guitarist Eric Steedly — were raised. After they crossed paths in Nashville during their early 20s, LANCO bonded over that shared southern adolescence, while hoping to build a new life in a bigger city.

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