2018 - Page 22 of 24 - STAGING Maverick

Jason Aldean releases three emotionally charged music videos

Two-time and reigning ACM “Entertainer Of The Year” Jason Aldean creates an unconventional three-part music video for his new single “You Make It Easy,” off his forthcoming eighth studio album REARVIEW TOWN, out April 13th. Directed by longtime collaborator Shaun Silva and filmed outside of Nashville, the suspenseful storyline unravels over the track’s raw lyrics… With each cliff-hanging ending, the music videos follow a couple’s deep-rooted love in the face of unpredictable circumstances. Fans can watch the series now on YouTube. “The first time I heard this song, I was riding around in my truck,” said Aldean. “I immediately needed to cut it and always felt like it could be the first single. I told Shaun that I wanted the videos to capture the love story that this song tells, and I think one of the things he’s really good at is taking our ideas and running with them in a cool way.” Before its unique release, Aldean hosted a few dozen fans at The YouTube Space New York for an intimate screening of the “You Make It Easy” three-part music video. Additionally, fans enjoyed a stripped down performance of the track before a Q&A with Aldean and Silva on the making of the series. The new single from Jason Aldean yearns with the well-worn sounds of hometown heroes Otis Redding and the Allman Brothers Band, as it kicks off REARVIEW TOWN’s fiercely confident songs that catapult between traditional country grooves, stadium-sized rock riffs and rap-style boom-thwacks. Certain to add fire to a career that’s already witnessed 19 chart-topping hits, Aldean is returning to his roots for his new single and album, as REARVIEW TOWN is full of vignettes of life laid over electrifying rock n’ roll and country sounds. Aldean will launch his HIGH NOON NEON TOUR tour on May 10 2018.

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

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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

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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 announces her new album "Impossible to hold"

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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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UK Americana Awards closes on a high

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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

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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 sets a record with debut album

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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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Stars of Lionsgate Nashville on farewell tour this Spring

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Stars of Lionsgate’s hit television series “Nashville” are set to play one final time for audiences in England, Wales and Scotland during their Farewell UK Tour in April. Launching April 14, 2018 in Birmingham, England, the tour will feature cast members Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson and Sam Palladio. Tour stops will feature songs from the series as well as artists’ original material and are set to include: Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff and a final show at London’s The O2. All shows go on sale Friday, December 8. “Nashville” staged sold-out tours in the UK in 2016 and 2017. “The cast of ‘Nashville’ have become tremendous ambassadors and representatives of a city that they now love. They carry with them the spirit of the city and its music,” said Steve Buchanan, president, Opry Entertainment. “The 2018 UK Tour will be bittersweet for our cast of amazing actors, singers and songwriters as they share the stage together for one last farewell to the fans.” The UK shows are onsale now at www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.gigsandtours.com and www.axs.com. VIP ticket packages are available on all dates. 14 Apr 18 Birmingham Genting Arena 15 Apr 18 Leeds First Direct Arena 17 Apr 18 Glasgow SSE Hydro 18 Apr 18 Manchester Arena 20 Apr 18 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena 21 Apr 18 London The O2 The tour is produced by Opry Entertainment. “Nashville” airs in 225 territories worldwide. Since its debut, the show has inspired 22 soundtracks, including a Christmas album, which have collectively sold more than one million album units and over 5 million single-track downloads to date. It has also been nominated for multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards. Currently in production, “Nashville” is produced by Lionsgate and Opry Entertainment. The final season of “Nashville” premieres in the U.S. on Thursday, January 4 at 9pm ET/PT only on CMT. The 16-episode season will air in two parts, with the finale airing in the summer (exact date TBD). Long-time SVOD partner Hulu will continue to bring fans new episodes of “Nashville” by making them available to stream the day after they air on CMT, and the complete series can be streamed exclusively at http://www.hulu.com/nashville. “Nashville” is set against the backdrop of the city’s music scene and follows the lives of country music superstars as well as the up-and-coming performers and songwriters trying to get ahead in the business. Music City can mean so many things to different people. In “Nashville,” musicians and songwriters are at the heart of the storm, driven by their own ambitions. Some are fuelled by their creativity and passion for fame. Others struggle to cope with the pressures of success and are doing everything in their power to stay on top. “Nashville” stars Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O’Connor, Chris Carmack as Will Lexington, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Kaitlin Doubleday as Jessie Caine, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad and Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad. In addition, Season 6 features Rhiannon Giddens as Hallie Jordan and Cameron Scoggins as Zach Welles in recurring roles. The series is executive produced by Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick (the creators of “Thirtysomething”), Steve Buchanan and Callie Khouri, who created the series.

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Philippa Hanna UK headline tour dates announced

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Following the release of her chart topping album ‘Come Back Fighting’, Philippa Hanna will be heading out on the road this April for her most exciting run of headline shows to date. Her country-tinged 6th release hit Number 1 on the iTunes UK Country Chart on the day of release and topped the Official Christian & Gospel chart in December 2017. Fans can expect to hear ‘Off The Wagon’, the lead single that has drawn comparisons with the likes of Dolly Parton, as well as the acoustic reggae-infused Dorothy and the hard-hitting bluesy title track ‘Come Back Fighting’. In additional to established favourites and classic country covers, Philippa will be championing upcoming singles ‘Getting On With Life’ and ‘The Hero’. Joined by a small ensemble of accompanists on stage, in her signature style, Philippa will share the stories and insights behind the songs in tandem with her daily inspirational YouTube blog. Having captivated UK audiences on tours supporting Lionel Richie, Leona Lewis, Anastacia, Wet Wet Wet, Collabro & Rebecca Ferguson, her reputation as an outstanding acoustic entertainer is hard to rival. With just 4 dates planned for the tour, fans are advised to get tickets early to avoid disappointment. They go on sale on Friday 12th of January. Philippa will be appearing live on Good Morning Sunday on BBC Radio 2 on Sunday 4th February after recording an Under The Apple Tree live session with Bob Harris. Full tour dates: Tuesday 3th April – O2 Academy 3, Birmingham Wednesday 4th April – Night & Day, Manchester Thursday 5th April – Bush Hall, London Friday 6th April – Plug, Sheffield For tickets visit: Ticketmaster.co.uk, AXS.com, Gigantic.com, Alttickets.com All live performance dates and further info available at philippahanna.com facebook.com/philippahanna twitter.com/philippahanna instagram.com/philippahanna youtube.com/philippahanna

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Countdown to C2C 2018!

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From Friday 9th to Sunday 11th March 2018, The O2, London will see country legends Faith Hill & Tim McGraw, alongside first time headliners Little Big Town and Kacey Musgraves, take to the stage at the sixth annual C2C. The fifth CMA Songwriters Series, returning to indigo at The O2 on Thursday 8 March, will be hosted by celebrated songwriter Brett James (“Jesus, Take The Wheel”, “Out Last Night”). He will be joined by a host of incredible songwriters and performers to celebrate the art of storytelling through song, including Luke Combs, Nicolle Galyon (“We Were Us”, “All the Pretty Girls”), Natalie Hemby (“Downtown”, “Automatic”) and Kip Moore. Country to Country will officially kick off at 1.30pm on Friday and 10.00am on Saturday and Sunday when the Town Square opens and the first Festival stage artists start. For the first time, the Town Square will be hosted in a new area (outside the main entrance), to make room for the ever-growing selection of festival activities including; market stalls and stands, authentic food from the American South, cocktails, whiskey and craft beers from Signal Brewery, a Big Machine hang out booth, artist signings, meet and greets and more. C2C ticket holders are invited to enjoy any of the Festival Stages across the weekend, subject to capacity. This includes C2C Late Night Stage (Building Six); BBC Radio 2 Stage (indigo at The O2); Country Music Week Hub and The Saloon (All Bar One) and C2C Sessions (NY-LON). In addition to the Official Aftershows, C2C hosts a series of late night stages. Entertaining crowds into the evening this year are LANCO, Russell Dickerson, Lindsay Ell, Mo Pitney, Delta Rae and Ryan Kinder. New for 2018, fans have the chance to get up close to the newest UK and Irish country names making a big impact on these shores. The C2C Close Up Stage in Building Six will reveal the backstory and future plans of some of the most promising UK and Irish acts, with intimate performances from Catherine McGrath, Andy Brown, Una Healy, Twinnie, Liv Austen, Katy Hurt and Jake Morrell. Non-ticket holders are also able to access these stages with a Festival wristband which can be purchased for £10 via https://tickets.axs.com/shop/#/STAGES-03ed-479c-b118-59ea9619ac86. Separate tickets are required for The Bluebird Cafe and the Official Aftershows. All visitors to The O2 can enjoy entertainment from the free stages, which include Town Square Stage, the Big Entrance Stage and Club WM. Other free festival activities include the traders, food, drink and retail in the Town Square, the merchandise area and the record store. Fans should also expect surprise artist announcements across the weekend, details of which will be revealed on the C2C app. The app features stage times, artist info plus notifications about signings, competitions, secret performances and more. CMA Presents Screenings in the Cinema CMA and Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. (NCVC) will have screenings on Saturday and Sunday at Cineworld at The O2, including BBC Music: Country Music Awards 2017: Highlights, which sees Bob Harris introduce highlights of The 51st Annual CMA Awards from Nashville, Tennessee. NCVC will show It All Begins With A Song: a film about one of the most important and unknown, forces in music: The Nashville Songwriter. BBC Radio 2 Stage Again there will be a BBC Radio 2 Stage at C2C 2018 which will feature High Valley’s only London performance on the Friday. Other performers include; Ashley Campbell, Ashley McBryde, Catherine McGrath, Danielle Bradbery , Delta Rae, Jillian Jacqueline, LANCO, Levi Hummon, Lindsay Ell, Mo Pitney, Morgan Evans, Russell Dickerson, Ryan Hurd, Walker Hayes and The Wandering Hearts. BBC Radio 2 will broadcast live from C2C on Friday 9th March from 8-11pm. The radio station will also be recording the Saturday and Sunday concerts, for broadcast on Bob Harris Country on 15th, 22nd and 29th March from 7pm. These programmes will include performance highlights and backstage interviews with the performers. The Bluebird Cafe at C2C (separate ticketed event) Nashville’s world famous Bluebird Cafe (as featured in the Nashville TV series) returns to London with ticketed, early afternoon performances. Introduced and curated by The Bluebird Cafe’s Erika Wollam Nichols, the line-up includes; Ryan Hurd, Jillian Jacqueline, Mo Pitney, Walker Hayes, Ashley McBryde and Leslie Satcher. Country Music Week Hub in All Bar One Available to C2C ticket and wristband holders, the Country Music Week Hub will feature talks, on stage interviews and performances, plus meet & greets and signings after all performances. The Spotlight Stage (inside arena) Between artist performances on the main stage there will be short sets each day on the Spotlight Stage. Announced to perform are; Brett Young, Morgan Evans, Lukas Nelson, Jillian Jacqueline, Ashley McBryde, Walker Hayes, Russell Dickerson and Lindsay Ell. www.c2c-countrytocountry.com

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