August 2019

Lockeland have released their second official single in the shape of Drive, which has been released ahead of their UK festival appearances. You can see the audio video below. [wpdevart_youtube]QhxDbWtTgzk[/wpdevart_youtube] The upcoming American trio – made up of singer Kyndon Oakes, guitarist Mark Vikingstad and Susie Brown – have been making a big impression in the country music scene over the last few months, with a stellar performance at CMA Fest and the success of their debut single ‘Til the Cows Come Home raising the profile of the group. Vikingstad and co-producer Michael Boris (Sean Spence being the other co-producer) come from different parts of New York, while Oakes hails from Australia. The trio met in Nashville to “lock the lands” and thus, Lockeland was formed. Speaking about Drive, Oakes said that it had been in the pipeline for almost a decade and was initially planned for a solo campaign, but everything fell into place when it came into the band format. “Mark, Susie and I wrote this about seven years ago,” Oakes said. “The opening first line just flew out of my mouth. I originally recorded it as part of my solo project; Lockeland just brings it home.” Lockeland are looking to make the very most of their trip to the UK and have a few other dates pencilled in, including a headline date in London. Lockeland will be playing: August 30 – Millport Country Music Festival, Millport, Scotland (acoustic) August 31 – Millport Country Music Festival, Millport, Scotland September 2 – Jimmy’s, Manchester, England September 4 – The Crescent Community Venue, York, England September 8 – The Long Road Festival, Leicestershire, England September 9 – The Troubadour, London, England

It’s the final countdown to The British Country Music Festival that launches in Blackpool at the spectacular, indoor Winter Gardens entertainment complex, 13-15 September 2019. With five stages hosting over 100 artists, the inaugural festival celebrates some of the UK’s leading Country and Americana singer-songwriters with Sarah Darling, Ward Thomas, and Catherine McGrath claiming the headline slots on each of the three days. Produced by Fit The Bill Ltd in association with The Blackpool Entertainment Company, this annual event looks set to stake its claim as the leading festival showcasing the best of British, as well as celebrating the impact the UK is having on Country music and the artists that are making Nashville sit up and take notice. Martin Blore, Executive Producer from Fit The Bill explains: “This is such a creative time for UK Country music, our singer-songwriters are delivering amazing work and we have so much to be proud of as a nation. Artists are producing music and lyrics that genuinely reflect British values and finally we have our own unique Country sound that is establishing the UK as cutting edge in this genre.” He added: “Our festival line-up delivers some of the best musicians and writers and we have a great mix of headliners and emerging bands. We hope that the Green Room will become a hub where new talent can learn from established artists and ideas and advice can be shared for the benefit of the industry in general.” Hosting the main stage in the stunning Empress Ballroom on Friday and Sunday evening is Country Hits radio presenter, podcaster, music producer and TV judge Matt Spracklen. Having studied in Nashville, his knowledge of the Country music scene in the UK and across the pond makes him the perfect choice to introduce the evening headliners. He will also be hosting DJ sets on Friday and Saturday to take the party into the early hours. Star in the making Twinnie, will make her debut as festival host for the main stage on Saturday night, as well as performing her own set packed with songs that have made the BBC Radio 2 playlist throughout the summer. Support artists include Honey Ryder, The Adelaides, Megan O’Neill, Worry Dolls, Danny McMahon, Jake Morrell, Beth Rowley and Laura Oakes. One of the UK’s leading Country music record producers Tim Prottey-Jones will be performing with his new band The Fatherline and he will also be hosting a Songwriter’s Carousel on the Saturday afternoon with Twinnie, Jake Morrell and The Luck. For dance enthusiasts, The Long Haul band will provide live music on Friday and Saturday afternoon in the Winter Gardens Pavilion. The Horseshoe Promenade will provide opportunities for shopping and there is a restaurant, pop-up food traders and a café inside the venue. With the World Firework Championships and the illuminations in full glow, there is a sub theme of neon at the festival with the tagline ‘where the lights are shining’. Festival goers are encouraged to dress up and make the most of the indoor location. Tickets are available here.

Charley Crockett has revealed that his new album ‘The Valley’ will be released in the UK for November 22, which is set to be a hugely personal affair. You can pre-order the album here. The 16-track album focuses on Crockett’s upbringing in Texas and was recorded just a week before Crockett underwent life-saving open heart surgery in January this year. Speaking about the album, Crockett said that the songs on ‘The Valley’ offer more depth about himself than anything he’s done previously. “My story’s wilder than people can make stories up,” Crockett says. “These songs that I’ve written on this record, it’s all really autobiographical and they’re about as much depth as I’ve been able to capture writing about myself” News of the album release date will be welcomed by Crockett’s fans, some of which will be gearing up to see the artist for his UK tour in September. Crockett will be embarking on a six-date UK tour, which includes stops at London, Manchester, Glasgow and a festival appearance at The Long Road. Charley Crockett will be playing: September 1 – Oslo Hackney, London, England September 2 – Prince Albert, Brighton, England September 4 – Night & Day Cafe, Manchester, England September 5 – Broadcast, Glasgow, Scotland September 6 – The Cluny, Newcastle, England September 7 – The Long Road Festival, Leicestershire, England

Recently, Maverick’s Lifestyle Editor Eric Dahl – who is based in Nashville – checked out the Country Music Hall of Fame! You can see the video below. [wpdevart_youtube]jrghSVAGChg[/wpdevart_youtube]

UK country music fans can relive the events of CMA Fest 2019 tonight (28/8/19) on Sky Arts, with a three-hour broadcast to begin at 10:15pm. Filmed during Nashville’s 48th annual festival in June, the television special showcases more than 30 of today’s hottest hits performed by the biggest names in music as they hit the stage during the four-day festival. You can catch performances by Lil Nas X joined by Billy Ray Cyrus and Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini and The Chainsmokers, Brothers Osborne with Brooks & Dunn and Ashley McBryde, Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell, Tim McGraw and Luke Combs, Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile, and Carrie Underwood with Joan Jett. Additional performers include Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Janson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Midland, Old Dominion, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett and Brett Young. Thomas Rhett returns to host “CMA Fest” for a fourth year, first co-hosting the special in 2016, while Kelsea Ballerini returns for a third year. Special guest host Bobby Bones appears for the first time. “CMA Fest” is executive produced by Robert Deaton.  Four-day passes for CMA Fest 2020—which takes place in Nashville Thursday through Sunday, June 4-7 —are available for purchase at CMAfest.com

Mere days before the start of his overseas tour, Eric Paslay has announced the details of his upcoming new record ‘Live in Glasgow’. Paslay will be venturing around the world as of August 29, stopping off in the UK, Australia, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, but the live album was taken from his shows in the Scottish city of Glasgow from last year. The album will include hits such as Barefoot Blue Jean Night and Friday Night and speaking in a statement regarding the album, Pasley said that he felt a special connection with Glasgow and that he has no doubt that the album will replicate the feel and vibe of the night. “The first time I played in Glasgow, I fell in love with the fans’ passion and energy and knew immediately we had to record my live album there,” Paslay said. ” It was a blast.  If we were able to capture even half of the good vibes that were in that room that night, we made a great record.” The tracklist for ‘Live in Glasgow’ is: 1) Song About A Girl 2) Barefoot Blue Jean Night 3) Angel Eyes 4) Amarillo Rain 5) Even If It Breaks Your Heart / Learning To Fly 6) Here Comes Love / On The Road Again 7) High Class 8) She Don’t Love You 9) Less Than Whole 10) Friday Night In addition to a slot at The Long Road Festival, Paslay will also be appearing at Bush Hall (London), Oran Mor (Glasgow) and Band on the Wall (Manchester) in September. Tickets are available here.

Tenille Townes has unveiled another new song from her upcoming debut album, with Jersey on the Wall being released for public consumption. You can listen to the song here. Townes has already shared White Horse, I Kept the Roses and Somebody’s Daughter from the album, which has been produced by Jay Joyce and is to be released via Columbia Nashville at some point in the near future. The latter stages of 2019 are shaping up to be very busy for Townes, who is scheduled to perform at the 2019 ACM Honors ceremony at the Ryman in Nashville, while she is also pencilled in to support Miranda Lambert this autumn and Maren Morris in November. Currently, she is supporting Dierks Bentley on his ‘Burning Man Tour’. In addition, Townes will heading to the UK in late October for a five-date spell with Striking Matches, including a headline date in London. Tenille Townes will be playing: October 21 – Thekla, Bristol, England* October 22 – O2 Academy Oxford, Oxford, England* October 23 – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, London, England October 27 – Arts Club Loft, Liverpool, England* October 28 – Stereo, Glasgow, Scotland* *supporting Striking Matches

CJ Solar will be making one of his dreams come true very soon as he has been invited to play the Grand Ole Opry for the first time on September 7. Solar has released two EPs so far in his career and is gearing up to release his third, with his upcoming single Coming My Way to be released on Country radio as of August 27. In addition, Solar has also been operating as a songwriter in Nashville and recently celebrated his first No. 1 Country single as Up Down by Morgan Wallen featuring Florida Georgia Line topped the charts. Speaking about the news, Solar said that he is in disbelief that he is getting the opportunity to perform at the Opry and that seeing a show there when he was 12 made him want to move to the city. “It’s been a dream of mine to stand on the circle, since I attended my first Opry performance with my parents on a trip to Nashville when I was 12…it inspired me to move to Nashville and want to make Country music,” said Solar. “Always said this was the biggest bucket list moment for me in Nashville and I can’t believe it’s happening!”

After a record 19 weeks as US No. 1 on the Billboard 100, Old Town Road by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus has lost its place to Billie Eilish. Eilish, still only 17 (December 18 2001), becomes the first artist born after 2000 to claim the No. 1 spot, with bad guy now sitting at the top of the charts having been sat at No. 2 for a record nine weeks. bad guy is also the first song to be both No. 1 on the Billboard 100 and Alternative Songs chart since Lorde’s Royals back in 2016. Both Lil Nas X and Cyrus – who famously agreed to appear on the remix version of Old Town Road that dominated the charts following outrage that Billboard removed it from the US Country Charts, with many citing racism as a reason for the removal – offered their congratulations to Eilish on Twitter in the immediate aftermath. “Congratulations Billie Eilish, well deserved,” Cyrus said. “Your persistence paid off. Thanks everybody. It was a hell of a ride.” Since Old Town Road gained major traction, the song was performed at the Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest, with Keith Urban joining Cyrus and Lil Nas X, while on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, Miley Cyrus brought the pair out for a rendition of the track.

To celebrate the legendary women of country music, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton will host the 2019 CMA Awards on November 13. The awards will be take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN at 9pm and while there are no announced plans yet, it is believed that the CMA have something special in mind to recognise the impact female artists have had on country music. Between the three hosts, there are 124 CMA Award nominations in total, with 22 wins shared between them. Underwood has been hosting the awards with Brad Paisley since 2008, while McEntire (1990, 1991, 1992) and Parton (1988) have also hosted the event before. Speaking about the decision to make Underwood, McEntire and Parton the hosts of the event, Sarah Trahern – CEO of the CMA – said that it was an honour to be able to have them host and believes that the trio are perfect for what the CMA want to achieve. “It’s an incredible honour to welcome Carrie, Reba and Dolly to the CMA Awards stage this year,” Trahern said. “In addition to awarding the year’s best and brightest in the genre, the 53rd Annual CMA Awards will celebrate the legacy of women within country music and we couldn’t think of a more dynamic group of women to host the show.” The nominees for the 2019 CMA Awards will be revealed on August 28 and will be shown on ‘Good Morning America’ as well as via a live stream for worldwide country music fans.