July 2020 - Page 3 of 3 - STAGING Maverick

Lindsay Ell launches Make You Movement

Lindsay Ell: The Make You Movement will provide monetary funds to organisations that focus on disenfranchised youth and survivors of sexual trauma and domestic abuse On Global Forgiveness Day, chart topping musician, vocalist and songwriter Lindsay Ell is opening up like never before with her new song “make you” – out now digitally and with any pre-order of her forthcoming sophomore album heart theory, which arrives August 14th. Watch the visualiser for the track HERE. Co-written by Ell and GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, “make you” is the first time Ell publicly addresses being a survivor of sexual violence. The song finds Ell intimately exploring the deeply personal effects on her life after being raped at 13 years old. On heart theory – which takes listeners through Ell’s personal experience of the seven stages of grief – “make you” appears as the first song in the acceptance stage, a reflection of Ell’s determination to use her platform to help other sexual trauma survivors. Ell explains how meeting young survivors made her realise she couldn’t keep her own experience hidden any longer: “Three years ago at a visit to help launch the music program at Youth For Tomorrow, I sat down in a conference room with a few girls aged 12-18 who had all been victims of rape or sex trafficking. I shared my story, they shared their stories, and I was so inspired. Walking out of that room that day I knew the time had come to share my story more widely, otherwise I would be denying myself an opportunity to connect and help other girls or boys, like those in that room. It’s a very difficult thing to do, but an incredibly necessary thing to talk about. We don’t realize how much this stuff is happening in our own community, and that is partly due to not discussing it. On enlisting Clark to help write the powerful track: “Once I decided it was time to share my story, there was specifically one co-writer who came to mind. I called Brandy, an absolute wordsmith and songwriter genius, and asked her if she would write this song with me. She fearlessly and immediately said yes. The day we wrote ‘make you’ I knew we had written something special that will hopefully help others to not feel alone in their survival. And more personally, it was finally the moment in my life where I got to validate that little girl inside – letting her know that ‘I see her and I love her.’ In conjunction with the release of “make you,” Ell has launched the Make You Movement, a charitable fund whose mission is to help organisations that support at-risk youth, domestic abuse and sexual assault survivors by provided funds on an as-needed basis. Ell has committed to donate all her proceeds from “make you” to the Make You Movement. The first partner organisation receiving funds from Make You Movement will be The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), which is the United States’ largest anti-sexual violence organisation. “I believe music has the power to heal. The reason I decided to share my story at this point in my life is that I want it to be able to help a lot of people; and the best way to help people is to not only raise my voice, but to raise money in an effort to raise awareness and understanding. I want to support programs that help girls & boys who may have been victims and support safety and prevention programs that aim to keep potential victims safe. Finally writing ‘make you’ has given me the courage to not let my past decide my future, so I am taking action in order to do just that. My hope is that my actions and song will inspire the same in others.” The Make You Movement is administered by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. For more information, please visit http://www.cfmt.org/makeyoumovement. The release of “make you” on Global Forgiveness Day further amplifies Ell’s belief that all types of forgiveness – including self-forgiveness – is vital to healing. Speaking to PEOPLE exclusively, Ell elaborates: “I wanted to release it on Global Forgiveness Day. Forgiving people in our past is a huge thing for whatever reason, but forgiving yourself is so important. There’s an incredible amount of healing that can happen, and it can’t happen until you can truly open up that forgiveness for your own heart. “make you” follows the release of two tracks on heart theory – “i don’t lovE you” & “wAnt me back” – the latter impacting Country radio on July 13. Ell has amassed more than 123 million on demand streams to date and is currently nominated for two 2020 ACM awards – New Female Artist of the Year & Vocal Event of the Year. heart theory track listing (with writers) a journey through the seven stages of grief shock 1. “Hits me” (Lindsay Ell, Tyler Hubbard, Corey Crowder) denial 2. “how good” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark) 3. “i don’t lovE you” (Adam Hambrick, Melissa Fuller, Neil Medley) anger 4. “wAnt me back” (Lindsay Ell, Kane Brown, Matt McGinn, Lindsay Rimes) 5. “get oveR you” (Lindsay Ell, Gordie Sampson, Kelly Archer) 6. “wrong girl” (Lindsay Ell, Steph Jones, Matt McGinn, Luke Niccoli) bargaining 7. “body language of a breakup” (Lindsay Ell, Laura Veltz, Sam Ellis) depression 8. “good on you” (Lindsay Ell, Sam Ellis, Micah Premnath) testing 9. “The oTHEr side” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn) 10. “gO to” (Lindsay Ell, Nicolle Gaylon, Jordan Reynolds) acceptance 11. “make you” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark) 12. “ReadY to love” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn, Joey Hyde) See more news here

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Zac Brown Band raises over $1.4 Million

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Zac Brown Band charity live stream raises over US$1.4 Million for Camp Southern Ground, presented in partnership with LiveXLive with 600,000 viewers On Friday, July 3, the multi-platinum GRAMMY award-winning Zac Brown Band presented a free live stream performance in partnership with LiveXLive, raising over $1.4 million for Zac Brown’s nonprofit passion project Camp Southern Ground and its veteran support programs. Streamed from Camp Southern Ground, “4th With The Family” featured a special acoustic performance of Zac Brown Band fan favorites like “Chicken Fried,” “Free,” and “Homegrown” as well as their latest single “The Man Who Loves You The Most.” The live stream also included guest appearances by NBC News co-anchor and broadcast journalist Hoda Kotb, Medal of Honor recipient Salvatore Giunta, and former Seahawks player and Green Beret Nate Boyer. “4th With the Family” was made possible by Presenting Sponsor EarthLink; Generous Sponsors Lovesac and Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund; Supporting Sponsors The Arthur M. Blank Foundation, Goldman Sachs, Republic National Distributing Company, Z. Alexander Brown, and Coca-Cola; and individual patrons Tor Peterson, Angela and Glenn Goad, Laurice and Doug Haynes, Menear Foundation, Sonia and Paul Jones, and Wendy Barton. This event was presented in partnership with LiveXLive which powered wide distribution across its own site, apps and social channels as well as Zac Brown Band’s YouTube and Facebook, generating nearly 600,000 live stream views. “I’m always in awe of the sacrifices and selflessness of our military, it’s really the special kind of people who choose to serve our country,” said Zac Brown, Camp Southern Ground founder. “The live stream was an amazing celebration for all the people who have fought, died and lived their life so that we can be safe. We are honored to do our part to support them in any way we can.” The completely free event raised awareness and funds for Camp Southern Ground’s two veteran programs, Warrior Week and Warrior PATHH. Provided at no cost to veterans, these programs promote and care for their health and wellbeing while providing the necessary support in their transition to life after service. Warrior sessions resume in August and run through May. Visit CampSouthernGround.org to learn more and apply. LiveXLive has also become a go-to platform for live streamed and Pay-Per-View events that combine music with pop culture of podcasting, sports, arts, fashion, culinary, comedy and wellness. From emerging to established artists, LiveXLive has streamed over 1100 artists including a variety of artists and celebrities in 2020 alone: Kygo, Jimmy Buffett, OneRepublic, Zac Brown Band, Michael Franti, Nahko, Trevor Hall, FINK, Big Gigantic, Hot Chelle Rae, Lauren Jauregui, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Chris Rock, Idina Menzel and Jennifer Lopez. See more news here.

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Ingrid Andress 'Waste of Lime'

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Warner Music Nashville/Atlantic Records recording artist Ingrid Andress is offering fans the sound of the summer with the release of her brand-new song “Waste Of Lime” (LISTEN HERE). Showcasing her signature turns-of-phrase and perceptive lyricism, the song’s tropical vibes are underscored with a nod to The Beach Boys’ “Kokomo.” The ACM New Female Artist nominee teamed up with frequent collaborators Derrick Southerland and Sam Ellis to co-write the song alongside GRAMMY-winning songwriter Shane McAnally. Directed via FaceTime by Lauren Dunn (G-Eazy, Lauv, Megan Thee Stallion), the socially-distanced filmed vibrant music video also premiered today on YouTube (WATCH HERE). Described as “stereotype-busting” and “record-breaking” (Variety), Andress has been named to GRAMMY-contender watch lists by both Billboard and HITS. A featured musical guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert twice this year already, Andress joined over 50 country artists yesterday as part of #CMASummerStayCay to perform “Waste of Lime” for the first time. The only solo-female-debut to crack Top 20 on the Country Airplay chart in 2019, Andress is currently at country radio with her new single “The Stranger,” which has been hailed by The New York Times as “an elegant evocation of corrosive loneliness.” Praising her “beautiful vocals backed by an elegant piano melody,” Teen Vogue premiered its Emma Higgins-directed music video (WATCH HERE). The moving footage captures what happens when individuals in varying relationship levels are seated face to face and challenged to consider one another simply and openly without saying a word. “The Stranger” follows her Platinum-certified, No. 1debut single “More Hearts Than Mine,” both featured on her critically-lauded debut album Lady Like (LISTEN HERE). According to Variety, “All the critical acclaim for Andress and her ‘Lady Like’ album isn’t because she represents a return to traditional country — far from it — but because, if she marks a return to anything, it’s to that period in the ’80s and ’90s when strong female singer/songwriters who weren’t necessarily strictly defined by genre found their place in this one, a la Mary-Chapin Carpenter and Rosanne Cash.” Women’s Wear Daily echoes that sentiment, adding that “her distinct style in her music and her fashion choices set her apart from other female artists” (READ HERE). The first female country artist named to Apple Music’s Up Next program, Andress has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers and TODAY. She has also received overwhelming critical support from some of the most-read publications across the country including Entertainment Weekly, ELLE, People, UPROXX, PAPER, Idolator, LADYGUNN, Flaunt, HITS and several more. Andress started the year touring with Keith Urban on select dates and helped kick off Dan + Shay’s The (Arena) Tour in March.

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Emma & Jolie set to take the industry by storm

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The up and coming pop-country duo announce their debut single ‘I Don’t Need A Man’ is due for release on 10th July, ahead of their performance virtually at Dixie Fields Festival. UK pop-country duo Emma & Jolie have announced the release of their debut single, I Don’t Need A Man. The duo comprised of Emma Walker and Jolie Harvey are set to release their debut single on the 10th July through Triple Fret Entertainment, having recorded the single with legendary producer Johnny Douglas (Tina Turner, George Michael, Take That…) The single is the culmination of a journey that began about five years ago when the duo met at music college. Since then, the duo have continued to write together, before officially coming together as Emma & Jolie last year. The duo quickly earned the attention of Triple Fret Entertainment, who signed the duo to a management deal based on the strength of their original material and their stunning harmonies. For Emma & Jolie, it has always been country music, having grown up on Dolly Parton and the Dixie Chicks, but their sound was fully cemented by their first trip to Nashville last year, when they wrote with the likes of Sammy Arriaga, Lena Stone and Cole Campbell. Returning to Nashville again for their debut performance at Song Suffragettes during CMA awards week, the duo spent the remainder of their trip writing furiously for their forthcoming releases. The result is their anthemic debut single, I Don’t Need A Man, written during that trip with Nashville singer-songwriter and frequent collaborator, Emily Hackett, about self-love and female empowerment. Of the track, Emma Walker states, ‘There’s this big misconception that you can only have everything you want in life when you get a dream man and a dream relationship and it’s just not true. You don’t need a Prince Charming to come and sweep you off your feet, like you see in Disney movies, so we wanted to write this song to say that you can be your own happy ending.’ The duo bonded easily with Emily over the concept, with a shared passion for social change and the result is an incredibly empowering debut for women and men. When it came to choosing the single, I Don’t Need A Man, was the obvious choice for the girls to lead out with and establish themselves in the burgeoning UK country scene. The single, produced by Douglas, highlights the duo’s alluring and perfectly poised harmonies, imbibing a classic country feel and rooting it firmly in the modern country scene. The duo are set to perform as part of the Dixie Fields virtual festival on the 11th July, the day after the single’s release to perform a version of the track. Tickets available here. For more information on Emma & Jolie, please visit http://www.emmandjolie.com See more news here.

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Jason Aldean’s 'Got What I Got'

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Multi-Platinum entertainer Jason Aldean threw the premiere party for the new music video behind his US Country Radio Top 20 and climbing single ‘Got What I Got‘ during last night’s CMA Summer Stay-Cay special, which is now available on all digital platforms. The lyrics behind the R&B infused track and “tender love song” (Billboard) from his sixth consecutive #1 selling album 9 (Macon Music/Broken Bow Records) highlight Aldean’s gratitude for his wife, Brittany, and children while sharing snippets of memories from their personal life. The music video for the “reminiscent single” (CMT) was directed by Shaun Silva and filmed in Destin, FL. Fans can watch the ‘Got What I Got’ music video here. “We’d been down at the beach during quarantine and have had a lot of time to to appreciate each other,” said Aldean. “With a skeleton video crew and social distancing, it was an all-hands-on-deck shoot that made for a little twist at the end.” After almost 15 years at the top of his format, three-time ACM “Entertainer of the Year” Aldean has seen trends come and go. He’s helped bring a few out of the shadows, like a Country-music Columbus making the mainstream’s first contact with hard rock (“Hicktown”), hip-hop (“Dirt Road Anthem”) and R&B (“Burnin’ It Down”). But after all that time, he continues to hold his ground making modern albums with an old-school soul—most recently with his ninth studio album, 9, which debuted at the top spot on Billboard’s Country Albums chart. Notably, all eight of Aldean’s previous studio albums have been certified GOLD or PLATINUM by the RIAA, while bolstering 15 billion streams and more than 18 million albums sold as well as 23 radio chart-toppers. For more information, visit www.JasonAldean.com. See more news here.

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Jimmie Allen's fully loaded EP

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Jimmie Allen’s upcoming EP is going to be loaded with country talent. At least two Country Music Hall of Famers and several superstars will join him on Bettie James when it’s released this month. The seven-song EP will be available on July 10 and include collaborations with Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Nelly and more. During the CMA Stay Cay live stream on Wednesday (July 1), Allen spoke to Rita Wilson, who is joining the Oak Ridge Boys as collaborators on one song. Aside from his Noah Cyrus collaboration “This Is Us,” Allen, a 2019 Taste of Country RISERS star, hasn’t shared song titles or indicated a musical direction. The EP’s title Bettie James was inspired by his grandmother and father. Both late family members had a profound influence on Allen’s life, and he’s spoken openly about that. Fans will recognize the name “Bettie” on his guitar strap. His father, James Allen, died last September. The singer co-produced the album with Ash Bowers, who co-produced his debut, Mercury Lane. Allen co-hosted the 2020 CMA Stay Cay with Lindsay Ell and performed at least twice. The past 18 months have been busy on a personal level for the “Best Shot” singer. He’s gotten engaged and his fiancee gave birth to a baby girl named Naomi in March. In addition to his No. 1 hit “Best Shot,” he scored a chart-topper with “Make Me Want To” in 2019. See more news here.

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Garth Brooks announces second acoustic livestream

Live events, News / Editor

Garth Brooks is going live once again. During Tuesday (July 7) night’s Inside Studio G, the singer will take requests for his second acoustic concert since the coronavirus pandemic began. The first was a hit, crashing the livestream and ultimately becoming a television special on CBS. Trisha Yearwood was a big part of that broadcast and figures to be involved in the next. She’s often a special guest on Inside Studio G, with the married stars trading questions, songs, stories and jokes. For Tuesday night’s 7PM ET show, fans can tweet requests with the #GarthRequestLive2 hashtag and his team will filter through to arrange something of a setlist. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Brooks has continued with Inside Studio G. In addition to the two acoustic concerts, he put on a drive-in movie theater concert last Saturday (June 27) that aired on more than 300 drive-in screens nationwide. Fans mostly enjoyed the night, but it wasn’t perfect. Audio issues plagued some venues, and his produced video performance disappointed others. It’s as close as they’ll get to Brooks — or any other major country star — in 2020, however. The touring industry has been shot down due to the pandemic, leaving artists to find creative ways to get music to fans and recoup lost income. The 58-year-old Brooks’ last radio single was “Dive Bar” with Blake Shelton. He dropped “We Belong to Each Other” last month, but it’s not clear if it will be promoted at radio, despite seeming on topic with the national conversation. See more news here.

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