November 2020

Darius Rucker has joined forces with Lindsey Stirling to release What Child Is This, which comes ahead of their performance for CMA Country Christmas. You can listen to the song here. The Hootie & the Blowfish frontman will be performing the song with Sterling on ABC tonight (November 30) for the CMA Country Christmas, which is still going ahead. Speaking about the track, Rucker said that it was an honour to be asked to perform by the CMA while he is excited at the chance to do the song with Sterling, while Sterling is also relishing the occasion. “I was so honoured when the CMA asked me to perform What Child Is This,” Rucker said. “To be getting to do it with an amazing musician like Lindsey is just awesome.” “I was so excited to be a part of ‘CMA Country Christmas’ again this year,” adds Stirling. “Every year, they give me an amazing chance to sparkle in their spectacular show. This year was extra special since I got to collaborate with the amazing Darius Rucker. Hope everyone loves it as much as we do!” Darius Rucker was set to headline C2C 2020 prior to the pandemic and is still set to headline the event next year, should it take place. Lindsey Stirling is now on her fifth album and her skills as a musician have drawn admiration from all over Nashville and across the world.

Canadian star VISSIA has shared a video for her most recent release About Moving On, which was directed by Cassandra Paige. You can watch the video below. [wpdevart_youtube]xkaYv1SBDjQ[/wpdevart_youtube] Speaking about the track, VISSIA explained how the song started out and the emotional depth behind the track, which is very much about the pain of dealing with heartbreak when put into a fight or flight situation. “About Moving On started out with this visual I had playing in my mind in slow motion,” she explained. “You’re at your favourite bar or pub minding your own business over a pint with friends and the person who completely shattered your heart walks in. “You can hardly breathe, hardly move and the racing in your chest wants to escape from your mouth, but gets stuck in your throat. You desperately wish you were made of sugar so you could wander out into the rain and melt away. Most of the time you’re really okay, but you’re just not where you thought you were at yet. “It’s nobody’s fault that grieving isn’t linear. It just is what it is. An emotional soup of salt and bittersweet that you’ll have to swallow spoonful by spoonful and maybe never really get to the bottom of it. Why would you ever expect a big love to die a small death?”

Miranda Lambert is very much leading the way for country music for the 2021 Grammy Awards, with the Texas born star being nominated for three awards. You can discover all of the nominees from all genres here. Lambert has been nominated for all three country categories at the Grammys, with her song Bluebird being up for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song, while her album ‘Wildcard’ is up for Best Country Album. Elsewhere, Ingrid Andress, Brandy Clark, Old Dominion and Little Big Town were all nominated for two each, while Maren Morris will be hoping to build on her CMA Award success as The Bones has been nominated for Best Country Song. Interestingly, all of the nominees for Best Country Album are all female based (Little Big Town consist of two men and two women). The awards will take place in Los Angeles on January 31 and this particular rendition of the Grammys will be the 63rd to date. The Grammy Award 2021 nominees are: Best Country Solo Performance Stick That In Your Country Song – Eric Church Who You Thought I Was – Brandy Clark When My Amy Prays – Vince Gill Black Like Me – Mickey Guyton Bluebird – Miranda Lambert Best Country Song Bluebird – Miranda Lambert The Bones – Maren Morris Crowded Table – The Highwomen More Hearts Than Mine – Ingrid Andress Some People Do – Old Dominion Best Country Album ‘Lady Like’ – Ingrid Andress ‘Your Life is a Record’ – Brandy Clark ‘Wildcard’ – Miranda Lambert ‘Nightfall’ – Little Big Town ‘Never Will’ – Ashley McBryde Best Country Duo/Group Performance All Night – Brothers Osborne 10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay ft. Justin Bieber Ocean – Lady A Sugar Coat – Little Big Town Some People Do – Old Dominion

The Hello Darlins have become the latest group to get into the Christmas spirit by releasing a festive themed EP titled ‘Heart in the Snow’. You can listen to the EP here. The four-track EP features three original songs in the shape of the title track, One More Christmas and The Night That He Arrived, while there is also a cover of Do You Hear What I Hear? Speaking about the EP, Candace Lacina – band co-founder and vocalist – spoke about the deeper connection and meaning of Christmas, while also highlighting some of the things that she enjoys most at this time of year. “To us, Christmas is about our connection with loved ones,” Lacina said. “There’s also something peaceful, comforting and familiar during this time of year. It’s a time of looking back and wishing others well, but the true magic lay in memories of experiencing everything with a child-like spirit.” 2021 is set to be a very busy year for The Hello Darlins, who will be releasing their debut album at some stage within the next 12 months. The group have revealed that their album will be titled ‘Go By Feel’ and will enter the world in the fifth year of the band’s existence.

CMA New Artist of the Year winner Morgan Wallen will be releasing a double album titled ‘Dangerous: The Double Album’ on January 8. You can pre-order/pre-save here. To celebrate the announcement, Wallen also announced the release of three new songs that will feature on the album in Somebody’s Problem, Still Goin’ Down and Livin’ The Dream. The album will consist of 30 tracks, 15 on each disc. Speaking about the concept, Morgan Wallen said that it had initially started off as a bit of an inside joke, but suddenly became a genuine possibility during lockdown. He also stated that while it was a lot of songs to process, he’s hopeful fans see them all as killer tracks. “The ‘double album’ idea started off as just a joke between me and my manager because we had accumulated so many songs over the past couple of years,” Wallen said. “Then quarantine hit and we realised it might actually be possible to have enough time to make it happen. “I also ended up writing quite a few more songs during the quarantine with some of my good buddies. After a few months of production and fine tuning, I am so proud of what we came up with. I know 32 (eventual) songs sounds like a lot to digest, but I truly did my best to make sure there’s not a song that I would press ‘next’ on. “I also wanted the songs to speak to multiple phases of life and have multiple different sounds based on my influences and based on what I enjoy.”

Vic Allen has released her second single of 2020 in the shape of Healing, which comes five months after the talented artist shared a studio version of I Can. You can listen to the track here. Allen, who is from Norwich originally, has found ways to be creative during lockdown and one of those ways was finishing off this particular project, which she actually started back in 2019. Speaking about the song, Allen explained that it’s about starting to come through the other side of heartbreak and/or trauma and start to do things that make you feel yourself again. “I actually started recording Healing last year with Kaity Rae,” Allen said. “I added some final touches with Sue McMillan earlier this year, but lockdown hit before we finished, so we managed to finalise everything via Zoom. “This song is about getting through a long period of sadness or suffering and realising you’re finally starting to feel like your old self again. I wrote it after a close friend had been through a break up that took a while to recover from. “I took inspiration from both her story and emotions and struggles I’ve personally gone through in the past.” Despite the pandemic, Vic Allen has still found a way to make 2020 a strong year. The artist was due to take part in the Song Suffragettes tour and indeed did take part in the virtual showing as part of Country Music Week Digital.

The UK Americana Music Association (AMA-UK) have shared the nominees for the UK Americana Awards 2021, along with some winners. Both Laura Marling and Robert Vincent are up for UK Artist of the Year and UK Album of the Year, while Yola also has two nominations – one for UK Song of the Year, while she is also rivalling Marling and Vincent for UK Artist of the Year. Meanwhile, Margo Price has been nominated for International Album of the Year, while Jason Isbell has been put forward for International Artist of the Year. There are some legacy awards, too – with Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie being awarded the Trailblazer Award, Elvis Costello the Lifetime Achievement Award and a new Songwriter Legacy Award has been brought in to celebrate John Prine. Speaking about the awards, Stevie Smith – CEO of the AMA-UK – said that she and the board are very driven in getting the event to go ahead on a digital basis and hopes that it can provide some lift after a challenging year. “Throughout the shared trauma of the 2020 pandemic, the creative sector has been incredible in the way they helped keep others’ spirits high with their music,” Smith said. “The Board of the AMA–UK is determined to create an event to bring us all together again. “Even if we can’t travel and be in the same room, we can still gather in the same space online to celebrate those artists who have been brave enough to release music in recent months or used their platform for good causes.” The award nominees/winners are as follows: UK Song of the Year I Should Be On A Train – Ferris and Sylvester Ain’t One Thing – Lady Nade Thin (I Used To Be Bullet Proof)  – Our Man In The Field I Don’t Wanna Lie – Yola  UK Album of the Year ‘A Dark Murmuration of Words’ – Emily Barker ‘Song For Our Daughter’ – Laura Marling ‘In This Town You’re Owned’ – Robert Vincent ‘Hannah White and The Nordic Connections’ – Hannah White UK Artist of the Year Emily Barker Laura Marling Robert Vincent Yola  UK Instrumentalist of the Year Anna Corcoran Lukas Drinkwater Martin Harley Michele Stodart  International Song of the Year Welcome to Hard Times – Charley Crockett Brightest Star – Lilly Hiatt Already Dead by Austin Lucas Hand Over My Heart – The Secret Sisters International Album of the Year ‘Lamentations’ by American Aquarium ‘Old Flowers’ – Courtney Marie Andrews ‘That’s How Rumors Get Started’ – Margo Price ‘Expectations’ – Katie Pruitt International Artist of the Year Courtney Marie Andrews Jason Isbell Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Lucinda Williams Lifetime Achievement Award Elvis Costello International Lifetime Achievement Award Mavis Staples Trailblazer Award Christine McVie International Trailblazer Award Steve Earle Songwriter Legacy Award John Prine Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award Robbie Cavannagh and Demin Marriner Grassroots Award Music Venue Trust – Mart Davyd and Beverly Whitrick

A COVID-19 research fund that Dolly Parton donated $1m to has played a part in the Moderna vaccine, which has a 95% protection rate from the virus. Back in April, Parton donated the amount to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville as one of her longtime friends, Dr. Naji Abumrad, was helping with the vital research to try and find a cure. On November 16, Moderna revealed that they had a vaccine with 95% effectiveness for COVID-19, which it made citing assistance from a number of funds and organisations – one of which being the Vanderbilt one that Parton donated to. Speaking to The One Show on BBC in the UK, Parton humbly downplayed her own part in the vaccine, but did state that she was extremely proud to be able to say that she had something to do with helping others. “I’m sure many, many millions of dollars from many people went into that [research fund], but I felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that hopefully will grow into something great and help to heal this world – Lord knows we need it,” Parton said. “I’m a very proud girl today to know I had anything at all to do with something that’s going to help us through this crazy pandemic.” Dolly Parton is, along with being a true country music legend, very well known for her charity endeavours, with the artist regularly giving back to society – perhaps most prominent with her Imagination Library project, which have given over a billion books to children across America to ensure they have reading material from birth until starting school.  

Ziggy Alberts has not only released his new song heartbeat, but has also shared a date for his new album ‘searching for freedom’, which drops on March 19. You can pre-save here and watch a lyric video of heartbeat below. [wpdevart_youtube]xWj1X0u66v8[/wpdevart_youtube] The track follows in the footsteps of both together and don’t get caught up, both of which will also be appearing on the new record, which will mark his fifth studio album. Speaking about heartbeat, Alberts said that the song goes through a variety of feelings regarding relationships, while also going through both the present day and times gone by. “heartbeat is a song about how love brings us together no matter how far we are apart… a breakup song, turned into a story of hope and trust on a summer adventure,” said Alberts. “[The song] talks about the past and present, finding resolution in the common thread of all good things – love.” Ziggy Alberts had been very busy prior to the lockdown, coming off a 110 date world tour before starting releasing singles in anticipation for the new album ahead. In addition, Alberts has been awarded ARIA Platinum certification for his tracks Gone, Runaway, Heaven, Love Me Now, Laps Around The Sun and Stronger.

Olivia Lane has become the latest country star to get involved with Christmas, by releasing her new festive track Feeling Like Christmas. You can see the video below or stream the song here. [wpdevart_youtube]AfP6a7P3r14[/wpdevart_youtube] Written with Skip Black and Matt Nolen, Feeling Like Christmas marks Lane’s first festive track as Christmas 2020 gets ever closer. Speaking about the song, Lane said that she is seeing Christmas as a beacon of hope after what has been a terrible year, while she has also been wanting to write a festive song for quite some time, believing now was the right moment to do so. “Amidst the hectic year 2020 has been, the feeling of Christmas is a light at the end of the tunnel for me,” Lane said. “I’ve been wanting to write an original Christmas song for a while now, so I guess I have to thank 2020 because I had the time to dive into achieving that. “Christmas is my favorite time of year and this song truly reflects all of my over the top joyful feelings.” Olivia Lane continues to be seen as one of the leading upcoming Nashville talents, with her debut album ‘The One’ being released to huge fanfare back in 2019. A deluxe edition came out earlier this year, featuring some stripped back efforts.