Rochelle Mills, Author at STAGING Maverick

Dierks Bentley’s new single Gold out now

Multi-Platinum Country music star Dierks Bentley releases “Gold”, on Snakefarm in the UK, a single about gratitude, presence and the treasures to be found in the moment that you are in. The bright and banging record sets the stage for Bentley’s tenth LP, arriving early next year after an especially careful production process, one helmed by the artist himself for the first time. To listen, click here. “2020 was a chance for me to give my guitar and the road a little rest. It gave me the chance to spend a lot more time adventuring outdoors with family and friends, but also alone. It also gave me time to reset and rekindle my love of Country music and a lot of the types of songs and sounds that I fell in love with when I first got to Nashville,” explains Bentley. “I think you’ll hear that in this first track, but it carries across the whole album.” While he’s long been a Music Row standout for devotion to his roots in classic Country and bluegrass, Bentley has never been so free to infuse his passions into music destined for the competitive commercial Country arena. Working with trusted collaborators Ross Copperman, Reid Shippen and Jon Randall Stewart, he led an effort that mashes up several Nashville golden ages as well as homage to the Grand Ole Opry’s century of influence.

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Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning to host CMA Awards

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The Country Music Association and ABC have announced that two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and NFL superstar Peyton Manning will host “The 56th Annual CMA Awards.” Bryan revealed the news this morning while guest hosting “Live with Kelly and Ryan.” Country Music’s Biggest Night broadcasts live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/EST) on ABC. “Being a part of such a historical night that honors my peers and Country Music is such a privilege,” says Bryan. “When I was asked if Peyton Manning was someone I would consider co-hosting with I didn’t hesitate. We have become great friends through the years and what he brings to the table is gonna make it even more of a blast. I know he’s been to the CMA Awards before, but he’s never been with me. Hey Peyton, I hope you’re ready for the night of your life!”“I cannot wait to head to Nashville and take the CMA Awards stage alongside my friend Luke Bryan,” says Manning. “I am such a huge fan of Country Music, so to have the chance to stand among so many incredibly talented artists is an absolute honor.” Bryan returns for a second consecutive year to host the CMA Awards, while Manning is a first-time host. “Country Music’s Biggest Night will without a doubt live up to its expectation this year,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “During an evening when we celebrate the best of the best in Country Music, we are thrilled to have two award-winning hosts at the helm! I cannot wait to see what Luke and Peyton have up their sleeves, which I’m sure will be hilariously unpredictable and playfully energetic, just like the two of them.” “Just when we thought we couldn’t top Luke’s explosive energy and signature charm as host of last year’s CMA Awards, we’re bringing him back alongside sports legend Peyton Manning for Country Music’s biggest night,” says Rob Mills, Walt Disney Television Executive Vice President, Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment. “Their dynamic chemistry and magnetic friendship is the perfect anchor for this year’s star-studded show.”Final nominees for “The 56th Annual CMA Awards” will be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to CMAawards.com for more details.

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Chase Rice’s ‘Key West & Colorado’ out tomorrow

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The multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Chase Rice will be releasing the eagerly-awaited ‘Key West & Colorado‘ this Friday, 29 July. The reflective song is the latest preview of the forthcoming album Rice recently recorded in his rural Tennessee home-turned-studio. ‘Key West & Colorado’ is available to pre-order/save here. The song was one of the first recorded for the project during that marathon at-home session, with Rice describing it as “the heart of the record.” Written by Rice together with childhood friend/longtime collaborator Brian Kelley plus Corey Crowder, Blake Pendergrass, John Byron and Hunter Phelps on a writing retreat in Grayton Beach, Florida, the midtempo song chronicles the literal journey of coming to terms with a relationship’s end: Somewhere between Key West & Colorado I found God in a gold Silverado Had to get a little lost to get a little found Learned you can’t find love if you can’t slow down Somewhere between that sand and the snow Salt in the air and salt on the road Finally let myself let her go Somewhere between Key West & Colorado The song also represents a sonic shift for Rice, who teamed with producer Oscar Charles to fill his living room with a vintage stand-up piano, guitars, drums and percussion, bass and keyboards while leaving out some of his usual recording tools. For the first time in his career, Rice recorded for the new project with no click track, no pre-programmed music beds – and in many cases, one-take vocals. “I had started writing songs at home with just me and a guitar whenever the inspiration hit me; instead of heading downtown and trying to crank something out during a scheduled writing session,” explains Rice of the transformation in his creative process. “I realized that bringing the writing room into my real life – my farm, duck camp, a vacation with my friends – whatever that might look like, was making for some really great songs. So, when we started talking about getting into the studio – what that should look and feel like – I realized we already had the answer. It should feel like home. “It was an incredible experience,” he continues. “We camped out there for weeks, usually going for 12-plus hours a day without even realizing the time was flying by because everyone was in such a creative groove. It’s definitely the most excited I’ve ever been about making music, so I can’t wait to share this new sound with the fans.”

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CMT Premieres Cody Cozz “On My Way” Video

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Colorado native Cody Cozz recently released his debut single, “On My Way,” on Craig Campbell’s Grindstone Records, and today CMT premiered the music video for the new song on their CMT Music channel. Fans can vote for the clip on the CMT Music 12 Pack Countdown HERE. The top 12 voting results as chosen by fans are revealed every Friday. “The ‘On My Way’ video shows exactly what the song is about, longing for your loved one and the excitement of getting to see them,” said Cody. “My team couldn’t have done a better job for my first ever music video, and I’m truly grateful for everyone’s help and guidance. The lead actress steals the show, the video team crushed it, and of course CMT wanting to show this to the world is incredible! I hope everyone enjoys it.” The video concept is based on a hard-working individual that works long hours and often must travel for work. In the case of “On My Way,” he has been transporting horses. He made his final pick up prior to a long drive home to the girl he loves and is fighting headlights and running red lights to make it to her, but he is on his way. Shot in Eagleville, Tennessee, the video was produced by Lone Valley, directed by Mark Manning, and Zack Manning was the cinematographer. The song was written by Campbell with Phil O’Donnell and Wade Kirby, and Craig also produced the track. A native of Pueblo, Colorado, Cody was a promising strong safety for Colorado State University Pueblo, before his football dreams were dashed by a career-ending injury during his junior year. He had sung all his life and was self-taught on guitar but had little music aspirations before his injury. Cody took a construction job after college and started gigging at night. It was the classic up too late, up too early, but he started gaining a following and posting music on social media. He pursued opportunities around Pueblo to open for artists like Jon Pardi, Clay Walker, Michael Ray, Mitchell Tenpenny, and others. He got to spend with Craig Campbell after opening one of his shows, and the two started a kinship that would give Cozz a master’s degree in music.

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Ty Herndon’s new album making waves in the country genre

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Groundbreaking Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning country artist Ty Herndon is reclaiming his story and revealing his truth with the release of his long-awaited, critically acclaimed forthcoming project JACOB – listen now here.The first full project of all new material to come from Herndon since 2016, JACOB is the culmination of a life of hard-fought struggles and hard-won triumphs. His most personal album to date, Herndon revealed the true meaning behind the project in a PEOPLE exclusive where he delves into his past addiction to crystal meth, rehab, sexual trauma, hitting rock bottom, and his battle with mental illness. This album chronicles new parts of Herndon’s life never before shared and shows the breakthrough that he has made to become the artist that he is today. The music plots a path to where he finds himself today — a destination marked by recovery, inner strength and peace. Released in partnership with Pivotal Records, a division of Pivotal Moments Media, JACOB, is an 11-track musical experience where each song is based on experiences from his own life. Part country, part rock, part gospel – but all Ty Herndon – the country luminary has captured the pain, sorrow, and redemption that are universal to the human experience.“This album is about the power we all have to change our endings. The last two years have been a journey like none other for me, and I’m looking forward to sharing some new truths with listeners and reminding them that we have it within us to turn our greatest challenges into our greatest triumphs,” said Herndon. “Besides that, it’s just some damn good music.”Two music videos from the album have been released so far – uplifting, positive anthem “Till’ You Get There” and heart-wrenchingly powerful, “God or the Gun.” “God or the Gun” is showing exclusively now on PEOPLE.com alongside details inside Herndon’s battle with mental health and a life and death situation.Herndon burst onto the scene and made his chart debut in 1995 with “What Mattered Most,” which became his first No. 1 song and garnered a Song of the Year award (Music Row Magazine). It was also the title track to his first album, which debuted on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart and had the biggest first-week shipment in the history of Epic Records Nashville.Between 1995 and 2002, Herndon charted 17 singles, including his three No.1s and numerous top 10 hits, such as “I Want My Goodbye Back,” “Loved Too Much,” “A Man Holding On,” and “Hands of a Working Man.” He topped the charts in 1996 with the single “Living in a Moment” and again in 1998 with “It Must Be Love.”In 2014, Herndon became the first major male country artist to publicly come out as gay in an exclusive with People magazine. He received an outpouring of support that only strengthened his relationship with fans and the country music community, expanding his reach to new and diverse audiences. Shortly after, he made history when he hosted a first-of-its-kind country music event, The Concert for Love and Acceptance, now an annual event that provides a stage for LGBTQ and allied artists. In 2020, he created the Foundation For Love & Acceptance to further his work on behalf of LGBTQ youth.Herndon found himself back at No. 1 in 2020 — this time on iTunes with his remake of “Orphans of God,” a collaboration with Kristin Chenoweth and Paul Cardall featured on his holiday release, Regifted. Over the last year, he has been working on the new album, JACOB, his first of all-new music since 2016’s House On Fire. Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning, Herndon’s voice is stronger than ever, and he’s using it to make a difference. In addition to his own foundation, Herndon lends his time and talent to MusiCares, which has supported Herndon through his struggles and supports those in the music industry with a safety net of services. In 2022, he joined Pivotal Moments Media as a Brand Ambassador and as the first artist signed to the organization’s new record label, Pivotal Records.

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Nashville Meets London returns this year with stellar line up

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Nashville Meets London (NML) has announced the next round of performers added to the 2022 Music Festival lineup: Essex County, Matt Hodges, Tebey, and Wandering Hearts. The newly added talent joins the list of dynamic performers set to perform across the two days, which includes previously announced artists Priscilla Block, Shy Carter, Candi Carpenter, Ruthie Collins, Sarah Darling, Manny Blu, Kyle Daniel, and Arbor North. Additionally, NML organizers have announced performers set to appear at the NML Opening Reception. Manny Blu, Robbie Cavanaugh, and Matt Hodges are set to perform during a private NML Opening Reception to be held on August 22 at PizzaExpress (Holborn). The NML Music Festival will be held on August 24 and 25, 2022, in a new location, Trinity Buoy Wharf, East London. The new site is a stunning and cool new riverside venue opposite the O2 with an indoor stage and an outdoor seated area with food stalls and cashless bars. The festival will feature performances by 12 artists, with six sets scheduled for each day. Performances will be held between 4-11 p.m. on both days. DJ Hish will perform in between sets, while Absolute Radio Country host, Matt Spracklen, will compère the event. More talent will be announced in the coming days. Tickets for the NML River Cruise and the NML Music Festival are available for purchase through the Pizza Express Box Office at www.PizzaExpressLive.com/nml-festival. This year’s festival event will have a limited capacity; therefore, anyone that wants to attend is encouraged to buy tickets early. Tickets for the festival are £34 per person (including booking fee) for each day. A limited number of VIP tickets that include entry to the festival, access to a private/VIP space with a private bar, entry to an artist meet and greet area, tickets to other NML events, and more, are also available. Event attendees can travel to the festival site, Trinity Buoy Wharf, by catching the Jubilee Line or DLR to Canning Town station, then taking a 10-minute walk to the venue. Other options include DLR to East India station, followed by a 10-minute walk, Number 277 bus, alighting at the Town Hall on the north side of East India (DLR) station or the D3 bus to Orchard Place. Parking on-site is not available. In its seventh year, the NML Music Festival has become a summer staple for Country and Americana music fans. Festival performances will be held indoors at Trinity Buoy Wharf’s event space and will feature artists representing the U.S. and the U.K. The full line-up will be released in the coming weeks. A limited number of tickets will be available, including ticketing packages that provide additional perks, entry into special events, and exclusive access. Additional information on tickets and event packages providing enhanced experiences will be released in the coming weeks. Trinity Buoy Wharf is nestled between Royal Victoria Dock, Canning Town, and Poplar, not far from Canary Wharf, and is an enclave for arts and cultural activities. Located along England’s longest-running river, River Thames, the area represents the charm, character, and space of a former buoy manufacturing site in an exclusive riverside location. Trinity Buoy Wharf has kept its unique allure as a center for studio and gallery space, a pier, boat club, school, rehearsal rooms, three enormous sustainable and colorful Container City buildings, and dining options, such as The Orchard. The new site is a stunning and cool new riverside venue opposite the O2 with an indoor stage and an outdoor seated area with food stalls and cashless bars. Throughout the festival, fans will have options, including listening to music or retreating to the venue’s terrace to enjoy the surrounding outdoor seating areas nestled among artistic backdrops and expansive river views. Food trucks and fully staffed bars will also be on-site, offering diverse food and drink options. Unlike past years when the two-day music event was held on Saturday and Sunday, NML 22 will be held during the evenings on Wednesday and Thursday night due to the venue’s availability and the promoter’s effort to not interfere with other surrounding events. On August 19, NML will host the NML Country Music River Cruise just days before the festival, with support from PizzaExpress Live! The NML River Cruise will feature acoustic performances by Kyle Daniel and Vicki Manser, a set by DJ Hish, and hosting by Absolute Radio Country presenter Matt Spracklen. Tickets to this exclusive event are extremely limited and are available for £45 per person. Limited VIP table packages for eight people are also available at £560. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com. The boat will embark at Bankside Pier at 19.00 and depart at 19:30. Live performances will kick off at 20:00, with DJ Hish kicking off his set at 21:00. The boat disembarks at 23:15. Leading up to the summertime festivities, NML Presents! monthly residency shows will take place on June 29 (Jeff Cohen), and July 27 (Alannah McCready). Tickets will be available for purchase through https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com. Nashville Meets London could not be made possible without the significant role played by its partners and supporters, which include Pizza Express, Trinity Buoy Wharf, Hills Balfour and Hablo. Launched in 2016 as an annual music festival, Nashville Meets London (NML) has evolved into an international entertainment brand providing opportunities and supporting the globalization of Americana and Country music. The brand’s mission is to expand on music’s cultural and economic exchange while driving more synergy between the recording and live performance industries worldwide. NML pillar activities include the annual music festival, the NML Presents Live! at Pizza Express monthly residency, the NML Country Music River Cruise, NML Sessions, and NML Special Events (NML at Royal Albert Hall, NML at Bush Hall). Across its events, NML has showcased performances by Lauren Alaina, American Young, Cadillac Three, Ashley Campbell, Shy Carter, Sarah Darling, Russell Dickerson, Caylee Hammack, Noah Guthrie, Ty Herndon, Sam Palladio, Sam Outlaw, Logan Mize, Hayley Orrantia, Angaleena Presley, Michael Ray, Lucie Silvas, Tenille Townes, Tyminski, and more, alongside U.K.-based acts Elles Bailey, Yola Carter, Flats & Sharps, Jade Helliwell, keywest, Kevin McGuire, Megan O’Neill, Hannah Rose Platt, Raintown, Twinnie, Two Ways Home, Robert Vincent, Wildwood Kin, William the Conqueror and more.

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Review: Miriam Jones – Reach For The Morning

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Jones, hailing from British Columbia, delivers an interesting record which opens with a take on ‘Who Will Buy’ from the musical Oliver! Jones’ interpretation of the classic track is sombre with a jazz feel to it. Her vocals cutting through that electric guitar based track. The single ‘Room In My House’ is a particular highlight on the record, her vocal control is great as a simple production frames that unique sound. She also includes a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Lord Protect My Child’ which again she interprets and delivers in her own way, putting her own stamp on the track. It’s a record full of faith and hope with the lyrics in her original track as vibrant as the cover art to the record. The simple production though effective was probably in part due to the lockdown restrictions at the time that she was recording the album in her home studio. She played all the instruments herself and has done a stellar job on the production front. This is a really strong record from Jones and I look forward to hearing more from her in future.

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Review: Henrik af Ugglas – Another Language

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The debut album from Swedish artist Henrik af Ugglas is a deep and personal album which delves into Ugglas’ childhood. He grew up in an orphanage and was labelled as autistic from a young age which acted as a barrier for him in some ways. However, he went on to study medicine and make music! The first thing that strikes me is the wispy tones of Ugglas’ unique vocals, a simple and traditional production accompanies them, though the sound it creates is not strictly country. The instrumentation and production is effective, really helping to set the mood and tone for each track. It’s a good title for a record as he dips in and out of language and his laid back delivery doesn’t quite allow you to hear every phrase. The sombre tones of ‘When I Go’, which is accompanied by a tranquil and soothing video, is a real stand out on the record as the music speaks directly to the heart. To summarise, it’s an interesting debut from Ugglas and I’m intrigued by what he will do next.

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Millport Festival – stage by stage: Nashfield Spotlight

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Millport country music festival returns this year and with a truly fabulous line-up! 37 artists will appear on five stages at this year’s festival, of which 11 will be from the US, 11 Scottish and the remainder from the rest of the UK and Ireland, representing a huge range of the country, Americana and roots genres. The focal point of the Saturday will be the Nashfield main stage which is headlined by the one and only Drake White and the Big Fire but there are lots of exciting artists across the other stages too including on the Nashfield Spotlight stage. Two Ways Home Isabella MaK, originally from Vienna, Austria and Lewis Fowler, who grew up in Gloucestershire, UK make up the duo Two Ways Home. The pair fuse catchy melodies with luscious harmonies and rocky guitars, often referring to their style as folk/rock with a country twist. Since they began in 2014, they have released three successful EPs, a debut album and a handful of stand alone singles. They put on a great live show and have made several big festival appearances including The Long Road and Nashville Meets London. Tim Prottey-Jones Former West End star and founding member of The Wandering Hearts, Tim Prottey-Jones has had a fantastic career and continues to go from strength to strength as a solo artist and producer. He is a real entertainer on the UK scene with a high energy vibe to every show he puts on. He has played such legendary venues as The Grand Ole Opry, The Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird Cafe, Graceland and Hyde Park and shared stages with the likes of Chris Stapleton, Marty Stuart, Stevie Nicks, Robert Plant, Mumford and Sons. He will certainly be one of the highlights of Millport. Alyssa Bonagura The only American on this stage, Bonagura has captured the Brits hearts once before and will surely do it again. The daughter of singers Michael Bonagura and Kathie Baillie of Baillie & the Boys. She grew up on a tour bus and was invited at an early age to sing with country legend Kenny Rogers. She often produces her own music in her parents home studio and to facilitate this, learnt how to play several instruments including guitar, mandolin, bass and drums. She has spent a lot of time in the UK having studied at LIPA earning a diploma in sound technology. Stevie O’Connor Stevie is having a lot of deserved success right now in the UK scene. He will open for American starlet Sunny Sweeney when she tours the UK this summer and has released a series of fantastic country-blues singles recently. He has previously been named Entertainer of the Year at the British Country Music Awards and it’s not hard to see why; he is a versatile performer who can hold a room in the palm of his hand acoustically or bring an energetic set that gets the room rocking with his full band in toe.

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Spotlight: Maddox Jones

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When did you first know that you wanted to be a musician? I started playing guitar when I was 6/7 years old, but I truly knew I wanted to be a musician when I was at 6th form. I chose to do standard A levels but really my heart was in pursuing music, so I went to study commercial music at Westminster University. I have always loved writing songs, it’s my gift to the world, that’s how I see it. We all have something to offer this world and music is mine. What kind of music did your family play to you growing up and what are you choosing to listen to now? It was all Christian worship music when I was growing up as I was born into a Christian commune; just imagine loads of Coldplay sounding songs with the words Jesus in them ha. Now I listen to all sorts; jazz, Coldplay, a bit of dance music, Sam Fender. I actually love listening to jazz in the bath, it helps me to switch off. Country music is all about storytelling, can you tell me about your songwriting process and, where you draw inspiration from lyrically? I draw lyrical inspiration from things that happen in my life and the people that I meet. This has been a new process for me, but I really enjoy conversational lyrics that tell a story and I like to be positive about everything. I think that the human existence is largely built on hope and so I always try and find the positive thing in any subject matter. For example, I wrote a breakup song called ‘Beautiful Soul’ which wishes my ex well rather than bringing up all the negative things. Songs can be healing, especially for me when I write them. Congratulations on the release of your debut album! Can you give me some insight into the making of that, who did you work with to bring those songs to life? So, the album was made over a period of about two years. I worked with Louis Souyave, Dave Crawford, Hannah Munro and Lewis Cardinal as writers and producers. Each song was worked on as a separate entity, but I think Louis did a good job of tying everything together mix wise. It was mostly written at home, and then recorded at plastic tree studios and mixed in London at Louis’ home studio. We also had Mando Mike put some mandolins on a couple of tracks, which really adds to it! I really like ‘Somewhere There’s a Plan’, can you tell me the story behind that track please? This track was one of the longest to finish to be fair. We started it as a jam at plastic tree studios in summer 2020 during lockdown. The concept is about no matter what life throws at you, just trust in the plan. It’s good to remember that. I had a few of my friends add different musical elements to it including Lewis Cardinal on guitar and bass and Christian Pinchbeck on saxophone. The track was co-produced by David Crawford, Guiseppe D and Jurgen Korduletsch. A few silly questions for you now, what’s the strangest thing you’ve ever written a song about? Hmmm… I’ve written a silly jingle about a banana skin before haha. I often write silly jingles. I do this thing at parties where I get people to pick 5 words and then I’ll write a song using those words. The actual songs I release are not really about anything strange, but maybe I will think of something a bit strange to write a song about. If you were to describe your personality as a flavour of crisp, what flavour would you be? Spicy beef. What’s next for you? I’m about to embark on a garden tour, playing fans back gardens and then I am doing a school’s tour as well in July along with various festivals over the summer as well. Also, my new album ‘Believe IT.’

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