Exclusives

Morgan Wallen has released a rather different music video than normal for his latest release 7 Summers, with it clocking in at eight minutes. You can see the video below. [wpdevart_youtube]pH8mu6-FvE0[/wpdevart_youtube] The normal length for the song is 3:30, but Wallen – along with director Justin Clough – has found a way to make the song into a short film of sorts, which also gives Wallen his acting debut. The song itself is about looking back at life from seven summers ago, as the name suggests, while the short film itself tries to replicate that as best as possible – with Wallen playing baseball and juggling that with having a relationship. Many fans have also tried to find hints in the video for a potential album date for next year, which remains very much in the pipeline for 2021. Morgan Wallen will also be playing at the CMA Awards tonight (November 11), with the artist set to perform More Than My Hometown while also vying for the New Artist of the Year Award, which he is contention with alongside Ingrid Andress, Carly Pearce, Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett. Wallen is also set to venture over to the UK next year after having to reschedule his 2020 tour due to the pandemic.

Jessica Lynn is very much getting into the festive spirit and will release a new single titled It’s Not Just Christmas on November 20 to highlight that. For the single, Lynn has joined forces with Steve Marks from UK country duo Gasoline and Matches, with a video also to drop on November 20. Speaking about the track, Lynn explained that while Christmas is very much a happy and positive time, it can also be a time of sadness and reflection, especially when someone is no longer there. “Christmas time can be hard when you are missing someone around the holidays,”Lynn said. “Things never quite feel the same once they are gone. “I wanted to keep the production on this song very simple to tell that story in a pure and honest way.  This is very special release for me and it means a lot to share it with everyone.” Christmas is traditionally a notable time of the year for Jessica Lynn, who has made a name for herself on the back of some of her Christmas outings. Lynn has sold out the Paramount Theater for the past four years at Christmas and despite the circumstances, she is planning to return there again this year and have the gig streamed.

A number of Nashville’s rising country music stars will be appearing at ‘Friendsgiving’ – an event that will be held at the Ryman Auditorium in Music City. Tickets for the event on November 18 are available here. The likes of Riley Green, Matt Stell, Laine Hardy, Laci Kaye Booth, Dillon James and Grace Leer will be performing at the event, which will have a limited number of physical attendees as well as being broadcast to the world digitally. Speaking about the event, Gary Levy, Ryman Auditorium General Manager, said that both he and those involved with the Ryman are ecstatic to be a part of Friendsgiving and are very much looking forward to the event. “We are thrilled to present another unique live music experience with Friendsgiving and all of the talented artists involved,” said Levy. “We look forward to continue providing fans from across the country and around the world a way to experience live music from home, while also safely and responsibly welcoming back a limited number of guests to the world famous Ryman Auditorium.” The meaning behind ‘Friendsgiving’ is to invite country fans to get behind the upcoming musical talent in Nashville and to also give them a huge and iconic platform to experience.

Jessica Lynn has very much included her fans on her video for Love Me That Way, as the whole video has been unknowingly shot by them. You can see the video below. [wpdevart_youtube]7GVoYTzzXHo[/wpdevart_youtube] The song features on Lynn’s new television concert special on Amazon Prime, titled ‘Live at Dramatic Hall’, but the video is very much a thank you to Lynn’s fans. Speaking about the video, Lynn explained that she wanted her fans to relive their best memories of watching her live and hunted the internet for footage, which has been found from all over the world. “Throughout this pandemic, my fans have given me such incredible and loving support so I wanted to do something special for the music video for Love Me That Way,” Lynn said. “Since no-one is able to travel or experience live music at this time, I wanted to create a music video filled with wonderful memories of adventure and the road: performing this song all over the world on my last international tour.  “We searched the internet for footage, so everything you see in the video was taken by fans or crew at the concerts in New York, Lithuania, France, England, Scotland, Poland and Germany. A video for the fans — by the fans. Thank you all for being there with me through this crazy and wonderful ride!” Jessica Lynn will be touring the UK next year on ‘The Lone Rider Tour’. Tickets are available here.

Lee Brice has shared a music video for his most recent single release in Memory I Don’t Mess With, which is taken from his upcoming album ‘Hey World’. You can watch the video below. [wpdevart_youtube]YQhJm3QkXq0[/wpdevart_youtube] Brice will be hoping that the single follows in the footsteps of One of Them Girls, which is also on his upcoming record, as it has just spent three weeks as US Number One in the US airplay charts. The album itself is out on November 20 and can be pre-ordered here. Speaking about the song, Brice said that it is very much a case of what it says on the tin – a memory that you don’t tamper with, but one that also has the ability to really pull you in. “It’s about exactly what it says,” Brice said. “It’s one of those memories, it’s one of those things that you can’t let yourself get too close to because it just pulls you in too deep. “The memory’s always there. The pictures are always there in your head. But that’s the one you’ve gotta let alone and let just be a memory.” With awards season around the corner, Lee Brice has a chance to add to his solitary CMA Award on November 11, as his duet with Carly Pearce – I Hope You’re Happy Now – has been nominated for Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.

Sunny Bones, a new duo, have just released a single titled Be Cool, which marks their first foray into the Americana scene and also their first ever release. You can see the video for the song below. [wpdevart_youtube]D2BcBi24ON8[/wpdevart_youtube] The duo, made up of Helen Anderson and Ben Asker, met through their previous band ‘Box of Light’ and subsequently made the decision to go it as a pair, having performed at notable festivals such as Latitude and Secret Garden Party with their old group. Speaking about the song, Anderson said that it is written from the experience of a close friend who had something of an identity crisis on a number of different fronts, when in reality all that they had to do just be themselves. “Be Cool is about a time in my life where someone close to me had a constant battle of being themselves, changing in front of others to fit social situations and desperately trying to please,” Anderson said. “The resolution would have been for them to know that’s what they never needed to do.” It remains to be seen what kind of project Sunny Bones will be embarking on next, whether it be in the form of an EP or an album, but it certainly seems as if something is coming soon.

Matt Stell has added his name to the history books after his recent single Everywhere But On become his second consecutive US Country No. 1. You can watch the video below. [wpdevart_youtube]FK7hjMprBbk[/wpdevart_youtube] With Everywhere But On following in the footsteps of Prayed For You, Stell has become just the seventh artist in the last five years to secure back to back Number One hits on the US Country Aircheck/Mediabase and Billboard Country Airplay charts. Speaking about the success, Stell said that he was genuinely lost for words when he discovered the news and said that this particular Number One had extra meaning given that he put so much of himself into the track. “It is tough for me to be at a loss for words, but I am,” Stell said. “As a songwriter, to experience this twice in a row is just the best feeling.  There is a lot of me in this song and that makes this extra special. I am so grateful to country radio and all of the hard-working people on my team!” On October 16, Matt Stell released the ‘Better Than That’ EP, which features Everywhere But On and the artist also recently took part in UK Country Music Week: Digital.

Lady A have brought some festive cheer to 2020 by releasing a deluxe version of their smash Christmas album ‘On This Winter’s Night’, featuring four new songs. You can listen to the deluxe version here. The fabled trio – made up of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood – released the deluxe edition on October 30, which now includes three classic Christmas covers in Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime, Little Saint Nick by The Beach Boys and That Spirit of Christmas by Ray Charles,  in addition to one new original titled Christmas Through Your Eyes. Speaking about the deluxe version, Scott explained that as the band have all now become parents, Christmas has been re-energised for them and as such, they wanted to do something to tap into that. “We’ve always loved the holiday season, but it has become even more magical now that we’re parents,” Scott said. “So, we thought we’d add on a new, original song that was inspired by our kids and our take on a few of our favourites, which has brought us so much joy.  I think we could all use a little extra holiday cheer this year!” Lady A are one of Nashville’s most successful ever country music trios and their last visit to the UK saw them headline C2C 2019.

Broken Witt Rebels have shared their new single Take It, which was written specifically for the upcoming video game ‘DIRT 5’ that is set for release on November 6. You can listen to the song here. The song was produced and mixed by Adrian Hall and has been released on the same day as the soundtrack album for the game, which also features high profile artists such as The Killers, Stormzy and The Prodigy. Speaking about the song, Broken Witt Rebels frontman Danny Core said that it has been an entirely new environment in relation to the song, but something they have really enjoyed doing. “This whole thing has been a new experience for us,” Core said. “But we’ve really relished the challenge – providing brand new music for the soundtrack and the game and then shooting a video, too. Our aim was to give Take It the same bursts of energy as the game!” Take It isn’t the only song from the Americana group to feature on a video game this year, with Rich Get Richer also featuring on the EA game NHL 21. That song is part of the Birmingham group’s most recent album ‘OK Hotel’, which they released back in March.

Bristol based duo Foreign Affairs have released a new track titled The Hope Comes Again, which premiered on Bob Harris’ BBC Radio 2 country show on October 29. You can listen to the song here. The pair – made up of brothers Lawrence and Adam Purnell – wrote, recorded and produced the single, which is a very honest affair and very much documents the uncertain times that we currently find ourselves in. Speaking about the song, the duo elaborated on the entire songwriting process and also explained the unique way in which the song takes its meaning from. “The song was written about me, from someone who can feel sadness but who is lucky enough to be able to see the positive in a person or situation, I can always see the hope,” Lawrence said. “The whole process of writing, producing and recording the song was very organic, carried out at home in Bristol,” Adam added. “It felt comfortable and the best environment for this song.” Foreign Affairs continue to rise in profile and win admirers, with the pair’s heavier take on Americana music really standing out. Last year, they signed a publishing deal with Peer Music, which will allow them to release their music all over the world.