Exclusives

Temecula Road have given their fans a new piece of work to listen to, which comes in the shape of a cover of Miley Cyrus’ The Climb. You can watch an audio video below. [wpdevart_youtube]s4bYdd1JYe0[/wpdevart_youtube] The song, which was written by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe, went multi-platinum after Cyrus released it as a single and now Temecula Road – made up of sisters Maddie and Emma Salute as well as Dawson Anderson – have shared their version of it. Speaking about why they chose to cover it, the group said that it is a song that has always been close to their hearts and with the current global situation, it’s a song that resonates a little bit more. “We have always loved this song and its message especially hits home for us with everything going on in the world right now,” Maddie said. “We came up with this arrangement and recorded the vocals ourselves during quarantine,” Emma added. “We hope you find as much comfort in listening as we did in creating it,” Anderson concluded. Prior to lockdown, Temecula Road were on course for one of their busiest years to date and in the build up to 2020, made their Grand Ole Opry debut and also supported Scotty McCreery on his UK and Europe tour. The trio were also set to perform at C2C 2020, before the festival was pulled at the last minute as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Granger Smith has opted to provide a new lease of life into his single That’s Why I Love Dirt Roads by seeking Christian rapper Lathan Warlick for a remix. You can listen to the song here. The single, which was initially released in 2019, has grown to be one of Smith’s biggest hits and the version with Warlick is indeed the third release of the track. Speaking about the song on his Instagram, Smith explained that his wife alerted him to Warlick’s talents and as soon as he realised the talent on offer, he got in touch immediately and the rest is history. “A few months ago, Amber found Lathan Warlick and showed me his insta page,” Granger posted. “He was taking popular tunes, adding his own lyrics and completely rebranding the songs with his own stories of life, struggle, rebirth and testimony. I loved it instantly. “I reached out via DM and we hit it off right away. (And one day we’ll take our boys fishin) This dude, through his own path, has pulled the layers back on life and sees things in a new way…with truth, integrity and God first. I only hope that one day I can see as clearly as he does.” Granger Smith has also been busy in other ways and on June 12, his YeeYee outdoor lifestyle brand will be marking one of its biggest launches to date.

Brantley Gilbert has released a new song that is full of positivity and overcoming rough times in the shape of Hard Days. You can listen to the track here. Gilbert hasn’t wasted a lot of time since his recent album ‘Fire & Brimstone’ was released in October 2019, with Hard Days marking the first new release since then. Speaking about the song, Gilbert explained the meaning behind the track and also highlighted just how much it means to him on an individual basis, with the track making him feel something musically he hasn’t felt in years. “Hard Days is about finding and acknowledging hope in the midst of turmoil and taking the good with the bad,” Gilbert said. “I look back on some of the harder times in my life and think about where things are now and I’m thankful for the bad that led to the good. “This song means a lot to me. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard a song that can stand on its own lyrically. Brock Berryhill, Logan Wall, Jimi Bell and Jay Brunswick gave me the opportunity to work with them and it’s something I’m extremely proud to be a part of. “I feel like all of us are in need of a little bit of healing and in need of a little bit of hope. And this song offers that.” The last single release from Brantley Gilbert was What Happens in a Small Town with Lindsay Ell, which became his seventh Number One.

In light of recent events, Kane Brown has released a new song titled Worldwide Beautiful, which has a strong message of unity at its heart. You can watch the lyric video below. [wpdevart_youtube]4oI8haxRuPo[/wpdevart_youtube] Written by Brown, Shy Carter, Ryan Hurd and Jordan Schmidt, the Tennessee born artist has released the song in conjunction with helping the Boys & Girls Club of America in an attempt to advocate for justice and equality for millions of youngsters. You can find out more here. Coming at a very politically charged time, the lyrics from Brown clearly advocate peace and unity, including the likes of “at every show I see my people/they ain’t the same, but they’re all equal” and “still got some work, but we still got a dream/every shade, every heart, come together and sing.” 2020 has been a very busy year so far for Kane Brown, who managed to tour the UK for the first time ever in February, but it has also seen his release a lot of singles. So far this year, alongside Worldwide Beautiful, Brown has been involved with a duet with Thomas Rhett featuring Ava Max (On Me), a duet with John Legend (Last Time I Say Sorry) and a standalone single in Cool Again.

Rob Mayes has released another new single in the shape of Damage I Done, which comes hot on the heels of April release Didn’t Do This On My Own. You can listen to the song here. Since his debut EP ‘Closer’ was released in September 2019, Mayes has regularly been releasing singles and has now clocked up 13 single releases over the past 12 months. Speaking about the song, Mayes said that it’s a high octane track full of energy and that his advice to anyone listening is to grab a drink and crank it up to 11. “Damage I Done is a high-energy, rockin’ rowdy country song full of fun-lovin’ mischief that’ll have you on your boots in no time,” Mayes said. “It features big production and raises a glass to the country music drinkin’ song that we all know and love. So, go head…grab yourself a cold one and turn up the volume!” An actor as well as an artist, Rob Mayes has been extremely busy over the last year or so, but his hard work and effort is very much being rewarded – he racked up 239,000 streams last year with 107,000 listeners, while he will soon be on the silver screen again alongside Val Kilmer for ‘A Soldier’s Revenge’.

Willie Jones has released another new song in the shape of Trainwreck, which he has written with two incredibly diverse songwriters. You can listen to it here. For this single, Jones has teamed up with Justin Beach – who has worked with Dustin Lynch, Brett Young and Jordan Davis – and Mark Batson, who has worked with Eminem, Beyonce and Dr Dre. The contrast in writing team is huge, but the end result is yet another standout song from the artist and speaking about the track itself, Jones explains that it’s the first heartbreak song that he has released and knows that those listening will be able to relate, even despite some of the jovial musical elements. “This is my first heartbreak song and listening back to it, I can still remember the pain I was going through,” Jones said. “We can all relate to seeing your girl/guy with another man/woman but it sent me down a spiral that affected all different parts of my life. “Don’t let the light-hearted banjo pluckin’ fool you, this song is very real and deep.” Despite the lockdown, Willie Jones has still been very busy over the last few months, with a number of live streams and also releasing Back Porch as a single.

Eric Paslay will be releasing a new EP titled ‘Heartbeat Higher’ on July 3 and has marked the announcement with the release of a new song in On This Side of Heaven. You can listen to the track, which premiered on BBC Radio 2’s The Country Show with Bob Harris on June 4, here. Paslay released the title track for the EP, featuring Sarah Buxton, earlier this year and to much fanfare, so the EP has come as very welcome news for Paslay’s fanbase. Speaking about the EP itself, Paslay said that the response to the title track made him even more excited to release the EP into the world, while he also believes that he has something for all of his fans on the four-song collection. “The outpouring of love, support and excitement with Heartbeat Higher was so amazing that I’m super pumped to drop the EP,” Paslay said. “I think I’ve got the fans covered with four songs in every direction. I’ve got one for my Barefoot crew, my She Don’t Love You fans and something new for me… a cover.” The tracklisting for ‘Heartbeat Higher’ by Eric Paslay is: 1. Heartbeat Higher (ft Sarah Buxton) 2. On This Side of Heaven 3. I Took A Pill in Ibiza (Mark Posner cover) 4. Boat In a Bottle

Joey Clarkson has released the first single since her debut album ‘The Year That Never Happened’ was released with of a duet titled ‘If You Want Me To’, featuring Louise Parker. You can listen to the track here. The track – which also precedes Parker’s upcoming EP,  due later in June – came about in a rough form just before lockdown took place, with the finishing touches taking place from a remote location. Speaking about the song, Canadian artist Clarkson said that the track is designed to lift spirits in a very rough time, while Parker also shared some insight as to how the track was structured. “Following lockdown measures, the entertainment industry seemed to grind to an abrupt halt but – after initially grieving for the sudden loss of work – we realised that we had the means to continue content creation from home,” explained Clarkson. “We chose to release this track now with the intention of lifting the nation’s mood during the pandemic.” “After being friends online for a number of years, Joey and I wrote ‘If You Want Me To’ on the day we first met face-to-face,” added Parker. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get chance to record the number prior to lockdown, so we laid down a demo remotely. “Listening back, we realised the drum loop was reminiscent of the soundtrack from Disney’s The Princess Diaries; it transpired the film had been a childhood favourite for both of us and decided – there and then – that the track would be produced in the same style.”

Midland have been busy in lockdown stripping down some of their songs, which have now appeared on their new ‘Guitars, Couches, Etc., Etc.’ EP. You can listen to the EP here. The trio – made up of Mark Wystrach, Jess Carson and Cameron Duddy – were on course for a hugely successful 2020 prior to lockdown, with the group being nominated for Group of the Year at the ACM Awards and with their second album, ‘Let It Roll’, continuing to gain traction. However, they have still found a way to keep momentum going despite the lockdown and speaking about the EP, lead singer Wystrach explained that it felt therapeutic to delve into their back catalogue and re-record them with an acoustic twist. “The title is a bit tongue in cheek with reference to a seminal album that largely influenced this band cut against the strange reality that we’ve all found ourselves living these last few months,” Wystrach explained. “It was medicinal to pick these songs back up and re-interpret them in a new way both recording wise and in the arrangements & colourings. “We hope you enjoy these new iterations as much as we did making em.” The tracklist for ‘Guitars, Couches, Etc., Etc.’ by Midland is: 1. Fourteen Gears (Acoustic) 2. Cheatin’ Songs (Acoustic) 3. Fast Hearts and Slow Towns (Acoustic) 4. Burn Out (Acoustic) 5. Drinkin’ Problem (Acoustic)

Ray Wylie Hubbard has shared the third single from his upcoming collaboration album ‘Co-Starring’ in the shape of Fast Left Hand, featuring The Cadillac Three. You can listen to the song here and pre-order the album, due July 10, here. Fast Left Hand follows in the footsteps of Bad Trick – featuring Ringo Starr, Don Was, Joe Walsh and Chris Robinson – and Outlaw Blood featuring Ashley McBryde, as Hubbard has put together a remarkable record featuring a number of outstanding musicians. Speaking about the album itself, Hubbard stated that he is trying to get better with each album that he releases, but to be able to try and improve with all the people he has collaborated with on this record has been a special experience. “Each record is built on the steps of the last one and I’m just trying to get better,” Hubbard says. “To have all these cats we’ve toured with and played with, I’m very, very proud of it. “Young and old, established, new, Rock & Roll, Folk, Country, to even know these people is awesome, but to make music like this with them? Well, it really impresses me.” The track listing for ‘Co-Starring’ by Ray Wylie Hubbard is: 1. Bad Trick ft. Ringo Starr, Don Was, Joe Walsh, Chris Robinson 2. Rock Gods ft. Aaron Lee Tasjan 3. Fast Left Hand ft. The Cadillac Three 4. Mississippi John Hurt ft. Pam Tillis 5. Drink Till I See Double ft. Paula Nelson and Elizabeth Cook 6. R.O.C.K. ft. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown 7. Outlaw Blood ft. Ashley McBryde 8. Rattlesnake Shakin’ Woman ft. Larkin Poe  9. Hummingbird ft. Peter Rowan 10. The Messenger ft. Ronnie Dunn and Pam Tillis