NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- (Sept. 8, 2014) -- EMI Nashville recording artist Eric Church will perform a benefit concert for The GRAMMY Foundation® at The Orpheum Theater in Madison, Wisconsin on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 8:00 PM. Tickets for “An Evening with Eric Church” will go on sale Friday, Sept. 12 at 10:00 AM. This will be his normal full band concert, but with no opening act. General admission tickets are $67 plus applicable service fees. A limited number of VIP reserved tickets will sell for $87. 

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1988 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture — from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of future generations of music professionals. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with The Recording Academy to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage.

Named among the “50 Greatest Live Acts Right Now” by Rolling Stone, Church will embark on the first leg of his “The Outsiders World Tour” this Thursday, Sept. 11 at the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City, LA. His current album, The Outsiders, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and the Billboard Country Albums Chart earlier this year, and recently earned him four CMA nominations for Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Single and Song of the Year for his hit “Give Me Back My Hometown.” His current hit single “Cold One” is rising up the charts. 

If you live close to NYC, then come out to Dustin Lynch's special album release party for Where It's At with Fox & Friends on September 9th. Dustin will be performing a free concert in the plaza and will hang with fans in between songs. Plus, the first 100 people to attend will get an autographed copy of the brand new album WHERE IT'S AT.

Details below:

• Tues. Sept 9, 7:00 - 9:00 AM
• Fox News Plaza (48th & 6th) 

In addition, attendees can enter to win a trip to LA! One lucky winner and a guest will fly to Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday to see Dustin perform on the Hornblower cruise ship on the Pacific Ocean! 

These type of things usually can be found in the music video section of the site, but I decided to put this one front and center on the main page to make sure y'all check it out. Not to sound like a broken record, but Will Hoge is the real deal and it boggles the mind why more people are not aware of his music. Take a look/listen to "Middle of America" from Will's expected 2015 album. Then head over to his website and add his terrific music to your library.

Madison Square Park Conservancy announces the 2014 Mad. Sq. Music: The Studio Series, which promotes American music through free, live performances on Saturday afternoons, September 13 through October 4, 3pm to 5pm. The Studio Series atmosphere creates an intimate, beautiful space for artists to share the tradition of their craft.

The series begins on September 13 with Suzy Bogguss and Miss Tess & The Talkbacks. On September 20, the Park welcomes Aoife O’Donovan and roots musicians Cahalen Morrisson and Eli West. Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge and progressive bluegrass band Front Country perform on September 27. The series ends on October 4 with folk singer Dom Flemons and western swing band The Brain Cloud. 

The series takes place near the Shake Shack at the southern end of the Park between Fifth and Madison Avenues from 23rd to 26th Street. Some seating and café tables are available on a first-come basis. All of the shows are rain or shine.

September 13 – Suzy Bogguss (4pm)  Miss Tess & The Talkbacks (3pm)
September 20 – Aoife O’Donovan (4pm) Cahalen Morrison and Eli West (3pm)
September 27 – Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge (4pm)  Front Country (3pm)
October 4 – Dom Flemons (4pm)  The Brain Cloud (3pm)

For more information visit the official website

(Nashville, Tenn. – Sept. 5, 2014) Streamsound Records’ Austin Webb is hosting an intimate concert via StageIt to benefit Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization.  Webb will raise awareness for a cause close to his heart, while sharing new music with fans on Wednesday, September 10 at 6 p.m. CST/ 7 p.m. EST.  Reserve your slot by visiting, http://bit.ly/1qcOpvY. 

The "Raise 'Em Up" singer shares why Autism Speaks is special to him explaining, "One of my many jobs growing up was doing carpet cleaning. I was sent out to clean the carpet of this one house…and that is where I had my first encounter with an autistic child.  I never felt she was ill, I just felt she was special and misunderstood. From that day on I wanted to help autistic children."

Fans are encouraged to pay what they can, with all proceeds to go towards Autism Speaks’ research and advocacy efforts for families and individuals impacted by the disorder.  Tickets can be purchases until show time, but fans are encouraged to RSVP for the 30-minute benefit concert here. Special prizes will be on hand for the top tippers of the night.   

This marks the second time Webb has joined forces with Autism Speaks to show his support in the fight against autism.  Last October, Webb performed during Autism Sings!, a benefit concert that took place at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Nashville, TN.  

Country music newcomer Clare Dunn continues to garner new achievements to add to her credentials list. In its third week of release, Dunn’s new single “Cowboy Side of You” occupies the #16 position on Sirius XM’s Hot 45 countdown; a major feat for an independent artist without the support of a major label or national promotion team.  

Sirius XM’s The Highway (Ch. 56) debuted “Cowboy Side of You” on Aug. 12, immediately after Dunn was featured cover of USA Today. The article, “Country Lassos ‘Fresh Voices’,” discussed her inclusion as one of Sirius XM’s Fresh Female Voices and announced inclusion of the song on their playlist. The song is already experiencing strong sales through iTunes and other major digital retailers. 

As previously announced, Dunn has also been named the highest charting independent female artist on the Music Row Country Breakout chart in 10 years.  Her previous single, “Get Out,” was heavily worked to secondary radio and charted at #15 on the Music Row chart with over 80% of the Music Row panel supporting the record. In addition, “Get Out” reached #38 on Billboard Indicator and #43 on Aircheck Activator.   

Dunn is a fearless performer and guitar player whose music possesses a unique blend of country and rock. Born on a farm in Southeast Colorado, she grew up driving silage trucks, combines, eighteen-wheelers and spent countless hours behind the wheel of a John Deere tractor. The young performer paid her way through Belmont University by driving trucks for harvest through Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska during every academic break she could.  During this time she also picked up a guitar for the first time determined to master both acoustic and electric guitars.  Her hard work paid off and now her time is spent on a stage performing shows all across the country.   
She has already opened up for some of the format’s biggest stars, including Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Florida Georgia Line, Hank Jr., Jamey Johnson, and many others.  This coming November, Dunn will join Florida Georgia Line on the “This Is How We Cruise” cruise.  
 
In addition to establishing herself as a performer, Dunn is also earning a name within the songwriting community.  She has written with some of the most highly regarded songwriters in Nashville and LA, including Hillary Lindsey, Blair Daly, David Hodges, Troy Verges, busbee, Liz Rose, Angelo, Terry McBride, Brice Long, Will Hoge, Chris Lindsey, Tommy Lee James, Dylan Altman, Marshall Altman and more. She’s also contributed background vocals to some of Nashville’s finest, including Luke Bryan’s smash “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).” Most recently, a song she co-wrote called “Farm Life” was recorded by Colt Ford featuring Justin Moore and is on Ford’s new album, Thanks For Listening.   

For more information on Clare Dunn, visit www.ClareDunn.com 

George Strait already holds the unrivaled record for the most CMA Award nominations of any artist in history, and today he is adding yet another to the list with a nod for this year’s CMA Entertainer of the Year. The nomination marks Strait’s 83rd CMA Award nomination overall and his 19th in the coveted Entertainer of the Year category. If Strait repeats his 2013 victory, he will take home his fourth CMA Entertainer of the Year title and the 23rd CMA Award of his legendary career.

"It's a great honor to be nominated for CMA Entertainer of the Year,” Strait shared after the nominations were announced this morning. “It's been an incredible year, and this just puts the icing on the cake!"

Earlier this year, Strait completed the final leg of his farewell The Cowboy Rides Away Tour with a record-breaking show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The star-studded event brought in the largest crowd of any North American indoor concert in history, topping out with nearly 105,000 in attendance. On Tuesday, Sept. 16, Strait will release the 20-track live album The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium, produced by Chuck Ainlay and George Strait for George Strait Productions.  

Track Listing for The Cowboy Rides Away: Live From AT&T Stadium:
1.  Check Yes Or No
2.  The Love Bug (with Vince Gill)
3.  Fool Hearted Memory (with Jason Aldean)
4.  Arkansas Dave (with Bubba Strait)
5.  Cowboys Like Us (with Eric Church)
6.  That’s What Breaking Hearts Do
7.  Marina Del Rey
8.  Here For A Good Time (with Sheryl Crow)
9.  I Can Still Make Cheyenne
10. Jackson (with Martina McBride)
11. A Showman’s Life (with Faith Hill)
12. Murder On Music Row (with Alan Jackson)
13. The Chair
14. Give It All We Got Tonight
15. Run (with Miranda Lambert)
16. I'll Always Remember You
17. Ocean Front Property (with Kenny Chesney)
18. Troubadour
19. All My Ex’s Live In Texas (with Jason Aldean, Ray Benson, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow,
Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride)
20. The Cowboy Rides Away
 
The indisputable “King of Country” will continue to record new music for longtime label home MCA Records Nashville and perform select dates across the country. 
For more information, visit www.GeorgeStrait.com 

EMI Nashville recording artist Eric Church, who recently appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone and whose current album The Outsiders is currently the No. 3 best-selling album of 2014, is poised to return to the road in full force when “The Outsiders World Tour” launches its first leg on Sept. 11 in Bossier City, LA. The initial 30+ cities on the tour have been announced and will include a stop in New York City at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 17. Church will also perform on NBC’s "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Wednesday, October 15. 

Earlier today, CMA announced that Church received four CMA Award nominations: Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for The Outsiders (produced by Jay Joyce), and both Single and Song of the Year for "Give Me Back My Hometown" (written by Church and Luke Laird and produced by Joyce). 

This is Church’s return to headlining since “The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour,” which was named a Pollstar Top Tour of 2012 and one of the “Best Concerts of 2012” by the New York Times. While that tour employed a succession of backdrops as the focus of the show, the new “The Outsiders World Tour” will use a much more high tech design and will offer fans a 360° view of the entertainer and his band.

“Eric Church is working on a level that few other country artists of his generation can touch,” said Ken Tucker at NPR Music, with The New Yorker recently stating that “Church has more complex narrative material…his version of country [has] a broader social gaze than many expect.” Rolling Stone named him among their list of “50 Greatest Live Acts Right Now.”

Music legend Dwight Yoakam will join Church as special guest for the entire duration of the tour while rising country music duo Brothers Osborne, critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Brandy Clark, and the hard rocking band Halestorm will open on various dates throughout the tour.

Visit EricChurch.com for ticket information and all of the tour dates.

A limited number of VIP tickets for each show are available for purchase. Each VIP ticket includes a premium ticket in the first 15 rows or in the general admission pit, an invitation to a pre-show party at The Outsiders Joint, a two song acoustic pre-show performance by Eric Church, a limited edition show poster, and a dedicated VIP concert concierge.    

Fans have the chance to gain access to pre-sale tickets for each show by becoming a Standard or Premium member of the Church Choir. Being part of the Church Choir also allows fans to take part in private fan club parties and opportunities to meet Eric, and they are the first to get the news on his activities before the rest of the world. Join the Church Choir on Eric's website: http://smarturl.it/churchchoir.   

In addition, two front row tickets and two VIP lounge passes will be given away for each show on the tour to Church Choir members. Members can apply for these tickets by connecting their Facebook through Eric's site: http://smarturl.it/TheOutsidersAreIn.  

Visit www.ericchurch.com for more information. 
Follow Church on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ericchurch and on Twitter at twitter.com/ericchurch.  #TheOutsidersLive  

For more information, visit http://www.dwightyoakam.com.  
For more information, visit http://www.brothersosborne.com.  
For more information visit www.brandyclarkmusic.com.  
For more information, visit www.HalestormRocks.com.    

Little Big Town joined Darius Rucker in New York City to reveal the final nominees for The 48th Annual CMA Awards.

The announcement of five categories took place on Good Morning America. After the show, Little Big Town and Darius Rucker went to the Best Buy Theater to announce the finalists in the remaining seven categories, along with the announcement of the CMA Broadcast Awards for Personality and Radio Station of the Year. Miranda Lambert topped the list of nominees with nine, tying her personal record. Dierks Bentley received five nominations and Eric Church and Keith Urban collected four each. See the full list of nominees below.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR 
Dierks Bentley
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
Crash My Party, Luke Bryan
Fuse, Keith Urban
Platinum, Miranda Lambert
Riser, Dierks Bentley
The Outsiders, Erich Church

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“Automatic”
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf

“Drunk On A Plane”
Dierks Bentley
Produced by Ross Copperman, Jaren Johnston, Arturo Buenahora, Jr.

“Give Me Back My Hometown”
Eric Church
Produced by Jay Joyce and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.

“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s”
Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill
Produced by Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw

“Mine Would Be You”
Blake Shelton
Produced by Scott Hendricks


SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))

“Automatic”
Nicolle Galyon, Natalie Hemby, and Miranda Lambert

“Follow Your Arrow”
Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, and Shane McAnally

“Give Me Back My Hometown”
Eric Church and Luke Laird

“I Don’t Dance”
Lee Brice, Rob Hatch, and Dallas Davidson

“I Hold On”
Brett James and Dierks Bentley


VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
The Swon Brothers
Thompson Square 

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Bakersfield
Vince Gill and Paul Franklin
Mercury Nashville 

“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s”
Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill
Big Machine 

“Somethin’ Bad”
Miranda Lambert duet with Carrie Underwood
RCA Nashville 

“We Were Us”
Keith Urban featuring Miranda Lambert
Capitol Records Nashville

“You Can’t Make Old Friends”
Kenny Rogers duet with Dolly Parton
Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Sam Bush (Mandolin)
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Automatic”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy 

“Bartender”
Lady Antebellum
Directed by Shane Drake 

“Drunk On A Plane”
Dierks Bentley
Directed by Wes Edwards 

“Follow Your Arrow”
Kacey Musgraves
Directed by Kacey Musgraves and Honey

“Somethin’ Bad”
Miranda Lambert duet with Carrie Underwood
Directed by Trey Fanjoy 

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Brandy Clark
Brett Eldredge
Kip Moore
Thomas Rhett
Cole Swindell

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sept. 3, 2014 – Critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Brandy Clark has received two CMA Award nominations this morning:  New Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (for co-writing Kacey Musgraves’ hit single “Follow Your Arrow” with Musgraves and Shane McAnally).  

“I've watched the CMA awards every year for as long as I can remember,” said Clark. “To be a nominee in both song and new artist is truly a thrill and a dream come true.”  

New Artist of the Year is Clark’s first CMA nomination as an artist, while Song of the Year is her second CMA nomination as a songwriter.  She was previously nominated last year for co-writing the Miranda Lambert No. 1 hit “Mama’s Broken Heart” with McAnally and Musgraves.

Clark released her debut album 12 Stories in Oct. 2013 to tremendous critical acclaim. When reviewing 12 Stories, Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times wrote, “This is the country debut of the year.” Rolling Stone’s Will Hermes noted, “Her debut is all airtight craftsmanship, sly wit and precise detailing that treats mainstream style like artisanal fast food.” New York Magazine’s Jody Rosen named 12 Stories his favorite album of 2013 remarking, “She’s a brisk, vivid, witty storyteller; her tunes unfold in old-fashioned weepers and chugging honkytonk, with fiddles, pedal steel, and vocal harmonies driving home the punch lines and pathos.” NPR’s Ann Powers also named it the best album of 2013, calling Clark “a storyteller of the highest caliber.” Boston Globe’s Sara Rodman wrote, “In a bountiful year for female country singer-songwriters, Clark was at the head of the class, mining deep veins and yielding lyrical insights from the smallest moments in life that bind us together,” when she named it her favorite album of 2013. 12 Stories was also named best album of 2013 by the New York Post’s Michaelangelo Matos, the No. 2 record of 2013 by Fresh Air’s Ken Tucker, and a Top 10 choice for the Los Angeles Times’ Randall Roberts and The New Yorker’s Sasha Frere-Jones, among others.

Named Music Row’s 2014 Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Clark toured with Jennifer Nettles during the summer. She will be one of the alternating opening acts for Eric Church on his “The Outsiders World Tour” this fall, including New York City’s Madison Square Gardens on Oct. 17.

In addition to writing and performing her own songs, Clark also writes for other artists. Miranda Lambert took her song “Mama’s Broken Heart” to No. 1, which brought Clark her first GRAMMY nomination for Country Song of the Year, and her first CMA and ACM nominations for Song of the Year, all in 2013. Clark also co-wrote The Band Perry’s No. 1 hit, “Better Dig Two.”  She’s also had songs recorded by Sheryl Crow, Reba McEntire, Craig Morgan, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, and frequent collaborator, Kacey Musgraves, among others.   

Clark has performed on both “Late Night with David Letterman” and “Ellen.” Her song “Stripes” was featured in Beat Music’s 2014 Super Bowl commercial starring Ellen DeGeneres, and her music video for “Get High” debuted on PerezHilton.com.  For more information, visit brandyclarkmusic.com.