Band Begins Recording New EP in October

Nashville, TN (Press Release, October 21, 2015)-The best known music artists that come out of Texas wave a very particular kind of flag.  It’s much less a vanity plate and more of an honorary badge that symbolizes a very difficult trek down the independent highway and an abiding connection made with the masses.  Storytelling is a fine art that has not been lost on Texas music fans, and although the newer generations are the celebrated warriors keeping those fans well fed, the legends of country music remain sultans of the clan. Dallas-based Prophets and Outlaws attest to this fact on their newly released single “Country Music Gold” off their latest EP “Texas Home.”  

The single is essentially a pledge of allegiance as the towering voice of lead singer Matt Boggs pleads with the radio DJ to free him from the nutrient deficient diet of today’s pop country. The sentiment of the song is befittingly illustrated in the line, “Bro country don’t know country and I think it might be best Mr. DJ if you’d save us a little bit of trouble and spin my one request.” The most remarkable characteristic of the song is the actual sound of it, a contemporary, bluesy number that is symptomatic of the band’s signature sound deemed “Texas soul” by critics and their peers.  Their independence from the country sound has not in the least denied them love and praise at country radio.  In fact, they are a particular favorite that have been instrumental in helping radio expand their playlists, have produced three Top 20 singles on the Texas Music Chart, and whose success demonstrates perfectly how Texas music truly has no barriers.

The band will start recording their new 5-song EP later this month with producer Jason Burt behind the board, the very same man who produced their new and current single.  The EP is slated for release in early 2016. Between studio time and live performances, they are also making plans to shoot their very first music video for “Country Music Gold” in November.  And this just in, their song “Mexico Tonight” will sonically appear on tonight’s (10/21) episode of the ABC hit drama “Nashville.”

Prophets and Outlaws have been a formidable presence in the scene for only 3 ½ years, but the guys have actually been playing together for over decade.  The seasoned 5-piece is as smooth as fine aged whiskey and nobody leaves their show without that intoxicated glow. Prophets and Outlaws are Matt Boggs (lead vocals, guitar), Steven Guckenheimer (lead guitar, vocals), James Guckenheimer (drums, vocals), Jamie “Jelly” Ringholm (piano, vocals) and CJ Thompson (bass, vocals).

www.prophetsandoutlaws.com         
www.facebook.com/prophetsandoutlaw
twitter.com/prophetsoutlaws

Because who doesn't love Neil Finn?

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Press Release)— Easy on the tryptophan on Thanksgiving Day, music fans, as there are big reasons to wake up bright and early on Friday, November 27, bee-lining for the nearest brick and mortar record store.Omnivore Recordings has two dogs in the Record Store Day’s Black Friday race: Big Star’s Jesus Christ EP (featuring never-before-released material) and Neil Finn & Paul Kelly’s’ Goin’ Your Way (Highlights). Both are available on vinyl only, with supplies limited.

Originally recorded for Big Star’s iconic Third, “Jesus Christ” has become a holiday staple. What better way to celebrate this time of year than to experience this classic track on vinyl — along with the gift of previously unissued material. 

The very collectible 10" EP includes the Three Wise Men artwork from a 1973 Big Star promo poster, comes pressed on translucent blue vinyl, and contains a download card. In addition to the original album version of its namesake, the audio program features a demo of “Jesus Christ” that first appeared on the Grammy Award-winning box set, Keep an Eye on the Sky, as well as five previously unissued tracks.

Fans have been clamoring for an official release of “Another Time Another Place & You” for decades, and it makes is first ever appearance here, along with a TV mix of Third’s “Thank You Friends.” Two more unissued Chris Bell instrumentals join them. An unheard demo of “Big Black Car” (the studio version also appears on Third) provides a preview of the forthcoming box set Complete Third (coming 2016).

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 20, 2015) -- Just days after her single "I'm Making Mine" soared into the Top 10 of the MusicRow CountryBreakout ™ Chart, the sensational young singer Erica Nicole has released another soon-to-be-smash to Country radio.  "Like I Do" draws deep from Country music's ballad tradition.  Vickie Raye and Billy Ryan Droze wrote it as a dialog between two women over the love of one man.  Its emotional narrative and dramatic melody provide a perfect vehicle for Erica and Grammy-nominated star Jamie O'Neal, who premiered the song together at the 2015 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville.  On the single, each takes a solo turn and then both join in a thrilling finale.  As classic Country singing and lyric interpretation, "Like I Do" is a triumph by any musical measure.
 
"It's a great feeling to be on a stage and in the studio with Jamie," Erica says.  "If I'm going to be the best I can be, I've got to compete with the powerhouse voices of Country music -- and her voice is certainly one of them."
 
While making great music, the Georgia-born artist is making chart history too.  No other truly independent female Country artist has made it into the MusicRow CountryBreakout ™ Top 10 since 2004, when Jill King became the first to earn that distinction with "98.6."  Erica is also the first female artist on an independent label to loft three consecutive singles into that chart's Top 20, following "I Listen To My Bad Girl," "It's Comin' Down" and "I'm Making Mine."
 
Raised on the music of Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire and other Country music legends, Erica Nicole moved to Nashville with a dream to follow in their footsteps.  She is already well on her way, having won Best Female Country Artist of the Year honors from NIMA (Nashville Music Industry Awards) in 2014.  In June she made her first appearance onstage at CMA Music Festival.
 
Plans for 2016 tour dates are being discussed now.

October 19, 2015 (Bristol, Va.) — The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) proudly welcomes power-house vocalist John Cowan to the stage for the winter edition of its Friends of 1927 Concert Series. The voice that launched the genre-bending newgrass sound takes the mic in the Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Friday, December 11, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

As part of the innovative super-group New Grass Revival, John, along with band mates Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Curtis Burch, Courtney Johnson, and Pat Flynn, dared to challenge the limites of bluegrass and blasted the door wide open for jam bands like Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon to usher in a more progressive, bluegrass sound.  New Grass Revival remains one of the most influentual modern roots acts of its time.

Cowan, the undisputed "voice of newgrass," has become one of the most respected talents of his generation. The in-demand singer and bassist is sought after not only for his work with his own band but also as a collaborator with other artists. Cowan has lent his talents to the likes of Garth Brooks, Glen Campbell, Roseanne Cash, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, Darrell Scott, and Alison Krauss, to name a few, and boasts 120 recordings to his name.

The Friends of 1927 Concert Series is an intimate concert experience where fans have the opporunity to interact with the artist in a relaxed setting. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres are included. BCM Friends of 1927 and Sustaining Friends of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum are given the first opporunity to purchase tickets. Tickets are $80 per person with very limited seating.

Tickets are on sale now to Friends of 1927 and Sustaining Friends, and will go on sale to the public October 29. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and show starts at 7:00 p.m. To learn how to become a Friend of 1927 or a Sustaining Friend, please email BCM at [email protected].

To purchase tickets, click HERE.  

For more information about BCM events visit www.BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct 19, 2015) – The Buffalo, N.Y. country rock group Ashland Belle is set to release their new self-titled EP on October 30th. The track listing includes their current single “Fastest Car,” which has been receiving high remarks among fans and music critics. 

Ashland Belle partnered with acclaimed Nashville songwriter and producer Zac Maloy (Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Jake Owen) for the new EP. “We couldn’t be more excited for the world to hear our music,” said guitarist John Rosini. “Zac is a talented producer and he really made this project come alive.” 

1. Fastest Car (Jimmy Yeary/Zac Maloy) 
2. Wayback (Ashland Belle) 
3. Mine (Zac Maloy/Ashland Belle) 
4. Whiskey Prayers (Evan Blankenship/Zac Maloy) 
5. Girl Behind the Bar (Jim Beavers/Scott Stevens/Zac Maloy) 

The group has a limited run of dates coming up in November with more to be announced soon. These include a headlining show at the Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh and a stop at Schmitt’s Saloon in Morgantown, W.Va opening for LoCash. Thursday, Nov. 12 – Hard Rock Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA Friday, Nov 13 – Schmitt’s Saloon and Davisson Brothers Music Hall – Morgantown, W.Va The new EP will be available on iTunes on October 30th. 

To stay up to date on Ashland Belle, check out www.ashlandbellemusic.com and www.facebook.com/ashlandbelle. 

(Press Release) On January 22, Yep Roc Records will release Aoife O'Donovan's 'In The Magic Hour,' the follow-up to her breakout 2013 solo debut 'Fossils.' Produced by Tucker Martine (Neko Case, The Decemberists), 'In The Magic Hour' features 10 newly-recorded songs, nine of which were written by O'Donovan, with contributions from an enviable list of collaborators and friends: I'm With Her band mates Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz, Chris Thile (Punch Brothers), Nate Query (The Decemberists), Brooklyn Rider, Gabriel Kahane and others.

A tireless touring musician, O'Donovan will support Glen Hansard on his US tour this November, and play shows with I'm With Her, before year's end (see below for dates). Her 'In the Magic Hour' tour will start on the Irish shores in Dublin. US 2016 headlining dates will be announced soon.

Kannapolis, N.C. (Oct. 16, 2015) - Long before receiving a CMA Entertainer of the Year nomination and shattering venue attendance records on his The Outsiders World Tour, Eric Church beguiled audiences in gritty dive bars with solo renditions of his then lesser-known hits amidst his show while giving his band a break from grueling three hour a night-plus set. Last night, Church found himself back in a small theater in North Carolina in a familiar yet slightly different situation after breaking in through a second story balcony, but still standing on stage with his trademark aviators and an electric guitar in hand wondering what in the hell he should play.
 
It all started innocently enough...
 
After wrapping earlier than expected at a private event in his home state, Church found himself only an hour and a half away from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame ceremony where his mother, Rita Church, accompanied by his sister Kendra, were attending the induction to accept the invitation on his behalf. Realizing he had no time to spare, Eric borrowed the keys to his father Ken's vehicle and--with his wife Katherine and assistant Marshall Alexander in tow--they rushed in an attempt to make it to the Gem Theater in time for the dedication. While Alexander drove, Eric was busy texting his sister--unbeknownst to her or the hundreds in attendance--to see if he could arrive in time as he now had set his mind on attending and surprising the crowd.

Photo Above: Eric and his mother Rita Church on stage at the North Carolina Hall of Fame ceremony on Oct. 15, 2015 at Gem Theater Credit: Daniel Coston

Frizzell & Friends Roundup: RFD-TV Special and CD-DVD combo featuring David Frizzell with Lacy J. Dalton, Rex Allen Jr., Marty Haggard and more

Nashville, TENN ---Fans of Country music, Western songs, campfires and good friends will delight in a forthcoming television special, album and video. Frizzell & Friends Roundup was produced by David Frizzell and features some of music’s finest stylists and story tellers.

With award-winning hit makers, Lacy J. Dalton, Rex Allen Jr. and Marty Haggard, as well as singer/songwriters Larry Woods and Mike Morgan, Frizzell fulfilled his lifelong dream of an “Old West” cattle drive on the plains of Montana … complete with good friends and good music. The weeklong journey included nights by the campfire, a live concert performance, and just a few saddle sores.

“I have always wanted to go on a cattle drive like John Wayne and sing the great old songs of Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Sons of The Pioneers,” Frizzell says. “My wish came true when some of my best friends met in Custer, Montana where we were filmed on an actual cattle drive and spent evenings singing around the campfire.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 15, 2015) – Following the wildly successful radio impact for “Backroad Song” last week, BBR Music Group’s Wheelhouse Records artist Granger Smith has been tapped as an iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist. The program heavily spotlights up-and-coming artists nationwide that iHeartMedia programmers are excited about and know their listeners will love.

iHeartMedia has been an early and passionate supporter of Granger and is committed to exposing him to a larger audience. The initiative launches today in support of the Granger and Frank Rogers co-produced single. The six-week program includes on-air exposure as well as significant digital and social support across iHeartMedia’s network of Country radio stations and websites.  The program is based on key tracks and artists that iHeartMedia’s programmers are collectively passionate about and has proven instrumental in the development of such successful and highly credible emerging artists including Sam Hunt. 

As the Morning Hangover recently stated, “Granger Smith is a force of nature who is building a vocal, broad and incredibly passionate following.” This is certainly translating at country radio, as “Backroad Song” has earned 89 total station adds (over 53% of the combined reporting panel), making Granger the #2 most added artist at country radio for two consecutive weeks, an incredibly impressive feat for a newly-signed act.

With the forecast bright, Granger continues his nationwide trek throughout every corner of the country visiting his “Yee Yee Nation.” In addition to his continued allegiance to touring, Granger is simultaneously visiting radio stations around the U.S. Last week, Granger also visited the CBS Sports Network studio in New York City to make an appearance on “Inside College Football,” where his notorious alter ego Earl Dibbles Jr. has a weekly segment. Click HERE to watch Granger live in the studio.

www.GrangerSmith.com
www.EarlDibblesJr.com
www.facebook.com/GrangerSmith
www.facebook.com/EarlDibblesJr
www.twitter.com/GrangerSmith
www.twitter.com/EarlDibblesJr

Nashville, TN – October 14, 2015 – Kid Rock has been added as the third headliner for the 34th Annual WE Fest at Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, MN. Kid Rock joins previously announced headliners, country music superstars Eric Church and Tim McGraw. The festival will be held August 4-6, 2016.

Kid Rock last took the stage at the Soo Pass Ranch in 2010, performing on the same night as this year’s fellow headliner Eric Church.  His return to WE Fest comes on the heals of his acclaimed new album, First Kiss, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard’s Top Rock Albums Chart. Rolling Stonedeclared, “There’s no arguing with music offered with this degree of energy, joy and conviction,” and that “The Kid has no intention of aging gracefully — happily, he's as ornery and open-hearted as ever.”