Photo Friday: Trace Adkins, Matraca Berg, Steve Azar

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The video for Trace Adkins’ single “Just Fishin’” was released today (6/3) via AOL, CMT.com, GAC.com, Vevo and others. Starring Adkins and youngest daughter Trinity Adkins, the video, directed by Trey Fanjoy, will go into music network rotation on TV the following week and available for download on iTunes. Also today (6/3), CMT’s Next Superstar 109, featuring Adkins as artist advisor, will air at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT. In this episode the top two contestants go head to head at the Ryman Auditorium. Each perform a song of their choice, a judge’s pick, and a song from the record label, Warner Music. Then for the first time, CMT turns voting over to America to decide who will become CMT’s Next Superstar.






(L-R) Adkins and his daughter Trinity on the set



 
 


• • • •

BMI hosted a reception to celebrate the release of Matraca Berg’s new album, The Dreaming Fields, on Tuesday, May 24. Berg performed at the event. The CD marks the BMI award-winning hit writer’s return to performing after a 14-year break.

(L-R): Dualtone Records’ Will McDonald and Paul Roper, BMI’s Jody Williams, Keith Case & Associates’ Keith Case, Matraca Berg, Dualtone Records’ Scott Robinson, and BMI’s Clay Bradley. Photo by Eric England

• • • •

On Tuesday, May 31, North Little Rock hosted the internationally syndicated radio show, Tales of the South, that featured Mississippi native and singer-songwriter, Steve Azar, award-winning actor, Morgan Freeman, and Mississippi Democratic Governor candidate, Bill Luckett as special guests. The “Delta Music Show” edition of Tales was sponsored by Oxford American and kicked-off the Little Rock Film Festival and was filmed in front of a sold-out live audience at the Starving Artist Cafe’ in Little Rock, Arkansas. Luckett, who owns  the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksville, MS with Freeman and Azar shared their own memorable stories of the Delta. Azar performed “Soldier Song” and later shared the story behind the award-winning music video for, “Waitin’ on Joe,” which Freeman narrated and appeared in starring role.

(L-R): Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett and Steve Azar Photo: ShutterTHAT.com/ Tim Vahsholtz


 
 

Forecast: iCloudy With A Chance of New Revenues

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In what may come to be viewed as a music industry watershed moment, just like the invention of the phonograph, the CD, Napster and the iTunes store, Apple has come to terms with record labels and music publishers to be able to launch its iCloud music service. The upfront cost, reportedly close to $150 million will enable the technology giant to create an online storage environment that eventually should give users a chance to experience and enjoy a “jukebox in the sky.” Once in the cloud, users can access music from a variety of locations and across all hardware platforms. According to the New York Post, Apple paid each of the four labels between $25 and $50 million each.
Actual details of the new iCloud service remain speculative until Monday June 6 when Apple will reveal all during its keynote address at WWDC (Apple Worldwide Developers Conference) in San Francisco. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to be on hand to participate in the presentation.
Insiders are reporting that music companies will take 70% of the iCloud fees with 12% going to music publishers and 68% going to labels to be shared with artists, etc. Apple will hold the remaining 30%. CNet reports that Universal was the last label to agree to participate in the iCloud deal. Until the size of the revenue stream becomes clear it is too early to judge, but according to the math, publishers will now have a 17% share of royalty revenue collected (12÷70=17%).
A key feature of the new system is called scan and match which frees users from having to upload the songs, which can be highly time intensive.Instead it scans a users hard drive and then matches the music to the cloud’s master library.

Now That's What I Call Country Release

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NOW That’s What I Call Country Vol. 4, the fourth installment of the popular series, will be released June 14 and features music by Sugarland, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Zac Brown Band and Miranda Lambert among others. Eleven of the album’s 18 tracks were No. 1 hits.
To promote the album’s launch, Universal Music Group is sponsoring a sweepstakes that will reward one grand prize winner with the opportunity to see and meet one of the Now Country Vol. 4 artists of his or her choosing live in concert. (Transportation not included and some restrictions apply.) For more information, visit www.NowCountrySweeps.com. The project is a joint venture from Universal Music Group, EMI Music North America and Sony Music Entertainment. The NOW That’s What I Call Music! series is the world’s best-selling multi-artist album series with sales topping 200 million worldwide and 80 million in the United States.

Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 4 tracklist:
1.    “Hello World” by Lady Antebellum
2.    “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry
3.    “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” by Blake Shelton
4.    “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square
5.    “Stuck Like Glue” by Sugarland
6.    “Undo It” by Carrie Underwood
7.    “Put You In a Song” by Keith Urban
8.    “Roll With It” by Easton Corbin
9.    “Only Prettier” by Miranda Lambert
10. “Smoke a Little Smoke” by Eric Church
11. “Voices” by Chris Young
12. “Someone Else Calling You Baby” by Luke Bryan
13. “Come Back Song” by Darius Rucker
14. “What Do You Want” by Jerrod Niemann
15. “Let Me Down Easy” by Billy Currington
16. “Back to December” by Taylor Swift
17. “Colder Weather” by Zac Brown Band
18. “The Breath You Take” by George Strait

Paisley's World Tour Launches Today

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Following a No. 1 single (“Old Alabama”) and album (This Is Country Music), reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley will launch his H20 II: Wetter & Wilder World Tour today (6/3) in Virginia Beach, VA. He’ll follow that performance with another tomorrow (6/4) in Hartford, CT. The 30 city trek includes four stadiums and overseas visits to London, Dublin, Stockholm, Oslo and more. Blake Shelton and Jerrod Niemann will join Paisley on the road. Full dates are included below.
H2O II will bring back the popular “Water World Plaza” which turns every concert event into a water festival. The “Water World Plaza Stage” will offer up-and-comers Edens Edge, Sunny Sweeney, Brett Eldredge and the JaneDear girls (on select dates) a chance to showcase their talents for concertgoers. Each tour stop opens at 4 pm and music begins at 5 pm.
H2O II: Wetter & Wilder World Tour Dates:
June 3 — Farm Bureau Live at VA Beach (Virginia Beach, VA)
June 4 — Comcast Theatre (Hartford, CT)
June 11 — Progressive Field (Cleveland, OH)
June 16 — Riverbend Music Center (Cincinnati, OH)
June 17 — Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (St. Louis, MO)
June 18 — Verizon Wireless Music Center (Indianapolis, IN)
June 24 — Wild West Arena-Nebraskaland Days (North Platte, NE)**
June 25 — Tuttle Creek State Park (Manhattan, KS)**
July 2 — Lavell Edwards Stadium (Provo, UT)*
July 9 — Cavendish Beach Music Festival (Cavendish, P.E.I.)**
July 15 — PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel, NJ)
July 16 — Comcast Center (Boston, MA)
July 17 — Scarborough Downs (Scarborough, ME)
July 22 — Toyota Pavilion (Scranton, PA)
July 23 — Darien Lakes PAC (Darien Lakes, NY)
July 30 — Pizza Hut Park (Frisco, TX)
August 4 — WE Fest (Detroit Lakes, MN)**
August 6 — First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (Chicago, IL)
August 7 — Columbus Crew Stadium (Columbus, OH)
August 17 — O2 Arena (London, UK)*
August 19 — Olympia Theatre (Dublin, IRE)*
August 24 — Cirkus (Stockholm, SWE)*
August 26 — Spektrum (Oslo, NOR)*
August 27 — Lisebergshallen (Goteburg, SWE)*
August 28 — Forum (Copenhagen, DEN)*
September 9 — 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre (Tampa, FL)
September 10 — Cruzan Amphitheatre (West Palm Beach, FL)
September 23 — Susquehanna Bank Center (Philadelphia, PA)
September 24 — Jiffy Lube Live (Washington, DC)
September 25 — Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion (Raleigh, NC)
*Paisley only shows.
**Paisley, Shelton, Niemann only

Paisley and Sony Music Nashville staff celebrate the No. 1 debut of “This Is Country Music” at the label group’s offices. (L-R): SMN SVP Promotion Skip Bishop, SMN Chairman & CEO Gary Overton, Paisley, SMN VP Sales Kerri Fox-Metoyer, Fitgerald-Hartley’s Bill Simmons, SMN SVP Marketing Paul Barnabee.

Scotty McCreery Makes History With Debut Single

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Mercury Nashville artist and American Idol champ Scotty McCreery’s “I Love You This Big” debuted at No. 32 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, the highest debut for a new artist’s first single since the chart began using BDS in 1990.
“I am humbled and shocked by this news,” says Scotty. “I can’t tell you what it means to me to be on the same charts as my musical heroes. I want to thank my fans and especially country radio for their support. I continue to be amazed by everything that has happened to me in such a short time.”
The song, which hit No. 1 on iTunes, reached No. 3 on the Billboard Digital Songs chart with 171,404 units sold.
“This is such a special song to me, so I am thrilled that it is getting such a great reception at country radio. What I love about ‘I Love You This Big’ is that it can mean different things to different people. It could be about the relationship between a couple in love or a parent and child.”
Scotty will be in Nashville next week to begin recording his debut album. He will present at the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday and participate in other CMA Music Festival activities, including the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game on Saturday, June 11. He will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday, June 10.
He will also perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 15, Good Morning America on August 12, and is featured on the American Idols Live Tour that begins July 6.

Bundy Hosts CMT Special and Country Weekly Fashion Show

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Laura Bell Bundy


Mercury Records singer-songwriter Laura Bell Bundy will be hosting CMT’s Video Of The Year Special, premiering Saturday, June 4 at 1 pm CT. In the one-hour special, Bundy will portray everyone from Taylor Swift to Zac Brown as she presents the 10 nominees vying for Video of the Year at the 2011 CMT Music Awards June 8. The special will highlight videos including Jason Aldean’s ”My Kinda Party;” Kenny Chesney’s ”The Boys of Fall;” Lady Antebellum’s ”Hello World;” Miranda Lambert’s ”The House That Built Me”; Rascal Flatts’ ”Why Wait”; Sugarland’s ”Stuck Like Glue”;  Swift’s ”Mine;” The Band Perry’s ”If I Die Young;” Carrie Underwood’s ”Undo It;” and Zac Brown Band’s ”Colder Weather.”
Bundy will also perform skits featuring characters from five of the nominated videos including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Nettles, Zac Brown, Jason Aldean and a coach from Kenny Chesney’s ”The Boys of Fall” video.
Bundy will also appear this summer in the CMT Original Movies release To The Mat. Bundy stars as a Wall Street consultant alongside Ricky Schroder. Both Bundy and Schroder are scheduled to appear at the 2011 CMT Music Awards as presenters.
Fans can vote for Video of the Year online  at CMT.com throughout the live broadcast on Wednesday, June 8 at 7 pm CT.
 
• • • •
Laura Bell Bundy will also host the Fifth Annual Country Weekly Fashion Show & Concert, Tuesday, June 7, 9 pm, at Nashville’s Rocketown. In addition to hosting, Bundy will also perform as part of the annual gala, which will be emceed by GAC’s Suzanne Alexander. Country artists Joe Nichols and Steel Magnolia have previously been announced as performers at the charity event.
Additional participants include Danny Gokey, Bucky Covington, Joey + Rory, Ty Herndon, Sarah Darling, Burns & Poe, Tiffany, Katie Armiger, Joanna Smith, LoCash Cowboys, Carter’s Chord, Ashley Gearing, Danielle Peck, Stealing Angels, Margaret Durante and James Wesley, among others.
The event will benefit Musicians On Call, a nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to patients in health-care facilities. General admission tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster for $30 and a few VIP tickets are available for $75 and $125 at musiciansoncall.org. Doors open at 8 pm on June 7 and the show will start at 9 pm.
 
 

Weekly Chart Report (6/03/11)

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SPIN ZONE

Way Out West artist Shawna Russell hung out in the studio recently with Dusty Edwards (L) at KREK in Bristow, Oklahoma, to promote her latest single "Get Right Or Get Left."


A scant nine weeks is all it took for Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee” to make the top of the charts. It’s been on a rapid climb since its ACM Awards debut, and scoots ahead of last week’s No. 1, “Mean” by Taylor Swift. Justin Moore will also be vying for a No. 1 soon as “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” edges up to No. 3. Toby Keith’s “Somewhere Else” sits tight at No. 4, and Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” packs on 100 new spins to move up to No. 5.
Disproving all the naysayers, Scotty McCreery’s “I Love You This Big” (19 Ent./Mercury) gets a big 415 spin jolt and earns our Power Chart Debut at No. 59. McCreery’s fellow AI castmate Lauren Alaina is right outside the Top 80 with “Like My Mother Does,” which should make its first appearance in the next chart.

The Valory Music Co. artist Brantley Gilbert recently stopped by Detroit's WYCD to share some of his new music. Gilbert’s single “Country Must Be Country Wide” is currently No. 33 on the CountryBreakout Chart. (L-R): Gilbert, WYCD PD Tim Roberts


It might be a little tight at the top of the chart, but there’s room for movement in the second half. Brad Paisley’s “Remind Me” featuring Carrie Underwood is off to a great start, zooming up to No. 42 in its second week. Phil Vassar’s “Let’s Get Together” is also on the move as it jumps to No. 51. Ash Bowers’ “I Still Believe In That” moves No. 54-50, Jennette McCurdy’s “Generation Love” is up to No. 55, and Jerrod Niemann’s “One More Drinkin’ Song” makes a strong debut at No. 72
Frozen Playlists: KBCR, KICR, KITX, KNCQ, KVVP, WBYZ, WCMS, WHWK, WKDZ, WKWS, WTCM, WTCR
RADIO NEWS

Cadillac Jack


KCYE/Las Vegas MD and host of Westwood One’s syndicated Stars of Country Cadillac Jack has signed a management deal with Josh Robbins (JR-Management) of BNA Talent Group in Nashville. Cadillac Jack’s career includes time in Detroit, Washington DC, and Philadelphia. He was a finalist for CMA Personality of the Year Award in 2001. Projects in the works under this management deal include a television series with help from Nashwood Productions. Contact Robbins at [email protected].
The New Mexico Broadcasters Association named MusicRow reporter KGRT/Las Cruces its 2011 Station of the Year. This is the station’s third win in the last five years, and they collected seven total awards including best Public Service Campaign, Complete Newscast Station, and Sports Play By Play.

KSMA/Mason City, IA recently helped raise funds for a local Relay For Life team, which smashed its original goal of $330 by raising over $2,500. KSMA OM J. Brooks helped motivate the fundraisers by offering to wear lipstick and kiss a pig if they raised over $1,800. Brooks followed through on his promise, and even sent us photos of the humiliation.


WZZS/Zolfo Springs, FL has hired Billy Brown to take over PD/MD duties, effective Monday 6/6. He replaces BJ Odom, who will take on a part time role voicetracking afternoons as he focuses on touring with his stand-up comedy. Reach Billy at [email protected].
WQRB/Eau Claire, WI’s morning team Mike McKay & Donuts was recently selected as Wisconsin’s Best Morning Show, Medium Market, by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. Congratulate them at mikemckay@clearchannel.
 





Upcoming Singles
June 6
Jerrod Niemann/One More Drinkin’ Song/Sea Gayle/Arista
Big & Rich/Fake ID/Warner Bros.
Craig Campbell/Fish/Bigger Picture
LoCash Cowboys/You Got Me/R&J Records
June 13
Kellie Pickler/Tough/BNA
Lisa Matassa/Me Time/It Is What It Is/Nine North
• • • • •




New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Scotty McCreery/I Love You This Big/19 Ent./Mercury — 59
Jerrod Niemann/One More Drinkin’ Song/Arista — 72
Corey Wagar/Hurricane/GTR — 80
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Scotty McCreery/I Love You This Big/19 Ent./Mercury — 415
Brad Paisley feat. Carrie Underwood/Remind Me/Arista — 328
Darius Rucker/I Got Nothin’/Capitol — 301
Kenny Chesney feat. Grace Potter/You And Tequila/BNA — 255
Lady Antebellum/ Just A Kiss/Capitol — 227
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
David St. Romain/Twenty Years Late/Aria/Turnpike — 175
Jody Booth /Golddigger/Vigilante Music — 171
Lauren Alaina/Like My Mother Does — 170
Hunter Hayes/Storm Warning/Atlantic/Warner — 169
Shawna Russell/Get Right or Get Left/Way Out West Records — 164
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Scotty McCreery/I Love You This Big/19 Ent./Mercury — 33
Brad Paisley feat. Carrie Underwood/Remind Me/Arista — 20
Darius Rucker/I Got Nothin’/Capitol — 18
Phil Vassar/Let’s Get Together/Rodeowave — 14
Lauren Alaina/Like My Mother Does/19 Ent./Mercury — 11

Kenny Chesney visited with friends in radio backstage before the 'Goin Coastal' show in Columbia, SC. (L-R): WNOK APD/MD JR Reed; WCOS APD/MD Andy Woods; Chesney; WKXC OM/PD Tee Gentry.


Jason Jones (Warner Bros./WMN/New Revolution) stopped in to visit with KVOO/ Tulsa on his recent radio tour to support of his single “Ferris Wheel.” (L-R): KVOO’s Sunny Leigh, Jones, and KVOO PD Luke Jensen.

Shania Debuts First Single in Six Years

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The Oprah Winfrey Network will host the world premiere superstar Shania Twain’s first new music in six years a song titled, “Today Is Your Day.” The event takes place during the final episode of “Why Not? with Shania Twain” airing Sunday, June 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
As is fast becoming the custom, labels are treating single releases like an album launch. As a result, the song will be available on iTunes [exclusively] immediately following the Sunday premiere. Mercury Nashville will service the song to country radio stations after the show’s airing.
“Today Is Your Day” is the first song Twain has written solo in six years, and the creation process for the single was documented throughout the docu-series Why Not? with Shania Twain currently airing Sundays on OWN. Twain is seen as she works through the lyrics, meets with vocal doctors and a grief counselor and embarks on unexpected adventures throughout North America that test her courage and self-confidence in an effort to reclaim her life.
In an all new episode titled “Finding My Voice” airing this Sunday, June 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Twain has a one-on-one vocal training session with legendary vocal coach Eric Vetro before meeting with famed music producer David Foster to discuss producing her new single “Today is Your Day.” The song was ultimately produced by Twain and Nathan Chapman.
Twain then reaches the end of her tour on Sunday, June 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT in the finale episode titled “Endless Love,” as she marries Frederic Thiebaud and shares never-before-seen wedding footage from the Bahamas. As Twain faces her final challenge, recording a duet of “Endless Love” with superstar Lionel Richie, she reflects on the journey that has brought her to this point in her life.
A five-time Grammy Award winner, Twain has also achieved major success as a songwriter, winning 27 BMI Songwriter awards. To date, she has sold over 75 million albums worldwide, including more than 50 million in the U.S., making her the top-selling female country artist of all time.
 
 

Republic Nashville Adds Crystal Williams

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Crystal Williams


Crystal Williams has joined Republic Nashville’s Promotion team as Director Southwest Promotion. “I am so thankful for this opportunity and am excited to be joining a team of such passionate and talented people. Although I will miss my friends and family in Florida, I am looking forward to starting this new chapter in my life with Republic Nashville!” says Williams.
In this new role, she will be based in Austin, TX, coordinating radio promotion in the Southwest region. The Republic Nashville roster includes Martina McBride, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band and Sunny Sweeney.
Crystal began her career in radio at Quantum Communications, as an on-air personality, production assistant and in the promotion department. From there she went on to become an Assistant Engineer doing studio work at Destin Recording. Most recently, Crystal spearheaded entertainment initiatives at The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL, where she served as the Assistant Talent Buyer, Artist Liaison and Promoter.
Williams reports directly to National Director of Promotion, Matthew Hargis, and can be reached at 850.420.2243 or [email protected]. Congratulate her here.
 

Rascal Flatts Announce Flatts Fest Tour

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Rascal Flatts will launch its new tour Flatts Fest on June 18 in Bristow, Virginia, and the trek will take the trio to 23 total cities with opening acts Sara Evans, Easton Corbin and Justin Moore. Full dates are included below.
The tour promises to be an entire experience, with a karaoke challenge, a wedding chapel, a scavenger hunt and more. The “Flatts Fest Karaoke Challenge” will offer fans a chance to open for Rascal Flatts at one of their 2012 tour stops, depending on winner’s hometown. Radio and label personnel will be on hand to judge the talent, and the winner will get to meet the band backstage and have his or her performance played during the show. The grand prize winner receives a trip to the Smoky Mountains to record a CD courtesy of the Chartbuster Experience, as well as opening one show of Flatts’ 2012 tour.
One listener will also be able to take the hand of the one they love at the “Flatts Fest Why Wait Chapel,” in the middle of the pre-show festivities. Local stations will pre-qualify five listeners for the ceremony, and one winner’s name will be drawn before the show. The winning couple will get to meet the band backstage and will be entered in the grand prize drawing for a honeymoon trip to Las Vegas.
The fun doesn’t stop there. The “Flatts Fest Scavenger Hunt” lets attendees use their cell phones and on-site wi-fi to hunt down signs for chances to win a prize. Fans can also stop by the Fan Zone to check out the Rascal Flatts museum with music videos and photo opportunities.
2011 Rascal Flatts/Flatts Fest dates:
6-18 — Bristow, VA (Jiffy Lube Live)
6-19 — Virginia Beach, VA (Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach)
6-24 — Oshkosh, WI** (Country Festival USA)
6-25 — Chicago, IL (First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre)
6-26 — Maryland Heights, MO (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
7-8 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Blossom Music Center)
7-9 — Camden, NJ (Susquehanna Bank Center)
7-17 — Craven, SK** (Craven Country Jamboree)
7-22 — Cincinnati, OH (Riverbend Music Center)
7-23 — Noblesville, IN (Verizon Wireless Music Center)
7-24 — Twin Lakes, WI** (Country Thunder Festival)
7-28 — Atlanta, GA (Lakewood)
7-29 — Charlotte, NC (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
7-30 — Raleigh, NC (TWC Music Pavilion)
8-4 — Detroit, MI (DTE Energy Music Theatre)
8-6 — Detroit Lakes, MN** (WE Fest)
8-11 — Hartford, CT (Comcast Theatre)
8-12 — Darien Lake, NY (Darien Lakes PAC)
8-13 — Ottawa, ONT** (Rideau Carelton Raceway-OLG Slots Casino)
8-19 — Tampa, FL (1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre)
8-20 — West Palm Beach, FL (Cruzan Amphitheatre)
8-27 — Oro Station, ONT** (Burls Creek Family Event Park)
9-9 — Salt Lake City, UT (USANA Amphitheatre)
9-10 — Denver, CO (Comfort Dental Amphitheatre)
9-11 — Albuquerque, NM (HardRock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion)
9-15 — Sacramento, CA (Sleep Train Amphitheatre)
9-16 — Mountain View, CA (Shoreline Amphitheatre)
9-17 — San Bernardino, CA (San Manuel Amphitheatre)
9-18 — San Diego, CA (Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre)
**Not a Flatts Fest date