Artist Updates: Vince Gill, Paul Franklin Team For 'Bakersfield'

Vince Gill and steel guitarist Paul Franklin will release the project Bakersfield on July 30 on MCA Nashville. Gill and Franklin will pay tribute to the Bakersfield sound by performing songs from Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. The project, recorded in two days at Gill’s home studio, also features John Hobbs (piano), Greg Morrow (drums), Willie Weeks and Brad Albin (bass), J.T. Corenflos (electric rhythm guitar), and Time Jumpers Kenny Sears, Larry Franklin, Joe Spivey (fiddle) and Dawn Sears on harmony vocals. Gill performs all acoustic and electric guitar fills and solos.
“This is just as much a guitar record for me as it is a singing record,” Gill says, “But it was fun for me to sing a whole record of the greatest songs ever. I guess what I’m real proud of is that when it’s one of Buck’s songs, I sing it very much in that vein. And the Haggard songs are very much in the vein he sang. With Buck’s songs, you won’t find much vibrato in my vocals, and with Merle’s, it will come down to a low note and that quiver.”
“This may be Vince’s greatest project,” Franklin declares. “What a showcase! I’ve heard him sing for 30 years, but he sings licks on this record I never heard before.”

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Billy Joe Shaver will perform at Nashville’s Exit/In with Chuck Mead on Friday, June 14. Mead will take the stage at 10 p.m., followed by Shaver at 11 p.m.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at exitin.com.
 

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Drake White

Chris Young recently got fans involved with sharing the details of his upcoming fourth studio album, A.M., which will release on Sept. 17. Shots of fans holding signs with the name of the album title and release date were culled together using social media outlet Vine.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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