Chase Rice Launching Back To College Tour In April

Chase Rice. Photo: Cody Cannon

Chase Rice. Photo: Cody Cannon

Chase Rice got his start playing the college circuit, and he’ll revisit those roots with the Back to College Tour starting on April 14 at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida.

Other dates include: the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (where Rice attended college) on April 16; Gannon University and Edinboro University in Erie, Pennsylvania, on April 19; Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, on April 21; Southern Illinois University in Carbondale on April 23; East Georgia State College in Swainsboro on April 29; and Western Connecticut State University in Danbury on May 6.

The concert series is presented by Campus Event Networks, an online resource for college concert programmers.

Rice just released a new single, “Whisper,” from his upcoming second album on Columbia Nashville/Dack Janiels. The single will officially go for adds on Feb. 29, with a new album to follow in 2016. His hits include “Ready, Set, Roll” and “Gonna Wanna Tonight.” He is currently nominated for ACM Top New Male Vocalist.

“We wanted to take our time with this new album and I want to put the good, the bad and all the grit in between into these songs,” Rice says. “The fans in a lot of these cities have been there for me since day one, so I’m looking forward to playing them some new music live and bringing them along on the next step of our journey.”

Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton Claim Multiple Grammys; Meghan Trainor, Little Big Town Win

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By the time Taylor Swift took the stage to open the 58th annual Grammy Awards, the multi-talented entertainer had already heard her name called twice in the winners category. Clad in a bedazzled bodysuit, Swift belted her latest single “Out Of The Woods.”

During the pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony, Swift earned Best Pop Vocal Album for 1989, and the clip for “Bad Blood” (ft. Kendrick Lamar) earned an honor for Best Music Video.

Swift later earned Album of the Year for her project 1989.

“I want to thank the fans for the past 10 years,” said Swift. She thanked Max Martin and all of her collaborators. She also took the opportunity to strike back at her opponents and encourage young dreamers.

“As the first woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammy’s twice, I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success, or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame. But if you just focus on the work, and you don’t let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you’re going, you’ll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there, and that will be the greatest feeling in the world.”

Chris-Stapleton-TravellerChris Stapleton’s musical momentum steamrolled right to the Grammy stage. During the show, Stapleton picked up the honor for Best Country Album for Traveller, which was co-produced by Dave Cobb. He earned a trophy earlier in the evening for Best Country Solo Performance, for the song “Traveller.”

“I’d like to thank Taylor Swift for glitter bombing me before I got up here for this,” Stapleton said during his acceptance for Best Country Album. “This is something you would never dream of and I’m so grateful for it,” said Stapleton. Newcomer and Grammy nominee Cam also made an appearance during the evening, presenting the Best Country Album honor.

“Thanks to our families for putting up with us and thanks to Chris for letting me get in the studio with him,” said Cobb.

The Grammy awards showcased two of Nashville’s most popular artists early in the show, pairing Sam Hunt and Carrie Underwood for a smoldering mashup of Hunt’s “Take Your Time,” with Underwood’s “Heartbeat.”

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor

Though Hunt didn’t win the all-genre Best New Artist award, another artist with Nashville ties—“All About That Bass” singer Meghan Trainor—did. Trainor is signed with Nashville publishing company Big Yellow Dog, and was a Nashville resident during the recording of her album, Title.

“Oh I’m a mess,” said Trainor through tears. “I have to thank L.A. Reid for looking at me like an artist instead of just a songwriter. My mom and dad for always believing me. I’m a mess. I have to go cry. Thank you to The Grammys. I love you so much.”

Alabama Shakes earned Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for “Don’t Wanna Fight.” The group’s lead singer Brittany Howard has a home in Nashville. During the pre-telecast, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jason Isbell picked up Grammys for Best Americana Album (Something More Than Free) and Best American Roots Song (“24 Frames”).

Country performers graced the Grammy stage throughout the evening.

Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild more than held the crowd’s attention with her strong alto, blended with the lush harmonies of her bandmates on “Girl Crush,” complemented by a full string orchestra.

The group’s song garnered two trophies during the 48th annual Grammy awards. “Girl Crush” earned the honors of Best Country Song for the songwriters (Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose) and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for Little Big Town during the pre-telecast festivities.

This is the band’s second Grammy, following a 2012 trophy for “Pontoon.”

Luke Bryan paid tribute to Lionel Richie with a rendition of “Penny Lover,” in a collaboration with Meghan Trainor, Tyrese Gibson, Demi Lovato, and John Legend. Legend led the tribute with a piano-based offering of the Commodores breezy 1977 hit “Easy,” followed by Lovato’s soulful take on “Hello.” Gibson led the crowd in a rendition of The Commodores’ classic “Brick House.”

Chris Stapleton lent his burly vocals and easygoing guitar skills to a tribute to the late blues legend B.B. King. Stapleton was joined by Bonnie Raitt, and Gary Clark Jr. on “The Thrill Is Gone.”

For Swift, Stapleton, Little Big Town and Trainor, the thrill of a Grammy win is just beginning.

Exclusive: Producer/Songwriter Jeff Bhasker Conquers Rap, Pop, R&B, and Country

Jeff Bhasker. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Jeff Bhasker. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

“I’m driven to work with very unique and vulnerable singers with amazing voices and perspectives,” Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Jeff Bhasker tells MusicRow via phone from California. “I love mixing genres and defying a genre.”

MusicRow caught up with Bhasker weeks before his Grammy win for 2016 Producer of the Year on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.

Bhasker has carved a high-powered career out of the diversity of musical genres he’s worked in, with names including Alicia Keys, Drake, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Pink, Ed Sheeranfun., Bruno Mars and country newcomer Cam peppering his resume. Bhasker has previously earned three Grammy wins for his work with fun. and West.

Ronson’s infectious pop-soul hit from early 2015, “Uptown Funk,” is the result of an approximately nine-month process of re-writing lyrics, and revamping melodies and production elements. Bhasker co-wrote the song with Ronson, Mars, and Philip Lawrence. “It took two minutes to create the first 16 bars, and then nine months to complete it and bring it to where we felt it needed to be,” said Bhasker. “Because the song was so great in the first 20 seconds, it was like, ‘How do we top that by the time we get to the chorus?’ So you’ve got something that is like a 10 and now you need something that is like a 10.5 and you need to fill in the gaps perfectly to get there. It sucks when you have a great idea but no chorus, because when you get to the chorus, it better not let you down. Putting all those pieces together was like a Rubik’s Cube.”

The struggle paid off; “Uptown Funk” topped the Nielsen Soundscan rankings.

Bhasker brought that same tenacity and passion to his work with country newcomer (and MusicRow 2016 Next Big Thing artist) Cam. Bhasker was introduced to Cam’s talent both as a songwriter and artist while she was working with songwriter-producer Tyler Johnson. “They were working on music for the current album, and they worked on music at my studio,” says Bhasker. “I had seen them perform live, and I was like, ‘Wow, she has an amazing voice, and these songs are great.’ While they were working on new music, I would give some comments and critiques and they kind of kept taking that in and improving the songs. I really challenged them to make the music bulletproof and was really nitpicky about everything. After a while, there was nothing left for me to nitpick.”

Bhasker signed Cam to a development deal under his independent company KRAVENWORKS, working with her on songs and recordings, and introducing her to labels. Cam would go on to sign with Arista Nashville/RCA Records and release the 11-track album Untamed. Bhasker co-wrote and produced Cam‘s single “Burning House,” which was nominated for a Grammy this year in the Best Country Solo Performance category. “I wanted to take the step of signing an artist,” he says. “I had never dreamed it would be a country artist. I was just so impressed with her voice, their songwriting and just the energy of the whole project that I asked her to sign with me and we eventually wound up at RCA.”

“Burning House,” a somber ballad free from layers of production, is a departure from the sound country radio has embraced in the past several years. “We definitely took radio into account,” says Bhasker. “But I think, in any genre, if the song is great and the vocal is great, it’s going to win. I had to study the sound of country radio a bit. We almost under-produced [“Burning House”] and let her voice and the song do the talking. That was the way to go for me. We tried adding more and more stuff to it, but then we just said, ‘Let’s strip it back all the way.’

“Over the years, I learned that less is more,” he continues. “It makes things sound bigger and more epic when there is space for the important parts to exist. I always want the artist to shine through. I never want anyone to hide behind the production.”

Though Cam was Bhasker’s first signing, he had previously worked with another country-tinged singer-songwriter. Bhasker produced the songs “Holy Ground” and “The Lucky One” for Taylor Swift’s 2012 album Red.

He recalls, “She showed up to my little studio in Venice with her guitar and sat down and said, ‘I wrote this song [“The Lucky One”] and I want you to produce it.’ She played it sitting on my couch and blew me away. When you find an artist that can just present a song in its entirety that’s perfect, it’s like, ‘Ok, let’s work from here and let me add something that’s from my world onto it.’ But you only need like…two cool things and you’re golden. I’m really proud of those songs.”

As for future work, Bhasker’s love of unique performers leaves him open to the possibility of working more in the country field. “It definitely opened up a world to me that I hadn’t been exposed to,” he continues. “I hold in high regard the tradition of songwriting and musicianship that comes from Nashville and country music. It’s a special American tradition that I had a lot of fun digging into. I always try to learn something from music, and what it means in the context of musical history.”

Granger Smith Accepts His First MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coin

Pictured (L-R): Granger Smith; Troy Stephenson, MusicRow Chart Director. Photo: Molly Hannula

Pictured (L-R): Granger Smith; Troy Stephenson, MusicRow Chart Director. Photo: Molly Hannula

After earning his first chart-topping single on this week’s MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart, Granger Smith collected his No. 1 Challenge Coin at the MusicRow office on Monday (Feb. 15). During his visit with the staff, he emphasized the importance of MusicRow’s secondary radio chart for artists who build their fan base through touring in smaller markets.

Photo (L-R): Troy Stephenson, Chart Director; Granger Smith; Sherod Robertson, Owner/Publisher, MusicRow. Photo: Molly Hannula

Photo (L-R): Troy Stephenson, Chart Director; Granger Smith; Sherod Robertson, Owner/Publisher, MusicRow. Photo: Molly Hannula

“Backroad Song” is the lead track from his upcoming album, Remington, scheduled for a March 4 release on Wheelhouse Records. Smith co-wrote 13 out of the 15 tracks on the album. His comedic alter ego, Earl Dibbles Jr., also appears on the project.

After developing his career as an independent artist in Texas, Smith signed to Wheelhouse Records in August. Smith was selected in December as one of MusicRow’s Next Big Thing artists of 2016.

Instituted in 2014, MusicRow‘s No. 1 Challenge Coins are presented to artists and songwriters who reach No. 1 on MusicRow‘s CountryBreakout Chart.

Pictured (L-R): Eric Parker, Molly Hannula, Troy Stephenson, Granger Smith, Sherod Robertson, Jessica Nicholson, Craig Shelburne.

Pictured (L-R): Eric Parker, Molly Hannula, Troy Stephenson, Granger Smith, Sherod Robertson, Jessica Nicholson, Craig Shelburne.

Grammy Winners: Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, Taylor Swift, Jason Isbell, Meghan Trainor

Little Big Town. Photo: Grammy.com

Little Big Town. Photo: Grammy.com

Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, Taylor Swift and Jason Isbell were among the winners announced at the Grammy Awards pre-telecast on Monday (Feb. 15) in Los Angeles.

And a few hours later, during the televised portion, Little Big Town took to the stage, Stapleton and Swift returned to the podium, and Meghan Trainor tearfully accepted the trophy for Best New Artist.

Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” picked up Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Its trio of writers (Liz Rose, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna) earned Best Country Song. Stapleton’s Traveller won Best Country Solo Performance. Later in the night, Traveller picked up the Grammy for Best Country Album.

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Grammy.com

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Grammy.com

From the podium at the pre-telecast, Stapleton said, “I’ve never had one of these and that’s amazing. I’ve been sitting out in this audience a couple of different times. Third time’s a charm I guess.” He also thanked his wife Morgane, producer Dave Cobb, and the band and crew on his record. 

Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild said, “Thank you the beautiful writers for this gorgeous song. Thank you for bringing us to this big ole party. Jay Joyce for killing this record in the studio, you just made the most beautiful music.”

“This is the best thing ever,” said Phillip Sweet. The band also performed “Girl Crush” on the show. Although it was nominated for overall Song of the Year, that honor went to Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge for “Thinking Out Loud.”

The first Grammy award of the day went to Taylor Swift for 1989. The Big Machine Records artist’s project earned Best Pop Vocal Album during the Grammy Awards’ pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony. Swift was not in attendance. Jack Antonoff, one of the producers of 1989, accepted on behalf of Swift — and then called Swift while on stage.

That’s not the only time Swift’s name was called as part of the winner’s list. She thanked fans for the last 10 years when 1989 claimed the all-genre Album of the Year trophy near the end of the night. In addition, the video clip for “Bad Blood” (ft. Kendrick Lamar) was honored with the Grammy for Best Music Video. The clip was directed by Joseph Kahn and produced by Ron Mohrhoff.

The majority of this year’s 83 awards categories were handed out during the Grammy premiere ceremony, which aired live on grammy.com.

Jason Isbell earned two Grammy honors, for Best American Roots Song (“24 Frames”) and Best Americana Album for Something More Than Free. “Thanks to my rock and roll band when I played on this song,” Isbell said during his Best American Roots Song acceptance speech.

“Thanks to Dave Cobb for producing the album and song, and for doing a fantastic job. Thanks to everyone from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, for teaching me how to make music in the first place.”

Also winning an early Grammy nod was Nashvillian Jack White, along with Susan Archie and Dean Blackwood, in the category of Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, for The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32).

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media went to Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me. The soundtrack’s producer and Big Machine Label Group VP A&R, Julian Raymond, stated, “God Bless Glen Campbell. Thank you to the best music company in the world – Scott Borchetta and the Big Machine Label Group – for releasing and supporting the soundtrack. And to James Keach for making a masterpiece of a film. Love to my wife Dorrie and our son Max and daughter Ava. And finally to the GRAMMYs for supporting Glen, his work and legacy for all these decades.”

Other selected winners during the Premiere Ceremony include:

Best Reggae Album: Morgan Heritage, Strictly Roots

Best Bluegrass Album: The SteelDrivers, Muscle Shoals Recordings

Best Folk Album: Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “Holy Spirit,” Francesca Battistelli 

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: This Is Not A Test, TobyMac

Best Roots Gospel Album: Still Rockin’ My Soul, The Fairfield Four

The Recording Academy’s top honors will be announced during the 58th annual Grammy Awards, which begins tonight (Monday, Feb. 15) at 7 p.m. CT.

Ronnie Milsap Celebrates 40 Years Of Opry Membership

Ronnie Milsap performs at the Grand Ole Opry on Feb. 12, 2016, for the 40th anniversary of his membership. Photo: Chris Hollo.

Ronnie Milsap performs at the Grand Ole Opry on Feb. 12, 2016, for the 40th anniversary of his membership. Photo: Chris Hollo.

Ronnie Milsap took center stage at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday night (Feb. 12) as he celebrated the 40th anniversary of his induction.

“Before I joined the Opry in 1976, Jeanne Pruett was always getting me to come out here and guest,” Milsap said. “Eventually she said, ‘I think you need to join the Grand Ole Opry.’ And I said, ‘Well, how do you do that?’ All of a sudden, one night I was over here and Mr. Roy Acuff came up to me in the hall and said, ‘Hey, Ronnie, you want to be a member of the Opry?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He said, ‘Okay, then, you’re going to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry.’”

Before taking the stage, the country legend celebrated with friends, family members, and fellow artists in the Opry House’s backstage Family Room with a cake marking the occasion. Later introduced on stage by fellow Opry and Country Music Hall of Famer Connie Smith, Milsap reflected on the night he joined the Opry (on Feb. 6, 1976).

“I was so happy that night Roy Acuff inducted me,” Milsap began, shouting Acuff’s moniker “the KING of country music!” After the show, Milsap met fans outside The Opry Shop, celebrating that day’s release of his latest album, Gospel Greats.

“Ronnie Milsap is one-of-a-kind at the Opry and in country music,” said Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher. “His style transcends musical boundaries and his exuberant spirit makes its mark on the Opry every time he comes home to visit.”

Born blind in North Carolina, Milsap lived with his grandmother until he was 6 years old. He attended Morehead State School for the Blind in Raleigh, where he was given strict classical training. But late at night he listened to his favorite country, gospel, and R&B broadcasts. The music reminded him of home.

Milsap studied pre-law at Young Harris Junior College near Atlanta, Georgia, eventually earning a scholarship to Emory University. Instead of continuing with law, he threw himself into music, forming his own band. During the mid-’60s, he landed a stint with J.J. Cale and session work with producer Chips Moman, notably on Elvis Presley’s “Kentucky Rain” and “Don’t Cry Daddy.”

In 1973, Milsap moved from Memphis to Nashville. He was signed by RCA and released the two-sided hit, “All Together Now (Let’s Fall Apart)” and “I Hate You.” He followed with “That Girl Who Waits on Tables” and “Pure Love.”

A year later, he had three No. 1 songs. The flood of hits wouldn’t let up for 15 years: “Daydreams About Night Things,” “(I’m A) Stand by My Woman Man,” “Smoky Mountain Rain,” “Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night),” “How Do I Turn You On” and “Don’t You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me” all stormed the charts.

Along with his multiple gold and platinum albums, Milsap has earned six Grammys and numerous CMA and ACM Awards. He’s a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Pictured (L-R): Eddie Stubbs, Connie Smith, and Ronnie Milsap. Photo: Chris Hollo

Pictured (L-R): Eddie Stubbs, Connie Smith, and Ronnie Milsap. Photo: Chris Hollo

Bluebird In The Boro Concerts Announce Songwriter Lineups

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The third annual Bluebird In The Boro concert series benefiting Alive Hospice will take place Feb. 29 to March 2 at the Mayday Brewery in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The event will be staged using the signature Bluebird set-up, with songwriters performing in the round and the audience seated around them.

Confirmed songwriters are as follows:

Monday, Feb. 29 at 6 p.m.: Marshall Altman, Dylan Altman, Marla Cannon-Goodman, Matt Warren

Tuesday, March 1 at 6 p.m.: Jeff Cohen, James Slater, JT Harding, Walker County

Wednesday, March 2 at 6 p.m.: Tim James, Dan Couch, Danny Myrick

General admission tickets are $100 and include dinner from Five Senses, drinks and an evening of live music. Proceeds will help Alive Hospice build The Residence at Alive Hospice – Murfreesboro, Rutherford County’s first dedicated hospice care facility.

Songwriters Circle seats are available for $1,000 for two seats including dinner, drinks, two Bluebird In The Boro T-shirts, two Bluebird In The Boro posters and a copy of the new CD, Keeping It Original for Alive: A Celebration of Songwriters Benefiting Alive Hospice.

The event is presented by Reeves-Sain, Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital,96.3 Jack FMand WGNS.

Retired Pitcher Barry Zito Plays ASCAP Show At Bluebird Café

Pictured (l-r): ASCAP’s Michael Martin, songwriters Jameson Rodgers, Barry Zito, Marla Cannon-Goodman and Matt Jenkins, and ASCAP’s Robert Filhart.

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Michael Martin, songwriters Jameson Rodgers, Barry Zito, Marla Cannon-Goodman and Matt Jenkins, and ASCAP’s Robert Filhart.

Barry Zito, a former pitcher for the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants, performed for the first time in Nashville as a songwriter on Feb. 3. He appeared as part of an ASCAP showcase at the Bluebird Café.

Zito announced his retirement from professional baseball in October. He has turned his attention to songwriting full-time, according to a spokesperson for ASCAP.

He was joined in-the-round by hit songwriters Marla Cannon-Goodman and Matt Jenkins, and emerging songwriter-artist Jameson Rodgers.

Artist Updates: Sam Hunt, Maddie & Tae, Carrie Underwood, Lee Brice

Sam Hunt, Grammy Foundation Celebrates Music Education

Pictured (L-R): Tim Bucher, Grammy Foundation Board Chair; Phillip Riggs, Music Educator Award recipient; Pamela Alexander, Ford Motor Company director of community development; Sam Hunt, Grammy nominee; Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation; members of Grammy Camp - Jazz Session. Photo: The Recording Academy/WireImage.com, Jesse Grant

Pictured (L-R): Tim Bucher, Grammy Foundation Board Chair; Phillip Riggs, Music Educator Award recipient; Pamela Alexander, Ford Motor Company director of community development; Sam Hunt, Grammy nominee; Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation; members of Grammy Camp – Jazz Session. Photo: The Recording Academy/WireImage.com, Jesse Grant

Sam Hunt participated in the Grammy Foundation’s annual Grammy in the Schools Live! – A Celebration of Music & Education program, presented by Ford Motor Company Fund, on Thursday (Feb. 11), at Club Nokia in Los Angeles.

 

Maddie & Tae Visit Kelly and Michael

Pictured (L-R): Kelly Ripa, Tae Dye and Maddie Marlow of Maddie & Tae, Michael Strahan. Photo: David M. Russell, Disney/ABC Home Entertainment and TV Distribution

Pictured (L-R): Kelly Ripa, Tae Dye and Maddie Marlow of Maddie & Tae, Michael Strahan. Photo: David M. Russell, Disney/ABC Home Entertainment and TV Distribution

Maddie & Tae performed their current single, “Shut Up and Fish” for the first time on national television Thursday morning (Feb. 11) when they appeared on the series, Live with Kelly and Michael.

 

Carrie Underwood’s Dress Goes On Display

Carrie Underwood's dress from her "Something in the Water" music video.

Carrie Underwood’s dress from her “Something in the Water” music video.

The dress worn by Carrie Underwood in her music video for “Something in the Water” is part of a new display at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando in Orlando, Florida.

The property has completed a multi-million dollar renovation for its 15th anniversary this year.

The collection also includes: the suit John Lennon wore in the Beatles’ classic 1964 film debut, A Hard Day’s Night; a latex gown worn by Lady Gaga; Keith Richards’ five-string guitar used during the Stones’ Some Girls tour; and a jumpsuit worn on stage by Michael Jackson during the Jacksons’ 1984 Victory Tour.

“As music is a universal language and Hard Rock celebrates music that spans all genres and eras, we wanted the new memorabilia collection to celebrate iconic names in music’s past and present,” says Jerry Fraize, Director of Memorabilia for Hard Rock International.

Hard Rock has more than 800,000 pieces of music memorabilia in its curated collection.

 

Lee Brice Meets WRTB’s Justin Brown

Pictured (L-R): Justin Brown, Lee Brice.

Pictured (L-R): Justin Brown, Lee Brice.

Lee Brice poses with WRTB 95-3 The BULL Programming Coordinator Justin Brown before Brice’s show in Rockford, Illinois, on Friday (Feb. 12). WTRB is the latest station to join MusicRow’s reporting panel

Skyville Live Confirms Patti Austin, Andra Day, Miesa For Feb. 25

Skyville 2-25

The next edition of the Emmy-nominated webcast Skyville Live will feature vocal stylist Patti Austin, soul sensation Andra Day, and rising R&B/pop star Miesa. Filmed in Nashville, the show will stream live exclusively via go90, a free mobile video platform available across all wireless carriers, and on AOL.com.

Austin stepped onto the stage of the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem when she was just 4 years old at the urging of music legend Dinah Washington. Austin rocketed to the top of the New York session scene in the ’70s, adding her distinctive voice to recordings by Paul Simon, Diana Ross, James Brown, Bette Midler, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and many others. Later, she signed with Quincy Jones’ Quest label and achieved mainstream success with her Grammy-nominated hit “Baby Come To Me” and Oscar-nominated “How Do You Keep the Music Playing.” In 2007, she won a Grammy for her solo album, Avant Gershwin. Fans can look forward to Austin’s new radio show SiriusXM this spring, as well as a Duke Ellington big band tribute. She is continuing her philanthropic work with The Over My Shoulder Foundation, which she created to encourage mentoring in all walks of life, and will also be touring worldwide throughout 2016.

With a vintage flair and voice for the ages, Day has perfected the American soul sound and has already earned a Grammy nomination for her debut album, Cheers To The Fall (Buskin/Warner Bros. Records). Her song “Rise Up” was hand-selected by the team at Beats By Dre to appear in a campaign around tennis superstar Serena Williams’ run during the U.S. Open and was also nominated for a Grammy (Best R&B Performance).

Miesa is a 24-year-old R&B/pop star on the rise. Born to a Haitian mother and a Filipino father, she showed her talent early on guitar, piano and clarinet. After hearing Miesa’s vocals on a demo earmarked for Kelly Rowland, Chauncy Jackson of Siri Music Group signed her. Her first single is “Antidote.” Drawing from influences Nina Simone, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse, Miesa is wrapping her debut album, which will release early this summer via Siri Music Group (Capitol/Caroline). Her latest single is “Too Bad For You.”