Mandisa Finds Light After The Darkness On New CD, Out in May

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Mandisa will release her first album in four years, Out Of The Dark, on May 19. The aptly-titled project is her first since battling depression for the past few years, a fight she is transparent about on the new collection, which will be released by Capitol CMG. A new single from the album, “Unfinished,” lands at radio today. The singer will appear on Good Morning America in an exclusive interview on April 26, her first in over three years, to discuss the new music and perform. 

“My hope is that people will be on this journey with me,” explains Mandisa. “When I began, I was in a really dark place, but where I am today is so much better and so much lighter!”

Mandisa has been touring across the country playing 30 arenas as part of TobyMac’s Hits Deep Tour alongside Matt Maher, Mac Powell from Third Day, Capital Kings, Ryan Stevenson and Hollyn. The tour will wrap on April 9 at Indianapolis’ Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Out Of The Dark will be available for pre-order on April 7.

RaeLynn’s ‘Wildhorse’ Running Free On NPR

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RaeLynn’s debut album Wildhorse is streaming exclusively and in its entirety as an NPR First Listen beginning yesterday (March 16) through its release March 24. 

Produced by Jimmy Robbins and Nicolle Galyon, RaeLynn co-wrote 11 of the album’s 12 tracks, including the powerful first single, “Love Triangle,” a divorce ballad told from a little girl’s point of view.

The former Voice star has been busy on the road touring with Blake Shelton and will wrap the Doing It To Country Songs Tour in Omaha, Nebraska tomorrow (March 18). She will kick off her first-ever headlining RaVe Tour April 20.

Artist Action: Luke Bryan at Houston Rodeo, Clay Walker’s Chords of Hope, Aaron Watson Featured by NRA Country

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Clay Walker

Clay Walker will host his benefit concert Chords of Hope in partnership with his charity Band Against MS (BAMS) in Nashville on June 6 at 3rd & Lindsley. The event, now in its eighth year, will feature surprise performances and will raise money to fund research, education and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. Chords of Hope has raised well over $200K just for the MS Center at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Doors open at 6 p.m., and fans can purchase tickets here.

“This is our 8th year putting together Chords of Hope and every year the event and even the fans who come out and support keep getting better,” said Walker. “The amount of money that continues to get raised to help support research and education through BAMS and the MS Center at Vanderbilt is incredible and this night is truly a special one for me and for Music City!”

Band Against MS was founded by Walker in 2003 with the goal of helping others living with the same disease he has battled since 1996. To date, BAMS has raised more than 4.5 million dollars.

 

ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee and four-time show co-host Luke Bryan performed at the Houston Rodeo last night (March 16) as the biggest country act to play this year with a crowd of 75,500 screaming fans. Last night marked Bryan’s fifth consecutive year at the rodeo.

“It continues to be an honor to play here at the Rodeo,” shared Bryan. “The fans are so energetic and make this such an incredible night. This is one I always look forward to doing!”

Bryan will wrap his Kill The Lights Tour this weekend with two sold out shows in Orange Beach, Alabama. The tour launched in February 2016.  

Coming up, Bryan will appear as the skilled adviser for friend Blake Shelton’s team on NBC’s The Voice March 20 & 21 and March 27 & 28. On Sunday, April 2 Bryan will co-host the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards with Dierks Bentley from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at 8:00 p.m. ET/delayed PT on CBS.

 

Aaron Watson has been chosen as NRA Country’s Featured Artist for the month of March. To celebrate, the Texas native will be joining NRA Country in offering an exclusive giveaway with one lucky fan winning a prize pack featuring airfare and hotel accommodations to the NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta, VIP tickets to the NRA Country Jam concert on April 28 and NRA’s Saturday night concert on April 29, and other prizes.

Watson’s new album, VAQUERO, debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart and #2 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Lindsay Ell’s ‘Worth The Wait’ EP Releases March 24

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Lindsay Ell will release her debut Stoney Creek EP Worth The Wait on March 24. Produced by Kristian Bush, the six-song collection includes tunes written by Caitlyn Smith, Ryan Hurd, Travis Meadows, and more.

The EP delves into relationship territory on tunes like “Waiting On You,” and “Criminal,” and Ell caps off the project with a cover of John Mayer‘s “Stop This Train,” which showcases the young singer’s guitar chops. The multi-instrumentalist has toured with Luke Bryan, Buddy Guy, The Band Perry, and Keith Urban, and wowed audiences as Carrie Underwood’s guitar player live on the “50th Annual CMA Awards.” She is currently on tour with Brad Paisley as part of his Life Amplified World Tour.

Worth The Wait Track Listing:
1) “Waiting on You” (Lindsay Ell, Adam Hambrick, Andrew DeRoberts)
2) “Criminal” (Lindsay Ell, Chris Stevens, Fred Wilhelm)
3) “Space” (Caitlyn Smith, Heather Morgan, Maggie Chapman)
4) “Standing Here” (Melissa Peirce, Ryan Hurd, Chase McGill)
5) “Worth The Wait” (Lindsay Ell, Travis Meadows)
6) “Stop This Train” (John Mayer, Pino Palladion)

CMA Music Festival Artist Lineup Announced

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CMA announced the superstar lineup for the nightly concerts at CMA Music Fest 2017 earlier this morning on ABC’s Good Morning America, and the list of names taking the big stage at Nissan Stadium for country’s biggest week reads like a Billboard Top 100 list, with Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, and Miranda Lambert all set to perform on the nightly shows. Also performing during the nightly concerts will be Trace Adkins, John Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brett Eldredge, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum, Tracy Lawrence, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers, Darius Rucker, Chris Stapleton, Cole Swindell, Thomas Rhett, and Chris Young.

Monday through Wednesday of this week a different stage lineup was posted on CMAfest.com and on the CMA Fest mobile app as artists and fans posted their #CMAfest excitement and music education support on social media. The tweets and Instagram posts tagged were compiled into a virtual mosaic image of the CMA Fest logo that was revealed following today’s announcement of the lineup on Good Morning America.

Lineups for several of the other stages were revealed as well. Old Dominion will kick things off June 8 at the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage, which will also feature performances by A Thousand Horses, Lauren Alaina, Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Chase Bryant, Cam, Brandy Clark, Luke Combs, Easton Corbin, Russell Dickerson, Drake White and the Big Fire, Eli Young Band, Tyler Farr, High Valley, Home Free, Chris Janson, Jana Kramer, Chris Lane, LOCASH, Maddie & Tae, Neal McCoy, Scotty McCreery, William Michael Morgan, Joe Nichols, Jon Pardi, Parmalee, Eric Paslay, Kellie Pickler, RaeLynn, Michael Ray, Chase Rice, Canaan Smith, Corey Smith, Granger Smith, Josh Turner, Aaron Watson, and Brett Young.

The Chevrolet Park Stage will entertain crowds daily with performances by Drew Baldridge, Ryan Beaver, Big Smo, Bailey Bryan, Kristian Bush, Ruthie Collins, Travis Collins, Adam Craig, Jacob Davis, Cale Dodds, Casey Donahew, Clare Dunn, Brooke Eden, Lindsay Ell, Morgan Evans, Ryan Follese, Ryan Griffin, Trent Harmon, Walker Hayes, Sundance Head, LANCO, Jon Langston, Jackie Lee, Love and Theft, Steve Moakler, Muscadine Bloodline, Kyle Park, Carly Pearce, Luke Pell, Mo Pitney, Maggie Rose, Runaway June, Adam Sanders, Jamie Lynn Spears, The Railers, The Swon Brothers, Michael Tyler, Walker McGuire, Morgan Wallen, and Waterloo Revival.

The Gildan Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe will feature Abby Anderson, Chris Bandi, Risa Binder, Craig Wayne Boyd, Ashley Campbell, Colin Elmore & The Danville Train, Davisson Brothers Band, Fairground Saints, Filmore, Ben Gallaher, Haley Georgia, Jillian Jacqueline, Ryan Kinder, Trea Landon, Olivia Lane, Brandon Lay, Levon, Lillie Mae, Sean McConnell, Alyssa Micaela, Meghan Patrick, Jordan Rager, Brandon Ray, Restless Road, Tyler Rich, Dylan Schneider, Scooter Brown Band, Kalie Shorr, Jo Smith, Smithfield, Natalie Stovall, Tara Thompson, Walker County, Hailey Whitters, Alex Williams, and Carter Winter.

A limited number of tickets for the Nightly Concerts at Nissan Stadium are still available at CMAfest.com or through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST. Outdoor daytime stages including Chevrolet Riverfront and Park Stages, as well as the Gildan Broadway Stage at Hard Rock Cafe, are free and open to the public.

Ralph Stanley Concert Released In ‘Live At The Bottom Line’ Series

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A rare concert recording featuring Ralph Stanley performing at New York’s famed Bottom Line club, Ralph Stanley: Live At The Bottom Line, has been released and is in stores and available online now. The live set was recorded at the legendary Big Apple nightclub in 2002, and features many of Stanley’s best-known songs, including “Man of Constant Sorrow,” and “O Death.” He is backed by a host of prestigious musicians on the recording, with Stuart Duncan (violin), James Shelton (guitar), Dennis Crouch (bass), and Mike Compton (mandolin) performing with the bluegrass legend for the special evening.

The show marked the only time that Stanley played the venue, but he was one of many roots artists to showcase their talents at the hotspot, along with artists like Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Doc Watson, and Emmylou Harris.

“You could get the New York Times, and Rolling Stone, and The Daily News, and The New York Post, all covering your gig,” Bottom Line co-founder Allan Pepper said. “And the record companies would get celebrities to come to the shows, so suddenly you see Andy Warhol coming to see Dolly Parton, and there’s a picture and a big story about that. There was a buzz factor that played heavily into building this scene nationally. An artist could be on a morning or an evening news show, and could even do a live radio broadcast. In that way, New York was pretty big for the country music scene. Plus at our place, you could sit, and it was comfortable and intimate, and that was very important for getting the fans and press to come out. It was all part of the star-making machinery.”

The project is the first album released featuring the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor inductee since his passing in June 2016.

Live At The Bottom Line Track Listing:
1. O Death
2. Band Introductions
3. Girl from the Greenbriar Shore
4. False-Hearted
5. Henry Lee
6. I’ll Remember You Love, In My Prayers
7. Lift Him Up
8. Wild Bill Jones
9. Hemlocks & Primroses
10. Look On and Cry
11. Calling You
12. Pretty Polly
13. Great High Mountain
14. Man of Constant Sorrow
15. Amazing Grace

Garth To Open And Close 2018 RodeoHouston

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Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks will kick off next year’s RodeoHouston, set for February 27, and then close out the Livestock Show and Rodeo with a second show on March 18. The bookend performances will mark the first time in the history of the rodeo that one artist has both opened and closed the event.

“We are thrilled to welcome Garth Brooks back to the RodeoHouston stage,” said Jack A. Lyons, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo chairman of the board. “This is the first time in multi-entertainer show history that one artist has opened and closed RodeoHouston, and we could not think of a more engaging performer to take on this epic presentation.”

The 2018 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is scheduled to run February 27–March 18. Additional 2018 entertainers and ticket information will be announced at a later date. Fans attending this year’s show between March 20 and March 24 will receive instructions on how to enter a text-to-win contest for a chance to win 2018 season tickets. More than 61,000 tickets still remain for the 2017 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which runs through March 26, and are available at rodeohouston.com.

Weekly Chart Report (3/17/17)

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Click here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.

Performers Added To ACM Party For A Cause Lineup

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The Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced Thursday (March 16) that Chase Bryant, Easton Corbin, and Josh Turner among others have been added to the musical lineup for the 5th Annual ACM Party for a Cause. They join a lineup of performers set to take the stages at events taking place at various venues across Las Vegas on March 30 – April 2, 2017, surrounding the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards™, which will broadcast live from the new vT-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 8 p.m. ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

Additional performers and hosts include Cody Alan, American Young, Tucker Beathard, Bobby Bones, Ross Copperman, Adam Craig, Crook & Chase, DJ Bad Ash, DJ DU, Emerson Drive, Lucas Hoge, Tony Jackson, Olivia Lane, Hillary Lindsey, Shawn Parr from Nash Nights Live, Maddie & Tae, Lori McKenna, Jackson Michelson, Stephanie Quayle, Cole Swindell, The Swon Brothers, Trick Pony, Morgan Wallen and Storme Warren.

Previously announced performers include Lauren Alaina, Drew Baldridge, Kelsea Ballerini, Big & Rich, Lee Brice, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Bailey Bryan, Scooter Carusoe, Brent Cobb, Billy Currington, Dan + Shay, Clare Dunn, Russell Dickerson, Lindsay Ell, Seth Ennis, Florida Georgia Line, Ryan Follese, Kenny Foster, Ashley Gorley, Walker Hayes, HISH, Ryan Hurd, Chris Janson, Ryan Kinder, Lady Antebellum, Chris Lane, Luke Laird, LANCO, Tracy Lawrence, Jackie Lee, LOCASH, Love & Theft, Dustin Lynch, Shane McAnally, Scotty McCreery, Alyssa Micaela, Midland, William Michael Morgan, Kip Moore, Jerrod Niemann, Old Dominion, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Eric Paslay, RaeLynn, Michael Ray, John Rich, Darius Rucker, Runaway June, Dylan Scott, Aubrie Sellers, Dee Jay Silver, Chris Stapleton, Michael Tyler, Clay Walker, Aaron Watson, Hailey Whitters, and Brett Young.

The 5th ACM Party for a Cause will consist of 18 events across 13 venues featuring performances by over 80 artists during The Week Vegas Goes Country®, including three events at the official host hotel, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Sponsors for the 5th Annual ACM Party for a Cause are Country Rebel, Dr Pepper, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA), MillerCoors, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Security Benefit, Virginia Black.

DISClaimer: Indies, Newcomers Top The List

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Caroline Jones

The major labels are all missing in action this week, but that doesn’t mean that we have no reviewing work to do.

There are a host of indies out there just dying to fill any vacated playlist holes. And I always think it is a healthy sign when a listening session is filled with newcomers.

In fact, all of our best entries this week come from first timers. Marty Rhone, Ty Williams, Lisa Bouchelle, National Park Radio and Caroline Jones have the finest listening experiences this week.

Lisa Bouchelle is teamed with established star John Popper, so that kind of makes her ineligible for a DisCovery Award. Instead, her duet gets the Disc of the Day prize.

Among the other four, Caroline Jones has the most innovative sound, while Marty Rhone has the most ear-catching song. They share the DisCovery Award honor.

DANNY WORSNOP/Anyone But Me
Writers: Danny Worsnop/Terri Jo Box/Randall Clay; Producer: Jim Kaufman; Publishers: none listed, ASCAP; Earache (CDX)
– His tenor hurts in all the right places, but the production is pedestrian.

AARON COPELAND/Here She Comes
Writers: Aaron Copeland/Jamie Richards/Steve Helms; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; AC
– It’s a rocker that’s all revved up with nowhere to go. Both the song and his performance are simply ordinary.

CAMILLE RAE/But I Want You
Writers: Jaida Dreyer/Fred Wilhelm/Jay Knowles; Producers: Larry Beaird, Camille Rae, Amber Nicole Smith, Shawn Gough/Mikei Gray & Hunter Leith; CRM (track)
– Feisty and fierce. She’s trapped by a love she doesn’t want. The choppy, stomping track helps deliver the attitude.

BOBBY G. RICE/You Lay So Easy On My Mind
Writers: Rice/Rils/Fields; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Sony Cross Keys, ASCAP; Century II (track)
– This country veteran is back with a CD titled Then and Now that mixes new tunes with some of his oldies, such as “Freda Comes and Freda Goes,” “You Are My Special Angel” and “Woman Stealer.” Also among the latter is his biggest hit, 1973’s top-10 success “You Lay So Easy on My Mind.”

NATIONAL PARK RADIO/The Great Divide
Writers: Stefan Szabo; Producer: Derek Hames; Publishers: none listed; NPR (track)
– This Texas four-piece bursts out of the chute with this flashy tempo title tune of its new CD. Refreshing, bracing and breezy.

MARTY RHONE/Graceland On The Line
Writers: John St. Peeters/John Young; Producers: John St. Peeters/Michael Yule; Publishers: none listed; MRM (CDX)
– It’s a waltz that sung perfectly straight faced. He’s broken hearted and comforting himself by playing Elvis records when the phone rings. The King is calling to offer comforting words by using titles of some of his hits. I kept waiting for a punch line, but as goofy as it is, he means every word. Weirdly lovable.

TY WILLIAMS/Make America Great Again
Writers: Ty Williams/Stephen E. Grauberger; Producers: Paul Scholten, Stephen E. Grauberger & Michael Purcell; Publishers: none listed; Core Nashville
– It’s a deep-thunder rocker that urges us to, “do what’s right for the U.S.A.” I’m sorry, but I think that America has always been great. During the past eight years, the auto industry was saved, Bin Laden was killed and the economy was lifted out of a recession.

LISA BOUCHELLE & JOHN POPPER/Only The Tequila Talking
Writers: Lisa Bouchelle/John Eddie; Producer: Mike Rogers/Jeff Trott/Hal B. Selzer/Lisa Bouchelle; Publishers: none listed, ASCAP; InGrooves (CDX)
– She sings in a sunny, bright soprano and the tune is a bopping ditty about two boozers falling for each other. Duet partner Popper is best known as the frontman for Blues Traveler. He adds some much needed soul and grit to the proceedings. Highly listenable.

CAROLINE JONES/Tough Guys
Writer: CAroline Jones; Producers: Caroline Jones/Ric Wake; Publishers: none listed, BMI; FACTION/INTUNE
-The track has a sizzling sidewinder backbeat with hop-hop overtones. She wails and snarls quite effectively. The handclaps and whining electric guitar licks are also pluses. A very creative sound.