Lori McKenna Unveils Second Track From New CD

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Lori McKenna’s new song, “Young and Angry Again,” is being unveiled today (June 8). The song is the second track from her upcoming new album, The Tree, set for release July 20 on CN Records via Thirty Tigers. Each digital pre-order comes with an immediate download of “Young and Angry Again” as well as “People Get Old.”

The Tree is McKenna’s eleventh studio album and second working with producer Dave Cobb. 

In celebration of the release, McKenna will embark on “The Way Back Home Tour” this summer, which kicks off June 29 and includes stops in Boston, New York, DC, Chicago and Atlanta as well as Nashville’s CMA Theater, among others.

 

LORI MCKENNA’S “THE WAY BACK HOME TOUR”
June 14—Sylvania, OH—Centennial Terrace (supporting Alison Krauss)
June 15—Kettering, OH—Fraze Pavilion (supporting Alison Krauss)
June 29—Annapolis, MD—Rams Head On Stage
June 30—Northampton, MA—Iron Horse Music Hall
July 1—East Greenwich, RI—Greenwich Odeum
July 18—Boston, MA—City Winery
July 20—New York, NY—City Winery
July 21—Philadelphia, PA—World Café Live
July 22—Washington, DC—City Winery
August 3—Ann Arbor, MI—The Ark
August 4—Chicago, IL—City Winery
August 5—Minneapolis, MN—Dakota Jazz Club
August 15—Atlanta, GA—City Winery
August 16—Charlotte, NC—North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
August 17—Nashville, TN—CMA Theatre, Country Music Hall of Fame

Weekly Chart Report (6/8/18)

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

GLAAD And Ty Herndon’s Concert For Love And Acceptance Welcomed Surprises

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Pictured (L-R): GLAAD’s Vice President of Programs Zeke Stokes, Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, Terri Clark and Ty Herndon. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance

Country music legend Vince Gill surprised the sold-out audience at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon on Thursday evening (June 7) for GLAAD and Ty Herndon’s Concert for Love and Acceptance.

“As a young child I always heard the words that we are all created equal,” said Gill. “I believed that as a little boy and I believe that as a grown man.”

Cody Alan (L) and Cam (R). Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance

Also in the lineup were Tanya Tucker, Terri Clark, Billy Dean, Michael Ray, Cam, a cancer-free Anita Cochran, Cale Dodds, Britain’s Got Talent 2015 contestant Calum Scott and newcomer Parson James.

CMT Radio host Cody Alan again hosted the event, which has become a partnership with GLAAD.

Inspired by Herndon’s honesty and coming out as gay in 2014, Alan revealed publicly he was enjoying a new normal in his family life with his partner.

The LGBTQ media advocacy organization also announced a $2500 grant for young LGBTQ musicians called the Ty Herndon Rising Stars Grant. The grant is eligible to LGBTQ young people who are working to accelerate acceptance in the music industry.

Additional appearances were made by newcoming trio Temecula Road, Thompson Square, Shelly Fairchild, Cassadee Pope, Brandon Stansell, and WWE Superstars Lana and Sonya.

Partners included CMT, Ketel One Vodka, Nissan Mary Frances Rudy from Rudy Title & Escrow and Wade Weissmann Architecture.

Parson James. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance

Calum Scott. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance

Tanya Tucker. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance

Billy Dean. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance

Q&A: Dierks Bentley Fearlessly Turns A Seed Into A ‘Mountain’

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This is part two of a two-part series with MusicRow Magazine’s Sherod Robertson and multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley. Read part one here.

Dierks Bentley releases his highly anticipated ninth studio album, The Mountain, on Capitol Records Nashville today, Friday, June 8. Bentley, his co-writers and producers ventured to Telluride, Colorado to write and record the project, where the Rocky Mountains provided peace and inspiration. That vibe merged with his longtime themes of devotion to his family and fans to create The Mountain.

MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson recently caught up with Bentley at his writing room at Nashville’s Hutton Hotel to discuss planting creative seeds, fearlessly nurturing them, and growing them into a mountain.

Are there parallels between your new album and 2010’s Up on the Ridge?

There are, but I didn’t realize that going into it. Just like there were similarities between “Somewhere on a Beach” and “Drunk on a Plane.” But I didn’t realize it until I was doing the video for “Somewhere on a Beach” so I changed the whole video and made it a sequel video.

I never even thought about the ridge and mountain connection between those two until after I’d made the record. It’s like taking the Ridge record I made with Jon Randall and mixing that with my newer music with Ross Copperman. These two sounds are kind of like mixing together the albums Black and Up on the Ridge.

Jon Randall and Ross Copperman both produced this album. What did they each bring to the table?

It’s like putting together a hockey team. You’re bringing people with different strengths, different positions, and putting it all together. I feel like I had a really good team.

Ross brings so much youth, modernism, creativity and a great vibe. He’s just the happiest, most positive person I’ve ever been around. Nothing’s impossible and he’s always game for anything.

And I’ve never met anybody who can speak to musicians like Jon Randall. We worked together on Black. He just has a crazy vocabulary and a real calmness in the studio– a real pro and loves to geek out on stuff.

I used to read about people having executive producers, and thought that was kind of odd. But Arturo Buenahora is involved in everything about the album. He’s your biggest champion, and he’s digging around Music Row for great songs. He’s helped me put together great bands and there to say “no” to any idea or song that’s not right. He’s completely unbiased and if it’s a song is part of his publishing company, he’ll let you know.

When deciding which songs to put on an album, do you test them on the live audience to see the reaction?

I do, but it can be tricky. I played “Drunk on a Plane” one time in a theater and the reaction was terrible. They were really quiet, and they didn’t get it. And I was like, “See, that’s not a hit.” Maybe it was hard to hear the words or I didn’t set it up very well. And it threw me off the song for a little bit. Playing a song live is definitely not the most trusted barometer of whether or not it’s a hit.

It’s your gut and you can ask people around you. It’s like the stock market, where if everyone knew the answer, everyone would be a millionaire. But a song is probably harder, because nobody—even your record label or professional consultants—no one knows. That’s what makes it great. It’s like there’s an intangible thing about a hit song that you cannot use math to discover.

You’ve taken a few stylistic detours during your career. Where do you fall on the pendulum of being completely fearless versus taking calculated creative risks?

That’s a great question. I’m definitely totally fearless but there can be a fault with that too. When I quit everything to make a bluegrass record I wasn’t thinking about the business or touring. Behind my back, people were saying I was crazy and would never headline a tour again. I didn’t know any of it at the time, because luckily, people I count on like my manager Mary Hilliard Harrington, kind of shielded me from that.

I have a flip phone, so I don’t read Twitter or Instagram because it interferes with creating songs and albums. I want to put all my focus into this one thing I’ve been given a chance to do. How many people get to go to Mike Dungan’s office and try to get a record deal? I’m one of the few that’s got this great platform, and so to water down my work with my brain being filled with negativity, or thoughts about the business, or what other people are doing, or how radio’s going to react to it, it is not beneficial to making the best music. And it’s not being totally grateful for the platform I’ve been given. I just feel like I’m cheating everybody if I’m doing that.

I make pretty fearless decisions. When you’re planting a seed, which is what making an album is, you can’t let too many people have access to it or they’re going to crush it. You need to let it get some roots, and then you can bring people over to see what you’re growing. And still be protective of it, but you can allow other voices to be added. But at the end, it’s mine and so I guess I can live and die by my decisions.

And that’s something I’ve learned over time. The bluegrass record was the ultimate fearless decision. If I had been smart I would have made one song on it for radio. But I think since Up on the Ridge, I’ve really tried to make great albums and not focus on anything about a tour or writing a song that has a title that would sound good as a tour title.

So this is your ninth studio album with Capitol Records. I used to work for Mike Dungan back in the ‘90s at Arista. What’s your favorite thing about UMG Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan?

I am so sheltered from some of the drama at record labels on Music Row. I hear stories from other artists that are going through creative control issues—where they can’t even pick out the font on their album cover. And even big artists being told what songs to record.

With Dungan, it’s been nothing but a joy. He’s a record label president who loves music and the lifestyle. He’s fun. He loves his people. He’s like the Herb Kelleher of country music—the guy who started Southwest Airlines. He empowers the people around him. He does an annual event where the artists get together and play just for the staff. I’m not even allowed to bring my wife. It’s just to make it about the music one night a year, so that people remember why we’re doing what we do.

And he’s let me pick all my own singles. Over the years, I’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to listen to him and everyone at Capitol sometimes, than to just power your way through something. The biggest blessing I’ve had is that I side with him and I’ve had the support of that whole label, who have all been great people.

One other thing about Dungan, at some point he needs to start buying t-shirts that cover up his belly.

But that’s something else we can get into.

 

Kane Brown To Release Sophomore Project In November

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Kane Brown has released his new single, “Lose It,” which is available now to stream and download. Co-written by Brown with Chase McGill and Will Wheatherly, the song will impact at radio June 25.

Brown confirmed on social media that his upcoming sophomore album is set for release Nov. 9 and is being produced by Dann Huff. The album is the follow-up to Brown’s RIAA Platinum-certified self-titled debut, which this week returns to No. 1 for the 12th time on the Billboard Top Country Album chart.

Brown is having a big week, celebrating a CMT Award win for Collaborative Video for “What Ifs” featuring Lauren Alaina and performing on the Nissan Stage during last night’s opening night of CMA Music Fest, where he debuted the new single.

 

Bobby Karl Works The Room: 2018 CMA Fest Welcomes Jason Aldean, Brothers Osborne, Darius Rucker

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Jason Aldean

BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM

Chapter 593

Music Row’s much revered sense of community is bolstered by a number of brotherhood-building gatherings, several of which occur during this season.

The annual Grammy Block Party went AWOL this spring, but Fan Fair Week has brought back the CAA Barbecue (Monday, June 4), the NATD Picnic (Tuesday, June 5) and the 20th annual SunTrust Hot Dog Day (Thursday, June 7). The last-named featured tunes from singer-songwriters Kate Bowen, Parker Welling and Jason Sever, plus a mingling T-Rac mascot.

Events such as these bring together citizens from throughout our show-biz community. And then there is the CMA’s hospitality suite at Nissan Stadium during the organization’s 47th CMA Music Festival. This is a music-biz schmooze center where fellowship reigns.

Industry fabulons working the room there on the fest’s opening eve (Thursday, June 7) included Rob Phillips, Tinti Moffatt, Sherod Robertson, Dallas Gregory, Lisa Harless, Bill Wence, Pat Collins, Dennis Banka, Nathan Pyle, Biff Watson, Barry Coburn, Tim Wipperman, JoAnn Berry, Debbie Linn, and Rachel Whitney.

Texas-bred country singer Cody Michael was there, having spent the day being awed by his first CMA Fest experience. He’d spent the day strolling the downtown festival campus and pronounced himself delighted to be in Music City instead of his native Odessa.

Randy Travis was in the Nissan house, too. The legendary singer has seen a fest or two in his day.

Greeting one and all were such gracious CMA staffers as Sarah Trahern, Brandi Simms, Amy Smartt, Melissa Maynard, Aaron Hartley, Mechalle Myers and Brenden Oliver.

Meanwhile, on the Nissan stage, the evening began with The Oak Ridge Boys singing the National Anthem backed by the New Orleans Marine Corps Band. The Oaks then favored us with an a cappella take on “Elvira.”

Charles Esten of TV’s Nashville series had the first set. He committed my No. 1 fest faux pas by wearing all black on the black stage. He brought out his fellow cast members for a rousing version of “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” the show’s theme song.

Carly Pearce

The set by newly minted star Kane Brown displayed a distinct lack of stage presence and showmanship, perhaps owing to his youth and/or to nerves. He did, however, connect with the audience via his moving, tough-childhood speech introducing “Learning.” Lauren Alaina arrived, complete with rainbow sequins, to enliven his finale with “What If’s.”

Next, Carly Pearce popped up in white fringe to deliver a vivacious, expressive and lively rendition of “Hide the Wine.”

Dan + Shay were delightfully ebullient. The crowd roared as they sang “Nothin’ Like You” and held their lit cell phones aloft during “19 You & Me.” Shay Mooney let his tenor voice fly sky high, and Dan Smyers busted out Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” for some extra verve. The whole stadium sang along from the first notes of the duo’s “Tequila.” This set was star-making stuff.

Dan+Shay

Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini, who will co-host the ABC TV special about the fest, appeared to introduce Darius Rucker. He offered a good-natured, sing-along set that included “Alright,” “For the First Time” (which he sang twice), “Comeback Song” and “Hands On Me.” Inevitably, he closed with “Wagon Wheel.” Fittingly, the fully involved audience sang the song’s finale without him to lead them.

Brothers Osborne came out with guns blazing on “It Ain’t My Fault.” And these groovemeister kings of country cool kept the heat turned up on “Shoot Me Straight,” “Stay a Little Longer” and the rest of the tunes in their outstanding, smokin’ set.

Those totally gifted bros are an impossible act to follow. Fan favorite Jason Aldean tried, even spraying the crowd with foam from his beer can at one point. The highlight of his set was the 12:15 a.m. fireworks detonation that ended it. I can hear the East Nashville homeowners’ noise complaints already.

 

 

Chris Stapleton, Scotty McCreery, Luke Bryan Earn RIAA Certifications

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Chris Stapleton‘s 2015 album Traveller has now earned triple-platinum status, according to the RIAA, which issued several certifications on Thursday (June 7).

Multi-platinum certifications were also issued for singles including Luke Bryan‘s “Huntin’, Fishin’ And Lovin’ Every Day” (2x platinum) and “Drink A Beer” (2x).

Scotty McCreery‘s No. 1 hit “Five More Minutes” earned platinum certification.

Gold certifications went to Brett Eldredge (“Somethin’ I’m Good At” and “The Long Way”), Brett Young‘s “Mercy,” and Bryan’s “Light It Up,” “Move,” and “Most People Are Good.”

Industry Pics: Brett Young, Ashley McBryde, CMA Songwriters Series

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Brett Young Earns Gold

Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group President & CEO Scott Borchetta, Brett Young, BMLG EVP & BMLG Records President Jimmy Harnen

ACM Awards New Male Vocalist of the Year Brett Young was surprised with a plaque today (June 7) to recognize his current single “Mercy” earning RIAA GOLD certification. Young was honored by his record label at the Big Machine Store & Distillery in Nashville following fan signings during CMA Fest.

 

Ashley McBryde At CMA Fest

Pictured (L-R): John Peets (Q Prime); Kristen Williams (SVP Radio & Streaming, WMN); Ashley McBryde; Tom Martens (National Director Radio & Streaming; WMN)

Atlantic Records / Warner Music Nashville rising country star Ashley McBryde hit the Chevy Breakout Stage today at CMA Fest to perform songs from her critically praised debut album Girl Going Nowhere.

 

CMA Songwriters Series

Pictured (L-R): Bill Simmons, CMA Board Chairman, Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, Mac McAnally, Don Schlitz, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Vince Gill, and Jody Williams, CMA Board President, gather after the CMA Songwriters Series Presented by U.S. Bank show Wednesday, June 6 at Nashville’s CMA Theater to kick off CMA Fest. Photo: Kayla Schoen/CMA

The Country Music Association’s critically acclaimed CMA Songwriters Series Presented by U.S. Bank hosted a performance last night featuring Mary Chapin Carpenter, Vince Gill, Mac McAnally and Don Schlitz at downtown Nashville’s CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to kick off CMA Fest.

Darius And Friends Benefit Concert Raises Over $400,000

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Darius Rucker performs for the Ryman Auditorium crowd | Photo: Steve Lowry 

Almost a decade after first pledging his support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the thousands of children the healthcare institution treats, Darius Rucker hosted his sold-out ninth annual “Darius and Friends” benefit concert on Monday night followed by his traditional golf tournament on Tuesday morning. This year’s concert, auction and golf tournament alone raised $404,000 for St. Jude, breaking the previous year’s record and bringing the cumulative total raised for all years to $1.6 million.

“As a parent I can’t imagine the emotional toll hearing your child has cancer takes, not to mention the financial stress,” said Rucker. “The support families with a child facing life-threatening illness receive from St. Jude is just incredible. I’m proud to support St. Jude and I’m so grateful to all our friends who came out and donated their time to be on the show.”

For its second year at the Ryman Auditorium, Rucker welcomed surprise guests Patrick Davis, Edwin McCain, A.J. McClean of the Backstreet Boys and Brad Paisley, along with stars Trace Adkins, Lauren Alaina, Bobby Bones, Ashley McBryde and Rachel Wammack and more than 2,400 fans to the sold-out event.

 
 

DISClaimer: Craig Campbell’s Sexy, Country “See You Try”

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Look who has new music for the thousands of fans who are attending the CMA Music Festival this week.

Step right up, Little Big Town, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Brett Eldredge and Kacey Musgraves. The DisClaimer spotlight is on you.

Despite the presence of these big-time artists, it’s underdog Craig Campbell who has the Disc of the Day. Running close behind him are Combs and Eldredge, both of whom also have dandy offerings.

We have no newcomers this week, so the DisCovery Award goes unclaimed.

GRANGER SMITH/You’re In It
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Wheelhouse (ERG)
– Small-town good times blah blah blah.

BRETT ELDREDGE/Love Someone
Writers: Brett Eldredge/Ross Copperman/Heather Morgan; Producers: Ross Copperman & Brett Eldredge; Atlantic (track)
– Joyous. I love the way this guy delivers a lyric. And you can’t beat a track this bouncy and delightful.

JASON BOLAND & THE STRAGGLERS/Hard Times Are Relative
Writers: none listed; Producers: The Stragglers, David Percefull, Adam Odor; Publishers: none listed; Thirty Tigers
– The title tune to the band’s new CD is a story song about tough times on the frontier. It has a vintage, folkie quality that is quite evocative and appealing. Be patient with it, because the rhythm track doesn’t kick in until it’s almost halfway through.

LITTLE BIG TOWN/Summer Fever
Writers: Jesse Frasure/Cary Barlowe/Sam Romans/Karen Fairchild; Producers: Jesse Frasure/Shane McAnally; Publishers: none listed; Capitol
– If you had any doubt that the sunshine season has arrived, this will erase it. This sways and simmers with an irresistible groove. Breezy and then some.

THE BURRITO BROTHERS/Between Your Hands and Mind
Writers: Gram Parsons/Chris P. James; Producer: John Sturdivant, Jr.; Publishers: GPJ/Blue Meteor, ASCAP/BMI; Junction (track)
– Still Going Strong, this ensemble’s latest CD, kicks off with a wafting, airy song originated by its founder, Parsons. Alas, it lacks a strong lead vocal, as does the rest of the album. The venerable group is now populated entirely by Nashvillians. Chris P. James is the Burrito veteran, having first worked with the group in 1986. Steel guitarist Tony Paoletta is a disciple of the late Burrito Sneaky Pete Kleinow. Bob Hatter is a Music City session man, and Larry Marrs is well known as a country bass player. Producer, guitarist and drummer John Sturdivant Jr. is the grandson of Kitty Wells & Johnny Wright and the son of the late Record World/Music City News media maven whose name he bears.

THOMAS RHETT/Leave Right Now
Writers: Thomas Rhett/Julian Bunetta/Edward Drewett/John Henry Ryan; Producers: Julian Bunetta/Thomas Rhett; Valory (track)
– I don’t care for all the tempo-shifting electronic phasing and wooshing in the production. Nor the compressed vocal.

LUKE COMBS/Beautiful Crazy
Writers: Luke Combs/Wyatt B. Durrette III/Robert Williford; Producer: Scott Moffatt; Publishers: Big Music Machine/50 Egg/Straight Dimes/Island South/Rosest/Works of RHA, BMI/SESAC; Columbia/River House
– A very nice change of pace. Combs unveils a gentler side here, softly crooning about an offbeat, unpredictable lover he’s just head-over-heels about. Ernest and endearing.

JANA KRAMER/Dammit
Writers: Nicolle Galyon/Elizabeth Huett; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Sophie Dog
– No longer with Warner, Jana has her own imprint now. This stunning ballad is righteous evidence that she’s still got the goods. The torrid tale finds her ruminating about a ruined relationship in the house they used to share. Painful and real and powerful.

CRAIG CAMPBELL/See You Try
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Red Bow
– Very catchy, very sexy and very country. This thumper boasts a terrific lead vocal and a dandy, rumbling, barroom production. Addictive.

KACEY MUSGRAVES/Butterflies
Writers: Luke Laird/Natalie Hemby/Kacey Musgraves; Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian & Kacey Musgraves; Publisher: none listed; MCA (track)
– Very pretty pop music. Her voice has never sounded better. But you will seek in vain for the grit and wit of the country artist who previously created “Merry Go ’Round,” “Follow Your Arrow,” “Dime Store Cowgirl” and “Blowin’ Smoke.”