Dierks Bentley Announces First Leg Of 2019 Burning Man Tour

Dierks Bentley will kick off his 2019 Burning Man Tour Jan. 17 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada with special guests Jon Pardi, Tenille Townes and Hot Country Knights. Following a nine-date run in Canada, the tour will visit Fresno, Reno, Wichita, Toledo, Grand Rapids, and more, including a date at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena set for Feb. 22.

“I talked to Jon Pardi last April about the idea of going back on the road together one last time, and I am so happy that I can finally let our fans in on this,” said Bentley. “I’m still coming off the high of playing Hollywood Bowl and the last tour, but knowing that this Burning Man Tour with Pardi was out there waiting has been so awesome. We cannot wait to get back on the road! Who we bring with us on tour is so important to the band, crew and me and the addition of Tenille Townes is something we are all stoked about. Our hardcore fans are aware of the ’90s country cover band, the Hot Country Knights, who have been following us around and opening shows. They talked us into having them on the actual billing for this tour…hope their van has snow tires for Canada!”

Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase pre-sale tickets beginning Oct. 31 through Citi’s Private Pass® program. Initial public on-sales are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 2 and additional dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

2019 BURNING MAN TOUR Dates:
1/17/19    Hamilton, ON – FirstOntario Centre
1/18//19   Ottawa, ON – Richcraft Live at the Canadian Tire Centre
1/19/19    Oshawa, ON – Tribute Communities Centre
1/22/19    Winnipeg, MB – Bell MTS Place
1/23/19    Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre
1/24/19    Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
1/26/19    Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
1/28/19    Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place
1/29/19    Vancouver, BC – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
2/14/19    Ontario, CA – Citizens Business Bank Arena
2/15/19    Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center
2/16/19    Reno, NV – Reno Events Center
2/21/19    Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
2/22/19    Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
2/23/19    Columbia, MO – Mizzou Arena
2/28/19    Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
3/01/19    Wichita, KS – INTRUST Bank Arena
3/02/19    Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center Omaha
3/07/19    Moline, IL – TaxSlayer Center
3/08/19    Duluth, MN – AMSOIL Arena
3/09/19    Grand Forks, ND – Alerus Center
3/28/19    Toledo, OH – Huntington Center
3/29/19    Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
3/30/19    Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena

Weekly Chart Report (10/26/18)

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

Chris Tomlin Talks New Album, Connecting Fans, And Stadium-Sized Dreams

Chris Tomlin

Seventeen years after his first commercial solo release (2001’s The Noise We Make), and with 16 No. 1 songs, five Gold albums, two Platinum albums, a Grammy and 21 Dove Awards to his credit, Chris Tomlin is still breaking new ground—and new records. In 2017, Tomlin was announced as one of only four artists ever to earn the Sound Exchange Digital Radio Award for more than 1 billion digital radio streams (the other recipients? Garth Brooks, Justin Timberlake, and Pitbull).

Earlier this week, Tomlin was feted as becoming the first Christian music artist to reach 1 billion streams on Pandora. He was presented with Pandora’s Billionaire Award during an album preview event in Nashville.

But for Tomlin, who will release his twelfth solo album, Holy Roar, on Friday (Oct. 26), those numbers are ever more impressive—and perhaps, personal—given that he has penned so many of his signature hits, including his classic “How Great Is Our God,” and “Whom Shall I Fear.”

“With songwriting, it never turns off for me,” says Tomlin. “I keep a collection of songs and try to find the best songs for each record.”

Like songwriters of all music genres, Tomlin fights to find phrasings and imagery that eclipse clichés and help listeners find a new way of connecting with the music and themselves. Those unexpected lines are found throughout Holy Roar, such as one of Tomlin’s favorites from “Impact,” which he co-wrote alongside Mitch Wong and Tommy Iceland, as an example.

“There’s a line that says ‘As I lay down my defenses/Your love invades and I brace for the impact.’ A line like that, I don’t think anyone sees that coming in the language of worship. For me, I think songwriting in worship is about helping people see, more than helping them sing. It’s to help them see the goodness of God, greatness of God, the mercy of God.”

 

Another such line crashes through “Nobody Loves Me Like You,” penned by Holy Roar co-producer Ed Cash with Scott Cash.

“There’s a line that goes ‘I could’ve had a really different story’ and I think that’s so relatable,” Tomlin says. “The essence of that line, you just think about all the things that come against you in life, from depression and anxiety and making decisions that can lead to a really bad place. I’m human and struggle with the same things. Where would I be? As a career, I’d still be playing music, but that message just puts you in a humble place. It’s the hope that is found in Jesus and that’s what I try to point people to in my concerts and in my music.”

Those concerts are arena-sized headlining shows, and curated worship experiences more concerned with connecting than simply entertaining. It is these nightly worship journeys his fans partake in that Tomlin keeps in mind when crafting an album, carefully sifting through potential tracks to see which will enhance, deepen, and expand on an audience’s time of reverence.

“When I write songs or want to record them, that’s the lenses I see it through,” Tomlin says. “Is this a song people can really sing to God? That’s what I’ve always wanted to do, is just write songs that people can sing to God. I hope these songs will find play in all these different kinds of places and go beyond me as an artist, and just become songs that people will worship with.”

Perhaps the album’s most sterling gem is one of the few that Tomlin did not pen, the Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive track “Is He Worthy?”

“I will go on the record to say this is the song that could be remembered off this record, long after this record is done,” Tomlin says. “Every record has had a song like that, whether it’s ‘Good Good Father’ or ‘How Great Is Our God,’ something that lasts and this could be it.”

The song uses a familiar gospel call-and-response framework to allow space for the listener to consider both doubt and hope. The song’s very title takes the form of a question. Emphasizing the universal pulls of both doubt and anticipation, the choir featured on the song is actually an assembly of four different choirs, among them a Korean choir, a Brazilian choir and an African-American choir. Each was recorded in different regions, then digitally assembled into one track.

“I find it very powerful, you sing all these questions and the congregation, wherever you are singing the song, they sing it back to you,” Tomlin says. “This world is broken and messed up and everybody longs for it to be fixed. Another line ‘Is anyone whole?’ I find that to be a very powerful thing because it’s interesting that we run to other broken things to fix our own brokenness. Everybody is hurting, everybody has things that hold us back in life and it’s asking that question of ‘Is there anybody out there who is not broken that I can go to?’ Yes, there is one. This song is one of those that the first time I heard it, it just puts you in your place, not in a derogatory way, but it magnifies the greatness of Jesus so much.”

Holy Roar is but one of the projects Tomlin has been working on of late. On Oct. 23, he released the book Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship. In March, he launched Bowyer & Bow, a partnership with his label Capitol CMG to help promote singer-songwriter Pat Barrett, who co-wrote “Good Good Father” and who appears on Holy Roar on the closing track “How Sweet It Is.”

“It’s really a partnership rather than a label—I don’t have staffing,” he says, “but it’s investing in them, helping them make records, with the writing songs, with touring. Pat’s got every gift you would want in an artist—an amazing singer, charisma, great songwriting—and the heart to lead the church in worship. I don’t know if the partnership will go past Pat Barrett, but it has been fun. I’m not looking to be a big label or anything.”

In November, Tomlin will launch a brief Christmas tour that will wrap at the Beacon Theater in New York City. In March, he will launch the Holy Roar Tour, with guests Tauren Wells, Pat Barrett, Nicole Serrano and Tomlin’s Pastor Darren Whitehead. In May, he will headline a concert at Los Angeles’ 17,500-capacity amphitheater the Hollywood Bowl. Last year, Tomlin headlined a two-night performance at the coveted Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. While Tomlin keeps breaking new ground, both in recording and touring, he hopes to one day see stadiums filled with worshippers.

“Whether God uses me in that way, we’ll see,” Tomlin says. “Every other genre of music performs in massive stadiums, and I don’t see why we couldn’t bring the church together in worship in that way.”

“Swamp Fox” Tony Joe White Passes

By Robert K. Oermann

Internationally known Nashville singer-songwriter Tony Joe White has died at age 75.

Equally known as the recording artist behind classics such as “Polk Salad Annie” and as the songwriter of “Rainy Night in Georgia,” among other chestnuts, White was known as “The Swamp Fox.” His distinctive style drew equally on blues, country and rock traditions.

Tony Joe White was one of music’s great minimalists. He needed nothing more than his smoldering baritone voice and “whomper stomper” guitar to hypnotize an audience. His husky, growling voice, sinuous guitar leads and colloquial Southern manners mesmerized crowds in Europe as well as America.

Born in 1943, he was one of seven children raised on a cotton farm in Oak Grove, Lousiana. Inspired by a Lightnin’ Hopkins album, he began playing blues guitar at age 16. After his high school graduation, he played clubs in Louisiana and Texas as Tony & The Mojos, then Tony & The Twilights.

In 1968, he came to Nashville and auditioned for Bob Beckham at Combine Music. Within hours, the Music Row executive had him in the studio with producer Billy Swan for Monument Records.

White’s first few singles went unnoticed. Then the label got a cable from overseas requesting a rush shipment of Tony Joe White records, bios and photos. Radio stations in France were playing his disc “Soul Francisco.” Then stations in Belgium picked up the tune, and fans there began clamoring for White to appear in their discotheques. Radio stations in Germany, Spain, Japan and the Philippines started airing the single as well.

Once overseas fans got a load of his charismatic, brooding, sexual appeal his transformation into international music idol was complete. He continued to tour Europe regularly for the rest of his life.

Back in the states, Tony Joe White began promoting his single of “Polk Salad Annie” in the clubs around Corpus Christi, Texas. The record had been out for nine months, and Monument had written it off as a dud. But Texans began buying the single. Then a radio station in Los Angeles began broadcasting it.

“Polk Salad Annie” entered the U.S. charts in July 1969. By early fall, it was in the top-10 on the pop charts. White followed it with “Roosevelt and Ira Lee” and “Save Your Sugar for Me” in 1969-70. He toured with Steppenwolf, Sly & The Family Stone, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Eric Clapton and other big rock acts of the 1970s.

Despite his individualistic, tough-to-classify sound, superstars began lining up to record his tunes. Dusty Springfield (“Willie and Laura Mae Jones”), Elvis Presley (“I’ve Got a Thing About You Baby,” “For Ol’ Times Sake”), Brook Benton (“Rainy Night in Georgia”). Jason & The Scorchers (“Polk Salad Annie”), Ray Charles (“3/4 Time”) and Tina Turner (“Steamy Windows,” “Undercover Agent for the Blues”) are just a few of the major pop headliners who were drawn to Tony Joe White’s songs.

His “Out of the Rain” has been recorded by Etta James, Joe Cocker, Jefferson Starship and Elkie Brooks. “Rainy Night in Georgia” has been recorded by more than 100 artists, including The Crusaders, Johnny Rivers, Conway Twitty & Sam Moore, The Persuasions, Little Milton, Boots Randolph, Herbie Mann and Chuck Jackson.

Country artists were equally enthralled. White’s songs have also been covered by George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Reed, Hank Williams Jr., Charlie Rich, John Anderson, Tim McGraw, Emmylou Harris, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson and Jessi Colter, among others.

White recorded three LPs for Monument (1968-70), then three for Warner Bros. Records (1971-73) and one each on 20th Century (1976), Casablanca (1980) and Columbia (1983). All of them are considered collectible, since Tony Joe White attained the status of a true cult figure.

A stab at mainstream country success led to the self-penned charting singles “Mamas Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up to Be Babies,” “The Lady in My Life” and “We Belong Together” in 1980-84. In 1986, he began marketing albums on his own Swamp Fox label.

Over the years, White acquired a reputation as a Deep South iconoclast and a brilliant eccentric who inspired passionate reviews and an underground following. He became the subject of the quirky, highly entertaining 1998 documentary film Searching for Tony Joe. He also appeared in the 1974 rock musical film Catch My Soul.

White resumed recording in the 1990s with such CDs as Closer to the Truth (1991), Lake Placid Blues (1995), Groupy Girl (1998), One Hot July (2000), Snakey (2002), Night of the Moccasin (2004), The Heroines (2004), Hard to Handle (2005), Uncovered (2006) and The Shine (2010). His most recent works have appeared on Yep Roc Records — Hoodoo (2013), Rain Crow (2016) and his blues album Bad Mouthin,’ which was released last month.

Tony Joe White was nominated for an Americana Music award in 2004. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Sept. 28, 2018.

He passed away suddenly on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 24) at his home in Leipers Fork, Tennessee. He is survived by his wife LeAnn, by daughter Michelle, by sons Jody and Jim Bob and by several grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

Cole Swindell, Warner Music Nashville Celebrate No. 1 Single With ‘Break Up In The End’

Cole Swindell surprised the entire Warner Music Nashville family on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 24) with champagne and a toast to celebrate the shared success of his eighth No. 1 single, “Break Up In The End.”

Written by Jon Nite, Chase McGill and Jessie Jo Dillion, the flagship track from Swindell’s chart-topping album All Of It has accumulated more than 100 million on-demand streams. Swindell is taking his collection of hits to the Monster Presents: “Reason To Drink… Another” Tour throughout the Fall alongside Dustin Lynch and Lauren Alaina.

Nashville Entrepreneur Center To Combine Hall Of Fame And NEXT Awards On Nov. 7

The Nashville Entrepreneur Center will incorporate its hall of fame inductees and the NEXT Awards on Nov. 7 at Rocketown in downtown Nashville.

Scott Borchetta, President, CEO and Founder of the Big Machine Label Group will be among the 2018 Entrepreneurs’ Hall of Fame inductees, in addition to Nashville Predators’ Chairman and Co-Founder of Healthways Tom Cigarran and Avenue Bank Founder, now Vice Chairman of Pinnacle Financial Partners Board of Directors Ron Samuels.

The celebration will bring together the up-and-coming generation of innovators—across seventeen different categories spanning small and large businesses, healthcare and music startups, social impact companies, tech—with the three trailblazers that have paved the way in Middle Tennessee.

“Just as musicians have the CMA’s and actors have the Academy Awards, entrepreneurs have the NEXT Awards and Entrepreneurs’ Hall of Fame to mark their success and inspire their dreams,” states Michael Brody-Waite, CEO of The Nashville Entrepreneur Center. “Together, this audience represents both the great past and bright future of Nashville.”

The event is headed by co-chairs Dee Anna Smith, CEO of Sarah Cannon; Stuart McWhorter, CEO of Clayton Associates; and John Zarling, Executive Vice President, Marketing and New Business of Sony Music Nashville. Previous Entrepreneurs’ Hall of Fame inductees include Kix Brooks, Ken Levitan, Becca Stevens and Cal Turner.

The Entrepreneur’s Hall of Fame and NEXT Awards will run $250 a seat for VIP table of 10 seating with dinner to $75 general admission tickets at ec.co/nextawards.

Facebook Adds New Music Features

Facebook is offering users a new option to add music to their Facebook Stories, along with expanding Lip Sync Live, and will soon also be making it possible to add songs to personal profiles as well in order to help integrate music into how people share their pictures and video clips.

Users can now add a song to photos and videos on their Facebook Stories, and will be able to use the new feature on their news feeds by taking a photo or video from their camera roll, tapping the sticker icon and then selecting the music sticker. With Lip Sync Live now being rolled out to profiles in many countries around the world, more real-time interactions between creators and fans will be possible.

“Moments are remembered and accentuated with music, and we can’t wait to see all the ways people around the world get creative with these features, make memories, and have fun with friends and family,” said Facebook Head of Music Business Development and Partnerships Tamara Hrivnak and Head of Product, Music and Rights Fred Beteille in a statement.

Jake Gear Joins BMG’s Nashville Office

Jake Gear. Photo: John Russell

BMG has appointed Jake Gear to the role of Senior Director, Creative, based in Nashville. Gear will be responsible for working with the diverse and accomplished existing songwriter roster, as well as signing and developing more talent. He will report to Kos Weaver, EVP BMG Nashville.

Gear began his career in the Music & Media Licensing department at CMT. He has held posts at Magic Mustang Music, and Sea Gayle Music, where he spent the last four years overseeing a roster of more than 20 of Nashville’s top songwriters. There, he managed and developed writers, and helped place songs with artists such as Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Jon Pardi, Dierks Bentley, Cole Swindell, and Jake Owen, among others.

Gear is a graduate of Belmont University from Iowa.

Industry Pics: SoundExchange, ACM, Grand Ole Opry

Celebrating The MMA

SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe with Curb | Word Entertainment Recording Artist Dan Bremnes at the 49th Annual GMA Dove Awards. Photo: Kayla Schoen for SoundExchange)

Last week Curb | Word Entertainment’s Dan Bremnes performed and presented during the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards show in Nashville. As Bremnes made his way down the red carpet before the big show, he and SoundExchange CEO, Michael Huppe, took a moment to celebrate the latest victory for the music community—the Music Modernization Act—championed in large part by Huppe and his team.

 

Lucie Silvas Visits Academy of Country Music

Pictured (L-R): ACM CEO Pete Fisher with Lucie Silvas. Photo: Michel Bourquard/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

The Academy of Country Music welcomed Furthest Point recording artist Lucie Silvas to the office while she was in Los Angeles last week. While at the Academy, Silvas performed her current single, “Kite,” and several other songs from her latest album,  E.G.O..

 

Levi Hummon: A Night At The Opry With Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson

Pictured: Rita Wilson, Levi Hummon, Tom Hanks

Levi Hummon took the stage at the famed Grand Ole Opry for the seventh time Tuesday night (Oct. 23) to perform a few new songs from his forthcoming EP Patient, out Oct. 26. In attendance were Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who made her Opry debut.

Tonight, Oct. 25, Hummon will celebrate the release of Patient with a special release show at Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley. He will take the stage at 8:15 p.m. Tickets are available in advance via Ticketweb as well as at the door.

 

DISClaimer: Willie Nelson, Delta Rae, Billy Ray Cyrus Edge Political On New Tracks

This week’s stack of country tunes features a trio of political statements.

Willie Nelson is campaigning against Ted Cruz. Delta Rae is speaking out about sexual harassment. Billy Ray Cyrus is standing up for democratic principles.

Three others are in a more romantic mood. Florida Georgia Line barely edges out Michael Tyler in that arena to claim this week’s Disc of the Day honor. Noe Palma is also staking a claim in this vein.

The DisCovery Award goes to Rachel Reinert. Evidently, things didn’t go so well when she left Gloriana for a solo career. But her music about that experience is splendid.

CYPRESS SPRING/White Trash
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Average Joes
– Hick hop. This particular banger has a roaring electric-guitar track. As you might guess from the title, the rap is about being blue-collar proud. Not my cup of tea, but this whole label seems to be succeeding with an entire roster made up of this type of act. Whatever….

DELTA RAE/Hands Dirty
Writers: Brittany Holljes/Ian Holljes; Producer: none listed; Publshers: none listed; Big Machine
– Strong and tough. This rockin’ stomper is country’s first single that directly addresses the #MeToo movement. The message is righteous, and the delivery is fierce. It’s empowering, and it is also as catchy as all get out.

WILD FEATHERS/No Man’s Land
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– The group’s new album is Greetings From the New Frontier. This is my favorite band working in country music today, so naturally I’m all ears when it issues anything new. This is an acoustic track recorded live at the Ryman that spotlights the ensemble’s stirring vocal harmonies and spot-on guitar chops. The get-back-to-basics lyric is as timeless as country music, itself.

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE/Talk You Out Of It
Writers: Hardy/Hunter Phelps/Jameson Rogers/Alysa Vanderheym; Producer: Joey Moi; Publishers: none listed; Big Machine
– It’s a very sexy, r&b slow jam that should sound just dandy on yer playlist or on your radio station. You see, he loves that dress she’s got on, now he just wants to talk her out of it.

RACHEL REINERT/Dark Star
Writers: Rachel Reinert/K.S. Rhoads/Joe Pisapia; Producer: Davis Naish; Publisher: none listed; RR
-Rachel left Gloriana and embarked on a solo adventure. She found out that it’s a cold world out there when you’re starting over alone. This melodic, mid-tempo tune chronicles that journey. It’s lovely. She soars out of despair into shiny optimism. Highly recommended pop-country.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY/Drink Along Song
Writers: Jenee Flenor/Wade Kirby/Phil O’Donnell/Buddy Owens; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Star Farm/Average Joes
– This is exactly why we love these guys. Full of good will and party pleasure. Tap your foot, sing along and turn that bottle up. Toast to the memory of Troy while you’re at it. A winner.

NOE PALMA/I’ll Be Your Whiskey
Writers: Ryan Griffin/Jason Matthews/Emily Shackleton; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Mae Capitol Label
– I dig this guy’s voice. In the verses, he’s warm, soft and intimate. On the choruses, he leaps into a forceful tenor wail. Send more, please.

BILLY RAY CYRUS & THE SNAKEDOCTOR CIRCUS/Goddess of Democracy
Writers: Billy Ray Cyrus/Don Von Tress/John Brennan; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; BRC
– His new band is pretty cool. The song is kinda muddled — it seems to be about reclaiming freedom of speech and social justice or something like that. He sings it in an urgent, strangulated rasp. Odd and intriguing.

MICHAEL TYLER/Remember These Words
Writers: Michael Tyler/Jaron Boyer/Alexander Palmer/Luke Pell; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Reviver (CDX)
– Nicely done. It has a rhythm-happy, infectious charm that’s quite irresistible. He’s singing about keeping him in her heart even when he’s not there. Sweet and super commercial. Play it, then play it again.

WILLIE NELSON/Vote ‘Em Out
Writer: Willie Nelson; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; WN
– This YouTube clip introduces a new song by Willie that’s timed to the Midterm Elections. During a Beto O’Rourke Texas senatorial campaign appearance, he channels his inner Woody Guthrie while the audience sings along.