Brantley Gilbert will set out on his first headlining tour, The Hell on Wheels Tour, this Thursday (9/27) in West Lafayette, IN with special guests Uncle Kracker, Brian Davis, and his BMLG labelmate Greg Bates.

“We’re doing something a little bit different with our music, there’s a little bit of rock in our country,” said Gilbert on choosing Uncle Kracker as a tourmate. “I don’t think that’s a secret. We’re not hiding it! There’s a different aspect to it.”

“I feel like I’m writing my best stuff right now with him,” Gilbert said of choosing songwriter Davis. “He’s basically part of the family. So him coming on the road with us will be a great chance for me to write even more than I’m writing right now. I couldn’t happier with the line-up, I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Hell on Wheels Tour:
9/27– West Lafayette, IN
9/28– Poplar Bluff, MO
9/29– Oklahoma City, OK
10/4– Missoula, MT
10/5– Bozeman, MT
10/6– Boise, ID
10/11– Dodge City, KS
10/12– Fayetteville, AR
10/13– Jackson, MS
10/14– Nashville, TN *Miles and Music for Kids (with Dierks Bentley)
10/18– Amarillo, TX
10/19– Las Cruces, NM
10/20– San Antonio, TX
10/26– Ames, IA
10/27– Rockford, IL
10/28– Lexington, KY
11/8– Clemson, SC
11/9– Huntington, WV
11/10– Johnson City, TN
11/16– Baton Rouge, LA

According to a post on its website, Nashville’s outdoor SoundLand Festival has been postponed until 2013:

“We’ve been so excited to bring you an all-new outdoor SoundLand experience in 2012 and have been working for months on creating a one-day extravaganza Oct. 6th at The Lawn at Riverfront Park,” says the post. “Unfortunately, issues out of everyone’s control have caused us to put this vision on hold until 2013.”

Ticket holders are instructed to check their email for details.

Originally slated for Oct. 6, SoundLand’s indie rock friendly lineup included My Morning Jacket, Young the Giant, Divine Fits and more. Additional performers JD McPherson, Jonny Corndawg, Generationals, The Tontons, and more will still play shows in Nashville over the same weekend.

Carrie Underwood will begin the North American leg of her 55-city headlining The Blown Away Tour today (9/14) in Manchester, NH with special guest Hunter Hayes. The shows are presented and hydrated by vitaminwater, sponsored by Olay, and promoted by AEG Live. Underwood spent the early part of summer taking the Blown Away tour to the UK and Australia.

Underwood is donating $1 from each ticket sold on the North American leg of The Blown Away Tour to support Red Cross disaster relief. This donation will help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, and emotional support for those in need after a disaster. Proceeds from her Canadian concerts will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross.

Please visit www.carrieunderwood.fm for up to date information on The Blown Away Tour.

Nashville’s The Cadillac Black, fresh off the road from opening for Dierks Bentley on his Back To College Tour, is headed straight back out on road with rock royalty.

The group will open shows for ZZ Top along with Lynyrd Skynyrd. The nationwide tour kicks off tonight, Friday (9/7) in Scarborough, ME, at Scarbourough Downs and wraps on Sunday, Sept. 16 in Kodak, TN at Smokies Stadium. The tour will also be stopping next week in New York City to play the famed Beacon Theatre on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

TCB’s debut single, “Get Your Buzz On,” will be hitting Country radio airwaves later this month. The song is from the group’s self-titled and self-released debut album, now available at all digital retailers.

For tour dates and more, visit www.thecadillacblack.com.

Aaron Pope, a tax manager with Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, recently served the Tennessee Army National Guard/U.S. Army overseas. Pope was stationed at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan for one year working as a contracting officer. His responsibilities impacted the effort to mature the country’s economy for citizens. “While I was at Camp Eggers, I received constant support from the owners and employees of the FBMM family,” Pope told co-workers at FBMM’s end-of-summer party. “I was sent care packages each month that consisted of letters, cards, pictures, consumable items, as well as love and verbal support from everyone at FBMM.” To show his appreciation, Pope presented them with a US flag flown at Camp Eggers.

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Management for Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium has named industry veteran Roger LeBlanc as the venue’s new talent buyer, effective immediately. LeBlanc brings 20 years of experience to the role, including time as a promoter and talent buyer for The Coach House, The Canyon Theater and Saint Rocke. He also books talent for the Sunset Strip Music Festival and cruise ShipRocked. Additionally, he was a final nominee for IEBA’s “Club Buyer of the Year” honor. Congratulate him here.

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Way Out West Records’ flagship artist Shawna Russell has signed for booking representation with William Morris Endeavor (WME). Russell’s latest single is “Sounds Like A Party,” which is currently No. 50 on the MusicRow chart.

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On Wednesday, September 12, the Curb College at Belmont University will host Stageit’s Evan Lowenstein for an Insider’s View seminar in the Massey Performing Arts Center. Lowenstein launched the online video platform in 2011 to help artists monetize special performances and interact with fans. For more info, email Sarah Cates.

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Publishing veteran Jason Krupek has launched J. Krupek Photography, specializing in live events, parties, concerts, album artwork, and press shots. Krupek most recently served as GM of Big Tractor Music and co-founded the Buds n Suds benefit concert, which takes place September 12 at Losers. More information on J Krupek Photography here.