Charles Esten Signs With APA

Charles Esten. Photo: Christie Goodwin

Nashville star Charles Esten has signed with APA for music representation.

Since his appearance on the drama series, Esten has performed hundreds of live concerts over the last six years, including three sold-out Nashville In Concert shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall. He has also performed at the C2C Festival in the O2 Arena, the CMC Festival in Australia, Stagecoach in California, CMA Fest in Nashville, as well as The Bluebird Café, The Ryman Auditorium, and The Grand Ole Opry—where he made his 100th appearance last summer.

In January, Esten completed his first sold-out 12-city solo tour through the UK and The Netherlands, with plans to return to the UK this October. He also made musical history when he earned a Guinness World Records title for his #EverySingleFriday campaign, which yielded 54 original songs that he wrote, recorded and released once a week for 54 consecutive weeks. The songs have already been streamed worldwide nearly eight million times.

Esten, who also currently stars in the upcoming Netflix YA drama Outer Banks, is a Virginia native who started his acting career in L.A. before making his theatrical debut portraying Buddy Holly in London’s hit West End musical Buddy. Esten’s other credits include an upcoming recurring role on TNT’s Tell Me Your Secrets, as well as recurring roles on Disney Channel’s Jessie, HBO’s Enlightened and Big Love, and NBC’s ER. Feature credits include Swing Vote, Thirteen Days, and The Postman. Esten continues to be represented by manager Patty Puskar, Loeb & Loeb Nashville, and Artists & Representatives for theatrical.

MercyMe Extends Imagine Nation Tour

Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Louisville, Tulsa, Austin and Ft. Worth are among the stops planned for the fall continuation of MercyMe‘s Imagine Nation Tour. The tour will also feature artists Crowder and Micah Tyler.

Recent radio favorites “Best News Ever,” “Grace Got You” and “Even If” are housed on MercyMe’s most current album LIFER, and will be among the hits included in the evening of music. The tour also comes on the heels of the box office hit film I Can Only Imagine, inspired by frontman Bart Millard’s real-life story behind the signature MercyMe song.

The line-up pulled off a successful run this spring selling out concerts in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Portland, Cincinnati, Chicago and Tampa.

Imagine Nation Tour Routing:
* all dates subject to change
October 3: Buffalo, NY
October 4: Pittsburgh, PA
October 5: Columbus, OH
October 6: Roanoke, VA
October 8: New York, NY
October 11: Saginaw, MI
October 12: Cleveland, OH
October 13: Grand Rapids, MI
October 17: Birmingham, AL
October 18: Columbia, SC
October 19: Norfolk, VA
October 20: Raleigh, NC
October 24: Dayton, OH
October 25: Louisville, KY
October 26: Evansville, IN
October 27: Nashville, TN
November 1: Charlotte, NC
November 2: Duluth, GA
November 3: Tupelo, MS
November 7: TBD
November 8: Tulsa, OK
November 9: St. Louis, MO
November 10: Champaign, IL
November 14:Colorado Springs, CO
November 15: TBD
November 16: Cedar Park, TX
November 17: Ft. Worth, TX

Abby Anderson Joins Rob Thomas Tour

Abby Anderson will hit the road with Rob Thomas’ Chip Tooth Smile Tour. The tour will launch May 28 in Red Bank, New Jersey and will run through the summer, ending Aug. 4 in Connecticut. The tour will visit Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on July 9.

Anderson, signed to Black River Entertainment, was named one of CMT’s 2018 Next Women of Country and released her debut single, “Make Him Wait.”

Thomas is known for his work as leader of Matchbox Twenty, with hits including “Bent,” “If You’re Gone,” as well as his platinum-selling, three-time Grammy winning collaboration with Santana, “Smooth,” and solo hits including “Lonely No More.”

Anderson joining a pop tour follows in a lengthy trend that it seems nearly every female country artist not named Miranda Lambert or Carrie Underwood has joined over the past year. Last year, Kacey Musgraves joined Harry Styles’ tour, while Maren Morris toured with Niall Horan, while Cam opened for British soul singer Sam Smith. This year, Kelsea Ballerini joined pop star (and occasional country crooner) Kelly Clarkson’s Meaning of Life tour.

Tickets for the Chip Tooth Smile Tour go on sale to the general public go on sale Friday, March 1, at 10 a.m. local time.

Rob Thomas’ 2019 Chip Tooth Smile Tour Dates Featuring Abby Anderson:
May 28 — Red Bank, N.J. @ Count Basie Center for the Arts
May 30 — Battle Creek, Mich. @ Firekeeper’s Casino
May 31 — Northfield, Ohio @ Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park
June 1 — Rochester Hills, Mich @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
June 3 — Cincinnati, Ohio PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center
June 4 — Indianapolis, Ind. @ Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park
June 7 — Madison, Wisc. @ Breese Stevens Field
June 8 — Prior Lake, Minn @ Mystic Lake
June 10 — Denver, Colo. @ Levitt Pavilion Denver
June 11 — Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Depot
June 13 — Seattle, Wash. @ TBA
June 14 — Portland, Oreg. @ Theater of the Clouds
June 16 — Saratoga, Calif. @ Mountain Winery
June 18 — Los Angeles, Calif @ Greek Theatre
June 20 — San Diego, Calif. @ Humphreys Concerts By the Bay
June 23 — Phoenix, Ariz. @ Comerica Theatre
June 25 — Austin, Texas @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
June 26 — Irving, Texas @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
June 28 — Sugar Land, Texas @ Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
June 29 –New Orleans, La. @ Saenger Theater
June 30 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. @ Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
July 2 — Jacksonville, Fla. @ Daily’s Place
July 3 — Orlando, Fla. @ Hard Rock Live Orlando
July 5 — St Petersburg, Fla. @ The Mahaffey Theater
July 6 — Boca Raton, Fla. @ Mizner Park Amphitheater
July 8 — Atlanta, Ga. @ State Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
July 9 — Nashville, Tenn. @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center
July 11 — Raleigh, N.C. @ Red Hat Amphitheater
July 12 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem
July 13 — Philadelphia, Penn. @ The Met Philadelphia
July 15 — Bethlehem, Penn. @ The Sands Event Center
July 17 — Englewood, N. J. @ Bergen Performing Arts Center
July 18 — Boston, Mass. @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
July 20 — Orillia, Ontario, Canada @ Casino Rama Resort
July 21 — Canandaigua, N.Y. @ CMAC Performing Arts Center
July 23 — Syracuse, N.Y. @ Lakeview Amphitheatre
July 24 — Saratoga Springs, N.Y. @Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 25 — Gilford, N.H. @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
July 27 — Atlantic City, N.J. @ Borgata
July 29 — New York, N.Y. @ Beacon Theatre
Jul 30 — New York, N. Y. @ Beacon Theatre
Aug. 2 — Port Chester, N. Y. @ The Capitol Theatre
Aug. 3 — Morristown, N.J. @ Mayo Performing Arts Center
Aug. 4 — Uncasville, Conn. @ Mohegan Sun Arena

AC Entertainment Brings Railbird Festival To Kentucky

Festival producer AC Entertainment (Bonnaroo, Forecastle, High Water, Moon River) is introducing the new Railbird Festival, which will place on The Grounds at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky Aug. 10 – 11, 2019.

“With all of our festivals, we aspire to create an experience that stands apart from others—that is a true celebration of place, of the richness and uniqueness of a community,” said Ashley Capps, president of AC Entertainment. “That, for us, is at the heart of any truly great festival experience. What a place this is, and what a team to collaborate with. This iconic setting at Keeneland in a city like Lexington, Kentucky, and these visionary leaders who make it all work, from bourbon to horses to bluegrass and everything in between. We couldn’t be more excited for this new venture.”

While music acts will be announced later, festival planners said to expect a mix of rock, Americana, folk, bluegrass and more.

A “railbird” in horse racing is the racetrack regular known for sticking close to the action and hanging on the rail along the track. To “ride the rail” is to do the same at a concert. A number of bourbon distillers will be on-site with special, exclusive offerings, available only at Railbird. Artisanal and local foods will be at the forefront, along with a number of craft beers.

“Railbird will be a celebration of our heritage, and an up-close-and-personal Kentucky experience at our historic racecourse,” said Vince Gabbert, Keeneland vice president and chief operating officer. “AC Entertainment brings an incredible track record and years of experience and expertise in booking and managing highly acclaimed music festivals, so we are so pleased to work with them to create Railbird here on the grounds at Keeneland.”

Railbird will also give back to the community by partnering with local nonprofit organizations Central Music Academy, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, Fayette Alliance and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Each nonprofit will receive monetary support from the festival, and will have a presence on-site during the event.

“Railbird Festival will bring together A-list music and Lexington’s best this August – Keeneland, Kentucky Bourbon, local cuisine and craft beer,” said Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton. “I look forward to seeing our city shine in the national spotlight.”

For more information about Railbird, visit railbirdfest.com.

Zac Brown Band To Open For The Rolling Stones In Jacksonville

The Rolling Stones have announced that Zac Brown Band will be a special guest opening their show in Jacksonville on Wednesday, April 24 at TIAA Bank Field. Their 15-city NO FILTER tour will trek across North America in 2019, and this show will be the first time The Stones play in Jacksonville in nearly 30 years.

“We are huge fans of the Stones, it’s an honor to join them in Jacksonville and share a stage with such legendary musicians,” said the Zac Brown Band.

For ticketing information, please visit rollingstones.com.

Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives Join Steve Miller Band On Tour

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will join the Steve Miller Band for a 34-date North American tour, beginning June 13, hitting stops in Los Angeles, New York and Boston.

Stuart is also slated to perform at the “Country Music: Live at the Ryman, a Concert Celebrating The Film By Ken Burns” concert at the Ryman on March 27, along with previously announced performers, to promote the upcoming 16-hour Country Music documentary.

Select tickets are available at martystuart.net/events.

Marty Stuart tour dates:
March 2 – Stoughton, WI @ Stoughton Opera House
March 15 – Nashville, IN @ Brown County Playhouse
March 16 – Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
March 22 – Macon, GA @ Hargray Capitol Theatre
March 23 – Live Oak, FL @ Suwannee Spring Reunion
March 27 – Nashville, TN @ The Ryman (Country Music: A Celebration of the Film by Ken Burns)
April 4 – Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
April 5 – Phoenixville, PA @ Colonial Theatre
April 6 – Wheeling, WV @ The Wheeling Jamboree
April 10 – Houston, TX @ The Heights
April 11 – Waco, TX @ Waco Hippodrome Theatre
April 13 – Roswell, NM @ The Liberty
April 14 – Florence, AZ @ Country Thunder
June 1 – Franklin, NC @ Smoky Mountain Center For The Performing Arts
June 13 – Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena*
June 15 – Tulsa, OK @ River Spirit Casino – Paradise Cove Margaritaville*
June 16 – Rogers, AR @Walmart Amp*
June 21 – Alton, IL @ Liberty Bank Amphitheater Summer Concert Series*
June 22 – Dubuque, IA @ America’s River Festival*
June 24 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park “Meijer Gardens”*
June 28 – Rochester, NY @ Rochester International Jazz Festival*
June 30 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Freedom Hill*
July 12 – Prior Lake, MN @ Lakefront Music Fest*
July 14 – Duluth, MN @ Bayfront Festival Park*
July 16 – Kettering, OH @ Fraze Pavilion*
July 18 – Baltimore, MD @ MECU Pavilion*
July 21 – Twin Lakes, WI @ Country Thunder
July 20 – Lynchburg, VA @ Riverfront Park Concert Series*
July 24 – New York, NY @ Pier 17*
July 25 – Boston, MA @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion*
July 27 – Rangeley, ME @ Rangeley Health & Wellness Pavilion*
July 28 – Kingston, NY @ Hutton Brickyards*
July 30 – Selbyville, DE @ The Freeman Stage at Bayside*
July 31 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap Center for Performing Arts*
August 2 – Mashantucket, CT @ The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino*
August 3 – Bethlehem, PA @ Musikfest*
August 11 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sandia Resort and Casino*
August 13 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom*
August 14 – Vail, CO @ Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre*
August 16 – Billings, MT @ Cove Creek Outdoor Pavilion*
August 17 – Missoula, MT @ Big Sky Brewery*
August 19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden*
August 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre*
August 22 – Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre*
August 24 – Stateline, NV @ Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys*
August 27 – Salem, OR @ Oregon State Fair*
August 28 – Airway Heights, WA @ Northern Quest Resort & Casino*
August 30 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle*
August 31 – Woodinville, WA @ Chateau Ste. Michelle*
(* supporting Steve Miller Band)

Lonestar Plots 2019 Tour

Pictured (L-R): Dean Sams, Keech Rainwater, Richie McDonald, Michael Britt

Country group Lonestar is back for its 2019 tour, Hits & More Hits. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the band’s triple-Platinum Lonely Grill album, which accumulated four No. 1 songs including “Amazed,” “Smile,” “What About Now,” and “Tell Her.”

The tour launches March 2 in Panama City Beach, Florida, and will include stops throughout the United States and Canada. The trek wraps Sept. 21 in Franklin, North Carolina.

“We are celebrating another milestone in 2019,” says keyboardist/vocalist Dean Sams. “It’s the 20th anniversary of the release of our Lonely Grill CD that had four number one singles on it and sold over four million records. Hope to see everyone out to celebrate with us on our ‘Hits and More Hits Tour’ in a city near you! After all, it’s you the fans that made it happen!!!”

Lonestar includes Sams, alongside lead vocalist Richie McDonald, drummer Keech Rainwater, and lead guitarist/vocalist Michael Britt.

Lonestar 2019 Hits & More Hits Tour Dates:
3/2/19: Panama City Beach, FL – Aaron Bessant Amphitheatre
3/8/19: Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
3/9/19: Manistee, MI – Little River Casino Resort
3/15/19: Fort Pierce, FL – Sunrise Theatre
3/16/19: Pinellas Park, FL – England Brothers Park
3/17/19: Immokalee, FL – Seminole Casino Hotel
4/13/19: Florence, AZ – Country Thunder USA
4/24/19: Lake Buena Vista, FL – American Gardens at Epcot Disneyworld
4/25/19: Lake Buena Vista, FL – American Gardens at Epcot Disneyworld
4/26/19: Lake Buena Vista, FL – American Gardens at Epcot Disneyworld
5/31/19: Dayton, OH – Hollywood Gaming At Dayton Raceway
6/9/19: Norfolk, VA – Town Point Park
6/11/19: Belleville, ON – The Empire Theatre
6/13/19: Burlington, ON – Sound of Music Festival
6/14/19: London, ON – London Music Hall
6/15/19: Rama, ON – Casino Rama
6/17/19: Halifax, NS – Rebecca Cohn Auditorium
6/18/19: Moncton, NB – The Centre at Casino New Brunswick
6/20/19: Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse
6/21/19: Lincoln, RI – Twin River Casino
6/22/19: Winston-Salem, NC – The Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Annex
6/23/19: Myrtle Beach, SC – Calvin Gilmore Theater
7/6/19: Roundup, MT – Roundup City Park
7/11/19: Tee PeeCreek, Alberta – TeePee Creek Stampede
7/12/19: Craven, Saskatchewan, Canada – Country Thunder Saskatchewan
7/18/19: Port Huron, Michigan – Port Huron to Mackinaw WSAQ Radio Show
7/19/19: Twin Lakes, WI – Country Thunder USA
7/20/19: Oskaloosa, IA – Southern Iowa Fair
7/25/19: Calgary, Alberta, Canada – Grey Eagle Resort & Casino
7/26/19: Mattawa, ON, Canada – Mattawa Voyageur Days 2019
7/27/19: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – Howl at the Moon Music Festival
8/1/19: Spokane, WA – First Interstate Center for the Arts
8/2/19: Whitefish, MT – Glacier Twins Baseball Fundraiser
8/3/19: Klamath Falls, OR – Klamath County Fair & Carnival
8/5/19: Santa Rosa, CA – Sonoma County Fair
8/7/19: Duchesne, UT – Duchesne County Fair
8/8/19: Nephi, UT – Juab County Fair
8/10/19: Henderson, NV – Sunset Station Hotel & Casino
8/14/19: Bath, NY – Steuben County Fair
8/16/19: Richmond, RI – Washington County Fair
8/23/19: Meridian, MS – MSU Riley Center for the Performing Arts
8/24/19: Mount Vernon, KY – Renfro Valley Entertainment
8/30/19: Lexington, MI – Village Theatre
9/1/19: Matthews, NC – Stumptown Park
9/6/19: Bonner Springs, KS – Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
9/13/19: Frederick, MD – The Great Frederick Fair
9/21/19: Franklin, NC – Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts

Dierks Bentley’s Seven Peaks Music Festival Returns For 2019

Dierks Bentley and Live Nation will return to Buena Vista, Colorado this year for the second Seven Peaks Music Festival. The festival will be held Aug. 30 – Sept. 1 over Labor Day Weekend. Performers for this year’s event will be announced at a later date.

In 2018, fans traveled from 49 states and as far away from Australia for the inaugural event, which featured performances from Miranda Lambert, Brothers Osborne, Elle King, Sam Bush, Cadillac Three and more, as well as multiple performances from Bentley.

Fans who sign up for the festival’s official newsletter can gain access to a pre-sale code to obtain passes before they go on sale to the general public. Alumni fans, that bought passes for the inaugural year, will have the first chance at passes with the Alumni Pre-Sale.

Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, Brad Paisley, Ryman Auditorium Win At 30th Annual Pollstar Awards

Nashville did not go unrepresented at the 30th annual Pollstar Awards on Wednesday night (Feb. 13) at the Pollstar Live! conference in Los Angeles. Wins from Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, Brad Paisley, the Ryman Auditorium and more Nashvillians brought home hardware.

Stapleton won the Best Country Tour award for his All-American Roadshow Tour. His 63-city North American tour started in May of 2017, and according to Pollstar, grossed 32.7 million in 2018. Stapleton’s All-American Roadshow Tour has featured Brothers Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Anderson East, Brent Cobb, Margo Price and Marty Stuart thus far, and its extension into 2019 is set to feature Cobb, Price, Stuart and Brothers Osborne as well as The Marcus King Band and Kendell Marvel.

Swift took home the award for Best Pop Tour for her Reputation Stadium Tour
. The tour ranked at second, just under Ed Sheeran, on Pollstar‘s Year-End Top 100 Worldwide Tours for 2018, and grossed $345.1 million. Louis Messina of Messina Touring Group accepted Swift’s award on her behalf, as well as the Bill Graham Award for Promoter of the Year that he won.

Musgraves earned the 
Best Support/Special Guest award for her support of the Harry Styles: Live tour. Musgraves, as well as Stapleton, accepted the award via pre-recorded video. Paisley
 took home Best Brand Partnership/Live Campaign for his work with Nationwide Insurance.

The Ryman Auditorium won 
Theatre of the Year for its ninth consecutive year. The Nashville gem has won the honor 11 times in total.

Stacey Vee of the AEG subsidiary Goldenvoice took home Talent Buyer of the Year after booking the massive country festival Stagecoach.

The 30th annual Pollstar Awards winners:
Major Tour of the Year: Ed Sheeran | ÷ Tour
Best Rock Tour: Foo Fighters | Concrete and Gold Tour 2018
Best Hip-Hop/R&B: Beyoncé & Jay-Z | On The Run II Tour
Best Pop Tour: Taylor Swift | Reputation Stadium Tour
Best Country Tour: Chris Stapleton | Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour
Best Latin Tour: Shakira | El Dorado World Tour
Best Comedy Tour: Kevin Hart | The Kevin Hart Irresponsible Tour
Best Support/Special Guest: Kacey Musgraves | Harry Styles – Harry Styles: Live
Best Residency: Bruce Springsteen | Walter Kerr Theatre
Best Attraction: America
Best Non-Music Tour of the Year: Becoming: An Intimate Conversation With Michelle Obama
Best New Headliner: Greta Van Fleet
Music Festival Over 30K Capacity: Coachella | Indio, CA
Music Festival Under 30K Capacity: Newport Folk Festival | Newport, RI
Nightclub of the Year: 9:30 Club | Washington, D.C.
Theatre of the Year: Ryman Auditorium | Nashville, TN
Arena of the Year: Madison Square Garden Arena | New York, NY
Best Outdoor Concert Venue: Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO
Best New Concert Venue: The Rooftop at Pier 17 | New York, NY
Venue Executive of the Year: Laurie Jacoby, Madison Square Garden
Talent Buyer of the Year: Stacy Vee, Goldenvoice
Bill Graham Award-Promoter of the Year: Louis Messina, Messina Touring Group
International Promoter of the Year: Barrie Marshall, Marshal Arts Ltd
Bobby Brooks Award – Agent of the Year: Marty Diamond, Paradigm Talent Agency
International Booking Agent of the Year: Emma Banks, Creative Artists Agency
Booking Agency of the Year: Paradigm Talent Agency
Rising Star: Lesley Olenik, Live Nation
Personal Manager of the Year: Coran Capshaw, Red Light Management
Road Warrior: Gus Brandt | Foo Fighters, Pharrell Williams/NERD, Conan O’Brien
Best Production/Transportation Company: Upstaging, Inc.
Best Brand Partnership/Live Campaign: Nationwide Insurance w/ Brad Paisley
Best Touring Musician: Elton John
Marketing/PR Exec: Allison McGregor, Creative Artists Agency
Best Hang: Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Lifer: Frank Riley, High Road Touring
The Unavailable Award: Bob Roux, Live Nation
Most Frequently Name-Dropped: Michael Rapino, Live Nation
The Back In My Day: Ron Delsener, Live Nation
Most Dreaded Phone Call: Irving Azoff, Full Stop Management
Most Terrifying Agent: Marsha Vlasic, Artist Group International

CAA Signs Willie Jones

Pictured (L-R): John Huie (CAA), Jonnie Forster (4 SOUND LA), Michael Bryan (CAA), Willie Jones, Madison Lee (CAA), Marc Dennis (CAA)

CAA has signed Willie Jones.

Jones recently signed to Black River Entertainment, with a full-length album slated to release in the fall.

Jones, who is managed by 4 SOUND LA’s Jonnie Forster, released his first single, “Runs In Our Blood,” last year. Jones has toured on the MAGcon Tour featuring artists including Cameron Dallas, Nash Grier, Shawn Mendes and more.

Jones is set to perform at Ole Red in Nashville today, Feb. 14.