Brett Young To Headline CMT Here Tonight Tour

Brett Young is partnering with CMT for a series of shows this Fall on the Here Tonight Tour. The headlining tour will launch Nov. 16 in Royal Oak, Michigan, and will run through Dec. 16, with additional markets to be announced in the coming weeks.

The tour will feature special guests Tyler Rich and Rachel Wammack, and tickets go on sale in select markets this Friday, Aug. 24 via BrettYoungMusic.com.

“This tour has got me pumped already,” said Young. “We teamed up with CMT to name it after a new song I’ve been working on. It’s all about losing track of time because you’re so wrapped up in the moment. That’s what I want it to be all about out with the fans each night, and Rachel and Tyler are going to be a great way to get it started.”

Young is currently on Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes Tour 2018 and is set to headline a sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for the first time on Oct. 10.

CMT ON TOUR: HERE TONIGHT 2018 Dates:
Nov. 16 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Theatre
Nov. 17 –  Northfield, OH @ Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park – Hard Rock Live
Nov. 18 – Saint Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Nov. 29 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
Nov. 30 – Columbia, SC @ Township Auditorium
Dec. 1 – North Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
Dec. 2 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
Dec. 6 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theatre
Dec. 9 – New York, NY @ Playstation Theatre
Dec. 14 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy Theatre
Dec. 16 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland

Kenny Chesney Breaks MetLife Stadium Attendance Record

Kenny Chesney‘s appearance at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey over the weekend was memorable for a couple of different reasons, including an evacuation and 45-minute storm delay before the show even got off the ground. But once Chesney took the stage, he broke yet another career record, playing to 58,642 members of the No Shoes Nation, and becoming the biggest ticket seller in the history of MetLife Stadium.

In six plays at the stadium, the same number as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen & the E. Street Band and Bon Jovi, Chesney’s total numbered 338,516 – 10,000 ahead of the next closest performer. Chesney became the only country artist in the Meadowlands/MetLife Top 10 concert draws of all time: joining Springsteen (30 plays), the Grateful Dead (14), Bon Jovi (14), U2 (11), the Rolling Stones (9), Dave Matthews Band (9) and Billy Joel (7).

“When they told me, I couldn’t really get my head around it,” Chesney said. “Those are big numbers. But you know, to me, when we hit that stage, and I saw all those people, soaking wet, who’d hung through the evacuation and had come for the music; to me, that was the greatest sight in the world – and it’s why we come back year after year. They rock us harder than we rock them!”

Old Dominion guitarist and “Save It For A Rainy Day” co-writer Brad Tursi was also surprised during the show with an oversized birthday margarita to celebrate his big day.

“This was the last night for Thomas and OD,” Chesney said. “It’s been an incredible summer, filled with so much incredible music, heart and great people. Tonight on stage, after all of it, you could really feel the power of what music does for and to people. You can have a ton of rainfall stop the momentum, but you can’t stop the songs. It’s why we do what we do, and I hope it’s why No Shoes Nation keeps coming back.”

The crowd at MetLife Stadium. Photo: Kenny Chesney/Instagram

Scotty McCreery Plots Seasons Change Tour

Following his first No. 1 song, “Five More Minutes,” and his chart-topping Triple Tigers Records project Seasons Change, Scotty McCreery has announced his upcoming Seasons Change Tour.

McCreery will welcome Jimmie Allen and Heather Morgan for the trek, which launches on Nov. 29 at House of Blues in Dallas. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Aug. 24 beginning at 10 a.m. local time at Ticketmaster.

“Even though I’m always performing on the road, I really wanted to put together a specific tour surrounding Seasons Change because it is my favorite and most personal project yet,” said McCreery. “I am so excited to bring Jimmie Allen and Heather Morgan out with me. They are such talented singer-songwriters and I know the fans are going to love them.”

Seasons Change Tour Dates:

Nov. 29- Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
Nov. 30- San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre
Dec. 1- Houston, TX @ House of Blues *
Dec. 7- St. Paul, MN @ Myth Live
Dec. 8- Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room *
Dec. 9- Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
Dec. 13- Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
Dec. 15- Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe Live
Jan. 17- Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
Jan. 18- Charlotte, NC @ Fillmore
Jan. 19- Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
Jan. 25- Boston, MA @ House of Blues
Jan. 26- Westbury, NY @ NYCB Theatre at Westbury

(*) Dates without Jimmie Allen
Texas singer/songwriter Mike Ryan will perform on Dec.1 in Houston, Texas.

 

Chris Lane To Headline Laps Around The Sun Tour This Fall

Fresh off the release of his sophomore album, Laps Around The Sun, Big Loud Records artist Chris Lane is set to put a few more miles under his feet with the headlining Laps Around The Sun Tour.

Beginning Oct. 12 with a show in Gulf Breeze, Florida, the tour will be supported by rising country star Mason Ramsey and American Idol standout Gabby Barrett, visiting cities from coast to coast and culminating with a pre-Christmas concert at Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts on Dec. 15.

“I’m blown away by the response to my new album,” shares Lane. “Performing live and interacting with fans is one of my favorite parts of what I do, and hearing people sing along is such a cool feeling. I can’t wait to hit the road and play these songs every night. See y’all this fall!”

Lane will continue touring on the fair and festival circuit through the end of summer before embarking on the Laps Around The Sun Tour.

Laps Around The Sun Tour dates:
Oct. 12 – Gulf Breeze, FL @ Flounder’s Pensacola Beach
Oct. 13 – Savannah, GA @ Saddle Bags Savannah
Oct. 18 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Oct. 19 – Rosemont, IL @ Joe’s Live
Oct. 20 – Indianapolis, IN @ 8 Seconds Saloon*
Oct. 25 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
Oct. 26 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
Oct. 27 – San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
Oct. 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Nov. 2 – Lynchburg, VA @ Phase 2
Nov. 8 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
Nov. 9 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
Nov. 15 – Columbia, SC @ The Senate
Nov. 17 – Rootstown, OH @ Dusty Armadillo
Nov. 24 – Denver, CO @ Grizzly Rose*
Nov. 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
Dec. 1 – Lakeland, FL @ Wild Greg’s Saloon*
Dec. 12 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Dec. 13 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Dec. 14 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony
Dec. 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts

* Without Mason Ramsey

Kenny Chesney Offers Hits, Hope And Unity During Nashville Show

Kenny Chesney on the afternoon of Aug. 11, prior to his show at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium. Photo: Kenny Chesney/Instagram

“Music and songs are the most powerful thing we have,” country music superstar Kenny Chesney told the record-breaking crowd of 55,182 fans (besting One Direction’s 2014 Nissan Stadium record of 54,249) that packed Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Saturday (Aug. 11), the setting for the 16th stop on his Trip Around The Sun Tour. “This is beautiful.”

This Hillbilly Rockstar was in full control of his stadium-sized legion of fans as he offered a 20+ song set, filled with hits from a career that has spanned more than two decades.

“I haven’t played this stadium in six years and I apologize for it,” Chesney told the crowd.

All was clearly forgiven, as the audience stood at attention throughout a set that ranged from 1998’s “How Forever Feels” to his latest chart-topper “Get Along.”

Throughout the energetic two-hour performance, Chesney worked every part of the massive stage, dancing, grinning, running and generally staying as close as possible to his No Shoes Nation. He led the audience in hit after hit, including “Livin’ In Fast Forward,” “Beer In Mexico,” “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems,” and more.

Though temperatures in Nashville hovered in the 80s well into the evening, Chesney never left the stage. Before he reached the second half of the set, Chesney’s signature tank and jeans were clearly soaked with sweat, both from the heat and from a concert that is essentially a rigorous two-hour cardio workout for the superstar.

Two large video screens followed his every move, in addition to a video screen that flashed scenes from various music videos. During “Young,” the screens showcased photos from Chesney’s own childhood, including his early performances and sports games.

The moody “Somewhere With You” offered the first slow burn of the concert, strategically placed nearly 10 songs into the show. The placement of the show’s scarce quiet moments heightened the pure emotional connection between fans and superstar. Midway through “Anything But Mine,” Chesney allowed the audience to take over the chorus, while he ended the song with only his warm baritone left convey the song’s nostalgia.

Chesney showcased members of his ace band throughout the evening, highlighted by his collaboration of “Setting The World On Fire’ with bassist and vocalist Harmoni Kelley. With her powerful, edgy voice, she more than held her own center stage, while Chesney offered his vocals from the catwalk, shaking hands with fans.

He also welcomed the evening’s openers, Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion, and Brandon Lay back to the stage at various points. Thomas Rhett collaborated on “When The Sun Goes Down,” while Lay sang on “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” During “Save It For A Rainy Day,” Chesney traded lines with Old Dominion’s Brad Tursi and Matt Ramsey, who co-wrote the 2015 Chesney hit with the late Andrew Dorff.

David Lee Murphy and Kenny Chesney.

As he has done for several shows on his Trip Around The Sun Tour, Chesney welcomed David Lee Murphy to perform two of his signature ‘90s hits, “Dust On The Bottle” and “Party Crowd.” The two also offered their recent chart-topping collaboration, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.” Chesney and Murphy were in Nashville earlier this week to celebrate the No. 1 single with industry members, but Saturday evening they shared the song’s uplifting message, and their longstanding friendship, with the fans.

Saturday night’s stadium show reached a pinnacle with the duet, which served as a swirling anthem of hope.

“Let us help you forget whatever it is, and just live in this music, this moment.” Tennessee native Chesney urged the crowd, with the sincerity of a southern preacher, using music to spread his musical message of love, hope, sunshine, and good times.

Carrie Underwood Welcomes All-Female Lineup For 2019 “Cry Pretty” Arena Tour

Carrie Underwood will launch a new arena tour, The Cry Pretty Tour 360, in Spring 2019. Sponsored by CALIA, the new tour will kick off on May 1 in Greensboro, North Carolina, and will play 55 arenas across the U.S. and Canada and be promoted by AEG Presents. She will be joined on tour by special guests Maddie & Tae and Runaway June. The trek includes a stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Sept. 27, 2019.

Tickets for the concerts go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Aug. 17 at 10am local time. Also beginning Monday, Aug. 13, a limited number of exclusive VIP Packages will be available which include an amazing selection of tickets, Meet & Greets, autographed memorabilia, custom merchandise and much more.

Following her successful “The Storyteller Tour – Stories in the Round,” the new production will feature a brand-new stage in the middle of the arena floor, creating a unique 360-degree setting to allow fans on all sides of the arena an intimate view of the concert. Barry Lather (Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson) is the tour’s Creative Director, and Nick Whitehouse/Fireplay (Justin Timberlake, Beyonce) is Production Designer.

“I love performing in the round,” says Underwood. “It’s so much fun for me and the band to play in every direction and creates a much more intimate and immersive experience for the audience, even in a larger arena setting. It’s been exciting to introduce audiences to Cry Pretty and I can’t wait to bring the new album to life on this tour, along with all of the songs we love to play live. I’m thrilled to be going out with an amazing line-up – Maddie & Tae and Runaway June are incredible artists that are going to bring even more electricity to our shows.”

Underwood has arranged for a donation of $1 from each ticket sold for The Cry Pretty Tour 360 to be contributed to Danita’s Children, which provides a safe haven for abandoned and vulnerable children in Haiti, while encouraging families to stay together through their education and malnutrition programs.

Prior to embarking on the tour next Spring, Underwood will appear at the upcoming iHeart Music Festival in Las Vegas, as well as such international festivals as The Long Road Festival and Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park in the UK, Tuckerville in The Netherlands, and Deni Ute Muster in Australia.

THE CRY PRETTY TOUR 360:
Date City Venue
May 1, 2019 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
May 3, 2019 Birmingham, AL Legacy Arena at the BJCC
May 4, 2019 N. Little Rock, AR Verizon Arena
May 6, 2019 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
May 9, 2019 Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Arena
May 11, 2019 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 12, 2019 Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
May 14, 2019 Sacramento, CA Golden1 Center
May 16, 2019 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
May 18, 2019 Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena
May 21, 2019 Portland, OR MODA Center at Rose Garden
May 22, 2019 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena
May 24, 2019 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
May 25, 2019 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
May 28, 2019 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
May 31, 2019 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre
June 2, 2019 Winnipeg, MB Bell MTS Place
June 9, 2019 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
June 10, 2019 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre
June 13, 2019 Hershey, PA GIANT Center
June 15, 2019 Cincinnati, OH U.S. Bank Arena
June 16, 2019 Indianapolis, IN Bankers Life Fieldhouse
June 18, 2019 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
June 20, 2019 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
June 21, 2019 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
June 23, 2019 Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena
Sept 10, 2019 San Diego, CA Valley View Casino Center
Sept 12, 2019 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center
Sept 14, 2019 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena
Sept 16, 2019 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
Sept 18, 2019 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena
Sept 19, 2019 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
Sept 21, 2019 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Sept 22, 2019 Lafayette, LA Cajundome
Sept 24, 2019 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
Sept 25, 2019 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena
Sept 27, 2019 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
Sept 29, 2019 Columbia, SC Colonial Life Arena
Sept 30, 2019 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena
Oct 2, 2019 New York City, NY Madison Square Garden
Oct 4, 2019 Washington, D.C. Capital One Arena
Oct 5, 2019 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
Oct 10, 2019 Boston, MA TD Garden
Oct 12, 2019 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
Oct 13, 2019 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center
Oct 16, 2019 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena
Oct 17, 2019 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
Oct 19, 2019 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
Oct 20, 2019 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
Oct 23, 2019 Memphis, TN FedExForum
Oct 24, 2019 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
Oct 26, 2019 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
Oct 27, 2019 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
Oct 29, 2019 Chicago, IL United Center
Oct 31, 2019 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena*Tickets on sale Friday, Aug 24th in Wichita, Kansas City and Sioux Falls

Brothers Osborne Expand Headlining World Tour, Team With The Wild Feathers And Lucie Silvas

Brothers Osborne will welcome The Wild Feathers and Lucie Silvas this Fall for select stops across Canada, the U.K., and the United States. A run of Canadian dates begins in October, with dates in Scotland, England and Wales in November and December.

The duo is currently on the road with Dierks Bentley’s Mountain High Tour, and will perform their single “Shoot Me Straight” on the ABC television special CMA Fest, which airs Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. CT.

Brothers Osborne – World Tour Dates:

Aug. 26: Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre
Aug. 31: Laramie, WY @ University of Wyoming Arena Auditorium
Sept. 5 Bethlehem, PA @ Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks
Oct. 7 Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre
Oct. 17 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House*^
Oct. 18 Abbotsford, BC @ Abbotsford Centre*
Oct. 19 Penticton, BC @ South Okanagan Events Centre*
Oct. 20 Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall*
Oct. 21 Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre*
Oct. 24 Saskatoon, SK @ O’Brian’s Event Centre
Oct. 25 Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts
Oct. 26 St Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre^
Oct. 27 Madison, WI @ The Sylvee^
Oct. 28 Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe Live^
Nov. 1 Toronto, ON @ Rebel Complex*
Nov. 2 Kitchener, ON @ Elements*
Nov. 3 London, ON @ London Music Hall*
Nov. 8 Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Civic Center Auditorium^
Nov. 9 Louisville, KY @ Palace Theatre~
Nov. 10 Fort Wayne, IN @ Clyde Theatre^
Nov. 25 Glasgow, Scotland @ O2 Academy Glasgow+
Nov. 27 Newcastle, England @ O2 Academy Newcastle+
Nov. 28 Manchester, England @ Academy Manchester+
Nov. 30 Nottingham, England @ Rock City+
Dec. 1 Porthcawl, Wales @ Planet Rock Festival
Dec. 2 London, England @ O2 Kentish Town Forum+

* Support from The Wild Feathers
+ Support from Lucie Silvas
^ Fan club pre-sale begins August 7 at 10am local time, general on-sale August 10
~ Fan club pre-sale begins August 14 at 10am local time, general on-sale August 17

Music Professionals Network Jammcard Expands To Nashville

Jammcard, a music professionals network dedicated to helping top-notch musicians find their next gig, has expanded to Nashville. Founded by Elmo Lovano and already launched in Los Angeles, Jammcard offers an invite-only social network for vetted professionals and highly-curated event gatherings. Lovano is a drummer and musical director who has worked with Miley Cyrus, Juliette Lewis and more.

Coined as “LinkedIn For Musicians” by Forbes, Jammcard has been used to assemble live bands for artists including Zedd and Maren Morris (for their performance of “The Middle” at the Billboard Music Awards). Vetted applicants can use the Jammcard app to search for not only musicians, but for producers, stage managers, lighting directors, tour managers, engineers and other professionals. The app also allows members other search options such as searching for candidates by genre or what gear they use.

Jammcard is now accepting applicants from Nashville to join the network, and they are planning their next invite-only celebration, the JammJam, slated for next week in Nashville.

Several in the Nashville community have offered praise for the new offering.

“Jammcard is the ultimate musicians network!” says Aaron Farmer, who has provided musical support for artists including Florida Georgia Line. “You have all these amazing players who you can relate to, collab with, and build some solid friendships along the way! With Nashville being such a thriving community of musicians, Jammcard seems like it was the only thing missing!”

“I’m amped about Jammcard coming to music city!” said Daru Jones, drummer for Jack White, among others. “Looking forward to experiencing the diversity of amazing talents from country, rock, soul and hip-hop.”

For more information on the network, visit jammcard.com.

Jake Owen To Launch Second Leg Of Life’s Whatcha Make It Tour

Jake Owen has announced a second leg of his Life’s Whatcha Make It Tour 2018 and a brand new single, “Down to the Honkytonk,” which is out tonight. The tour includes special guests David Lee Murphy and Morgan Wallen, and will kick off Oct. 4 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Tickets for the new shows will go on sale starting Friday, Aug. 10.

“I really do believe that life’s whatcha make it,” says Owen. “That’s actually a line from my new single ‘Down to the Honkytonk.’ I’m so pumped to announce that the second leg of the ‘Life’s Whatcha Make It Tour’ will be starting this fall. I’m equally as excited about who is coming out on the road with us. David Lee Murphy is such a great guy and a writer on one of my biggest hits, ‘Anywhere with You,’ and Morgan Wallen is my label mate who just had a huge hit with FGL. It’s going to be an awesome way to wrap up such a great year.”

Owen has been in the recording studio working with producer Joey Moi, who produced his biggest hits to date, including “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Alone with You,” “Beachin,’”and his most recent No.1, “I Was Jack (You Were Diane).”

“Life’s Whatcha Make It Tour 2018” Dates: 
Oct. 4: Wilkes-Barre, PA @ Mohegan Sun
Oct. 5: Norfolk, VA @ Constant Convocation Center
Oct. 6: Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Coliseum
Oct. 11: Salem, VA @ Salem Civic Center*^
Oct. 12: Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center*
Oct. 18: Indianapolis, IN @ Indiana Farmers Coliseum
Oct. 19: St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena**
Oct. 20: Springfield, MO @ JQH Arena
Oct. 25: Hoffman Estates, IL @ Sears Centre Arena
Oct. 26: Huntington, WV @ The Big Sandy Superstore Arena
Oct. 27: Atlanta, GA @ Verizon Amphitheatre
Nov. 1: Estero, FL @ Germain Arena
Nov. 3: Pensacola, FL @ Pensacola Bay Center

*Doesn’t include David Lee Murphy
** Doesn’t include Morgan Wallen
^Includes Tyler Farr
Additional artists TBA

Sugarland’s Nashville Stop Reveals Full Narrative Of Nettles/Bush Writing

Sugarland. Photo: Shearer Photography

With seven No. 1 singles together, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have officially reunited as Sugarland after more than half a decade apart.

“Some people think Jennifer and I took a vacation for the last five years. No, we did not. These next two songs are from our solo albums,” said Bush before performing his “Trailer Hitch” during the Still The Same Tour stop in Nashville on Thursday (Aug. 2).

Having launched earlier this year, Sugarland’s outing is approaching the halfway mark of its second leg, in support of the 11-track album Bigger, a first in a collaboration between Big Machine Label Group and the duo’s original home, Mercury Nashville. With each ticket sale, audience members received a complimentary album from the ticket provider.

The time spent apart yielded substantial solo efforts from both Bush and Nettles, though. Bush introduced Southern Gravity with the now-defunct Streamsound Records. Meanwhile, Nettles joined Big Machine for the majority of her three notable solo releases, in addition to starring in Dolly Parton’s NBC made-for-television movies. She also moved to New York for a period to star in the Broadway musical Chicago.

While theatrics have always been detected in Nettles’ work, Sugarland’s return experiments with bolder stagecraft and bravado. The Nashville outing served not only to solidify her confidence in such performance, but the duo’s reprisal welcomes audiences from those extracurricular endeavors with open arms.

During a cover of Patty Griffin’s “Tony,” Nettles stood boldly before video walls, in solidarity with LGBT youth. The duo’s message was aimed at saving lives, as well as challenging churches and families with suicide rate statistics among that marginalized community, which are more than double. Sugarland reached out, displaying resources of support, including the Trevor Project. The band displayed branding SUGARL&, which explained: “&=Everyone Belongs Here.”

 

The Sugarland 2.0 return has shown revitalized energy, primed for today’s social climate—not just on stage but on record. Perhaps though, it’s only taken time to unfold the full complexities of the Bush/Nettles collective writing narrative. Hits like, “It Happens,” give a nod of confidence to handling life’s hardships while “Something More” empowers listeners to pursue ambitions beyond their current circumstances. Sugarland’s 2003 debut hit, “Baby Girl” shares a successful attempt at achieving aspirations, and was tearfully delivered by Nettles’ during the Nashville show, following the introduction of her parents in the audience. Collectively, those lyrics of Sugarland validate those seeking distraction or relief from the present, and befriend those country music fans with a voice of kindness.

This fresh confidence was again on full display for Sugarland’s delivery of additional stellar hits “Want To,” “Settlin’,” “Stay” and with climactic energy, Nettles incorporated her own “Unlove You.” Although Taylor Swift did not make an appearance at the Sugarland Nashville tour stop, her presence was felt with the lyrics and video display on the single she wrote and cameo’d on for the duo, titled “Babe.”

A variety of special guests, many with personal connections, were welcomed to the tour. Brandy Clark—who appeared in earlier dates—co-wrote a significant portion of Nettle’s solo project, including the remarkable “Salvation Works.” Nashville openers Lindsay Ell’s debut The Project was produced by Bush, and Frankie Ballard co-wrote a rocking groovy track from his opening set with Bush, called “Try Try Try.”