Equal parts talent, gumption, and charisma have contributed to the evolution of this extraordinary musician who lives a surprisingly ordinary life. A triple-threat amassing the talents necessary to write, sing, and perform, Zach Paxson is best identified by his relation to the everyday rather than a sometimes-idealized lifestyle centered on beer, short skirts, and tailgates. Sure, there are trucks, there’s a handful of “hick chicks” and there’s most certainly a couple of cold ones, but Zach’s legacy will ultimately be born from his life as a father, husband, trade carpenter, and storyteller.
It is from his amassed experiences in these roles that Zach has written a storehouse of music and lyrics that appeal to the majority of Americans – those who work, laugh, love, and sometimes struggle.
As embraced as he is inspired by the blue-collar community of his hometown of Lisbon, Ohio, Zach has drawn from real-life events and interactions in creating songs such as SIMPLE LIFE and OHIO, which is currently under consideration as the official country song of the Buckeye State and was originally released on his debut album, “Good Luck with That.”
It is with pride that we now present ISLAND, the follow up release from his sophomore album, Simple Life.
 

B L U A N T Music Group recording artist, Derek Anthony, releases his latest single “Give It to Me Strait”, from his latest sophomore album “Cowboy Way”.  Derek is coming off his success of the single “Cowboy Way” on radio for 26 straight weeks averaging 1000 spins a week (Dec ‘13 – April ‘14).  “Cowboy Way”, produced by Steve Mandile, is the title track to his latest 11 track album that can be found on all major sites.  Some exciting news you may not be aware of…“Cowboy Way” was played in AT&T Stadium at the Dallas Cowboy home games this past year.  Once you hear the song, you will know why (stadium feel and production is very solid).  Derek’s style ranges from country rock to a strong traditional ballad with a full range of vocals.  His style is what makes him unique. “Give It to Me Strait” was created with the concept of taking some of Derek’s favorite George Strait songs and incorporating a George Strait title or lyric to fit just right into his tune.  The hook is about a couple not being honest with each other- just stop wasting time and “Give It to Me Strait”.  Can you recognize all the Strait references?  Derek’s silky traditional sound and creative lyrics makes you really listen for the references.
Derek can best be described as a contemporary country style with some traditional taste of country music embedded into his sound and feel.  He has always had a passion for music -instrumentally and vocally.  From the age of six, Derek was singing George Strait, Kenny Rogers, and Alabama, to Glen Campbell.   In addition to vocals, Derek has played a wide range of instruments (trumpet, banjo, guitar, saxophone, harmonica, baritone, and piano). The diversity of instrument experience gives Derek a wide range of styles and patterns to pull from while writing, performing, and composing songs.
Derek enjoys writing creative lyrics that have a simple cadence. Moreover, turning a negative quality or situation into a comical play on words is a goal for Derek. The country music listener has always accepted this notion with open arms.
Growing up in St. Louis, he was deeply involved with music in the school system at a young age.  Derek attended Missouri State University.  His parents have always instilled in him a very strong work ethic and emphasized “go for your dreams”.  For the past ten years, Derek has resided in Keller, Texas, where he started his own label and has been entrenched in the Texas music scene.  He is a regular at the world famous Billy Bob’s and has opened up for Pat Green, Josh Turner, Kansas, Colt Ford, and many, many others.  He has performed at Gexa Energy Pavilion, Texas Motor Speedway, Grapevine Opry, House of Blues (Dallas), Las Vegas, and many other venues across Texas.  Derek’s live performances are high energy with extensive crowd interaction. His band “The D-Train Band” is one of the strongest bands in the country genre – a must see.  Derek is eager to broaden his musical career into the mass market appeal and produce memorable music that embraces emotion, fun, and touches the hearts of millions of fans.
The man behind the music is even more impressive.  Derek is a supporter of the NOCC (National Ovarian Cancer Coalition). The NOCC is a nonprofit organization that helps spread awareness of the signs/symptoms of this “silent killer”.  It is “more than a woman’s disease”.  You may view Derek’s testimonial video on his website.  Learn more at www.ovarian.org.  He is also involved with Snowball Express and The WoundedWarriorProject.org, two great organizations doing great things for our military heroes and families.
Be sure to check out the “Give It to Me Strait” MUSIC VIDEO released July 1, 2014.  Please see more at www.derekanthony.net or email BLUANT Music Group at info@bluantmusicgroup.com.
B L U A N T Music Group recording artist, Derek Anthony, releases his latest single “Give It to Me Strait”, from his latest sophomore album “Cowboy Way”. Derek is coming off his success of the single “Cowboy Way” on radio for 26 straight weeks averaging 1000 spins a week (Dec ‘13 – April ‘14). “Cowboy Way”, produced by Steve Mandile, is the title track to his latest 11 track album that can be found on all major sites. Some exciting news you may not be aware of…“Cowboy Way” was played in AT&T Stadium at the Dallas Cowboy home games this past year. Once you hear the song, you will know why (stadium feel and production is very solid). Derek’s style ranges from country rock to a strong traditional ballad with a full range of vocals. His style is what makes him unique. “Give It to Me Strait” was created with the concept of taking some of Derek’s favorite George Strait songs and incorporating a George Strait title or lyric to fit just right into his tune. The hook is about a couple not being honest with each other- just stop wasting time and “Give It to Me Strait”. Can you recognize all the Strait references? Derek’s silky traditional sound and creative lyrics makes you really listen for the references.
Derek can best be described as a contemporary country style with some traditional taste of country music embedded into his sound and feel. He has always had a passion for music -instrumentally and vocally. From the age of six, Derek was singing George Strait, Kenny Rogers, and Alabama, to Glen Campbell. In addition to vocals, Derek has played a wide range of instruments (trumpet, banjo, guitar, saxophone, harmonica, baritone, and piano). The diversity of instrument experience gives Derek a wide range of styles and patterns to pull from while writing, performing, and composing songs.
Derek enjoys writing creative lyrics that have a simple cadence. Moreover, turning a negative quality or situation into a comical play on words is a goal for Derek. The country music listener has always accepted this notion with open arms.
Growing up in St. Louis, he was deeply involved with music in the school system at a young age. Derek attended Missouri State University. His parents have always instilled in him a very strong work ethic and emphasized “go for your dreams”. For the past ten years, Derek has resided in Keller, Texas, where he started his own label and has been entrenched in the Texas music scene. He is a regular at the world famous Billy Bob’s and has opened up for Pat Green, Josh Turner, Kansas, Colt Ford, and many, many others. He has performed at Gexa Energy Pavilion, Texas Motor Speedway, Grapevine Opry, House of Blues (Dallas), Las Vegas, and many other venues across Texas. Derek’s live performances are high energy with extensive crowd interaction. His band “The D-Train Band” is one of the strongest bands in the country genre – a must see. Derek is eager to broaden his musical career into the mass market appeal and produce memorable music that embraces emotion, fun, and touches the hearts of millions of fans.
The man behind the music is even more impressive. Derek is a supporter of the NOCC (National Ovarian Cancer Coalition). The NOCC is a nonprofit organization that helps spread awareness of the signs/symptoms of this “silent killer”. It is “more than a woman’s disease”. You may view Derek’s testimonial video on his website. Learn more at www.ovarian.org. He is also involved with Snowball Express and The WoundedWarriorProject.org, two great organizations doing great things for our military heroes and families.
Be sure to check out the “Give It to Me Strait” MUSIC VIDEO released July 1, 2014. Please see more at www.derekanthony.net or email BLUANT Music Group at info@bluantmusicgroup.com.
B L U A N T Music Group recording artist, Derek Anthony, releases his latest single “Give It to Me Strait”, from his latest sophomore album “Cowboy Way”. Derek is coming off his success of the single “Cowboy Way” on radio for 26 straight weeks averaging 1000 spins a week (Dec ‘13 – April ‘14). “Cowboy Way”, produced by Steve Mandile, is the title track to his latest 11 track album that can be found on all major sites. Some exciting news you may not be aware of…“Cowboy Way” was played in AT&T Stadium at the Dallas Cowboy home games this past year. Once you hear the song, you will know why (stadium feel and production is very solid). Derek’s style ranges from country rock to a strong traditional ballad with a full range of vocals. His style is what makes him unique. “Give It to Me Strait” was created with the concept of taking some of Derek’s favorite George Strait songs and incorporating a George Strait title or lyric to fit just right into his tune. The hook is about a couple not being honest with each other- just stop wasting time and “Give It to Me Strait”. Can you recognize all the Strait references? Derek’s silky traditional sound and creative lyrics makes you really listen for the references.
Derek can best be described as a contemporary country style with some traditional taste of country music embedded into his sound and feel. He has always had a passion for music -instrumentally and vocally. From the age of six, Derek was singing George Strait, Kenny Rogers, and Alabama, to Glen Campbell. In addition to vocals, Derek has played a wide range of instruments (trumpet, banjo, guitar, saxophone, harmonica, baritone, and piano). The diversity of instrument experience gives Derek a wide range of styles and patterns to pull from while writing, performing, and composing songs.
Derek enjoys writing creative lyrics that have a simple cadence. Moreover, turning a negative quality or situation into a comical play on words is a goal for Derek. The country music listener has always accepted this notion with open arms.
Growing up in St. Louis, he was deeply involved with music in the school system at a young age. Derek attended Missouri State University. His parents have always instilled in him a very strong work ethic and emphasized “go for your dreams”. For the past ten years, Derek has resided in Keller, Texas, where he started his own label and has been entrenched in the Texas music scene. He is a regular at the world famous Billy Bob’s and has opened up for Pat Green, Josh Turner, Kansas, Colt Ford, and many, many others. He has performed at Gexa Energy Pavilion, Texas Motor Speedway, Grapevine Opry, House of Blues (Dallas), Las Vegas, and many other venues across Texas. Derek’s live performances are high energy with extensive crowd interaction. His band “The D-Train Band” is one of the strongest bands in the country genre – a must see. Derek is eager to broaden his musical career into the mass market appeal and produce memorable music that embraces emotion, fun, and touches the hearts of millions of fans.
The man behind the music is even more impressive. Derek is a supporter of the NOCC (National Ovarian Cancer Coalition). The NOCC is a nonprofit organization that helps spread awareness of the signs/symptoms of this “silent killer”. It is “more than a woman’s disease”. You may view Derek’s testimonial video on his website. Learn more at www.ovarian.org. He is also involved with Snowball Express and The WoundedWarriorProject.org, two great organizations doing great things for our military heroes and families.
Be sure to check out the “Give It to Me Strait” MUSIC VIDEO released July 1, 2014. Please see more at www.derekanthony.net or email BLUANT Music Group at info@bluantmusicgroup.com.

Cassadee Pope was already scheduled to be in Oklahoma City, Okla. as part of her Midwest radio tour. The The Voice winner rescheduled her radio station visits so she could volunteer at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. In addition to volunteering, Cassadee was able to get two truckloads of food delivered to the Oklahoma food bank today through her partnership with Outnumber Hunger.

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Shawna Russell used her tour bus (formerly owned by country legend Willie Nelson) to help with the collection of supplies for tornado victims in Shawnee, Okla. After spreading the word through social media, Russell, her family and band members gathered volunteers to help accept donations and load them onto the bus. By day’s end, donated items filled most available space on the bus and required three additional vehicles to help deliver the supplies to Dale Middle School, a distribution point for Shawnee and surrounding communities. Cash donations were also deposited at local banks where accounts have been established to help disaster victims.

Shawna Russell (third from right) is joined by volunteer relief workers and contributors.

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Josh Turner was a guest and performer at PGA golfer Bubba Watson’s 2nd Annual Bubba’s Bash in Orlando, Fla. recently. He was joined by Justin Martin, Jase Robertson and Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty, along with former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. Funds raised from Bubba’s Bash ase used to partner with Unreined Ministries to continue furnishing The Bubba and Angie Watson Hospital on the five acres of land they purchased in Liyavo, Kenya. The hospital is currently under construction.

Pictured (L to R): Duck Dynasty’s Justin Martin, Duck Dynasty’s Jase Robertson, Josh Turner, Bubba Watson, Jordin Sparks and Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson. Photo: Stanley Tongai

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Brenda Lee, Jan Howard, Kristen Kelly, Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis performed their favorite Patsy Cline songs during a presentation of Always: Singing the Legacy of Patsy Cline at the Country Music Hall of Fame on May 11.

Pictured (L-R): Kristen Kelly, Emma Shudde, Brenda Lee, Jan Howard, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis and Lisa Brokop.