Tim McGraw. Photo: Robby Klein
Country’s big boys are strutting their stuff in today’s edition of DisClaimer.
And at what better time, with the ACM Awards set to air on Sunday night? So Luke Bryan, Lanco, Brian Kelley of FGL, Thomas Rhett and Jameson Rodgers are on tap with new songs. They are all bested by a superstar veteran, Tim McGraw, who nails down the Disc of the Day award.
This is a male-dominated stack of sounds, but there are three female voices worth your attention this week. One of them is the enduringly great Miranda Lambert, singing with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall and recorded in the great outdoors. Secondly, don’t miss the fiery Maggie Rose performance.
Third is our DisCovery Award winning duo Kat & Alex. Kat Luna sings lead on “Heartbreak Tour.” Partner Alex Garrido shines just a brightly on “You and the Radio.” Here’s a sweet touch: The eliminated American Idol alumni were married in January.
JAMESON RODGERS / “Good Dogs”
Writers: Jameson Rodgers/Hunter Phelps/Jake Mitchell/Brent Anderson; Producer: Chris Farren/Jake Mitchell; Label: River House Artists/Columbia Nashville
— For doggie lovers everywhere. It’s a raspy-voiced, slow meditation on life and mortality that concludes “good dogs don’t live long enough.”
THOMAS RHETT / “Country Again”
Writers: Thomas Rhett/Zach Crowell/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Dann Huff/Jesse Frasure; Label: Valory Music Co.
— He went Hollywood, but now he’s back to drinking beer, hunting, fishing, wearing boots, going to church, loving his honey, sitting at a campfire and hanging out in Tennessee. Ho hum.
KARISSA ELLA / “Maybe It Was Memphis”
Writers: Michael James Anderson; Producer: Zach Farnum & Karissa Ella; Label: Orchard/117 Entertainment
— The acoustic production is admirable. But her vocal performance is sharp and pitch-y. It doesn’t help that she’s asking for comparison to a Pam Tillis oldie that was a dang-near perfect record the first time around.
KAT & ALEX / “Heartbreak Tour”
Writers: Alex Georgia/Kat Georgia; Producer: Brad Hill; Label: Sony Music Nashville
— They are billed as “Country-Latin disrupters,” whatever that means. All I know is that the sound is very cool. Their harmonies are stellar. The production is echoey-groovy. The chorus is one massive hook. Turn it up. I’m in. Also check out their super rhythmic and equally hooky “You and the Radio.”
MANNY BLU / “Train”
Writers: Jessi Alexander/Ryan Beaver/JT Harding; Producer: Aaron Eshuis; Label: MB
— It’s a frothing rocker with loads of energy and sizzle. He’s asking for her love to “hit me like a train.” The rhythm section and electric guitar kick serious butt behind his youthful wail.
TIM McGRAW / “God Moves the Pen”
Writers: James Slater/Tony Lane; Producer: Byron Gallimore/Tim McGraw; Label: Big Machine Records
— Awesome. This man is a superstar for a reason. Is there anyone else in country music who chooses superb songs this consistently? This brisk tempo outing is a string of terrific lines about love and the act of writing. What a wonderfully satisfying country artist.
JACK INGRAM, MIRANDA LAMBERT, JON RANDALL / “Am I Right or Amarillo”
Writers: Jack Ingram/Miranda Lambert/Jon Randall; Producer: Jack Ingram/Miranda Lambert/Jon Randall; Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Label Nashville
— Acoustic bliss with outdoor trio harmonies. It’s a honky-tonk cheatin’ song dressed up like a folk tune. Lovely listening. The Marfa Tapes album by these three stellar tunesmiths drops on May 7.
LANCO / “First Beer”
Writers: Brandon Lancaster/Tripp Howell/Jaren Johnson; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Arista Nashville
— I fell in love with this right away. The nostalgic lyric is extremely well written, and the echoey, upbeat audio setting is perfect for the wistful mood. This act never disappoints.
BRIAN KELLEY / “Beach Cowboy”
Writers: Blake Redferrin/Brian Kelley/Jake Rose; Producer: Brian Kelley/Corey Crowder/Jake Rose; Label: Nashville South Records Inc/Warner Music Nashville
— Mellow, like summer in the Southern sun. The repetitive song is slim pickin’s, but this outing is all about the groove. Get baked and lay back stoned.
LUKE BRYAN / “Waves”
Writers: Zach Crowell/Ryan Hurd/Chase McGill; Producer: Jeff Stevens/Jody Stevens; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
— Highly evocative. It will bring back memories of every beach-spent summer of your youth while the swirling rhythm and anthemic production dazzle your brain today. Bryan’s vocal is one of the most passionate of his career.
CARL RAY / “I Can See Clearly Now”
Writers: Johnny Nash; Producer: none listed; Label: CRW
— Black country singer Carl Ray (Williams) was mentored by the late Johnny Nash, who gave him his start. Ray takes Nash’s million-selling 1972 reggae-tinged pop chart topper, adds his own lyric contributions and reinterprets the tempo to become a country rocker. Intriguing. And the message of hope is timeless.
MAGGIE ROSE / “What Are We Fighting For”
Writers: Alex Haddad/Larry Florman/Maggie Rose; Producer: Ben Tanner; Label: Starstruck
— I remain a massive fan of this blue-eyed soul stylist. This torrid, slow-burn performance is equal parts gospel emotion and blues ambiance. The woman should be some kinda superstar.
Poco Co-Founder Rusty Young Dies
/by Lydia FarthingPictured: Rusty Young and his wife, Mary. Photo: Courtesy Michael J. Media Group
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young, founding member of country-rock band Poco and an influential steel guitar players in rock history, died yesterday (April 14) of a heart attack at his home in Davisville, Missouri. He was 75.
Norman Russell ‘Rusty’ Young was born February 23, 1946 in Long Beach, California and raised in Denver, Colorado, where he began playing lap steel as a boy and performed in local country and psychedelic rock bands throughout his teens. In 1967, Young was invited to Los Angeles by Richie Furay to play steel on Buffalo Springfield’s third and final album Last Time Around.
Soon after, Young, Furay, George Grantham and Jim Messina formed Poco. Over the next five decades, alongside members that would also include Randy Meisner, Timothy B. Schmit and Paul Cotton, Young became not only the musical core of the band, but also the writer and vocalist behind hits including “Rose Of Cimarron” and the No. 1 smash “Crazy Love.” The current band—led by Young and featuring Jack Sundrud, Rick Lonow and Tom Hampton—still performed over 100 dates per year.
“I made a promise to myself that Poco would only keep going if we remained a band of real musicians who were having fun,” Young said last year. “Because audiences can tell the difference.”
Rusty was inducted into Guitar Player Magazine’s Gallery Of Greats in 1974 and Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame in 2012. Young orchestrated Poco’s 50th anniversary reunion in 2017 and released his solo debut album Waitin’ For The Sun on Blue Elan Records later that year.
“Rusty was the most unpretentious, caring and idyllic artist I have ever worked with, a natural life force that he consistently poured into his music,” says Rick Alter, Poco and Young’s manager of more than 20 years. “To fans and fellow musicians alike, he was a once-in-a-lifetime musician, songwriter, performer and friend.”
Young is survived by his beloved wife Mary, their daughter Sara, son Will, and 3 young grandsons Chandler, Ryan and Graham, as well as Mary’s 3 children Joe, Marci and Hallie and grandchildren Quentin and Emma.
A memorial service will be held October 16 at Wildwood Springs Lodge in Steelville, Missouri where Rusty and Mary met 20 years ago.
DISClaimer Single Reviews: Tim McGraw, Brian Kelley, Lanco, Kat & Alex
/by Robert K OermannTim McGraw. Photo: Robby Klein
Country’s big boys are strutting their stuff in today’s edition of DisClaimer.
And at what better time, with the ACM Awards set to air on Sunday night? So Luke Bryan, Lanco, Brian Kelley of FGL, Thomas Rhett and Jameson Rodgers are on tap with new songs. They are all bested by a superstar veteran, Tim McGraw, who nails down the Disc of the Day award.
This is a male-dominated stack of sounds, but there are three female voices worth your attention this week. One of them is the enduringly great Miranda Lambert, singing with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall and recorded in the great outdoors. Secondly, don’t miss the fiery Maggie Rose performance.
Third is our DisCovery Award winning duo Kat & Alex. Kat Luna sings lead on “Heartbreak Tour.” Partner Alex Garrido shines just a brightly on “You and the Radio.” Here’s a sweet touch: The eliminated American Idol alumni were married in January.
JAMESON RODGERS / “Good Dogs”
Writers: Jameson Rodgers/Hunter Phelps/Jake Mitchell/Brent Anderson; Producer: Chris Farren/Jake Mitchell; Label: River House Artists/Columbia Nashville
— For doggie lovers everywhere. It’s a raspy-voiced, slow meditation on life and mortality that concludes “good dogs don’t live long enough.”
THOMAS RHETT / “Country Again”
Writers: Thomas Rhett/Zach Crowell/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Dann Huff/Jesse Frasure; Label: Valory Music Co.
— He went Hollywood, but now he’s back to drinking beer, hunting, fishing, wearing boots, going to church, loving his honey, sitting at a campfire and hanging out in Tennessee. Ho hum.
KARISSA ELLA / “Maybe It Was Memphis”
Writers: Michael James Anderson; Producer: Zach Farnum & Karissa Ella; Label: Orchard/117 Entertainment
— The acoustic production is admirable. But her vocal performance is sharp and pitch-y. It doesn’t help that she’s asking for comparison to a Pam Tillis oldie that was a dang-near perfect record the first time around.
KAT & ALEX / “Heartbreak Tour”
Writers: Alex Georgia/Kat Georgia; Producer: Brad Hill; Label: Sony Music Nashville
— They are billed as “Country-Latin disrupters,” whatever that means. All I know is that the sound is very cool. Their harmonies are stellar. The production is echoey-groovy. The chorus is one massive hook. Turn it up. I’m in. Also check out their super rhythmic and equally hooky “You and the Radio.”
MANNY BLU / “Train”
Writers: Jessi Alexander/Ryan Beaver/JT Harding; Producer: Aaron Eshuis; Label: MB
— It’s a frothing rocker with loads of energy and sizzle. He’s asking for her love to “hit me like a train.” The rhythm section and electric guitar kick serious butt behind his youthful wail.
TIM McGRAW / “God Moves the Pen”
Writers: James Slater/Tony Lane; Producer: Byron Gallimore/Tim McGraw; Label: Big Machine Records
— Awesome. This man is a superstar for a reason. Is there anyone else in country music who chooses superb songs this consistently? This brisk tempo outing is a string of terrific lines about love and the act of writing. What a wonderfully satisfying country artist.
JACK INGRAM, MIRANDA LAMBERT, JON RANDALL / “Am I Right or Amarillo”
Writers: Jack Ingram/Miranda Lambert/Jon Randall; Producer: Jack Ingram/Miranda Lambert/Jon Randall; Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Label Nashville
— Acoustic bliss with outdoor trio harmonies. It’s a honky-tonk cheatin’ song dressed up like a folk tune. Lovely listening. The Marfa Tapes album by these three stellar tunesmiths drops on May 7.
LANCO / “First Beer”
Writers: Brandon Lancaster/Tripp Howell/Jaren Johnson; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Arista Nashville
— I fell in love with this right away. The nostalgic lyric is extremely well written, and the echoey, upbeat audio setting is perfect for the wistful mood. This act never disappoints.
BRIAN KELLEY / “Beach Cowboy”
Writers: Blake Redferrin/Brian Kelley/Jake Rose; Producer: Brian Kelley/Corey Crowder/Jake Rose; Label: Nashville South Records Inc/Warner Music Nashville
— Mellow, like summer in the Southern sun. The repetitive song is slim pickin’s, but this outing is all about the groove. Get baked and lay back stoned.
LUKE BRYAN / “Waves”
Writers: Zach Crowell/Ryan Hurd/Chase McGill; Producer: Jeff Stevens/Jody Stevens; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
— Highly evocative. It will bring back memories of every beach-spent summer of your youth while the swirling rhythm and anthemic production dazzle your brain today. Bryan’s vocal is one of the most passionate of his career.
CARL RAY / “I Can See Clearly Now”
Writers: Johnny Nash; Producer: none listed; Label: CRW
— Black country singer Carl Ray (Williams) was mentored by the late Johnny Nash, who gave him his start. Ray takes Nash’s million-selling 1972 reggae-tinged pop chart topper, adds his own lyric contributions and reinterprets the tempo to become a country rocker. Intriguing. And the message of hope is timeless.
MAGGIE ROSE / “What Are We Fighting For”
Writers: Alex Haddad/Larry Florman/Maggie Rose; Producer: Ben Tanner; Label: Starstruck
— I remain a massive fan of this blue-eyed soul stylist. This torrid, slow-burn performance is equal parts gospel emotion and blues ambiance. The woman should be some kinda superstar.
Brothers Osborne Announce Headlining Tour To Kick Off This Summer
/by Lorie HollabaughBrothers Osborne is returning to the road this summer on their recently announced headlining We’re Not For Everyone Tour, which launches in July.
The duo will hit almost 50 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta and more beginning July 29 in Philadelphia and running through November 20. Travis Denning and Tenille Townes will serve as alternating opening acts on the dates.
Fans can purchase tickets beginning next Friday, April 23 at brothersosborne.com, and special fan club presale tickets will be available to “The Family” starting 10 a.m. local time on April 20.
Tomorrow (April 16), Brothers Osborne will release a new song titled “Younger Me” written by TJ Osborne in response to the overwhelming support he received after sharing his personal coming out story. The track was produced by both TJ and John Osborne, who will perform a special version as part of a special ACM Awards bonus performance by Brothers Osborne available on Xfinity’s YouTube channel.
Nominated for Duo of the Year and Album of the Year for their third studio album, Skeletons, Brothers Osborne will perform their new single “I’m Not For Everyone” as well as “Deadman’s Curve” as part of this weekend’s ACM Awards. John and TJ will also be featured on CBS Sunday Morning with correspondent Anthony Mason detailing their upbringing in the blue-collar town of Deale, Maryland and their journey to Nashville to pursue their musical ambitions. They also discuss John’s personal battle with mental health and TJ’s recent experience publicly revealing that he is gay.
We’re Not For Everyone Tour Dates:
July 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Skyline Stage at the Mann
July 30 – Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
July 31 – Westbrook, ME @ Main Savings Pavilion at Rock Row
August 1 – Providence, RI @ Bold Point Park
August 4 – Toledo, OH @ Toledo Zoom Amphitheater
August 5 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park
August 14 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Stir Concert Cove – Harrah’s Council Bluffs***
August 15 – Dubuque, IA @ Q Casino Back Waters Stage***
August 19 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony Summer Stage
August 20 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
August 21 – Farmingville, NY @ Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheater
August 26 – Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 27 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
September 2 – Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
September 3 – Indianpolis, IN @ TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
September 4 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
September 9 – Cincinnati, OH @ the Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
September 10 – Memphis, TN @ the Orpheum Theatre
September 16 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater
September 17 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
September 18 – Oklahoma City, OK @ the Criterion
September 22 – Irving, TX @ the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
September 23 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall – Lawn
September 24 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater**
September 25 – Helotes, TX @ Floore’s Country Store**
September 30 – Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit
October 1 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
October 2 – Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place
October 8 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
October 10 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre
October 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
October 13 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
October 15 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU
October 16 – Sacramento, CA @ Memorial Auditorium
October 17 – San Francisco, CA @ the Masonic
October 20 – Portland, OR @ Veterans Memorial Coliseum
October 22 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater
October 28 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
October 29 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom*
October 30 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theatre*
November 11 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland
November 13 – Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
November 18 – Richmond, VA @ Altria Theater
November 19 – Washington, DC @ the Anthem
November 20 – Moon Township, PA @ UPMC Events Center
* Tenille Townes Only
**Travis Denning Only
*** Opener TBA
Omnivore Recordings Offering Vintage Vinyl From Buck Owens’ Vaults
/by Lorie HollabaughFans can now purchase original, vintage Buck Owens and Bakersfield-related LPs and 45s direct from Buck’s very own vaults through an arrangement between Buck Owens Enterprises and Omnivore Recordings.
Over the years, the country music great collected a sizable number of his albums and singles for his own use, as well as quantities of releases by other artists in his stable. The unplayed records have been sitting untouched in Bakersfield since they were originally issued, and Omnivore is now adding the 45s and original, vintage records by Don Rich, Susan Raye, Buddy Alan, The Buckaroos, Bakersfield Brass and more. The never-before-played albums and singles date back to the height of popularity of the Bakersfield sound in the ’60s and ’70s.
From limited edition bundles to single 45s, Omnivore will carry them only while supplies last. All records will go on sale today (April 15) and will only be available from omnivorerecordings.
ACM Lifting Lives Announces ACM Awards Pre-Party For A Cause
/by Lydia FarthingACM Lifting Lives announced today (April 15) the official ACM Awards Pre-Party for a Cause, in partnership with Crown Royal and hosted by Buzz Brainard and Cassadee Pope will simulcast across the ACM official Facebook and YouTube pages on April 17 at 7 p.m. This event will directly support the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund and Packages From Home.
The 60-minute pre-taped livestream will feature performances by Pope, current ACM New Male Artist of the Year winner Jimmie Allen, as well as Lindsay Ell, Kameron Marlowe, Ian Munsick, Tyler Rich, Lily Rose, Mitchell Tenpenny, Tenille Townes and Lainey Wilson.
After the simulcast, the show will be available for playback for 24 hours leading up to the live broadcast of the 56th ACM Awards on Sunday, April 18 at 7 p.m. CST on CBS and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Crown Royal will directly support ACM Lifting Lives by donating $20,000 on behalf of the participating artists. Additionally, throughout the pre-show, the hosts will encourage fans to pack a virtual bag by going to Crown Royal’s Pack A Bag webpage. Each virtual bag packed during the ACM Awards Pre-Party for a Cause broadcast will be donated to American heroes, with $1 donated to Packages From Home, up to $20,000.
“ACM Lifting Lives is proud to partner with Crown Royal to kick off the 56th ACM Awards with the official ACM Awards Pre-Party for a Cause,” says Executive Director of ACM Lifting Lives Lyndsay Cruz. “We’re thrilled to continue to raise funds that will directly benefit our country music community in need. We are especially grateful to all participating talent for dedicating their time and helping to make this program happen, and to Crown for generously donating $20,000 to the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund on their behalf. We look forward to an exciting start to the ACM Awards!”
Since the original launch of the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund, $3.5 million has been raised and distributed thanks to many sponsors and individuals. For more information about the Fund including corporate partnerships, how to donate or how to apply for relief, please visit ACMLiftingLives.org.
Brandi Carlile’s Memoir Debuts At No. 1 On ‘New York Times’ Best Sellers List
/by Lorie HollabaughBrandi Carlile’s memoir, Broken Horses, comes charging out of the gate this week debuting at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Sellers list. In addition to the hardback, a special audiobook edition of the memoir, narrated by Carlile herself, will be released next Tuesday, April 20 on Random House Audio.
In the memoir published by Crown, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, Carlile opens up about a life shaped by music including songs that inspired her and the true stories behind many of her lyrics, woven throughout the book at the end of each chapter. Exclusively for the audiobook, Carlile recorded new stripped-down, solo renditions of more than 30 of these songs, including her own and songs from other artists, from Dolly Parton to Elton John, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and more.
Carlile will continue her successful Broken Horses Virtual Book Tour this week with three more events including a special conversation with Alicia Keys on Friday, April 16. Tickets for all of the events, which include a copy of the book, are on-sale now via brokenhorses.veeps.com.
Broken Horses Audiobook Song List:
“I Don’t Hurt Anymore” by Hank Snow
“Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton
“Ride on Out” by Brandi Carlile
“Honky Cat” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
“Philadelphia” by Neil Young
“Happy” by Brandi Carlile
“That Year” by Brandi Carlile
“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
“Eye of the Needle” by Brandi Carlile
“Turpentine” by Brandi Carlile
“Wasted” by Brandi Carlile
“The Story” by Brandi Carlile
“Closer to You” by Brandi Carlile
“Caroline” by Brandi Carlile
“Josephine” by Brandi Carlile
“Sugartooth” by Brandi Carlile
“Looking Out” by Brandi Carlile
“Beginning to Feel the Years” by Brandi Carlile
“Love Songs” by Brandi Carlile
“I Will” by Brandi Carlile
“I Belong to You” by Brandi Carlile
“That Wasn’t Me” by Brandi Carlile
“The Mother” by Brandi Carlile
“The Stranger at My Door” by Brandi Carlile
“Heroes and Songs” by Brandi Carlile
“Murder in the City” by The Avett Brothers
“Party of One” by Brandi Carlile
“The Joke” by Brandi Carlile
“Hold You Dear” by The Secret Sisters
“Bring My Flowers Now” by Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker
“Your Song” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Reservoir To List On Nasdaq Stock Exchange Via Merger
/by Lorie HollabaughReservoir is going public through a merger with Roth CH Acquisition Co. II, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company with $115 million in trust, it has been announced. The combined company will be renamed Reservoir Media, Inc. and is expected to remain listed on the Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol RSVR. The transaction values the combined company at an enterprise value of $788 million and is expected to provide approximately $246 million in gross proceeds to the company.
Upon closing of the transaction, founder and CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi will continue to lead the combined company, which is based in New York City with offices in Nashville, L.A., Toronto, London, and Abu Dhabi. The move makes Reservoir the first female-founded and led music company to be publicly traded in the U.S. The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021 and existing Reservoir shareholders are rolling 100% of their equity as part of the transaction.
“From day one, our mission has always been to be the best independent music company in the industry,” says Khosrowshahi. “Today we have taken an important step forward in Reservoir’s evolution to fully realize that vision through our partnership with Roth CH II. Our dedication to our songwriters and artists and their music is at the heart of everything that we do, and this path to growth supports our promise to service our clients, enhance value, and build a quality catalog. I am immensely proud of what we have built alongside President & COO Rell Lafargue, and our incredible team whose excellent skills, high-touch client service, and outstanding track record is unmatched.”
Founded as a family-owned music publisher in 2007, Reservoir has grown to represent over 130,000 copyrights and 26,000 master recordings with titles dating as far back as 1900, and hundreds of No. 1 releases worldwide. The catalog includes evergreen compositions such as “It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers, “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver, and “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello. Notable roster signings include Ben Harper, Migos’ Offset and Takeoff, 2 Chainz, Danja, James Fauntleroy, and Ali Tamposi.
The Black Keys To Honor Mississippi Hill Country Blues On New Album
/by Steven BoeroThe Black Keys have announced a new album, Delta Kream, that celebrates Mississippi hill country blues artists like R. L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough.
The band’s tenth studio album dedicated to their blues roots will feature 11 blues standards and will be released on May 14.
Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney recorded Delta Kream at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville. They were joined by musicians Kenny Brown and Eric Deaton, long-time members of the bands of blues legends Burnside and Kimbrough. The album takes its name from William Eggleston’s iconic Mississippi photograph that is on its cover.
“We made this record to honor the Mississippi hill country blues tradition that influenced us starting out,” says Auerbach. “These songs are still as important to us today as they were the first day Pat and I started playing together and picked up our instruments. It was a very inspiring session with Pat and me along with Kenny Brown and Eric Deaton in a circle, playing these songs. It felt so natural.”
“The session was planned only days in advance and nothing was rehearsed,” says Carney. “We recorded the entire album in about ten hours, over two afternoons, at the end of the ‘Let’s Rock’ tour.”
Fans can listen to the album’s first single “Crawling Kingsnake,” a song recorded by Hooker and first heard by Auerbach when he was in high school.
In addition to paying homage to these Mississippi blues legends with Delta Kream, the band is working with VisitMississippi, the state’s tourism organization, to sponsor new individual markers for Burnside and Kimbrough on the Mississippi Blues Trail, which tells the stories of the state’s blues artists both renowned and obscure through words and images.
The album is available for pre-order now.
Delta Kream track listing:
Crawling Kingsnake (John Lee Hooker / Bernard Besman)
Louise (Fred McDowell)
Poor Boy a Long Way From Home (Robert Lee Burnside)
Stay All Night (David Kimbrough, Jr.)
Going Down South (Robert Lee Burnside)
Coal Black Mattie (Ranie Burnette)
Do the Romp (David Kimbrough, Jr.)
Sad Days, Lonely Nights (David Kimbrough, Jr.)
Walk with Me (David Kimbrough, Jr.)
Mellow Peaches (Joseph Lee Williams)
Come on and Go with Me (David Kimbrough, Jr
ACM Radio Award Winners Announced
/by Lorie HollabaughThe announcement was revealed on the ACM’s official social media pages in a series of videos capturing winners receiving surprise gifts from the Academy. This is the seventh overall win for KNIX-FM for ACM Major Market Station of the Year, and the fourth overall for KUZZ-AM/FM in the ACM Medium Market Station of the Year category. WQDR-FM received their third win for ACM Large Market Station of the Year, while KKNU-FM and Buzz Jackson each received their second trophies for Small Market Station of the year and Medium Market Personality of the Year, respectively. And first-time winners in the On-Air Personality of the Year categories include Lexi & Banks, Lois Lewis, and Steve, Ben & Nikki.
“Congratulations to all of our 56th ACM Awards radio winners. Country radio is a vital part of the country music industry and artists’ success and we are grateful for the contributions they make to the industry every day,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “For the first time, the Academy was able to showcase our appreciation to these winners with a special package reveal to each of them, along with an iconic ACM trophy. We hope the memory of their win is one they cherish throughout their careers.”
Radio Award winners for the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards:
On-Air Personality Of The Year Winners:
National – American Country Countdown – Kix Brooks
Major Market – Double L – Lois Lewis – KNIX-FM – Phoenix, AZ
Large Market – Lexi & Banks – Lexi Papadopoulos, Jared Banks – KUBL-FM – Salt Lake City, UT
Medium Market – Buzz Jackson – KIIM-FM – Tucson, AZ
Small Market – Steve, Ben & Nikki – Steve Stroud, Ben Walker, Nikki Thomas – WXBQ-FM – Bristol, VA
Radio Station Of The Year Winners:
Major Market – KNIX-FM – Phoenix, AZ
Large Market – WQDR-FM – Raleigh, NC
Medium Market – KUZZ-AM/FM – Bakersfield, CA
Small Market – KKNU-FM – Eugene, OR
Warner Music Group And Spotify Make Podcast Development Deal
/by LB CantrellWarner Music Group (WMG) and Spotify announced today (April 15) they have entered into a new partnership which will see the two companies develop a series of original podcasts built around WMG’s artists’ and songwriters’ catalogs.
“The most impactful podcasts share with music the key component of storytelling and personal experience. In partnership with Warner Music Group, we look to develop stories leveraging their unique artists and catalog,” says Spotify’s VP Global Studios & Business, Courtney Holt. “We look forward to helping them leverage the power of podcasting to forge a deeper connection with fans.”
“We’re excited to take this step forward with Spotify as we strengthen and deepen our existing partnership. Podcasts provide an opportunity to unlock value for artists and songwriters by delivering fresh and unique stories to music to fans across the globe,” says WMG’s EVP, Business Development and Chief Digital Officer, Oana Ruxandra. “We look forward to working with Spotify to experiment and drive growth in podcasting.”
No artists were named in the announcement, but the news follows WMG’s recent launch of the BLK In America podcast by Topsify, which features influential Black artists discussing what it means to be Black in America.
Spotify is now home to more than two million podcasts including The Michelle Obama Podcast, The Journal., The Joe Rogan Experience, The Bakari Sellers Podcast, Stolen: The Search for Jermain, and the recently launched Renegades: Born in the USA, among countless others.