Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen are back at it again with another fun collaboration on Hold My Beer Vol. 2, due out May 8. The buddies returned to the studio to record a 10 track-followup to their fun-filled first joint project from 2015, Hold My Beer Vol. 1, and fan-favorite live album, Watch This.
Available for preorder today (Feb. 28), the 10-track project was produced by Lloyd Maines, and is packed with catchy hooks and standouts like “Rhinestoned,” a clever love-letter to old-school country music (penned by Lori McKenna, Ryan Beaver, Ashley Ray), and the emotional “Ode to Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song),” which features the duo’s vocals alongside an unreleased demo by Waylon Jennings. Among the writers contributing to the project are Jon Randall, Jim Beavers, Dean Dillon, Adam Wright, and Buddy Cannon.
“Unlike our first record, which kind of happened out of nowhere, this album was really planned,” explains Bowen. “We made a conscious effort to write for this specific project and also focused on bringing the best outside songs to the table. It was really important for us to be as mindful and purposeful as possible when it came to choosing the songs that made the cut for this volume.”
“Every single song on the album comes from the heart,” Rogers continues. “Some will make you laugh. Others will make you cry…but when it’s all said and done, we just hope the music speaks for itself and reflects the amount of time and love that went into each of these songs, from the melodies to the lyrics. We couldn’t be prouder of this album.”
Rogers and Bowen have offered up the first taste of the upcoming project with the release of “Rodeo Clown,” out today.
HOLD MY BEER, Vol. 2 Track Listing:
1. “AM/FM” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
2. “Rodeo Clown” (Chris DuBois, David Lee)
3. “Habits” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
4. “Let Merle Be Merle” (Casey Twist, Ross Cooper, Josh Abbott)
5. “Rhinestoned” (Lori McKenna, Ryan Beaver, Ashley Ray)
6. “Ode To Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song)” feat. Waylon Jennings and Shooter Jennings (Waylon Jennings)
7. “Mi Amigo” feat. Asleep at the Wheel (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
8. “This Ain’t My Town” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
9. “Warm Beer” (Adam Wright)
10. “Speak to Me Jukebox” (Wade Bowen, Will Knaak)
11. “Her” (Dean Dillon, Buddy Cannon)
12. “Hold My Beer” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jim Beavers)
Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen Brew Up Collaborative Return With ‘Hold My Beer Vol. 2’
/by Lorie HollabaughRandy Rogers and Wade Bowen are back at it again with another fun collaboration on Hold My Beer Vol. 2, due out May 8. The buddies returned to the studio to record a 10 track-followup to their fun-filled first joint project from 2015, Hold My Beer Vol. 1, and fan-favorite live album, Watch This.
Available for preorder today (Feb. 28), the 10-track project was produced by Lloyd Maines, and is packed with catchy hooks and standouts like “Rhinestoned,” a clever love-letter to old-school country music (penned by Lori McKenna, Ryan Beaver, Ashley Ray), and the emotional “Ode to Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song),” which features the duo’s vocals alongside an unreleased demo by Waylon Jennings. Among the writers contributing to the project are Jon Randall, Jim Beavers, Dean Dillon, Adam Wright, and Buddy Cannon.
“Unlike our first record, which kind of happened out of nowhere, this album was really planned,” explains Bowen. “We made a conscious effort to write for this specific project and also focused on bringing the best outside songs to the table. It was really important for us to be as mindful and purposeful as possible when it came to choosing the songs that made the cut for this volume.”
“Every single song on the album comes from the heart,” Rogers continues. “Some will make you laugh. Others will make you cry…but when it’s all said and done, we just hope the music speaks for itself and reflects the amount of time and love that went into each of these songs, from the melodies to the lyrics. We couldn’t be prouder of this album.”
Rogers and Bowen have offered up the first taste of the upcoming project with the release of “Rodeo Clown,” out today.
HOLD MY BEER, Vol. 2 Track Listing:
1. “AM/FM” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
2. “Rodeo Clown” (Chris DuBois, David Lee)
3. “Habits” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
4. “Let Merle Be Merle” (Casey Twist, Ross Cooper, Josh Abbott)
5. “Rhinestoned” (Lori McKenna, Ryan Beaver, Ashley Ray)
6. “Ode To Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song)” feat. Waylon Jennings and Shooter Jennings (Waylon Jennings)
7. “Mi Amigo” feat. Asleep at the Wheel (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
8. “This Ain’t My Town” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
9. “Warm Beer” (Adam Wright)
10. “Speak to Me Jukebox” (Wade Bowen, Will Knaak)
11. “Her” (Dean Dillon, Buddy Cannon)
12. “Hold My Beer” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jim Beavers)
Danny Gokey Announces Better Than I Found It Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughDanny Gokey has announced his Better Than I Found It tour will launch in April. Also featuring Christian radio hitmakers Unspoken and The Young Escape, the tour will visit 18 cities this spring including Augusta, Georgia; Springfield, Missouri; Wichita, Kansas; and more, before wrapping May 17 in Akron, Ohio.
“This tour and the theme behind it is something I’ve been dreaming about and praying into for a long time,” said Gokey. “It’s inspired by one of my song’s lyrics, and something about it keeps resonating with me. When I came off of American Idol, in my exit interview, they asked me what I saw for my future in music. At the time, I didn’t even know what I was really saying, but I said I saw my music as a movement. This phrase, ‘Better Than I Found It’, encapsulates what I want that movement to be. The tour is just the start of activating people to really SEE the world around them and get involved in making it better.”
Tickets for all shows on the tour are on sale now at dannygokey.com and awakeningevents.com. Additionally, from now until March 17, fans that purchase early can save 20% on tickets to the tour via the Awakening Events Fan & Listener Appreciation Sale.
Better Than I Found It Tour
*All dates subject to change
4/16 – Augusta, GA
4/17 – Jackson, TN
4/18 – Gadsden, AL
4/19 – Mooresville, IN
4/23 – Springfield, MO
4/24 – Wichita, KS
4/25 – Wichita Falls, TX
4/26 – El Dorado, AR
4/30 – Brandon, MS
5/1 – Van Buren, AR
5/2 – Mountain Home, AR
5/3 – Lafayette, LA
5/7 – Dayton, OH
5/8 – Woodbridge, VA
5/14 – Oak Creek, WI
5/15 – South Barrington, IL
5/16 – Ft. Wayne, IN
5/17 – Akron, OH
Pam Tillis Sets Album Release For April
/by Jessica NicholsonPam Tillis will return with her 11th studio album, Looking for a Feeling, on April 24 via Stellar Cat Records and OneRPM Distribution. The album marks the singer-songwriter’s first solo project since her 2012 release Recollection, though more recently, she issued a pair of projects with Lorrie Morgan, 2013’s Dos Divas and 2017’s Come See Me and Come Lonely.
In the 1990s, Tillis was known for hits with spitfire lyrics and clever story songs such as “Cleopatra, Queen of Denial,” “Maybe It Was Memphis,” and “Mi Vida Loca.” On the new album, she continues that tradition with songs including “My Kinda Medicine,” “Karma,” and “Lady Music.”
“Stylistically, there’s so much here that’s always been a part of me,” she says of the 12-track album. “It’s a story I haven’t told on any of my records so far. I wanted work that’s as close to true and unselfconscious as possible, to provide access to my heart.”
Looking for a Feeling Track List:
1 Looking for a Feeling (Pam Tillis/Waylon Payne)
2 Demolition Angel (Gary Harrison/Matraca Berg)
3 Better Friends (Joe Pisapia)
4 Dolly 1969 (Bob Regan)
5 Last Summer’s Wine (Pam Tillis/Bobby Tomberlin)
6 Lady Music (Pam Tillis/Dale Dodson/Jimmy Ritchey)
7 My Kind of Medicine (Pam Tillis/Don Poythress/Jimmy Ritchey)
8 Dark Turn of Mind (Gillian Welch/David Rawlings)
9 The Scheme of Things Mark Selby (Tia Sillers)
10 Karma (Pam Tillis/Jen Schott)
11 Burning Star (Pam Tillis/Sonny Tillis/Danny Parks/Joe Pisapia)
12 Better Friends -reprise (Joe Pisapia)
Sam Hunt Reveals Track List For ‘Southside’ Album
/by Jessica NicholsonHunt co-wrote every track on the album, and reunited with several writers from his 3x multi-platinum first album, 2014’s Montevallo, including Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Matt Jenkins and Zach Crowell. Hunt also welcomes new writers to the fold, including Emily Weisband (who recently released her own pop album), and Josh Thompson.
“Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s” and “Let It Down” feature songwriter and musician Chris LaCorte, who plays guitar for Dustin Lynch and has played guitar on songs for Russell Dickerson.
The album also features “Hard To Forget,” which samples Webb Pierce‘s 1953 song “There Stands The Glass” and gives writer credit to the original song’s writers Audrey Grisham, Russ Hull, and Mary Jean Shurtz.
Hunt currently has the No. 1 song at country radio, with “Kinfolks,” which he co-wrote alongside Osborne, Crowell, and Jerry Flowers.
Hunt will launch his The Southside Summer Tour 2020 later this year with Kip Moore and Travis Denning, as well as ERNEST, also a co-writer on the album’s “Let It Down” and “Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s.”
SOUTHSIDE Track Listing:
Bonnaroo Celebrates Earliest Sellout In Festival History
/by Lorie HollabaughTaking place at Great Stage Park, the 700-acre farm and event space 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, this year’s festival lineup includes performances by Lizzo, Tool, Miley Cyrus, Yola, Leon Bridges, Grace Potter, Brittany Howard, and more. The Grand Ole Opry returns to the festival again this year as well with special guests to be announced.
“A huge THANK YOU to everyone joining us on The Farm in 2020 – it’s gonna be an amazing year,” Bonnaroo officials said via a Twitter post.
Danny Myrick Signs With Deluge Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): David Robkin; Managing Director, Deluge Music; Mark Friedman, President, Deluge Music; Danny Myrick; Emily Dryburgh, Creative Director, Deluge Music
Danny Myrick has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Deluge Music.
Myrick achieved his first No. 1 in gospel music as a writer at age 17 before moving to Nashville, and spent much of the 1990s singing lead in the band Western Flyer before pursuing writing full force. He’s the co-writer of hits like “She’s Country,” “I Love This Life,” and “International Harvester,” among others.
“I’m so excited to have Danny join the Deluge Music team. His versatility as a writer and producer in all genres of music is unparalleled,” said Mark Friedman, President of Deluge Music.
“I’m extremely honored and excited to be joining the Deluge team of incredibly talented, driven artists and staff. Can’t wait to see what all we are able to accomplish together,” Myrick said.
Weekly Radio Report (2/28/20)
/by Alex ParryClick here or above to access MusicRow’s weekly CountryBreakout Radio Report.
Kelsea Ballerini Reveals Collaborations With Kenny Chesney, Halsey
/by Jessica NicholsonKelsea Ballerini has revealed two collaborations on her upcoming third studio album, Kelsea, out March 20.
Ballerini released the album’s full track listing via an Instagram post. The album’s ninth track, titled “Half Of My Hometown,” features Kenny Chesney, while pop artist Halsey joins on the project’s fourth track “The Other Girl.” Last year, Ballerini teamed with Halsey for a CMT Crossroads taping.
Ballerini has already released songs from the project, including the album’s lead single “homecoming queen?,” as well as “Club” and “l.a.” Her next song, “Hole In The Bottle,” will drop on Friday (Feb. 28).
Kelsea follows Ballerini’s sophomore album Unapologetically, and her debut The First Time.
Kelsea Track Listing:
1. “Overshare”
2. “Club”
3. “Homecoming Queen?”
4. “The Other Girl” (with Halsey)
5. “Love Me Like a Girl”
6. “Love and Hate”
7. “Bragger”
8. “Hole in the Bottle”
9. “Half of My Hometown” (feat. Kenny Chesney)
10. “The Way I Used To”
11. “Needy”
12. “A Country Song”
13. “l.a.”
Nashville’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Adds Music Festival
/by Jessica NicholsonWarner Music Nashville artist Michael Ray and Big Machine Records artist Carly Pearce will co-headline the evening portion of the festival, with Erin Kinsey opening the show. Others on the Saturday afternoon lineup include fellow local artists Yankton, Chris Shrader and Les Kerr.
Saturday morning and afternoon music festival performances will be free and open to the public, while the evening event will be ticketed. Music festival gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Admission for the evening concert is complimentary for all runners with their bib and to all volunteers with their staff shirts. General Admission tickets are $10 with 50% of the proceeds benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
More artists will perform on Thursday and Friday (April 23-24) at Nashville’s Music City Center, including Lance Carpenter, Janelle Arthur, Rockland Road, Adam Warner, and more.
“The new St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Music Festival presented by PNC Bank is another step in making our events more inclusive of all runners, their friends and families, loyal volunteers and our supportive community,” said Drew Wolff, regional director for Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. “We strive to make our race a memorable event for everyone as we celebrate over two decades of premier running partnered with high caliber music in Nashville. Saturday’s music festival concert will give everyone a full day of exciting performances as this town celebrates the best-in-class running event in Music City.”
“We are committed to helping advance the health and well-being of this community and our neighbors within it,” said Mike Johnson, PNC regional president for Nashville. “The combination of fitness and music makes perfect sense to us, promoting a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and listening to some amazing local and national musicians.”
Skyline Artists Agency Expands Nashville Team
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Sean Quinn, Laura Schneider
Skyline Artists Agency has added two members to its Nashville team. Laura Schneider joins as the booking agency’s first Director of Artist Relations. Schneider joins Skyline after serving as a management assistant to Nashville’s Amy Speace and running her own business, Laura Schneider Photo, which she will continue to operate. She will work alongside Skyline Artists’ President Bruce Houghton.
Sean Quinn joins Skyline as a Tour Coordinator working with Nashville-based Skyline agent James Leslie and VP Mark Lourie. Quinn comes to the agency after stints at BMI Nashville and Disc Makers.
Skyline Artist Agency’s Nashville-based artists include Catlin Canty, Scott Mulvahill, Roanoke, We Banjo 3, Poco, Michael Martin Murphey, The Foxies, Orleans and more.