“The theme of the whole thing for me was just to be raw and real,” Carly Pearce says of her newly-released, self-titled album.
“Raw and real” music has become something of a calling card for Pearce, who released her debut album Every Little Thing in 2017 and celebrated a No. 1 country radio hit with the album’s title track (the song has also been certified Platinum). “Every Little Thing” delved into the sorrowful undertow of a broken relationship, letting listeners in on the emotional torture that comes with reliving the ups and downs of a relationship that ultimately unravels.
Now, more than two years after the release of her debut album, Pearce’s self-titled sophomore album for Big Machine Records, which released Feb. 14, opens up about the changes that have occurred since album one. Pearce has seen her career shift into high gear, opening tours for Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, among others. That Valentine’s Day release date is appropriate, given that much of the album centers on love, both Pearce’s commitment to country music, and her own romantic journey with fellow artist Michael Ray, whom she wed in October.
One track on the album, “Heart’s Going Out Of Its Mind,” stems from the early days of their relationship. Three days after the couple first began getting to know each another, Pearce had a writing session set with Laura Veltz and Joe Ginsberg.
“I just went to the writing session and told them, ‘I feel crazy. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I think I’m going to marry Michael.’ And they were like, ‘What? Huh?’ Because I’m so not the typical artist that would ever date another artist. And we wrote it and it will forever be that moment that I remember, this was the first emotion I had about him and that’s fun.”
That breezy, loving feeling continues as Pearce and her husband share their first officially recorded duet together on the new project, with “Finish Your Sentences,” a track penned by Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, and Ashley Gorley.
“I didn’t want it to be too heavy. Because we… yes, we did get married during this process, but my album was done when we got married. I just wanted it to really embody the feelings of meeting, dating, falling in love. And that song, first of all I was, ‘Why didn’t I think of this?’ And we really do finish each other’s sentences. It’s not a normal duet. I already have a normal duet on my record. This one was so unique and so fun and it really did snapshot how we first started dating and how we felt.”
Pearce says two earlier co-writes, “Halfway Home” and “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” set the tone for the album. “Halfway Home” serves as almost a transitional piece, spotlighting an intensely vulnerable moment between her debut album fueled by heartbreak, to her new offering that revels in carefree, devoted love.
“It was the song that I wrote to apologize to the person that I’m talking about in ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now,’” she says, noting the two tracks were penned within weeks of each other. “But, I think it’s just the most raw and blunt I’ve ever been in a writer room. I take full ownership of it, and that one is the most vulnerable on the album. It’s still difficult. I don’t really like to listen to it around people, which I’m going to have to get over that. I’ve never sung it live yet.
“I think that writing those two songs really inspired me to…I had to decide if I was going to go there and tell people about that particular relationship. Once I did, I was like, ‘All right, that’s the bar for me for this record.’ Then I could start to fill everything in. I work best when I have a couple of songs on an album and then I can fill in the holes, almost like a puzzle.”
Pearce’s voice simmers over ‘90s-country music soaked grooves on “I Hope Your Happy Now,” sounding warm and soothing juxtaposed with Lee Brice’s gravelly tenor on her current Top 15 collaboration. “I Hope Your Happy Now” was filled with starpower, both in the recording booth and the writing room. Pearce co-wrote the track with country radio juggernaut Luke Combs, Randy Montana and Jonathan Singleton.
“I had asked him to write with me when he had ‘Hurricane’ out, before he was really popping off. Luke had the title and started playing the groove and I had the idea for the entire first verse—right up to the chorus—it all just came out of my mouth. I knew exactly what I wanted to write. That’s the first time that has ever happened to me. We didn’t change any of it.”
Initially, Pearce had thought of having Combs sing the part, but says having Combs sing on the track would have required that she wait to release the song, as he was putting out an album of his own around the same time. “Honestly, I just didn’t want to wait, because I knew this song was what I wanted to come with first. So I was like, ‘Whose voice do I love as much as Luke’s voice?’ Lee Brice. Luckily, Lee had the same excitement about it that I did.
“It felt different for a girl to ask a guy to be a guest on her song. You see a lot of male artists ask women to be on their tracks. But I felt powerful to be able to call, to say, ‘I love this song. Do you want to be a part of it?'”
The fresh, retro vibe throughout the album is no accident, but a surefooted building upon her previous work, bringing in flirty, confident anthems (“You Kissed Me First”) and being transparent about the road she has taken, both professionally and personally (“Dashboard Jesus”), all while staying rooted in the country sounds that she grew up on.
“Other females in country are exploring pop sounds and I have no desire to do that. I really wanted to be the one that bled country.”
Though there is no mistaking her intentions Pearce is staking her claim as a country artist with the new album, she’s got plenty of radio-friendly bangers on the project, such as “Woman Down,” from Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins, and Veltz.
“It reminded me of those universal, anthemic Shania songs. I wanted to sing it for my mom, and for my grandmother and I wanted to sing it for myself. It comes from a place of triumph. My grandma and my mom, they were working women and they’ve been through hell and I’ve been through hell. It feels empowering to listen to that song.”
Pearce finds all sorts of ways to pay homage to those she loves on the project, who have helped shape her as a person, as a performer, as a creative. The feather in her logo is a tribute to her grandparents, while “It Won’t Always Be Like This,” which Pearce wrote with Natalie Hemby and Sam Ellis, was inspired by her family. Pearce also uses the song to give advice to her younger self, that her childhood dreams would come true.
I had big wings but didn’t have a sky/just a front-row view of everybody flying high/waiting for my time/wish I could’ve told myself back then/it won’t always be like this, Pearce sings on the track.
“Natalie and I bonded over our grandfathers, and I just love her as a person. She had that title and I don’t know how to explain it, but we both cried the whole time and we have similar stories of trying to make things happen. She worked as a telemarketer, I cleaned AirBnBs. We watched so many other people get things that we didn’t get. That’s the only session I ever cried during,” she says quietly. “God, I wish I could just go back and tell that 22-year-old, ‘Live your life and don’t put so much weight on things that happen in this town. It’s going to happen and it’s going to be fine. You’re going to be okay.’ And then so many guys that I cried over, like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the end of my world.’ Little did I know it was preparing me for something so much greater.”
Carly Pearce is the singer-songwriter’s eponymous album, but it is also the final full album that bears the name of her late producer, busbee, who died in September 2019 following a battle with glioblastoma.
Busbee had begun working with Pearce prior to her signing with Big Machine Records, and helped her craft both her debut album Every Little Thing, and her breakthrough No. 1 single of the same name. He was at the helm of this project prior to his passing.
“He literally built this thing with me,” Pearce says. “He helped me figure out and articulate who I am. He was like family and I talked to him daily. Nobody outworked him, but he was heart-first, and cared about me as a person, and a lot of people in the industry just don’t. They are looking to what they can gain from you, but I just had a trust and a bond with him. He knew the girl that was struggling, trying to figure it out, that still battled confidence and then ‘Every Little Thing’ hit, and she was, ‘Oh my God, what am I supposed to do with this?’ I always called him my ‘ninja,’ because he knew everything and I told him everything. He touched so many people because he just cared.
“I had days where I didn’t want to put [the album] out, just because he was such a big part of this and I felt, ‘Why would I do this without him? What does music mean without him?’ But I do feel this, I have something nobody else has, which is the last project. I also feel lucky that I have so many little ways that I think keep his legacy alive.”
This week, Pearce joins some of Old Dominion’s tour dates in Canada, and will open for them on the U.S. leg of their We Are Old Dominion tour.
“They are known for their songs and they love the art of making music, the same way I do. I feel like it’s a really good pairing for me to have the opportunity to be around people who genuinely love songs.”
Pearce says she’s excited by a new crop of fellow singer-songwriters who are equally as passionate about songwriting as they are by performing.
“I’m the biggest Gabby Barrett fan in town. I think she’s amazing and I would love to write with her. From a fan standpoint, I’d love to write for or with Dierks Bentley, Brett Eldredge or Brett Young. I love voices and tones, so I would love to write with somebody like that. Morgan Wallen. I’m a huge Morgan Wallen fan.
“Just looking at the climate of country music and where it’s been over the past 10 years and it kind of went through the bro-country stuff and it feels it’s starting to open back up a little bit to have that realness to it.”
Luke Bryan Launches Beer Line With Constellation Brands
/by Jessica NicholsonLuke Bryan has launched Two Lane American Golden Lager with Constellation Brands. Bryan was involved in the entire process of the new line, from tasting to creative development. Two Lane will be available in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, beginning March 2, and will be sold in 6-pack cans, 12-pack cans, 16-ounce single-serve cans and on draft.
Two Lane beer is made with two-row American barley and water sourced from the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“Between my songs, Instagram posts and onstage toasts to my audience, it’s no secret that I like beer,” Luke said. “For a long time, I’ve dreamed of creating a beer to enjoy no matter if you are hanging out at one of my shows or at home with friends and family, and I was so grateful to find a partner in Constellation to make that dream a reality.”
“We’re thrilled to introduce Two Lane Lager to fans in collaboration with Luke. As a self-proclaimed ‘beer expert,’ he’s the perfect complement to our expert brewers,” said John Alvarado, SVP, Brand Marketing Beer Division, Constellation Brands. “Two Lane Lager is a natural extension of our high-end portfolio, offering a clean and crisp taste that transports you to a place where good friends and good times are waiting, and the beer is always cold.”
Carly Pearce Centers On Love And Growth With New Album
/by Jessica Nicholson“The theme of the whole thing for me was just to be raw and real,” Carly Pearce says of her newly-released, self-titled album.
“Raw and real” music has become something of a calling card for Pearce, who released her debut album Every Little Thing in 2017 and celebrated a No. 1 country radio hit with the album’s title track (the song has also been certified Platinum). “Every Little Thing” delved into the sorrowful undertow of a broken relationship, letting listeners in on the emotional torture that comes with reliving the ups and downs of a relationship that ultimately unravels.
Now, more than two years after the release of her debut album, Pearce’s self-titled sophomore album for Big Machine Records, which released Feb. 14, opens up about the changes that have occurred since album one. Pearce has seen her career shift into high gear, opening tours for Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, among others. That Valentine’s Day release date is appropriate, given that much of the album centers on love, both Pearce’s commitment to country music, and her own romantic journey with fellow artist Michael Ray, whom she wed in October.
One track on the album, “Heart’s Going Out Of Its Mind,” stems from the early days of their relationship. Three days after the couple first began getting to know each another, Pearce had a writing session set with Laura Veltz and Joe Ginsberg.
“I just went to the writing session and told them, ‘I feel crazy. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I think I’m going to marry Michael.’ And they were like, ‘What? Huh?’ Because I’m so not the typical artist that would ever date another artist. And we wrote it and it will forever be that moment that I remember, this was the first emotion I had about him and that’s fun.”
That breezy, loving feeling continues as Pearce and her husband share their first officially recorded duet together on the new project, with “Finish Your Sentences,” a track penned by Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, and Ashley Gorley.
“I didn’t want it to be too heavy. Because we… yes, we did get married during this process, but my album was done when we got married. I just wanted it to really embody the feelings of meeting, dating, falling in love. And that song, first of all I was, ‘Why didn’t I think of this?’ And we really do finish each other’s sentences. It’s not a normal duet. I already have a normal duet on my record. This one was so unique and so fun and it really did snapshot how we first started dating and how we felt.”
Pearce says two earlier co-writes, “Halfway Home” and “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” set the tone for the album. “Halfway Home” serves as almost a transitional piece, spotlighting an intensely vulnerable moment between her debut album fueled by heartbreak, to her new offering that revels in carefree, devoted love.
“It was the song that I wrote to apologize to the person that I’m talking about in ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now,’” she says, noting the two tracks were penned within weeks of each other. “But, I think it’s just the most raw and blunt I’ve ever been in a writer room. I take full ownership of it, and that one is the most vulnerable on the album. It’s still difficult. I don’t really like to listen to it around people, which I’m going to have to get over that. I’ve never sung it live yet.
“I think that writing those two songs really inspired me to…I had to decide if I was going to go there and tell people about that particular relationship. Once I did, I was like, ‘All right, that’s the bar for me for this record.’ Then I could start to fill everything in. I work best when I have a couple of songs on an album and then I can fill in the holes, almost like a puzzle.”
Pearce’s voice simmers over ‘90s-country music soaked grooves on “I Hope Your Happy Now,” sounding warm and soothing juxtaposed with Lee Brice’s gravelly tenor on her current Top 15 collaboration. “I Hope Your Happy Now” was filled with starpower, both in the recording booth and the writing room. Pearce co-wrote the track with country radio juggernaut Luke Combs, Randy Montana and Jonathan Singleton.
“I had asked him to write with me when he had ‘Hurricane’ out, before he was really popping off. Luke had the title and started playing the groove and I had the idea for the entire first verse—right up to the chorus—it all just came out of my mouth. I knew exactly what I wanted to write. That’s the first time that has ever happened to me. We didn’t change any of it.”
Initially, Pearce had thought of having Combs sing the part, but says having Combs sing on the track would have required that she wait to release the song, as he was putting out an album of his own around the same time. “Honestly, I just didn’t want to wait, because I knew this song was what I wanted to come with first. So I was like, ‘Whose voice do I love as much as Luke’s voice?’ Lee Brice. Luckily, Lee had the same excitement about it that I did.
“It felt different for a girl to ask a guy to be a guest on her song. You see a lot of male artists ask women to be on their tracks. But I felt powerful to be able to call, to say, ‘I love this song. Do you want to be a part of it?'”
The fresh, retro vibe throughout the album is no accident, but a surefooted building upon her previous work, bringing in flirty, confident anthems (“You Kissed Me First”) and being transparent about the road she has taken, both professionally and personally (“Dashboard Jesus”), all while staying rooted in the country sounds that she grew up on.
“Other females in country are exploring pop sounds and I have no desire to do that. I really wanted to be the one that bled country.”
Though there is no mistaking her intentions Pearce is staking her claim as a country artist with the new album, she’s got plenty of radio-friendly bangers on the project, such as “Woman Down,” from Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins, and Veltz.
“It reminded me of those universal, anthemic Shania songs. I wanted to sing it for my mom, and for my grandmother and I wanted to sing it for myself. It comes from a place of triumph. My grandma and my mom, they were working women and they’ve been through hell and I’ve been through hell. It feels empowering to listen to that song.”
Pearce finds all sorts of ways to pay homage to those she loves on the project, who have helped shape her as a person, as a performer, as a creative. The feather in her logo is a tribute to her grandparents, while “It Won’t Always Be Like This,” which Pearce wrote with Natalie Hemby and Sam Ellis, was inspired by her family. Pearce also uses the song to give advice to her younger self, that her childhood dreams would come true.
I had big wings but didn’t have a sky/just a front-row view of everybody flying high/waiting for my time/wish I could’ve told myself back then/it won’t always be like this, Pearce sings on the track.
“Natalie and I bonded over our grandfathers, and I just love her as a person. She had that title and I don’t know how to explain it, but we both cried the whole time and we have similar stories of trying to make things happen. She worked as a telemarketer, I cleaned AirBnBs. We watched so many other people get things that we didn’t get. That’s the only session I ever cried during,” she says quietly. “God, I wish I could just go back and tell that 22-year-old, ‘Live your life and don’t put so much weight on things that happen in this town. It’s going to happen and it’s going to be fine. You’re going to be okay.’ And then so many guys that I cried over, like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the end of my world.’ Little did I know it was preparing me for something so much greater.”
Carly Pearce is the singer-songwriter’s eponymous album, but it is also the final full album that bears the name of her late producer, busbee, who died in September 2019 following a battle with glioblastoma.
Busbee had begun working with Pearce prior to her signing with Big Machine Records, and helped her craft both her debut album Every Little Thing, and her breakthrough No. 1 single of the same name. He was at the helm of this project prior to his passing.
“He literally built this thing with me,” Pearce says. “He helped me figure out and articulate who I am. He was like family and I talked to him daily. Nobody outworked him, but he was heart-first, and cared about me as a person, and a lot of people in the industry just don’t. They are looking to what they can gain from you, but I just had a trust and a bond with him. He knew the girl that was struggling, trying to figure it out, that still battled confidence and then ‘Every Little Thing’ hit, and she was, ‘Oh my God, what am I supposed to do with this?’ I always called him my ‘ninja,’ because he knew everything and I told him everything. He touched so many people because he just cared.
“I had days where I didn’t want to put [the album] out, just because he was such a big part of this and I felt, ‘Why would I do this without him? What does music mean without him?’ But I do feel this, I have something nobody else has, which is the last project. I also feel lucky that I have so many little ways that I think keep his legacy alive.”
This week, Pearce joins some of Old Dominion’s tour dates in Canada, and will open for them on the U.S. leg of their We Are Old Dominion tour.
“They are known for their songs and they love the art of making music, the same way I do. I feel like it’s a really good pairing for me to have the opportunity to be around people who genuinely love songs.”
Pearce says she’s excited by a new crop of fellow singer-songwriters who are equally as passionate about songwriting as they are by performing.
“I’m the biggest Gabby Barrett fan in town. I think she’s amazing and I would love to write with her. From a fan standpoint, I’d love to write for or with Dierks Bentley, Brett Eldredge or Brett Young. I love voices and tones, so I would love to write with somebody like that. Morgan Wallen. I’m a huge Morgan Wallen fan.
“Just looking at the climate of country music and where it’s been over the past 10 years and it kind of went through the bro-country stuff and it feels it’s starting to open back up a little bit to have that realness to it.”
The Valory Music Co. Signs Abbey Cone
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Abbey Cone, The Valory Music Co. GM George Briner
Singer-songwriter Abbey Cone has joined The Valory Music Co. roster. The Valory Music Co. imprint is also home to Thomas Rhett, Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, Sheryl Crow, Eli Young Band, Aaron Lewis, Tyler Rich, Avenue Beat, Conner Smith and Heath Sanders.
“I’m always searching for uniqueness, individuality, vision, and a special star quality,” says BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta. “In Abbey, we’ve found all of these attributes and more. From the first note of her music, I was IN. The songwriting, the voice, her incredible vision…this is a WOW. I’m so excited that Abbey chose Valory and the BMLG as her home. This is going to be a helluva ride.”
Cone is managed by Borman Entertainment and Missi Gallimore‘s T.R.U.T.H. Management, and booked by Paradigm’s Lenore Kinder and Mike Betterton.
“Scott’s passion for my music was evident from day one; and his drive, determination, and vision are exactly what I was looking for in a label partner,” says Cone. “Being able to release my music with such an incredible team behind me is a dream come true. This is an exciting time for new music; and with a shared vision between Scott, George, and the entire Valory team, I know this partnership will be special.”
Cone first traveled to Nashville at age 15; now at 21, she was recently inducted into CMT’s Next Women of Country’s Class of 2020. She has collaborated with hit writers including Shane McAnally, Nicolle Galyon and Laura Veltz, and is working with writer/producer Nathan Spicer on new music.
Weekly Register: Chris Stapleton’s ‘Traveller’ Returns To Country Albums Chart’s Top 5
/by Jessica NicholsonBlake Shelton‘s Fully Loaded: God’s Country is again at No. 3 with 15.6K, followed by Morgan Wallen‘s If I Know Me staying at No. 4 with 13K. Chris Stapleton‘s 2015 album Traveller jumps from No. 8 to No. 5 this week, moving 10.8K in total activity.
On the on-demand country streaming song chart, each Top 5 song from last week retains its position, with “10,000 Hours” from Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber remaining at No. 1 (11 million streams), Maren Morris‘ “The Bones” at No. 2 (though the track is enjoying a second week at No. 1 on the country radio charts). Diplo (ft. Julia Michaels and Morgan Wallen) stays at No. 3 (6.88 million), while Old Dominion‘s “One Man Band” is at No. 4 (6.85 million streams), and Gabby Barrett‘s “I Hope” rounds out the Top 5 (5.7 million streams).
Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Old Dominion, Dierks Bentley To Lead 2020 Hometown Rising Festival
/by Jessica NicholsonLouisville, Kentucky’s Hometown Rising Country Music & Bourbon Festival will welcome a star-studded list of headliners for its second year. The two-day festival, which will return to the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Expo Center on Sept. 12-13, will be led by Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Old Dominion, and Dierks Bentley.
Others on the performer bill include Chris Janson, Jon Pardi, Clint Black, Aubrie Sellers, Caylee Hammack, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mitchell Tenpenny, Cam, Matt Stell, Blanco Brown, Kassi Ashton and more.
Last year, the festival’s inaugural lineup included headliners Tim McGraw and Luke Bryan. Tickets for the 2020 festival will go on sale Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. ET.
The full lineup for this year’s Hometown Rising Festival is below:
SATURDAY: Blake Shelton, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Clint Black, Russell Dickerson, Riley Green, Jessie James Decker, Shenandoah, Caylee Hammack, Jon Langston, Aubrie Sellers, Noah Schnacky, The Josephines, Ross Ellis, Emily Ann Roberts, Stephanie Quayle, Lakeview, Kaitlyn Kohler
SUNDAY: Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Chris Janson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mitchell Tenpenny, CAM, Matt Stell, Blanco Brown, Kassi Ashton, King Calaway, Tennessee Jet, Lainey Wilson, Adam Doleac, Chris Bandi, Sean Stemaly, Tyler Booth, Madison Kozak, Alex Hall
Universal Music Publishing Group Unveils New Royalty Portal
/by Lorie HollabaughUMPG Window is a state-of-the-art solution that empowers clients with 24/7 access to all of their royalty information. Using the latest in cloud-indexing technology, the system offers information on a highly-granular level available in both numeric and graphic representations. Clients can instantaneously view earnings by work title, accounting periods, territory, digital service provider, income source, income group, income type, local/international and more.
It also features customizable settings that provide tailored information snapshots based on user preference. Royalties are available through high-level overviews or detailed reports with deep analytics and insights and it provides not only society registration information but also registration status and full song copyright information on all works.
John Reston, EVP Global Administration at UMPG, said, “In designing and developing UMPG Window, our team worked closely with our songwriters and clients to best understand what they most wanted from a world-class, fully transparent portal and app. This kind of collaboration is a reflection of how we do business: our songwriters and publisher clients are partners in everything we do. We will always keep innovating to better the lives of our writers and support their songs, and that is why UMPG continues to raise the bar for the industry.”
UMPG circulates international income on a quarterly basis to all UMPG affiliates, accelerating international income to all of its songwriters and clients. The portal launch also sees the introduction of a brand-new international royalty ‘pipeline’ feature, enabling users to preview and access earnings as they are received around the world. Building on its popular one-click advance feature, UMPG Window now offers the unique ability for clients to request no-fee advances based on both current period earnings and international pipeline earnings.
Trace Adkins Sets 2020 Tour Dates
/by Jessica NicholsonTrace Adkins has announced an upcoming tour, and an album set for later this year. He will launch his 27-stop The Way I Wanna Go tour 2020 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on April 15.
Adkins has sold more than 11 million albums over the past 20 years, thanks to hits including “Every Light In The House Is On,” “You’re Gonna Miss This” “Just Fishin’,” and “Ladies Love Country Boys” among others, but he’s still excited about introducing these country radio classics to new generations of fans.
“I’ll be on stage singing ‘Every Light in the House Is On,’ and I look down at the crowd and realize that person right there wasn’t even alive when I recorded that song,” Adkins says, laughing. “To watch their face go, Oh, that’s a cool hook, I like this… it’s like, ‘Well, these songs still resonate today and are tried-and-true hits.’ It’s pretty special.”
Trace Adkins’ The Way I Wanna Go Tour 2020
April 15: American Music Theatre-Lancaster, PA
April 16: Packard Music Hall-Warren, OH
April 17: The Ritz Theatre-Tiffin, OH
April 18: Midland Theatre-Newark, OH
April 19: Capitol Music Hall-Wheeling, WV
May 7: Clay Center-Charleston, WV
May 8: Del Lago Resort & Casino-Waterloo, NY
May 9: Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races-Charles Town, WV
May 15: IP Casino Resort & Spa-Biloxi, MS
May 16: Delta Downs Racetrack Casino-Vinton, LA
June 27: Frederick Brown Jr Amphitheater-Peachtree City, GA
July 2: Fraze Pavilion-Kettering, OH
July 3: French Lick Resort Casino-French Lick, IN
July 5: Dauphin’s Countryfest-Dauphin, MB, CAN
July 8: Northern Wisconsin State Fair-Chippewa Falls, WI
July 9: Red River Valley Fairgrounds-West Fargo, ND
July 10: Gathering On The Green-Mequon, WI
July 11: Hodag Country Fest-Rhinelander, WI
July 17: Sunset Station Hotel & Casino-Las Vegas, NV
July 18: Peppermill Concert Hall-West Wendover, NV
July 19: Cheyenne Frontier Days-Cheyenne, WY
July 29: Neshoba County Fair-Philadelphia, MS
July 30: Tailgate N’ Tallboys Festival-Taylorville, IL
Aug. 1: Jackson County Fair-Maquoketa, IA
Aug. 7: Manitoulin Country Fest-Little Current, ON
Aug. 13: Missouri State Fair-Sedalia, MO
Aug. 15: Chase County Fair-Imperial, NE
Aug. 21: Antelope Valley Fair-Lancaster, CA
Sept. 25: Oklahoma State Fair-Oklahoma City, OK
Nov. 9-14: Country Cruising 2020-Tampa, FL
See all upcoming dates and info at: traceadkins.com/events.
CMT Study Reveals 84% Of Listeners Want Equal Airplay For Female Artists
/by Lorie HollabaughDebunking long-perpetuated myths claiming both female and male listeners don’t want to hear female voices, CMT’s Equal Play Radio Research proves they want equal play for female artists on radio, as well as more female artists in the genre they helped to build. Data reveals that not only do 84% of listeners want equal play for women on radio, but 7 out of 10 want more female artists in the genre. Listeners reported they would even seek out country radio more if women were specifically highlighted, with 28% saying they would listen to radio more if additional female artists were featured, versus 11% who would listen less. CMT’s Equal Play Radio Research indicates that a majority of fans are indeed open to hearing female voices, with 53% reporting no gender preference when it comes to artists.
“The age-old myth that ‘women don’t want to hear women’ has led to a multitude of unproven public claims about female voices on the air, including ‘you can’t play two women back-to-back’ or ‘ratings drop when you play women’” said Leslie Fram, Senior Vice President, Music & Talent, CMT. “When we approached Coleman Insights about this specific line of research, we were shocked to learn no one had ever commissioned data on the listeners themselves. CMT took it directly to the fans and what we found couldn’t have been more clear: listeners want equal play and women do want to hear women on the radio.”
While it may be common knowledge among industry insiders that more male artists are played on country radio than female, listeners were polled for the first time to uncover whether or not they recognized the bias. The data proves the understanding to be nearly universal, with 72% of country listeners reporting they hear more songs sung by men on country radio, with no differences shown in gender or age.
Listeners also heavily acknowledge (88%) the pivotal role females have played in country music’s history, a theme that is reiterated in additional research released earlier this week by University of Ottawa’s Dr. Jada Watson.
The specific findings of the study will be discussed at an industry panel ahead of Country Radio Seminar (CRS) in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The research overview will be conducted by Sam Milkman, Executive Vice President and Senior Consultant, Coleman Insights and will be followed by a panel moderated by CMT’s Leslie Fram with Milkman, Dr. Jada E. Watson, Cody Alan (Host & Executive Producer, CMT Radio), Cris Lacy (Senior Vice President, A&R, Warner Music Nashville) and Mike Molinar (General Manager, Big Machine Music).
SongData Study Reveals Women’s Voices Are “Nearly Invisible” On Country Radio
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“Ten percent. Depending on the time of day a listener tunes-in to their local station, that’s barely enough to be heard. It’s certainly not enough exposure to become known, to build a fanbase, to climb charts, to gain enough recognition to have access to opportunities and resources within the industry,” says a statement from the report. “It’s just enough airplay to show that songs by women are receiving airplay, but not enough to make their work visible to viewers. Over the last 20 years, women’s music has become invisible through the quota system that has limited their space on playlists and their access to prime location in daily rotation.”
For the first time, this SongData report also includes information on race/ethnicity of artists within this cultural system. In most cases, the results point to absence of artists of color, especially women. The study draws on several datasets, including both Mediabase’s and Billboard’s Yearend Airplay Reports over the last 10 years, as well as the Weekly Reports and Charts in 2019 for both organizations. The study also includes data from SongData’s Spotify experiment, Billboard’s Streaming and Digital Song Sales Charts, and CMA’s nomination history. According to the report females accounted for:
Despite a 1.2% increase in daily spins for songs by women last year, from 8.9% in 2018 to 10.1% in 2019, the distribution in the daytime remains nearly identical to 2018, with the 1.2% increase occurring in the evening and overnights. Since any increase at the amount of spins for songs by women in 2019 is thus neutralized by the time these songs are spun, the potential impact on an audience is negligible and women’s voices continue to be nearly invisible to radio listeners.
“It’s time for a change in programming across all facets of the industry. Achieving parity in country music cannot be achieved by a handful of stations and CMT alone. And it certainly is not a problem isolated to dissemination platforms,” the report concluded. “Program directors need more songs by women in their programming database to be able to increase representation on their playlists. The entire country music community needs to play a role in increasing the 10% by supporting and promoting female artists, from labels to publishers to tour and festival rosters. The April and December 2019 reports offer a series of actions developed with WOMAN Nashville that could be taken by organizations within the industry, artists and even those outside of the industry such as advertisers.51 These actions were conceived as a suggested starting point for taking the necessary and meaningful steps to include more women in daily programming and develop strategies for a more inclusive and diverse country music. Only through a cross-industry collaborative approach will women start to be seen.”
Brett Young Teams With Norway’s Astrid S For New Track “I Do”
/by Jessica NicholsonBMLG Records artist Brett Young is known for his own brand of soulful, heart-tugging songs such as “Catch” and “In Case You Didn’t Know,” and now he’s teaming with Norway’s Astrid S to trade vocals on her song “I Do,” which releases Feb. 28 via Virgin EMI Records/Universal Music Norway.
The track, which Astrid S wrote solo, offers an honest reflection on remaining feelings for a former lover.
“I’ve grown up with country music – it’s a genre I admire very much and it’s been a big influence and inspiration throughout the years in my songwriting,” Astrid says. “I’m so happy Brett wanted to do this song with me. Hope you’ll love it as much as I do!”
Young adds, “I was so honored to be asked to collaborate on this track with Astrid. When I first heard ‘I Do,’ I instantly connected to the lyrics and storytelling, so jumping onboard and digging into something a little bit different was a no-brainer for me. I can’t wait for the fans to hear this one.”
Young has released five consecutive No. 1 singles, as well as a Platinum-selling debut project, and topped the Billboard Country Albums chart with his latest release, Ticket To L.A. on BMLG Records. Young has earned more than 3 billion global streams and is currently headlining The Chapters Tour, before hitting the road with Jason Aldean later this year.
In the last two years, Astrid has earned more than one billion streams, released two EPs, Trust Issues and Stripped Down, completed a sold-out tour across the US and Europe, toured with Years & Years and Zara Larsson, and became the face of Fendi’s F is for Fendi campaign. Astrid will release her debut album later this year.