Zac Brown Band has announced dates for their upcoming summer trek, “The Owl Tour.” The tour will kick off May 25 in Indianapolis and run through October, with stops in Brooklyn, Denver, Jacksonville, Dallas and more. Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real will provide support on select stops throughout the run.
The announcement comes as the band prepares to release their upcoming new studio album featuring the hit lead single, “Someone I Used To Know.” Both the tour and forthcoming album draw inspiration from the mythology and mystery surrounding the Great Horned Owl that can see perfectly in the night, serving as a guide when you need sight in even the darkest of moments.
“With ‘The Owl Tour,’ our fans can expect some new and unexpected sounds woven into the signature Zac Brown Band live music experience,” said Brown. “The owl holds special meaning for us and we look forward to sharing this with everyone.”
“The Owl Tour” will mark Zac Brown Band’s third consecutive touring run within the span of a year. The summer 2019 shows will follow the band’s forthcoming spring 2019 “Down The Rabbit Hole Live Tour,” an extension of their summer 2018 “Down the Rabbit Hole Live Tour” dates, which broke multiple records including the most consecutive sold out shows at the historic Fenway Park. In 2018 alone, Zac Brown Band performed for over half a million fans live.
Zac Brown Band will partner with DemerBox as an official tour sponsor, wanting fans to never run out of fun by providing charging stations at every stop of “The Owl Tour.” Zac Brown is co-owner of DemerBox, makers of the premium waterproof speaker that goes anywhere, gets loud, & has storage to hold your valuables. The brand is held under Brown’s recently launched entertainment and lifestyle parent company, Zac Brown Collective.
Tickets and V.I.P. packages for “The Owl Tour” go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Feb. 8. Members of the Zamily will have access to tickets before the general on sale through a pre-sale beginning Feb. 5.
“The Owl Tour” Summer 2019 Dates:
5/25/2019 – Indianapolis, IN – Legends Day – Indy 500
6/7/2019 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion *
6/8/2019 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion *
6/9/2019 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview *
6/14/2019 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
6/15/2019 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
6/21/2019 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts +
6/22/2019 – Holmdel, NJ – P.N.C. Bank Arts Center +
6/23/2019 – Holmdel, NJ – P.N.C. Bank Arts Center +
6/28/2019 – Burgettstown, PA – KeyBank Pavilion
6/29/2019 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
6/30/2019 – Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Summerfest
7/12/2019 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Stampede
7/21/2019 – Brooklyn, MI – Faster Horses Festival
7/24/2019 – Paso Robles, CA – California Mid-State Fair
7/25/2019 – Irvine, CA – Five Point Amphitheater
7/26/2019 – Irvine, CA – Five Point Amphitheater
8/9/2019 – Denver, CO – Coors Field * +
8/11/2019 – Des Moines, IA – Grandstand – Iowa State Fairgrounds +
8/23/2019 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater +
8/24/2019 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater +
8/25/2019 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live +
8/29/2019 – Hershey, PA – Hershey Park Stadium *
8/30/2019 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center *
8/31/2019 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park (on sale February 15) *
9/6/2019 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion *
9/7/2019 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion *
9/8/2019 – Hartford, CT – XFINITY Theatre *
9/19/2019 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre +
9/20/2019 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheater +
10/17/2019 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place
10/18/2019 – West Palm Beach, FL – Coral Sky Amphitheatre *
10/19/2019 – West Palm Beach, FL – Coral Sky Amphitheatre *
10/20/2019 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre *
10/25/2019 – Rogers, AR – The Walmart Amp *
10/26/2019 – Dallas, TX – The Dos Equis Pavilion (on sale February 15) *
* With special guest Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Mark Your Calendar—February 2019
/by Eric T. ParkerSingle Add Dates
February 4
Tim McGraw/Thought About You/Columbia
Aaron Watson/Kiss That Girl Goodbye/BIG Label Records
Shane Owens/Love To Try Them On/AmeriMonte Records
Logan Mize/Better Off Gone/Big Yellow Dog Music
Smithfield/Our World/Deluge/in2une
Mags/Run/Emerald Fields Productions
Joseph St. John/Shaky Ground/711 Records
February 8
Chris Janson/Good Vibes/Warner Bros.-Warner Music Nashville
February 11
Dan + Shay/All To Myself/Warner Bros./WAR
Mitchell Tenpenny/Alcohol You Later/Riser House/Columbia
Stephanie Quayle/If I Was a Cowboy/Rebel Engine
DuShane Band/Jody/Turtle Bay/KES Music
Jessie Chris & Danny Wood/Bodyguard/Gulko Group
February 18
Ryan Hurd/To a T/RCA Nashville
Chloe Collins/The Last Time/Collins House Music
Corinne Cook/One Box of Tissues/CCM Records
Michael Johnathon/The Statue/PoetMan Records
February 25
William Shatner and Jeff Cook feat. Neal McCoy, Home Free/Why Not Me/Heartland Records Nashville
Dave McElroy/Bullet Proof/Nine North Label Group
The Ashley Sisters/Sweet on You/GKM Records
Kree Harrison/I Love The Lie/Visionary Records
February 26
Alexis Ebert/Ride Or Die/Smashville Entertainment
February 28
Lockeland/Til The Cows Come Home/Lockeland Entertainment
Album Release Dates
February 1
Cassadee Pope/Stages
February 8
Sister Hazel/Fire [EP is Volume III of Elements]
February 15
Florida Georgia Line/Can’t Say I Ain’t Country/BMLG Records
Bellamy Brothers/Over The Moon/Bellamy Brothers Records
Industry Events
February 8
2019 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute at the Los Angeles Convention Center
February 10
61st Annual Grammy Awards at Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center
February 11
Second round voting closes for 2019 ACM Awards
February 11-13
Pollstar Live! conference at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton Hotel
February 13
February 13-15
Country Radio Seminar 2019 (CRS) at the Omni Nashville
February 19
10th annual CMA Triple Play Awards presentation at a private industry-only luncheon
LOCASH To Release New Album ‘Brothers’ In March
/by Lorie HollabaughLOCASH is set to release their new full-length album, Brothers, on March 29. The project is the duo’s first with their new label, Wheelhouse Records/BBR Music Group. The album’s title is derived from the undeniable bond the two share but also from one of the pair’s main objectives for the project: bringing people together.
Often mistaken as biological brothers thanks to an inexplicable natural chemistry, LOCASH crafted Brothers with a worldly message in mind that “everybody is connected, even if it isn’t by blood.”
“At the end of the day, we are all brothers and sisters. We’ve all seen our share of sunshine and rain (I know Preston and I certainly have). In order to get through it all, we all need to lean on each other,” said Chris Lucas of LOCASH. “This album is all about recognizing that brotherhood and bringing people together.”
“We wanted to create music that folks can just get lost in for a minute, put their struggles and differences aside and just enjoy the moment,” said Preston Brust of LOCASH. “We wanted Brothers to almost be a soundtrack to those standout moments in life where everybody is enjoying life to the fullest.”
The feel-good project includes the single, “Feels Like a Party,” which was written by LOCASH’s Brust and Lucas along with the track’s co-producers, Corey Crowder and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard (who also co-wrote the title track). Crowder penned four tunes on the new collection, which also features tracks written by Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, Russell Dickerson, Jesse Frasure, and more.
This weekend the pair is fully immersing themselves in all of the pre-game festivities in Atlanta leading up to the big game on Sunday and are set to perform live at the New England Patriots Official Fan Rally at Super Bowl LIVE presented by Verizon at Centennial Olympic Park on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
Leadership Music Accepting Applications For Class Of 2020
/by Lorie HollabaughLeadership Music is now accepting applications from established music industry leaders for its Class of 2020. Applications will be accepted online only throughout the month of February. When the current class graduates in May, they will be the 30th class, bringing the total number of industry alums to more than 1,200. In September, the Class of 2020 marks the beginning of Leadership Music’s next 30 years.
The eight-month, Nashville-based nationwide program is designed to expose participants to every phase of the music industry, as well as foster communication and cooperation among industry leaders and explore the challenges facing the music business.
“One of the added bonuses for participants,” said LM Executive Director, Debbie Schwartz Linn, “is their exposure to executives from virtually every segment of the industry. A talent buyer from a venue in Texas might be in the same class with a Congressional aide from DC but would never have connected except through Leadership Music. Or a musician and a booking agent working just blocks from each other in Nashville for years might never have met. We are fond of saying that at the end of their program year, a participant leaves with 44 new friends and connections. Many times, these encounters become friendships that lasts a lifetime.”
Class participants first attend an orientation and alumni welcome reception in September, then Opening Retreat in October, followed by six all-day sessions once a month, ending in May with graduation at Closing Retreat. Application forms, program dates, policies and FAQs are available at leadershipmusic.org/apply/.
Applications must be submitted via the online process no later than midnight, Feb. 28, 2019.
Zac Brown Band Announce ‘The Owl Tour’ Dates For Summer
/by Lorie HollabaughZac Brown Band has announced dates for their upcoming summer trek, “The Owl Tour.” The tour will kick off May 25 in Indianapolis and run through October, with stops in Brooklyn, Denver, Jacksonville, Dallas and more. Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real will provide support on select stops throughout the run.
The announcement comes as the band prepares to release their upcoming new studio album featuring the hit lead single, “Someone I Used To Know.” Both the tour and forthcoming album draw inspiration from the mythology and mystery surrounding the Great Horned Owl that can see perfectly in the night, serving as a guide when you need sight in even the darkest of moments.
“With ‘The Owl Tour,’ our fans can expect some new and unexpected sounds woven into the signature Zac Brown Band live music experience,” said Brown. “The owl holds special meaning for us and we look forward to sharing this with everyone.”
“The Owl Tour” will mark Zac Brown Band’s third consecutive touring run within the span of a year. The summer 2019 shows will follow the band’s forthcoming spring 2019 “Down The Rabbit Hole Live Tour,” an extension of their summer 2018 “Down the Rabbit Hole Live Tour” dates, which broke multiple records including the most consecutive sold out shows at the historic Fenway Park. In 2018 alone, Zac Brown Band performed for over half a million fans live.
Zac Brown Band will partner with DemerBox as an official tour sponsor, wanting fans to never run out of fun by providing charging stations at every stop of “The Owl Tour.” Zac Brown is co-owner of DemerBox, makers of the premium waterproof speaker that goes anywhere, gets loud, & has storage to hold your valuables. The brand is held under Brown’s recently launched entertainment and lifestyle parent company, Zac Brown Collective.
Tickets and V.I.P. packages for “The Owl Tour” go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Feb. 8. Members of the Zamily will have access to tickets before the general on sale through a pre-sale beginning Feb. 5.
“The Owl Tour” Summer 2019 Dates:
5/25/2019 – Indianapolis, IN – Legends Day – Indy 500
6/7/2019 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion *
6/8/2019 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion *
6/9/2019 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview *
6/14/2019 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
6/15/2019 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
6/21/2019 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts +
6/22/2019 – Holmdel, NJ – P.N.C. Bank Arts Center +
6/23/2019 – Holmdel, NJ – P.N.C. Bank Arts Center +
6/28/2019 – Burgettstown, PA – KeyBank Pavilion
6/29/2019 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
6/30/2019 – Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Summerfest
7/12/2019 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Stampede
7/21/2019 – Brooklyn, MI – Faster Horses Festival
7/24/2019 – Paso Robles, CA – California Mid-State Fair
7/25/2019 – Irvine, CA – Five Point Amphitheater
7/26/2019 – Irvine, CA – Five Point Amphitheater
8/9/2019 – Denver, CO – Coors Field * +
8/11/2019 – Des Moines, IA – Grandstand – Iowa State Fairgrounds +
8/23/2019 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater +
8/24/2019 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater +
8/25/2019 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live +
8/29/2019 – Hershey, PA – Hershey Park Stadium *
8/30/2019 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center *
8/31/2019 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park (on sale February 15) *
9/6/2019 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion *
9/7/2019 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion *
9/8/2019 – Hartford, CT – XFINITY Theatre *
9/19/2019 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre +
9/20/2019 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheater +
10/17/2019 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place
10/18/2019 – West Palm Beach, FL – Coral Sky Amphitheatre *
10/19/2019 – West Palm Beach, FL – Coral Sky Amphitheatre *
10/20/2019 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre *
10/25/2019 – Rogers, AR – The Walmart Amp *
10/26/2019 – Dallas, TX – The Dos Equis Pavilion (on sale February 15) *
* With special guest Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
200 Artists, Industry Members Take Part In Recording Academy’s Inclusion Initiative For Female Producers, Engineers
/by Lorie HollabaughKeith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Dierks Bentley, Kacey Musgraves, Kassi Ashton, Kelsea Ballerini, Brothers Osborne, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Lady Gaga, John Legend, and Shawn Mendes are a few of over 200 other artists, producers, labels, management companies, and other industry members have signed on to a new task force initiative on Diversity and Inclusion started by the Recording Academy. The unprecedented new initiative aims to expand opportunities for female music producers and engineers in the industry, and is the first step in a broader effort to increase the number of women in those fields. According to a 2018 USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study, only two percent of music producers and three percent of engineers/mixers across popular music are women.
The initiative is the first step in a broader effort to improve those numbers and increase diversity and inclusion for all in the music industry, and calls on any entity or individual responsible for or involved in selecting and hiring producers and engineers to commit to making hiring decisions only after considering a slate of candidates that includes at least two women. It also asks working producers to take gender diversity challenges in music’s technical fields into account when determining who to mentor and prepare for development and advancement opportunities.
“The music industry is at a crossroads and progress won’t happen on its own. There is no magic bullet to shift a status quo that has existed for centuries, but we see this initiative as an important step,” said Tina Tchen, Chair of the Recording Academy’s Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion and Partner at Buckley LLP, who previously served as chief of staff to former First Lady, Michelle Obama. “We know that change requires real commitment to intentional hiring and to providing young women with consistent training and mentorship. We aren’t here to tell anyone who to hire, but we have seen repeatedly that the simple act of making sure diverse candidates are always seen and considered makes it more likely that women will get the opportunities they previously have been denied. It’s one step everyone can take that could go a long way to catalyzing important change that is overdue in this industry.”
To assist in ensuring the success of this initiative, the Recording Academy is creating and hosting a webpage dedicated solely to facilitating the process of identifying working female producers and engineers. The site will enable anyone seeking to consider and hire a woman for a position to quickly access relevant resources, including tools provided by She Is The Music and Women’s Audio Mission, organizations that help connect decision-makers with female producers and engineers.
“As an artist and member of the Recording Academy, I’m proud to join this pledge and appreciate the work of the Task Force to bring this forward. Women deserve as much opportunity as men, and we know this industry has not always been fair. The only way to change these inequities is for us to face it directly and commit to do more,” said artist and Task Force member, Common.
The Inclusion Initiative gives employers and creative decision-makers the continued ability to make the right choice for their music, while simultaneously providing visibility and opportunity for female producers and engineers. Bringing visibility to these issues will not only expand opportunities for women today, but it will also inspire more young women and girls to pursue technical careers in the music industry going forward, which could help shrink the gender gap.
A full list of artist, label and producer pledges is available here.
Weekly Chart Report (2/1/19)
/by Alex ParryClick here or above to access MusicRow’s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
Penske Media Takes Full Ownership Of ‘Rolling Stone’ Publication
/by Jessica NicholsonPenske Media Corporation has finalized the purchase of the remaining 49 percent stake in Rolling Stone from BandLab Technologies, MusicRow has confirmed. The purchase includes all event and licensing rights as well as the parallel entity Rolling Stone International. The acquisition makes Penske Media the full owner, after Penske gained a 51 percent stake in December 2017, when it purchased those shares from Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner.
A Penske Media rep says the company expects to add a 15-20 percent increase in editorial as part of its growth strategy for the publication.
According to Vanity Fair, Penske’s initial 2017 investment in the publication cost approximately $50 million. Following the 2017 investment, Wenner had continued to be involved with the publication, while his son Gus Wenner was named president and COO.
Penske Media Corporation also owns titles including Variety, Deadline, Hollywood Life, WWD, IndieWire, and more.
George Strait Reveals 30th Studio Album Release Date, Track Listing
/by Jessica NicholsonGeorge Strait will release his 30th album, Honky Tonk Time Machine, on March 29 via MCA Nashville. Strait produced the project with Chuck Ainlay, and penned eight of the project’s 13 tracks, including “Sing One With Willie,” which features the legendary Willie Nelson. Nelson and Strait debuted the song during a recent Nashville show, marking the first time the two country icons have shared the stage.
The album’s first single, “God and Country Music,” was penned by Luke Laird, Barry Dean, and Lori McKenna and introduces a special vocal guest, Strait’s grandson, Harvey Strait.
“I’m really excited to have some new music coming out,” Strait says. “It’s been about two years since I’ve released a record. It was great writing with Bubba and Dean again and creating such a beautiful song with Bubba and Jeff Hyde. Also, it was a very special thing for me to be able to write and sing one with the legend Willie Nelson. I hope everyone enjoys listening to Honky Tonk Time Machine as much as I enjoyed making it.”
Honky Tonk Time Machine track listing:
1. “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
2. “Two More Wishes” – Written by Jim Lauderdale and Odie Blackmon
3. “Some Nights” – Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Phillip White
4. “God and Country Music” (with Harvey Strait) – Written by Luke Laird, Barry Dean and Lori McKenna
5. “Blue Water” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
6. “Sometimes Love” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
7. “Código” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
8. “Old Violin” – Written by Johnny Paycheck
9. “Take Me Away” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
10. “The Weight of the Badge” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
11. “Honky Tonk Time Machine” – Written by Bubba Strait, Brice Long and Bart Butler
12. “What Goes Up” – Written by George Strait, Bubba Strait and Jeff Hyde
13. “Sing One with Willie” (featuring Willie Nelson) – Written by George Strait, Willie Nelson, Bubba Strait and Buddy Cannon
APA Nashville Promotes Travis Wolfe To VP Role
/by Jessica NicholsonAPA concerts agent Travis Wolfe has been promoted to Vice President, it was announced today by Steve Lassiter, Partner and Head of Concerts at APA Nashville.
“Travis has done a tremendous job since first joining our team and I’m very proud to reward his hard work and dedication with this well-deserved promotion,” Lassiter said.
Wolfe, who oversees APA’s music and comedy rosters for corporate and special events, joined APA in 2013 from Paradigm. In 2012, he was named Emerging Talent Agent of the Year by the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA). He began his career working in artist management for country artist Neal McCoy.
Wolfe is also the responsible agent for the groups Sister Hazel, Royal Machines, Quixotic, and Keith Anderson, among others.
Montana’s Under The Big Sky Festival Launches With Dwight Yoakam, Band Of Horses, Amanda Shires
/by Jessica NicholsonMontana will debut the new Under The Big Sky Festival, slated for July 13-14 in Whitefish, Montana, with a string of alt-country and Americana artists.
The lineup includes Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Band of Horses, Dwight Yoakam, Cody Jinks, Jenny Lewis, Elle King, Ryan Bingham, Lucius, Whitey Morgan, Shooter Jennings, Jamestown Revival, Nikki Lane, and more.
Other performers will include Amanda Shires, Corb Lund, Justin Townes Earle, Bones Owens, The Silent Comedy, Hogslop String Band, Charlie Overbey, Mike Murray, Jameson and the Sordid Seeds, and Danny + Joy.
Attendees will experience the music as the festival is held on the 350-acre working farm Big Mountain Ranch, located at 1875 Voerman Road in Whitefish, Montana. The ranch has 180-degree views of Whitefish Ski Resort’s mountains.
Under The Big Sky is an all ages event, with children under six able to enter for free. Food and beverage will be a curated collaboration between the notable Whitefish restaurateur Pat Carloss and his team and Best Beverage Catering, who provide catering for Coachella, Stagecoach, BottleRock and many other major festivals. VIP experiences and seating will be offered, with a bespoke VIP food and beverage program. A bike valet will be available on-site. Discounted local hotel and camping accommodations will be announced soon.
Tickets will go on sale Feb. 19, with VIP tickets starting at $250 (plus fees), and general admission tickets beginning at $99 (plus fees). For more visit underthebigskyfest.com.