Kip Moore. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
After 20 concerts in 14 states, Kip Moore ended his headlining After The Sunburn Tour with a sold-out show Saturday night (Nov. 17) at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium with friends Jillian Jacqueline and Jordan Davis.
Opener Jacqueline has not been on a Nashville stage, outside of CMA Fest, in over two years, but she was not lacking fans at Saturday’s performance. The crowd was enthusiastic and welcomed Jacqueline as she kicked off the night with “Shady.” Her most popular song of the night was her radio single “Reasons.” She finished her set with “God Bless This Mess” saying, “This song is my way of telling myself to keep going. Hopefully, you feel something in this one.”
Louisiana native Davis took the stage next with several selections off of his debut album Home State, such as “Tough To Tie Down,” “Slow Dance In A Parking Lot” and “Leaving New Orleans.” He included a rocking cover of “Hard To Handle” by The Black Crowes and slowed things down with “When You Say Nothing At All” by Keith Whitley. He ended his set with his No. 1 hit “Singles You Up” and current single “Take It From Me.”
“I don’t know two better people in the music business to be out playing music with than those two right there,” Davis telegraphed the camaraderie he has with Jacqueline and Moore when he joined them towards the end of Moore’s set for a great rendition of “The Weight” by The Band.
Prior to the main act, fans enjoyed a crowd performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” thanks to enthusiastic fans in the balcony, even receiving applause from all the entertained concert goers.
Moore celebrated his final date on the After the Sunburn Tour by bringing his passion and love for his craft to his fans in Nashville. He began with two songs from his SLOWHEART album, “I’ve Been Around” and “Sunburn.” He then fell back on his Top 10 hit “Beer Money” to carry the energy as he played several more of his earlier songs including “Up All Night” and “Wild Ones.” He then played the first two songs from SLOWHEART with “I Plead the Fifth” and “Just Another Girl” and his current Top 10 single “Last Shot.”
During his performance of “Backseat,” Moore stopped and said, “I got to admit, tonight I am feeling a little awkward playing this song with my mom in the crowd somewhere. It just don’t feel right tonight, so y’all got to help me out.” The crowd, and his bandmates, were more than happy to help out at any point in the night, knowing all the words.
Kip Moore at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
Moore went on to say later in the night, “I always had these big dreams of playing a room like this. I never thought about money or fame; I thought about being free, writing songs and everybody pulling something from that. To have a night like this where y’all sing back my album cuts, is all I ever gave a shit about.”
To show his appreciation of his fans, he began an acoustic set by saying, “It’s that time of night where I really don’t know what I’m gonna play; I kinda just see what I feel like y’all know.” He played fan-picked “Dirt Road” and others including “Magic” “Heart’s Desire” and “That’s Alright With Me.” He was joined onstage by his band for his No. 1 hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.”
The encore brought “The Weight,” where his was joined by supporting acts Jacqueline and Davis, as well as a verse and chorus of “Tennessee Boy” from Moore’s recently released Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessions EP.
Moore concluded the night with one of his favorite songs he wrote, “Guitar Man,” in the way he originally wrote it. “I wrote this thing at about 2 ‘o’clock in the morning after watching a guy do what I did for so many years. Thank y’all so much for the love that you showed us tonight. We really appreciate it.”
Industry Ink: Grand Ole Opry, Suretone Entertainment, Lucas Hoge
/by Jessica NicholsonTravis Denning Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut
Pictured (L-R): UMG Nashville’s Jordan Todd, RED Creative Group Owner/President Jeremy Stover, UMG Nashville EVP A&R Brian Wright, UMG Nashville’s Taylor Sloane, Travis Denning, Red Light Management’s Angie Coonrod, UMG Nashville VP Promotion Damon Moberly, Red Light Management’s Tom Becci
Mercury Nashville artist Travis Denning made his debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday (Nov. 16). He performed his Top 40 single “David Ashley Parker From Powder Springs,” as well as “After A Few.”
Denning moved to Nashville in 2014 and within a year signed a publishing deal with RED Creative Group. He was recently named a CMA Kixstart Artist Scholarship recipient and is currently on tour with LANCO.
Suretone Entertainment Signs Caroline Dare
Caroline Dare pictured with Suretone Entertainment’s Corey Wagner. Photo: Ford Fairchild
Caroline Dare has signed with Suretone Entertainment. With offices in both Los Angeles & Nashville, Suretone Entertainment also represents Fleetwood Mac & ZZ Top.
Dare, 17, has opened for artists including The Band Perry, Chris Young, Kellie Pickler and more. She is expected to release a project in 2019.
Lucas Hoge Helps Raise $520K For Cystic Fibrosis Research
Pictured (L-R): Rick Honeycutt, Lucas Hoge, Orel Hershiser, Matt Young
Lucas Hoge recently participated in his 10th year at Hook The Cure event in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, helping to raise more than $520,000 for cystic fibrosis research.
“Not only does having a friend that has Cystic Fibrosis make this cause extremely special to me,” expressed Hoge. “But it is also truly amazing to work with a foundation where you can physically see the results of donations helping fight this horrible disease.”
More Performers Added to Lineup For 30A Songwriter Festival
/by Lorie HollabaughThe 10th annual 30A Songwriters Festival, set for Jan. 18-21, 2019, has announced some additional performers to the lineup for the four-day event.
Additional performers set to take the stage at venues along scenic Highway 30A in Florida’s South Walton County include Steve Poltz, Bob Schneider, Amythyst Kiah, David Ryan Harris, Kim Richey, Hayes Carll, Liz Longley, Drivin N Cryin, Emerson Hart (Tonic), Chris Stamey And Peter Holsapple (The Db’s), John Driskell Hopkins (Zac Brown Band), Gretchen Peters, The Swimming Pool Q’s, Birds Of Chicago, Griffin House, Charlie Mars, Willie Sugarcapps, Lauren Morrow Of The Whiskey Gentry, The Mulligan Brothers, Amy Lavere and Will Sexton, Robby Hecht, Tommy Womack, Farewell Angelina, and more.
The event, which features headliners Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Rosanne Cash, Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, and Lucinda Williams, will include performances by 175 songwriters at more than 25 venues in South Walton County.
The 30A Songwriters Festival is a benefit for the non profit Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, which supports artists and non profit cultural events and businesses throughout the county. For this 10th annual event, a portion of these net proceeds will be donated to the Hurricane Michael relief efforts organized on behalf of the many who have suffered devastating losses along the Florida panhandle to the east of 30A.
CMT To Air Americana Honors And Awards Special In December
/by Lorie HollabaughThe show will include a variety of performances from Americana artists including Brandi Carlile (“The Joke”), Buddy Guy (“Damn Right, I’ve Got The Blues”), I’m With Her (“Overland”), Irma Thomas (“Time Is On My Side”), Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (“White Man’s World”), John Prine (“Summer’s End”), k.d. lang (“Trail Of Broken Hearts”), Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real (“Forget About Georgia”), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (“Hey Mama”), Fantastic Negrito, Nelson and Rateliff (“Fortunate Son”), Margo Price (“A Little Pain”), Rosanne Cash (“Everyone But Me”) and Tyler Childers (“Nose On The Grindstone”). The group also comes together for a never-before-seen version of the late Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.”
“Music lovers, even those who may not be familiar with Americana, will want to see this show,” says Leslie Fram, SVP Music and Talent, CMT. “The level of performance and musicality with these artists is something extremely special and we hope these 90 minutes will entertain those who already love Americana music, and will turn more people into fans of the genre.”
“We are beyond thrilled to bring this incredibly special show to CMT,” adds Jed Hilly, Executive Director, Americana Music Association. “We hope that friends and families will be able to come together this holiday season and experience what makes Americana music a beautiful melding of genres that celebrates artists from all walks of life.”
Ashley Gorley Enters Top 5, Kevin Welch Preserves Top Spot On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellIt’s a good time to be Ashley Gorley. Last week he was honored as ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year for the sixth time; this week he moves up 13 slots to No. 5 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. The songs that drive him are Chase Rice’s “Eyes On You,” Chris Lane’s “I Don’t Know About You,” Eli Young Band’s “Love Ain’t,” Lee Brice’s “Rumor” and Luke Bryan’s “What Makes You Country.”
Ashley Gorley accepts the Songwriter of the Year award. Photo: Ed Rode
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital downloaded track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive recent addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
The Recording Academy Shifts Membership Model
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Recording Academy has launched a new community-driven, peer-reviewed membership model in order to create a more representative, diverse membership.
The new member submission program shifts to an annual cycle and will now include two new elements: industry recommendations and peer review. Going forward, in addition to meeting the Recording Academy’s basic requirements, each new member submission must include two professional recommendations in order to be considered for membership.
Additionally, a Peer Review Panel of music creators will convene each spring to evaluate all new member submissions and will consider a range of criteria—including craft, genre, and overall diversity—in determining whom to invite into the Recording Academy. The move to an annual review cycle will enable the Recording Academy to look at both its existing membership base and prospective submissions, and be thoughtful about how each individual new member decision stands to shape the collective body.
The move follows earlier efforts to diversify the Recording Academy’s membership body, including the previously-launched Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion, which invited 900 music creators to become voting members to effect immediate change in advance of the 61st annual Grammy Awards.
“The GRAMMY Awards® are already renowned for being a peer-awarded honor, and our new membership model further reinforces that peer-driven commitment to excellence,” said Laura Segura Mueller, Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations. “Membership is the lifeblood of the Recording Academy and a privilege we strive to uphold. Our new membership model puts the power in the hands of the music community and is designed to build an active, representative membership base that reflects our broader culture. By changing the process to Recording Academy membership, we remain committed to setting a positive example for the music industry as a whole.”
Carrie Underwood Celebrates “Pretty” RIAA Certifications
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): The HQ’s Ann Edelblute, UMGN EVP Promotion Royce Risser, UMGN President Cindy Mabe, UMGN COO Mike Harris, Carrie Underwood, UMGN Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, UMGN EVP A&R Brian Wright. Photo: Donn Jones
UMG Nashville executives surprised Carrie Underwood last week during CMA Awards rehearsals, with a plaque commemorating the RIAA Gold Certifications of her Cry Pretty album and “Cry Pretty” single.
Released Sept. 14, Cry Pretty is the biggest all-genre debut by a female in 2018. The critically-acclaimed album also debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Album Charts, making Underwood the only woman in history to land four country albums on the top of the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
Thomas Rhett’s Very Hot Summer Tour To Launch In May
/by Lorie HollabaughInitial ticket sales are scheduled for Nov. 30 via thomasrhett.com, and fans can also purchase tickets for additional select cities beginning Friday, Jan. 25 as part of Live Nation’s Country Megaticket. Additional dates will continue to roll out over the coming weeks.
“We literally just closed out our 2018 tour in the U.K. last week and I’m already thinking about next year’s tour,” said Thomas Rhett. “I’m glad we have the winter to plan and come up with some crazy stuff for next year because I can’t think of a better way to spend the summer than out on the road with my fans. And, I get to bring my dad and two of my favorite artists in country music along for the ride.”
2019 Very Hot Summer Tour Dates:
5/17 Spokane, WA**
5/18 Tacoma, WA**
5/25 Orange Beach, AL
5/26 Orange Beach, AL
6/13 Virginia Beach, VA
6/14 Charlotte, NC
6/15 Bristow, VA
6/20 Detroit, MI
6/21 Indianapolis, IN
6/28 Dallas, TX
6/29 Houston, TX
7/11 Toronto, ON
7/12 Pittsburgh, PA
7/19 Darien Center, NY
7/20 Hershey, PA
8/1 Philadelphia, PA
8/2 Boston, MA
8/3 Holmdel, NJ
8/8 Raleigh, NC
8/9 Cincinnati, OH
8/10 Atlanta, GA
8/15 Rogers, AR
8/16 Southaven, MS
8/17 Birmingham, AL
9/5 Sioux Falls, SD
9/6 Des Moines, IA
9/7 St. Paul, MN
9/12 Kansas City, MO
9/13 St. Louis, MO
9/14 Chicago, IL
9/19 Bridgeport, CT
9/20 New York, NY
9/21 Albany, NY
10/3 Greenville, SC
10/4 Jacksonville, TN
10/5 Orlando, FL
10/10 Knoxville, TN
10/11 Louisville, KY
10/12 Nashville, TN
**Shows without Russell Dickerson and Rhett Akins
Kip Moore Wraps After The Sunburn Tour In Nashville
/by Alex ParryKip Moore. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
After 20 concerts in 14 states, Kip Moore ended his headlining After The Sunburn Tour with a sold-out show Saturday night (Nov. 17) at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium with friends Jillian Jacqueline and Jordan Davis.
Opener Jacqueline has not been on a Nashville stage, outside of CMA Fest, in over two years, but she was not lacking fans at Saturday’s performance. The crowd was enthusiastic and welcomed Jacqueline as she kicked off the night with “Shady.” Her most popular song of the night was her radio single “Reasons.” She finished her set with “God Bless This Mess” saying, “This song is my way of telling myself to keep going. Hopefully, you feel something in this one.”
Louisiana native Davis took the stage next with several selections off of his debut album Home State, such as “Tough To Tie Down,” “Slow Dance In A Parking Lot” and “Leaving New Orleans.” He included a rocking cover of “Hard To Handle” by The Black Crowes and slowed things down with “When You Say Nothing At All” by Keith Whitley. He ended his set with his No. 1 hit “Singles You Up” and current single “Take It From Me.”
“I don’t know two better people in the music business to be out playing music with than those two right there,” Davis telegraphed the camaraderie he has with Jacqueline and Moore when he joined them towards the end of Moore’s set for a great rendition of “The Weight” by The Band.
Prior to the main act, fans enjoyed a crowd performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” thanks to enthusiastic fans in the balcony, even receiving applause from all the entertained concert goers.
Moore celebrated his final date on the After the Sunburn Tour by bringing his passion and love for his craft to his fans in Nashville. He began with two songs from his SLOWHEART album, “I’ve Been Around” and “Sunburn.” He then fell back on his Top 10 hit “Beer Money” to carry the energy as he played several more of his earlier songs including “Up All Night” and “Wild Ones.” He then played the first two songs from SLOWHEART with “I Plead the Fifth” and “Just Another Girl” and his current Top 10 single “Last Shot.”
During his performance of “Backseat,” Moore stopped and said, “I got to admit, tonight I am feeling a little awkward playing this song with my mom in the crowd somewhere. It just don’t feel right tonight, so y’all got to help me out.” The crowd, and his bandmates, were more than happy to help out at any point in the night, knowing all the words.
Kip Moore at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
Moore went on to say later in the night, “I always had these big dreams of playing a room like this. I never thought about money or fame; I thought about being free, writing songs and everybody pulling something from that. To have a night like this where y’all sing back my album cuts, is all I ever gave a shit about.”
To show his appreciation of his fans, he began an acoustic set by saying, “It’s that time of night where I really don’t know what I’m gonna play; I kinda just see what I feel like y’all know.” He played fan-picked “Dirt Road” and others including “Magic” “Heart’s Desire” and “That’s Alright With Me.” He was joined onstage by his band for his No. 1 hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.”
The encore brought “The Weight,” where his was joined by supporting acts Jacqueline and Davis, as well as a verse and chorus of “Tennessee Boy” from Moore’s recently released Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessions EP.
Moore concluded the night with one of his favorite songs he wrote, “Guitar Man,” in the way he originally wrote it. “I wrote this thing at about 2 ‘o’clock in the morning after watching a guy do what I did for so many years. Thank y’all so much for the love that you showed us tonight. We really appreciate it.”
Roy Clark Celebration Of Life Memorial Set For Wednesday
/by Lorie HollabaughRoy Clark
A celebration of life has been set for Roy Clark, who passed away last week from complications due to pneumonia. The memorial celebration will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m. CT at Rhema Bible Church at 1025 W Kenosha Street in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The celebration of life memorial will be open to the public, and will be streamed at rhema.org as well as on Rhema Bible Church’s Facebook Page.
A private, invitation-only visitation for family, friends and fellow performers will take place Tuesday evening. Please call 1-833-537-2911 x800 for time and location. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that all contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. For several years, Clark headlined a golf tournament for St. Jude’s, where a floor was named in his honor.
“I see a lot of celebrities come to St. Jude, and you know what’s in a person’s heart by how they entertain the children,” said hospital CEO David McKee. “He was truly touched by the kids, not the cameras.”
Kane Brown’s ‘Experiment’ Debuts At No. 1 On ‘Billboard’ Top 200 Chart
/by Jessica NicholsonKane Brown’s sophomore album, Experiment, debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart this week with 124,000 units.
The album marks only the third country album of 2018 to debut atop the Billboard 200 chart, following Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty and Jason Aldean’s Rearview Town. The album also makes Brown the only male country artist in 24 years to debut atop the Billboard 200 with a sophomore release; the previous occurrence came in 1994, with Tim McGraw’s Not A Moment Too Soon.
The top-shelf album debut follows several career sales milestones for Brown, including the quadruple Platinum single “What Ifs” (ft. Lauren Alaina), triple-Platinum “Heaven,” and a Platinum-certified debut album.
With Kane Brown and now Experiment, Brown has spent 11 weeks in 2018 atop the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.