Lee Brice will release his fourth album for Curb Records on Nov. 3. The self-titled, 15-song project features the single “Boy,” as well as tracks including “Story To Tell,” co-written with Edwin McCain and Phillip Lammonds.
“My hero came to my garage, and we wrote two songs,” Brice says of McCain. “Before I came to town, I knew Edwin McCain and his music; went to his concert every year at the House of Blues. Those records, I knew by heart growing up… and he has a lot of the same Southern influences. He knows those same things that matter to me, they’re in his music.”
Brice plays the majority of lead guitar on the album, and co-wrote 11 of the album’s tracks.
“When I started, I wanted this record to be groovy, stripped down to the message and the feel. There are no computer tricks, no artificial sounds. Songs that are pleasing to the heart — songs that make you feel something in your heart — they don’t need all that stuff,” Brice says. “Even when it sounds like a computer, I promise, we figured out a way to make that sound. To me, being real was everything. I wanted to put a little piece of everything about me, everything I am on this record. No two songs are about the same things, but somehow it all hangs together.”
Lee Brice Track Listing:
1. What Keeps You Up At Night (Lee Brice, Jessi Alexander, Ross Copperman, Pete Wilson)
2. Little Things (Lee Brice, Jaren Johnston, Neil Mason)
3. American Nights (Mike Walker, Austin Jenckes, Jeff Middleton)
4. Boy (Jon Nite, Nicolle Galyon)
5. They Won’t Forget About Us (Lee Brice, Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, Ashley Gorley)
6. I Don’t Smoke (Lee Brice, Billy Montana, Jon Stone, John Bollinger) *Warren Haynes/Guitars
7. You Can’t Help Who You Love (Lee Brice, Jon Stone, Ashley Gorley)
8. Rumor (Lee Brice, Kyle Jacobs, Ashley Gorley)
9. The Locals (Lee Brice, Jon Stone, Brian Bunn)
10. Songs In The Kitchen (Lee Brice, Rob Hatch, Lance Miller)
11. Story To Tell (Little Bird) (Lee Brice, Phillip Lammonds, Edwin McCain)
12. Have A Good Day (Lee Brice, Billy Montana, Randy Montana)
13. Even With My Eyes Closed (Jaren Johnston, Michael Heeney, Neil Mason)
14. Dixie Highway (Lee Brice, Jon Stone, Matraca Berg)
15. Best Part Of Me (Phillip Lammonds, Chris Gelbuda)
Keith Urban Added To Featured Speaker Lineup For South By Southwest 2018
/by Lorie HollabaughKeith Urban
The South by Southwest Conference and Festivals (March 9-18, 2018) has added keynote speaker Darren Aronofsky and the latest round of featured speakers to its programming lineup including Keith Urban, Luvvie Ajayi, W. Kamau Bell, Steve Ballmer, Yiying Lu, Stefan Blom, and others.
“Some of the world’s most imaginative thinkers are part of today’s announcement,” said Hugh Forrest, SXSW Chief Programming Officer. “These innovative speakers cover the depth and breadth of SXSW content, enhancing our standing as the foremost destination for creative people to gain the practical tools and outside-of-the-box inspiration to achieve their goals.”
Other featured speakers for the event include writer and host of With Friends Like These podcast Ana Marie Cox, This American Life creator and host Ira Glass, design ethicist Tristan Harris, biophysicist and engineer Hugh Herr, Facebook Vice President of Messaging Products David Marcus, activist Bree Newsome, athlete and model Aimee Mullins, best-selling author Daniel H. Pink, Altimeter Principal Analyst and Futurist Brian Solis, GSD&M co-founder and chairman Roy Spence, Pulitzer prize-winning author Lawrence Wright, and many more.
SXSW Conference programming is organized into 24 tracks divided between Interactive, Film, Music, and Convergence, presented in a variety of session formats. Once again, SXSW is offering expanded access to events for all registrants. Attendees will receive primary access to programming associated with their badge type but now also enjoy secondary entry to most other SXSW events.
2017 CMA Broadcast Awards Winners Announced
/by Jessica Nicholson“The 51st Annual CMA Awards” logo
The winners of the 2017 CMA Broadcast Awards have been announced. The winners will be honored at the 51st Annual CMA Awards, set for Nov. 8 in Nashville.
CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year
National: Bobby Bones, The Bobby Bones Show, Premiere
Major Market: Mike Chase, Amy Faust, Mike & Amy, KWJJ/Portland
Large Market: Amanda Valentine & Jesse Tack, Amanda and Jesse, WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
Medium Market: Natalie Cash, Matt Bradley, Cash & Bradley, KWEN/Tulsa
Small Market: Don Evans, DeAnn Stephens, Officer Don & DeAnn, WBUL/Lexington, KY
CMA Radio Station Of The Year
Major Market: WIL/St. Louis
Large Market: WQDR/Raleigh
Medium Market: WIVK/Knoxville
Small Market: WYCT/Pensacola, FL.
Anderson East Announces New Album, Tour For 2018
/by Jessica NicholsonAnderson East
Encore, the new album from singer, songwriter and performer Anderson East, will be released Jan. 12 on Low Country Sound/Elektra Records.
Encore was produced by Dave Cobb and recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio along with additional production at House of Blues and Farmland Studio. The album features 11 songs, including “All On My Mind” (written by Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, East and Aaron Raitiere), “King For A Day” (written by East, Chris Stapleton and Morgane Stapleton), “Girlfriend” (written by East, Cobb, Raitiere and Tim Bergling) as well as renditions of songs by Ted Hawkins and Willie Nelson.
In celebration of the new album, East will embark on his largest headline tour to date, Encore World Tour 2018. The extensive run will span throughout next year including stops at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg, Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley (two nights), Atlanta’s Terminal West, L.A.’s El Rey Theatre, San Francisco’s The Fillmore and D.C.’s 9:30 Club among many others. Tickets go on-sale this Thursday, October 12 at 10 a.m. local time.
1. King For A Day (Anderson East, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton)
2. This Too Shall Last (Anderson East, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Raitiere)
3. House Is A Building (Anderson East, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Raitiere)
4. Sorry You’re Sick (Ted Hawkins)
5. If You Keep Leaving Me (Anderson East, Chris Stapleton, Aaron Raitiere)
6. Girlfriend (Anderson East, Dave Cobb, Aaron Raitiere, Tim Bergling)
7. Surrender (Anderson East, Aaron Raitiere, Adam Hood)
8. All On My Mind (Anderson East, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Aaron Raitiere)
9. Without You (Anderson East, Steve McEwan)
10. Somebody Pick Up My Pieces (Willie Nelson)
11. Cabinet Door (Anderson East, Jillia Jackson)
Weekly Register: Shania Twain’s ‘Now’ Tops Overall Albums Chart
/by Jessica NicholsonThomas Rhett‘s Life Changes is the second-highest selling country project (total consumption), with 21K this week. Luke Combs‘ This One’s For You is at No. 3 with 12K, followed by Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller at No. 4 with 11K. Kane Brown‘s self-titled album rounds out the Top 5 with 10K.
On the digital country songs chart, Maren Morris‘ “Dear Hate” tops the list with 27K this week. The stirring track, which features vocals from Vince Gill, was written more than two years ago, and was recently officially released following the mass shooting at Las Vegas’ Route 91 Harvest Festival that occurred Oct. 1.
Kane Brown‘s “What Ifs,” ft. Lauren Alaina, is at No. 2, with 22K, followed by LANCO‘s “Greatest Love Story” at No. 3 with 17K. Sam Hunt‘s “Body Like A Back Road” is at No. 4 with 16K, and Luke Combs‘ “When It Rains It Pours” rounds out the Top 5 with 15.5K.
Chris Lane‘s “Take Back Home Girl,” ft. Tori Kelly, debuts at No. 10 country.
Information provided by Nielsen Soundscan.
Full Country To Country Festival Lineup Announced
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“Once again Country to Country is delighted to be bringing the finest in U.S. talent to the UK and Ireland,” said Chris York, C2C Festival promoter for SJM Concerts. “Our sixth year brings some welcome returning stars as well as a wealth of new and up and coming artists across many stages in London. We are delighted to be returning to Dublin and moving to the wonderful Hydro in Glasgow where the event goes from strength to strength. Our fantastic partners the CMA and BBC Radio 2 continue to help us deliver the best event for the fans. This event would not be what it is without the amazing fans of all things country over here.”
Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 20 for the three-day festival.
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit Announce Early 2018 Tour Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughJason Isbell and The 400 Unit have announced they will hit the road next year, playing 22 dates through the Midwest and Eastern U.S. in January and February.
The group’s new album The Nashville Sound (Southeastern Records) debuted at No. 1 on the Rock, Folk, Country and Independent charts upon its release in June, and reached No. 4 overall on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. The album has gone on to sell over 110,000 copies and was recently nominated for the Country Music Association’s Album of the Year.
Isbell is currently in the middle of a six-night run at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium which will include openers Julien Baker (10/10), Bettye LaVette (10/11), Amanda Shires (10/13), Lydia Loveless (10/14), and The McCrary Sisters (10/15).
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit ~ 2018 US Tour Dates
Jan. 18 – Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre
Jan. 19 – Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre
Jan. 20 – Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre
Jan. 21 – Little Rock, AR – Robinson Center
Jan. 23 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Paramount Theatre
Jan. 24 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theatre
Jan. 27 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat
Jan. 29 – Pittsburgh, PA – Heinz Hall
Jan. 30 – Buffalo, NY – UB Center for the Arts
Jan. 31- Albany, NY – Palace Theatre
Feb. 2 – Providence, RI – Veterans Memorial Auditorium
Feb. 3 – Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theatre
Feb. 5 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Theatre
Feb. 6 – Baltimore, MD – The Lyric
Feb. 8 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
Feb. 9 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
Feb. 10 – Durham, NC – DPAC
Feb. 11 – Durham, NC – DPAC
Feb. 13 – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre
Feb. 14 – Reading, PA – Santander PAC
Feb. 16 – Richmond, VA – Altria
Feb. 17 – Charleston, WV – Municipal Auditorium
The Bass Brothers Sign With BMI
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Nate Bass, BMI’s David Preston, Mark Bass and Kieran Bass celebrate The Bass Brother’s affiliation with BMI.
The Bass Brothers stopped by the BMI Nashville offices following their recent move from the UK to affiliate as songwriters. The British trio has roots in the pop world and recorded several albums on Universal in their early days before making the move to Nashville.
Lee Brice Reveals Track Listing, Writer Credits For Fourth Album
/by Jessica NicholsonLee Brice will release his fourth album for Curb Records on Nov. 3. The self-titled, 15-song project features the single “Boy,” as well as tracks including “Story To Tell,” co-written with Edwin McCain and Phillip Lammonds.
“My hero came to my garage, and we wrote two songs,” Brice says of McCain. “Before I came to town, I knew Edwin McCain and his music; went to his concert every year at the House of Blues. Those records, I knew by heart growing up… and he has a lot of the same Southern influences. He knows those same things that matter to me, they’re in his music.”
Brice plays the majority of lead guitar on the album, and co-wrote 11 of the album’s tracks.
“When I started, I wanted this record to be groovy, stripped down to the message and the feel. There are no computer tricks, no artificial sounds. Songs that are pleasing to the heart — songs that make you feel something in your heart — they don’t need all that stuff,” Brice says. “Even when it sounds like a computer, I promise, we figured out a way to make that sound. To me, being real was everything. I wanted to put a little piece of everything about me, everything I am on this record. No two songs are about the same things, but somehow it all hangs together.”
Lee Brice Track Listing:
1. What Keeps You Up At Night (Lee Brice, Jessi Alexander, Ross Copperman, Pete Wilson)
2. Little Things (Lee Brice, Jaren Johnston, Neil Mason)
3. American Nights (Mike Walker, Austin Jenckes, Jeff Middleton)
4. Boy (Jon Nite, Nicolle Galyon)
5. They Won’t Forget About Us (Lee Brice, Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, Ashley Gorley)
6. I Don’t Smoke (Lee Brice, Billy Montana, Jon Stone, John Bollinger) *Warren Haynes/Guitars
7. You Can’t Help Who You Love (Lee Brice, Jon Stone, Ashley Gorley)
8. Rumor (Lee Brice, Kyle Jacobs, Ashley Gorley)
9. The Locals (Lee Brice, Jon Stone, Brian Bunn)
10. Songs In The Kitchen (Lee Brice, Rob Hatch, Lance Miller)
11. Story To Tell (Little Bird) (Lee Brice, Phillip Lammonds, Edwin McCain)
12. Have A Good Day (Lee Brice, Billy Montana, Randy Montana)
13. Even With My Eyes Closed (Jaren Johnston, Michael Heeney, Neil Mason)
14. Dixie Highway (Lee Brice, Jon Stone, Matraca Berg)
15. Best Part Of Me (Phillip Lammonds, Chris Gelbuda)
Rend Collective Shares ‘Good News’ This January
/by Lorie HollabaughRend Collective will release their sixth studio album, Good News, in January 2018. The first single from the anticipated project, “Rescuer (Good News),” has already been released to radio and the song’s video on Youtube has reached 1.1M views. Hailing from a small town off the coast of Northern Ireland, Rend Collective (Gareth Gilkeson, Chris Llewellyn, Ali Gilkeson, Patrick Thompson and Stephen Mitchell) have sold more than 300,000 albums since the release of their debut album, Organic Family Hymnal.
The album announcement comes after the group kicked off their headlining “Good News North American Tour Pt. 1” to a sold-out crowd in Philadelphia last night. Hitting 26 markets throughout the U.S. and Canada, the band has already sold-out other major markets including Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Vancouver, and more.
Track listing for Good News:
2. I Will Be Undignified
3. Rescuer (Good News)
4. Counting Every Blessing
5. Nailed To The Cross
6. Hymn Of The Ages
7. True North
8. Resurrection Day
9. No Outsiders
10. Weep With Me
11. Weep With Me (Reprise)
12. Marching On (feat. Hillsong Young & Free)
13. Yahweh
14. Counting Every Blessing (Ukulele Session)
15. Christ Lives In Me
In Pictures: Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson, Warner/Chappell, BrickHouse Entertainment
/by Haley CrowBrad Paisley Headlines 2nd Annual Band Against Cancer Event
Pictured (L-R): Randy Goodman, Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville; Deb Reiner, VP, CRM & Marketing, HCA Healthcare; Dr. Jon Perlin, Chief Medical Officer, HCA Healthcare; Brad Paisley; Dr. Jeff Patton, Chief Medical Officer, Tennessee Oncology; Dee Anna Smith, CEO of Sarah Cannon; and Jon Foster, Division President-American Group, HCA Healthcare. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Sony Music Nashville
Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley headlined a very special Sunday Night Opry performance on Oct. 1 in support of Band Against Cancer with Sarah Cannon. Marking the organization’s second annual Grand Ole Opry event, the show also featured performances by Lauren Alaina, Bobby Bare, Chase Bryant, Tyler Farr, Mickey Guyton, Jeannie Seely, and new duo, The Sisterhood.
The evening was part of Paisley’s ongoing role as lead ambassador for Band Against Cancer, for which he has teamed up with Sarah Cannon, the Cancer Institute of HCA Healthcare, to educate communities on the many ways that everyone can take action to prevent, fight and survive cancer today.
Jamey Johnson’s Homecoming Golf Tournament
Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s Shannan Hatch, Jamey Johnson, Rob Hatch and Chris Hennessee.
Jamey Johnson and Friends hosted its sixth annual golf tournament and concert on Oct. 1 to benefit the Nikki Mitchell Foundation and pancreatic cancer patients. Organized by Rhonda Miles of the Nikki Mitchell Foundation, the benefit was held at Cottonwood Golf Course in Montgomery, Alabama and raised more than $200,000. Congratulations to all the fans, friends and artists for their support in making this such a successful event.
Warner/Chappell Welcomes Frankie Pine to Talk Nashville
Pictured (L-R): Anna Weisband, Alicia Pruitt, Francis O’Connor, Amy Wadge, Jordan Reynolds, Frankie Pine, Emily Weisband, Katie Jelen, Carlton Anderson, and Matt Michiels.
Whirly Girl Music’s Frankie Pine stopped by the Warner/Chappell Nashville offices to talk all things Nashville and to hear new music.
BrickHouse Entertainment Celebrates Landmark 5,000 Shows
BrickHouse Entertainment Owner & President Scott Brickell with MercyMe and crew at Disney’s Night of Joy 2017. [Click photo to enlarge]
“What a journey! It has been an honor to call Brickell our manager for almost 18 years,” shares MercyMe’s Bart Millard. “He’s as much a part of MercyMe as I am! Congrats to my friend. Here’s to another 5,000 shows. You might want to take a nap!”
Millard presented Brickell with a commemorative plaque acknowledging the achievement at Disney’s Night of Joy on Sept. 8.