Singer-songwriter Thomas Rhett has been going non-stop in 2017, running at full-throttle both professionally and on the homefront. Earlier this year, he launched the headlining Home Team Tour. In May, Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren brought home two-year-old Willa Gray from Uganda, following a lengthy adoption process. On Aug. 12, they added a second daughter, newborn Ada James to their family. Now, less than a month later, Thomas Rhett is releasing his third album for Valory Music Co., the aptly titled Life Changes, out today (Sept. 8).
“This is the most insane time to release a record,” Thomas Rhett told MusicRow a few weeks before the album release. “But with that happening, I don’t think it could reinforce the name of the album any better. Not that I’m trying to use my baby as a marketing piece by any means, but it really does sum up, it is really the last bit of life-altering moments that started a few years back for me.”
Several of the tracks on Thomas Rhett’s new album, Life Changes, and most transparently on the title track, read like a journal into Thomas Rhett’s journey from single-guy singer-songwriter, to newlywed, to now a father of two. Over the years, Thomas Rhett and Lauren have been open about sharing their story with fans on social media and through his songs.
“I just love to tell my love story because I think we went through a period in music where love was not cool,” Thomas Rhett says. “It was like, ‘Single life all the way,’ and I do believe that what me and my wife have is special and I love being able to share that with my fans in hopes that it encourages them to not ever give up on that aspect of their life. In that aspect, I love being personal and saying whatever.”
Life Changes serves as the follow-up to 2015’s platinum-selling Tangled Up, which introduced fans to Thomas Rhett’s larger landscape of musical muses, not to mention the three-times platinum, six-week chart-topper “Die A Happy Man.” The popularity of the ballad’s earnest, vivid lyrics and throwback r&b groove earned the Academy of Country Music’s 2017 trophy for Song of the Year, as well as a Male Vocalist of the Year win for Thomas Rhett.
Thomas Rhett continues that old school-meets-new school approach on the new album. While some artists might turn to streaming services to uncover new (and old) sounds for inspiration, Thomas Rhett puts in a call to his father, fellow songwriter Rhett Akins, or to his grandparents.
“I’ll say, ‘Tell me about an artist in the ‘70s that I never would have heard of.’ I’ll start dialing into era and generations of music and live in that for a minute. We’ll probably continue to do that forever. I love dipping back into the way things used to be and getting a good blend of a lot of different decades of music.”
Life Changes samples from ‘50s doo-wop (“Sweetheart”), Marvin Gaye-inspired ‘70s R&B (“Kiss Me Like A Stranger”), the ‘80s heartland rock of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen (“Renegade”) and classic country (“Drink A Little Beer,” featuring Akins).
“It’s very all over the place, but somehow it’s all me,” Thomas Rhett says. “I think it just gives you a greater respect for those time periods. When you go back and try to replicate a sound being made in the ‘70s, it’s hard to pretend that you don’t have the technology that you do. It’s like, ‘How did they get those drum sounds?’ Or, ‘What amp were they using that we don’t have access to? Do they even still make that brand of amp?’ For ‘Sweetheart,’ we turned on a vinyl, put a mic up to it, and sampled it.”
The freewheeling experimentation process allowed Thomas Rhett and his co-producers Dann Huff, Jesse Frasure, Julian Bunetta and Joe London to challenge themselves to find the precise instrumentations and sounds needed to make Life Changes into a cohesive project.
“I do a lot more falsetto on this record,” Thomas Rhett offers as an example. “I didn’t even have a falsetto voice until last year. It’s fun to write songs with the challenge of singing in a way you never sang before. I think it helps you progress as a singer/songwriter.”
Over the past two years, between opening shows for Jason Aldean, as well as headlining his own 2017 Home Team Tour, Thomas Rhett estimates he penned over 100 songs, and listened to more, while carefully whittling the possibilities down to 22 recorded tracks, with 14 cuts making the album. Thomas Rhett penned 10 of the final 14 tracks. With so much additional recorded music in the can, the singer-songwriter muses the unreleased tracks could be included on an EP or deluxe edition.
The album is led by the chart-topper “Craving You,” a soulful, danceable collaboration with fellow singer-songwriter Maren Morris, which was penned by Dave Barnes and Julian Bunetta.
“I’ve always wanted to work with Maren. I love her voice and how soulful and powerful it is, and her vibe just fit that song to me. My manager [G Major Management’s Virginia Davis] mentioned it might be cool to have a female on it and that conversation turned into who should we feature. Maren came in and sang in the studio for like an hour. I was blown away by how quick it took her to do it. Now if I listen to the song without her on there, it sounds miserable. She made the song what it was.”
Though the two red-hot singer-songwriters collaborated on “Craving You,” Thomas Rhett says they have yet to collaborate in the writing room. And Morris is just the beginning of his lengthy wish-list of co-writers.
“I would love to write with Pharrell or Justin Timberlake or Bruno Mars or let Adele grace me with her presence, that would be insane,” he quips. “Eric Church and I have written once. I’d like to get in the room and write something amazing again, but it really is hard to get in a room with artists unless you plan it like two years in advance.”
For Life Changes, Thomas Rhett reconnected with a loyal stable of co-writers, including his “Die A Happy Man” co-writers Joe Spargur and Sean Douglas, while also welcoming newer collaborators including Josh Miller, Dave Barnes, and Emily Weisband.
The album’s final track, and one of TR’s latest releases, “Grave,” wraps the album with a gospel-tinged, choir-backed number. Hillary Lindsey, Chris DeStefano, and Miller, who also contributed vocals to the demo version, penned the track.
“His voice was so honest on that song that I think that turned me off the song at first,” Thomas Rhett notes, “because I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can sound as honest on a song that I didn’t write as he did.’ But when I got in the studio and got the choir background, it felt churchy and religious in a way, and it came to life to me. It just seemed like a perfect ending as you listen to the album top to bottom and you try to follow the story that I tried to put together in my head.”
When you are a songwriter at heart, the writing never stops. Though Life Changes releases today, Thomas Rhett is already working on new songs.
“I try to write for the next record before the current one even comes out, which is kind of impossible but I love to get a head start on it. One of my biggest fears as a writer and artist is to be on the last single of a project and not really know where you are headed next.”
Dallas Smith, Brett Kissel Win Big At Canadian Country Music Association Awards
/by Lorie HollabaughMeghan Patrick performs for the CCMAs. Photo: CCMA/Twitter
The 2017 Canadian Country Music Association Awards were held Sunday night (Sept. 10) at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Dallas Smith and Brett Kissel were among the night’s big winners. Smith took home Album of the Year for the second time in his career in addition to winning Single of the Year for “Autograph,” while Kissel won Male Artist of the Year for the second year in a row, along with Video of the Year.
Other winners included newcomer Meaghan Patrick, who won Female Artist of the Year and the SiriusXM Rising Star Award. Thanks to a new partnership with SiriusXM, Patrick will receive $10,000 as part of SiriusXM’s continued efforts to support Canadian artists. Fan-favorites The Road Hammers took home Group or Duo of the Year for the third time at the awards ceremony.
Fans were able to vote online and via social media for the Apple Music Fans’ Choice Award, and 452,850 votes were received for Dean Brody, who was crowned winner of the night’s most coveted award.
Among those who performed during the special evening were Gord Bamford joined by Jim Cuddy, Dean Brody with Shevy Price, Chad Brownlee, Tim Hicks, High Valley, James Barker Band, Brett Kissel, Meghan Patrick, Madeline Merlo, Jess Moskaluke, and Dallas Smith and The Washboard Union.
High Valley performs at the CCMA Awards. Photo: CCMA/Twitter
A full list of award winners can be found here.
Lady Antebellum Offers Hits, Harmonies and Gratitude At Nashville Show
/by Jessica NicholsonIt has been a decade since Lady Antebellum released their debut single in 2007—10 years marked by sold-out tours and massive hits, each infused with the trio’s signature vocal blend.
The trio stacked the deck for a hometown concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Saturday evening (9/9), to end the U.S. leg of their You Look Good World Tour. The trio rolled out hit after hit, and brought two of country music’s hottest newcomers with them.
Opener Brett Young, which Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley called “the next big superstar in country music,” got a surprise in the middle of his set from Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta and Matthew Hargis, as well as producer Dann Huff, when they presented Young with a gold certification for his self-titled debut album. The new sales milestone joins the double-platinum status attained by his single “In Case You Didn’t Know” as well as platinum status for his debut single “Sleep Without You.”
Young displayed an understated charm during his brief set, wrapping his soulful voice around songs including his latest single “Like I Loved You,” and taking time to shake hands with fans surrounding the stage. On the strength of his ballad “In Case You Didn’t Know,” Young requested the audience to light up the Bridgestone Arena with their cell phones, and the crowd eagerly obliged, turning the tune into a massive singalong.
“Thank you for loving country music and buying country music,” said Young.
Kelsea Ballerini was all energy and heart, polish and poise as she took the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, approximately three hours from Ballerini’s hometown of Knoxville.
The newly-engaged singer-songwriter will release Unapologetically, her sophomore album for Black River Entertainment, on Nov. 3, and she offered the Nashville crowd several songs from the project, including her latest single “Legends,” which included backing vocals from co-writers Hillary Lindsey and Forest Glen Whitehead, as well as the catchy and clever “I Hate Love Songs” and the autobiographical and bold “Unapologetically.”
“I can’t tell you how many shows I have seen in this arena,” she told the crowd. “It’s always my favorite part of the show when the artist sings songs everyone knows and a giant arena feels like a living room.” She then offered a cover of The Chainsmokers’ pop hit “Closer.”
At once relatable and enchanting, Ballerini’s set read like a journal, bringing fans along for the ride that has taken her from bright-eyed newcomer to seasoned entertainer and vocalist in a startling short amount of time.
Her newer tracks deftly blended with those from her debut album, including her triple package of No. 1 hits “Dibs,” “Love Me Like You Mean It,” and “Peter Pan,” as well as the driving fan-favorites “XO” and “Stilettos.”
For Lady Antebellum, the evening was a celebration of their journey thus far, from their first forays on country radio including “Love Don’t Live Here” and “I Run To You,” to the pop crossover and career rocketship that was “Need You Now,” and the lengthy list of radio hits that have propelled the trio’s career.
The usual backing band of guitars, drums and keys got a boost with the addition of trumpet and trombone players, who offered a prelude to the show’s opening numbers including the flirtatious “Downtown” and “Our Kind of Love.” The trio alerted the audience that the tour’s Nashville show was being filmed, and a Dance Cam scoured the crowd for the most energetic participants. The all-ages crowd came joyous and ready to party.
The trio’s most recent album Capitol Records Nashville album Heart Break had its featured moments, including a rendition of the title track and “This City,” as a Welcome To Nashville sign was emblazoned on the screen behind them. The signature horn lines from “You Look Good” were further bolstered by a performance from students from Nashville School of the Arts.
Though the evening flowed from hit to hit, one of the highlights was also one of concert’s quieter moments, as the trio took center stage, with Dave Haywood on piano. The trio touched on their recent break, and subsequent reuniting for the Heart Break album. During the break, Hillary Scott teamed with her family for the gospel album Love Remains, which produced the Grammy-winning single “Thy Will,” which she performed that evening with her Lady A cohorts on backing vocals. Charles Kelley offered the touching “Leaving Nashville,” which was included on his solo album The Driver.
“If you have a dream, you are willing to sacrifice everything for it,” Kelley said. “There are so many times you doubt yourself. This town represents blood, sweat and tears,” he added, before his soul-stirring rendition of “Leaving Nashville.”
Haywood’s eyes became misty during the track, and after the song, he and longtime friend, bandmate and fellow Georgia native Kelley shared a hug onstage as Scott wiped her eyes.
“I’m so honored that you called me to come to Nashville with you,” Haywood said.
“This is what we came to Nashville for,” Kelley said, taking in the capacity crowd that gathered for the arena show.
Ballerini and Young, which Kelley would jokingly refer to as “Barbie and Ken,” also made appearances later in Lady A’s set, as Young collaborated with Kelley on Tim McGraw’s 1999 track “Something Like That.”
It was the ladies who brought one of the most daring highlights of the evening, as Scott and Ballerini strutted to center stage, wearing matching denim jackets, to offer a spot-on rendition of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love.”
Lady Antebellum closed the show with their signature “Need You Now,” as the packed arena glowed with cell phone lights and the trio allowed the audience sing the words back to them, returning for a moment the overflow of song and soul the trio had offered over the course of their nearly two-hour set.
Thomas Rhett Evolves On New Album ‘Life Changes’
/by Jessica Nicholson“This is the most insane time to release a record,” Thomas Rhett told MusicRow a few weeks before the album release. “But with that happening, I don’t think it could reinforce the name of the album any better. Not that I’m trying to use my baby as a marketing piece by any means, but it really does sum up, it is really the last bit of life-altering moments that started a few years back for me.”
Several of the tracks on Thomas Rhett’s new album, Life Changes, and most transparently on the title track, read like a journal into Thomas Rhett’s journey from single-guy singer-songwriter, to newlywed, to now a father of two. Over the years, Thomas Rhett and Lauren have been open about sharing their story with fans on social media and through his songs.
“I just love to tell my love story because I think we went through a period in music where love was not cool,” Thomas Rhett says. “It was like, ‘Single life all the way,’ and I do believe that what me and my wife have is special and I love being able to share that with my fans in hopes that it encourages them to not ever give up on that aspect of their life. In that aspect, I love being personal and saying whatever.”
Life Changes serves as the follow-up to 2015’s platinum-selling Tangled Up, which introduced fans to Thomas Rhett’s larger landscape of musical muses, not to mention the three-times platinum, six-week chart-topper “Die A Happy Man.” The popularity of the ballad’s earnest, vivid lyrics and throwback r&b groove earned the Academy of Country Music’s 2017 trophy for Song of the Year, as well as a Male Vocalist of the Year win for Thomas Rhett.
Thomas Rhett continues that old school-meets-new school approach on the new album. While some artists might turn to streaming services to uncover new (and old) sounds for inspiration, Thomas Rhett puts in a call to his father, fellow songwriter Rhett Akins, or to his grandparents.
“I’ll say, ‘Tell me about an artist in the ‘70s that I never would have heard of.’ I’ll start dialing into era and generations of music and live in that for a minute. We’ll probably continue to do that forever. I love dipping back into the way things used to be and getting a good blend of a lot of different decades of music.”
Life Changes samples from ‘50s doo-wop (“Sweetheart”), Marvin Gaye-inspired ‘70s R&B (“Kiss Me Like A Stranger”), the ‘80s heartland rock of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen (“Renegade”) and classic country (“Drink A Little Beer,” featuring Akins).
“It’s very all over the place, but somehow it’s all me,” Thomas Rhett says. “I think it just gives you a greater respect for those time periods. When you go back and try to replicate a sound being made in the ‘70s, it’s hard to pretend that you don’t have the technology that you do. It’s like, ‘How did they get those drum sounds?’ Or, ‘What amp were they using that we don’t have access to? Do they even still make that brand of amp?’ For ‘Sweetheart,’ we turned on a vinyl, put a mic up to it, and sampled it.”
The freewheeling experimentation process allowed Thomas Rhett and his co-producers Dann Huff, Jesse Frasure, Julian Bunetta and Joe London to challenge themselves to find the precise instrumentations and sounds needed to make Life Changes into a cohesive project.
“I do a lot more falsetto on this record,” Thomas Rhett offers as an example. “I didn’t even have a falsetto voice until last year. It’s fun to write songs with the challenge of singing in a way you never sang before. I think it helps you progress as a singer/songwriter.”
Over the past two years, between opening shows for Jason Aldean, as well as headlining his own 2017 Home Team Tour, Thomas Rhett estimates he penned over 100 songs, and listened to more, while carefully whittling the possibilities down to 22 recorded tracks, with 14 cuts making the album. Thomas Rhett penned 10 of the final 14 tracks. With so much additional recorded music in the can, the singer-songwriter muses the unreleased tracks could be included on an EP or deluxe edition.
The album is led by the chart-topper “Craving You,” a soulful, danceable collaboration with fellow singer-songwriter Maren Morris, which was penned by Dave Barnes and Julian Bunetta.
“I’ve always wanted to work with Maren. I love her voice and how soulful and powerful it is, and her vibe just fit that song to me. My manager [G Major Management’s Virginia Davis] mentioned it might be cool to have a female on it and that conversation turned into who should we feature. Maren came in and sang in the studio for like an hour. I was blown away by how quick it took her to do it. Now if I listen to the song without her on there, it sounds miserable. She made the song what it was.”
Though the two red-hot singer-songwriters collaborated on “Craving You,” Thomas Rhett says they have yet to collaborate in the writing room. And Morris is just the beginning of his lengthy wish-list of co-writers.
“I would love to write with Pharrell or Justin Timberlake or Bruno Mars or let Adele grace me with her presence, that would be insane,” he quips. “Eric Church and I have written once. I’d like to get in the room and write something amazing again, but it really is hard to get in a room with artists unless you plan it like two years in advance.”
For Life Changes, Thomas Rhett reconnected with a loyal stable of co-writers, including his “Die A Happy Man” co-writers Joe Spargur and Sean Douglas, while also welcoming newer collaborators including Josh Miller, Dave Barnes, and Emily Weisband.
The album’s final track, and one of TR’s latest releases, “Grave,” wraps the album with a gospel-tinged, choir-backed number. Hillary Lindsey, Chris DeStefano, and Miller, who also contributed vocals to the demo version, penned the track.
“His voice was so honest on that song that I think that turned me off the song at first,” Thomas Rhett notes, “because I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can sound as honest on a song that I didn’t write as he did.’ But when I got in the studio and got the choir background, it felt churchy and religious in a way, and it came to life to me. It just seemed like a perfect ending as you listen to the album top to bottom and you try to follow the story that I tried to put together in my head.”
When you are a songwriter at heart, the writing never stops. Though Life Changes releases today, Thomas Rhett is already working on new songs.
“I try to write for the next record before the current one even comes out, which is kind of impossible but I love to get a head start on it. One of my biggest fears as a writer and artist is to be on the last single of a project and not really know where you are headed next.”
Old Crow Medicine Show And Valerie June Take Americana Down Under
/by Lorie HollabaughChris Tomlin Makes Triumphant Two-Night Stand At Red Rocks
/by Lorie HollabaughPhoto: Makayla Symmonds
Chris Tomlin has made history at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre by being the first Contemporary Christian Music artist to perform back-to-back shows at the historic venue.
After an overwhelming response to the announcement of “Chris Tomlin: Worship at Red Rocks,” which sold out weeks before the show date on September 6th, multi-platinum selling artist Tomlin added a second night on September 5th as a special “Chris Tomin & Friends” event. The evening included performances from artists including Steven Curtis Chapman, Mac Powell, Ellie Holcomb and more.
“I’ve gotten to be a part of many incredible gatherings over the past years. But Red Rocks was definitely unforgettable. My heart is full,” shares Tomlin. “Not a more beautiful sound than God’s people singing His praises! Thank you to all who came near and far to be a part of the worship with us. This accomplishment is an affirmation of the power and impact of the genre.”
“Chris Tomlin: Worship At Red Rocks” and “Chris Tomlin & Friends” follows his 2015 sold out “Worship Night In America” event at Red Rocks, and precedes Tomlin’s upcoming “Chris Tomlin Christmas: Christmas Songs of Worship” tour in December.
Photo: Makayla Symmonds
Montgomery Gentry’s Troy Gentry Dies In Helicopter Crash
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Eddie Montgomery, Troy Gentry
Troy Gentry, half of the popular country duo, Montgomery Gentry, died in a helicopter crash today (Sept. 8), at approximately 1 p.m. in Medford, New Jersey at the Flying W Airport & Resort, where the band was scheduled to perform tonight. He was 50 years old.
Another unidentified man also died when the Schweitzer 269 helicopter crashed in a wooded area off the end of a runway. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
With 20 plus charted singles, the Kentucky-born duo has earned CMA, ACM, and GRAMMY awards and nominations with blue-collar anthems like “Hell Yeah,” “My Town,” and “Hillbilly Shoes.” They’ve notched five No. 1 singles (“If You Ever Stop Loving Me,” “Something To Be Proud Of,” “Lucky Man,” “Back When I Knew It All” and “Roll With Me”), were inducted as Grand Ole Opry members in 2009 and were inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
The band was working on a new album for Average Joes.
This is the second death in the Gentry family this year, Troy’s father, Lloyd Gentry passed away Aug. 13 in Nicholasville, Ky.
The Gentry family wishes to acknowledge all of the kind thoughts and prayers, and asks for privacy at this time.
Country Music Hall Of Fame Great Don Williams Passes
/by Robert K OermannDon Williams, known for his mellow, laid-back delivery of more than 30 top-10 country hits during a four-decade career on the charts, has died at age 78.
A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the singer-songwriter was an international ambassador for the genre, achieving enormous popularity in Germany, Sweden, Kenya, South Africa and New Zealand, as well as England and Ireland, His enduring classics include “Tulsa Time,” “I Believe In You,” “I’m Just a Country Boy,” “Good Ole Boys Like Me” and “Amanda.”
A native of Floydada, Texas, Williams began playing guitar as a teenager. During his youth, he worked in oil fields. drove a bread truck, labored in a smelting plant, worked for Pittsburgh Plate Glass and was a bill collector.
In Corpus Christi, he formed the folk trio The Pozo Seco Singers with Susan Taylor and Lofton Kline. The three traveled to Nashville to record with producer Bob Johnston and scored on the pop charts with a series of singles including “Time” (1966), “I’ll Be Gone” (1966), “I Can Make it With You” (1966) and “Look What You’ve Done” (1967).
Following a pair of albums for Columbia Records, Kline departed. Taylor and Williams returned to Nashville as Pozo Seco to record their 1970 LP Spend Some Time With Me at Jack Clement’s studio. Williams returned to Texas to work at his father-in-law’s furniture business. Taylor summoned him back to Nashville to write songs for her emerging solo career. She and Williams were soon signed to Clement’s JMI Records label as individual artists.
Don Williams debuted on the charts with his self-penned JMI single “The Shelter of Your Eyes” in late 1972. The following year, he had the two-sided success “Come Early Morning” and “Amanda.” The first named inspired what is believed to have been country’s first concept video. The latter became an even bigger hit for Waylon Jennings six years later.
In 1974, Williams had his first top-10 hit, “We Should Be Together.” He signed with Dot Records and scored “I Wouldn’t Want to Live if You Didn’t Love Me” as his first No. 1 smash later that same year. He followed it with a country revival of the Brook Benton oldie “The Ties That Bind.”
Between 1975 and 1978, he had seven consecutive No. 1 country hits — “You’re My Best Friend” (1975), “(Turn Out the Lights and) Love Me Tonight” (1975). “Til the Rivers All Run Dry” (1976), “Say It Again” (1976), “She Never Knew Me” (1976), “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” (1977) and “I’m Just a Country Boy” (1977).
Williams made his movie debut in 1975’s W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings. This appearance led to his adopting his trademark hat. He also appeared in the 1980 film Smokey and the Bandit II. Buoyed by the British success of his singles, Williams traveled to England to appear at The Wembley Festival in 1976. This marked the advent of his wide popularity overseas throughout the remainder of his career. By the dawn of the 1980s, he was also a superstar in Canada.
Dot became ABC/Dot, then ABC and then MCA Records as Williams continued to score hit after hit. In 1978 came “I’ve Got a Winner in You,” “Rake and a Rambling Man” and “Tulsa Time.” The last named was revived by Eric Clapton on the pop hit parade two years later. Don Williams won the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year award in 1978. He finished out the decade with “Lay Down Beside Me,” “It Must Be Love” and “Love Me All Over Again.” “It Must Be Love” turned out to be another evergreen. Alan Jackson brought it back to the top of the charts in 2000.
The Don Williams hit “Good Old Boys Like Me” of 1980 is regarded as one of country’s most poetic lyrics. It was written by Bob McDill, who was also behind 11 of the singer’s other top-10 hits. Others to whom Williams regularly turned for material included Allen Reynolds, Wayland Holyfield and Roger Cook.
Cook and Sam Hogin co-wrote “I Believe in You,” which returned Williams to the pop charts in 1980. It was later revived by Bette Midler. Williams had a banner year in 1981 with “Falling Again,” “Miracles,” “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” and the Emmylou Harris duet “If I Needed You.” That fall, the CMA named his I Believe In You its Album of the Year.
He remained with MCA into the middle of the decade, repeatedly topping the charts with such singles as “If Hollywood Don’t Need You,” “Love Is on a Roll,” “Stay Young” and “That’s the Thing About Love.” Throughout this era, Don Williams records were produced by Garth Funds, and two remained a team when the star signed with Capitol Records in 1986. The hits “We’ve Got a Good Fire Goin,” “Heartbeat in the Darkness” and “Then it’s Love” kicked off his Capitol career. These were followed with 1987’s equally successful “Senorita,” “I’ll Never Be in Love Again” and “I Wouldn’t Be a Man.” In 1988-89 he scored with “Another Place, Another Time,” “Desperately” and “Old Coyote Town.”
Williams moved to RCA in 1989. His last seven top-10 hits were on this label, including “One Good Well” (1989), “I’ve Been Loved by the Best” (1990) and his final one, “Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy” (1991). Josh Turner revived the last-named in 2006.
Although no longer a chart topper, Don Williams continued to perform for sold-out crowds both at home and abroad for the next 20 years. He attempted to retire in 2006, but returned to the road in 2010, the same year he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He also had regular success as a songwriter. Among those who have recorded his songs are Kenny Rogers (“Lay Down Beside Me”), Charley Pride (“The Shelter of Your Eyes”), Lefty Frizzell (“If She Just Helps Me Get Over You”), Johnny Cash (“Down the Road I Go”), Jeanne Pruett (“Lay Down Beside Me”), Sonny James (“If She Just Helps Me Get Over You”) and rock star Pete Townsend (“Til the Rivers All Run Dry”).
Williams returned to recording with the Sugar Hill Records albums And So It Goes (2012) and Reflections (2014). His enduring appeal was reflected in the fact that both made the top-20 on the country album charts. He also released a live CD and DVD in 2016.
He announced his retirement last year. Earlier this year, producer Fundis created a tribute CD to him, titled Gentle Giants as a tip of the hat to the performer’s longtime nickname. It included performances of Williams’ hits by Chris Stapleton, Alison Krauss, Garth Brooks, Keb Mo, Lady Antebellum and Trisha Yearwood, among others.
Don Williams had been in declining health for several months. He died on Friday, September 8. He is survived by his wife Joy and sons Gary and Timmy. Arrangements are pending.
Felix McTeigue To Debut New Album In 2018
/by Lorie HollabaughCurrently nominated for Song of the Year at the 2017 Americana Honors & Awards for “Wreck You” with Lori McKenna, McTeigue’s latest single is “Half a Lie.” The first song off his new album is available now, and was co-written with Josh Ritter. He also co-wrote the platinum-selling “Anything Goes” for Florida Georgia Line, which was a No. 1 hit on country radio.
A Felix McTeigue and John Miller Show Lineup:
Rock Rising: Cumulus Extends “Next” Franchise With Scott Borchetta, Steve Jones, Gavin Rossdale, Desmond Child
/by Jessica NicholsonExpanding on Cumulus Media’s NASH Next music competition to find country music’s next big star, Cumulus Media has launched the second installment with its neXt2rock 2017 contest, a local and national grassroots search to discover rock talent.
Music producer Bob Ezrin; musician, songwriter and producer Desmond Child; Sex Pistols’ rock guitarist Steve Jones; Gavin Rossdale; and Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta will serve as mentor judges for the competition’s finale
The winner of the four-month long competition will receive a label deal with the newly-launched joint venture between Big Machine and John Varvatos Records, as well as exposure on Cumulus radio stations nationwide.
Sixty-one Cumulus stations in 47 markets, including Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta and Minneapolis, will conduct searches. Local artists can enter via participating local station websites, which include Chattanooga’s KZ106, Memphis’ 98.1 The Max, and Tri-Cities 101.5 in Tennessee.
Three local music industry professionals will judge each competitor’s fan-rated original song. Local markets will then host live events or select their finalist by judging contestants in a video performance of that original song. Local winners will move on to the national challenge, submitting a live performance video showcasing their best original song, with the top five artists selected by rock industry professionals.
Those national finalists will then compete at a live concert event, hosted at the Viper Room in Los Angeles on Dec. 12, where the panel of celebrity mentor judges will select the neXt2rock 2017 winner.
Cumulus Media, which reaches more than 245 million listeners each week, is home to iconic rock stations including KLOS, KQRS, WLUp, KATT, KSAN, and WGRF.
“By launching neXt2rock under Cumulus Media’s “Next” franchise, we are putting a stake in the ground to support the next generation of music talent, further signaling to listeners, advertisers and business partners that Cumulus is invested in the future of music and radio,” said Mary Berner, CEO and President, Cumulus Media. She added, “With the renewed interest in the rock genre among Millennials and Gen Xers, Cumulus has even more opportunities for growth, providing expanded exclusive content and programming for fans, and an even larger audience for America’s newest rock star.”
Rossdale said, “The process of being discovered has changed a lot over the years but one thing is for certain – my career wouldn’t have gone the way it has without the support of radio. It plays a big role in every artist’s music career and has been an amazing partner for me over the past two plus decades. When my friends at Cumulus asked if I would be interested in lending my voice and support to help find a hard-working, aspiring artist fulfill a dream to be in this business, how could I say no? I had so many people help me in my early days when I was trying to launch my career, and I consider it an honor to be part of this unique talent search that is delivering what no one else out there does – national airplay across Cumulus rock stations, a major recording contract, and all the incredible exposure that comes with that. Good luck!”
Borchetta said, “Rock never dies…it’s the recoiled cobra snake that waits for its moment and then strikes with a vengeance. I’ve been seeing the resurgence of a new generation of young rockers around the fringes of the mainstream who are ready for a new national platform. It’s irreverent…like it’s supposed to be…it’s loud like it’s supposed to be…it’s got a new attitude, and it’s gaining an underground audience…like it’s supposed to…and now we’re going to expose it coast to coast and enable these new young rock stars to connect with a national audience and hotwire the scene. Count this as a warning.”
Industry Pics: KPLX’s Mac Daniels, Levon, Ricky Skaggs, Cole Swindell
/by Haley CrowKPLX/Dallas Wins Country Station of the Year
Pictured: KPLX/KSCS PD Mac Daniels with country group Levon.
The 2017 National Association of Broadcasters’ (NAB) Marconi Radio Awards, which honor radio stations and on-air personalities for excellence in broadcasting, were announced Thursday night (Sept. 7) at the 28th annual NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show in Austin, Texas. The Country Station of the Year recipient was KPLX/Dallas, and PD Mac Daniels was on hand to accept the award.
Ricky Skaggs Wows Sold-Out Crowd At Nashville Palace
Photo: Courtesy of Carson Photoworks
Country music legend Ricky Skaggs wowed a sold-out honky tonk crowd in Nashville last Saturday night (Sept. 2). For the first time in 20 years, Skaggs plugged-in his electric guitar and joined his band onstage at the Nashville Palace for a two-hour live concert featuring the hit country songs that made him famous including “Heartbroke,” “Highway 40 Blues,” “Uncle Pen,” “Country Boy,” “Honey (Open That Door),” “I Don’t Care,” and “Lovin’ Only Me,” among many others. Skaggs also performed “Somebody’s Praying” and dedicated it to Houston and the other areas in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey.
“I wanna thank everyone who came out to the Nashville Palace last week,” says Skaggs. “I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. It was so great to sing those old country hits. Let’s do it again real soon!”
Cole Swindell Makes Radio Rounds In Denver
Pictured: Cole Swindell (center) with KWOF/Denver’s Bo Jaxon (right) and his son John (left).
Pictured (L-R): Cole Swindell, NBC News/Denver’s Kathy Sabine, and KYGO/Denver’s PD John E. Kage.