Ben Rector News

Oklahoma husband / wife Americana duo, The Imaginaries, Shane Henry (guitar, vocals) and Maggie McClure (keys, piano, vocals), release the music video for their first single, “Thinking 'Bout You” today exclusively with DittyTV, the Americana and Roots Music Network. 

Oklahoma husband / wife duo, The Imaginaries, Shane Henry (guitar, vocals) and Maggie McClure (keys, piano, vocals), announce holiday album Hometown Christmas just in time for their 25-date tour with The Brian Setzer Orchestra's “Christmas Rocks! Tour,” which begins November 15 at the State Theatre in Minneapolis, MN. The album features 13 tracks (track listing below) of originals, including the title track “Hometown Christmas” which they debuted on FOX'sLiving Oklahoma yesterday, and holiday favorites, and will be out November 15th. “In honor of the amazing opportunity to open for the Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Rocks! Tour,” says Maggie and Shane, “we decided to release a holiday album this year, which is a combination of our past Holiday releases plus new songs as well.”

'Grief is a lonesome but loyal friend. I lost a brother when I was seventeen. His name was Jay. He was three years younger than me and was born paralyzed from the chest down. He was an incredible person, full of joy and laughter in the face of a life of physical trials that most humans will never encounter. I started writing songs in college as a way to deal with the loss. In those early years, I only wrote one song explicitly about him, and have struggled to do it again in the following fourteen years. 

Atlantic recording artist Josie Dunne has released the official music video for “Ooh La La,” streaming now via Josie's YouTube channel. The video, directed by Bree Marie Fish, finds Josie using a 'memory extractor' to try to erase a relationship and saw its premiere earlier today via Billboard, who declared, “With Dunne's quirky humor, it's a charming display of the singer's charisma and her ability to move on.”

Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors are set to release Dragons on August 16th, 2019 via Thirty Tigers. Dragons is Holcomb's most collaborative effort yet and features Ellie Holcomb, Lori McKenna, Natalie Hemby, and The Lone Bellow.  

Fresh off the release of their debut single last month, pop-country band of brothers Holiday State have released another infectious summer song, “Steal The Thunder” (download here). Produced and co-written by Andy Sheridan (Hunter Hayes), with co-writers Josh Mirenda (“Somewhere on a Beach”) and Jared Scott, “Steal The Thunder'” fuses modern experimental country sounds into the setting of a classic country love song. Paying homage to a summer showstopper, Holiday State is keeping the summer vibes going in preparation for the release of their forthcoming EP. Their debut single, “Friday Feelin'” was released in May and was featured on Spotify's New Music Nashville playlist and Taste of Country.

Oklahoma husband / wife duo, The Imaginaries, Shane Henry (guitar, vocals) and Maggie McClure (keys, piano, vocals), recently finished recording their debut album, their first together as The Imaginaries, in famed Muscle Shoals, AL.  It serves as both an introduction to their music together and the beginning of their journey as a band after both singer songwriters have had their own successes as solo artists.  Maggie, with her subtly sweet vocals and piano style blends seamlessly with Shane's blues-rock grit to form their own unique blend of Americana music.  

Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors will release their forthcoming album, Dragons, on August 16. Billboard is exclusively premiering the title track today (May 21).

Nashville's Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors have announced a nationwide headlining tour this fall in support of forthcoming full-length studio album, Dragons, due out on August 16th, 2019 via Thirty Tigers. The tour will bring Drew & the Neighbors to 30 cities between the September 14th kickoff at the RymanAuditorium and November 16th's show at Seattle's Neptune Theater. Presales begin tomorrow with general & VIP on-sale this Friday, May 10th at 10AM local time via www.drewholcomb.com.

Quickly gaining momentum, pop-country band of brothers Holiday State have released their debut single “Friday Feelin,'”their first in a series of singles to come in preparation for the release of their debut EP this summer. Produced by Hunter Hayes' band leader, Andy Sheridan, “Friday Feelin'” is a fun, energetic song that has the beach vibes needed to complete any summer playlist. Taste of Country premiered the song calling it “the perfect anthem for rolling down the windows and blaring some fun summertime music as you head out to the beach with friends.” The song can be streamed and downloaded here.

Atlantic recording artist Josie Dunne has released her new video for “Same” today. The video directed by Bree Marie Fish is streaming now on the Nashville-based singer-songwriter's official YouTube channel HERE following its exclusive premiere earlier today via REFINERY29, who declared, “Nashville-based artist Josie Dunne is making moves. After releasing her first EP with Atlantic Records, To Be The Little Fish, in 2018, Dunne has toured with singer-songwriters Ben Rector and Julia Michaels, making a name for herself as a songwriter and up-and-coming pop act to watch.”

Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors has announced the details of forthcoming studio album Dragons, due out August 16th, 2019 via Thirty Tigers and released the first new single from the LP, “Family,” which is available now via your preferred music service! “Dragons is the culmination of two and a half years of writing and wrestling and dreaming and fighting,” Holcomb states, “I have never worked this hard on a record before.”

Emmy-nominated daytime talk show “Pickler & Ben” is serving up the star power during May Sweeps. Their Nashville set will welcome country music superstars Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Rascal Flatts.  They will also be joined by BRAVO reality powerhouse Kim Zolciak-Biermann, author Rachel Hollis and award-winning actresses Kristen Bell, Rita Wilson and Chrissy Metz.

​​​​​​​Long Island-based alternative pop band MAYVE have released a new single, titled 'Head High,' available on all digital music platforms NOW. The first of three singles to be released in early 2019, 'Head High' displays a clean sense of identity. After receiving sync placements on various MTV shows, such as The Real World, MAYVE found themselves transitioning and evolving into a groovy, sugary, mainstream indie-esque pop sound. 'Head High' sounds comforting and familiar, while also upholding a fresh, summer, and dreamy tone. MAYVE are self-aware; open-minded to experimentation, the band toys along various genre lines in their new music. About the single, MAYVE states:

Atlantic recording artist Josie Dunne has released her newest single, “Mute.”  The track is available today at all digital music retailers and streaming services; a companion visual is streaming now on the Nashville-based singer-songwriter's official YouTube channel HERE. “Mute” marks Josie's first release since last year's debut EP, “TO BE THE LITTLE FISH.”

On January 11 and 12, 2019, Kids Helping Kids, a local Santa Barbara nonprofit comprised of over 100 students in the Advanced Placement Economics classes at San Marcos High School, will hold their annual benefit concert at The Granada Theatre. This benefit gala will feature musical talent Ben Rector on January 11 at 7:00 pm, and JOHNNYSWIM on January 12 at 7:00 pm. 

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

Stephen Kellogg has shared a new single, “Symphony Of Joy,” from his forthcoming Will Hoge-produced full-length Objects in the Mirror due out November 23, 2018. The song is a buoyant Americana-rocker that harkens back to Tom Petty and Bob Seger, in a style that brings to mind the happy-go-lucky approach of Josh Ritter and Ben Rector. Written with his wife and four daughters in mind, “Symphony Of Joy” encourages women to not let society hold them back while inspiring men to support them as allies in their fight, all with an optimistic outlook for the future. In the chorus, he sings, “Dance, like a symphony of joy / And it's not your obligation to go easy on the boys / 'Cause the ceiling's gonna shatter and believe me when it does / Those who pinned you to the margins, baby, they'll be sweeping up.” 

LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYAN Heads Into 31st Season with a Stellar Lineup of Guests and a Month Full of Fun with 'LIVEtember'

September on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” transforms into “LIVEtember,” as the top morning talk show kicks off its 31st season on Sept. 3 with a phenomenal lineup of guests, music acts and “live” festivities all month long.