David Brown News

A few months after the Allman Brothers Band released their revered fourth studio album Brothers And Sisters, legendary frontman, vocalist, pianist Gregg Allman stepped out on his own with his masterful debut solo album Laid Back. Co-produced by Allman along with Johnny Sandlin, the collection of songs was a creative outlet where he was able to assume full control and explore his varying influences, including rhythm and blues and soul music. Exemplified by the album title's relaxed approach, the songs were a departure from his band's guitar-heavy sound in favor of gospel-tinged organs, slower tempos and a choir, all of which beautifully buoyed Allman's soulful, and at times, mournful vocals.

 Rising Appalachia, America's new favorite World-Folk musicians, have already had a career-defining year, and it's not yet July. Sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith have already led the band to new heights in 2019; releasing their much-anticipated LP Leylines to praise from fans and critics alike.

Sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith, known musically as Rising Appalachia, are proud to release their new album, Leylines. Click here to purchase/stream.

YouTube today announced that all of its forthcoming original series and specials will soon be available for fans around the world to watch for free with ads- just like they enjoy everything else on the platform. In addition, YouTube unveiled a new and returning slate of original series and specials focused on music, learning and personalities that will all be free with ads, including seasons 1 and 2 of “Cobra Kai” beginning this fall. The announcements were made on stage today at YouTube's annual Brandcast event by Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) returns to New York City for its sixth season on May 2-3, 2019 in the Ailey Citigroup Theater, located at 405 West 55th Street, New York, NY. The series entitled Spirit of Now showcases three New York premieres of works that encompass the theme by choreographers Juel D. Lane, Tommie-Waheed Evans, and Claude Alexander III, as well as the iconic works of Elisa Monte & David Brown and Christopher L. Huggins. The presenting sponsor for the series is American Airlines.

Northern Stage announces its 2019-20 Season, a season of plays that thematically reflect on the past to move into a more positive future. The company's 23rd Season will feature two world premieres by women writers, non-traditional casting in classic plays, and an overall season more diverse and reflective of the world. "Northern Stage continues to evolve from a local theater with a regional impact to a regional theater with a national impact," says Northern Stage Producing Artistic Director and Director of the BOLD Theater Women's Leadership Circle Carol Dunne. "New Works Now and the BOLD Circle enable us to nurture work by emerging artists and women writers. The diverse voices on stage this season elevate our work and challenge us to change lives by including the stories of humanity that are often overlooked and rarely told."

Sisters Leah and Chloe Smith, known musically as Rising Appalachia, are proud to debut a live performance video of the second single 'Cuckoo' from their new full-length album Leylines, releasing May 3rd, 2019. Paste Magazine calls the track 'upbeat and sturdy...rustic Appalachian music revamped for 2019.' Listen here. The studio version of 'Cuckoo' will be released on Friday, but fans can pre-save the track on Spotify here. In February of this year, the band released 'Harmonize' as the first single, which was premiered by Rolling Stone.

Sisters Leah and Chloe Smith, known musically as Rising Appalachia, are proud to announce their new full-length album Leylines, releasing May 3rd, 2019, and the album's first single “Harmonize” releasing today. Leylines, the band's seventh studio album, was produced byJoe Henry—the album title alluding to the concept of invisible lines believed to stretch around the world between sacred spaces, bonded by a spiritual and magnetic presence. That deep sense of connection is key to understanding Rising Appalachia as a whole. The video for “Harmonize”, the first single from Leylines, premiered today at Rolling Stone.  'We wrote 'Harmonize' as a love song and a rite of passage into a higher form of that love,” Rising Appalachia note. “It's about the calling forth of truth, inspiration, fantasy, and honesty from the depths of a person.” Rolling Stone says the track “highlights their brand of acoustic folk and the natural vocal interplay.” Watch/listen here. 

Chicago's beloved sketch group, The Shrimp Boys, learn little lessons in the big city. For one night only at Union Hall, Wyatt Fair, David Brown, and Luke Taylor present sketches, videos, and an hour of shouting in unison about obscure pop culture.

One of the silver screen's most popular musicals, Singin' in the Rain comes to the stage of Woodbury's Arts Center of Cannon County with all the trappings of a box office smash: memorable score, talented actors and enough technical razzle-dazzle to delight even the most discerning of theater-goers. Opening February 8 (and continuing through February 23) at ACCC, the stage musical stars Austin Jeffrey Smith, Lindsey Mapes Duggin and Daxton Patrick in the film roles immortalized by Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor in the award-winning 1952 film version.

Chicago's beloved sketch group, The Shrimp Boys, learn little lessons in the big city. For one night only at Union Hall, Wyatt Fair, David Brown, and Luke Taylor present sketches, videos, and an hour of shouting in unison about obscure pop culture.

Looking ahead, you'll find a number of new productions on tap for your entertainment pleasure, including a number of holiday season offerings to put you in the Christmas spirit, thanks to the efforts of theater companies all over Middle Tennessee. Here's our calendar for December 3, 2018, to help you plot your course through the first few weeks of 2019...

Two new character-driven relationship plays, both by award-winning women writers and both inspired by events currently at the forefront of our national consciousness, beat out 1241 other submissions in the inaugural Moss Hart & Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative. Hart NPI artistic director Christopher Hart will direct Silver Medallion-winning plays Confederates by Suzanne Bradbeer, opening Nov. 9, and Exit Wounds by Wendy Graf, opening Nov. 16, atGrove Theater Center in Burbank, where the two plays will continue to run in repertory through Dec. 16. One will be named the Gold Medallion winner and open on March 13, 2019 for a six-week, off-Broadway run in the 196-seat "Theater A" at 59E59 Theaters in New York City.

Two new character-driven relationship plays, both by award-winning women writers and both inspired by events currently at the forefront of our national consciousness, beat out 1241 other submissions in the inaugural Moss Hart & Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative. Hart NPI artistic director Christopher Hart will direct Silver Medallion-winning plays Confederates by Suzanne Bradbeer, opening Nov. 9, and Exit Wounds by Wendy Graf, opening Nov. 16, at Grove Theater Center in Burbank, where the two plays will continue to run in repertory through Dec. 16. One will be the named the Gold Medallion winner and open on March 13, 2019 for a six-week, off-Broadway run in the 196-seat "Theater A" at 59E59 Theaters in New York City.

Two new character-driven relationship plays, both by award-winning women writers and both inspired by events currently at the forefront of our national consciousness, beat out 1241 other submissions in the inaugural Moss Hart & Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative. Hart NPI artistic director Christopher Hart will direct Silver Medallion-winning plays Confederates by Suzanne Bradbeer, opening Nov. 9, and Exit Wounds by Wendy Graf, opening Nov. 16, at Grove Theater Center in Burbank, where the two plays will continue to run in repertory through Dec. 16. One will be the named the Gold Medallion winner and open on March 13, 2019 for a six-week, off-Broadway run in the 196-seat "Theater A" at 59E59 Theaters in New York City.

The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President & CEO) announced today that Nadine Wong has been appointed to the Board of Trustees after having served on the Advisory Committee.

A Few Good Men, presented by Simply Theatre, comes to the Joyce Doolittle Theatre starting October 19

Northern Stage announces the successful launch of Boot Camp, a program designed to nurture young theater artists by providing in-depth training and mentorship for high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates who want to pursue a career in the arts. With support from the Pussycat Foundation and created to honor the philanthropic and creative spirits of Helen Gurley Brown and David Brown, Boot Camp serves young artists who lack the resources to pursue professional-level arts training. Admission to colleges, BFA theater programs, and performing arts conservatories are highly competitive, and Boot Camp seeks to level the playing field by preparing students to compete at the highest level for continued arts and performance studies.

Vencl Dance returns to Graham Center of Contemporary Dance June 21-23 with 'Critical Junctures,' an evening of contemporary modern dance by Susan Vencl with music by Arlene Sierra. The concert premiers 'Intersections,' a 35 minute sextet, and presents a 33 minute reconstruction of Vencl's 2016 meditation on randomness and unpredictability, 'Long Before Afterward.'