The Academy of Country Music announced today the nominees for the 54TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, Country Music's Party of the Year®, honoring country music's superstars and hottest emerging talent. Iconic entertainer and sixteen-time ACM Award® winner Reba McEntire will return to host LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.
Front and Center Entertainment, LLC, a fast-growing entertainment media and production company that creates content for television and digital distribution and produces the critically-acclaimed music performance television series, Front and Center, and television interview series Speakeasy, is pleased to announce an exclusive event of the filming of platinum selling alt-pop trio lovelytheband at SIR Studios in Los Angeles on February 18th for an upcoming episode of the popular television show.
Emerging singer, songwriter and performer Tenille Townes is iHeartCountry's next “On The Verge” artist. The program includes on-air exposure, which has already led to a lift for Townes' debut single “Somebody's Daughter,” as well as significant digital and social support across iHeartMedia's network of country radio stations and websites. The program has proven instrumental in the development of such successful and highly credible artists such as Sam Hunt, Maren Morris, Luke Combs, Mitchell Tenpenny and Cam. In celebration of this honor, Townes will perform on the iHeartCountry Festival stage at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX on May 4.
Congratulations to The Travelin' McCourys on their GRAMMY win for “Best Bluegrass Album,” announced today in Los Angeles, CA. The band's eponymous debut album was released on May 25th of last year after decades of playing-- the GRAMMY award pointing to both the band's work ethic and their innovative style of bluegrass which honors the genre's tradition and drives it forward. In the acceptance speech Rob McCoury thanked Del and Jean McCoury, saying “without them, none of this would have happened.” And it's true; few, if any, have blazed a musical path for their children the way Del has. Taking the torch, the Travelin' McCourys have proven that not only are they worthy; they're comfortable blazing a trail of their own. Earlier this month, Ronnie and Del McCoury spoke to Billboard about the nomination, the origins of the band, and more.
Today, the Recording Academy's Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion announced an unprecedented new initiative that aims to expand opportunities for female music producers and engineers. The Producer & Engineer Inclusion Initiative is the inaugural action of a larger strategy to address gender inequity in the music industry. According to a 2018 USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study, only 2 percent of music producers and 3 percent of engineers/mixers across popular music are women. This initiative is the first step in a broader effort to improve those numbers and increase diversity and inclusion for all in the music industry.
The McCallum Theatre presents Ben and Noel Haggard in "Tribute to Merle Haggard" today, January 22, at 8:00pm. The Haggard legacy lives on as Merle's sons, Ben and Noel Haggard, pay tribute to their father and play some of their own songs, too.
The Country Music Association has revealed the recipients of the 10th annual CMA Triple Play Awards, an honor presented to songwriters who pen three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period based on the Country Aircheck, Billboard Country Airplay and Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Pennsylvania native and award winning performer, songwriter and recording artist, Dani-elle Kleha, announced the release of a lyric video for her single, “Runnin' On Dreams,” on Friday January 11 via an Exclusive Premiere on Facebook and YouTube. The video is dedicated to her fans and those who have supported her dream of performing and sharing messages through music. Watch the video here.
GRAMMY® Award winner Patty Griffin has announced the release of her long-awaited new album. The acclaimed singer-songwriter's 10th studio recording and first-ever eponymous LP, PATTY GRIFFIN arrives Friday, March 8 on her own PGM Recordings label via Thirty Tigers. The album was recorded predominantly at Griffin's home in Austin, TX, with Griffin and longtime collaborator Craig Ross co-producing, while the band is made up of a number of friends and frequent accompanists, including Ross, guitarist David Pulkingham, drummer/percussionist Conrad Choucroun, cellist Lindsey Verrill, pianist Stephen Barber, and Robert Plant, who contributes backing vocals to the LP's 'What Now' and 'Coins.'
Nashville post-punk/power-pop outfit Republican Hairwill make their triumphant return to the road next month, supporting The Cadillac Three throughout the Midwest and headlining shows in the Southeast for the first time. Kicking-off at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit on February 28th and spanning into April, the run of dates will see Republican Hair hitting Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago and more. News of the tour closely follows the band's hometown performance at Lightning 100's Festivus Charity Show and the release of their new single “Chaotic Good,” which American Songwriter called “three minutes of gloriously irreverent post-punk” while premiering the video last month.
Country music superstar Dierks Bentley joins the epic lineup of performers on "FOX'S NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH STEVE HARVEY: LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE" airing live Monday, Dec. 31, beginning @ 8/7c on Fox.
The McCallum Theatre presents Ben and Noel Haggard in "Tribute to Merle Haggard" on Tuesday, January 22, at 8:00pm. The Haggard legacy lives on as Merle's sons, Ben and Noel Haggard, pay tribute to their father and play some of their own songs, too.
Chevel Shepherd, a 16-year-old female country artist from Farmington, N.M., was crowned champion of "The Voice" tonight. The popular young singer from Team Kelly earned coach Kelly Clarkson her second consecutive "Voice" win on the four-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series.
Superstar recording artists Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Dierks Bentley, Halsey, Marshmello and Bastille, Panic! At The Disco, Season 14 winner Brynn Cartelli and more are set to perform on the live two-hour Tuesday, Dec. 18 season finale (9-11 p.m. ET/PT) of NBC's four-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series “The Voice.”
Country Thunder Arizona announced the addition of a second wave of sizzling newcomers and a bona fide legend to grace the massive Country Thunder main stage in Florence, Ariz. April 11-14, 2019. Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Morgan Evans, Craig Campbell, Austin Burkeand Josh Abbott Band complement previously-announced headliners Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Brett Eldredge. The weekend also includes award-winners Brothers Osborne, hot newcomers HIGH VALLEY, Hunter Brothers, Brandon Lay and Abby Anderson and country legends Trace Adkins, Clay Walker, Restless Heart and the original lineup of country supergroup, Lonestar!
Rita Wilson's Liner Notes, part of the Geffen Playhouse Spotlight Entertainment Series, returns for a special limited engagement January 10 - 13, marking its fourth tour at Geffen's Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater. Wilson will be joined by songwriters Billy Steinberg (Madonna's "Like a Virgin," Cindy Lauper's "True Colors"), the Warren Brothers (Tim McGraw's "Felt Good On My Lips," Dierk Bentley's "Feel That Fire") and additional artist/s to be announced for an intimate evening performing song sets and sharing the personal stories behind their biggest hits. Each show will be staged in the round, with audience members surrounding the artists.
In late November, Nashville's Republican Hair released the new track “Chaotic Good,” three minutes of gloriously irreverent post-punk with hints of melodic power-pop and heady new wave. Now, Republican Hair — the project of songwriter Luke Dick — has shared an appropriately colorful new clip for the song, premiering below.
The Country Music Association will honor the Messina Touring Group's CEO Louis Messina with this year's CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. Messina received the news personally from Country legend George Strait, who made a surprise phone call last Friday morning. Final voting for the CMA Touring Awards, which highlight vital behind-the-scenes members of the touring industry, closes Thursday, Dec. 13. The CMA Touring Awards will take place Monday, Jan. 28 at Nashville's Marathon Music Works. Jerrod Niemann will return to host the ceremony.
As the 2nd annual “Heal The Music Day” wraps for 2018, more than 170 members of the music community – songwriters, musicians, performers, artist managers, publishers, business managers, record labels, trade organizations and more – pledged a percentage of their single-day revenues to support their fellow musicians and peers in the industry in times of medical crisis. With $300,000 raised in support of Music Health Alliance, every dollar donated equals $30 in life-saving healthcare resources. Music Health Alliance's free services range from access to doctors and hospitals, medicine, health insurance and finding financial assistance during times of illness.
