Hank Williams News

The Drama League presents DirectorFest,  the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. Launching the 2020 series is the musical Hello Again, with Book, Music and Lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa, Music Direction by Jesse Kissel, and Directed by 2019 Drama League Leo Shull Musical Directing Fellow Ben Randle.

The Recording Academy® is honored to announce its 2020 Special Merit Awards recipients. The Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are Chicago, Roberta Flack, Isaac Hayes, Iggy Pop, John Prine, Public Enemy and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Ken Ehrlich, Philip Glass and Frank Walker are Trustees Award honorees; and George Augspurger is the Technical GRAMMY® Award recipient. A special award presentation ceremony and concert celebrating the honorees will be held on April 18, 2020, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Additional details regarding the ceremony will be announced shortly.

With the release of the James Thomas Band's latest, perfectly titled album The Loves of My Life and its simmering, heart-tugging lead single “Eileen,” the multi-talented Virginia based soul-blues rocker continues to ride the wave of an inspiring career renaissance. 

The Drama League (Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Director Bevin Ross) announced today the acting company for the 36th annual DirectorFest, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. Directorfest will take place January 10 - February 4, 2020 at various locations around NYC: The New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street), The Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas), LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thomson Avenue), and Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street). For festival details and tickets, visit directorfest.org or call (212) 244-9494 x102.

Legendary country music artist, Bobby Bare, has released a brand new song “Snowflake In The Wind.” Keeping with the traditions of the genre, Bare tells the story of heartbreak and trying to find his way after a loss, “drifting like a snowflake in the wind.” Throughout the song, Bare contemplates moving to different places, but continuously mentions that he will always see her face, eventually ending up where he has always been.

Legendary singer-songwriter and musician Gordon Lightfoot will perform live in concert at Kalamazoo's Miller Auditorium on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at 8 p.m.

With the release of the James Thomas Band's latest, perfectly titled album The Loves of My Life and its simmering, heart-tugging lead single “Eileen,” the multi-talented Virginia based soul-blues rocker continues to ride the wave of an inspiring career renaissance. 

The iconoclastic British singer Barb Jungr returns to New York for the US premiere of 'Bob, Brel and Me,' her latest live-show-and-recording project, in an exclusive two-night engagement at Joe's Pub in February. Jungr performs songs from her new album, which released in the UK in September to sterling reviews, on Friday and Saturday February 14 & 15, both at 7pm. With Mark Hartman on piano, this is Jungr's first Joe's Pub appearance since July 2018. She began appearing at the club in 2003.

Indian Ranch announced that  country singer Chris Janson will perform in Webster, MA on Saturday, July 11th as part of  the 2020 Summer Concert Series. Tickets go on sale this Friday, December 6th at 10:00 AM;  an Insider's Club Presale will take place Thursday, December 5th at 10:00 AM at www.indianranch.com.

A friend let me know that Thursday's performance of 'Always. . .Patsy Cline' had been canceled due to the illness of its star, Debra Wagoner. Wagoner played the crossover hit maker for Virginia Rep in 2012, and for the Ohio Shakespeare Festival in 2006. I feared there would be a cancellation Friday night as well.

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. 

With the release of the James Thomas Band's latest, perfectly titled album The Loves of My Life and its simmering, heart-tugging lead single “Eileen,” the multi-talented Virginia based soul-blues rocker continues to ride the wave of an inspiring career renaissance. 

The Drama League announced today the 2020 line-up of DirectorFest: The 36th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. For its 36th year, the festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase concert of a new musical, a town hall, and conversations with directors including 2017 Tony Award Winner Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), 2014 Tony Award Winner and 2010 Drama League Founders Award for Excellence in Directing Kenny Leon (A Soldier's Play), and Intimacy Director Claire Warden (HBO's Mrs. Fletcher).

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.”

The Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour brings together three amazing artists who are master musicians and showmen. The Reverend Peyton, Dom Flemons, and J.D. Wilkes also have a special bond in the blues-roots-folk music that they love and live. This unique tour showcases the best their genres have to offer and culminates every night in a special jam session with all three artists.

'VAMPIRE LESBIANS is an exciting roller coaster of a ride following the 2 main characters through the ups and downs of a relationship that spans thousands of years.'

Nashville singer/songwriter Sam Williams has shared the video for his latest single 'Weatherman', a cover of his father Hank Williams Jr.'s 1981 hit. The visual, which features footage from Williams' show in London as direct support for country star Cam's OH, THE PLACES WE'LL GO Tour, premiered with CMT Music - who claimed the track just may evoke 'chills'.

Rain and sunlight are essential to life. True to that fact of nature, EmiSunshine and The Rain have been growing beautiful music since 2011.

The leading live music platform for concert recordings and live streams, nugs.net, will live stream Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit's first night performance of his seven-night, sold-out run at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN on Friday October 18, 2019.

Country music legend Dolly Parton is returning to NBC and will perform at one of the most iconic stages in the world when a?oeDolly Parton: 50 Years at the Grand Ole Oprya?? airs Tuesday, Nov. 26 from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.