Month: August 2020

Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockSongwriter Luke Laird, who’s written hits for the likes of Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood, will release an album of his own on September 18. The project is titled Music Row; the leading track of the same name is out now.

Margo Price has shared an atmospheric new arrangement of her song, “I’d Die for You.” The original version comes off her latest album, That’s How Rumors Get Started.

Hailey Whitters continues her Live in Studio Sessions with a new rendition of her song, “Janice at the Hotel Bar.”

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Photo Copyright 8 Ten, Inc.At a time when society can often seem more divided than ever, Garth Brooks wants to bring us together.

Nearly thirty years after releasing his anthem, “We Shall Be Free,” it’s an inclusive message Garth still embraces.

“For me, something has happened in this generation…” he observes. “It used to [be], you could have a buddy that was, you know, a fan of another team — Democrat, Republican, whatever. And you gave each other crap for it, but you were buddies. And now it seems there’s a list of ten things that if you don’t agree on all ten things, we’re not friends. Come on, man!”

“You want like-minded thinking,” Garth continues. “Like-minded thinking [means] we all love one another, we respect one other, we care for each other. That like-mind is good. But anything under that, you want different-minded thinking.”

The Oklahoma native goes on to explain what he means.

“I use this example all the time,” Garth says. “If war hits, and there’s only ten people left in a bunker somewhere, those ten people better pray to God Garth Brooks isn’t one of ’em. Because I can’t help ’em. I don’t know anything about electricity…” he begins, listing skills he lacks.

“And you need all that diverse thinking to get going. If they need help writing a verse or a chorus, I can help ’em,” he laughs. “But you need that like-minded umbrella.”

“At the same time,” Garth adds, “we all need to have different ideas, because it’s a culmination of those different ideas that come together, that diversity, that is the definition of this country for sure. And hopefully it’s the definition of the world itself.”

If you think Garth’s getting a little too serious, never fear. His album FUN! is coming soon.

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC/Chris HolloDierks Bentley, Morgan Wallen and rapper Bun B are joining the “South” quadrant of Tito’s virtual Made to Order Music Festival, an event taking place across four dates throughout the fall with names corresponding to the four directional points.

The “South” section of the event takes place on September 10 at 8PM ET. All the festivities will be livestreamed via First Tube Media.

In addition to the featured performers, each date of the Made to Order Music Festival will include DJs, chefs and bartenders offering a jam-packed schedule of entertainment. Each of the artists on the bill will offer a set of music from their own catalogue, as well as covers from artists who hail from the region their section of the event represents.

That means that Dierks, Morgan and Bun B will likely choose to spotlight southern artists in their performances. The “South” night will also include a showcase of regionally-inspired cocktails. The first section of the festival, “West,” kicks off this Thursday.

As part of their first-ever virtual festival, Tito’s Vodka plans to donate $100,000 to the World Kitchen Central, a non-profit dedicated to providing fresh meals across the country.

To learn more about how to tune in, visit Tito’s social channels and website.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Riser House Entertainment/Columbia NashvilleMitchell Tenpenny distills the storyline of his “Broken Up” song into a three-minute mini-movie in the music video for the tune. It’s a high-drama clip that features a real-life couple as the actors living out the song.

The action starts with a striking scene of a man lying face down on concrete, his nose and mouth bleeding. Interspersed with shots of broken glass, the video leads us into an intense fight between a couple. Meanwhile, we see snippets of Mitchell singing the words to the song through an obscure, fractured lens.

The video was directed by Justin Key, who’s also the mastermind behind the video for Mitchell’s hit, “Drunk Me.”

“I think Justin nailed the raw emotions between the characters in the video,” the singer explained. “The tension in the fight scene is fierce, just like breakups can be. It’s a great three-minute film.”

“Broken Up” is Mitchell’s latest single, following his duet with Australian duo Seaforth, “Anything She Says.”

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Triple 8 MgmtAfter first rescheduling his May 2020 tour stops in the U.K. and Ireland to October, Scotty McCreery has now postponed the shows until next year. The scheduling change is due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am so disappointed that we have to postpone our U.K. and Ireland tour yet again, but the safety of my fans, the venue workers and my band and crew remains my first priority,” Scotty explains, adding that he’s already looking forward to next year when he’ll be able to head overseas.

“I cannot wait until May 2021 to get out there! We had so much fun in England on the last trip, and I cannot wait to visit Scotland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland for the first time. Until then, I send much love to all of you there and hope everyone stays safe,” he continues.

Tickets purchased for original tour dates will still be valid in 2021, so fans are encouraged to hang on to their tickets. There are still some seats remaining for most of the shows, though Scotty’s Belfast, Northern Ireland stop on May 11, 2021 is sold out.

For a full list of the rescheduled dates, visit Scotty’s website.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.