CARLY PEARCE
Fiercely rooted in the classics, the girl who left her Kentucky home and high school at 16 to take a job at Dollywood has grown into a woman who embraces the genre’s forward progression. GRAMMY® Award winning singer/songwriter Carly Pearce has come a long way from the pain she felt writing her third studio project 29. Now filled only with happy tears, she looks ahead, chronicling her critically-acclaimed and commercially-lauded album with a new version 29: WRITTEN IN STONE (LIVE FROM MUSIC CITY), out March 24 via Big Machine Records. Produced by Pearce alongside David Clauss, the album was recorded during an intimate concert event at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, featuring special guests Lee Brice, The Isaacs, Matthew West, Jenee Fleenor and Ashley McBryde. Pearce continues to resonate with her honest lyrics and timeless musicality while closing her 29 story with current GOLD-certified Top-10-and-soaring hit “What He Didn’t Do,” which has amassed over 200 million streams to date. Lighting a fire with her debut album EVERY LITTLE THING and the PLATINUM-certified history making title track, Carly’s 2X PLATINUM-certified “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with Lee Brice won both the 2020 CMA Awards Musical Event and 2021 ACM Awards Music Event, plus ACM Single of the Year. She picked up her second consecutive ACM Music Event of the Year in 2022 with McBryde duet “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” Carly’s third No. 1 and the third duet between two solo women to top Country Airplay, dating to the Billboard chart’s January 1990 inception. The song also took home 2022 CMA Musical Event of the Year and won a GRAMMY® Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, marking Pearce’s first and making history as the first female pairing to win in the category. The Grand Ole Opry and Kentucky Music Hall of Fame member joins Blake Shelton’s BACK TO THE HONKY TONK TOUR throughout the spring. Honored as one of CMT’s 2022 Artists of The Year, the 2021 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and reigning ACM Awards Female Artist of the Year is clearly living out her childhood dream.YouTube Video
GABBY BARRETT
Warner Music Nashville’s Gabby Barrett is setting the trend. Crowned the ACM New Female Artist of the Year, Barrett has added more elite wins to her goldmine of accolades, including three Billboard Music Awards – Top Country Female Artist, Top Country Song (“I Hope”), Top Collaboration with Charlie Puth (“I Hope”) – iHeartRadio Music Awards Best New Country Artist and the 2021 CMT Music Awards top honor for Female Video of the Year (“The Good Ones”). Recognized as Billboard’s Top New Country Artist of 2020, an Amazon Music Breakthrough artist, one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Music plus listed in Variety’s 2020 Young Hollywood Impact Report, Barrett is proving why she’s “the face of Gen-Z Country” (HITS). Her meteoric 5X PLATINUM debut “I Hope” was the most-streamed Country song of 2020, highlighted as one of the Best Songs of the year by the Associated Press and Billboard, winner of CMT’s 2020 Breakthrough Video of the Year award, while catapulting to the Top 3 on Billboard’s all genre Hot 100 chart. Reigning atop the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for a record-breaking 27 weeks, “I Hope” was also the first debut single by a solo female artist to top the Country radio charts since 2017 and made her the youngest artist with a #1 debut at Country radio in over two decades. Adding to over 1.5 BILLION+ global streams, her top-streaming LP GOLDMINE includes the 4-week Hot AC #1 crossover version of “I Hope” feat. Charlie Puth – which earned the iHeartRadio Titanium Award for reaching over 1 BILLION radio spins and was named one of Rolling Stone’s best Pop and Country collaborations of 2020 – alongside her PLATINUM three-week #1 single, “The Good Ones” and latest single “Footprints on the Moon.” The powerhouse artist is returning to the road this summer, set for headline shows, fairs and festivals. She’s currently on Thomas Rhett’s THE CENTER POINT ROAD TOUR and will take the stage at the all-genre iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 18.YouTube Video
Umphrey’s McGee
In the twenty-five years since eclectic improv-rock band Umphrey’s McGee formed, their sound has been an amalgamation of genres, moods, and tempos, effortlessly flowing from one feeling to the next throughout an album or concert—or sometimes within a singular song. But with time and repetition comes wisdom and maturity, both personally and musically, and in the case of the band’s new album Asking For A Friend, Umphrey’s McGee entered the recording studio with something to say and a wise, measured way to say it. The end result is an astoundingly cohesive fourteen-song album that feels like a fresh statement from a group of world-class musicians and friends reapproaching their craft with a new lens. But long-time fans will be happy to know that the Umphrey’s McGee they know and love is still very much present on Asking For A Friend, just more refined. More focused.YouTube Video
An Evening with KATHLEEN MADIGAN: BOXED WINE & TINY BANJOS
Comedian Kathleen Madigan’s 33-year comedy career is showing no signs of slowing down as she will be kicking off her all-new tour, Boxed Wine & Tiny Banjos in 2023. Madigan has been touring 250 nights a year on the road and has risen from performing in comedy clubs to performing in marquee theaters with sold-out shows. Madigan has squeezed in over 40 appearances on late night talk shows and multiple comedy specials airing on Netflix, Comedy Central and HBO. She has also appeared on Jerry Seinfeld’s popular Netflix series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and hosts her popular weekly podcast, Madigan’s Pubcast, which currently has over 3 million downloads on all streaming outlets. Her most recent special Bothering Jesus is her fifth hour long stand-up special and third special to be available on NETFLIX. Her highly anticipated sixth stand-up special, Hunting Bigfoot that will premiere world-wide on February 21st, 2023 as an Amazon Original. The brand-new special, recorded at The Paramount Theater in Denver, CO explores topics including Madigan’s aging parents, interactions with millennials, and hunting bigfoot. Kathleen’s album of the Bothering Jesus special, was the highest selling comedy album and most played comedy album on streaming services since 2014. Madigan has performed internationally at festivals in theaters in Ireland, England, Hong Kong, Australia and has filmed seven Montreal Gala Shows at the Just For Laugh’s Comedy Festival for CBC TV. Chicago Tribune wrote, “She has all but perfected the art of crafting and delivering a perfect joke. That singular dedication to the craft shows in both the evolution of her material over the years and way she can make a complicated joke with a hidden nub of wisdom seem both effortless and offhand.” “There’s nobody better than Maddy. She’s smart and just crushes it every time. She’s not just one of the best ‘female’ comics, she’s one of the best comics, period,” says Comedian Ron White She’s won the American Comedy Award for “Best Female Comedian” and the Phyllis Diller award for “Best Female Comedian.” She has written and produced for Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil on Comedy Central and done multiple USO tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Madigan originally hails from St. Louis, Missouri.YouTube Video
An Evening with SiriusXM Presents Yacht Rock Revue – Reverse Sunset Tour
What is left for Yacht Rock Revue to prove? This top-notch group of musicians has already rocked onstage with John Oates, Eddie Money (RIP), and both versions of the band Player. They’ve trademarked the term “yacht rock,” both metaphorically and literally (U.S. Registration Number 3834195). From humble beginnings in a basement, touring in partnership with Live Nation and Sirius XM, they now headline sold-out shows across the country, from Webster Hall in New York to the Wiltern in L.A. While rising from bars to amphitheaters, they’ve ticked every box on the Rock Star Accomplishments bingo card. Except for one: Writing and singing their own songs. Yacht Rock Revue’s first original record is ten songs inspired by the smoooooth sounds of the Seventies and Eighties. They’ve brazenly titled it Hot Dads In Tight Jeans – forgive them for bragging, but that’s what they are – and it returns Yacht Rock Revue to their roots in original music. It’s rare that musicians in their 40s chase their rock star dreams. You’d have to be crazy to try. YRR knew they were underdogs, but resolved to take one more shot at the Top 40, and maybe even become a Cinderella story of midlife fulfillment. Yacht Rock Revue began in the least-yachtiest of states, 2,000 miles from breezy Marina del Rey. Niespodziani and Pete Olson met in the fourth grade in suburban Indiana, went on to Indiana University in the late Nineties, formed the band Y-O-U, then escaped – Rupert Holmes reference intended – to Atlanta. One night, Y-O-U tucked their tongues deep in their cheeks and played a show of Yacht Rock songs. The rowdy (a nice way of saying drunk), sold-out crowd loved it. Over the years, YRR (there’s also a Dave, a Greg, and literally three guys named Mark) have turned themselves into human wine spritzers, playing 120 to 150 shows a year, mastering Yacht Rock’s slick chords and mellow grooves, and partying like it’s 1979. What began as a joke among friends soon put a ripple in the zeitgeist, starting a national trend through YRR’s concerts, lauded as “unabashedly joyous affairs” by Entertainment Weekly. They accumulated an extensive wardrobe of white belts and polyester shirts. Yacht Rock Revue were revered and well-compensated! Their life was a tenor sax solo! This is what every musician wants. But even as YRR was sailing the smooth seas of tribute-band superstardom, and the band members all became dads, Niespodziani was still writing original songs. These new tunes had the spirit of Yacht Rock, but were more modern – akin to Phoenix or Air, the hip bands that adapted Yacht for a younger audience. They brought the songs to a hot producer, Ben Allen, who’s worked with Gnarls Barkley, Animal Collective, and Neon Indian. Allen gave the songsa lustrous shine, for both new audiences and their ever-loyal fans, the Nation of Smooth. Niespodziani and Olson even co-wrote a song, “Big Bang,” with Yacht Rock master Matthew Wilder, famous for his massive 1983 hit “Break My Stride.” Hot Dads In Tight Jeans is as plush and shiny as Kenny Loggins’ beard. And YRR are already dropping these new songs into their sets, to great response from longtime fans who are thrilled to hear new smooth. While others in YRR’s position stick with the tried-and-true, Niespodziani hopes the album will let them welcome aboard new fans, too. To paraphrase a notable mariner… they’re gonna need a bigger yacht.
KIP MOORE
Multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter Kip Moore just released his electrifying new track “Fire On Wheels.” Co-written and co-produced by Moore and Jaren Johnston (The Cadillac Three), the new track is a volume-up, groove-driven anthem. With “Fire On Wheels” embodying the energy of Moore’s life out on the road, he also revealed his multi-city FIRE ON WHEELS TOUR will kick off in Salt Lake City, UT on 9/8. Moore has invited special guests Boy Named Banjo to join him this fall, on the trek that will see Moore bring his renowned live show to cities across the country, as well as a stop in Canada. Known as “one of country’s more thoughtful artists” (Billboard) Moore has toured the world earning acclaim and a rabid fanbase as an all-in performer in each setting, consistently selling out headlining shows internationally with huge followings in The U.S, The U.K, Europe, Australia and Canada. Praised by Noisey as “an uncompromising, genre-defying artist firing on all cylinders” Moore has blazed his own trail, with “a bit more Southern rock than traditional country… to be a Kip Moore fan suddenly became a marker of your having a certain refinement in your country-music taste” (Chicago Tribune). Moore first splashed into the mainstream with the double-PLATINUM “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” in 2012, then followed up with three more best selling No. Ones (“Hey Pretty Girl,” “Beer Money” and “More Girls Like You”), a trio of ambitious, critically-praised albums and two gritty EPs that landed Moore on multiple “Best Of” lists. Moore recently garnered resounding acclaim for his fourth studio album, WILD WORLD. The set, co-written and co-produced by Moore, was spotlighted by critics as “especially vital; occasionally, even rare,” (Esquire). For more information visit kipmoore.net, and follow Moore on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.YouTube Video
The Mavericks
The Mavericks, the eclectic rock and country group known for crisscrossing musical boundaries with abandon, has gone through three distinct phases since it was founded in Miami in 1989. An initial period of heady success marked by big hits and critical acclaim in the ‘90s. A long hiatus starting 2003 when the musicians each went their own way. And finally, a triumphant reunion in 2012 which held long enough for them to recently celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary.Now, The Maverick shave ushered in the fourth phase of their evolution with the #1 Billboard debut of their first-ever, all Spanish album, En Español, released on the band’s own Mono Mundo label. Although all 12 tracks are in Spanish, as the title suggests, the collection represents a diversity of musical styles and cultural traditions, from tender boleros to brassy mariachi to reimagined Afro-Cuban classics. Seven of the tunes are familiar gems drawn from the vast Latin American songbook, while five are originals written or co-written by Malo.Like the band’s entire body of music, this one album cannot be boxed into a single category. The songs are as diverse as Latin America itself, and as cohesive as the ideal of the American melting pot. To season this rich musical paella, The Mavericks add their signature country/rock/Tex-Mex flavors and a refreshing spontaneity to the mix. En Español flips the band’s usual fusion formula, which adds a striking assortment of genres – salsa, ska, norteño, mariachi, and much more – to its sturdy rock/country base. Now, the foundation is solidly Latin with streaks of irreverent rock and twangy guitars running through it, all branded with the unmistakable Mavericks style.YouTube Video
Pink Martini featuring China Forbes
“Pink Martini is a rollicking around-the-world musical adventure… if the United Nations had a house band in 1962, hopefully we’d be that band.” – Thomas Lauderdale, bandleader/pianistYouTube Video In 1994 in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, Thomas Lauderdale was working in politics, thinking that one day he would run for mayor. Like other eager politicians-in-training, he went to every political fundraiser under the sun… but was dismayed to find the music at these events underwhelming, lackluster, loud and un-neighborly. Drawing inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop – and hoping to appeal to conservatives and liberals alike, he founded the “little orchestra” Pink Martini in 1994 to provide more beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, the environment, libraries, public broadcasting, education and parks. One year later, Lauderdale called China Forbes, a Harvard classmate who was living in New York City, and asked her to join Pink Martini. They began to write songs together. Their first song “Sympathique (Je ne veux pas travailler)” became an overnight sensation in France, was nominated for “Song of the Year” at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards, and to this day remains a mantra (“Je ne veux pas travailler” or “I don’t want to work”) for striking French workers. Says Lauderdale, “We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad and therefore have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America… the America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world… composed of people of every country, every language, every religion.” Featuring a dozen musicians, with songs in 25 languages, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages on six continents. After making it’s European debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 and its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony in 1998, the band has gone on to play with more than 50 orchestras around the world, including multiple engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Boston Pops, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, the San Francisco Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the BBC Concert Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall in London. In 2014, Pink Martini was inducted into both the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. Pink Martini has released 11 studio albums on its own independent label Heinz Records (named after Lauderdale’s dog), selling over 3 million albums worldwide. In 2019, the band released two EPs featuring the vocals of Pink Martini’s newest members Jimmie Herrod and Edna Vazquez. Both vocalist have toured with the band for the past year and are officially part of the group with the release of Herrod’s EP Tomorrow and Vaquez’s Besame Mucho, both of which were co-produced by Thomas Lauderdale and China Forbes.
Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line
Tyler Hubbard’s face and name are familiar – and his voice is a staple on country music radio. With 19 No. 1 singles, countless awards, and sold-out tours, Tyler Hubbard has already had a remarkable career as a performer and songwriter as one half of multi-platinum duo Florida Georgia Line, and now Hubbard is ready to release his first solo album.The Georgia-native and prolific songwriter, who has over 60 cuts from a diverse set of stars like Jason Aldean and Kane Brown, among others, has written an extensive catalogue of songs as he works towards his debut solo release on EMI Nashville. For the new album, Hubbard wrote on every song and teamed up with some of Nashville’s most prominent hitmakers. The project, which Hubbard co-produced with Jordan Schmidt, will showcase Hubbard’s unique talents as well as continue to establish him as a powerhouse in country music. Hubbard’s debut solo single, “5 Foot 9,” which Billboard calls a “promising introduction to Hubbard’s solo music,” and MusicRow says is the “soundtrack song for summer,” has almost 90M global streams. The song quickly moved inside the Top 50 on the streaming chart in its first four weeks of release and is solidly inside the Top 15 at radio.Based in Nashville, TN, Hubbard is dedicated to healthy living and is passionate about travel and charity, supporting various Nashville charities, as well as global conservation organizations.YouTube Video
CHASE RICE
With more than 2.2 million albums sold and over 2.1 billion total streams, plus a legion of passionate fans at his high-energy concerts across the globe, Chase Rice has established himself as a powerful force in Nashville and beyond – yet as he crafts a new album in his rural Tennessee home-turned-studio, he genuinely sees recent single “If I Were Rock & Roll,” available everywhere now, as the launching pad for music that says what he wants to say, how he wants to say it. The song serves as a follow up to his three-part project, The Album, featuring his latest No. 1 hit, “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen. (feat. Florida Georgia Line)” and Platinum-certified Top 10 hit “Lonely If You Are.” This is the same gravelly-voiced Chase Rice fans first fell in love with years ago – but better. Freer. Unbeholden and uninhibited, somehow capable of evoking Chris LeDoux and The Chronic, campfire singalongs and stadium anthems, all at once. The new music builds upon the success of his sophomore album, Lambs & Lions, which featured the Double-Platinum, two-week chart topper “Eyes On You” – Rice’s first No. 1 as an artist and the most-streamed song of his career. Lambs & Lions followed Ignite the Night, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and No. 3 on the all-genre chart, producing a pair of Top 5 hits; “Ready Set Roll” and “Gonna Wanna Tonight.” In addition to selling out arenas with Kane Brown and stadiums with Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks, Rice also consistently sells out venues across the U.S. and Europe on his own headlining tours and he will join Jason Aldean’s Rock N’ Roll Cowboy Tour this fall.YouTube Video
