NEWLY MARRIED SINGER-SONGWRITER AND VOICE CONTESTANT JAY ALLEN RELEASES LATEST SINGLE
Newly married Nashville singer-songwriter and Voice contestant Jay Allen is giving his fans a wedding gift. His new single, “No Present Like the Time,” will be released Friday, Dec. 2 via global marketing and distribution giant ONErpm.
“I wrote ‘No Present Like the Time’ with (friend and frequent collaborator) Nate Kenyon and Micah Wilshire right before I went on The Voice,” Allen explains, after an intense grieving period over losing his mother. “It was 2019, she was my world, and only 54 when Alzheimer’s devastated our family,” he adds. “What I experienced during those years was a sort of sadness and doubt that almost broke my spirit, but what I gained was an invaluable lesson—time is precious.”
Take a picture, take a chance
Chase a dream, chase a girl
Say a prayer, take a trip
Don’t hold your breath, hold your kids
Before they’re too big
For those who may need the reminder, Allen offers this final piece of advice: “If I could go back, I would answer every phone call, say ‘I love you’ every day, take a lot more pictures and just spend time with her.” Pausing, he adds, “I know my mother wouldn’t want me to live with regrets, so instead I believe she gave me this song to remind me how to live.”
“We are thrilled to have a talent like Jay Allen on our roster,” says ONErpm Nashville office Managing Director Tim Wipperman. “This is such a personal song to Jay, but one we feel will resonate with his fans and an even wider, untapped audience.”
Allen had been scheduled to marry fiancée and fellow country artist Kylie Morgan on Oct. 11, but Hurricane Ian had other plans. The couple, along with some of their musician friends, performed a benefit concert in Ft. Myers to help their wedding venue and others in the area rebuild. The two were finally married on Oct. 1.
Allen also recently performed on actress (and wife of country musician Brad Paisley) Kimberly Williams-Paisley’s fifth annual ALZ Dance Party benefit, which raised more than half a million dollars for the fight to end Alzheimer’s disease.
JAIMEE HARRIS’S NEW SINGLE “LOVE IS GONNA COME AGAIN” IS A DIRECT AND THOUGHTFUL MESSAGE TO THE HEARTBROKEN AND GRIEVING
When all seems lost, sometimes, even a tiny bit of encouragement can help right the ship—or at least start the process. That’s exactly why songwriter Jaimee Harris sat down to write what would become her new single, “Love Is Gonna Come Again.” “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, my local music community and family experienced a tremendous amount of loss beginning in 2016,” remembers Harris. “I wanted so badly to encourage the grieving friends around me, particularly those who had lost their partners.” The song, originally started in 2017, was completed a few years later with Harris’s friend and frequent collaborator, Graham Weber. “He helped me by asking questions about what I’d want someone to say to me,” Harris says. “I realized what I’d want is for someone to acknowledge my pain, tell me it’s okay to not have a deadline on grief, and they’d hold onto that hope I couldn’t grab a hold of quite yet.”
Premiered earlier this week by The Boot, the tune is a beautiful lullaby for lost love; warm and heartening, direct and thoughtful. “I know it hurts like hell right now, and only you know how. No one can tell you when, but love is gonna come again,” sings Harris, surrounded by angelic harmonies and purposefully arranged instrumentation. The song’s accompanying music video follows the same pattern of letting the song take center stage. Created by the Austin-based brother-sister team, Lenz Twinz, the “Love Is Gonna Come Again” video features handwritten lyrics projected on a TV set. “Sloane and Felix [Lenz Twinz] came up with the idea to have Felix wear the TV as a head,” says Harris. “It reminds me of when I’m depressed and it seems all I can do is zone out in front of the TV. There’s a strange comfort in it.”
Fans can watch the video now right here, check out the video for the previously-released single “Missing Someone” here, and pre-order or pre-save Harris’s upcoming LP Boomerang Town ahead of its February 17th release via Thirty Tigers at this link. A list of Harris’s upcoming 2023 tour dates can be found below or at jaimeeharris.com/tour.
COUNTRY ARTIST COLTON JAMES RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO FOR SINGLE “I MISS AMERICA”
Country singer and songwriter Colton James has released his music video for his single “I Miss America.” The video represents the heart of America and the things that comprise it: veterans, family values, and hard work. Watch the heartfelt, patriotic video HERE.Produced by Colton and Jimmy Nichols, written by Colton and Rick Dawson, and mixed by Steve Marcantonio, “I Miss America” recalls simpler times gathering around Grandma’s table for Sunday lunch with friends and family and working sunup to sundown.
Colton speaks on the release of the music video, saying, “We had a lot of fun shooting the video and made some new friends along the way. We hope that it brings people together in our country and puts a smile on their faces to be proud Americans. We hope they realize our best days are ahead, and together, we can get through anything as one nation.”
Rick Dawson, the owner of 2022 Kentucky Derby-winning thoroughbred Rich Strike, commented on the writing process of “I Miss America,” saying, “Colton and I gathered at my table and wrote the song in a couple of hours. However, Colton and I were not alone, as there were others in spirit pushing our pens for us.”
On January 20, 2023, Colton plans to release his debut EP, America, which will include “I Miss America” and other nationalist anthems that speak for the love of his country and those who have fought for it.
Colton also has plenty of upcoming projects in the works, including a show combining fishing, music, and food from across the globe titled Reel Water Cowboy. It will also have an accompanying radio show. Along with this, he is working to bring the Land 4 Heroes Lodge, a 15,000-square-foot building that will aid and help veterans while giving them a resting place to break bread and visit with others.
Colton James’ country roots run deep and were developed at a young age. What started as a truck ride to the fishing hole became a lifestyle. In the front seat of his father’s truck, Colton was introduced to legends like George Jones, Keith Whitley, George Strait, and Merle Haggard. He discovered his love for music through both of his grandmothers, who played piano and organ, and his singing abilities came from his mother.
His music showcases his down-to-earth mentality, country roots, and passion for country music and America. Colton has opened for established artists like Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Toby Keith, John Pardi, and Jason Aldean in his career. His influences include the great country artists from the 90s who inspire his storytelling skills that listeners can appreciate in his music.
Colton expresses why he loves making music, saying, “I do it for the love of my family, for the love of my friends, for the love of my country, but mostly for the love of God. Without God, I wouldn’t be here.“
MIRANDA LAMBERT EXTENDS VELVET RODEO HEADLINING LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY
Last night, while performing her headlining residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Miranda Lambert announced that her critically acclaimed “Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo The Las Vegas Residency” has been extended through the end of 2023 due to remarkable fan demand. The 16 new shows will take place in July, November and December 2023.
Designed exclusively for Zappos Theater and promoted by Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, “Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo The Las Vegas Residency” gives fans an up close and personal opportunity to experience live performances of Lambert’s numerous chart-topping songs and beloved album cuts.
With 11 shows already complete, the residency has earned rave reviews from fans and critics alike, with POLLSTAR noting, “the songwriter/performer set the stage for a 22-song whirlwind through a career that was staunchly country, yet boldly musical and strong female positive.” “Miranda Lambert’s Las Vegas is a playground of pyro… But Lambert’s ‘Velvet Rodeo’ go-round is also blanketed in crisp musicianship,” added the Las Vegas Review-Journal, while People declared, “Lambert shined vocally as she seamlessly traversed her deep catalog” and Billboard opined, “Lambert deftly bounced between albums with almost all represented, showcasing her signature velvety vocal grit.”
Tickets for the new shows go on sale to the public Friday, Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. PT. Fan club members will have access to a presale starting Monday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. PT.
Citi is the official card of “Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo The Las Vegas Residency” at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, Dec. 5 at 12 p.m. PT until Thursday, Dec. 8 at 10 p.m. PT through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details, visit www.citientertainment.com.
About Miranda Lambert
Palomino, the eighth solo album from Vanner Records/RCA Nashville superstar Miranda Lambert, arrived in April as the largest female Country album debut of 2022. Already named among the best albums of the year by TIME, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Stereogum and more, it marks the latest installment in a storied career that has spanned seven previous No. 1 solo albums, 10 No. 1 hit radio singles, more than 70 prestigious awards and countless sales certifications, earning the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year praise from NPR as “the most riveting country star of her generation.”
Now headlining her Velvet Rodeo Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino’s Zappos Theater, the top streaming female Country artist of 2022 was also named to the 2022 TIME100 list honoring the world’s most influential people, with Pitchfork declaring that she “manages the hat-trick of both timelessness and timely activism.” Whether challenging conventional gender notions in her recent Top 10 hit “If I Was A Cowboy” or using her voice to write and record the inclusive “Y’All Means All” anthem for the latest season of Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” the Texas native continues to expand the tent of the Country genre via her music, including current single “Strange.”
MARK CHESTNUT AND MORE TO HIT THE STAGE AT BILLY BOB’S TEXAS IN DECEMBER
The iconic legacy of Billy Bob’s Texas lives far beyond the Fort Worth community, having welcomed over 17 million guests from across the globe through its doors. Celebrated as “The World’s Largest Honky Tonk,” Billy Bob’s Texas continues to deliver the hottest concerts and sold-out shows including Colter Wall on January 13th. Presented by Justin Boots, line dance lessons and classes are available throughout each week ranging from Sunday couples classes to Wednesday’s Ladies Night with free line dance lessons starting at 7 PM. Fans can expect to experience everything imaginable from rare memorabilia, live bull-riding, and handprints from your favorite artists including Ringo Starr and Willie Nelson.
Billy Bob’s Texas continues to draw audiences from around the world with live concerts from artists of the past, the present, and the future. Lyrics Born (December 01) brings his unique style of Hip Hop & Pop to the forefront while paving the way for Mark Chesnutt (December 03) who returns once again with hits including “Brother Jukebox,” “Too Cold At Home,” “Goin’ Through The Big D,” just to name a few. Kaitlin Butts (December 09) makes her Main Stage debut and Stoney LaRue (December 10) paves the way for The Red Clay Strays (December 15). With two back-to-back shows, Flatland Cavalry (December 16 & 17) will deliver song after song about life lessons, love, and everything in between. Bri Bagwell (December 22), Tanner Usrey (December 23), and Seth James (December 28) keep the shows hot leading up Corey Kent (December 29) and Toadies with Flickerstick (December 30). Ringing in the New Year in pure Texas style, Randy Rogers Band (December 31), will deliver hit after hit while greeting 2023, proving Billy Bob’s Texas is the only place to be on New Year’s Eve once again!
DAN + SHAY WIN SEVENTH CAREER AMERICAN MUSIC AWARD AND FOURTH CONSECUTIVE FOR FAVORITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP
American Music Award Favorite Country Duo or Group winners, Dan + Shay, add a fourth consecutive year to their reign. At the 2022 American Music Awards held in Los Angeles Sunday night, the duo were named the 2022 Favorite Country Duo or Group of the Year, their fourth time in a row to receive the honor, and their SEVENTH overall American Music Award. Making history in 2020 as the first country artist ever to take home the all-genre Collaboration of the Year trophy, the duo also presented the Artist of the Year award to Taylor Swift later that evening.
The AMA win comes on the heels of the brand-new original track, “Holiday Party,” co-written and co-produced by the duo’s Dan Smyers (LISTEN HERE). The official music video also released today, (WATCH HERE), is a festive celebration of the season and a warm addition to the GRAMMY-winning duo’s already successful holiday catalogue.
Dan + Shay lit-up holiday charts in 2021 with their Amazon Original “Pick Out A Christmas Tree” (available everywhere now), the year’s most-streamed new Holiday release in the US across all genres, and “Officially Christmas,” the #1 Country Airplay holiday release that year as well. The Yuletide standouts followed the 2020 releases of their first-ever original holiday songs, “Christmas Isn’t Christmas,” which finds their signature harmonies “glowing over a cinematic melody” (Taste of Country) and the Gold-certified “Take Me Home For Christmas.” Described by Billboard as “the aural equivalent of Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” these four tracks have propelled the duo to garner more than 200 million global streams from their original holiday releases alone.
Their latest album, Good Things, was recently awarded Platinum certification after becoming the first country album in the streaming era to achieve RIAA Gold certification upon release. The project yielded chart-topping hits like the Platinum-certified singles “I Should Probably Go To Bed” and “Glad You Exist” as well as the 5x Platinum global smash “10,000 Hours” with Justin Bieber.
In the ten years since they formed, Dan + Shay have garnered more than 10 billion global career streams, earned 46 total RIAA certifications and achieved nine No. 1 singles at country radio. The duo has won three GRAMMY Awards, multiple CMA, ACM, AMA and BBMA Awards, plus an iHeart Titanium Award, signifying one billion audience spins for their 7x Platinum global smash “Tequila.”
GRAND OLE OPRY CELEBRATES SECOND ANNUAL NEXTSTAGE LIVE IN CONCERT
L to R: Restless Road’s Colton Pack, Zach Beeken & Garrett Nichols; Hailey Whitters; Priscilla Block; Conner Smith; BRELAND; Nate Smith and Elvie Shane | Photo Credit: Lindsey Patkos
Sunday night, the Grand Ole Opry celebrated its second annual Opry NextStage Live In Concert with performances by select members from the 2022 NextStage class. The star-studded group included BRELAND, Restless Road, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith and Nate Smith.
Highlights from the evening include Conner Smith’s standing ovation for his song “Dear Grand Ole Opry” which he quoted on stage as being “a love song to the Grand Ole Opry” as well as Elvie Shane’s performance of his platinum record, “My Boy.” The crowd also received special performances by the host of the evening, platinum selling NextStage alumna, Priscilla Block as well as fellow NextStage alumna and 2022 Grammy nominee, Hailey Whitters, who sang her chart topping single, “Everything She Ain’t.”
On stage, Restless Road remarked, “We feel so honored to be on stage here, being an Opry NextStage artist is absolutely unbelievable and to get to stand on the same stage as many of these other artists who are here tonight is an absolute blessing.”
The NextStage Live In Concert event is an opportunity to showcase some of country music’s top rising stars who have been a part of the NextStage artist discovery program. Highlights of the 2022 class include BRELAND receiving his first CMA nomination for “Musical Event of the Year” alongside artists Dierks Bentley and Hardy, Nate Smith’s Top 12 placement on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart for his single “Whiskey On You” and Callista Clark being named the youngest member of CMT’s Next Women of Country in the 2022 class.
The complete Opry NextStage 2022 class included BRELAND, Callista Clark, Restless Road, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith, Nate Smith and Morgan Wade.
WHERE: Grand Ole Opry House
WHEN: November 20, 2022
LEE BRICE HONORS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE LIONEL RICHIE WITH HIS AMAZON ORIGINAL COVER OF “HELLO”
Country music star, Lee Brice, is honoring recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Lionel Richie, with his Amazon Original cover of Richie’s iconic hit, “Hello,” which is available now on Amazon Music.
“First off, this is some of the most fun I’ve ever had in the studio,” remarked Lee Brice. “Although it was daunting to think about following in the footsteps of an icon like Lionel Richie, it was such an honor to be asked. I am incredibly humbled and excited at the same time. This song is such a timeless classic, and breaking it down to go re-record it, I realized even more why it is so special. Honestly, I’m still nervous. I just hope he likes it!”
Airing this Saturday, November 19th at 8pm ET on HBO and HBO Max, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2022 Induction Ceremony will feature guests including Sheryl Crow, Robert Downey, Jr., Dr Dre, Lenny Kravitz, Olivia Rodrigo, Sara Bareilles, Bruce Springsteen and more, all highlighting the importance and influence of the 2022 Inductees.
About Lee Brice:
When Curb Records recording artist, Lee Brice, isn’t selling out arenas, writing and recording songs, or building new brands like American Born whiskey, you’ll find the family man with his wife Sara, two young boys, and daughter. Meanwhile, with over 3.7 billion on-demand streams, and over 3.6 billion spins on Pandora, Brice continues to enjoy massive success at country radio, digital streaming services, and on the road. He recently reached #1 at Country Radio with Platinum-selling “Memory I Don’t Mess With,” which consecutively follows three prior #1s: ASCAP’s 2021 Country Song of the Year and 3x Platinum track “One of Them Girls,” “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with Carly Pearce, and “Rumor,” which was nominated in the category Single of The Year at the 55th Annual ACM Awards. One of the most-played country artists of all time on Pandora, he was the second country artist behind Keith Urban to receive the Pandora Billionaire plaque. Lee is also a GRAMMY nominee, a CMA and ACM award winner, and he’s taken nine radio singles to Number One: “A Woman Like You,” “Hard to Love,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “I Don’t Dance,” “Drinking Class,” “Rumor,” “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” “One of Them Girls,” and “Memory I Don’t Mess With.” Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and others have recorded his songs, and he’s performed on numerous TV shows, including NBC’s Today, ABC’s The Bachelor, NBC’s The Voice and FOX’s Miss USA 2018. Lee performed as part of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song honoring Garth Brooks, aired on PBS March of 2020. At the 54th Annual CMA Awards, Lee took home the prize for Musical Event of the Year for his song with Carly Pearce, “I Hope You’re Happy Now.” At the 56th ACM Awards, “I Hope You’re Happy Now” won Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year, and Lee and Carly Pearce performed the song live. Lee’s latest album, Hey World, features current radio single “Soul.”
CHRIS ISAAK’S ‘EVERYBODY KNOWS IT’S CHRISTMAS’ OUT ON VINAL & CD
Isaak’s 18-city holiday tour kicks off November 25
Celebrate the season with Chris Isaak and his brand new Christmas album Everybody Knows It’s Christmas. Out now on vinyl and CD, this festive album features eight original songs written by Chris Isaak including “Almost Christmas,” which captures the excitement right before the holiday — and his versions of five classic Christmas songs. Pressed in red and white candy cane swirl vinyl, the album also features artwork illustrated by Chris Isaak himself. The album is also available on all digital streaming platforms. Get the album now HERE.
Isaak is launching the 18-city Everybody Knows It’s Christmas Tour across the United States starting November 25th and running throughout the season until December 22nd. To celebrate the release of his album and the start of his tour Isaak will also be making several national TV appearances premiering music from the album starting with Good Morning America on November 29th. Additional appearances to be announced.
The new album was recorded at the iconic RCA Studio in Nashville, and was produced by Dave Cobb, known for his work with Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, and more. Everybody Knows It’s Christmas is Isaak’s second career holiday album since his chart-topping 2004 Christmas on Warner Bros. Records. Isaak recently shared track-by-track stories behind each song on the album on both Spotify’s Sun Records Stories and Pandora Stories.
“The holidays are such a special time for me and the pandemic left us all so isolated. I felt like a holiday album was a great opportunity to bring people together this year. I had so much fun making this album and designing the cover,” Isaak said.