From their upcoming album, Love Is The Only Thing, out August 12 via Righteous Babe Records

It’s easy to overlook the grimy underside of small town America, but take away the idyllic Norman Rockwell visage and sometimes the only thing left is a mean spirit. When Peter Mulvey sat down with fellow songwriter John Statz to pen “Old Men Drinking Seagram’s,” they ended up sketching a portrait of a few such towns they’d had the “dubious pleasure of knowing.” In its delivery, it’s a pretty picture, but “Old Men Drinking Seagram’s” pulls no punches in a way that will leave listeners largely nodding in disappointed agreement or missing the point altogether; the latter, most likely, antagonists pulled straight from the song. “Often, our daily life is a search for the optimal balance between honesty and kindness,” says Mulvey. “In art, sometimes the gloves come off.”

“Old Men Drinking Seagram’s” is the latest single from Mulvey’s upcoming album with SistaStrings—cellist and vocalist Monique Ross and violinist and vocalist Chauntee Ross—entitled Love Is The Only Thing. The song’s lilting, major-key melody is perfectly countered by nondescript, creepy background noise—borderline horror movie foley—courtesy of Chauntee, Monique, and drummer Nathan Kilan, who rounds out the album’s quartet of musicians. The end result is a delightful tune that leaves an uneasy feeling, rightfully so, in the hearts and minds of listeners. Like Mulvey says, “Sometimes the gloves come off.”

Fans can listen to “Old Men Drinking Seagram’s” now at this link, check out the previously-released single “You and (Everybody Else),” and pre-order or pre-save Love Is The Only Thing ahead of its August 12th release via Righteous Babe Records right here. For even more Peter Mulvey & SistaStrings, check out their Live at the Café Carpe album at this link.

Mulvey has a number of solo dates—as well as shows with Mark Erelli—coming up and SistaStrings are on the road all summer playing as part of Allison Russell’s and Brandi Carlile’s bands, including Carlile’s show at Madison Square Garden in October. The Rosses also performed with both artists at the 2022 Grammy Awards. A full list of tour dates for both Mulvey and SistaStrings can be found below.

More About Love Is The Only Thing: The bright light of family illuminates Love Is The Only Thing and all that went into making it. Its existence hinges on the way we take care of each other, from its fan-supported funding to the sanctuary of Café Carpe to the blood sisterhood of the Rosses to Mulvey’s newfound fatherhood. “This album is basically a happy family song, then a song about how f*cked up things are, then a family song, then a song about how f*cked up things are,” Mulvey laughs. And making Love Is The Only Thing at such a tumultuous time in history reinforced Mulvey’s and SistaStrings’ role as activists just as much as musicians. “Finding refuge and rejuvenation in these songs with this group of musicians was healing and personally some sort of mission statement for why we even make music in the first place,” Chauntee remembers.

Love Is The Only Thing explores loss, tension, and the love that sees us through it. Folk classic “Shenandoah” longs for a kinder America, while “Old Men Drinking Seagram’s” is a snapshot of a small town full of hate. “Soft Animal” offers tender sensuality, while “On the Eve of the Inaugural” finds the narrator turning his care to a baby in a stranger’s car.  “Song for Michael Brown” is a humble plea for compassion for Brown and for all of us living with the threat of violence and hate. Some songs are more focused on the loneliness of the pandemic and its flipside of love and togetherness. The newly-released “You and (Everyone Else)” addresses the pandemic loneliness and fear for others’ safety, while “Five Hundred Days” promises a happy reunion. That promise is fulfilled on “Early Summer of ‘21,” a catchy song about a day when it’s safe to hug everybody, wait in line for tacos, and feel free again.

The record finishes with the title track, a Chuck Prophet cover. With jangly acoustic guitar, rousing drumming, bold strings, and an anthemic chorus, this is the sound of musicians having fun together. It’s also a reminder that it’s not easy to make a better world, but ultimately that work reveals our humanity. “Love is a hurting thing/ Oh, but love is the only thing anymore,” Mulvey and SistaStrings belt out in the refrain.  It’s then abundantly clear that the love songs and the protest songs have been about the same thing all along.

(L to R, back row): Tim Foisset, SVP, Commercial Partnerships, WMN, Beville Dunkerley, Sr Director of Talent Relations, SiriusXM/Pandora; Cole Swindell, Alina Thompson, Sr Manager of Talent Relations, SiriusXM/Pandora, KP Entertainment’s Kerri Edwards, Anna Cage, VP, Radio, WMN, Chris Fabiani, National Director, Radio, WMN (L to R, front row): Ben Kline, WMN Co-President, Justin Luffman, VP Artist Development, WMN (Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images Pandora Media, LLC)

Multi-Platinum selling superstar Cole Swindell reached another career milestone as he was surprised backstage last night at his show for the “Home On Tour” presented by Ashley x Pandora in Nashville. Pandora honored the Georgia native with the elite BILLIONAIRE plaque for surpassing 3 billion lifetime spins. With that honor, Swindell has earned a coveted spot on Pandora’s Country Billionaires station.

Swindell joins a great company of artists including Guns & Roses, Coldplay, John Legend, Halsey, Keith Urban, Sean Paul, J. Cole, John Mayer who have received this elite honor.

Swindell’s current single, “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” is racing up the charts hitting the Top 30 in just one week. The single, written by Ashley Gorley, Jesse Frasure, Thomas Rhett, Mark D. Sanders and Tim Nichols, is available across all digital service providers. “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” follows on the heels of his two back-to-back multi-week No. 1 singles “Never Say Never,” the duet with BBR Music Group’s fast-rising new artist Lainey Wilson and “Single Saturday Night,”– all from his recently released new album Stereotype.

The 11-time chart-topper, currently on the road throughout the summer, launches his headlining Down To The Bar Tour, featuring Ashley Cooke and Dylan Marlowe, on September 23.

For tour dates and to purchase tickets go to www.ColeSwindell.com.

About Cole Swindell:

Multi-Platinum selling superstar Cole Swindell recently released his new album Stereotype has already charted two back-to-back multi-week No. 1 hits including “Single Saturday Night,” which has already logged over 250 million global streams, and most recently his smash single “Never Say Never,” a duet with his friend and BBR Music Group’s rising star Lainey Wilson. His new single “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” has already garnered rave reviews and impacting radio now. In the seven years since his debut on Warner Music Nashville, Swindell has racked up an impressive 11 No. 1 singles as an artist – 12 No. 1’s as a songwriter – nine certified Platinum singles (four singles at 2x Platinum), a Platinum-certified debut album (Cole Swindell) and a Gold-certified sophomore album (You Should Be Here). The Georgia hitmaker has over 5 BILLION global career streams. His massive, GRAMMY-nominated hit “Break Up In The End” was named the NSAI Song of the Year (2019).

Swindell has played on some of the biggest stages in the world, including making history being the first-ever live radio and TV broadcast from the 57th floor terrace of 4 World Trade Center. He has played high-profile national television performances on NBC’s Citi Concert Series on TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ABC’s CMA Fest specials, CMA and ACM Awards, MLB Network, NASCAR and Sports Illustrated among others. The entertainer has toured with some of the biggest names in country music, including Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line and Dierks Bentley. He officially became a headliner on his own in 2018 with his Reason To Drink Tours and his subsequent headlining Down To Earth Tour, most recently his Down To The Bar Tour and will be back out on the road in the fall headlining his Back Down To The Bar Tour with Ashley Cooke and Dylan Marlowe.

Also Arrives #2 on Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart, #24 on Billboard Hot 100 All-Genre Chart

Official Music Video Available Everywhere Today   (WATCH HERE)

Skyrocketing breakout country artist Bailey Zimmerman is sharing the official music video for his explosive hit “Rock and A Hard Place” today (WATCH HERE), which ranks as the highest non-Morgan Wallen country song premiere of the year as reported in Billboard Country Update. The emphatic power debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Country Streaming Songs and Country Digital Song Sales charts, #2 on their Hot Country Songs chart, #24 on their all-genre Hot 100 chart.

With more than 11 million streams, it was also the #1 most streamed country song of the week and #23 most-streamed song of the week all-genre in the US. Taste of Country predicts that listeners “will find a lot to love about Zimmerman’s gravelly, rock-informed vocal delivery and strong storytelling skills” adding that “the Illinois-born singer-songwriter is currently on the cusp of mainstream stardom.”

The track follows his undeniable smash “Fall In Love” (LISTEN HERE), which is set to impact country radio on July 11. The single has already received early airplay support from SiriusXM’s The Highway who will also begin featuring “Rock and A Hard Place” as part of their On The Horizon playlist this weekend. Streamed by fans nearly 90 million times to date, the track highlights Zimmerman’s “blistering…effortlessly gritty, fervent vocal” (Billboard). The song is also racing up the Billboard Hot 100 chart now after climbing all the way to #1 on Apple Music’s Top Country Songs chart.

“Streamers [are] falling hard for Bailey Zimmerman” (Country Insider), as is evident by his more than 230 million global streams to date and an average of more than 10 million global streams a week. The Amazon Music 2022 Artist to Watch and YouTube Trending Artist on the Rise also made his debut on Billboard’s Country Songwriters chart and is currently Top 30 on their all-genre Artist 100 Chart.

Before his whirlwind rise over the past year, the twenty-two-year-old was born and raised in the small town of Louisville, IL. He grew up listening to hour after hour of country radio on long hauls across state lines with his father, who owned a trucking business, while back at home his mom instilled in him a life-long appreciation for the power chords and edgy vocals of 80’s hair rock.

At the age of sixteen, Zimmerman got his first job at the local meat processing plant and hasn’t stopped working since. From long hours on the gas pipeline, to late nights of backbreaking roadwork, he embodies the old school American values of hard work and dependability and applies the same steadfast mentality to his music. Through his plainspoken charm, contagious enthusiasm and genuine portrayal of life on the back roads, the up-and-comer has already attracted a loyal and passionate fan base. With more new music on the horizon, featuring the grit and gravel of his unmistakably Southern drawl, Zimmerman will continue to showcase the straightforward authenticity for which he is known and loved.

Spend a day behind the walls of Graceland as Elvis hosts friends for an unforgettable experience that ends speeding through the streets of Memphis; Hear the encouragement offered by the Man in Black, Johnny Cash, and experience the heartbreak surrounding the death of his beloved wife, June; Sit at the control board and experience the recording process of a great song and watch as it becomes a worldwide hit; and hear the never-before-told details of the last time Richard and Elvis were together. All of these great stories plus so much more are part of the ‘From Elvis To Elvira’ paperback book that Country Music Hall of Fame member, as part of The Oak Ridge Boys, Richard Sterban released.

“I have been blessed! I have lived a life that very few get to experience. A boy from New Jersey singing with Elvis, singing on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, singing around the world, and still enjoying every moment I walk on the stage,” says Richard Sterban. “I have been thinking about updating the Elvis to Elvira book with Steven Robinson and now with all this newly generated excitement about Elvis and his new movie, I think it’s time to start that process. We have about 50 copies of the old book left, but we will be going back and adding new material to it and making it available to the fans.”

Excerpt from Elvis to Elvira: The First Time I Met Elvis
The only member I hadn’t yet met was Elvis himself. As I’ve said, I was certainly familiar with his music—and liked much of it—but I wasn’t what would be considered a huge fan. When I met him, though, I immediately understood the attraction that fans had to him. I thought, “Wow, there’s a reason this guy is the biggest star in the world.” It sounds like a fantasy or a cliché, but I swear you could almost sense him before he walked into a room.

On this occasion, he was “fashionably late.” Everyone was ready, even anxious to begin but, as we would learn, rehearsals—like recording sessions and sometimes concerts—would begin only when Elvis was ready for them to begin. Eventually, we heard footsteps coming down the hall and then, suddenly, the door to the ballroom opened and in walked “the guys.” It seemed as if there were six or more guys who came in and then parted, like the Red Sea, to reveal Elvis strolling in behind them, looking every bit like the King of Rock. He was dressed exactly like one might expect to see him: a dark two-piece suit with his signature high, Napoleonic collar, a patterned high-collared shirt, and carrying a black cane with a gold ornament on top. He immediately came over to J.D. and grabbed him in a bear hug.

While it’s been told many times, J.D. had been somewhat of a hero to Elvis when he was growing up. As the bass singer for The Blackwood Brothers, he had allowed Elvis to come in the back door of various Memphis all-night gospel sings—long before Elvis could afford to buy a ticket, let alone became famous himself. Also, when Elvis’s mother died, J.D. and the rest of the Blackwoods sang at her funeral. Elvis never forgot J.D.’s kindness, and as he did with so many others, he seemed to make it part of his life’s work to repay such kindnesses many times over.

Standing in that hotel ballroom, Elvis and J.D. quickly caught up, and soon J.D. began introducing each one of us to him. Elvis interrupted him to say he didn’t need the introductions because he felt as if he already knew us. He hugged me and then we shook hands. I still remember looking into his eyes that first time. The magnetism was indescribable. I couldn’t believe that he knew my name and knew that I was the bass singer. I don’t know how we gathered ourselves well enough to sing at that rehearsal, but apparently, we did. I just kept thinking over and over that there was Elvis Presley, and here we were singing with him. It was a feeling that would continue every night; it never got old to me.