0

Robert Plant Releases Lullaby and the CEASELESS ROAR

Robert Plant

Robert Plant Releases New Solo Album

Just in case you’ve been living in a cave for the past several days, I wanted you to be aware of the most recent release from Nonesuch RecordsLullaby and the CEASELESS ROAR from Robert Plant.

Download Lullaby and the CEASELESS ROAR on Amazon

He is no stranger to Nashville Read more →


0

CMA PARTNERS WITH “FRONT AND CENTER” TO BRING ONE-OF-A-KIND COUNTRY MUSIC PERFORMANCES TO PUBLIC TELEVISION

CMA Song Writers Series

CMA Song Writers SeriesThe First CMA Television Events of Their Kind will Feature the Music of Lady Antebellum and a Special 10th Anniversary CMA Songwriters Series Celebration with Dierks Bentley and Nashville’s Top Songwriters

NASHVILLE — CMA will partner with Public Television’s critically-acclaimed concert series “Front and Center” to present two separate hour-long concert specials for the 2014 Fall season. The shows will feature the music of CMA Award winners Lady Antebellum as they are joined by special guests, and a special 10th Anniversary CMA Songwriters Series celebration with CMA Award winner Dierks Bentley joined by top songwriters Jim Beavers,Ross CoppermanBrett James, and Jon Randall. The episodes, which tape later this month in Nashville, are scheduled to air this fall leading up to “The 48th Annual CMA Awards.”Dierks

Get Your own Nashville Rocks T-shirt Now and Show the world how much you love Music City!

“What began as a discussion to highlight the 10thanniversary of the CMA Songwriters Series is evolving into what we believe can be a long-term partnership that not only highlights the Songwriters Series and our songwriter community on an ongoing basis, but also provides a platform to reach a wider audience through PBS,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

“CMA resides at the epicenter of Country Music’s past, present, and future. It is an honor and a privilege to be partnering not only with such a prestigious organization, but with an organization that truly understands the bedrock upon which the genre is built – the songwriters and its performers,” said Don Maggi, Executive Producer, “Front and Center.” “Lady Antebellum and Dierks Bentley are two of Country Music’s best and the shows that have been created for their fans will be shows that nobody will want to miss.”

LadyAntebellumThe Music of Lady Antebellum will include an intimate evening of the trio’s signature hits and a first taste of new music from their upcoming fifth studio album. The group will share personal stories from the road, the writing room, and the events that inspired their music along with special guest songwriters with whom they have worked throughout the course of their career.

Bentley will be joined on stage by songwriters for a special 10th Anniversary CMA Songwriters Series celebration. The “Front and Center” taping will capture a CMA Songwriters Series style round featuring Bentley joined by Beavers (“5-1-5-0” written with and recorded by Bentley, “Red Solo Cup” recorded by Toby Keith); Copperman (“Tip It On Back” recorded by Bentley, “Beat of the Music” recorded by Brett Eldredge); James (“I Hold On” written with and recorded by Bentley, “Jesus Take the Wheel” recorded by Carrie Underwood); and Randall (“Draw Me A Map” written with and recorded by Bentley, “Whiskey Lullaby” recorded by Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley).

“The CMA Songwriters Series is always a really cool gig,” said Bentley. “It’s like everybody in the room is in on a secret or something. You’ve got a couple guys with guitars, telling stories and drinking whiskey — anything can happen!”

The CMA Songwriters Series kicked off the 10thAnniversary season with standing-room-only shows at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and has performed shows in New York and London already in 2014. Other planned performance locations this year include Austin, Chicago, Nashville, New York, and Paradise Island, Bahamas, as part of the Paradise Music Festival Presented by CMA partner HGTV.

For a decade, the CMA Songwriters Series has been exposing fans across the country and the globe to the artisans who, through their craft, pen hits that touch the lives of millions of music fans. Since it began at Joes’ Pub in New York City in 2005, the CMA Songwriter Series has presented more than 75 shows in 13 cities, including  Boston, Belfast, Dublin, Los Angeles, Paris, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. at the renowned Library of Congress.

The series has featured 127 of music’s most gifted storytellers who collectively have 61 CMA Song of the Year nominations. CMA Triple Play Award winner, CMA Board member, and member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame Bob DiPiero has championed and hosted the series since its launch.

“The super fans of Nashville’s elite songwriting community are the artists who record their work,” said DiPiero. “The CMA Songwriters Series showcases that creative interaction between artist and songwriter like no other event in the world.”

Some of the artists that have been part of the series include Bentley, Clint Black, Ix Brooks, Kristian Bush,Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington, Randy Houser,Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town,Patty Loveless, Ronnie Milsap, Kip Moore, David Lee Murphy, Gretchen Peters, Kellie Pickler, The Band Perry, Josh Turner, Underwood, Phil Vassar, and Chris Young.

For more information on the CMA Songwriters Series, visit CMAsongwritersseries.com.

FrontAndCenterAbout “Front and Center”: “Front and Center” is a popular music performance series that was launched in the Spring of 2012. The one-of-a-kind 55-minute all-music program airs nationwide on Public Television. Through the years, it has presented an eclectic mix of Grammy winning, multi-platinum selling industry vets and chart toppers, including the likes of the Jack Johnson, Train, The Avett Brothers, Cyndi Lauper, The Goo Goo Dolls, and more. “Front and Center” is a production of Front and Center Entertainment, LLC in association with WLIW21 for WNET, and distributed by American Public Television.

Sign Up For The Nashville Rocks Newsletter

* indicates required

Email Format

 


0

Store Opens with New Nashville Rocks T-Shirt

Nashville Rocks T-Shirt

Nashville Rocks T-ShirtNashville Rocks® T-Shirt

Hey Folks, I’ve been working on the site and would love it if you would help me test the new merchandise transactions. Besides, doesn’t everyone want a new Nashville Rocks® T-Shirt?! Anyway, I have several of these and am also considering offering them in different colors. Let me know your thoughts and what you’d like to see on the next T-Shirt below in the comments. Thank you and keep rockin’!

https://nashvillerocks.com/store/


~Jason R. Coleman
President
Nashville Rocks®
www.nashvillerocks.com®


0

Angie Johnson – New Artist Spotlight

Angie Johnson by Alan Matthews

Angie Johnson

– New Artist Spotlight
Apparently, it’s not enough for Missouri-born Angie Johnson to have served as an intelligence analyst in the United States Air Force; she also sang and toured with The Air Force Band. Then, following an initial attempt to find a break in Nashville, she studied psychology at Columbia State Community College in Franklin, Tenn., to help children and veterans struggling with PTSD.

When a soldier posted his video of Staff Sgt. Johnson performing Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” for troops in a spirited acoustic performance on YouTube, it eventually drew more than 3 million views. Millions more watched her during Season 2 of “The Voice.”

That’s only the beginning. On May 21, Sony Music Nashville released her debut EP, Sing for You, produced by Josh Leo. On these four tracks, she doesn’t just sing the lyrics – she inhabits them. On “Grandpa’s Farm” (written by Brent Cobb, Adam Hood and Jason Saenz), a slide guitar shimmers like heat from a sun-baked field as Johnson evokes a lazy day, which transforms on the bridge, as the drums drop out, into a whispered promise, as if behind Grandpa’s back, to turn up the temperature in a different way.

In dramatic contrast, the deep feeling of the title track (Johnson, Catt Gravitt and Leo) chills the listener. Here, Johnson offers a different gift, a soft and soothing song, to a young man bloodied and broken most likely in battle. Never mind her impressive technique; Johnson has a gift for bringing beauty to a story, even one of unfathomable sadness.

IN HER OWN WORDS

DREAM DUET PARTNER

“Garth Brooks or Keith Urban. I have harmonized with both of them repeatedly via the CD player in my car, and I can already tell you that we sound fabulous together!”

MUSICAL HERO

“I can’t name just one. The people who inspired me early on and made me really want to pursue a career in music were Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, Reba McEntire and Wynonna Judd, in that order.”

FAVORITE FOOD ON THE ROAD

“First, carbs. Next, carbs. And then probably carbs. Did I mention carbs?”

BOOK ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND

“My CMA notebook that I got in my CMA membership package!”

On the Web: www.OfficialAngieJohnson.com

On Twitter: @AngieJohnson


0

2013 CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL SUPERSTAR ARTISTS ADDED TO LINEUP

kelly clarkson
Artists Performing at LP Field Include Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Kelly Clarkson, Florida Georgia Line, Hunter Hayes, Miranda Lambert, Jake Owen, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, The Band Perry, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown BandNASHVILLE – Where can you find more CMA Award winners and nominees than at the annual CMA Awards? Try the 2013 CMA Music Festival!The star-packed lineup is bursting at the seams with reigning trophy winners, former Award recipients, and nominees all performing for the most ardent, passionate fans in the world during CMA Music Festival, Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, in Nashville.“We have an amazing lineup of talent for this year’s Festival,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “I know our fans will be entertained and enthralled to see our annual family reunion of the best and brightest performers in the industry.”

More artists have just been announced including Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Kelly Clarkson, Florida Georgia Line, Hunter Hayes, Miranda Lambert, Jake Owen, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, The Band Perry, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.

Previously announced performers for this one-of-a-kind, award-winning festival include Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, and Carrie Underwood (with more artists to be announced soon).

Allan made his first appearance at Fan Fair in 1997. In 2003, he received his first CMA Awards nomination for the Horizon Award (now known as the New Artist of the Year). He last played LP Field in 2006 and he opened the concerts at Riverfront Park in 2011.

Bentley made his first Festival appearance in 2003 at Riverfront Park. He has performed at LP Field seven times and has 10 CMA nominations to his credit including a win in 2005 for the Horizon Award.

eric churchReigning CMA Album of the Year winner for Chief, Church will be making his second, consecutive appearance at LP Field in 2013. He played Riverfront from 2006-2009. Church was the top CMA Awards nominee in 2012.


kelly clarksonClarkson is no stranger to the LP Field stage having played the Nightly Concerts in 2007 and 2011. She has four CMA Award nominations to her credit and one win for Musical Event of the Year with Jason Aldean in 2011 for “Don’t You Wanna Stay.”

What a difference a huge hit (“Cruise”) and a year make for Florida Georgia Line. In 2012, the duo performed on one of the events numerous free stages downtown, and now they will have their first LP Field performance in 2013.


hunter hayesReigning New Artist of the Year Hayes made his first Festival appearance in one of the free areas in 2011. In 2012, he was invited to LP Field, and he will be making his return appearance in 2013.


Miranda LambertReigning CMA Female Vocalist and Song of the Year winner Lambert first played Riverfront in 2004 and has performed at LP Field every year since (2005-2012). She has 22 CMA Awards nominations and has won six times, including three for Female Vocalist of the Year (2010-2012).

Owen has played Riverfront four times (2005, 2006, 2010, 2011) and LP Field three times (2008, 2009, 2012). Owen has two CMA Awards nominations including Musical Event of the Year (2008) and New Artist of the Year (2009).

Brad PaisleyPaisley, who has hosted the CMA Awards with Underwood for the past five years, made his first Fan Fair appearance in 1998. Since then, he has performed on the LP Field stage 10 times (2001-2004, 2006, 2007, 2009-2012). He has 58 CMA Awards nominations and 14 wins including three for Male Vocalist of the Year (2007-2009) and one for Entertainer of the Year (2010).


blake sheltonThe reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Shelton performed at Riverfront for the first time in 2001. Since then, he has played at LP Field six times (2002, 2005, 2006, 2010-2012). He has 15 CMA Awards nominations and five wins including three for Male Vocalist of the Year (2010-2012) and Song of the Year with wife Lambert for “Over You” (2012).


Taylor SwiftSwift first played Riverfront in 2006 and has played LP Field four times (2007-2009, 2011). She has 15 CMA Awards nominations and seven wins including her first for the Horizon Award in 2007 and two for Entertainer of the Year (2009, 2011), which ties her with Barbara Mandrell for wins in that category by a female artist.

The Band Perry’s first CMA Music Festival performance was at Riverfront in 2010. They performed at LP Field in 2011 and 2012. The sibling trio has garnered six CMA Awards nominations and two wins including New Artist of the Year in 2011 and Single and Song of the Year (for composer Kimberly Perry) for “If I Die Young” in 2011.

Urban has played LP Field seven times. He has collected 25 career CMA Awards nominations and won six trophies from the Horizon Award in 2001 to Entertainer of the Year in 2005. He has been named CMA Male Vocalist of the Year three times (2004-2006).

Zac Brown Band has appeared at CMA Music Festival every year since 2008 when they performed at Riverfront and have played LP Field every year since (2009-2012). The band has 12 CMA Awards nominations and one win for New Artist of the Year in 2010. Zac Brown has six solo CMA Awards nominations to his credit.

Now is the time to experience CMA Music Festival. According to Budget Travel Magazine, Nashville is one of the Top 10 Best Budget Destinations and CMA Music Festival is “the” time to visit. And Conde Nast Traveler selected Nashville as one of the Best Places to Go in 2013 citing easy access to “incredible live music.”

Fans can purchase tickets to 2013 CMA Music Festival through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1(800)745-3000. They can also purchase them by calling 1(800)CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $135 to $350 plus handling fees. A limited number of four-day parking passes for LP Field are also available (parking is not included in the Festival ticket price), ranging from $60 for Cars to $140 for an RV/Motorcoach, plus handling fees.

Ticket and parking prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE. For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, where they can sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news, follow the CMA Facebook and Twitter feeds for more insider info and of course see the entire lineup of Country Music’s biggest stars as they are announced in the coming weeks.

The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, bringing 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. More than 40 years later, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature event, which annually attracts tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and around the globe and has raised $7.6 million for music education.

CMA Music Festival will once again be filmed for a national television special to air on the ABC Television Network. This is the 10th consecutive year that the event has been filmed for a network television special, a feat no other music festival has achieved. “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton. 


0

2013 CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL FIRST ARTISTS ANNOUNCED TO PERFORM

cma music festival

Nashville’s Signature Music Event Benefits Music Education And Will Once Again Be Filmed for ABC Television Special

luke bryan 2013 CMA Music Festival

NASHVILLE – The one-of-a-kind, award-winning 2013CMA Music Festival takes over downtown Nashville for four days this summer, Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, with a star-packed lineup that includes Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood, and more artists to be announced soon.

The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, bringing 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. More than 40 years later, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature music event, which annually attracts tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and around the globe and has raised millions of dollars for music education. The event will once again be filmed for an ABC Television special airing later in the summer, shining a national spotlight on both Country Music and Music City.

lady antebellum 2013 CMA Music Festival“What an exciting lineup – and we are just getting started,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Ticket sales are stronger than ever and we are always researching and developing ways to enhance the Festival experience for our attendees and the artists who continue this time-honored tradition of giving back to the fans.”

Bryan was nominated for CMA Male Vocalist and Album of the Year for tailgates & tanlines and will launch his first headline tour, the “Dirt Road Diaries Tour,” this week. Bryan last performed at CMA Music Festival in 2012, where he also co-hosted the “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” special on ABC last summer.

Platinum-selling group Lady Antebellum, made up of members Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, and Hillary Scott, has won seven CMA Awards, including Vocal Group (2009-2011), Single (2009 for “I Run to You” and 2010 for “Need You Now,” which also earned them an additional Award for producing), and New Artist of the Year (2008). They last performed at the Festival in 2012.

carrie underwood 2013 CMA Music FestivalReigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Little Big Town – consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook – has received a career total of 11 CMA Award nominations and two wins in 2012 for Single of the Year for “Pontoon” and their first Vocal Group of the Year trophy.

A five-time CMA Award winner, Underwood will also perform on the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during 2013 CMA Music Festival. Underwood has won three CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Awards (2006-2008); and has co-hosted the CMA Awards for the last five consecutive years. After winning “American Idol” in 2005, she made one of her first public appearances at CMA Music Festival, and has been a strong supporter of the event ever since. Underwood last performed at CMA Music Festival in 2012.

Fans can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. They can also purchase them by calling 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $125 to $350 plus handling fees. A limited number of four-day parking passes for LP Field are also available (parking is not included in the Festival ticket price), ranging from $60 for Cars to $140 for an RV/Motorcoach, plus handling fees.

Ticket and parking prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket pricing corresponds to seating levels at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE. For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, where they can sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news, follow the CMA Facebook and Twitter feeds for more insider info and of course see the entire lineup of Country Music’s biggest stars as they are announced in the coming weeks.

CMA Music Festival celebrates the unique relationship between Country Music artists and their fans in the heart of Music City. The artists participate for free, and on their behalf, CMA donates half the net proceeds of the Festival to support music education through the Keep the Music Playing program.

To date, more than $6.1 million has been donated to purchase musical instruments and supplies, providing thousands of students with the resources and opportunities they could not have afforded on their own, and giving many of them the motivation to remain in school. The total also includes a $1 million endowment for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Words & Music program, which assists language arts and music teachers with classroom instruction in the basics of songwriting. CMA will announce the donation from the 2012 CMA Music Festival in February.

Featuring concerts, autograph signings, family activities, and more, CMA Music Festival is an unparalleled celebration of America’s music.

In 2012, more than 450 artists performed more than 200 hours of concerts. The event drew a record 71,000 fans daily from all 50 states and 24 nations and for the third consecutive year sold out each nightly concert at LP Field. According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, direct visitor spending generated by the Festival totaled more than $35 million. CMA Music Festival is a four-time winner of the International Entertainment Buyers Association’s LIVE! Award for Festival of the Year (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010).

CMA Music Festival will once again be filmed for a national television special to air on the ABC Television Network. This is the 10th consecutive year that the event has been filmed for a network television special, a feat no other music festival has achieved. “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA. Chevrolet™ is the Official Ride of Country Music. Transitions Optical; The Official Eyewear of the CMA Music Festival.