Kelsea Ballerini Rolls On!!

It's been a year since the release of Kelsea Ballerini's The First Time (via Red Music), and the album shows no signs of slowing down! As the single "Peter Pan" continues to head towards the top of the country chart, Kelsea is attracting a whole new audience as the co-host of ABC's Greatest Hits show, which winds down with Thursday's season finale. However, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to television exposure for Kelsea this week. Last night, the songstress appeared on the Teen Choice Awards on FOX. She'll be interviewed and perform on Jimmy Kimmel tomorrow night, and later this week, she'll appear on ABC's "CMA-Country's Night To Rock" special. Also appearing on that particular special--our own Jason Aldean! 

Florida Georgia LIne Next Up With "Dig your Roots" Album

Known for their record-breaking tracks, undeniable energy and all around good vibes, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE will release DIG YOUR ROOTS on August 26 on Big Machine Label Group.
The award-winning duo’s highly anticipated third studio album uncovers pieces of their lineage along with an evolved creativity.

Fans clamored to unearth the album’s throwback cover through a #DigYourRoots initiative across FGL’s social platforms to intimately reveal childhood snapshots of both BK and Tyler. 
“Our album cover says it all,” shares Brian Kelley. "Tyler and I are continuing to grow musically and personally. We really wanted this album to reflect who we are and our lives in this moment, but also where we came from.”

Tyler Hubbard adds, “we both started out playing guitar, singing in church and writing songs so we wanted to let fans see our foundation – a deeper side to us. We couldn’t have picked a more fitting title or image for DIG YOUR ROOTS.”

Justin Moore Readies "Kinda Don't Care" for August CD Release

Justin Moore has recently announced the release of his fourth studio album, his first record in almost three years, will be called Kinda Don’t Care., and out on Valory Records.  “It’s hard to believe that we just recorded our fourth album. The process has changed, drastically, since our first time in the studio so many years ago,” the Arkansas native Moore said in a press release.

The  Southern record will include twelve new tracks, with an additional five tunes on the deluxe version. Moore co-wrote two songs featured on the project, and some of Music City’s finest writers contributed, including Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman, Ben Hayslip and Jaren Johnston of the Cadillac Three.

Moore recruited his tourmate Brantley Gilbert for some help on Kinda Don’t Care. The two duet on a track titled “More Middle Fingers.”

The title of the album may imply a laid-back approach to the making of the record, but Moore insists it has a much different meaning.

Vince Gill Announces "Down to My Last Bad Habit" CD Release

GRAMMY Award-winning MCA Nashville country star Vince Gill revealed via NPR his new album

Down To My Last Bad Habit is set for release on February 12, 2016.  As part of the announcement, NPR has an exclusive first-listen of Gill’s lead single, “Take Me Down” featuring Little Big Town . Gill wrote/co-wrote, co-produced and is a featured musician on all 12 songs on Down To My Last Bad Habit. “Forty years into this, it’s still as much fun as it’s ever been to play music,” notes Gill. “At the end of the day, what I get excited about is doing something I haven’t done before. When I record a song, I feel successful if I’ve accomplished something new.”

Down to My Last Bad Habit marks Gill’s first solo album since 2011’s Guitar Slinger. In 2013, The Oklahoma native partnered with famed steel guitarist Paul Franklin on Bakersfield as a tribute to the “Bakersfield” sound of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. With 20 GRAMMY Awards to his credit, Gill has emerged as country music’s most eloquent and impassioned champion. He is both a world-class guitar picker and a wide-ranging songwriter whose compositions earned him entry into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. Gill has produced albums for LeAnn Rimes, Amy Grant as well as Ashley Monroe and has made guest appearances on over 500+ albums including Barbra Streisand, Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, George Jones and more.

Tim McCraw's "Damn Country Music" Out in November

To McGraw, his new album’s title track is reflective of the entire record’s tone and his musical journey thus far. “When I recorded ‘Damn Country Music,’ it was one of those electric moments. It speaks to a passion and being at a crossroads in your life when you make that decision to pursue it knowing you might pay a heavy price,” says McGraw. The November release of Damn Country Music will cap off an exceptional year for McGraw, which began with a critically-acclaimed & trending performance of “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me at the 87th Academy Awards on February 22.

In April, McGraw was included on TIME 100 – Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people – and narrated the ESPN Films & SEC Network documentary Shaq & Dale, which detailed the enduring relationship between basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal and his former Louisiana State University coach Dale Brown. Continuing to bolster his film career, McGraw starred in Disney’s Tomorrowland in May before kicking off his wildly successful Shotgun Rider tour in June. The tour thrilled thousands of fans and awarded mortgage-free homes to veterans through McGraw’s partnership with Operation Home front & Chase in more than 30 cities throughout the summer. The tour will conclude on September 19 in Irvine, CA to a sold-out crowd.

Luke Bryan Reveals "Kill the Lights" Album News

        Luke Bryan appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today and announced the news of his next album, KILL THE LIGHTS, will release on Friday, August 7th. Luke also performed the first single from the album, “Kick The Dust Up,” which debuted at country radio today. Tonight he will perform the single on the season finale of The Voice.

Reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year

“We’ve been performing the new song on tour this spring, using it to open the shows,” shares Luke. “We love the crowd reaction to it and I cannot wait to be able to share more new music this summer. It’s been two years since we’ve had a new album and I don’t think I’ve been this eager yet to get it out to the fans.”

Luke will perform on Good Morning America on album release day, August 7th, as part of their 2015 Summer Concert Series at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, home of the SummerStage.

Richard Thompson Announces "Still" , Tweedy Produced, Album

Richard Thompson is the kind of guitar player other guitar players revere. It’s not just his technique, nor the fact that he’s equally at home with an electric or an acoustic guitar. He’s also a songwriter of uncommon skill.”—NPR

Renowned guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson will release Still, an album of new music produced by Jeff Tweedy, on June 23, 2015 via Fantasy Records (part of the Concord Music Group). 
Still will be available in several configurations including a twelve-track CD, a twelve-track double 180-gram vinyl album and a deluxe CD package that includes a five-song EP from a previously un-released session, all available from B&T.

Still was recorded in a two-story rehearsal loft in Chicago over the course of just nine days with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy at the helm, backed by several longtime players from both Thompson’s and Tweedy’s bands.  "Richard's been one of my favorite guitar players for a very long time,” said Tweedy. "When I think about it, he's also one of my favorite songwriters and favorite singers. He's the Ultimate Triple Threat. Getting to work closely with him on this record was a truly rewarding experience, not to mention a great thrill.  And he keeps alive my streak of working exclusively with artists who make me look good as a producer."

"NOW That's What I Call The ACM Awards 50 Years" Coming to CD

NOW That’s What I Call Music!, and the Academy of Country Music are partnering for the first time to release NOW That’s What I Call The ACM Awards 50 Years. The latest installment in the best-selling, multi-artist album series will feature 2 discs of songs from

ACM award-winning artists celebrating the Academy’s 50th Anniversary.

Highlights from the track list, which spans the ACM Awards’ 50-year history, include recent smash hits such as “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” on disc one, as well as classics such as “Always on My Mind” by Willie Nelson, “Why Not Me” by The Judds, and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones on the second disc. Other superstar artists featured include Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Alabama, Faith Hill, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and many more.