Last Thursday, February 2nd, fans learned that country music is losing yet another one of its younger acts to the “pop” side. The Band Perry announced via Twitter that their soon-to-be released latest album will be called My Bad Imagination and will be their “very first pop album”. Continue reading
I have always enjoyed learning more about the musical artists I like, even those that have fallen out of the public eye. This past summer, I stumbled across an article published by the Washington Post about the popular 1960’s country artist named Bobbie Gentry, and how she hasn’t been seen or heard from since the late 80’s. I was immediately interested in finding out all I could about this mysterious artist.
Bobbie Gentry, born Roberta Lee Streeter on July 27, 1944, was most known for her song, Ode To Billie Joe. Like most fans, this was the only song I knew by her, and, to be honest, I knew it best from hearing other artists cover it live, like Jeannie Seely at the Grand Ole Opry. Most of Gentry’s songs were based on her hometown in Mississippi. Continue reading
Last summer, The CMBeat published an article about country singer, Lee Brice spilling a few beans on Periscope, saying that he was preparing to go on a writer’s retreat to create some new material for a future album. The Grammy® nominated singer/songwriter also leaked the titles of two songs he’s been working on, titled, You Can’t Help Who You Love, and Rumor.
Well, for fans who have been chomping at the bit to hear these new Lee Brice tunes, the wait is finally over. We found live video footage of Brice singing the song, Rumor at a songwriters round at City Winery in Nashville… and boy were we impressed! Continue reading
Mo Pitney released his debut album, Behind This Guitar, this past October and has been enjoying critical acclaim for the project as well as a surge in the number of his fans. Last month, on December 4th, Pitney joined his friend and frequent writing partner, Bobby Tomberlin, for a performance at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway in Downtown Nashville for the release of Tomberlin’s new album, Out of Road.
While attending the release party, I got to chat with Pitney about his inaugural CD. “Well, it’s been amazing to finally get it out,” Pitney explains, “we had been working on it for about three years.” The 23 year old singer/songwriter admitted that he felt the music was getting old since the project was taking so long. However, the immediate success of the album proved that it was well worth the time and effort. Continue reading
Nashville’s reputation as “Music CIty” was built on the backs of its songwriters. To quote the motto of the popular songwriter’s association based in Nashville, NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), “It All Begins With A Song“. And fortunately, many of Music City’s “Movers and Shakers” haven’t forgotten the importance of its songwriter community. One such company is a brand new, independent label in town called Silverado Records, which just launched the first volume of its Silverado Signature Songwriter Series yesterday, January 6, 2017.
Silverado Records created the series to showcase the great songwriting talent of the artists on their roster. Starting with the release of this first volume, the record label plans on releasing more volumes in the future, featuring a different artist on each edition. Each volume will be released as an EP, and will contain several songs written by the featured artist. Volume 1 showcases a talented singer/songwriter by the name of Zack Dyer. Continue reading
Bobby Tomberlin, a Grammy®, CMA, & ACM nominated songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee, who has enjoyed a 20+ year tenure as a staff writer at Curb Records, recently released his new album Out Of Road. At a recent CD-Release party, held at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Downtown Nashville, I got to chat with Tomberlin about the new project, and a few other surprises he has for his fans in 2017.
All throughout the Christmas season, many people rounded up their families and took them on mini road trips, in search of ways to get into the holiday spirit. Popular destinations with these families included places that go all out with their holiday lights and decorations. One such destination in the Nashville, Tennessee area is the one and only Gaylord Opryland Hotel, located just across the parking lot from the famous Grand Ole Opry theater. Even though it’s been 48 hours since Christmas Day came and went, and if you’re not ready to let the spirit of the season go just yet, you still have time to see this spectacular display, which runs through January 1st.
This past November 5th, the hotel ceremoniously flipped the switch to kick off their annual collection of seasonal attractions, collectively called “Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas“. Some of the attractions include an incredible outdoor light display, which includes more than two million lights, a life-sized nativity display, an ice sculpture exhibit, appropriately called “ICE“, horse carriage rides, and an entertaining dinner show featuring the legendary Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. For the more adventurous visitors, the 2,881 room hotel also features a giant ice slide, an ice skating rink, and snow tubing. Continue reading
It’s that time of year when everyone just wants to enjoy the holiday season by gathering around a fire, drinking some hot chocolate, and listening to their favorite holiday songs or albums.
The holidays mean something different to everyone, and I know every person has their own favorite holiday music (or lack of it), but, I’m definitely in the group of people I described in the first paragraph. So, I thought this is the perfect opportunity to make a list of MY top favorite Christmas songs and albums. Continue reading
Bobby Tomberlin is a renowned songwriter, who has racked up plenty of credits in his career, including Grammy®, CMA and ACM nominations. But now, the Nashville hitmaker has released his own album project, featuring many of the songs already made famous by some of Country Music’s greatest legends.
This new album, Out of Road, gives music fans the chance to hear the true insights and emotions directly from the songwriter, who has allowed a truly diverse collection of artists to interpret his songs, including Willie Nelson, Barbra Streisand, Blake Shelton, Faith Hill, and Kenny Rogers.
Crafts are enjoying a renewed popularity thanks to online stores, groups, and tutorials. Crafters, now more than ever, have an unlimited amount of resources to help them create their own personalized and customized trinkets, clothes, and accessories.
A favorite craft and pastime among country music fans has always been embroidery. In fact, it’s difficult to find a home decorated in a “country style” without spotting several embroidered items in and around the house. The CMBeat’s founder, Emily Ann Wells, recently got to speak with Katie Richardson, who took a favorite hobby and passion and turned it into her own personalized embroidery business online called Lainey Lou’s Embroidery. Continue reading
TheCMBeat 