Raelynn-new-album

RaeLynn: ‘Baytown’ – Album Review

/in , , , /by

RaeLynn’s brand new record Baytown is officially available now, September 24th on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

Back in August of last year, we continuously praised RaeLynn’s Baytown EP. The six song project perfectly showcased the singer-songwriter’s  confidence, clever wordplay, and amazing vocals like no other project had before. Today, the new mom expands on that collection of songs with the official Baytown album, out now.

The record features fourteen tracks in total. Previously released songs like “Keep Up,” “Judgin’ To Jesus,” and “Bra Off” anchor the project with the sassy and fiery tunes we have come to love from the songstress. Similarly, RaeLynn’s new collaborative song with Mitchell Tenpenny “Get That All The Time” further exhibits her flirty personality.

“I know that you could have anyone in here tonight // But you’d be better off mine // I bet you get that all the time // All the time // You’re probably getting pretty used to me // I bet you memorize the lines // And this ain’t nothing new to ya”

RaeLynn also collaborates with country superstar, Blake Shelton on “Why I Got A Truck.” The new song centers around the singer’s country upbringing and the importance of a truck in her life. Although a truck is a familiar focal point on many country songs, the singers portray the subject in a new and girl-power-like light.

XX

“Rowdy” is another fun new song off the new record. Once again, RaeLynn leans into her country, Texan roots. Singing lyrics, like “I get rowdy, I get mouthy,” the songstress is unapologetic about her upbringing. “Only In A Small Town” shares the sentiment of pride for her hometown in a humorous way.

“Only in a small town does your ex get locked up and knocked up your best girl friend // Spending every bit of my $10.25 an hour to throw a shower // Hell, only in a small town”

Despite the fact that Baytown is full of sassy hits, it is also the home to many vulnerable songs by the rising artist. While the touching ballad “Fake Girl Town” sheds a much needed light on the detrimental culture that exists between girls, “Small Town Prayer” reminds us all of the importance of hope, faith, and community.

“It all sounds simple coming off our lips // Cause we’re so little // and he’s so big // can’t find it in a bible // but Lord I swear, nothing hits heaven like a small town prayer”

RaeLynn continues to let fans into her heart on songs like “Me About Me” and “She Chose Me.” The former is a full-fledged confession about the details of a break-up and a one-sided relationship. The heartbreakingly stunning mid-tempo song conveys a type of honesty that we only get from country music. The latter is an incredibly honest story about a woman getting pregnant and keeping the baby, written from the perspective of the child that was born. RaeLynn calls it the prequel to her song “Love Triangle.”

“That’s one hell of a choice to make // If it went the other way, nobody would have blamed her // Think of all the small town talk it would have saved her // She could’ve chosen one quick fix // To get her out of one big mess / She could have tied a different ribbon to the ending of the story”

XX

The record ends with “Made For Me To Love (Demo).” The song is clearly a personal one to the singer. It tells the story of her getting pregnant with her daughter Daisy Rae, who was born earlier this month. Arguable the most poignant RaeLynn song to date, it is the perfect way to end the exquisite full-length album.

Baytown Tracklist

  1. Keep Up
  2. Still Smokin’
  3. Fake Girl Town
  4. Judgin’ To Jesus
  5. Me About Me
  6. Bra Off
  7. Neon Cowgirl
  8. Small Town Prayer
  9. Get That All The Time ft. Mitchell Tenpenny
  10. Only In A Small Town
  11. She Chose Me
  12. Why I Got A Truck ft. Blake Shelton
  13. Rowdy
  14. Made For Me To Love (Demo)

Our Picks:

  1. “Why I Got A Truck”
  2. “She Chose Me”
  3. “Fake Girl Town”
  4. “Judgin’ To Jesus”
Raelynn-new-album

RaeLynn’s new album ‘Baytown’ is officially out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future RaeLynn releases.

To keep up with RaeLynn, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Baytown, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

kidd-g-new-album

Kidd G: ‘Down Home Boy’ – Album Review

/in , , , /by

Kidd G’s debut album Down Home Boy is out now, September 24th, on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

With almost one million followers on TikTok alone, Kidd G is leading the pack in this new wave of country music. His eclectic sound and honesty is attracting fans across the world. Today, the singer released his debut full-length album, Down Home Boy.

Featuring fourteen original songs, the artist, whose real name is Jonathan Gabriel Horne, is a writer on all of the tracks. The record kicks off with some of the songs that started it all for the singer, including “Down Home Boy,” and “Paper Hearts (F-150).” The former is an ode to his upbringing, a common theme on the record. On the other hand, the latter is an introspective song that has fans flocking to him.

“Paper hearts in the glovebox of my F-150 (F-150) // And I might just take one out and light it up // And throw it out the window //Because I’m tipsy”

Similarly, Kidd G’s previously released song “Summer In A Small Town” has become a fan-favorite. The new song has summer romance, fun, and living the good life written all over it. Visually appealing both lyrically and within the music video, Kidd G makes every listener want to live in a small town. His country boy vocals are on full display in this fun-loving and sweet country song.

Kidd G leans into his romantic side even more on “What It’s Like,” “I Think I Love Her,” and “Ordinary Girl.” “What It’s Like” is a clever confession of liking someone. He utilizes country music staples with lyrics like “how does it feel to have a country boy’s heart racing,” as he professes his love for a special someone. On “I Think I Love Her,” the singer expresses his adoration and love for a girl yet again. If the first two songs are precursors to love, “Ordinary Girl” is a true-blue declaration of true love in a more modern and funky approach.

Leaning into his emo-music roots, “If Heaven Had A Phone” is one of the most poignant songs off the project. Anyone who has ever lost someone and missed someone can relate to this heartfelt and touching single. Kidd G leans into the vulnerability again on “Whiskey & Wine,” a fan-favorite song.

Kidd G puts words to a different kind of heartbreak on “Break Up Song.” The song starts off melancholy, but quickly reminds us of all the things that are waiting for us on the other side of a break-up. He is all of us on this catchy tune.

“The truth is I don’t believe a word that you said // The hard part is that I knew that you’re gone // The worst part is that I gotta move on // Yeah, the worst part is that I even had to make this song // Cheers to a break-up song”

On “Folks Back Home,” Kidd G clearly shares his story of growing up in the country. He shows pride for his small-town upbringing yet again. Finally the record wraps with the pensive song, “Last Call.” Kidd G struggles with his demons from a broken relationship on the moody, yet captivating song.

Overall, Kidd G’s debut release is like nothing you have ever listened to before. And that’s a good thing! Clearly influenced by hip-hop, emo, and country music, Kidd G’s sound is a one that’s all of his own. Fans should definitely give this record a listen.

DOWN HOME BOY Official Track List:

  1. “Down Home Boy” | Chris Destefano, Rhett Atkins, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  2. “Paper Hearts (F-150)” | Jesse Frasure, Ernest Smith, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  3. “What It’s Like” | Kyle Fishman, Ben Hayslip, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  4. “If Heaven Had A Phone” | Bonnie Dymond, Jake Saghi, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  5. “2000 & IDK” | Johann Elliot, Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  6. “Break Up Song” | Simon Jonasson, Nicole Spooner, Juan Guerrieri-Maril, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  7. “Whiskey & Wine” | Bonnie Dymond, Christopher Luc Nyhus, Dantavius Walker, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  8. “I Think I Love Her” | John Charles Reno Prentice, Jake Rose, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  9. “Summer In A Small Town” | John Thomas “J.T.” Harding, Rhett Atkins, Jacob Rice, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  10. “Ordinary Girl” | Morgan O’Connor, William Keating, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram, Jacob Saghi, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  11. “UNKNWN Number” | Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  12. “You Could Use Me” | Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  13. “Folks Back Home” | Bonnie Dymond, Lawrence Stoll, Ryan Jeffrey Anderson,  Jonathan Gabriel Horne
  14. “Last Call” | Bonnie Dymond, Jonathan Gabriel Horne

Our Picks:

  1. “If Heaven Had A Phone”
  2. “What It’s Like”
  3. “Ordinary Girl”
  4. “Break Up Song”
kidd-g-album

Kidd G’s debut album ‘Down Home Boy’ is out now, September 24th. 

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Kidd G releases.

To keep up with Kidd G, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Down Home Boy, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

mickey-guyton-new-album

Mickey Guyton: ‘Remember Her Name’ – Album Review

/in , , , /by

Mickey Guyton’s new album Remember Her Name is out now, September 24th on all streaming platforms. Read our full review and listen to the new music below.

For years, Mickey Guyton has been deservedly buzzed about within the country music industry. With a powerful gift and an even more powerful message, the golden voiced songstress has repeatedly been named “one to watch” and a “rising star.” However, over the last year, Guyton’s star has continued to ascend to a much deserved level, with a historic Grammy nomination and a performance and co-hosting gig at this year’s ACM Awards.

Today, September 24, the singer-songwriter released her full-length debut album, Remember Her Name, a sixteen song collection that serves to make listeners do just that. Guyton had a hand in writing fifteen of the album’s tracks, and each tells a different side of her story. “It’s crazy that the album is a story essentially,” says Guyton in a statement. “I was just writing and writing. I didn’t even know what the album meant or what it was going to be when I was writing these songs, I just started writing songs about my feelings.”

For the Capitol Nashville recording artist, Remember Her Name shows Guyton embracing everything she is, as opposed to everything Nashville thinks she should be. This theme weaves its way throughout the LP, shining through on songs like the peppy up-tempo “Different,” “Love My Hair,” and “Words.” On “Different,” she proclaims that it’s her differences that make her unique, “I love my skin // I love my hair // and if it bothers you // I really don’t care,” she assures us. “I’m just me // take it or leave // I’m just trying to be who I was born to be.” Meanwhile, on the vulnerable “Words,” she shows her softer side. “What can I say // I’m only human // Sticks and stones will never break my bones // But words still hurt me.” 

It’s not all heavy themes on Remember Her Name with Guyton showing her country side on the likes of “All American,” her sexy side on “Dancing In the Living Room,” and her flirty side on “Rosé.” “All American” is the most typical “country” song on the album, celebrating the Texas native’s upbringing in “one big small town.” Meanwhile, “Rosé” is an ode to everyone’s favorite cheap wine. She’s not here to sing about whiskey or tequila, but on the fun track, she’s looking for something “pretty in pink,” reminding the listeners that “Everything is gonna look brighter // When you see it through rose colored glasses.”

One thing Mickey Guyton has never shied away from is tackling the tough subjects, whether that’s on social media or in song. This is most evident on songs such as “Black Like Me,” “Remember Her Name,” and “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” Each tackles various subjects including social injustice and the adversity she’s faced as a black woman.

“I want people to feel loved and accepted and seen when they listen,” she reveals of her main goal for the album. “I know what it’s like to feel unseen and I want people that feel that way to hear this and say, ‘Man, that’s me.'”

For Mickey Guyton, Remember Her Name was a project a decade in the making, and it was certainly worth the wait.  The LP is the triumphant celebration of a woman who knows exactly who she is, and is proud to show it.

Remember Her Name Official Track List:

  1. Remember Her Name (Mickey Guyton, Parker Welling, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram) 
  2. All American (Mickey Guyton, Victoria Banks, Emma-Lee, Karen Kosowski) 
  3. Different (Mickey Guyton, Emma-Lee, Karen Kosowski) 
  4. Love My Hair (Mickey Guyton, Anna Krantz) 
  5. Lay It On Me (Mickey Guyton, Jaden Michaels, Gavin Slate) 
  6. Higher (Mickey Guyton, Nathan Chapman, Fraser Churchill, Preston Glass, Narada Walden) 
  7. Dancing In The Living Room (Mickey Guyton, Karen Kosowski, Victoria Banks, Emma-Lee)
  8. Do You Really Wanna Know (Mickey Guyton, Melissa Fuller, Andy Skib) 
  9. Black Like Me (Mickey Guyton, Emma Davidson-Dillon, Fraser Churchill, Nathan Chapman) 
  10. Words (Mickey Guyton, Abbey Cone, David Kalmusky)
  11. What Are You Gonna Tell Her? (Mickey Guyton, Karen Kosowski, Victoria Banks, Emma-Lee)
  12. Smoke (Mickey Guyton, Nathan Chapman, Balewa Muhammad) Produced by Karen Kosowski
  13. Rosé (Mickey Guyton, Karen Kosowski, Victoria Banks) 
  14. Indigo (Mickey Guyton, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz, Mozella) 
  15. If I Were A Boy (Toby Gad, Brittany Jean Carlson)
  16. Better Than You Left Me (Fly Higher Version) (Mickey Guyton, Nathan Chapman, Jennifer Hanson, Jenn Schott)

Our Picks:

  1. “Remember Her Name”
  2. “All American”
  3. “Rosé”
  4. “Different”
mickey-guyton-new-album

Mickey Guyton’s new album ‘Remember Her Name’ is out now, September 24th.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here for the latest in country music and more news about future Mickey Guyton releases.

To keep up with Mickey Guyton, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Remember Her Name is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

larry-fleet-new-album

Larry Fleet: ‘Stack of Records’ – Album Review

/in , , , /by

Following the success of “Where I Find God,” Larry Fleet is releasing his album, Stack of Records, featuring collaborations with Jon Pardi and Jamey Johnson. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

With a humble everyman attitude and an unmistakable country voice,  Larry Fleet is a walking contradiction. He’s far from a newcomer to the music industry, yet to many, he seems like an overnight sensation. He’s got a crystal clear country baritone, and yet most people would mistake him for a next door neighbor as opposed to a rising superstar. 

With his single “Where I Find God,” the buzz about Big Loud Records’ Larry Fleet began, and now with the release of his album, Stack of Records, it’s time for that buzz to grow even louder. Out today, September 24, the album features fourteen tracks co-written by Fleet and others including Eric Paslay, Brett James, Josh Thompson, Rhett Akins, and Jamey Johnson. 

Despite considering himself a songwriter first, Fleet told Country Swag that he never had any intention of writing every track on his album, but that it happened authentically. “There are so many good songwriters in Nashville, and my thing is that you don’t have to write every song, but it just worked out that way,” he says. “I’m trying to put out honest, simple songs that mean something and connects with people. The way it worked out, we cut all the ones I was a writer on because it fit me for who I am.”

In fact, Fleet says he never really wanted to be an artist, and considers himself a songwriter first, as it is his true passion.  “I always take a lot of pride in writing a good song,” He tells us, saying that the key elements of his songs are honesty and simplicity.

Honesty and simplicity are two themes that carry through Stack of Records, as Fleet explores themes that everyone can relate to, but manages to do so in an honest country fashion. Often described as “classic country for a modern fan,” that sums up Fleet as an artist and a songwriter, evidenced throughout this album.

Opening with the title track, Fleet gives listeners an autobiography of the music he listened to growing up that inspired him to initially pick up a guitar. Co-written with Ben Hayslip and Eric Paslay, the song tells of a literal stack of records in Fleet’s Tennessee home. Here, he sings of being “a little bit Bakersfield and Memphis // And a whole lotta Muscle Shoals.” He continues, “Take some country, soul, rock and roll // And mix ’em all together // Yeah I’m what you get // When you’re raised on a stack of records.”

Fleet’s famous friends can also be heard flexing their musical muscles throughout the LP, including Jon Pardi on “In Love With My Problems” and Jamey Johnson on “Highway Feet.” Of the former, Fleet tells Country Swag that his friendship with Pardi began on the road, and seemed almost clandestine. Once the country traditionalist heard Fleet’s take on the song, he loved it and laid down his vocals, the pair musing, “If I could fall in love with my problems // Maybe they’d leave me too.” 

Meanwhile, Fleet collaborated with Jamey Johnson over Zoom due to a bout of Covid. Johnson contributed the title “Highway Feet,” an ode to missing the touring life due to the restrictions of the pandemic. Fleet likens the twangy track to the Willie Nelson classic “On the Road Again,” and it’s truly a highlight of the LP. The song serves as a bonus track to the project, available only on physical album and album downloads.

Fleet’s dedication to appealing to the average man is abundantly clear throughout this album, evidenced in the lyrics of songs like “Lifetime Guarantee,” “Where I Find God,” and “Quittin’ Ain’t Working,” a clever take on an attempt to stop drinking. Meanwhile, “Never Wanna Meet Another Girl” and “Heart on My Sleeve” seem to be semi-autobiographical. Of the latter, he says, “I wrote this about my younger days, when I was just running wild, and how it’s led me to the point I’m now at in my life, where my marriage and family matters more than anything else.”

Another highlight of the album is the brutally honest “Hurt Feelings,” with Fleet musing that he “never felt a hurt that felt worse // Than her // Hurt feelings.”

On “Three Chords and a Lie,” Fleet puts a unique spin on the old adage that country music is three chords and the truth, hoping a lie someone told him about an ex is actually the truth. “If everyone knows the truth but me // I still wanna believe,” He sings. “That she’s just down in Mexico with a few of her girlfriends…Tonight I’m getting by // On three chords and a lie.”

In the end, Larry Fleet says that he hopes his unconventional road to success will inspire others who are struggling to break into the industry. In many ways, he owes his rising stardom to Jake Owen who befriended the singer back in 2017 before taking him on the road. Ultimately, this led to Fleet signing with Big Loud Records in 2019, and releasing his major label debut today.

He says, “After years of trying to do something in music, I was like ‘it’s just not working.’ I’m going to do something that is going to make me a living.” Yet, after leaving music for a more steady living in construction, fate and Owen stepped in. “Quitting my job and going out with Jake, and giving this thing a go, I think has inspired people, because ya gotta take chances. You gotta go for it, if you have something you want to say.”

On Larry Fleet’s album Stack of Records, he has a lot to say, and he says it oh-so-well. With his honest lyrics, staggering vocals, and country grit, he’s sure to be appearing in many people’s stacks of records (or Spotify playlists) for years to come.

Stack of Records Tracklist

  1. Stack of Records (Larry Fleet, Be Hayslip, Eric Paslay)
  2. Lifetime Guarantee (Larry Fleet, Chris Gelbuda, Brett James)
  3. Where I Find God (Larry Fleet, Connie Rae Harrington)
  4. Quittin’ Ain’t Workin’ (Larry Fleet, Rhett Akins, Will Bundy)
  5. Different Shade of Red (Larry Fleet, Lindsay Rimes, Michael Whitworth)
  6. A Life Worth Living (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brett James)
  7. Hurt Feelings (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
  8. Church Parking Lot (Larry Fleet, Lindsay Rimes, Michael Whitworth)
  9. In Love With My Problems ft. Jon Pardi (Larry Fleet, Jake Mitchell, Josh Thompson)
  10. Three Chords and a Lie (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brett Tyler)
  11. Never Wanna Meet Another Woman (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Lydia Vaughan)
  12. Heart On My Sleeve (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Jeff Hyde)
  13. One For The Road (Larry Fleet, Emily Fox Landis, Logan Wall)
  14. “Highway Feet (feat. Jamey Johnson & Bryan Sutton)” [Bonus] – (Larry Fleet, Jamey Johnson)**
    **Bonus track available on physical album and album download

Our Picks:

  1. “Stack of Records”
  2. “In Love With My Problems
  3. “Highway Feet”
  4. “Hurt Feelings”
larry-fleet-new-album

Larry Fleet’s brand new record ‘Stack of Records’ is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Larry Fleet releases.

To keep up with Larry Fleet follow Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Larry Fleet’s album, Stack of Records, is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

opening-acts-summer-2021

Get to Know the Opening Acts of Summer 2021’s Hottest Country Music Tours

/in , , /by

All of the greats we know and love today were once the opening acts, too. Get to know today’s openers from summer 2021’s hottest country music tours.

Not only did your favorite superstars reunite with the stage this past summer, but your future favorite entertainers had the opportunity to share it with them this country concert season as well. Country music is famous for having incredible ‘superstars-to-be’ open for their major tours, and here at Country Swag, we have your guide to all the of the show openers. Learn more about this year’s opening acts below.

Tenille Arts just earned her first #1 on country radio with the smash “Somebody Like That”, following the release of her second studio album, Love, Heartbreak & Everything In Between. All her hard work is paying off this year, as she gears up for new releases and as summer set in, Arts found herself as the opening act on on Lady A’s ‘What A Song Can Do Tour’. Tenille Arts is without a doubt one of the best vocalists and songwriters of this new class of country artists and if you caught the show, you will probably agree.

Matt Stell, one of our artists to watch and Live Swag Session alums is taking over country music one single at a time. His debut single, “Prayed For You” is one of the most popular love songs in country music, and his new single, “That Ain’t Me No More” has been sent to country radio. This summer, he joined Old Dominion and Miranda Lambert on their respective run of shows.

Lainey Wilson and HARDY were both opening acts for Jason Aldean’s ‘Back In The Saddle Tour’ and if you caught the show, you know they rightfully earned their time in the spotlight. This isn’t the first time the two have toured together either; they opened for Morgan Wallen on his first headline tour over two years ago. HARDY and Wilson both released critically acclaimed albums in the past year (A ROCK and Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’, respectively) and as those albums indicated, their fiery songs got fans up and out of their seats each and every night just as fast as they sat down in them!

The full list of country tours and their opening acts are listed below. One of the best feelings is when you go to a show not knowing the opener and leaving a forever fan. If that rings true for the show’s you attended this year, be sure to remember their names, follow them on socials, stream the music and get ready to see those artists when they head back your way. For New York City country fans, head to our calendar to find out when the next shows in the area are.

SUMMER 2021 TOURS:

Blake Shelton
Lindsay Ell
Martina McBride
Trace Adkins
Tracy Byrd

Brad Paisley
Jimmie Allen
Kameron Marlowe

Brett Eldredge
Morgan Evans

Brothers Osborne
Tenille Townes
Travis Denning

Dan + Shay
Band Camino
Ingrid Andress

Dierks Bentley
Parker McCollum
Riley Green

Ingrid Andress
Georgia Webster

Jason Aldean
HARDY
Lainey Wilson

Kane Brown
Restless Road

Lady A
Carly Pearce
Tenille Arts

Little Big Town
Caitlyn Smith
Hailey Whitters

Luke Bryan
Caylee Hammack
Dylan Scott

Old Dominion
Blanco Brown
Caitlyn Smith
Matt Stell
Randy Houser
Scotty McCreery
Walker County

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming announcements and releases.

Make sure to follow Country Swag on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to keep up with all the latest in country music!

Check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

seaforth-new-music-new-tour

[Interview] Seaforth Soars To New Heights with New Music & Upcoming Tour

/in , , /by

As Seaforth’s Tom Jordan and Mitch Thompson hit the road on tour with Jordan Davis this fall, we caught up with the duo to learn about their new music and what to expect next in our exclusive interview below.

Quarantine was not easy for anybody last year – especially for musicians who are always entertaining. For Seaforth, the Australian duo took that time to create their best work yet. We chatted with the singer-songwriters about everything from producing bedroom pop-country to touring the country.

Seaforth’s latest singles, “Breakups” and “Close Enough” were both produced by Tom Jordan of Seaforth. Most country acts work with outside producers when making music, but to see the band do this themselves helps create a completely new take on their sound.

“We’ve worked with a lot of amazing producers since moving to Nashville, and through that, you learn how production works. Last year, through quarantine, it became more difficult to work with other people, because no one could go anywhere. So we decided to do it ourselves,” Jordan shared.

It’s incredible to see the duo grow into their new sound. Since they’re producing the music themselves, it truly has mixes of all of their own influences and the songs they have on repeat like Keith Urban (Thompson’s pick) and John Mayer (Jordan’s pick). There are hints of country, indie, and 80s pop throughout their tracks.

“We’re going to do it all ourselves now. It’s really fun to do it like that, because you have full creative control over what you do and how it sounds. It feels really authentic when you’re putting it out.”

When it comes to collaborating with other artists, (like their smash hit with Mitchell Tenpenny, “Anything She Says”), Thompson shared, “we have songs that we think would be perfect for other people, so we are trying to figure out what makes the most sense. Nothing is locked in yet, but we have a song that we want to get a woman in country on that we think would be amazing. Stay tuned.”

Seaforth joins Jordan Davis on his Buy Dirt Tour, which kicked off earlier this month and runs through December. To find out if they’re playing a show near you, click here. The duo has put in a lot of work to get to where they are, and it’s paying off.

Join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Seaforth announcements and releases.

To keep up with Seaforth, follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Woman of the Month: Kerri Edwards

/in , /by

In Country Swag’s “Woman of the Month” series, we’re bringing you stories from women who are chasing their dreams and building a life that they love.

Each month, we highlight a different female pursuing her passions. Introducing you to women who are taking risks, working relentlessly, and turning their dreams into reality. These are empowering women of the country music community, and beyond, who serve as role models and should be celebrated.

Kerri Edwards

“I think I’m most proud of not only the artists that are trusting me with their career and their livelihoods, but I’m proud of the artists that I’m getting to do that with because I truly believe in them.” – Kerri Edwards

This month, we celebrate Kerri Edwards, President, KP Entertainment as our September 2021 Woman of the Month.

Edwards is a woman and a business owner that we truly admire. She is authentic, passionate, and compassionate- a true pioneer in the music industry. In our conversation, Edwards shared her story, her love for country music and the artists she works with, as well as, tips for women hoping to break into the music industry.

Growing up in a small town in West Virginia, Edwards was always drawn to music. “I grew up a music fan,” she shared. “My music taste back in high school and even college, it was very broad. I liked the Pop, the hairbands, country.” She later added, “I really did just bounce around, it just kind of depended on the day.”

Despite an early love for music, Edwards shared “working in the music industry never even entered my mind like as a job.” It was not until she went to Lipscomb University in Nashville did the idea start to develop. As a communications major looking for an internship her senior year, Edwards found herself with an opportunity to intern at (then) Arista Records.

“At a [music] festival in West Virginia, I was introduced to a lady backstage named Denise Nichols. She worked at Arista Records at the time,” declares Edwards. “I went to intern there and worked in their radio promotions department.” Soon after Edwards realized she had stumbled upon something special. “I fell in love with it, I was just enamored by the whole deal, I was like I can’t believe this is a job.”

After her internship, she earned a job at the label, working as an assistant in the A&R department. “I didn’t know what I was diving into,” she began, adding later, “I couldn’t have planned it any better. It couldn’t have been a more perfect fit for myself.” During this role, Edwards found herself in a position where she would be a champion for the songs, something she was very passionate about.

“The fact that I got to hear songs on the front of them, worktapes, demos, be a part of selecting things that you think are a hit and you get to share it with your artist roster, it was just unbelievable. Just the fact that I was exposed to so many amazing, gifted, talented human beings was incredible.”

After a merger at the record label, Edwards, along with many others at the company, found herself unemployed. It was at this time that she decided to switch gears and enter the world of publishing. “My instinct was to go to publishing because it was still on the song side of things, so that’s kind of what I did.” Shortly after beginning at an independent publishing company, Edwards would meet a young songwriter and her career trajectory would take a major turn. That songwriter’s name was Luke Bryan.

“He had just gotten signed there as a writer, right before I got hired to pitch songs. He was a brand new writer, assigned to me,” she shared about her budding relationship with Bryan. Eventually, after seeing him play at a club in Georgia, she realized how special his talent truly was. “It just became a little passion project,” said Edwards, about her championing Bryan from his start.

Flash forward to today, Edwards owns her own management company called KP Entertainment. Her roster includes artists like Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, Dylan Scott, and many others. Since managing the careers of these artists, Edwards has gotten the opportunity to watch them succeed both personally and professionally.

She recalls the night that both Bryan and Swindell won coveted awards at the ACM’s back in 2015. As Bryan took home Entertainer of the Year and Swindell was awarded Best New Artist, Edwards shared how proud she felt of them and her entire team in that moment. “That night the fact that legit Luke [who was also hosting the show] could not stop worrying about Cole was just so awesome in his own way,” she added.

Although she has had great success and many ‘wins’ in her career, the human side of her job is what always stands out the most. “I want them to be proud of who they represent,” she shared of her staff, adding “It’s about building a team and getting the right people.” Edwards continues to hire employees who have a passion first and come with positive energy over those who have the most experience for this exact reason.

At the end of our conversation, we of course had to ask Edwards one last question. When asked about the advice she would give to women trying to break into the country music industry, she shared simple, yet profound advice that we all can embody. “Find your passion and find something that you believe in that much and go get it,” adding, “If you believe in it, you keep pushing it, you keep going for it, you got this.”

To keep up with Kerri Edwards, follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

 

* Interview Conducted by: Stephanie Wagner // Written by: Erica Zisman for Country Swag

larry-fleet-new-album

5 Things to Expect from Larry Fleet’s Album ‘Stack Of Records’

/in , , /by

We chatted with country artist Larry Fleet about his brand new album Stack Of Records due out this Friday, September 24th. Here are five things to expect from the project.

  1. Larry Fleet believes in the power of a song, which is evident on this new record.

“You gotta have something you want to say, and my thing was I just always wrote honest stuff, and tried to keep it simple and honest, I think that has inspired people.”

 

  1. The singer co-wrote all fourteen tracks off Stack of Records, but it was not intentional.

“A good song is a good song. There’s so many good songwriters in Nashville, and my thing is, you don’t have to write every song, but it just worked that way. Because I have a different type of writing style and what I’m trying to do is put out honest, simple songs that mean something and connects with people.”

 

  1. Fleet did not initially intend to become an artist, but this record puts his artistry out on full display.

“I’ve been writing songs for a long time. I never wanted to be an artist. I just wanted to be a songwriter. That’s where my passion is in the songwriting, so I always take a lot of time and a lot of pride in writing a good song, that’s where it all begins.”

 

  1. One of the songs off the record features his now friend and old tour mate, Jon Pardi.

“When I wrote “In Love With My Problems,” I sent it to him and he liked the song. […] When we recorded the song, he was like ‘this song is awesome,’ and I was like come sing it with me.”

 

  1. Jamey Johnson also lent his voice to Fleet’s record after a Zoom write led the two to create an incredible song called “Highway Feet.”

“Johnson said, ‘let’s just write a song about going back out on the road.’ […] This is kinda our “On The Road Again” [Willie Nelson].”

larry-fleet-new-album

Larry Fleet’s new album Stack Of Records is due out this Friday, September 24th.

Check back here on Friday, September 24th for our full review of Larry Fleet’s new record Stack Of Records.

To keep up with Larry Fleet follow Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Larry Fleet releases.

* Interview Conducted by: Stephanie Wagner // Written by: Erica Zisman for Country Swag

Who Is Belles? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

/in , , /by

Who is Belles? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

The Beginning:

Country music touches fans all across the United States. Our Swag Spotlight artist this week, Belles is a shining example of that. Growing up in the middle of the country in Omaha, Nebraska, Belles fell in love with country music at an early age. She spent her childhood watching her mom on tour and falling in love one song at a time.

“I always wanted to do music, ever since I was a little kid. I wanted to be just like my mom and my aunts, and my grandma,” she begins. “My grandma was actually a Jazz singer in Chicago and then my mom was in a Pop band with her three sisters.” Despite the fact that her mom was in a Pop band, Belles credits her mother for introducing her to country music.

“I grew up listening to The Judds and Brooks & Dunn, and 90s country like Shania [Twain] and then Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, the [Dixie] Chicks were a huge influence,” shared the songstress. Belles also mentioned a love for artists like Dolly Parton, John Mayer, The Civil Wars, and Kacey Musgraves.

Although her grandmother had taught her to sing at an early age, it was not until she was fourteen that she started to perform. “When I was about 14, my mom was kind of playing coffee shops around Omaha and writing her own songs, and I asked to be her backup singer. It took a little bit of convincing,” she shares. Adding later, “Eventually she said yes and that kind of slowly turned into us becoming a duo.”

The Turning Point:

Belles took a short hiatus from music, when she followed the more traditional route after high school. She went to college for two years to pursue a degree in Chemistry with the hopes of becoming a doctor. “I ended up not really loving Chemistry,” she laughs. “I really just loved music and so after two years of that, I ended up moving to Nashville and started to write songs and meet as many people as I could.”

At nineteen years old, Belles made the move to Music City. Since being in the country music capital, the songstress worked to craft her songwriting and cultivate her artistry. She did not originally set out to pursue country music, but the organic nature of the genre captivated her. “I run the gamut of genres, but ultimately though, I just love country music,” declared Belles.

During her time in Nashville, Belles got a call from her friend and entertainer JoJo Siwa asking her to audition as an opener for Siwa’s tour. The songstress nailed the audition and Belles and her mother opened at arenas across the world for Siwa for an 82-city arena tour.

Although not used to the down time, the singer-songwriter continued to write songs even during quarantine, writing with anyone who wanted to write with her. “My goal was to write at least one song during every work day […] Through that, I grew so much as songwriter and as an artist.” She lated added, “I will always look back at it as a very pivotal time in my career.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Belles is making the transition to become her own artist, rather than a band with her mother and brother. She has already released her EP entitled All Hat No Cowboy. The record both introduces fans to her talent, as well as, showcases her personality.

“I like to write songs from a really strong female point of view, so when I was crafting this EP, I was really picking out songs that I felt like encapsulated my journey, a little bit of coming of age during the pandemic, and being this strong female figure that is really important to me,” she shared.

Belles also let us know that the EP was only supposed to be four tracks, but after a couple of songs went viral on TikTok, she knew she had to include them. “So I chose most of the songs and the people chose some of them as well.”

One song in particular, “Human Kindness”, was written during the pandemic and truly captures the emotive side of Belles. On the other hand, the title track, “All Hat No Cowboy” was one of the singer’s favorite tunes, but it almost did not make the project. Belles ultimately included the song because fans fell in love with it on social media.

Clearly this is only the beginning for Belles! After another stint out on the road for January through March with her mother and Siwa, the songstress promises there is more coming! “For the rest of the year, I’m going to be writing and playing a bunch of writer’s rounds here in Nashville and definitely playing shows next summer.” Another EP is likely on the horizon!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Belles announcements and releases.

To keep up with Belles, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Belles’ music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

lainey-wilson-number-one

Lainey Wilson Scores First Number One with “Things A Man Oughta Know”

/in , , /by

Lainey Wilson scores her first number one single with “Things A Man Oughta Know.” The song is her lead single of her major-label record Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin.

Fiery newcomer, Lainey Wilson is one of our favorite new artists in country music. During her live shows, she mesmerizes fans and truly takes over the stage. Although her record Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin only came out in February, the project already houses a hit song. Wilson’s debut single “Things A Man Oughta Know” is officially the number one song on country charts.

The lead single captivated fans and industry almost instantly. We have watched it steadily climb up the charts over the last several months. With each milestone hit, it has been so exciting watching the single rise. Wilson helps to break the mold for all of the incredibly talented female artists out there who are just not getting enough radio play.

“How to know when it’s love // How to stay when it’s tough // How to know you’re messin’ up a good thing // And how to fix it ‘fore it’s too late // And yeah, I know a boy // Who gave up and got it wrong // If you really love a woman, you don’t let her go // Yeah, I know a few things a man oughta know”

The song itself is all about a woman teaching a few lessons to a man. It breaks gender stereotypes in a way that is both enticing and important. Wilson is a true star in the making. We cannot wait to see her star continue to rise, as more and more fans flock to her shows! Congrats to Wilson and her team on the number one!

Join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Lainey Wilson announcements and releases.

To keep up with Lainey Wilson, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Things A Man Oughta Know” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.