Nashville Murals To Visit for the Perfect Instagram Pictures + Captions

/in , /by

We mentioned in our Perfect Weekend in Nashville Guide that visiting some of the fantastic murals in Nashville is a must, but now we’re giving you the inside scoop into some of our favorite murals that Music City has to offer, their locations, and of course, the perfect captions to go with your Instagram picture!

 

1. “I Believe in Nashville”
2702 12th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37204 // 1402 Clinton Street, Nashville, TN 37203

This coveted mural is one of the most photographed in all of Nashville. It’s all about Nashville pride, and it’s the perfect introduction into Nashville’s unique vibes. The original is located in the 12 South area, but you can also take your photo in front of the identical one located near Marathon Music Works.

Caption: Country music made be do it.

 

Nashville Murals Looking Pretty

2. “Looking Pretty, Music City”
2709 12th Avenue South Nashville, TN, 37203

Located on the side of the new Madewell store is this cutesy new addition to the 12 south area. This mural epitomizes the vibrancy of Nashville, and we especially love the unique saying that is plastered across the brightly designed wall.

Caption: “I woke up in Nashville, but it still felt like a dream”- Sean Ennis (Woke Up In Nashville)

 

3. “What Lifts You Up” Wings
302 11th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203

Arguably the most popular mural in Nashville is this one created by artist, Kelsey Montague. Right in the heart of the Gulch, you’ve got to get your picture taken in front of the big wings or even sitting in front of the tiny ones.

Caption: “I forgot I had dreams, I forgot I had wings”- Kelsea Ballerini (Miss Me More)

 

4. “What Lifts You Up” Hot Air Balloon
1034 W Eastland Avenue Nashville TN, 27206

Created by the same artist, you have to head to the newly gentrified area of East Nashville for this mural. Complete with a hot air balloon basket to pose in, this one is probably one of the cutest murals currently in Music City. The East Nashville mural is just across the street too in case you want to snap a shot of that one, while you’re at it!

Caption: High on good vibes and good music in Nashville.

 

Nashville Murals

5. “Nashville Looks Good On You”
2511 12th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37204

Before you go home, you’ve got to snap your picture in front of this classic black and white masterpiece. It’s located on the side of a popular coffee shop, The Frothy Monkey, just outside 12 South.

Caption: “I like it, I love it, I want some more of it”- Tim McGraw (I Like It, I Love It)

 

Colorful Mural

6. Geometric Colorful “The Nashville Walls Project” Mural
299 11th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203

Located in the Gulch, you can find two murals side by side, situated in the parking lot across from a quaint brunch spot called Milk and Honey. The mural is a colorful and abstract, making the perfect backdrop for your next Insta photo.

Caption: “Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing?” – Pablo Picasso

 

7. Flower Garden Mural
1900 12th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203

Hidden on the side of a salon, the floral mural is the most charming compilation of beautiful flowers. The colors and vibrant imagery will make your Instagram picture stand out. Wear something monochromatic to pop against the colorful backdrop!

Caption: “I fell for you in springtime, I needed something new”- Jill & Kate (Nashville)

 

 

Kindness Is

8. “Kindness Is…”
1120 4th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37203

Nestled in the charming town of Germantown, is the kind mural created by supporters of @thekindway. It’s a simple floral art piece with the words “Kindness is and a blank space on it, aimed towards inviting others to define kindness.

Caption: Kindness is Free. Key. Love.

 

Draper James

9. Draper James mural
2608 12th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203

Superstar Reese Witherspoon recently opened up her own clothing store called Draper James. The southern-inspired boutique even has a mural to go with it! On the side of the store, you’ll find both a Draper James logo with a bench to pose on, as well as, a wall of charming blue and white vertical stripes to take your picture in front of. Both make for a cute and endearing photograph! Bonus: It’s right across the street from the “I Believe In Nashville” mural.

Caption: Earning my stripes in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

It's GOnna Be OK Mural

10. “It’s Gonna Be O.K.”
3020 Charlotte Avenue Nashville, TN 37204

Sometimes we all need a reminder that things will work out, and that’s what this Nashville mural does. We love how it quietly highlights mental health awareness. This mural is one of the many that are hidden on this stretch of road in Nashville. Snap your photo in front of this charming reminder, but be careful to look out for cars!

Caption: Just a reminder, when you’re having a bad day…

This wraps up some of our favorite current murals! The art scene is thriving in Nashville, and there are more popping up all over the city each and every day. Make sure to tag us in your mural photos, so we can check out some of your favorites!

 

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Lauren Alaina Joins Star Studded Cast of Dancing with the Stars

/in /by

Lauren Alaina Dancing with the Stars

Announced this morning on Good Morning America is the new star-studded cast of Dancing with the Stars for this fall.

“The Road Less Traveled” singer, Lauren Alaina joins Karamo Brown from Netflix’s Queer Eye, the lastest Bachelorette Hannah Brown, Dawson’s Creek actor James Van Der Beek, NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, Kate Flanery who played Meredith on The Office, Ally Brooke from Fifth Harmony, basketball player Lamar Odom, actor Kel Mitchell, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, supermodel Christie Brinkley and Mary Wilson from The Supremes.

Be sure to root for Lauren Alaina when the show premieres on Monday, September 16th, on ABC.

Follow the journey with Lauren Alaina by following her on Instagram & Facebook.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

15 of The Best Country Songs + Lyrics for a New Relationship

/in , /by

There are not many feelings that rival that of embarking into a new relationship. We all know how smitten we feel when we first start dating someone new. Falling in love with someone new is a feeling we all cherish, and even though it’s scary, it’s the best.

As always country music provides us with the soundtrack to our lives, so here are some of the best country lyrics from some contemporary country musicians to express how you feel in a new relationship or even to caption your cute couple’s photos with on Instagram!

New Relationship Lyrics
1. “Somebody’s Got Me”- Mitchell Tenpenny
“Somebody’s got me calling up my mama / A little nervous, saying that I’m falling”

2. “Redneck Love Song”- Morgan Wallen
“I love the fact that you fell for a good ol’ boy like me / I love your long kiss and I love your long hair / I want to shout it out from the town square / That I love you”

3. “Catch”- Brett Young
“The way you smile / And I can’t help myself / Girl you got me tryna catch my breath”

4. “The Feels”- Maren Morris
“It kinda makes me wanna be / Alone with you, home with you / Little love drunk stoned with you / I need a minute ‘cause, boy, you’re give me the feels”

5. “Your Woman”- Hannah Ellis
“Showing up in every room, working that me and you energy / More than anything, man I love to be / Your woman, I’m your woman”

6. “Whole Lot in Love”- Austin Burke
“Yeah I’m a little bit unsure what the hell I’m supposed to do / But I’m a whole lot in love with you, I’m a whole lot in love with you”

7. “Unapologize”- Carrie Underwood
“And with one kiss I was a runaway train flying off the track to you / “I love you” came flooding out”

8. “Forever Girl”- Jon Langston
“Cant’ explain what it does to me / She’s everything in my whole world / That’s my forever girl”

9. “Nothin’ Like You”- Dan + Shay
“You got all of my attention / And you ain’t even trying / Yeah, you’re my kind of different / And I never seen nothin’ / Nothin’ like you”

10. “Yours”- Russell Dickerson
“I came to life when I first kissed you / The best me has his arms around you / You make me better than I was before / Thank God I’m Yours”

11. “Butterflies”- Kasey Musgraves
“And out of the blue / I fell for you / Now you’re lifting me up, instead of holding me down / Stealing my heart instead of stealing my crown”

12. “Beautiful Crazy”- Luke Combs
“Well it kinda scares me the way that she drives me wild / When she drives me wild / Beautiful, crazy, she can’t help but amaze me”

13. “Good, Bad & Ugly”- Runaway June
“How’d I get so lucky finding someone so true / I must’ve done something right in another life / To get somebody like you”

14. “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere”- Chad Brownlee
“This could be the first night of the rest of our lives / We started something right here / You called it crazy, but I think we’ll make it / Forever’s gotta start somewhere”

15. “I Knew It Was You”- Nick Wayne
“It’s hard to explain how there was no second guessin’, no maybes / I know it sounds crazy, but I knew it was you”

What We’re Listening To: August Picks

/in , /by

NYCountry Swag’s “What We’re Listening To” playlist highlights the wide range of our team’s favorite songs and artists when it comes to the country music genre.  At the end of the day, we are all fans first with a passion for country music and are eager to share with you all what we’ve got on repeat each month.

Find below each of our team member’s favorite songs and why in our August picks. Then be sure to give our Spotify account a follow and listen to our favorite tracks!

 

AUGUST PICKS:

 

Stephanie Wagner, Founder

Pick: “Slow Down Hometown” – Brandon Ratcliff
Songwriters: A.J Babcock, Brandon Ratcliff, Peter Good, Shane McAnally

This month I’m listening to Brandon Ratcliff’s latest release “Slow Down Hometown”. The track just officially came out a few days ago, but our team heard it a few months back during his intimate set in New York City with Sofar Sounds.

The song is written as a love letter to your hometown and is completely relatable to anybody who has grown up in that small-town environment. That feeling of growing up and moving on, there’s a new generation of kids running the town and making their own memories. It’s a point of life you think you’re never going to hit until you do.

“Didn’t think you could go on without me // Thought these streets revolved around me // But I outgrew you, couldn’t hold me // Never thought that you’d outgrow me too // Used to think that I hated you // Now I wonder what I’d be if I stayed with you”

Whether leaving for college or a career or just a change in a new city, “Slow Down Hometown” is the perfect song to sum up those feelings of leaving “home”.

 

Christina Bosch, Managing Editor 

Pick: “Mothers” – Thomas Finchum
Songwriters: Andy Skib, Thomas Finchum, Catt Gravitt

Thomas Finchum’s latest release grabbed my attention from the first time I saw the title. As a new mom, “Mothers” highlights the important job that I have and so many face each day, raising boys to be good men. With the sweetest voice, melodically the track is simple and showcases Finchum’s songwriting skills.

“Mothers do your best to raise ’em up, try not to hold ’em down, they’ll come around / Mothers, let ’em go you can let ’em fall, and if they hit the ground they’ll figure it out / Yeah, sons learn the world from their fathers, they’ll get even farther if they learn how to treat a lady, love a girl from their mothers”

“Mothers” is a testament to hoping that the world can change and that these boys that we are raising will one day respect women the way that they respect and love their moms. The bond between a mom and her son is extraordinary and as “Mothers” comes to a close, the line “Do your best to raise them up” repeats over and over, like a prayer and a plea.

 

Dylan Bestler, Contributing Writer

Pick: “What I Can’t Put Down” – Jon Pardi
Songwriters: Bart Butler, Brice Long, Jon Pardi

“An old Pardi song but a good one. In “What I Can’t Put Down”, he sings about things he tried for the first time and couldn’t let go since, like cigarettes, his girl, playing music and Jack Daniels. I think it’s funny how Pardi’s third single back in 2014 was one about his hankering for Jack Daniels and five years later in 2019 is singing about breaking up with the whiskey in one of his latest songs “Me and Jack”.

Pardi opened his set at Jones Beach with this track and it was the first time I really listened to it. Ever since then, I’ve had it stuck in my head. Pardi was the artist that got me into the traditional sounding country music and I’m very excited for his upcoming album.”

 

Julia Grubbs, Contributing Writer 

Pick: “Where Were You” – Eli Young Band
Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Luke Dick, Matt Jenkins

“As I’m trying to get in my last moments of summer, but gearing up for fall, I feel this song has the beats to keep you moving, but it’s not quite “summer party” vibes, serving as the perfect transition song to a season with a bit more chill. We all know our own stories, but how well do we know the significant moments that made other people who they are? These lyrics prompt the listener to reflect on their own past, and maybe initiate some curiosity to get to know the people around them a little deeper. When you finally found yourself, where were you?”

 

Molly Holmberg, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Me and Jack” – Jon Pardi
Songwriters: Bart Butler, Jon Pardi, Luke Laird, Rhett Akins

“Jon Pardi’s new single “Me and Jack” was the song this month that totally made me replay it over and over again. The similarities between this song and most of Johnny Cash’s really hit the mark with what Pardi was trying to accomplish. The chorus is full of reasons why he hates Jack and makes for such an easy relation for anyone listening. “Me and Jack don’t get along no more / He’s high up on the shelf while I’m lyin’ on the floor / He makes me do things I’ve never done before // He makes me cuss, he makes me fight / Don’t know what I did last night / Should’ve left his ass at the liquor store / Naw, me and Jack don’t get along no more.” With fiddles and steel guitars, Pardi continues to showcase himself as one of the few that are keeping traditional country mainstream these days.”

 

Abby Kaye-Phillips, Contributing Writer 

Pick: “First Last Name” – Madison Kozak
Songwriters: Claire Douglas, James Slater, Madison Kozak

“It’s rare that a song gives me immediate chills the first time I hear it, but that happened with “First Last Name”. I first heard the song at a female writer’s round in Nashville, long before it was released, and you could hear the entire room getting choked up by the time she hit the first chorus. Country music has a lot of great father-daughter songs, but this ballad is a beautiful testament to the bond a girl has with her dad, and how it’s irreplaceable. Even once you’re married, you never forget where you came from, and your father will always be your first last name.

“He’s the son of a salesman / A short glass old fashion / How’s your car been running lately / Call your mama when you get home safely / He’s sawdust and stain / My heart, my John Wayne / My first last name”

Pick: “All Nighter” – Cole Swindell
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jon Nite, Ross Copperman

My August pick is “All Nighter” by Cole Swindell. I don’t think that it’s a secret that Swindell is my favorite artist, so when a new song comes out, it is always on repeat. With summer already almost over, “All Nighter” is the perfect reminder to soak up every minute you have with your loved one before going back to reality with school, work, etc.

We still have three songs to go for the new Down Home Sessions EP, and I can’t wait to see what is in store.

 

Tricia Murdy, Contributing Writer

Pick: “The Good Ones” – Gabby Barrett
Songwriters: Emily Landis, Gabby Barrett, Jim McCormick, Zachary Kale

Gabby Barrett’s second single is a very different tone and a tune than her first one “I Hope”. She went from scorning a lying cheating ex to appreciating the current love in her life. She wrote this song about her American Idol co-star turned fiancé, Cade Foehner. It’s always nice to hear a country song that’s straight from the heart, positive and not about heartbreak. This is one of those songs.

“You’ll know him when you see him/By the way he looks at me/You’d say he hung the moon/I’d say he hung the galaxy/Nobody does it better/Oh the way he pulls me in/I’ve known a couple bad ones/But they all led me to him/He’s one of the good ones.”

It’s about that real true love that makes you understand why it never worked out with anyone. Can’t wait to see the future love songs that come from this beautiful relationship her and Foehner have!”

 

Nicole Piering, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Workin’ On The Whiskey” – Trisha Yearwood
Songwriters: Dave Thomson, Jessica Mitchell, Patricia Conroy

“There are few artists who can convey a song like Trisha Yearwood. On “Workin’ On the Whiskey,” Yearwood belts her way through the torchy track, proving that she’s still one of country music’s most powerful voices. Her performance here is absolutely stellar, truly telling the tale of a woman dealing with lost love by “workin’ on the whiskey.”

“I start seein’ things I shouldn’t see/ And wanting things I shouldn’t be/ And wrestlin’ with the memory/ That won’t let me go,” Yearwood belts. “I’ve tried and tried to give you up/ But once you’ve had the strong stuff/ Nothin’ else will be enough, so I’ll be/ workin’ on whiskey.”

Following in the footsteps of the single, “Every Girl in this Town,” this song is a preview of Yearwood’s forthcoming album, Every Girl, (due out August 30), and I couldn’t be more excited.”

 

Sara Schonmann, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Three Chords & The Truth” – Chase Rice
Songwriters: Chase Rice, Jon Nite, Ross Copperman

“Late songwriter Harlan Howard has written countless songs for notable country artists. He famously noted that “Country music is three chords and the truth.” After being a country fan for quite some time now I truly believe that is the case. Chase Rice brings this claim to life with his track, “Three Chords & The Truth.” The chorus takes listeners to the reasons why people do certain things such as, “Why we break up, fall back in love/ Why we roll around in the bed of a truck/ Why we all stop and hear that one.” It then wraps up with Rice noting, “We get lost in a song or two/ The world don’t move and all I need is you/ And three chords & the truth.” The country star’s intention for listeners to take away through this track is to appreciate the simplicity of country music. The simplicity of country music also has an intense impact it has on people’s lives which is being highlighted through Rice’s song. This genre of music makes its listeners feel an abundance of emotions with the ease of only three chords on the guitar and the raw truthful lyrics of country songwriters.

After just returning from a vacation from Nashville, Tennessee (the heart of country music) I can attest that country music can bring people together from all over the world. Meeting individuals throughout Nashville tours from the north, south, east, and west of the continental U.S. surprised me. However, this was not as surprising as the Australian and European country music fans that filled up the back of a Nashville tour bus and cheered as loud as they could at the Grand Ole Opry. There is no doubt that country music connects individuals all over the globe. The unity of this genre of music has solidified the power of ‘three chords and the truth.”

 

Christine Sellers, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Hotel Key” – Old Dominion
Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen

“I recently heard Old Dominion’s song, “Hotel Key” on my local country station. It’s a fun and upbeat track and I can’t help but sing every word of the chorus. The guitar and percussion sounds on the track are also great and really add to the song’s fun vibe. I’ve had this song on repeat for the last couple of months and I am excited to start checking out more of Old Dominion’s music.”

 

Danielle Tornatore, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Anything She Says” – Mitchell Tenpenny feat. Seaforth
Songwriters: Mitchell Tenpenny, Mitchell Thompson, Tom Jordan, Jordan Schmidt, Andrew Albert

“Mitchell and Seaforth are two of my top favorite artists at the moment, so when they announced that they were collaborating on this song, I nearly lost it. It was such an unexpected collaboration but turned out to be one of my absolute favorites. This song is very Tenpenny-esque, from the opening guitar notes to the overall beat and tempo. Seaforth’s incredible vocals are a huge contribution to this tune and only make it better. It has such a chill vibe and is definitely a song I can jam out to all year round. The warm-hearted lyrics add something even more special to the song’s essence, speaking about how the guys would do absolutely anything to make their prospective women happy.

“I would wreck all of my plans / Drive until we hit the sand / Catch a sunburn while she tans / I would do, I would do / I’d do whatever she likes / Give her Christmas in July / She ain’t gotta tell me twice / I would do, I would do anything”

As if this collaboration wasn’t exciting enough, hours after the song’s release, the guys announced a tour together! I cannot wait to hear this song live when the “Anything She Says Tour” comes to New York City in December.”

 

Jaclyn Tracy, Contributing Writer

Pick: “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” – Riley Green
Songwriters: Buford Green, Lendon Bonds, Riley Green

“This month, my pick is “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” by Riley Green. From the second I saw the title of the song I was hesitant to listen to it because I knew it would definitely be really emotional. When I finally listened to it I realized that it was much more than a song about wishing your grandparents never had to leave you. It’s a song about all things country & small-town living. He talks about every porch having a swing, every Monday morning feeling just like Friday night & high school home teams never losing. I love this song so much because it left me feeling the opposite of what I expected, hopeful about some people in our world still wanting simple living, actually enjoying life in the present and living without being on our cellphones every minute.”

Shanna Vitaliano, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Southern Babylon” – Ashley McBryde
Songwriters: Ashley McBryde, Tommy Collier

“Last month, Ashley McBryde released her live performance of “Southern Babylon” in Nashville and I was instantly intrigued and captivated by the conspiratory track.

McBryde wondered “Where do musicians go when they die?” and “Southern Babylon” tells the imaginative story of just that. McBryde’s version of the afterlife is not in heaven or hell, it happens to be in purgatory for musicians. “Southern Babylon” is a bar with a neon sign and a tab that’s already open. It is a place where she can grab a guitar and play forever with the band upstairs and references classics like “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” and “Hotel California.”

I was immediately drawn to her unbelievable songwriting ability and imagination. I also think it’s incredible how McBryde answered a question she’s wondered about in just over four minutes with a little rocker’s edge and sultry flair.

 

Erica Zisman, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Single” – Lacy Cavalier
Songwriters: Johnny Dibb, Lacy Cavalier, Lauren LaRue

“I have been loving Lacy Cavalier since she released her song “Cheating On U” back in November. Her unique swagger mixed with her ease in creating emotive and relatable lyrics drew me to her music. The songstress recently released her newest EP k i’m done, and while I love every song off of it, the first song, “Single” stands out the most to me.

I decided to pick “Single” for my song of the month because it’s so honest, raw, and catchy. I feel like everyone can relate to an ex getting a new significant other so quickly after your relationship ends. Cavalier sings the words that I think we all have wanted to say to an ex. Truthfully, I would have picked the whole record for my favorite of the month because it tells a complete story from start to finish, and I so appreciate that in a collection of songs. I’m loving the girl-power that is becoming so prevalent in country music right now, and I hope to hear a lot more from Cavalier in the future!”

 

Listen to our picks on our “What We’re Listening To” playlist on Spotify and be sure to give it a follow, so you can catch our monthly updates.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard Welcomes Sweet Baby Boy

/in /by

Congratulations are in order as Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and wife, Hayley welcome sweet baby boy, Luca Reed.

Luca arrived right on time as the couple hit their due date early Monday morning (Aug 19.) born at 3:40AM in Nashville and weighing in at 8 lbs., 11 oz. and measuring 20.5 inches long. The sweet new addition joins big sister, Olivia Rose who the Hubbards welcomed in December 2017.

In an exclusive interview with People.com, Hubbard says “Hayley was absolutely amazing throughout the whole labor. She was so patient, positive, and strong. She honestly made it look easy. I feel so blessed to get to raise a family with such an incredible woman and amazing mother. She was meant for this and it’s so special to see.”

It’s been a busy year for Hubbard both professionally and personally. Back in January, just before sharing the news that Tyler and Hayley were expecting child number two, Florida Georgia Line announced that they would be hitting the road this summer on the ‘Can’t Sat I Ain’t Country’ Tour. Check out a recap of the tour when it hit New York here. Weeks later, the platinum-selling duo officially released their highly anticipated fourth studio album, Can’t Say I Ain’t Country. Check out our First Impression review of the album here. Most recently, the pair announced their next venture, a newly launched record label, Round Here Records and introduced their flagship artist: Canaan Smith.

Things do not seem to be slowing down anytime soon for the Hubbard family. To keep up with them follow Tyler on Instagram here and Hayley here, plus to keep up with Florida Georgia Line on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Congratulations to The Hubbard Family!

 

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

 

Garth Brooks Announces Additional Dive Bar Tour Dates

/in /by

Garth Brooks Dive Bar Tour

Earlier this summer, Garth Brooks announced on National Dive Bar Day via his Studio G Facebook Live that he would be teaming up with Seagram’s 7 to promote his latest single “Dive Bar” by performing at seven dive bars across the country. The first concert took place on July 15th at Joe’s On Weed in Chicago. Watch the first Facebook Live announcement below.

Next up, Brooks took to Facebook Live once again to announce the second stop in Bakersfield, California, and urged fans to tune into their local country radio station the following morning where they announced the location would be Crystal Palace.

Now with two shows of the seven under his belt, the Entertainer of the Year took to Studio G Facebook Live once again on Monday, August 19th to announce that the third stop would be in Texas! Check out the special news in the video below.

Fans can tune in to local radio tomorrow at 4:15PM where they will announce the exact location, which bar and how to get into the exclusive show.

Amazon Prime members can stream the song, which features country superstar Blake Shelton now below!

 

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

 

NYCS First Impression: Hunter Hayes ‘Wild Blue (Part 1)

/in /by

Hunter Hayes Wild Blue

Grammy award-winning, American country music star Hunter Hayes has graced the stage ever since he was a little boy. Gifted with a toy accordion at age two from his grandmother, his never-ending love for music began. At age 4, Hayes appeared on national television performing on shows such as The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Maury, and Nickelodeon’s Figure It Out. At age seven, he performed at the White House singing for President Bill Clinton. Since then he released his first critically acclaimed self-titled debut album Hunter Hayes featuring hits like “Somebody’s Heartbreak,” “I Want Crazy” and “Wanted,” and then his second acclaimed album Storyline with hits “Tattoo” and “Invisible.”

Earlier this week on TODAY, the Louisiana native announced that his new album Wild Blue (Part One) would be released on Friday, August 16th. Previously stated that the album would be dropped in October, Hayes pulled a Beyonce and dropped part one of three early. This marks the multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter’s first full-length release in four years. The first cut “Madness” stylistically embodies almost a rock feel more than any other genre and it depicts Hayes’ battle with adversity. Hayes’ has been honest with his unfamiliarity with commercial success and losing himself as an artist.

Lead single “Heartbreak” is artistically connate to that of commercial radio success and is brimming with optimism. It’s presented through a male’s perspective of heartbreak, and the lessons learned from it. “Hey baby, can I call you ‘baby’? Is that okay? // I don’t even know you, but I can’t wait to know you someday // Imagine someday, when we look back // I’ll thank my past for giving me my future better half”

“Dear God,” one of the singles released last year and has the country artist questioning the good man upstairs on why he is the way that he is. He grapples, “Why does my life have to hurt so much? Why can’t I find any peace or love?” A standout on the project, “My Song Too” looks back at a relationship that has ended and thanks the significant other for the memories such as “The night in New York City” and “The night in Napa Valley” with standout lyric, “You left me, better than you found me.” “Loving You,” a more traditional ballad similar to “Wanted” has a finger-snapping R&B vibe confessing that looking back on the memories of their relationship, that the emotions left are the ones that still hurt.

We are looking forward to Part 2 and Part 3 of Hayes’ project and watching his artistry unfold even further.

To keep up with Hunter Hayes follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Wild Blue Part 1 is now 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.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Who Is Lori McKenna? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

/in , /by

Who is Lori McKenna? The songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the superstar here…

Lori McKenna

Photo Credit: Becky Fluke

The Beginning:

Our Swag Spotlight this week is not a rising artist but an established, veteran songwriter responsible for some of the most prolific and important songs in our generation of country music. Lori McKenna was born and raised in Massachusets and still resides there today with her husband whom she married when she was 19 years old. Growing up the youngest of six children, McKenna’s family were all musical whether they sang, played in a band or wrote songs, she was immersed in the musical culture from a very young age. She jokes as she tells us that in her house it was “Jesus and James Taylor”. Other musical influences included Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Carly Simon, and Carole King to name a few, always leaning heavily into the singer-songwriter genre.

“I have the strangest voice in my family, all of my siblings can sing really pretty, what happened to me?” she laughs. “I learned over the years that even though it’s different, least I have a distinctive voice.” When she was 13 her older brother who loved to write songs taught her that once she learned three chords, she could write music and so she did. “I always wrote songs as a means of therapy, some people have a journal, instead I would write a song.”

She married Gene, whom she met in the third grade and they had three children very quickly, her eldest is now 20. She explains that it wasn’t until her third child was born that she ever even thought about letting the world hear her music. She went to open mic nights and made a record, Bittertown, which is celebrating it’s 15th anniversary this year. “I just kept following it, I always followed my music, it was always luckily a step ahead of me,” she tells us. “I battled with confidence issues, I didn’t know I was worthy of doing it outside of my house, for the most part, I’ve been so lucky that it sort of pulled me. I tell my kids to stick their neck out, even if it sounds stupid, they should try it anyway.”

The Turning Point:

The turning point in her career was Bittertown when songs from that album were pitched around Nashville, and Faith Hill decided to cut four of them. Although she didn’t grow up listening to country music, she completely understood why her lyrics identified with that audience and landed her a publishing deal in Nashville. She credits Music City with giving her some of her very best friends, the people that she co-writes all of her music with.

Today:

Now a mother of five children, McKenna made the poignant decision to keep her family together and not uproot everyone to move to Nashville. “I realized a few years back, the benefit for me and not living in Nashville is, I’m not an everyday writer, I have tons of friends that write every day, my brain just doesn’t work that way,” she laughs. “The benefit for me is, I’ve never for one second had any sort of bitterness towards the town of Nashville or the music that is created there. Every time I show up, I get off the plane and I am so excited to be there and to get in a writing room and it’s really like I get to have the best of both worlds”.

In the fifteen years since her life changed forever, McKenna has won two Grammy awards and has made history. In 2016, she became the first woman ever to win the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year two years in a row. Those two songs were “Girl Crush” which was written with Hillary Lindsey and Liz Rose and recorded by Little Big Town and “Humble and Kind” which McKenna wrote alone in her pajamas in her home in Massachusets which was later recorded by Tim McGraw. The former was written one morning in Nashville, watch the songwriters tell the story below in Opry’s series “The Write Stuff”.

McKenna says later that day they had a co-write with Kimberly and Karen from Little Big Town and when they told them about their “weird” new song, they absolutely loved it. “The five of us were just sitting there and I looked around at the room and I was teasing and I said, ‘Oh my God, I’m the only one here without a Grammy’ and Karen said, ‘Lori McKenna, we’re going to get you a Grammy’. Sure enough, at the 2016 Grammy awards, the song won for Best Country Duo/Group Performance as well as Song of the Year, winning McKenna her first Grammy award. “To have that experience with them [Hilary and Lindsey] was such a Godsend, they had done it before, they knew the process and I was experiencing this really surreal thing with my two best friends,” she explains.

The latter, “Humble and Kind” had quite a different start. McKenna tells us how she dropped her kids off at school one morning, came back to an empty house and sat around in her pajamas, essentially making a list of all of the things she and her husband would want their kids to know and what they tell them over and over again as well as those smaller things that you don’t verbalize. She sang it into her iPhone and emailed it to Tim McGraw, who immediately knew he wanted to record it. “When he was telling me about all of these ideas he had for it, once he had recorded it like the music video, I couldn’t believe it,” she admits. “I was like what is he doing with this song, it’s not some big moment, it’s just a tiny little prayer for five little kids, then when I saw what he created from it, in a million ways that song would not be what it is if it wasn’t for Tim, for what he did, the vision he had for it was so much bigger than I ever would have imagined. “

The song also went on to win a Grammy for Best Country Song as well as McKenna’s second year in a row winning Song of the Year at the CMA Awards. For country fans who love McGraw’s version, be sure to listen to McKenna’s version below, which really emulates the simple little prayer and poem she initially thought of when writing it.

In celebration of Bittertown’s 15th anniversary, McKenna just wrapped up her Return to Bittertown Tour and released two of the standouts from the project, “Stealing Kisses” and “Bible Songs”. We caught her stop at Subculture late last month and we were mesmerized by the songstress and her legendary delivery of her music.

Listen to Lori McKenna’s full catalog below and keep up with her by following on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

Morgan Wallen Joins Forces with Diplo in “Heartless”

/in /by

Diplo, Morgan Wallen, Heartless

Big Loud Records recording artist, Morgan Wallen is taking the country world by storm with his music. Met with a positive reception for his debut record If I Know Me, the singer-songwriter has already garnered two consecutive number one hits with “Up Down” featuring Florida Georgia Line, and “Whiskey Glasses.” Wallen is teaming up with a superstar in the music industry yet again, collaborating with EDM DJ and producer, Diplo on their new song “Heartless.”

After just one listen, “Heartless” is a song that already feels like a smash hit. It has all the elements of a good song- a catchy beat, relatable lyrics, and a strong vocal delivery. Wallen crushes the vocals on the new jam, wishing the girl he likes would just decide what they were and stop leaving him heartbroken. The track defies genre rules and barriers, as Wallen’s voice blurs lines.

“But why you gotta be so heartless / I know you think it’s harmless / You’re tearing me apart / And girl the hardest part is / You’re so high on attention / Taking miles from inches / Leave me in the darkness / Never finished what we started / Girl why you gotta be so heartless”

This isn’t the first time a country artist has experimented with the softer side of EDM music. The boys of FGL combined their vocals with female artist, Bebe Rexha in their record-holding “Meant to Be,” which sat at the top of the charts for 50 consecutive weeks. Kelsea Ballerini also lent her voice to The Chainsmoker’s “This Feeling,” while Maren Morris showed off her talent in Zedd and Grey’s “The Middle.” We’re excited to see which artists engage in a cross-genre collaboration next. Check out other collaborations that happened in 2018 here and some of our favorite country collaborations here.

As for Wallen, he will continue his opening gig on Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Can’t Say I Ain’t Country Tour’ through September. In the latter half of the year, the superstar in the making will join the Grand Ole Opry’s newest inductee, Luke Combs on the second leg of his ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour.’ For tickets and more information head to morganwallen.com.

To keep up with Morgan Wallen, follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Heartless” is now 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.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Don’t Miss Houston Bernard Band at Rockwood Music Hall

/in /by

Houston Bernard Band

New York City country fans, be sure to catch Houston Bernard Band this Saturday night at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 from 7-8 PM. Bernard who was born in Oklahoma gathered together a band in New England and they tour the North East and beyond. Growing up he was influenced by everyone from Dwight Yoakam to the Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen to Bryan Adams, Elvis, and even the Beatles. Currently, the band is musically influenced by the rock and roll side of country music by artists like Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, and even classic Led Zeppelin.

Their current single “Never Grow Old” is about not caring how many birthday candles are on your cake each year but how you appreciate each and every single day. It was written by Bernard along with longtime cowriter, Mary Haller and is currently streaming on Spotify. “The New York City crowd is very particular about their music because there are so many options and genres, you have to work a lot harder to impress them which is good for us because we like the challenge,” Bernard says of the fan base. “I used to live in New York City years ago so it’s great to catch up with some old friends and make some new ones.”

Be sure to head to Rockwood Music Hall this Saturday night to catch Houston Bernard Band and their infectious brand of country music. For tickets and more information click here.

To keep up with Houston Bernard Band follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

“Never Grow Old” is now 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.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook: