On Friday night (September 20th) the Very Hot Summer Tour rolled into New York City, Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Dustin Lynch, and Russell Dickerson played to a sold-out crowd at the iconic, Madison Square Garden. For our full recap of the unforgettable concert, click here. The famed venue is an exciting play for any artist, however, Dickerson who has been playing for NYC fans for years was especially emotional.
Check out the video below from the sold out MSG show where Dickerson took a moment to thank his fans, family, and team and recalled playing for NYCountry Swag years ago.
We are so grateful for Russell Dickerson and his team’s support over the years and we look forward to watching this future Entertainer of the Year continue to garner fans all over the country, and seeing people react to his live show the same way we did when watching him back in 2016, for the very first time at Libation NYC. Watch our recap video from our very first event as NYCountry Swag with Russell Dickerson below.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
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Swag spotlight alum, Travis Denning finally released new music on Friday! His new song “Heartbeat of a Small Town,” follows his infectious single, “David Ashley Parker From Powder Springs” and the clever, “After a Few.”
Denning takes a softer approach in his new track. The slow burn relies on a catchy hook and chorus with lyrics that personify a hometown. Similar to Brandon Ratcliff’s “Slow Down Hometown” and Riley Green’s “Outlaws like Us,” Denning glorifies small town living, showing his appreciation for Friday night lights at football games and the American flag. Although the song could have been generic, relying on clichés, Denning makes it personal to his own experience growing up. The personalization is both emotive and touching, making the listener want to spin it again and again.
“Southern wind blowin’ through pine trees / Coke can poppin’ in the backseat / Nothin’ like that middle-of-nowhere sound / Heartbeat of a small town / Heartbeat of a small town.”
Denning’s new song is a staple at his live shows, probably because of how important it is to the artist. Last week, he captioned an Instagram picture of the cover art with a short, but meaningful sentiment, “I love where I come from. Plain and simple. It’s one of the biggest parts of who I am. I’m excited to share a big part of that story,” adding a reminder to fans that the song would be out today.
Denning may not be a frills and production type of guy, but what you will get from him is heartfelt vocals, genuine lyrics, a whole lot of pride in his hometown and of course, country music. Catch him on tour with Riley Green, when the tour stops in New York City in December. For tickets and more information, head to travisdenning.com.
“Heartbeat of a Small Town” 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.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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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!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/travis-denning-small-town.jpg6301200Erica Zismanhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2019-09-24 11:14:452019-09-24 11:23:36Travis Denning Releases An Ode to His Home in “Heartbeat Of A Small Town”
In most major cities, ‘Kenny Day’ has become a summer favorite as superstar Kenny Chesney’s stadium tour makes its way through the country all summer long. Despite drawing record-breaking crowds with his 2018 ‘Trip Around the Sun’ Tour, Chesney announced last year that he would be taking a break from his stadium tour to hit more intimate venues, marking summer 2019 as ‘the summer without a Kenny Day’ for New York City country fans.
As all good things come to those to wait, Chesney announced this morning via his No Shoes Radio channel on Sirius XM that fans can catch him once again at stadiums nationwide next year on the ‘CHILLAXIFICATION 2020 Tour’. Joining him will be Florida Georgia Line, Old Dominion and Michael Franti & Spearhead. New York fans can once again catch him at MetLife Stadium on August 22nd. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 4th.
For NYCountry Swag followers, be on the lookout for ticket giveaways, tailgate plans, and contests as we gear up for one of our favorite days of the year. Join our Weekly Round-Up here so you don’t miss any upcoming announcements.
Check out the full list of tour dates below and visit kennychesney.com for more information.
Kenny Chesney’s Chillaxification 2020 Tour: with Florida Georgia Line, Old Dominion and Michael Franti & Spearhead
April 18 AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas
April 25 Miller Park Milwaukee, Wis.
May 2 U.S. Bank Stadium Minneapolis, Minn.
May 9 Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Fla.
May16 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Ga.
May 22 Minute Maid Park Houston, Texas
May 23 The Alamodome San Antonio, Texas
May 30 Heinz Field Pittsburgh, Pa.
June 6 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, Pa.
June 13 Busch Stadium St. Louis, Mo.
June 20 Ohio Stadium Columbus, Ohio
June 27 Nissan Stadium Nashville, Tenn.
July 11 Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City, Mo.
July 18 CenturyLink Field Seattle, Wash.
July 25 Soldier Field Chicago, Ill.
August 1 SoFi Stadium Los Angeles, Calif.
August 8 Empower Field at Mile High Denver, Colo.
August 15 Ford Field Detroit, Mich.
August 22 MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ
August 28 Gillette Stadium Foxboro, Mass. …and more dates to be announced.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
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Fresh, young and spunky, we hosted Avenue Beat for a LIVE Swag Session and boy did they impress. Three girls from a small town in Illinois, Sam, Savana, and Sami were in New York City for the very first time, celebrating their debut EP.
Avenue Beat, who are signed to a record deal with Big Machine Label Group, performed “Broke” and “Delight” for NYCountry Swag and their talent rang true from the first note to the last. Between their perfectly pitched harmonies, simple instrumentation (including Sami beatboxing) and lyrics that had our entire team beaming, these girls have the coolest swagger. Watch the full performance and interview with Avenue Beat below.
For more music from artists we’ve featured during our LIVE Swag Sessions, check out our Sessions Playlist below and give it a follow for updates.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
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Grammy winning country group, Zac Brown Band released their 6th studio album, The Owl this past Friday. This eleven-song record is one of the band’s most personal and experimental albums to date, blending all types of sounds from a variety of genres. Skrillex, Max Martin, Poo Bear, Ryan Tedder, Caroline Jones, and other songwriters contributed to the album, mashing up and blending each of their unique talents.
“Our music has always been a melting pot and lived outside of anyone single category, The Owl is no exception,” frontman Zac Brown said of the new album. “The collaborators we worked with on this album have been on my wish list for a long time and when everyone brings something new and different to the table, something special comes out of it.”
Fans got a hint of the direction Zac Brown Band was headed with The Owl when they released the lead single, “Someone I Used to Know”. Co-written by pop-star Shawn Mendes, the track has much more of a modern country sound than their previous singles. The group uses synthetic sounds after the final line of the chorus; creating a country-styled bass drop, something the group has never experimented with before. After the first listen, one might think it is another song about a lost love. When you dig deeper into the lyrics, you realize that “someone” is actually the narrator of the story and he is trying re-find himself. The music video tells the story of a high school football star who enlists in the military and comes back with PTSD. “’Someone I Used to Know’ is a touchpoint to remind people that they don’t have to be alone in what they feel,” Brown says at the end of the video. “Pain and depression doesn’t discriminate; this song is me facing that part of myself of where I want to go and not where I’ve been.”
“The Woods” starts the record off with the positive message of “just because you do something differently doesn’t mean you’re wrong” with lyrics: What floats your boat might sink mine / And what makes me smile might make you cry / You might get low, I might stay high / To each their own, ain’t that right?” Instrumentally, this is completely different from what we’ve heard from Zac Brown Band in the past. They will perform this song tonight on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
“OMW” is another pop-infused song on the album. The verses have that snapping noise you hear on pop radio and now in many country song as well. For the post-chorus, they bring in the electric guitar to get the rock n’ roll sound they love so much back involved.
“God Given” has to be the most diverse song on the album, in terms of blending genres; it’s honky-tonk meets funk. Brown surprises listeners when he breaks out into rap during the verses. The song’s message is self-explanatory, the men in the song are all fawning over this particular woman because of her looks and swagger.
“I don’t know if you notice that you’re fine as you are / I don’t understand how you keep raisin’ the bar / You know everybody wants to know who you are / I can’t wait to get you into my car”
“Warrior” was another song released before the whole album and is another dedication to the US military. Brown says the lyrics were inspired by a speech written by his friend who was part of the special operations branch of the military. It sounds like the type of track you would hear over sports highlights, hyping up a big, upcoming game. Brown sings: “No one’s born to be a warrior / No one born an average man / We made one or the other / And we try to understand”
Zac Brown Band is heavily influenced on rock n’ roll as any fan who has been to one of their live shows would know. They are known to cover a lot of songs, many of which are rock n’ roll and heavy metal. Between their two shows at Jones Beach Theater this summer, they covered songs by Rage Against The Machine, Def Leopard, Van Halen, Beastie Boys, White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Metallica and more. They have also collaborated with Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden on songs in the past. They display country-rock on The Owl in songs such as “Me and the Boys in the Band” and “Already on Fire”.
More traditional sounding country songs included “Shoofly Pie” and “Finished What We Started”, which features Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and member of The Highwomen, Brandi Carlile. “Shoofly Pie”, recorded originally by The Wood Brothers, is an upbeat song about a man’s craving of his woman’s shoofly pie. Whether the listener wants to interpret “shoofly pie” literally or metaphorically is up to them. “Finished What We Started” is much slower and describes a mutual breakup between a man and a woman. They both agree that living their unhappy lives together isn’t fair to either of them and they should finally put an end to things.
Closing out the record is “Leaving Love Behind” which serves as the album’s heart wrenching, breakup song. Although the music video features an adorable mash-up of animals in order to raise awareness and encourage fans to make a donation to Best Friends Animal Society’s Disaster Relief Fund which supports efforts helping animals displaced by disasters like Hurricane Dorian, the lyrics indicate that it’s about a love lost and the woman has found a new man to call her own. He knows that it’s probably for the best, but the “moving on” part has been very hard on him.
“I believe, yes I do / Oh, that everything we lose will be a gift in time / I believe, yes I do / The hardest part is leaving love behind”
Zac Brown Band is currently on its 2019 The Owl Tour. Recently, the group extended their Fenway Park sellout venue record with back-to-back sold-out shows during the tour’s stop in Boston, marking their eleventh consecutive sold-out show at the famed venue.
The Owl is available everywhere you buy or stream music. 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.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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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!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/the-owl-zbb.jpg6301200Dylan Bestlerhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngDylan Bestler2019-09-23 20:21:492019-09-23 20:21:49NYCS First Impression: Zac Brown Band ‘The Owl’
We’ve loved championing Hannah Ellis over the past few years, watching her career blossom and watching her release great song after great song. We realized that although we’ve featured her in a Swag Session (below) as well as had her as our guest musical artist at our very first Babes, Booze & Brunch event we haven’t really learned about her backstory so this week she is our Swag Spotlight.
Growing up in a small town, Campbellsville, Kentucky, Ellis grew up with two parents who were both wedding singers, always instilling a love for music from early on. She, of course, was influenced by 90s country, artists like Shania Twain, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw but she also listened to gospel music as well as 90s R&B.
She received a full scholarship to college but felt a pull towards making music while she was still in high school. Her parents told her that they would help fund her musical career as long as she attended school. She scheduled her classes at the University of Kentucky for the middle of the week and drove to Nashville on Fridays, making the most out of networking and making connections on the weekends. Officially making the move to Nashville after graduation in 2012 she tells us “It’s been so special, just because, doing it while you are driving back and forth from school is not ideal, but it really helped me to grow in my own way before I got here. I had the luxury of not growing up in front of my peers during those crucial discovery years.”
Back in 2017, Ellis was inducted into the CMT Next Women of Country class and most recently she joined her friends Cassadee Pope and Clare Dunn on the CMT Next Women of Country Tour which we caught when it made its stop in NYC this April. “I remember when I found out, my heart, my stomach turned over I remember going to my first ever CMT Next Woman event back in 2014 and that was the year Kelsea [Ballerini] played, it was the first time I saw her play, and ironically enough, I found this picture, Gavin DeGraw was at that event and I got a picture with him, the world is so weird,” she laughs, as she just recently wrapped up touring with the pop singer-songwriter.
Her current single, “Friends Like These” was written with Melissa Fuller and Jason Massey after Ellis had a night out with some of her friends around town. “We just started talking about how some of our favorite memories that we’ve ever made, with friends from high school or college, some of my favorites were the ones we didn’t know we were making or the ones we didn’t go out planning to make,” she says. “Even though I wrote it about my friends when I sing it for these people in the crowd, it’s my anthem to them and for them because they are who I am spending my nights with and who I am hanging out with until 3 am and I love it.”
She spent the summer promoting her new single and on the road with pop singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw. DeGraw who is most famous for songs like “Not Over You” and the theme song to One Tree Hill, “I Don’t Wanna Be” continues to impress and gain fans with his relatable lyrics, something Ellis explains she thinks is at the heart of her genre, country music. She tells us how welcoming his entire team was, how grateful she is for his mentorship during their summer together. We caught the tour last month at The Paramount out on Long Island, and we were so impressed to see Ellis perform for fans who she wouldn’t usually get to tap into on a regular country tour. “People tell me, ‘I don’t typically listen to country music but I love your stuff, you are winning me over’ and as an artist that feels so good for me personally but also good for our genre. We want others to realize we are making competitive music here.”
Looking ahead, Ellis tells us she is so excited about what is coming up in the new year and looks forward to releasing more music and meeting and making new fans. We can’t wait to continue to champion Hannah, an artist we truly love and believe in.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
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and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
Just announced, Justin Moore and Tracy Lawrence are heading out on the Outback Presents Late Nights And Longnecks Tour sponsored by ROXOR. The tour will kick off January 16th in Dodge City, KS and hit cities like Cleveland, Atlanta, and end on April 11th in Green Bay, WI.
Moore just celebrated hitting the top of the country radio charts for the 8th time with his single “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” and his next single will be “Why We Drink” which impacts country radio on September 30th. Lawrence has had 18 number one hits himself and has recently released, Made in America, where he penned 8 of the 12 songs.
Late Nights and Longnecks 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.
LATE NIGHTS AND LONGNECKS TOUR:
Thurs., Jan. 16 | United Wireless Arena | Dodge City, KS
Fri., Jan. 17 | Barnett Arena (Rushmore Plaza) | Rapid City, SD
Sat., Jan. 18 | Bismark Event Center | Bismark, ND
Thurs., Feb. 20 | Raising Cane’s River Center Arena | Baton Rouge, LA
Fri., Feb. 21 | Rapides Parish Coliseum | Alexandria, LA
Sat., Feb. 22 | Stride Bank Center | Enid, OK
Fri., Feb. 28 | Bankers Life Fieldhouse | Indianapolis, IN
Sat., Feb. 29 | Wolstein Center | Cleveland, OH
Thurs., Mar. 5 | Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum | Amarillo, TX
Fri., Mar. 6 | Mission Ballroom | Denver, CO
Sat., Mar. 7 | Uptown Theater | Kansas City, MO
Thurs., Mar. 19 | Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre | Atlanta, GA
Fri., Mar. 20 | St. Augustine Amphitheatre | St. Augustine, FL
Thurs., Mar. 26 | Des Moines Civic Center | Des Moines, IA
Fri., Mar. 27 | U.S. Cellular Center | Cedar Rapids, IA
Sat., Mar. 28 | State Farm Center | Champaign, IL
Thurs., Apr. 9 | Scheels Arena | Fargo, ND*
Fri., Apr. 10 | Orpheum Theatre | Minneapolis, MN*
Sat., Apr. 11| Weidner Center | Green Bay, WI*
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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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!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/justin-moore-tour.jpg6301200Christina Boschhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngChristina Bosch2019-09-23 14:38:282019-09-23 22:53:08Justin Moore & Tracy Lawrence Plot Out Late Nights and Longnecks Tour
What’s better than the ocean breeze, stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and country music? Nothing. We teamed up with Manhattan By Sail for another Country Edition sail last Saturday, September 14th and once again country music fans boarded the Clipper City to make memories they will never forget. Check out the full recap video of the special night below.
Guests grabbed a cold drink from the open bar and find a spot on the giant sailboat to take in the sights and the sounds of our amazing event. After a quick intro from our Founder, Stephanie Wagner and Managing Editor, Christina, another NYCountry Swag event alum, Carter Winter grabbed the mic to entertain the ship.
Winter’s smooth delivery and sultry songs were the perfect soundtrack to the gentle sway of the ocean. While guests took pictures in front of the Statue of Liberty, they danced around the boat to covers of Dustin Lynch’s “Small Town Boy”, Eric Church’s “Drink In My Hand” and even Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places”. Winter also performed his original song, “Skylines” which quite literally fit the setting and atmosphere of the night.
Cold drinks in hand, guests had the chance to take pictures in front of Lady Liberty and the entire New York City skyline. Check out more pictures from the night here.
Be sure to grab your tickets to our next sail events before the winter season sets in. We’re taking sail on September 27th and October 11th. See you there!
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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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!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/country-sail-carter.jpg6301200Christina Boschhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngChristina Bosch2019-09-23 12:48:172019-09-23 12:48:17NYCS x Manhattan By Sail 2nd Country Edition Sail Feat. Carter Winter
It was truly an unforgettable night at Madison Square Garden as Thomas Rhett brought his Very Hot Summer (VHS) tour to a sold-out “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” With him were special guests Russell Dickerson, Dustin Lynch and his father, Rhett Akins, to support his funk-infused country show that left the New York City fans in awe.
Rhett Akins led off with two songs he wrote for other artists: Jon Pardi’s “Dirt on My Boots” and Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here.” He mentioned how cool it was to be opening for his son, playing at this iconic arena again. He played two original songs in “Don’t Get Me Started” and “That Ain’t My Truck.” Putting things in perspective, Akins said he wrote: “That Ain’t My Truck” when his son was only four years old.
Back in 2016, just weeks after NYCountry Swag officially launched, we hosted Russell Dickerson during our very first event at Libation NYC. To say we believed in him and his talent is a vast understatement, and we just knew that one day we would be celebrating his Madison Square Garden debut. Watching him perform for that many fans, hearing them sing back his words was emotional for our entire team. He played five songs from his latest album, Yours including the title track, “Billions,” “Blue Tacoma,” his current single “Every Little Thing” and “MGNO” (My Girl’s Night Out) that he blended with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Dickerson got emotional after performing “Blue Tacoma” as he recalled playing for our company in a small bar to now playing Madison Square Garden in the heart of New York City.
“I remember sitting on top of a barstool, sitting on a box, (for) a little thing called NYCountry Swag (playing with) a microphone duct-taped to a mic stand with about twenty-five people there. The fact that all y’all packed in tonight…thank you, thank you.” MSG turned into a rave scene during “MGNO” as the fans were dancing and cheering the singer-songwriter on as he jumped and ran all over the stage. The Tennessee native hyped up the NYC fans as they got ready for the next act, Dustin Lynch.
Lynch started with the lead single from his third studio album, Current Mood, “Seein’ Red” then followed it with three songs from his second album Where It’s At, including the title track, “Hell Of a Night” and “Mind Reader.” During his performance of “I’d Be Jealous Too,” Lynch sat in the middle of the stretched out catwalk signing autographs, taking selfies and singing into fans’ cell phones. Lynch then went all the way back to his first single, “Cowboys and Angels,” a song in which he wrote as a dedication to the love his grandparents shared.
Lynch took a lot of time to talk to the crowd about his journey from being a kid listening to country music all the way to opening for Thomas Rhett at Madison Square Garden. His biggest influences growing up were George Strait and Garth Brooks, along with Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, of course. He covered bits of four songs in between each portion of the story: “Chattahoochee” by Alan Jackson, “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw, “What Was I Thinkin’” by Dierks Bentley and “Love Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban. Lynch has a special relationship with both Urban and Bentley. Dierks told Dustin to knock on every door and take every chance you can get if you want to be a successful artist. Those words stuck with him to this very day. “If you guys take anything away from my show tonight, I want you to take this away: If you have a dream and you really believe in yourself…do not take ‘no’ for an answer, from anybody,” he emoted. “We’re here living the dream tonight because we did that.” Lynch will join Dierks Bentley for a special show at Michie Stadium in West Point, NY, home of the Army Black Knights on October 18th.
The singer-songwriter recalled receiving a phone call back in 2012 from a number he did not recognize. He picked up anyway and it was Keith Urban on the other line asking him to join him on his Light The Fuse Tour with Little Big Town. That was the first time Lynch and his band played this historic arena. Lynch closed his set with his most recent single, “Ridin’ Roads” and two number ones in “Good Girl” and “Small Town Boy.” Lynch tipped his cowboy hat as he exited the stage as fans got ready for their headliner, Thomas Rhett.
Rhett literally jumped out of the stage (yes, he was inside the stage) and began singing his most recent number one hit, “Look What God Gave Her” from his most recent album Center Point Road. He kept the energy going with three more upbeat songs, one from each of his first three albums; “Crash And Burn” from Tangled, “Get Me Some of That” – It Goes Like This and “Craving You” – Life Changes.
At the end of Rhett’s performance of “Notice,” the crowd went silent as the 2019 ACM Male Artist of the Year played one more acoustic chorus of the song. The fans responded with loud applause. After “Sixteen,” One of Rhett’s powerhouse backup vocalists joined him on stage to take Little Big Town’s spot in the R&B-influenced track off the new album, “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time.” He then followed that with a speech before playing his current single “Remember You Young.” Rhett got choked up on stage reminiscing about how he got here. Back in 2013 he opened for Jason Aldean at MSG and only got twenty minutes on stage. Flash-forward six years later he is headlining a sold-out show at the same venue. Fans lit up the crowd with their flashlights during this very sentimental song.
Rhett went a different route with his performance of “Make Me Wanna” as he jazzed up the traditional-sounding country song by heavily adding the six-piece band that was behind him. Rhett also threw in a verse from Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie” in the middle of his number one song. After performing his most personal song, “Life Changes,” the 29-year-old played three stripped-down songs, including “Star of the Show,” “That Old Truck” and an unreleased song titled “To The Guys Who Date My Girls.” Although it’s a slow, heartfelt tune, Rhett throws some humor in there with the line “When you pull her close, make sure you leave some room for Jesus. If you cross that line, I swear boy, you’re gonna meet him.” You can listen to the song below.
Next, he mentioned before performing “Beer Can’t Fix” that Jon Pardi, the country artist who is featured on the studio recording was not in attendance, so he was going to need some help. When Pardi’s verse came up, Lynch and Dickerson returned to the stage sporting New York Knicks jerseys to continue the song. Then Rhett Akins ran up the long catwalk with a cooler and then distributed cans of Bud Light to the guys on stage.
Rhett stretched out “Vacation” and handed the mic over to the DJ to introduce the band behind the country super-star. Each of them got a solo on their respected instrument and when it was time for Rhett’s shout-out, he dazzled the crowd with an incredible drum solo.
He couldn’t leave the stage before performing his last two slow songs of the night in “Marry Me” and “Die a Happy Man.” Rhett let the audience sing the final chorus of “Die a Happy Man” which gave us, and probably a majority of the fans, major chills. “If Madison Square Garden in New York City is the last show I ever get to play…I could die, a happy man,” he sung as the final lyrics to his number one hit song.
Rhett ended this spectacular show with “Unforgettable” and “T-shirt”. For the finale of “Unforgettable”, Rhett ran across the stage as rainbow-colored confetti rained down onto the fans. Words cannot describe the energy of the crowd the entire 90-plus minute show. A historic night at Madison Square Garden for the artists and the fans alike. For exclusive clips from the show, head to our Instagram Stories highlight.
Although this week marks the beginning of fall, Rhett and his supporting cast will extend summer until October 12th where they will close the tour at the one and only Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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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!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/thomas-rhett-vhs-tour-msg.jpg6301200Dylan Bestlerhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngDylan Bestler2019-09-23 11:37:102019-09-23 11:56:47Thomas Rhett & His ‘VHS’ Tour Give Fans an Unforgettable Night at MSG
Lauren Akins, one of our favorite wives of country music, is adding author to her resume. Akins announced on Friday that her first book, Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life’s Changes will be available May 5, 2020.
Written with bestselling collaborator, Mark Dagostino, Live in Love is a memoir for anyone looking to keep the romance alive while balancing children and marriage, along with anyone who wants to live a life with purpose. It shares the love story between Akins and country star, Thomas Rhett. The mother of two (with another on the way), gets personal sharing details about how she and Rhett were best friends since childhood, how they reconnected as young adults, and what it was like finding herself as her husband’s career took off. She also opens up about her life changing mission work in Uganda and Haiti including how she fell in love with their first daughter, Willa Gray.
This is the first time we get to hear Akins’s story as she never had any plans to be in the spotlight. That all changed after she started to become the main subject of Rhett’s songs, including the award-winning song “Die a Happy Man.” Not only will we get an inside look at the couple’s happy, romantic times which includes handwriting their wedding vows, but it will also give us a glimpse into the tough times the couple faced when becoming parents for the first time.
In a recent press release, Akins shared, “I would have never guessed I’d be telling my story in a book about my life. I hope by sharing parts of myself and my journey that I’m able to help someone feel less alone, inspired and find the love that we share as humans in these pages.”
While this may be Akins’s first book, it isn’t her first time stepping into the publishing world. She is currently a contributor to Country Living Magazine.
Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life’s Changes is available for preorder here.
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https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/lauren-akins.jpg6301200Rebekah Milstedhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngRebekah Milsted2019-09-22 21:02:052019-09-22 21:02:05Lauren Akins Reveals Details About Her First Book ‘Live in Love’
