Eric Church Goes To Jail In His New Music Video for “Some Of It”

Eric Church Some of It

Eric Church pushes his outlaw mentality to new heights in his recently released music video for “Some Of It.” The track is one of Church’s deep cuts off his latest record, Desperate Man that debuted back in October.

The music video begins with visuals of Church and his band members getting their mugshots taken, with a newspaper headline reading “Some Of It Solved- Mysteries Remain.” The headline perfectly exemplifies the lyrics, as well as, Church’s ideology as a singer-songwriter and recording artist.

“Some of it you learn the hard way / Some of it you read on a page / Some of it comes from heartbreak / Most of it comes with age / And none of it ever comes easy / A bunch of it you maybe can’t use / I know I don’t probably know what I think I do / But here’s somethin’ to / Some of it.”

Fans of Church know that he plays by his own set of rules, and that’s evident in the new music video. The singer keeps busy in a jail cell, playing guitar (thanks to his “daughter” and jail mates), and of course, utilizing letters from his family to help write the perfect song. The video tells a full story from start to finish, completely embodying Church’s signature vibe and style throughout.

The video premiered over the weekend, just before Church played an iconic show at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium as part of his solo-headlining ‘Double Down Tour.’ Lucky concertgoers were among the first to see the music video, as it premiered on the stadium screens just prior to the show. The performer played an astonishing 37 songs that night- two full sets, including all his greatest hits, and of course, “Some Of It.” It was a night to never forget for both Church and his fans, who were lucky enough to bear witness to his greatness.

We caught the singer on his last tour, the ‘Holdin’ My Own Tour’ back in 2017, where Church performed and played over 30 songs as well, and it was an amazing experience for all who attended. Head to ericchurch.com to check out the rest of his tour dates and purchase tickets.

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

 

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10 Country Artists That Auditioned for Singing Competitions

In this day and age, it seems like fresh talent is being discovered almost daily, partially due to all the successful reality singing competitions that are broadcasted on major television networks. The platform shows like The Voice, American Idol, and America’s Got Talented give artists are exciting, as often the show can catapult them into a successful music career.

These shows have given us some of the most successful country musicians in the industry, such as American Idol winners, Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina, and Scotty McCreery and The Voice winners Cassadee Pope and Danielle Bradbery; however, there are tons of talented country artists, who you probably didn’t even know were on one of the shows.

Check out our list below!

1. Morgan Wallen
Rising country artist, Morgan Wallen is all over the charts lately, with two number one hits under his belt off his debut album If I Know Me; however, back in 2014, Wallen competed on season 6 of NBC’s The Voice. Before he found his voice as a country artist, the singer-songwriter sans mullet, chose to sing rock and alternative songs like “Collide.” He was eliminated, during the playoff rounds, but two years later he returned to his Tennessee roots, found his place in country music, and signed with Big Loud Records. Take a listen to his rendition of Florida Georgia Line’s “Stay”, perhaps foreshadowing his number one song and collaboration “Up Down” with the duo.

2. Maren Morris
If you know country music then you know the phenom that is Maren Morris. Morris is defying all odds with her sophomore record GIRL, honing both her songwriting and singing skills, delivering an album that pushes genre barriers. Before her success, Morris found herself auditioning and being turned down by American Idol, The Voice, and America’s Got Talent. The rejection clearly only fueled her fire, proving that the singing shows missed out on her unique talent. Morris shares more about her trials and tribulations in her special ‘Youtube Artist Spotlight Stories.’

3. The Swon Brothers
We caught up with Zach and Colton Swan of The Swon Brothers, earlier this year in our Swag Spotlight interview, where we recounted their journey on The Voice. Unlike the previous artists on the list, the duo made it to the live finals in season 4, placing third. Ultimately, the brothers got their start on The Voice in 2013, but are proving their staying power each and every day through the music and loyal fanbase.

4. Kacey Musgraves
Way back in 2007, Grammy winner, Kacey Musgraves auditioned for season 5 of a singing competition show called ‘Nashville Star.’ Fellow elite country artists, such as Chris Young and Miranda Lambert are also alumni of the show. Musgraves was eliminated fourth in the competition and didn’t really achieve much notoriety from her stint. Flash forward a few years later, Musgraves went on to drop her debut album Same Trailer, Different Park, which peaked at number 1 on the charts. She has found her place in the music industry since, and we can’t get enough of her superstar talent.

5. Jimmie Allen
NYCountry Swag 2018 Artist to Watch, Jimmie Allen has had quite the history with singing competition shows. Allen auditioned for America’s Got Talent but didn’t even make it past the preliminary auditions. In 2011, he was rejected yet again, on the tenth season of American Idol, which fellow country artist Scotty McCreery went on to win. As fate would have it, several years later, McCreery and Allen reconnected again on McCreery’s ‘Seasons Change Tour.’ Flash forward to today, Allen’s debut single, “Best Shot” went number 1 and, he will be a fixture at country music festivals this summer.

6. Kane Brown
Country music artist, Kane Brown has created quite the name for himself in the industry. With a loyal fanbase behind him and an organic rise to fame, it’s hard to believe that Brown was turned down from American Idol. Ironically, the entertainer returned to Idol recently as a special guest to sing with a finalist. Brown’s stint on The X-Factor was also short after he quit because the show wanted him to be in a boy band. Thankfully, he followed his intuition because he now has two back to back number one albums and three consecutive number one singles to his name.

7. RaeLynn
Talented singer-songwriter RaeLynn is making a name for herself in country music. She’s successfully opened for superstar Miranda Lambert and is currently touring with Maren Morris. Back in 2012, she auditioned for the second season of The Voice. She would go on to make it to the quarterfinals. Although she didn’t win the competition, RaeLynn is proving that she is a force in Nashville, even achieving a number one record with her debut album WildHorse.

8. Chris Lane
Fans of Chris Lane know that he likes to bring his twin brother Cory out on stage with him; however, what you might not know is, the two auditioned for season seven of American Idol together; however, their audition was not with a country song. The duo actually rapped for the judges; needless to say, they didn’t make it to the Hollywood rounds. Despite their failure, it’s safe to say that Chris has found success adding his own flavor to country music and garnering fans worldwide. Although the above video is super blurry, it’s actually hilarious to see the twins’ audition.

9. Colbie Caillat (Gone West)
You might recognize Colbie Calliat as a pop artist; however, Caillat has recently embarked on a new venture in country music, fronting a band called ‘Gone West.’ Despite success as a solo artist and in various genres, she was rejected from American Idol multiple times, even before singing for the judges. Caillat surely got the last laugh, as she has a slew of number one singles under her belt and multiple Grammy awards to add to her already impressive resume.

10. Hillary Scott (Lady Antebellum)
Rounding out our list is Hillary Scott, one of the lead singers of the trio Lady Antebellum. Scott has arguably one of the best voices in country music but was rejected by American Idol twice. The powerhouse singer didn’t even make it to sing for the judges. Despite the adversity, Scott went on to be a part of one of the most successful country groups to date, Lady Antebellum. With new music out now, including the brilliant “What If I Never Get Over You,” and a current Las Vegas residency, it’s safe to say that American Idol missed out on her talent.

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Caylee Hammack Makes Her National TV Debut on TODAY

Caylee Hammack Today Show

Up and coming country artist Caylee Hammack made her national television debut this morning on NBC’s Today Show, performing her breakout single “Family Tree.” Today co-hosts Carson Daly, and Jenna Bush Hager introduced the singer, telling the audience and viewers at home that Rolling Stone called her an artist you need to know, so everyone better write down and remember her name.

Before the artist’s performance, Daly welcomes the band and asks Hammack how she is feeling with everything happening so fast. “It feels like a whirlwind, but I’m super excited for it,” Hammack replied.
The co-hosts then go into discussing the “Family Tree” video and how the song, co-written and produced by Hammack, features important people to the singer, including her parents. As Hammack is discussing how her mom does not like to be on camera, she is surprised by a FaceTime call with non-other than her mom and dad, Mike and Claudia.

Of course, Claudia was asked about her Tupperware, referring to the lyrics “Momma’s burning chicken for the Tupperware party tonight.” She laughed as she gave her response, “I just love Tupperware and I guess I influenced her as a child.” Both Claudia and Mike go on to share their love and how proud they are of their daughter.

After they said their goodbyes, Hammack took the stage with her band behind her. “Family Tree” was the most-added debut song by a female artist upon impact at Country radio in over three years, and you could tell why during her performance. She showed the viewers her range and confidence throughout the whole performance. You definitely couldn’t tell it was her first time performing on television.

Hammack will be hitting the biggest country music festivals this summer, including CMA Fest. You can catch her at the Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheater in Farmingville, NY on July 3rd along with Lee Brice, Chris Janson, and Drew Baldridge. Get your tickets here.

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

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Can’t Make it to Music City? Here Are 5 Ways to Bring CMA Fest To You

In just one week thousands of country fans will descend on Music City for four days and four nights of the best talent Nashville has to offer. CMA Fest is a must-see event for your bucket list, but if you can’t make it in person this year, here are some ways to bring the excitement to you.

CMAfest

Make a summer playlist. Many artists use this event to play their songs specific to summer. The best way to feel like a part of the action is to put on your own playlist of favorites and celebrate the warm weather, wherever you are. If you need some suggestions, check out the list we put together here.

Soak up the sun. When you really break it down, CMA Fest is summer sun, music, and good times. Grab a group of friends, head to the closest body of water, pour yourself something cold and sing along to your favorites at the top of your lungs and you’re basically there.

Make new country-loving friends. Country music brings people together, and in Nashville, everyone feels like family. If you’re staying home this year, play your favorite songs on the beach, from your car radio, or by the pool. You never know who will come over to say hi, and you might end up with a lot more in common than the shared taste in tunes.

Find up and coming artists to watch. The festival gives you the chance to see the most famous acts in one place, but one of the best parts of the CMA experience is discovering new talent. Why should you miss out just because you’re not there in person? Head to your favorite streaming service and listen to some incredible country newcomers or click here, we’ve outlined 10 artists that are playing smaller stages that you are sure to love!

Set your DVR for the TV special. Later this summer the ABC network will broadcast a CMA Fest special bringing the best performances straight to your living room. No word yet on an exact date or hosts (last year Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini shared the gig) but you won’t want to miss this three-hour primetime party.

If you are lucky enough to be attending, let us know what your favorite part is!

 

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Luke Combs Lyrics to Use As Instagram Captions

If you’re lucky enough to get a ticket to see one of the hottest acts in country music, you’ll want the perfect Instagram caption to capture the moment. Here are a few of our favorite Luke Combs lyrics:

1. “Long neck ice cold beer never broke my heart” – Beer Never Broke My Heart

2. “Her day starts with a coffee and ends with a wine” – Beautiful Crazy

3. “I ain’t afraid to take too many steps out of line, So don’t tempt me with a good time”- Don’t Tempt Me

4. “I can only stay for so long ’til that Honky Tonk Highway’s calling me home”- Honky Tonk Highway

5. “You don’t think that much about life. You just live it”- She Got The Best Of Me

6. “I pick up a beer can and get to feeling like Superman”- Beer Can

7. “I just laugh thinking ’bout all the shit that we got into to, Yeah those were the days we thought we’d never lose”- Memories Are Made Of

8. “I’ve been knocked down time and time again. Got picked back up by love and a few good friends”- This One’s For You

9. “You wrecked my whole world when you came and hit me like a hurricane” – Hurricane

10. “And I’ve been on a hell of a redneck road for three weeks now And it all started on the day that she walked out”- “When It Rains It Pours”

11. “I can’t get enough of you, honey, you’re right on the money. I’m a junkie for your midnight moves. I’m in love with lovin’ on you.”– Lovin’ On You

12. “ By half past ten, I’m half past tipsy. At quarter to twelve, man I’ve done had plenty. The countdown’s on when the first beer hits me. Five, four, three, two, one. Too many.” – 1, 2 Many

13. “I guess, be careful what you wish for, is all I meant when I said what you see is what you get.” – What You See is What You Get

14. “The way you say I love you, too. Its like rain on an old tin roof. And your hand fits in mine like a needle in a groove. Some things go better together and probably always will.” – Better Together

15. “It’s ok I know you’re scared when I’m not here. But I’ll always be right there. Even though I’m leavin’ I ain’t goin’ nowhere.” – Even Though I’m Leaving

For more information and to find out where Combs is playing near you, check out lukecombs.com.

Cover Photo Courtesy of Instagram, photo credit: David Bergman

Chris Young Brings the ‘Raised On Country’ Tour to New Jersey

Raised On Country

Photo Credit: Jeff Johnson

Country music fans made their way to the PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey on Sunday night to celebrate Memorial Day weekend with Chris Young’s ‘Raised On Country Tour 2019.’

Dylan Scott kicked off the show, bringing the audience to their feet with a mash-up of his hit “Hooked” and The Black Eyed Peas song, “I Gotta Feeling.” He continued to keep the crowd entertained with his song “Ball Cap” and his newest single and the title track to his latest EP “Nothing To Do Town,”. The entertainer slyly added in “This ain’t no nothing to do town, am I right about that?!,” to which fans erupted into applause.

Dylan Scott

After he introduced himself to the crowd, Scott took time to express the sentiment behind the next song he went on to play, while playing the piano. He shared, “Well, I’ve been with my wife, since I was 15 years old, and we’ve been married three years now. We have a beautiful baby boy and a little girl that’s going to be here in September. And y’all I love doing what I do, I love getting on this stage, and I love performing and singing, and I love the fact that I see y’all smile and singing along. So thank you so much- I appreciate it. But this next song, I looked at my wife, and not in a cocky or an arrogant way, just the truth, and said, “nobody’s going to love you like I love you.” And when I said that, I said that’s a song, and I went and wrote that song. It’s one of my favorite songs that I wrote in the past year, so we’ll play it for you tonight, it’s brand new. It’s called “Nobody.”

Keeping the crowd entertained Scott, went on to sing a medley of 90’s country songs, including “Fishin’ In The Dark,” “Check Yes or No,” and “When You Say Nothing At All.” By the time he ended his set with his first number one song “My Girl,” Scott had won the crowd over and was sure to have garnered many new fans from his performance.

Raised on Country Tour

Continuing to get the audience ready for the headliner, Chris Janson took the stage next with an unbelievable amount of energy. From start to finish, Janson was jumping around on stage, playing the harmonica, and singing a mixture of songs he wrote, covers, and of course, his own hits. Underneath his namesake sign, utilizing an official Grand Ole Opry microphone, and with a full band there to support him, the singer-songwriter exploded on to the stage with his song, “Redneck Life,” immediately getting fans on their feet, singing and dancing along. Fans continued to match his energy throughout his entire set.

After signing, “Everybody,” Janson took some time to acknowledge the service men and women in the audience, while still continuing the party. “I really am thankful to wake up free in this country. If you have served, please be recognized- will you raise your hand, please be recognized. Thank you for your service. It is a privilege- we raise a toast to you tonight for the sacrifice you’ve made to our country and to us as Americans. I’ll also raise a toast to your health and happiness! […] So now let’s sing a number 1 song, and have a party. Here’s one called “Fix A Drink.”

At this point, every single person was on their feet, jamming along with the entertainer and holding their drinks in air, even during his newest song, “Good Vibes,” his track, “White Trash,” and the cover of a song he had written for LOCASH called “I Love This Life.” Afterward, Janson decided to slow it down a bit, singing a mesmerizing cover of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” and his impactful song, “Drunk Girl.” The sky was lit up by the fan’s flashlights on their phones, making it a moment that neither Janson or the audience will ever forget.

Janson ended his set on a high note, jamming to Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah,” and even playing some drums, just before singing one of the song’s that started it all for him, “Buy Me a Boat.”

Raised on Country Tour

Under a neon ‘CY’ sign and accompanied by a full band, Chris Young took the stage next, beginning with his latest number one hit “Hangin’ On.” Young went on to sing nineteen songs, including, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)” and “Lonely Eyes.” The former being his first number one song and the later making its way to number two on the charts.

After singing a crowd favorite, “Lonely Eyes,” Young interacted with the audience, sharing, “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been parked behind this building somewhere because I was opening for someone else. It’s my honor and my pleasure to be here tonight,” adding, “This is the ‘Raised On Country Tour.’ We’re going to be playing a whole bunch of random stuff for you guys tonight. We might play a couple of new things off the new record that’s getting ready to come out this year. We’ve been in the studio doing a lot of work on that. […] We’ve got a whole bunch of stuff we’re going to announce really soon, but most importantly, all of this was only possible because you guys care anything about me getting up here playing music, so we’re going to play some country music for you guys tonight.”

Young’s set included some of his biggest radio hits, including “Losing Sleep,” “Think of You,” “Tomorrow,” “You,” and “I’m Comin’ Over,” which all went number one on the country charts. The entertainer made sure to sing both fan favorite tracks, including, the rowdy, “Hold My Beer,” the heartfelt tracks, “Who I Am With You,” and “The Man I Want To Be.”

One of the highlights of the night was when Young sang his newest song to go to country radio, the lead single off his upcoming album, “Raised On Country.” The crowd screamed back the lyrics to each and every song, but were especially loud during the new song, giving their approval of the track to Young. He even shared on Twitter that the crowd “Broke the audience volume record” for his career. Right before singing the new track, Young got a little help from the country music family, as images and videos of fellow country musicians flashed before our eyes on the big screens as they shared some love for the country music that they were raised on. Artists included the men from Brothers Osborne, Brett Young, Kane Brown, Lauren Alaina, Morgan Evans, Cassadee Pope, and more talented artists.

Raised on Country Tour

Another awesome moment came when Young sang a cover of Garth Brooks iconic song, “Papa Loved Mama.” Guitar in hand, the recording artist jammed to the catchy song, as the audience danced and sang along. Young continued the momentum, singing his ode to beer and country music in, “Save Water, Drink Beer.”

Leaving it all out on the stage, Young closed out the night with the high-energy song, “Aw Naw.” The concert was the perfect kick-off to the unofficial start of summer and concert season. For those willing to travel, Young, Janson, and Scott will bring the ‘Raised On Country Tour’ to Connecticut’s Xfinity Theatre on June 14th. Head to chrisyoungcounty.com for tickets and more information.

For more summer concerts heading to this area, check out our calendar.

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Riley Green Releases Sentimental “Numbers On The Cars”

Numbers on the Cars

Last Friday (5/24) one of our 2019 Artists to Watch, Riley Green dropped a new song, titled “Numbers On The Car.” This marks Green’s third release of 2019, including “Bettin’ Me” and “In Love By Now.” It follows his first number one single, “There Was This Girl,” which the rising country artist performed for us during a Swag Session back in October.

In the new song, Green tackles a difficult subject, dedicating the track to his grandfather. The lyrics tell the real-life story of Green’s grandfather’s struggle with Alzheimers Disease. Despite the heartbreak that stems from watching your loved one’s condition deteriorate, Green sings highly about his grandfather and shines a light on the love they have for one another.

“I know he ain’t all there / But I don’t care / My mind still full of memories with him / And he may not know / All the words to the song / He still knows Merle Haggard’s voice when he hears it…”

On his Twitter, the singer shared, “Numbers On The Car is out now! This song means a lot to me and reminds me of times I’d spend with my granddaddy. Hope ya’ll like it.” He adds on Instagram, “Numbers On The Cars is a song about Alzheimer’s inspired by my Grandaddy’s love for NASCAR… he knew every driver’s name and sponsor. So racking season is kicking into full gear, this seems like the perfect time to release it.”

The new track will make you shed a tear, as the emotional component is truly its best asset. For Green, the racetrack remains a coveted memory for himself and his grandfather, but the message will resonate to anyone, who has ever lost or loved someone.

“Numbers On the Car” shows a more vulnerable side of the up and coming artist, proving that he can deliver a sentimental tune, a party anthem, a love song, and a break-up song. It will be interesting to see what a full-length record would be like from Green in the future.

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

“Numbers On The Car” 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.

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Hannah Bethel Brings Storytelling to NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall

Guest post by Andrea Rogers for NYCountry Swag

Hannah Bethel

Hannah Bethel brought the heart of Nashville to the intimate acoustic venue, Rockwood Music Hall Sunday night. Rockwood is one of the first stops that kicked off her summer 2019 tour. She honed in on the storytelling component of country music as she described the life experiences that inspired her original music.

She shared with the crowd her experience navigating New York City for the first time. “I travel a lot by myself, I do a solo backpacking and camping trip every year. I’ll go 10-15 miles out in the wild, I love it…It’s much scarier to navigate the subways!” she said jokingly to the crowd.

Bethel noted her musical inspirations: “I grew up on soft rock, it’s still my warm safe happy place” before covering “Dreams” by Stevie Nicks. As for her originals, she described the heartaches that inspired her songs “Last Summer”, “El Dorado”, The House is On Fire”, and “On the Way Down”.

She opened up to the Rockwood crowd about her journey that inspired the song “Train”. “I went through a hard season personally and professionally, trying to find my feet again in the music business. From the moment of its conception, I wrote this song with my sister, and when we were writing it I just felt like this song had this power and presence. I couldn’t explain it but I just knew I had to trust this song and follow it wherever it wanted to go”.  She recorded “Train”, made a video for it, and it made it to number 3 on the CMT Hot 20 Countdown. “This song has changed the trajectory of my life and it’s been pretty sweet. I’m grateful for it.” 

This Friday (5/31), fans can look forward to “Rhinestone Rodeo”, her next single.  The song is inspired by her journey in Nashville and the music business. “I moved to Nashville when I was 18, I didn’t know anyone or anything about the music business. I just said ‘Here I am Nashville!’ It was full of surprises but it’s been the most beautiful journey and it keeps getting brighter. I’m very grateful”.

Check back later this week to hear “Rhinestone Rodeo” and our exclusive Swag Spotlight with Bethel next Monday (6/3).  Go to http://www.hannahbethel.com for tour dates and more information.

To keep up with Hannah Bethel follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

 

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New York’s Country 94.7 Kick Off to Summer with Russell Dickerson

Kick Off

The perfect way to kick off not only the summer but Memorial Day Weekend is with some cold drinks, a beautiful sunny day and country music. New York’s Country 94.7 and Radio.com hosted its annual summer kick off at Headliner on the Jersey Shore on Friday featuring Jessica Rose, Matt Stell, and Russell Dickerson.

Stell who kicked off the event was also celebrating the release of his brand new EP, Everywhere But On, by taking the stage in New Jersey. Fans of the artists and the radio station came out early to support, grab a drink and listen to the great music. He performed songs from the EP including “Last Habit”, and “Better I Drink” as well as his radio single, “Prayed For You” which is currently climbing the charts. Although it was early, the fans raised their drinks and danced along as Stell covered Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” as well as the classic John Michael Montgomery hit “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)”

Matt Stell Kick Off to Summer

Next up, Russell Dickerson took the small stage, to bring his high-energy set to the intimate crowd in New Jersey for an afternoon of hits and even revealed a few new songs. Rocking a tie-dye shirt and pink sunglasses, Dickerson danced around the stage performing songs from his debut album, Yours, including “Float”, “Would You Love Me”, and “All Fall Down”.

Russell Dickerson Kick Off

He played two brand new songs for the New Jersey crowd, “Some Things Never Get Old” and “Something To Dance To”.  The afternoon wouldn’t be complete without his latest radio single “Every Little Thing” and the two songs that have reached the top of the charts “Blue Tacoma” and “Yours,”. All three tracks had the crowd singing along. Closing out his set in the most epic way, Dickerson not only climbed the stage but with the help of New York’s Country 94.7 radio personality and morning show host, Kelly Ford, got his shoes off and ran through the crowd, jumping and doing a cannonball into the pool.

Dickerson now heads out on the Very Hot Summer Tour with Dustin Lynch, Rhett Akins, and headliner Thomas Rhett. The tour hits our area on September 20th at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Grab your tickets now.

Keeping the music going, New York City artist and local Nash Next winner, Jessica Rose entertained the crowd next, closing out the afternoon. She performed her songs “One of The Boys”, “Rose Tattoo” and even covered Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman”. The perfect weather along with the high-energy performances, it was the ultimate way to kick off the weekend.

Keep up with New York’s Country 94.7 by following them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight: John King

John King

In a little mountain town in Northeast Georgia, there isn’t much to do so when our next Swag Spotlight discovered his love for music, it instantly became the most important thing to him. His father was a huge music lover, he recalls spending Saturday afternoons with vinyl records, listening to everything from AC/DC and Led Zeppelin to Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Don Williams. “There were a lot of cool influences coming into my life from an early age, I grew up loving songwriters and country music and the music and melodies from pop and rock so I do think that fed into what I do now and what my sound is,” he tells us.

He tells us about the exact moment where he started singing, all thanks to his mom who said she was “tired of listening to banging drums and instrumentals, that someone had to sing”. After those garage bands turned into touring bands around Georgia, and after finishing his degree at The University of Georgia, he went straight to Nashville, a place he’s called home for six years.

King has found success in Nashville not only as an artist but also as a songwriter, writing Randy Houser’s number one song “We Went” with Matt Rogers and Justin Wilson. “To me, being a songwriter is just as big of a part of it, I love entertaining, I love performing but I really can’t see myself doing any of that without the songwriting aspect, it’s therapeutic for me” he explains.

His latest release, one he says is his favorite song he’s ever put out, “Try Saying Goodbye” has hit a chord with fans and King is proud of that. The concept is something he relates to on a daily basis, thinking about his wife and their relationship. “we’ve been dating for 15 and married for 5 years now, so almost half of our lives,” he tells us. “When you are with somebody that long, you go through changes, you get into an argument or debate and when you step back, the fight isn’t usually aren’t as big of a deal as you make it out in the heat of the moment and the hardest thing to do is say sorry and move on and nothing to me is worth losing the person I love in my life.” The track has garnered over 3 million streams on Spotify and is connecting with fans in a special way.

 

 

Recently, King partnered with Straight Talk Wireless to interact with his followers and fans in a more intimate way, giving them a dedicated line where they can reach out and chat with the singer-songwriter. “I couldn’t think of a better way to be one on one with fans, there are have been so many amazing stories and it makes me emotional. That is the dream as a songwriter and an artist, to see it impacting people that way, it doesn’t get any better than that.” For more information on Straight Talk Wireless, head to StraightTalk.com and to get in contact with King, you can text 706-949-3181 to let him know your story about “Try Saying Goodbye”. “Country music is such a fan-centric genre, our fans are just amazing, if they invest as you as an artist, they are there for a lifetime,” he says.

This summer King is hitting the road, touring the country and is excited to not only be playing at CMAFest but also the Grand Ole Opry on June 28th. To keep up with John King be sure to follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and for all of his tour dates head to https://www.johnkingcountry.com/

 

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