Abby Anderson Plays Her First Headlining Show in NYC

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Last night (Oct 22.), Black River Records rising country artist Abby Anderson, had quite the memorable night playing to a sold-out crowd for her first ever headlining show, right here in New York City at the Mercury Lounge.  NYCountry Swag followers had the opportunity to win their way in to the special show all weekend long through our exclusive giveaway contest.

Nash FM 94.7 DJs Katie Neal and Jesse Addy took the stage to introduce the rising superstar. Entering the spotlight dressed in one of her signature stylish ensembles, Anderson wore a matching two-piece maroon long sleeve and pant set. Immediately starting off the night with the title track from her debut EP I’m Good, Anderson had the crowd singing along to every lyric. “Wassup everybody? Y’all ready to dance with me tonight?” Anderson said to the crowd before heading into the next song “Dance Away My Broken Heart.” Not a single person stood still for the next three minutes. Her infectious dance moves had everybody swaying to the beat.

Introducing an unreleased song titled “Closet,” Anderson shared, “I’ve been in Nashville now for a couple of years, writing songs to hopefully one day hear them on the radio and I just learned really quickly that there’s a whole bunch of beauty in sharing your story with others. So that being said, this is a little bit of mine.”  Next up was her very first single to country radio, “I just think I gotta be the luckiest girl in the world right now. To my country radio family, thank you so much for taking a chance on the new clique kid in the block. This song is called “Make Him Wait.”

Anderson continued to perform the very first song she ever released titled “This Feeling.” Teasing the crowd, “We’re gonna throw it back for a second, if you know this song, you a ‘day one homie’ okay,” said Anderson. The crowd responded with giggles and shouts before singing along.  Anderson repeatedly thanked her fans after performing each and every song.

Carrying on the night, Anderson had not one, but four surprises in store for her fans; all brand new, unheard, unreleased songs.  First up was “Greener,” an upbeat breakup story with a take on the phrase “the grass is greener on the other side.” Secondly, “A Guy Like You.”  Anderson shared the sweet story of her mother putting her into piano lessons when she was just five years old and how she made her practice every day, even when she did not want to; “But I’m glad she did because it brought me to all of you beautiful people.”

Continuously thanking the crowd, the singer-songwriter touched on a powerful message before performing “With The Radio On”, “No matter what, if you’re white, black, purple, green, whatever you are, whatever you choose to be, if there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that music gets us through about anything. So if you’re like me, I hope this song means something to you, this is a little bit of my story.” Anderson belted out the moving lyrics while playing the piano.

“If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in all these shows I’ve played and all the new faces I have the privilege to meet every night, is that everybody seems to have a story and everybody seems to have history with someone, whether they like it or not. Whether it’s a fourth marriage or a first love, this song goes to you guys,” shared Anderson before playing “History.”
Closing out the show with the very last song on I’m Good, fans could not contain their excitement to sing along to the sassy anthem “Naked Truth.”

Anderson ended the night thanking her audience one final time, before letting everyone know she would be meeting every last person in the room at her merch table, where fans also had the opportunity to purchase NYCountry Swag gear for sale!  It was an unforgettable night not only for the rising artist but all of her New York City fans. Be sure to follow Anderson on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for upcoming shows and future announcements.  I’m Good is now available everywhere you stream or buy music.

 

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The First Round of CMA Awards Performers Announced

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CMA Awards Performers

This week, The Country Music Association announced the first round of performers for the 2018 Country Music Awards.  Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley are joining forces again for the 11th year in a row to co-host country music’s biggest night, so be prepared for some hilarious banter and maybe one or two of their own unique made-up country medlies.

The countdown begins as we all await incredible acts from none other than former Entertainer’s of the Year Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, and Kenny Chesney. Recently honored CMT Artist’s of the Year Carrie Underwood and Kelsea Ballerini will also be performing, as they both vie for Female Vocalist of the Year recognition.  Dan + Shay who are up for Vocal Duo of the Year, and Vocal Group of the Year Nominees Old Dominion will also be taking the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

The 52nd Annual CMA Awards will be aired live from Nashville, Tennessee on ABC Wednesday, November 14th at 8/7 C. Be on the lookout as additional performers will be added in the coming weeks and click here for the full list of nominees.

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Maddie and Tae Perform “Friends Don’t” on TODAY

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Maddie and Tae The Today Show Friends Dont

Photo courtesy today.com

Earlier this morning, Maddie and Tae performed their single “Friends Don’t” for Hoda and Kathie Lee on the TODAY show, taking time to chat about their excitement about being openers on Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty 360 Tour and reminiscing about their first time on the show.

Before they performed, Hoda and Kathie Lee gushed about the ladies, exclaiming “Not to brag or anything, we had them on the show four years ago because we knew, we had a gut feeling these two were going to be stars,” they said as a clip from their 2014 appearance flashed across the screen. That appearance just happened to be their very first on television when they were promoting “Girl in a Country Song”.  Now older, wiser and with brand new music, the duo is back as ready to impress national tv viewers.

They discussed with the hosts how they got a taste of their upcoming tour with Carrie Underwood when they performed with her at the CMT Artist of the Year celebration last week.  “That woman does not miss a note, ever,” Tae says of Underwood. They even discussed Maddie being engaged as the singer flashed her beautiful diamond ring, explaining that she found her dress in New York City a few weeks back.

The ladies then sang their song “Friends Don’t”, showcasing their unique harmonies and stunning vocals. Check out the full video on Today.com here.

Click here to grab your tickets to see Maddie and Tae, Runaway June and Carrie Underwood on her Cry Pretty 360 Tour at Madison Square Garden in October 2019.

 

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“I Don’t Know About You,” But We’re Loving Chris Lane’s New Music Video

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Over the weekend, country star, Chris Lane premiered his new music video for “I Don’t Know About You” on CMT Hot 20 Countdown. The track is the second single off the singer’s sophomore record Laps Around the Sun, which hit #1 on the iTunes Top Country Album chart. Check out our First Impression Review of the album here.

Lane delivers a sultry, fun, and captivating video that embodies the catchy lyrics of the jam. The video, which was filmed near Nashville and directed by Justin Clough, features the recording artist attempting to get to know a mystery girl that he spots in a small-town bar. Lane sings the lyrics, as he plays cat and mouse with the mysterious brunette that caught his attention, as she refuses to even share her name. The surprise ending keeps everyone on their toes. The relatable lyrics come together perfectly in the video. Check it out below!

The release of the music video for “I Don’t Know About You,” follows Lane’s streak of gold-certified hits, including, “Fix” and “For Her.” This track continues to move up the country charts and is sure to continue to rise, as the video makes waves with fans.

Next up, the North Carolina native will celebrate his sophomore album with his second headlining tour by the same name, ‘Laps Around the Sun Tour.’ Joined by youth sensation, Mason Ramsey and songstress, Gabby Barrett, the tour is already underway,  making the first stop in Florida. The tour finds its way to New York City’s Irving Plaza on December 13th. Find tickets for the show here. For a full list of tour dates, click here. Follow Lane on his journey via his Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Matt Williams

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Matt Williams

Growing up in a small town, Geneva County, Alabama, our next Swag Spotlight Matt Williams says in a recent interview that music was vital in his household.  His grandfather was always singing, his aunt played piano and from a young age, he learned to play piano and drums.  Growing up on classic rock with his stepdad being a great guitarist, he explains that he didn’t listen to country music until he entered the military when he was 18 years old. He credits Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Sound Garden as his personal preference in music until he heard artists like Jason Aldean, Eric Church and Brantley Gilbert who all found a way to blend rock into the traditional country sound.

Williams’ picked up on songwriting after he returned from his time in the military and just recently released his EP, Back To Me. “Being in the service was fun, some of the best times and worst times of my life,” he tells us. “It really matures you in a way that regular life is not going to. I got thrown into combat, I was sitting on the front lines of a war, when you are getting shot at your whole mindset changes.”

As a United States Army vet, Williams has found that instead of talking to a therapist about the difficult times he faced in the service, he has found music to be a therapy in itself. “I had matured and I have experienced a lot of things in life that a lot of people will never experience, it gave me a different look and approach to writing, putting words on paper to tell a story through song,” he explains.

The EP shows a vulnerable side of a soldier turned singer-songwriter. He is straightforward in his songwriting and the project highlights a raw honesty that is sometimes missing in country music. “Even if something is so bad, I try and figure out a way to tell you what happens and tell you what was bad but make it inspirational and no matter what you can still achieve if you have faith,” Williams says of his approach to writing. Take a listen to his EP below.

He is currently residing with his wife and family in Michigan but travels to Nashville quite often.  He is working to set up a tour that will work to promote the new music.  Be sure to follow Matt Williams on social media – Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Karen Fairchild Calls Attention to Rising Female Artists

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Little Big Town Rising Female Artists

Photo Via Instagram @LittleBigTown

Wednesday night, CMT did their part in changing the conversation about women being played in country music and the lack thereof.  While the night specifically honored Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Carrie Underwood and the ladies of Little Big Town, Karen Fairchild, and Kimberly Schlapman, Fairchild used her platform during her acceptance speech to acknowledge something that we already knew at New York Country Swag, there is a TON of incredible female artists out there.

We have worked with several of the artists that Fairchild named including Jillian Jacqueline, Abby Anderson, Tenille Townes, Runaway June, and Natalie Stovall.  Below is a playlist of our favorite songs from all 35 of the rising female artists that were named during that epic moment which you can check out here as well as some other amazing females that you should be listening to.

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Riley Green Debuts Music Video for “There Was This Girl”

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We caught up with rising country singer, Riley Green, earlier this week, during a Swag Session at The Boogie Woogie Room inside Mondrian Park Avenue Hotel. The Alabama native performed his tracks “In A Truck Right Now” and “There Was This Girl,” for us just days before the release of his new music video for “There Was This Girl.”  Watch our Live Swag Session below.

Green brings a unique energy and creativity to his video (below), utilizing visuals of his live show, filmed in his home state of Alabama, showcasing his fans, to bring the lyrics of the song to life. The video features close-ups of fans holding up signs for the artist, concertgoers singing along, and of course, Green jamming on stage with a guitar in hand. The video truly gives the viewer a direct look at how fun and upbeat the singer’s concerts would be.

“There Was This Girl,” off his debut EP, In A Truck Right Now,  continues to climb the charts at Country Radio, already reaching the top 25. In a recent press release, Green shared his inspiration for the track and writing music, “I like writing conversational songs, songs that come from things I might say every day. And often I’d be talking about a girl and how she inspired me to do something to impress her. I think that’s a pretty relatable thing. A lot of guys have been through the same stuff.”

Keep up with Riley Green on social media – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and head to his website here for upcoming tour dates.

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2018 CMT Artists of the Year – An Epic Night of Women in Country Music

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Carrie Underwood, Runaway June and Maddie & Tae at CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. Photo by Rick Diamond / Getty Images via CMT.com

Carrie Underwood, Runaway June and Maddie & Tae at CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. Photo by Rick Diamond / Getty Images via CMT.com

Wednesday evening (Oct 17.),  in Nashville at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, CMT’s 2018 Artists of the Year ceremony honored women of country, including Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Carrie Underwood, Hillary Scott, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, and for Country Artist of a Lifetime Award to Loretta Lynn. It was the perfect step towards changing the conversation to an action of supporting women in country music.

The night started off with Miranda Lambert and her band the Pistol Annies singing their new cut “Sugar Daddy,” which is on their on their upcoming record Interstate Gospel. Lambert voiced her opinion on supporting women in the industry and how we always have to be there for each other.

Kelsea Ballerini joined Alison Krauss to perform a beautiful rendition of Krauss’ classic, “Ghost In This House” and then accepted her award from Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott.

Alison Krauss and Kelsea Ballerini at CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. Photo by Jason Kempin / Getty Images via CMT.com

Alison Krauss and Kelsea Ballerini at CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. Photo by Jason Kempin / Getty Images via CMT.com

“One of the greatest gifts that have been given to me as a new artist on this short journey that I’ve been on so far is having people that I grew up listening to and that I’ve learned from, turn around and reach out their hand to me,” Ballerini said. “They’ve shared their stage with me and shared their platform with me and I think what I’ve learned from that is to lift each other up, to support each other, and to share our stage no matter how big or small it is.”

Maren Morris brought sass and R&B into her performance, where she joined Brandi Carlile on stage to put their own spin on Aretha Franklin’s soulful hit “Natural Woman” in tribute to the legend who passed away earlier this year. Accepting her award from Sheryl Crow, Morris voiced on how thankful she was that CMT was shining the light on the lack of female representation and putting this night together. She also said how she feels that the females in this room are putting out the most compelling and emotional music right now.

Hillary Scott performed with pop star Tori Kelly and gospel singer Kirk Franklin with an inspiring showing of Lady Antebellum’s hit “American Honey,” Kelly’s new single “Never Alone,” and Franklin’s track “Oh Happy Day.” Following Scott, Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild performed with the soulful legend Gladys Knight for a mashup of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” which brought chills and a standing ovation through the Symphony Center.

Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman with Gladys Knight at CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. Photo by Jason Kempin / Getty Images via CMT.com

A standout moment was when Fairchild humbly included 35 up-and-coming women artists to look out for and support through their new projects in her speech including our past Swag Spotlights, Jillian Jacqueline, Abby Anderson, Tenille Townes, Runaway June, and Natalie Stovall. Take a look at the chilling moment in the video here.

Sadly, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Loretta Lynn wasn’t able to attend the ceremony to accept her award but her lifetime friend and actress Sissy Spacek was happy and tearful accepting the award on her behalf. Spacek seemed overwhelmingly thrilled and proud to talk about her dear friend and their everlasting friendship.

Lastly, Carrie Underwood brought out her opening acts for her 2019 Cry Pretty 360 Tour, Maddie & Tae, and Runaway June. Underwood began her performance with an acapella version of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man,” and then Maddie & Tae joined in with “Rockin’ with the Rhythm,” by the Judds. Underwood then continued with a rousing rendition of Martina McBride’s “Independence Day” giving everyone a blast from the past. Runaway June added their touch with singing “Wild One” by Faith Hill. The artists then ended with a powerful performance of Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and harmonizing on Underwood’s single “Cry Pretty.”

CMT gave everyone a taste of what’s to come for females in country music. It was the perfect opportunity to show everyone that the future is female and female artists aren’t going anywhere but up from here.

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New Music Friday – The Playlist 10/19

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It’s the best day of the week… New Music Friday! A few holiday tunes released today, Mitchell Tenpenny’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” as well as a complete holiday album from Martina McBride. Check our First Impression of the record here. In addition, we see new music from Kip Moore, Kane Brown, Delta Rae, Pistol Annies and more. Check out our Spotify New Country Music Playlist below and be sure to follow for updates each and every Friday:

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NYCS First Impression: Martina McBride ‘It’s The Holiday Season’

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Martina McBride It's The Holiday Season

 

There are few distinct voices in country music that feel like home. Martina McBride’s is one of those such voices, nowhere more so evident than on her festive new album, It’s the Holiday Season. On the cheery collection, released today, the country superstar adds a surprisingly jazzy touch to some of the most classic Christmas songs, and frankly, the only thing missing on this album to make it all the more quintessential Christmas is a duet with Michael Buble.

The album opens with spirited takes on the classics, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” While it’s hard to offer a fresh take on tunes that have seemingly been recorded 19,000 times, McBride’s voice pairs perfectly with the music throughout the album, neither outshining the other. For McBride fans, the album definitely shows a different side of the singer, focusing heavily on the LP’s orchestration, rather than just her golden voice.

One of the highlights of the album is McBride’s take on “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” The track could’ve easily veered off into being cheesy, but McBride offers a fresh take that’s hard not to tap your toes to. Other highlights include “Happy Holidays/ It’s the Holiday Season,” and “Home for the Holidays.” The show tune staple, “My Favorite Things” closes the album perfectly, McBride’s voice covering each and every note like a warm blanket on a cold evening.

Despite the fact that It’s the Holiday Season does not include any originals, it’s a fun take on many of the most classic Christmas songs. Interestingly, it’s an album that could’ve been recorded in the 1950’s or the 2050’s and not sounded out of place. It’s poised to be a future classic, and we can only advise you to add this one to your Christmas mix; you definitely won’t regret it.

In addition to the release of her holiday album today, McBride will be releasing her cookbook, Martina McBride’s Kitchen Mix on October 30, with the premiere of her cooking show, Martina’s Table, premiering on the Food Network on November 18th.

Additionally, McBride will be taking her holiday cheer on the road, performing with a full symphony on The Joy of Christmas Tour. Full dates are as follows:

November 23: Biloxi, MS – Beau Rivage
November 24: Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre
November 25: Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
November 29: Nashville, TN – Schermerhorn Symphony Center
November 30: Nashville, TN – Schermerhorn Symphony Center
December 1: Nashville, TN – Schermerhorn Symphony Center
December 4: Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall
December 6: Kansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
December 7: Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
December 8: Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Centre

It’s the Holiday Season 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.

For future tour information, upcoming news and announcements from Martina McBride, visit martinamcbride.com, and follow the rising star on his journey via Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

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