Blog Archives

New Music Friday – The Playlist 10/12

October 11, 2018/in Blog, New Music /by Stephanie Wagner

It’s a big day for new music. Two of our NYCountry Swag 2018 Artists to Watch, Morgan Evans and Jimmie Allen each release their debut albums. Check out our “First Impression Reviews” of Evans’ Things That We Drink To and Jimmie Allen’s Mercury Lane. In addition, we see new music from Old Dominion, Chuck Wicks, Mitchell Tenpenny, Randy Houser, Justin Moore, 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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Cody Johnson Releases New Video & Makes Album Announcement

October 11, 2018/in Blog /by Erica Zisman

CoJo Music/Warner Music Nashville recording artist, Cody Johnson has some exciting news for fans. His smash hit “On My Way To You,” off his anticipated album, Ain’t Nothin’ To It, continues to rise on the country charts, and has already reached Number 1 on the iTunes Top Songs Chart (all genres), as well as, Top Country Singles Chart. The singer just released a music video for the track, premiering simultaneously on CMT and online at People.

Johnson’s music video beautifully embodies the essence of the single and its lyrics. The relatable love song speaks to the singer-songwriter’s journey to find his true love, which the musician shared on his Twitter. The visuals showcase multiple couples reconnecting with one another, as well as, some groups of friends. The smiles and love on each person’s face are evident in the way the video was filmed. The music video ends with Johnson’s actual wife, Brandi, coming outside on their porch and greeting him with a beer and a kiss, effortless and simple.

Watch the video above.

If premiering a music video wasn’t enough, the singer officially announced the release date of his first major-label studio album, Ain’t Nothin’ To It, giving CoJo Nation fans, even more to be excited about.

Johnson shared with Billboard, “I cannot wait for January. I’ve never been more excited about a set of music. It’s different from any other record I’ve ever recorded. Ironically enough, you would think that the record that had the most songs that I wrote on would be the one I’m excited the most about, but it’s not. This is the most excited I’ve ever been about any music. I feel like it’s gonna change some things for me. I think it’s going to change some things for the music industry. It’s always been a goal of mine, is to be able to make a mark, and to change the industry in a positive way. So, I guess we are about to find out, aren’t we?”

The record drops on January 18th, 2019 and will be available for pre-order beginning October 26th. Fans, who pre-order the album will receive an automatic download of the lead single, as well as, four additional tracks. Johnson will continue to tour around the United States, at various venues, such as honky tonks and rodeos, making a special stop in Nashville at Marathon Music Works on October 19th for a sold-out show. For more information head over to codyjohnsonmusic.com.

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Best Country Music Concerts in NYC This Fall

October 11, 2018/in Blog /by Shanna Vitaliano

Although it may still feel a bit like summer out there, the summer concert season is now behind us. Break out the pumpkin spice everything and get ready for fall with the amazing line up of artists coming through NYC and its surrounding areas this season. Mark your calendars now for awesome shows and great entertainment. The following concerts are going to be happening within the next few months that will be sure help get us through the long, cold months!

Keith Urban – Barclays Center Brooklyn, NY
October 27th, 2018

Former Entertainer of the Year nominee, Keith Urban with special guest Kelsea Ballerini is bringing his Graffiti U World Tour to Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, October 27th. Be sure to expect an unbelievable show filled with energetic sing-alongs to classic fan favorites and Top 10 singles such as his latest, “Coming Home.”

Pistol Annies – Town Hall, NYC
November 2nd, 2018

Pistol Annies ft. Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley are back together in New York City for a special album release show. Only three cities were chosen, so if you score a ticket consider yourself extremely lucky! The concert is taking place at Town Hall in NYC on November 2nd, the same day their second album “Interstate Gospel” is released. For a sneak peak of their album, go to www.pistolannies.com to listen to 3 new tracks.

Chris Stapleton – Madison Square Garden, NYC
November 2nd, 2018

Who wants to see one of the most powerful voices in country music? Fortunately for us city folks, we will be graced with Chris Stapleton’s voice at Madison Square Garden on Friday, November 2nd for his All-American Road Show Tour. Stapleton will bring along special guests Marty Stuart & Brent Cobb.

Kane Brown – Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, NYC
November 7th, 2018

In light of his new album dropping November 9th, Kane Brown is bringing Clare Dunn along with him out on the Live Forever Tour making a stop at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Wednesday. November 7th.

Randy Rogers Band, Gramercy Theatre, NYC
November 17th, 2018

Randy Rogers Band is bringing a bit of Texas to the Big Apple alongside Parker McCullum for a guaranteed good time at Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan on Saturday, November 17th.

LANCO – Irving Plaza, NYC
November 29th, 2018

Fans of LANCO will have an opportunity to see them and special guest Travis Denning as they bring their “Hallelujah Nights Tour” to Irving Plaza in NYC on Thursday, November 29th. This is their first headlining tour and will give fans a chance to hear their album Hallelujah Nights all the way through!

Ashley McBryde – Gramercy Theatre, NYC
December 6th, 2018

Ashley McBryde is headlining the “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” Tour this Fall and bringing Dee White with her. She will be playing at Gramercy Theatre on Wednesday, December 6th in New York City. This is a show you don’t want to miss, and its a nice way to break up the week!

Chris Young/Dan + Shay/Morgan Evans – NYCB LIVE: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Uniondale, NY

December 7th, 2018

Nash FM’s “Nash Holiday Bash” with Chris Young ft. Dan + Shay & Morgan Evans is coming to NYCB LIVE: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY on Friday, December 7th! Get in the holiday spirit and get tickets on sale now, or you can try to win your way in by listening to Nash FM!

Check out this playlist below to get you ready for the Fall concert season in NYC!

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Devin Dawson Makes His Bluebird Cafe Debut with Surprise Guest

October 11, 2018/in Blog /by Erica Zisman

Photo via Warner Music Nashville Instagram

Bluebird Cafe is a magical place in Nashville, Tennessee, where fans get the true “in the round” experience, listening to artists take turns singing songs they’ve penned, songs they’ve loved, and of course telling stories. It is where many artists, such as Taylor Swift get ‘discovered,’ and home to a multitude of talented songwriters. Country newcomer, Devin Dawson made his Bluebird Cafe debut on Tuesday Night (10/9), accompanied by three of his favorite, talented songwriters, Jillian Jacqueline (one of our Swag Spotlight artists), Amy Wadge, and David Hodges.

The incredible team of musicians were sure to make the night unforgettable for the intimate crowd that gathered at the Bluebird; however, the night became even more special when superstar Ed Sheeran was noticed in the audience. Sheeran, who happened to co-write his hit “Thinking Out Loud” with Wadge, treated fans to a stripped-down version, during one of her turns.

Dawson was just as floored to have Sheeran present for his debut, and took to Twitter to express his gratitude and feelings about the epic night of music, “Unbelievable experience at @bluebirdcafetn last night. Honored to share it with some great friends & a special shout out to @edsheeran for the “Thinking Out Loud” cameo. Thanks to everyone who was a part of my first night at the sanctuary of songwriters. I’ll never forget it.”

If you find yourself in Nashville, make sure to check out the Bluebird Cafe for yourself and head over to devindawsonmusic.com to see if the artist is performing in a city near you. We caught him earlier this year on the will be ‘The Long Way Tour’ with Brett Eldredge and Jillian Jacqueline, check out the full recap here.

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[Watch] Carrie Underwood Returns to Jimmy Kimmel Live!

October 11, 2018/in Blog /by Danielle Tornatore

Photo courtesy of Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Twitter & Facebook

Just two hours after receiving the American Music Award for Favorite Female Country Artist for the fourth consecutive year in a row and performing “Spinning Bottles” during the award show, Carrie Underwood took the stage at Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the debut performance of the track “Ghosts On The Stereo” from her sixth studio album, Cry Pretty. Penned by Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey and the late Andrew Dorff, “Ghosts On The Stereo” tells the story of a person reclusively letting themselves emotionally fall apart at home due to a failed relationship one final time, before pulling themselves together and moving on.

Closing out the show, Jimmy Kimmel introduced the performance with a Cry Pretty vinyl in-hand, “This is her album, it’s called Cry Pretty. Here with her song “Ghosts On The Stereo”, Carrie Underwood.” Backed by a full band, Underwood took the stage in a gorgeous metallic blouse that put her adorable baby bump on display. The crowd began to sway along to every word but once the beat drop at the end of the first chorus hit, the audience transitioned into full-fledged dancing. As always, her astonishing vocal range made this yet another unforgettable performance. Off camera, the country superstar continued her outdoor mini-concert with two of her older hits, “Before He Cheats” and “Dirty Laundry,” as well as the new album’s title track, “Cry Pretty,” and powerful anthem “Love Wins.”

The singer-songwriter undoubtedly gave fans watching Jimmy Kimmel Live! a taste of what’s to come on her ‘Cry Pretty Tour 360’ which will kick off next Spring with special guests Maddie & Tae and Runaway June. The tour will touch down in New York City on October 2, 2019, at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Tickets are available here.

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An Intimate Night with Walker Hayes and Hannah Ellis

October 10, 2018/in Blog, Concert Reviews /by Nicole Sellati

Walker Hayes and Hannah Ellis, Mercury Lounge, NYC

Last night, New York country fans got to experience an intimate show at Mercury Lounge in lower Manhattan with two extremely talented singer-songwriters, Hannah Ellis and Walker Hayes. Prior to the show, Ellis joined NYCountry Swag for a Live Swag Session where she answered questions and sang two songs, check out the Swag Session below. This was Ellis’ first time opening for Hayes and judging by the way the crowd responded it hopefully won’t be the last. She started the night by saying, “How we doing New York!? I’m so excited to be here, my name is Hannah Ellis! I’m excited to be opening up for Walker Hayes! We are going to have some fun tonight, we are going to get you all warmed up!” Kicking off her set with the first song from her self-titled EP, “Temporary Feelings”.

The singer-songwriter got the crowd going by throwing in some cover songs to get everyone in the singing mood. She covered Lady Antebellum’s hit “Downtown” as well as The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two” before going 90s R&B singing “No Diggity” by Blackstreet, getting the crowd excited for what’s to come. Before going any further, she took a moment in her set to talk about songwriting saying, “Selfishly we also get to go in there and kind of pour out our hearts and talk about where we’ve been and what we’re dealing with…it’s almost therapeutic for us and it’s just been really special to watch people kind of respond to this song.” Slowing down her set, she performed her unreleased song “Past The Past,” showing off her incredible vocals and vulnerability.

Hannah Ellis, Mercury Lounge, NYC

As her set was coming to an end, she couldn’t leave the stage without singing her current single “Home and A Hometown,” saying “It’s one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever written, it’s just my life story, it’s where I come from, where I ended up and where I plan to go.” The entire audience sang back the lyrics, making Ellis emotional saying, “I’m going to go cry about that later…Y’all are incredible!” Making her last two songs count, Ellis kept it upbeat singing her debut single “ILY So What” and closing out her set with “Friends Like These”.

Next up was the headliner himself, Walker Hayes, kicking off his set with his song “Prescriptions.” A couple of songs in, Hayes started talking to the crowd saying, “I was saying to the little VIP thing we did earlier, how much fans mean to me and y’all need to know, thank y’all for showing up, thank you for knowing words to songs that are only on 8Tracks not even albums…it’s been an incredible year for us, this show and our last show marks new material, we got new music coming out and I’m excited…but we still do the oldies but goodies.” Hayes performed 12 songs, covering his hits including fan favorites, “Beautiful,” “Beckett,” “Lela’s Stars”, and “Dollar Store.”

Walker Hayes, Mercury Lounge, NYC

Keeping up the energy, the singer-songwriter performed his brand new single “90’s Country” for the crowd. Read our exclusive interview with Hayes where he discusses the writing process for the song here. As the night continued, Hayes surprised the crowd by bringing out opener Hannah Ellis for his song, “Halloween.” The two artists, took the stage, combining their talents to create one perfect duet. As the night was nearing the end, Hayes continued to get personal, telling everyone about his time working at Costco, having six kids, and the man who inspired his personal and emotional single “Craig”. Be sure to take a look back at our Live Swag Session with Walker Hayes below.

As the night came to the end, Hayes said, “Let’s break it down…this song went Platinum last year just like I hope “90’s Country” will, let’s go crazy, feel free!” singing his hit song “You Broke Up With Me”. When it was time for the last song of the night, Hayes thanked the crowd for coming out and singing along, “This is how we go out”, singing the song “Shut Up Kenny” about his favorite artist of all time, Kenny Chesney.

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Country Music Well Represented at the 2018 American Music Awards

October 10, 2018/in Blog /by Nicole Sellati

Photo Credit: Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock

Last night the 2018 American Music Awards, hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, aired live on ABC. The American Music Awards is the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, honoring artists in multiple musical genres, including country. Fans had the chance to vote for their favorites, from September 12th to October 4th via Twitter and web voting online. Each nominee listed was based on key fan interactions reflected by Billboard, including radio airplay, streaming, social activity, album, and digital song sales and touring. For those who didn’t tune in to the live broadcast, here’s a recap!

The AMA’s was a big night of music and this year country music was represented by Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, Florida Georgia Line, and Jesse James Decker; who took part of the pre-show red carpet as well as being the Subaru Correspondent during the show. The first award of the night was presented by country duo, Florida Georgia Line and their “Meant to Be” duet partner, Bebe Rexha. Together they announced Cardi B as the Favorite Artist in the Rap/Hip-Hop category. As the night went on we got to see more of our fan favorites take the stage to present awards and introduce other artists. Grammy-nominated artist, Kelsea Ballerini, and EDM-Pop duo, The Chainsmokers, introduced Post Malone and Ty Dolla Sign to the stage for their performance. While later in the evening platinum-selling country artist, Kane Brown had the honor to present favorite album Soul/R&B to XXXTENTACION’s family after his untimely death.

Throughout the night, fans of country music were on the edge of their seats waiting to see which of their favorites won in the country music categories. The first category announced was Favorite Female Artist. Thomas Rhett presented this award to the queen of country herself, Carrie Underwood, winning the category for the fourth year in a row, making this her 13th AMA award. She went up to the stage thanking God, her incredible team and of course the fans, saying “Tonight is all about the fans! Thank you so much, you’ve have shown so much love and support for me…you guys mean the world to all of us, just thank you so much!” The next award of the night was Favorite Male Artist in the country category. First time nominee, Kane Brown took home the award, winning his first ever AMA award. Brown came up on stage saying, “First off I feel like I’m about to pass out” then went on thanking the fans and everybody who helped him win. This wasn’t the end to Brown’s night, he went on a streak, winning all the awards he was nominated for, taking home Favorite Song for his single “Heaven” and Favorite Album for his self-titled record. Last but not least the award for Favorite Duo or Group was given off-air to Florida Georgia Line, closing out the awards for the country categories.

Photo Credit: Getty / Frazer Harrison

As the night was coming to an end, Carrie Underwood stole the show with her stunning performance of her new song “Spinning Bottles” off her brand new album Cry Pretty. Underwood took to the stage, right after she won Favorite Female Country Artist, showing everyone watching how deserving she is. She chose to sing one of her more heartbreaking songs, appearing in a beautiful red grown surrounded by candles. Her performance was extremely intimate, showing her emotions with every note she hit, leaving the crowd in complete awe. Underwood’s flawless delivery was one for the books, giving one of the best performances of the night.

The AMA winner gave everyone a taste of what to expect from her at her concerts and luckily as New Yorkers, we can experience The Cry Pretty Tour 360 with special guests Maddie & Tae and Runaway June at the iconic Madison Square Garden on October 2, 2019. While we have to wait a year to see Underwood, luckily we New Yorkers have the chance to see Kelsea Ballerini this month on the Graffiti U tour with Keith Urban at the Barclays Center on October 27th. Three-time AMA winner, Kane Brown will be playing a one-night-only exclusive album release show at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on November 7th.

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Jessie James Decker Celebrates New Book ‘Just Jessie’

October 9, 2018/in Blog /by Christina Bosch

Jessie James Decker Celebrates New Book at Mondrian Terrace, NYC

In the country music landscape, most fans know Jessie James Decker as a singer-songwriter however you can now add author to the ever-growing list of accomplishments the mom of three has achieved. Last week she headed to the elegant Mondrian Terrace to celebrate the release of her lifestyle book Just Jessie: My Guide to Love, Life, Family, and Food. During the event, which was organized by ‘The Moms’, Decker met with fans, signed copies of the book and talked all about what she hopes the readers will take away from the lifestyle, tell all. Just Jessie tells intimate stories about Decker’s life as a mother, a wife and includes her favorite recipes and exclusive photos.

NYCountry Swag Founder, Stephanie Wagner with Jessie James Decker

For fans of her music, don’t worry she also just released a brand new song. Check out our full review of the surprise, sassy single, “Boots” here. Grab Just Jessie: My Guide to Love, Life, Family, and Food Amazon here.

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Swag Sessions: Featuring Hannah Ellis

October 9, 2018/in Blog, Swag Sessions /by Christina Bosch

We first introduced you to rising singer-songwriter, Hannah Ellis back in March when she performed at our ‘Babes, Booze & Brunch’ event honoring all of the incredible women in our lives. Today, before her opening slot for Walker Hayes, Ellis joined our founder, Stephanie Wagner to sing a few songs and chat about her new music at Mondrian Terrace, Mondrian Park Avenue Hotel.

Ellis sang her upbeat debut single “ILY So What” and one of our August Picks “Home and Hometown”. She also explained the writing process behind her brand new single and the music video which was shot in Nashville and in Kentucky.

Watch the full Swag Session above and take a listen to Ellis’ music below. For more music from artists we’ve featured during our LIVE Swag Sessions, check out our Sessions Playlist here and give it a follow for updates.

Keep up with Hannah Ellis on social media – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Jimmie Allen Makes His National TV Debut on ‘Today’

October 9, 2018/in Blog /by Erica Zisman

Photo Courtesy of www.today.com

It’s a big week for Stoney Creek Records recording artist and our 2018 Artist to Watch, Jimmie Allen, as we anticipate the release of his first full-length album Mercury Lane debuting this Friday (Check back for our First Impression Review then). Currently, seven of the tracks are available instantly with pre-orders. As the singer-songwriter continues to promote his record, he hit another milestone, making his national television debut on NBC’s TODAY with Kathie Lee & Hoda. For the full performance click here.

The singer received credit for his talent, as the talk show hosts introduced him, “He is one of the hottest acts in country music right now, he is making his national TV debut!” “Jimmie’s first single “Best Shot” is climbing up the country radio chart by the minute,” said special guest John Cena. Quickly, prior to his performance, Allen shared “It took about 10 years to get my first record deal and you figure all that hard work that I put in before now, is paying off. It feels great.”

Allen performed his charted top 10 and rising single, “Best Shot,” which has earned the artist multiple accolades. The track has been streamed by fans over 46 million times, as well as, being recognized as the #1 Most Shazamed song in country music. We first heard the song almost a year ago when Allen joined the New York Country Swag team for a live Swag Session. Check out that performance below.

The hardworking, rising country star heads to the United Kingdom, following the release of Mercury Lane, on Chase Rice’s the Lambs & Lions UK tour for the rest of the month. In November, Allen will take his talents to tour with Scotty McCreery and again with Kane Brown. For more information visit www.JimmieAllenMusic.com.

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