Devin Dawson Dark Horse

First Impression: Devin Dawson ‘Dark Horse’

/in , /by

Devin Dawson Dark Horse

 

Continuing the trend of great music being released in the new year, Devin Dawson‘s debut full-length album Dark Horse is finally here.  The soulful crooner grew up near the famed Folsom Prison in Calfornia, yes the same one that Johnny Cash performed at in the 1950’s.  Dawson is proud of his California roots, and the steps he took to get to where he is today in the music industry. Including spending time in a heavy metal band and growing up listening to R&B music as well as country music.

 

His highly anticipated album, Dark Horse is a culmination of years working towards releasing music to the world.  The lead single, “All On Me” has garnered over 43 million streams on Spotify, introducing his new blend of music to country music fans who are looking for something different.

Highlights on the LP include the title track, which unapologetically describes Dawson himself, his outlook on life and his career. (“Anyone who ain’t afraid to stray off course / My heart bleeds for country music, where the honest outlaw truth is / no I ain’t no white knight, I’m a little more dark horse.”)  

 

 

Dawson spins lyrics into images with “War Paint” a tale of revenge on a cheating man. (“She ain’t crazy but she’s gonna make him pay / you can see it on her face, black mascara moulin rouge, blood red lipstick high heeled shoes / it’s her turn to do him wrong, that ain’t makeup that she got on, its war paint / go on girl  make that man feel your pain”) The record ends with “Prison” which a rocking mid-tempo closer, paralleling a love story to unavoidable confinement.

Late in 2017, Dawson performed in an intimate setting at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall, introducing members of the music industry to these new songs.  Check out a full recap of the evening here.  Listen to the full album below.

 

 

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

 

 

 

LANco Plays New Album, “Hallelujah Nights” to a Packed Out Gramercy Theatre…

/in , /by

LANCo

LANco took the stage last night at The Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan and played cuts off their debut album which is available everywhere tomorrow. “The album is called Hallelujah Nights, just like nights like tonight that you spend with your friends and family.” Brandon Lancaster, the lead singer of the band told the packed house. He explained to the crowd how this week was a historic one for them as a band, getting to play shows in New York City and releasing their very first full-length album.  We were first introduced to LANco back in 2016 when they opened for Brothers Osborne, now they are headlining their very own show.

Lanco

They played songs off their album including “Pick You Up” and the title track, “Hallelujah Nights” as well as covers of Alabama’s classic,”Dixieland Delight” and John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold”.  “A full room like this in New York City is a dream come true for us,” Lancaster said before singing “Long Live Tonight” which was featured on their EP released back in 2016.  Taking a moment to ask the crowd to split, Lancaster then jumped into the audience holding a giant drum and interacted with his biggest NYC fans.

The album features 11 tracks that tell the story of young and small town living, chronically the way the band members grew up.  The title track encompasses the feel-good notion that the band wanted to ensure when fans were listening to the record, just being able to look around and enjoy all that life has given you. 

“These are the hallelujah nights / These are the best days of our life / The ones we won’t get back / The ones that go too fast / The ones that make you feel like heaven might be right next to ya / Throw your hands up, hallelujah / These hallelujah nights”

“We wanted the album to reflect our worldview,” Lancaster told the Tennessean in a recent interview. “The album explores a lot of different times in your life, whether it’s finding love or losing love or being broke. But knowing that all of those things are things you can rally around and celebrate the fact that you’re going through these different stages in life. That’s a connection we have with our fans is they are all going through the same things.”

The band ended 2017 by celebrating their first no. 1 single, “Greatest Love Story” which they used to close out the night, all of the audience swayed along and sang every word.

 

Days before the show, New York Country Swag hosted a special ticket giveaway contest for our followers. We gave two lucky winners a pair of tickets to the show. Upon arriving at the venue, our contest winners were surprised with a special meet & greet. Congrats to our winners & thank you for supporting New York Country Swag! Make sure you’re following us on Instagram for contests, ticket giveaway & more!

 

 

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

 

 

Maren Morris, Brothers Osborne & Eric Church to Honor Vegas Victims at Grammys 2018

/in /by

Grammys Vegas Victims Tribute

Maren Morris, Eric Church and Brothers Osborne each took the stage back in the fall in Las Vegas for the Route 91 Festival before tragedy struck when a gunman killed 58 concertgoers and wounded more than 500 on October 1st. All three artists will team up to hit the stage during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards to pay tribute to those lives lost at Route 91 as well as the victims at the bombing in Manchester, England at the Ariana Grande concert.

“Live music events have always provided a safe space for fans to gather in a shared celebration of music,” President/CEO of the Recording Academy, Neil Portnow, said in a statement. “Sadly, that wasn’t always the case this past year. We believe it’s incredibly important to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in these senseless tragedies and to remind musicians and music lovers alike that live music will continue to be a powerful force that unites us all.”

Morris is nominated in the same category she won at last year’s awards, Best Country Solo Performance while Brothers Osborne are up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.   The 60th Annual Grammy Awards will air live on January 28th on CBS.

 

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

 

 

Save-the-Dates: Major Country Music Tour Announcements…

/in /by

Over the past few days, some of our favorite country acts have announced their 2018 tours and they are all heading to the metro area!

First up, Lady Antebellum announced they will be co-headlining with Darius Rucker and bringing Russell Dickerson on the road.  The “Summer Plays On Tour” will stop at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey on August 3rd and Northwell Jones Beach Theater on August 4th.  Tickets and more info available at LadyAntebellum.com

Lady A Tour Announcements

 

Announced last night at an intimate show at the Exit/In in Nashville, Keith Urban will release his new album early this year and is hitting the road with Kelsea Ballerini.  The “GraffitiU World Tour” heads to Barclays Center on October 27th.  Tickets and info here.

Keith Urban Graffiti U Tour Announcements

 

Last but not least, earlier today Jason Aldean announced a 34-city “High Noon Neon Tour” featuring rising stars, Lauren Alaina and Luke Combs. The tour stops at the iconic Madison Square Garden on Saturday, August 11th.

Jason Aldean Tour Announcements

 

Be sure to be following us on Instagram for the latest and greatest in NYC Country news, ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests & more!

 

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

 

 

Smithfield Live

NYCS Exclusive: “Hey Whiskey” – Smithfield (LIVE)

/in , /by

Jennifer Fielder and Trey Smith who make up country duo, Smithfield stopped by The Barrel Room at Park Avenue Tavern to perform their latest single “Hey Whiskey” for a New York Country Swag Session.  The intimate setting and incredible acoustics made for quite the moment, highlighting the duo’s beautiful harmonies.  The song, written by Jennifer and Trey along with their friends, Casey Derhak and Adam Wood, decided to put a new spin on the same old drinking songs.

 

 

The song is going to country radio this week as Smithfield joins Granger Smith on his winter tour.  The tour kicks off at Irving Plaza tomorrow night, Thursday, January 18th.  Grab your tickets here.

If you like what you hear, make sure to share this on your socials and let us know what you think! Follow Smithfield on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook.

 

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

 

 

Dierks Bentley Gives Sneak Peak into New Album with Latest Single, “Woman, Amen”…

/in , /by

If “Woman, Amen” is any indication of what’s to come from Dierks Bentley‘s new album The Mountain, fans should look forward to heading back to Bentley’s roots. The uptempo anthem was written with Bentley’s frequent cowriters Ross Copperman and Josh Kear.  It is a passionate love song dedicated to his wife Cassidy and is deeply personal for the singer.

“I feel like it all starts at home with my wife,” he told Billboard. “She is who grounds me, she is also the one who has helped me to grow as a person over all these years, so I feel if I’m going to tell these stories (on this album) right, I need to start with her.”

The accompanying video above shows the rustic cabin where the song was recorded as well as incredible shots of forests, steep hills and wheat blowing in the wind. Bentley is not only expressing appreciation for the love and devotion from his wife but also taking the time to soak in all that mother nature and this world have to offer. The Mountain is slated for release this Spring.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

Zac Brown/Sir Rosevelt’s, “It Goes On” Featured in New War Movie, ’12 Strong’…

/in , /by

Sir Roosevelt - 12 Strong

 

In addition to recently releasing their debut album, Sir Rosevelt, (the newly formed southern pop group consisting of Zac Brown, Niko Moon and Ben Simonetti), have a new song that will be featured in the upcoming movie, ’12 Strong.’

The war drama, starring Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon, is a story of heroism based on true events that unfolded in the aftermath of 9/11.  Zac Brown’s familiar voice lends itself to a song about the resilience of love in the face of adversity, fear, and doubt, over a chilling acoustic arrangement.

Take a listen to the new track below available everywhere today and ’12 Strong’ will be in theaters everywhere this Friday, January 19th.

 

 

Want more of Zac Brown? Don’t miss Zac Brown Band’s return to New York on the ‘Down The Rabbit Hole’ Tour hitting Citifield on July 28th & 29th. Check out tour info & more dates here.

 

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

Swag Spotlight: Kaylee Rutland

/in , , /by

Kaylee Rutland

 

When Kaylee Rutland was just eight years old she recalls raising her hand to sing a solo during her church choir show and was immediately bit by the performance bug. “It was the best feeling in the world and I knew I wanted to do this all of the time. It is something that I will always remember.”  She spent her childhood in Flower Mound, Texas, and grew up  listening to Christian music and Radio Disney, before falling in love with country music.  “It’s always been country music for me, in particular, I would listen to Reba, Carrie Underwood, and Sara Evans,” she recalls.

After graduating high school, Rutland made the move to Nashville to attend Belmont University as a Music Business major. She graduated this past December and attributes so much to her college experience.  Having heard from songwriters in the industry how they wished they had gotten a degree in the inner workings of the music industry, she decided to pursue that track and outside of class take voice lessons and go to songwriting sessions, ultimately creating a good balance of knowledge.  “Getting to take what I learned in the classroom at Belmont and then apply it to my own career and mix being a student with being a musician has been fantastic,” she says of her four years at Belmont.

Her EP, That Side of Me, released in October features five original songs, all of which Rutland co-wrote as well as a new twist on Adele’s “Rumor Has It”.  She explains how some of the tracks were written four years ago while others were written and recorded just months before the EP was released.  “I wanted a variety of songs that showcased a different side of me as an artist, as a 22-year-old girl and I hope that each of the songs speak out to other people and show them different sides of them as well,” she says of the project. She has learned that being vulnerable and going into a songwriting session and opening up to the other writers is the way to find great, honest lyrics.  “That’s what I love about country music, so much of it is real, it’s really just somebody sitting there with a guitar and pouring our their thoughts,”  Rutland says.

Kaylee decided that the EP should close with a cover, and she knew that she could take a song that wasn’t a traditional country song and transform it into something new with an added twist.  After one of her bandmates suggested an Adele song, she recalls laughing to herself thinking she couldn’t sing an Adele song, however, she took the upbeat revenge song and made it her own.

Looking forward to life as a college graduate, Rutland is excited to have her classroom days behind her and not have to balance her school schedule with her music career.  “I plan on doing a lot more widespread performances, I am always performing in Texas and in Nashville, but I would love to get to more places around the country that I haven’t been before,” she explains.  For more about Kaylee Rutland be sure to be following her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

Anderson East Cover

First Impression: Anderson East ‘Encore’

/in , /by

Anderson East

Country music is always transitioning and changing and the fluidity of it all allows genres to mesh and to come together to create something magical.  That is exactly what you will find on Anderson East‘s second full-length LP, titled Encore, available everywhere today.

Dripping with soul, tenderness and plenty of angsty horns, each song combines rock, blues, country, jazz, and Americana so you soon forget which genre box he should be in and start appreciating the rising star’s undeniable talent.

Encore features insanely talented co-writers such as country megastar Chris Stapleton (“King For A Day,” “If You Keep Leaving Me”), pop sensation Ed Sheeran, and Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid (“All On My Mind”)  The first single off of the project, “All On My Mind” has garnered over two million streams on Spotify.

East knows when to wail and knows when to quietly express his sentiment, giving the entire album and irrefutable cohesiveness.  Encore also features two covers, including Willie Nelson’s “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces” and Ted Hawkins’  “Sorry You’re Sick”. East adds his own spin on each of the songs, making them sound brand new.

East was on the road with Stapleton’s “All American Road Show” tour, building his fan base and introducing his signature sound to the Stapelton fans.  Listen to the full album below and be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram,  and Twitter.

 

 

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

Walker McGuire

First Impression: Walker McGuire Self-Titled EP

/in , /by

Walker McGuire

Jordan Walker and Johnny McGuire make up the duo Walker McGuire and released their debut EP today.  The five-song collection released via Wheelhouse Records is a culmination of the band’s honest cowriting and pop country vibes.

The self-titled EP showcases their incredible harmonies, while each song is relatable and allows for modern country fans to fall in love with their lyrics. Those harmonies are particularly prominent on “Til Tomorrow” which has racked up over 23 million streams on Spotify since released early in 2017.

The second track on the EP “Lost” was co-written with Sugarland’s, Kristian Bush and impacts country radio next week.

The duo is making stops across the country in 2018.  For tour dates click here.

Check out the full EP below and be sure to be following Walker McGuire on Facebook, Twitter,  and Instagram.

—————————-

Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag