Before opening for Dustin Lynch at NYC’s Playstation Theater, country newcomer, Mitchell Tenpenny joined us in Times Square for an afternoon of music, laughs and.. jingle bells! Check out our LIVE Swag Session here and download Mitchell’s EP on iTunes.
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– Team NYCountry Swag
Each year MyCountry 96.1, a country radio station out on Long Island puts on a secret show. The artists remain a secret until they hit the stage which is an exciting way to attract their listeners and fans. The opening act, Brown and Gray took the stage as the venue filled up. They played their latest Christmas song, “It’s Not Christmas (’til you come around)” along with their debut single “Top Down” which has been spinning on the radio station for the past few months. For more about the duo check out our Live Swag Sessions.
A quiet hush came over the crowd as MYCountry’s DJ’s Phathead and Jay Letterman took the stage to announce the next secret act to take the stage. Already having an incredible year, adding another accomplishment on Monday, having her single “Hide the Wine” go most added to radio, Carly Pearce was announced. Pearce sang songs off of her debut album, Every Little Thing including “Color”, “Careless” and of course her first single which hit the top of the charts “Every Little Thing”.
As the DJ’s took the stage again, the surprise was a little anti-climatic when high pitched screamed interrupted their introduction because one of country’s biggest rising stars, Brett Young walked onto the stage. Young who’s voice is smooth and unique in this genre performed songs off his debut album including his number one hit “In Case You Didn’t Know” and his debut single “Sleep Without You”. He also sang a haunting version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. He spent time thanking country radio, specifically MyCountry 96.1 for not only playing his music but for helping him achieve so many accolades over the past year.
The final act to play the secret holiday show was LoCash, the duo who enjoyed their first number one single “I Know Somebody” earlier this year. They sang their radio hits as well as a cover of a song they wrote that Keith Urban cut “You’re Gonna Fly” and a venue-wide sing-a-long of Garth Brooks’ classic “Friends in Low Places”.
Listeners of the station stayed well into the weeknight to dance and sing to their favorite artists all thanks to MyCountry 96.1. For more on the radio station click here.
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Broken Bow recording artist Dustin Lynch brought his Ride or Die Tour to NYC this weekend with opening acts Mitchell Tenpenny and Ryan Hurd. Fans who waited on line to enter the venue rushed the stage once the doors were open and filled the space from the first song till the last.
Warming up the crowd, Mitchell Tenpenny sang songs off of his debut EP, Linden Ave including “Bitches” and “Truck I Drove in High School”. You can catch an exclusive performance of those songs from our Swag Sessions with the rising singer-songwriter here.
Next up was Ryan Hurd, who sang “City Girl”, “Love in a Bar” and even his own version of a song he wrote for Lady Antebellum, “You Look Good”.
Lynch, who recently released his third full-length album, Current Mood, took the stage combined old hits and new ones, opening with “Here We Come” and going right into “Hell of a Night”. His 75-minute set gave his die-hard fans every one of his radio singles as well as album cuts and an energetic live show that they will be talking about for a while. “Thank you all for this,” he said. “All that matters in life right now is the present moment. Tonight’s about singing and dancing. Can we do that New York City?” and the crowd which was filled with a mix of young and old and men and women responded by giving the artist exactly what he asked for.
Lynch proving his staying power in this genre, flawlessly transitioned from his first single, the tender “Cowboys and Angels” into his brand new single “I’d Be Jealous Too” and the audience sang along to every word.
A highlight of the night was when he paid homage to the huge country acts who gave him a chance to open for them in the past. He did a medley of Brad Paisley’s “Mud on the Tires”, Keith Urban’s “Somebody Like You”, Luke Bryan’s “Play It Again” and Florida Georgia Line’s “H.O.L.Y”.
He closed out the night with his most recent number one smash, “Seein’ Red”. Check out the remaining tour dates below.
Dec. 7 — Stockton, Calif. @ Bob Hope Theatre
Dec. 8 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Novo
Dec. 10 — Las Vegas, Nev. @ The Cosmopolitan
Dec. 17 — Grand Rapids, Mich. @ 20 Monroe Live
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From first listen, Danielle Bradbery’s latest album is a remarkable testament to the artist who is finally choosing her own path. “I didn’t know myself as a person back then,” Bradbery says of her teenage years. “I didn’t know my sound yet. Now I want to talk about real things. I want to be honest.” the singer says of evolving after her stint on the singing competition The Voice. As a 16-year-old, Bradbery took the reality competition by storm with her strong vocal ability and sweet nature. Now, 21, she understands the importance of being honest with yourself and making the music that you feel represents you.
At her album release party in NYC on Wednesday night, Bradbery explained to us before taking the stage “This album is a huge growing up process, for this album, 16 to now 21 is a huge gap that you have to figure out and that is exactly what I did.”
The Texas native co-wrote 7 of the 10 tracks on I Don’t Believe We’ve Met, making each lyric personal to her story. The most intimate song, “Human Diary” is an intimate look at a breakup and all of the things you lose, feeling exposed and raw. The lead single “Sway” is a perfect groove, introducing the new sound from The Voice alum.
“What Are We Doing” could easily find itself on any pop music chart sitting next to Justin Beiber, highlighting the back and forth of a modern-day relationship. Bradbery’s vocal chops bring new life to the simplest lyric including the female empowering, “Worth It”, her favorite on the album. Fans of all ages can relate to the message Bradbery is singing about. Sonically, the project fits in perfectly with the pop-country vibes that have catapulted young female artists to the country charts including Lauren Alaina and Carly Pearce. Be on the look out for more great things from this emerging country artist and grab I Don’t Believe We’ve Met on iTunes.
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It is officially the holiday season. While you drive to the mall or while online shopping for your friends and family check out our favorite holiday tunes by country music superstars.
For more of our favorites follow our NYCS Country Christmas Spotify Playlist.
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– Team NYCountry Swag
It has been a long time coming but it is finally here, a full album of duets between country royalty Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Their marriage, 21 years and three beautiful daughters is a testament to love and that is expressed in The Rest of Our Life.
Each song on the project allows the power couple to shine separately as well as together embracing heartbreak, respect and a lifelong love story. The record is dripping with romance which is only heightened by the duos epic harmonies especially on the title track, “The Bed We Made”, and “Cowboy Lullaby”.
The first single “Speak to a Girl” which happens to be extremely relevant in current times is about respecting women the way that women and girls should expect to be treated. The record showcases different phases in a relationship, especially highlighting a more mature, marriage which is a missing niche in country radio today. Each of the songs lends well to the duos live Soul2Soul show where Hill takes the lead and is supported by her husband and vice versa.
McGraw and Hill extended their Soul2Soul tour throughout 2018 and they return to NYC on June 14th. For tickets and more info check out soul2soultour.com/tour and grab The Rest of Our Life on iTunes.
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– Team NYCountry Swag
Chase Rice released his third studio album today, Lambs & Lions, on Broken Bow Records. After three years, Rice is excited to finally release a full-length album filled with music he is proud of, for his fans. “I was fed up with trying, whether that was trying to be something I’m not, trying to make music that people said I should make or trying to make music I felt people wanted to hear. Instead, I decided I’m going to make music that I needed to hear,” He says in a recent press release. Co-writing 7 of the songs, Rice has put his personal stamp on the LP.
The 10-track Lambs & Lions is a culmination of a maturing artist, creating music with a new label who supports his vision. “Saved Me” and “Eyes on You” are standouts, giving an ode to love, faith and small towns. The first single, released earlier this year “Three Chords & the Truth” is currently sitting in the top 40 on the Country Airplay charts.
“I see you blinking through your blue eyes / How a song can turn back time / You can almost feel the sand on your feet / From the passenger seat / Singing “Anything But Mine” / And don’t you know we were raised on the radio”
Rodney Clawson and Jamie Moore, writers on “Amen”, spin a beautiful image and testament to faith. A gospel choir backs Rice’s delicate delivery, filling even the non-believer with conviction. To close out the album Rice does an impressive, modern day cover of Chris LaDoux’s classic “This Cowboy’s Hat” which even features Chris’ son Ned. The Carolina native does have one party song on the record, “Jack Daniels Showed Up”, a high energy drinkin’ song that will be a great tune for his live set. Grab Lambs & Lions on iTunes and grab tickets to his show at Terminal 5 on January 18th here.
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– Team NYCountry Swag
Brooklyn Bowl, a bowling alley, and venue hosted Frankie Ballard last night. Ballard sang songs off of both of his albums, Sunshine and Whiskey and El Rio and played crowd favorite covers from his heroes. Opening his set with his smash hit “Young and Crazy” then going right into “Little Bit of Both” off his latest record the Michigan native toggles between old and new music. His latest 11 song EP fuses country with rock and roll, soul and blues together, taking fans on a musical journey of the artist’s life.
Ballard, who’s perfectly coiffed hair and leather jacket fit in with his old school vibes asked the crowd if they were ready for a little Johnny Cash before covering “Big River” and then did his own mashup of Elvis’ “Hound Dog” and “Heartbreak Hotel”, complete with the signature hip swings.
Entertaining the crowd during his 75-minute set, Ballard slowed things down to chat with the audience, “I always dreamed of playing in the big city so tonight, on a Wednesday night to come on this stage and see all of your beautiful faces means the world to me.” Ballard closed out the night with his smash hit “Sunshine & Whiskey” and his cover of Bob Segers’ “You’ll Accomp’ny Me”.
For the full list of tour dates click here.
Our favorite part of the show?
Spotting this fan rocking our Red Line Snapback in the audience!
Grab yours here.
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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!
Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
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– Team NYCountry Swag
Sometimes, the songs buried deep in an artists’ album are even better than the singles sent to radio. Here are our Top 15 favorite cuts from albums’ released this year (so far), in the order that they were released.
Lauren Alaina’s “Three”
On her sophomore album, Alaina has plenty of songs that are raw and honest but “Three”, a real look at what you miss when you follow your dreams, is definitely a standout on the record.
Key Lyrics: “A lot of miles, a lot of tears / You’ve given me some of my best years / There’s so much I had to miss out on / Six years of missing home for three minutes on the radio”
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Brett Young “Olivia Mae”
A smooth vocal and powerful lyrics, Brett Young delivers on this love song from his self-titled debut album.
Key Lyrics: “Olivia Mae I hope it ain’t just me / From where I’m standing I can see / Us finding our own kind of meant to be / Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m right / But I just had to try / Olivia may I?”
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Little Big Town “Lost in California”
This melody is addicting and this entire album is incredible, but this song blends harmonies with soft simple imagery.
Key Lyrics: “Whisper in my ear, dreamin’ disappear, say you’ll take me / Where the world unwinds / Lost in California / Let’s chase the waves and let ’em take us under / On some deserted piece of virgin sand, yeah / Hold on to the freedom and the wonder / While we can”
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Sunny Sweeney “Bottle by My Bed”
This song is meaningful and touches on a topic that is usually not talked about, Sunny Sweeney’s voice along with a beautiful cello make this song one of the best on the album.
Key Lyrics: “I’d rather be in a carpool lane than this big cold limousine / I’d trade every pair of high heel shoes for a high chair in the dining room / Don’t even know you yet but I know I love you”
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Steve Moakler “Siddle’s Saloon”
Based on his grandfather’s bar, this song perfectly describes a local spot to find a rowdy good time. Take a listen and let this great tune get stuck in your head.
Key Lyrics: “It’s been a long week, and we’re glad you came by / The stories and punch lines and cold icy Lite / Well if you’re not here, we’ll be asking ’bout you / Come Saturday night at Siddle’s Saloon / Hey, hey, hey”
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Charlie Worsham “Southern By the Grace of God”
We love this tune from Charlie Worsham, simply put it sheds light on living life in the south in the best possible ways.
Key Lyrics: “I’m tellin’ y’all this delta drawl / Is stuck to me like buzz on a honeybee / Country is as country does and look here ’cause / You can’t out-country me / Hound dog howlin’ in front porch blues / Kids run ’round outside with no shoes or socks / Southern by the grace of God”
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Brett Eldredge “Castaway”
Closing out his most recent self-titled album, “Castaway” highlights Eldredge’s perfect tone and the melody will pull at your heartstrings.
Key Lyrics: “I’d be naive to ever think / You’re at your door waiting for me / So why do I always try / To run away from you / Please don’t say a castaway / Is what I was born to do / I guess I’ll always be lost without you”
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Old Dominion “Still Writing Songs About You”
On an album full of potential singles and number one hits, this song which we first heard at a writers round last summer in NYC is a highlight on Happy Endings.
Key Lyrics: “You on the sunny Santa Monica freeway / You on a bed and a mini bar three-day haze / With your hair and my heart all a mess in the morning / I’ve gotten drunk on whiskey and women / Woke up in places that we’ve / never been in / Spending all night and all day trying to say something new / But I’m still writing songs about you”
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Midland “More Than A Fever”
One of our favorite new acts out of Nashville, this trio is bringing back traditional country music and “More Than A Fever” is a great mid-tempo jam that’s all about love makin’.
Key Lyrics: “Your hands all over me like they were velvet / There’s no way to temper this desire / I’m on fire tonight / More than a fever / Girl, you’ve got the red line on the rise / More than a fever / And I don’t wanna break it tonight”
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Thomas Rhett “Life Changes”
The title track of Thomas Rhett’s latest album features one of many different vibes on the record, this particular song is more of R&B and spoken word than country but Rhett narrates his life story featuring his wife Lauren and the changes they have experienced with their growing family.
Key Lyrics: “I remember the day I told my Daddy and Mama you’re gonna have a grandkid, yep from Uganda, that’s right, we’re adopting / And she is the cutest little girl that you’ve ever seen / Well I was wrapping my head around being a dad, a bigger wrench got thrown in the plans we thought we’d had / Now Lauren’s showin’ and got one on the way / Yeah that’s two under two, hey, what can I say? / Ain’t it funny how life changes / You wake up ain’t nothing the same and life changes”
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Carly Pearce “Color”
With her debut single “Every Little Thing” currently sitting in the top spot on the country charts, Carly Pearce’s debut self-titled album is filled with beautiful love songs. One of our favorites is “Color”.
Key Lyrics: “Well, you’re the rock, you’re the steady / You need someone to push you in before you’re ready / Well, I’m the rush, I’m the crazy / But I’ll be circling the moon without you, baby / You be the lines, I’ll be the color”
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Russell Dickerson “Would You Love Me”
Russell Dickerson has said that his debut album Yours, is a 12 song love letter to his wife Kailey and “Would You Love Me” is no exception. This reggae infused jam will definitely be stuck in your head.
Key Lyrics: “Cause I’ma love you til the sun burns out / Love you til my heart breaks down / Listen baby ain’t no doubt that / I’ma love you, I’ma love you, I’ma love you / I’ma love you til we’re old and grey / Love you til we’re running out of days / Hear me, baby, when I say that / I’ma love you, I’ma love you, I’ma love you”
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Lee Ann Womack “Hollywood”
Off of her latest full-length LP, The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone, “Hollywood” has an ominous tone about a relationship falling apart.
Key Lyrics: “Like the silver screen, it’s a technicolor dream / We pretend it’s real, but it’s only make-believe / Lying in our bed in the middle of Act Two, We say, “goodnight, I love you” / We never miss our cue / I ask you if you mean it, you say, “Yes”, I knew you would / Well, either I’m a fool for asking, or you belong in Hollywood”
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Kelsea Ballerini “In Between”
Right in the middle of her sophomore album is this remarkable song about growing up and feeling stuck between a girl and a woman.
Key Lyrics: “Sometimes I’m my mother’s daughter, sometimes I’m her friend / Sometimes I play grown up and sometimes I play pretend / Sometimes I’m a princess dressed all curves / And sometimes I just wanna scream “I’m not a little girl!“ / Dumb enough to think I know it all / Smart enough to know I don’t / Young enough to think I’ll live forever / Old enough to know I won’t”
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Lee Brice “Songs in the Kitchen”
Also released earlier this month, Lee Brice’s self-titled album features his most vulnerable and personal songs. “Songs in the Kitchen” even mentions Lee and his brother Lewis (who is also an artist) singing in the car when they were kids.
Key Lyrics: “All my dreams came true, my songs took me far away / Now I’m singing them every night in these bright lights up on this stage / If you catch me, close my eyes every now and then, to tell you the truth / I’m probably just missing, songs in the kitchen”
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For the full list of 15 songs, follow our Spotify Playlist 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
Ali Morgan, at just fourteen years old is pursuing a career in the music business, something she has dreamt of since she was a toddler. The teenager took time to chat with New York Country Swag about her influences, her writing process, and her big dreams. She explains that before she could remember her family was always playing music around the house including Bon Jovi and the Beastie Boys but country music always stuck out to her. “It was the lyrics, being a songwriter that means twice as much to me and I would always write these stories or songs and I would put melodies to them,” she tells us. She was in first grade when she wrote her first song, turning a simple story into music. Taking the stage when she was seven years old for her school play she realized she knew that she wanted to be on stage entertaining for the rest of her life. She learned how to play guitar and started creating her very own music.
Referencing Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Taylor Swift as her influences in the country genre, Morgan states she writes about what she knows just like her idols do. “I don’t know what it is like to be in love, I haven’t gone through a divorce but I do go through things at school, liking boys and having friends that stab you in the back stuff like that,” she tells us of her songwriting. Originally from Chicago, her family made the move to Nashville last summer to allow her to follow her dreams and she explains how she is so grateful for her amazing support system. Recently signed to Silverado Records she is currently writing her debut EP and has had the opportunity to open for Andy Grammar.
Starting so young and knowing exactly where she wants her career to go, Morgan lets us in on a few bucket list items she hopes for her career. She looks forward to standing on a stage and having fans sing her songs back to her and she says, of course, playing the Grand Ole Opry would be a major dream come true.
Follow along on her social media channels: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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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