Blog Archives

Artist Interview: Faren Rachels Chats About Her Debut EP

November 10, 2017/in Blog, Interviews /by Christina Bosch

Faren Rachels, native of Sparta, Georgia is gearing up to hit the road with Luke Combs and promote her debut EP, available today. There is growing up in a small town and then there is growing up in Sparta, where Rachels graduated high school with 12 people. “There wasn’t a whole lot to do, but I think that was one of the reasons I got so interested in music so early.” When your town is so small, every person living there feels like family and she grew up to write songs that have to do with real-life experiences.

She recalls for her 18th birthday her grandparents took her to Nashville to experience The Grand Ole Opry and The Ryman for the very first time. Growing up just an hour from Trisha Yearwood’s hometown, she remembers going to her high school gym and seeing the praise for the country mega-star and thinking “If she can do this from this little town, I can do it too.”

Growing up with her dad loving Lynryd Skynd and Allman Brothers as well as some blues including Stevie Ray Vaughan but also loving Yearwood’s incredible country vocals she credits several genres of music as her influences. “If I like it, I want to do it, I don’t want everything to sound the same,” she says of the diversity of her debut EP which is available today. As for current day influences, she states that Miranda Lambert has a huge impact on the music she wants to create. “That is the one thing I loved about every record shes put out, you would have a song that almost sounds like bluegrass then you would go to the next song and it sounds like a metal rock song, so I love the diversity.”

Her self-titled EP is diverse, featuring songs like “Free Drinks”, which is about knowing a man is wrong for you but going back anyway time and time again and “If I’m Honest” which Rachels says is the most personal song she’s ever written. “I call it my therapy song, I didn’t write that song meaning to even cut it, it was just how I was feeling that day and we’ve been playing it out live and people are really responding to it.” Each of the five songs fit together and offer a cohesive sound and are a representation of who she is as a songwriter and an artist.

The perfect way to roll out her brand new music is opening for Luke Combs who’s tour dates are selling out. “I am so excited and going to a bunch of places I’ve never been before and playing for people who have never heard of me, I think it is going to be a great opportunity,” she says about hitting the road. Take a listen to the EP above and head to Faren Rachels’ official website for tour dates. Be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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Lee Ann Womack Entertains in Brooklyn

November 9, 2017/in Blog, Concert Reviews /by Christina Bosch

After releasing a brand new album last month, Lee Ann Womack took the stage at Rough Trade NYC to play some of her classic hits as well as plenty of new album cuts. The singer from East Texas has been singing traditional country music for 20 years. Her timeless voice and her undeniable stage presence makes her one of the best in the business. Her ninth studio album The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone, blends country with soul and even gospel vibes.

Taking the stage in Brooklyn, Womack and her full band performed some of her early hits including her first number one, “The Fool” and “A Little Past Little Rock”. “We’re gonna turn this place into a honky tonk Y’all” she said before singing “You’re Still on My Mind” the classic George Jones hit. The CMA Award winner filled her set with songs off her new record as well including the title track, “The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone”, “Hollywood” and “Wicked”.

The venue sang along to the hits and remained silent but attentive during the darker, ominous moments. “Thank you for loving real country music” she exclaimed, and the entire audience erupted into applause. For the most inspirational moment of the night, Womack sang her smash hit “I Hope You Dance” before her encore which included an ethereal version of “Lord I Hope This Day is Good”.

She will continue to promote her new music on tour well into the new year, check out all additional tour dates here and grab her latest album on iTunes here.

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NYCS First Impression: Lee Brice Releases Self-Titled Album

November 6, 2017/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Lee Brice released his fourth studio album on Friday, a self-titled project which he says is his most personal album yet. The 38-year-old and father of three wrote 11 of the 15 tracks on the project, recounting his family, his friends and his gratitude for the life he is living. Whether it’s “Boy” which is an ode to being the father of two young men or “The Best Part Of Me” which closes out the record and is dedicated to his baby girl, both showcase the love a father has for his children, a reality Brice is currently living.

The album features plenty of songs that will lend well to Brice’s live show including “American Nights”, “I Don’t Smoke”, “The Locals” and “Little Things”. Brice has a way of engaging fans with his powerful voice, commanding stage presence, and anthemic songs to sing-along with. While listening, you can see fans holding up a beer or waving an American flag in a packed venue.

A definite stand-out is “Songs in the Kitchen” a nostalgia-filled tune set to a background harmonica groove.

“All my dreams came true, my songs took me far away / now I’m singing em every night in these bright lights upon this stage / if you catch me close my eyes, every now and then, to tell you the truth / I’m probably just missin’ songs in the kitchen / songs in the car, songs from the heart.”

Each song on the record reflects a different sentiment but all are relatable and will touch your heart. Brice’s delivery of the songs make the lyrics impactful and he continues to impress with his determination to deliver full, well-rounded albums to his fans. Grab the album on iTunes here and check out his remaining 2017 tour dates here.

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Help Support Ty, Kelly & Chuck’s 100,000 Thank You’s…

November 6, 2017/in Blog /by Stephanie Wagner

We’re teaming up with Ty, Kelly & Chuck to help collect 100,000 Thank You’s for our troops overseas and we need your help!

You can get involved by sending your Thank You’s (by November 21st) to:

Ty, Kelly & Chuck
P.O. Box 23797
Nashville, TN 37202

Whether it’s a homemade card or one from the store, every Thank You helps. Please encourage your schools, scout troops, sororities, fraternities, offices, book clubs, etc. to get involved & let’s help our friends at Ty, Kelly & Chuck reach their goal of 100,000 Thank You’s!

For more information, click here.

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Swag Sessions: Featuring Jimmie Allen…

November 3, 2017/in Blog, NYCountry Swag Pop-Up Sets, Swag Live /by Christina Bosch

Another beautiful fall day calls for a LIVE Swag Session with another rising country star. Yesterday, Broken Bow recording artist, Jimmie Allen stopped by Refinery Rooftop to play three songs off his debut EP and to chat about his upbringing, songs that would be on his life soundtrack, the sentiment of never giving up on your dreams and treating people with kindness. Check out the video here and download Jimmie’s EP on iTunes.

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Interview & Review: Chris Lane and Morgan Wallen on the Take Back Home Tour

November 3, 2017/in Blog, Concert Reviews, Interviews /by Christina Bosch

The grand opening of Stereo Garden (formerly The Emporium) in Patchogue, NY took place last night with The Take Back Home Tour featuring Morgan Wallen and Chris Lane. Long Island country fans showed up early to grab drinks and a bite to eat at the newly renovated venue. As one of the largest music venues on Long Island, Stereo Garden’s decor and overall feel is inviting, encouraging fans to come early and stay late to enjoy the atmosphere, the beer garden, and the dance floor. Prior to his set, Wallen took time to chat with New York Country Swag about his latest single, tour antics with Florida Georgia Line and Nelly and when we can expect his debut album.

As the fans filed in, trio, Levon, took the stage to warm up the crowd before opening act Morgan Wallen. Lane and Wallen just wrapped up touring with Florida Georgia Line, an experience they both told us in interviews was incredible. Wallen also just released his latest single “Up Down” with the duo which has almost 3 million streams on Spotify. The singer sang tracks off his debut EP, including the title track and his first single “The Way I Talk”. Mashing up songs from different genres he covered Linkin Park’s “In the End”, The Eagles, “Life in the Fast Lane” and Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name”, which had the entire audience engaged and singing along.

Two levels packed with fans, Chris Lane performed songs off his latest album Girl Problems including the title track, “Circles” and of course “For Her”. “Thank you for spending your hard earned money to be with us tonight,” he said in between songs. “I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart”. Lane’s 75-minute set is high energy, features great sing-along covers like Tim McGraw’s “I Like It, I Love It”, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and even NSync’s “Bye Bye Bye” (complete with a band choreographed dance to the 90’s smash pop song).

Slowing things down, Lane invited a fan who he noticed was singing every single word to his songs onto the stage to be serenaded. He sang an album cut, “All About You” which made for a definite highlight of the night. Taking the time to thank each of the members of his band and his team, including his merch guy (who came on stage rocking a very tiny, female, Chris Lane tank top) there wasn’t a dull moment to be found. Closing out the night he sang his very first number one single, “Fix”. Lane proved that being on tour with mega-stars Florida Georgia Line has taught him how to bring a dynamic show to his fans across the country. The Take Back Home Tour continues through December, check out the full list of dates below.

Nov. 3 – Atlantic City, NJ
Nov. 4 – Uncasville, CT
Nov. 9 – Columbia, MO
Nov. 10 – Minneapolis, MN
Nov. 16 – Baton Rouge, LA
Nov. 17 – Tallahassee, FL
Nov. 25 – Indianapolis, IN
Nov. 30 – Lexington, KY
December 1 – Kansas City, MO
Dec. 2 – Rogers, AR
Dec. 7 – Columbus, OH
Dec. 8 – Rootstown, OH
Dec. 9 – Rosemont, IL
Dec. 15 – Wichita, KS

New York Country Swag’s, Stephanie Wagner & Christina Bosch with Morgan Wallen & Chris Lane

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NYCS First Impression: Kelsea Ballerini Releases ‘Unapologetically’

November 3, 2017/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

After her debut album soared and the first three songs she released hit the top of the charts, one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year is Kelsea Ballerini’s follow-up record, Unapologetically. With what seems like a bit of a whirlwind career in such a short time, Ballerini has written her music alongside some of the industry’s best songwriters for years, perfecting her craft and building her fan base.

The sophomore project features a deeper look into who Ballerini is, her persona and will have fans of “Yeah Boy” and “Love Me Like You Mean It” loving her new spin on her pop-country princess-vibes. It feels like this record has evolved with Ballerini herself, going from liking boys to loving them, leaving childish things behind and growing up to be a strong adult in the music business. Releasing The First Time when she was merely 21 years old, those next few years of your life are crucial to shaping who you will be and what your career looks like. For Ballerini, writing about her life and what she is going through comes naturally. “It starts with loss, and it goes into life, and then it goes into love; it’s the story of my life over the last few years,” she says of the record.

The album truly follows in that order, if you listen straight through it tells like a good novel, starting with breakups, finding yourself again and then eventually opening up to a new love.

Kicking off the album, “Graveyard” and “Miss Me More” are a refreshing look at a break-up song, deciding to choose yourself over a relationship that isn’t working. It’s a strong outlook to give the young girls who fill out Ballerini’s fan base. “High School” and “In Between” are definite highlights on Unapologetically, the lyrics are honest, raw and illustrate how best to navigate growing up. The latter takes a close look at those years between childhood and adulthood where life can be confusing, something that a ton of her fans will identify with.

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 ribbons and all curls and sometimes I just want to 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 / In the in between”

Other stand-outs are the first single off the project, “Legends” which is the last track on the album and “I Hate Love Songs”, a real look at the sappy songs dedicated to love, she flips the concept on its head. Ballerini gets real about hearts skipping a beat and the cliche’ of Cupid and honeymoon phase. “I hate love songs, yeah I really do, I hate love songs, but I love you”. With her pending nuptials quickly approaching the twist on the classic romantic song.

Ballerini stays true to her self, to her story and true to the career that she has shaped thus far with Unapologetically by releasing a cohesive, well-rounded album. Instead of a few hit singles, the album as a whole is a great listen from the first track to the last. Grab Unapologetically on iTunes here.

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NYCS First Impression: Blake Shelton’s ‘Texoma Shore’

November 3, 2017/in Blog, First Impression /by Christina Bosch

Blake Shelton has released his 11th studio album Texoma Shore today, the culmination of his 10 previous albums, bringing him back to his roots and to the traditional country genre. The title is derived from Lake Texoma on the border of Texas and his home state of Oklahoma. The project was recorded right near the lake, making the title relevant for many reasons.

Texoma Shore is light and playful featuring happy songs that imitate where he is in his life. His undeniable twang allows for the traditional country sound throughout the project. Majority of the tracks highlight affection, for instance, the first 7 songs all reflect on romance and being lucky in love (“Money”, “Beside You Babe”, “Why Me”). His current single and the first off of Texoma Shore, “I’ll Name the Dogs” is reminiscent of his number one single “Honeybee”. “When you listen to the record, it will go from something traditional to something that will make your head spin, back to something even more traditional,” says Shelton in a recent press release. “That’s just what you can expect from one of my albums.”

A stand-out on the record, “The Wave” features strong imagery and can be the perfect wedding song for 2018.

“I was a boat trapped in a bottle, dying for water, you were the ocean / I was a compass that couldn’t find heaven, I didn’t know how bad I was broken / I was a castaway with no land / I drew a broken heart in the sand and you were the wave that washed it all away”

Plenty of Nashville’s greatest songwriters are featured on the album including Ben Hayslip (“I’ll Name the Dogs”, “I Lived It”) Ashley Gorley (“Why Me”) and Rhett Akins (“When the Wine Wears Off”). Shelton only co-wrote one song on the record, (“Turnin’ Me On”) with Josh Osborne and Jessi Alexander, which features a subtle reference to his current girlfriend, pop-star Gwen Stefani’s Revlon partnership, and her bold red lips.

“Knows how to set me on fire, she’s always holdin’ the match / And when my body’s beside hers, there ain’t no turnin’ back / She’s Revlon red in the blackest night, lighting up the room in the world just like she’s turnin’ me on.”

Along with his album release week, Shelton announced on Monday his latest tour which will kick off in March. The Country Music Freaks Tour is hitting cities across the US and he is bringing Trace Adkins, Brett Eldredge, and Carly Pearce along for the ride.

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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

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Country Music Stars Slated for 2017 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade…

November 1, 2017/in Blog /by Christina Bosch

Thanksgiving’s most time-honored traditions, the New York City Macy’s Day Parade will have plenty for country fans this year. Airing on Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd from 9:00 AM-noon, be on the lookout for Lauren Alaina, Cam, Sara Evans and Dustin Lynch to take part in the festivities.

Other artists who will be featured in the 91st annual parade are 98 Degrees, Andra Day & Common, Andy Grammar, Bebe Rexha and many more. Click Here for the full lineup and more information.