NYCS Swag Spotlight: Chevel Shepherd

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Chevel Shepherd

Photo Credit: Shutterstreek

“I think music is the food of the soul and can heal people in a lot of different ways…”

 

One of our youngest, brightest stars that we have interviewed, Chevel Shepherd is this week’s Swag Spotlight and we are thrilled to tell her story. As a child, Shepherd started singing when she was only two years old, following in the footsteps of her mother and sister who also loved to sing. When she was four, she learned “Fly Away” by Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood’s “Before He He Cheats”, using the latter to try and audition for a high school talent competition in her hometown of La Plata, New Mexico. The judges felt that song was was “inappropriate” she tells us and laughs as she explains she went on to sing “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” from Cinderella. She fell in love with country music from the very start of her life, listening to the greats with her parents like Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Tanya Tucker, and Merle Haggard. Ambitious from such a young age, Shepherd would wake up early on Friday mornings and go perform at radio stations before school.

She tells us that her upbringing in New Mexico was very “country”, she grew up on a 3-acre farm, barrel racing and raising horses.  Growing up she loved to watch American Idol and was too young to audition for both Idol and The Voice until they changed their policies. “I would sit in front of the TV and watch the people singing, and I would tell my mom,  ‘I could turn a chair,’ ” she recalls. She eventually saved up her money and went to audition for season 13 of The Voice in Las Vegas, unfortunately not making it past the open call. She was determined to follow her dreams as a singer and then something amazing happened: her mother received an email requested that Chevel, now 16 would audition for season 15.  “It was a blessing really, I am grateful to have gotten the opportunity again,” she tells us.

Talk about timing, this time around Shepherd did turn those chairs, three, in fact, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, and Jennifer Hudson all hit their buttons for the young singer. Surprising even herself, she chose Kelly Clarkson as her coach instead of Blake Shelton. “it was a gut decision to pick Kelly and I feel like it was a great decision, shes helped me a lot, she knows a lot about pop and country music,” she tells us.  Her sassy personality, remarkable vocals, and genuine charisma took her all the way to the end of the show where she ultimately took home the top prize.

Since winning the singing competition show, Shepherd has played live shows across the country, met some of her idols like Loretta Lynn and attended the ACM Awards with Kelly Clarkson. She has also loved being able to craft and perform her own songs. Earlier this year she recorded and released two songs, “Everybody’s Got A Story” which was written by some of Nashville’s best songwriters, Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally, and Brandy Clark and “Mama Got The Chair” which is a nod to George Strait’s number one hit, “The Chair”.

Both songs keep the traditional country roots that Shepherd has loved since she was a child. “I loved listening to the classic country sound, as I got older things started changing and the different genres were incorporated in the genre but I want to keep the traditional sound as long as I can,” she says. Looking into the future, she is dipping her toes in the acting world as well as playing more shows across the nation.

She may be young but her old soul and impeccable talent will certainly carry her far in her career.

To keep up with Chevel Shepherd, follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

“Everybody’s Got a Story” and “Mama Got The Chair” are now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

NYCS Swag Spotlight: James Dupré

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James Dupré

This week our Swag Spotlight shines on rising artist, James Dupré. We chatted with the singer-songwriter about his path to find music, his stint on The Voice, his hopes for his career going forward, and everything in between.

Growing up in small-town Bayou Chicot, Louisiana, Dupré remembers his parents listening to a lot of different styles of music, but for the singer, one particular voice transcends all for him. “I remember hearing Vince Gill sing for the first time,” he told us, “I remember his voice just absolutely amazed me, and I knew from then, I wanted to be a singer.” Other artists that he credits for his love of music includes greats like Merle Haggard and Randy Travis, and more modern artists like Eric Church and John Mayer, who he draws inspiration from for his own music.

Despite having a passion for music, Dupré’s life took a different turn. The singer actually went to college to study meteorology, where he subsequently also joined a band. At that time, he felt like he should be putting his focus on music, so he went back home, where he worked as a paramedic, all while, writing songs and recording Youtube videos.

Due to his popularity on YouTube, daytime and comedic sensation, Ellen Degeneres invited him on to her show. According to Dupré, “That was the first time I’ve ever been on television. […] It was an amazing experience being backstage and just kinda diving in to see how a major network TV show works behind the scenes. I was hooked after that.”

Dupré found himself moving to Nashville, Tennessee shortly after that. He signed with Warner Music Nashville and released his first debut project. Still being young and trying to cultivate his voice and his message, Dupré ended up leaving the label. With music still his passion, a friend of his, encouraged him to try out for Season 9 of NBC’s The Voice.

After a successful stint on the show, Dupré’s passion was reignited, and he knew once again that music was his calling. “You hear people, old-timers that have been in Nashville for decades- they say that really perseverance is the key because there are so many people that come here, and it’s easy to get discouraged,” adding, “But the people that stick it out no matter what- there’s gong to be ups and downs, those are the people that end up making it. And I don’t have a plan B. I don’t have anything to fall back on and I just love what I do. And I’m so lucky that I’ve had the opportunities that I’ve had, and I’m just going to continue doing it,” he declares.

Within the past year, Dupré has garnered many new fans of his own. Over the summer, the singer released a single to country radio called “Another Love Song,” after the song performed really well digitally on streaming platforms. He also was handpicked by his icon and now friend, Randy Travis for his ‘The Music of Randy Travis 2019 Tour.’

“The only way I can describe it is like going to Disney World like every day,” he tells us about the tour, “Randy Travis is an icon and I grew up listening to him and to be on stage- and to be on stage, including the Ryman Auditorium, with his original band, singing all these great songs, it was just a dream come true.”

According to Dupré, there is talk about the tour adding some more shows this year as well. Additionally, the singer released another song that just went to country radio called “You’re Probably Drunk Right Now.” The song showcases how a break-up feels on both sides of the dissolution of a relationship, and luckily for Dupré fans, both the new single and “Another Love Song” are part of a full-length album that is in the works, and slated to be released in summer, 2020. Fans are sure to be hearing a lot more from Dupré as the year continues, and we are excited to see how his career continues to blossom.

To keep up with James Dupré follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Another Love Song” and “You’re Probably Drunk Right Now” are 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.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Who Is Matt Ferranti? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Matt Ferranti? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

Matt Ferranti

The Beginning:

This week’s Swag Spotlight might be a new solo-artist, but Matt Ferranti has been performing and grinding in the music industry for over a decade. The singer-songwriter has been a staple in superstar, Brett Young’s band, as his guitarist, for a few years now but he is finally embracing stepping out on his own. We spoke with Ferranti about everything from how he got his start in the music industry to where he hopes his solo-career will take him over the next year, and everything in between.

Growing up in Bay City, Michigan, music was a huge part of his upbringing. Ferranti’s father worked as a minister and his mother was a worship leader, so contemporary Christian music was his first introduction to music. As his taste developed, the singer became interested in all different types of artistry from John Mayer to Steven Curtis Chapman to Warped Tour bands, and even boy bands. “I am a hell of boy band fan,” laughed Ferranti, “Justin Timberlake is my jam. I grew up singing that all the time too.” Early fans of Ferranti might know that he often throws an *NSYNC cover into his longer sets.

After playing in many bands all through school, Ferranti found himself in a band that leaned more towards the contemporary country sound. The Detroit-based band found success, opening up for groups like Thompson Square and Gloriana. On a whim and a suggestion from Gloriana, Ferranti and his band finally picked up and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, with hopes of furthering their careers.

The Turning Point:

Knowing virtually no one in Music City, the rising artist found himself humbly working as a bar-back in downtown Nashville and working on improving his songwriting skills. He soaked up as much of the Nashville scene as he could, all while trying to hone his craft.

“I just kinda loved being in Music City. I just like being around it. It’s always kinda popping around. It’s crazy I use to want to be a writer at first,” he explained, “ Nashville humbles you real quick […] I had to bust my tail to really improve so that, basically it’s what they say when preparation meets opportunity […] realizing how damn prepared I have to be.”

For the next five years, Ferranti worked playing every gig and writer’s round that he could, even adding that he would write over 125 songs a year at times. Recognizing his talent and passion for music, his friend and bandmate, Brett Young told him that he was going to help him introduce fans to his own music.

Today:

This catapulted Ferranti into writing five songs he called “the best songs I’ve written in my life,” all in one weekend, and getting to work with Jimmie Robbins to help produce his debut self-titled EP. Out of the six songs on the project, “Make It to the Bedroom,” featuring Hannah Ellis is the only song he didn’t write. According to the singer, it was written by Ellis, with Nick Wayne and Josh Kerr. Ferranti loved the song so much that he knew he had to put it on his EP almost instantly; despite, almost losing it to another artist.

When it comes to the other five songs, he shared, “…I just wrote love songs about my wife. We’ve been together nine years and basically, it’s like, when I wrote these songs, I finally had a vibe.” Ferranti went on to conclude, “I feel like the whole record has a vibe and once we kinda curated that vibe, the lyrics just start coming. We had a story to tell, we had something to say.”

Currently, Ferranti is not only playing in Young’s band still, but he is also the opening act for him on ‘The Chapters Tour.’ We caught the singer last month in New York City, and it’s safe to say that fans resonated with him and his sound. As he continues to garner more and more fans, the artist hopes to work his way towards earning a record deal and hopefully playing shows with other artists or his own shows, in between shows with Young. He even mentioned that he would love to play with his good buddy and fellow singer-songwriter, Filmore.

Additionally, Ferranti hopes to deliver a full-length project sometime in 2020. “I felt like that was the perfect little click before the record comes out of who I am and what I have to say,” he says about the EP, “ And I can’t wait to finish the record. I think the whole story is going to be dope,” he added mentioning that he has seven more songs to record.

It’s clear from his debut record that Ferranti is the real deal. With just six songs, he has cultivated a clear voice and message for fans to get on board with. The passion that he has for music simply rivals that of any established artists in the industry, and we’re excited to see where that passion and talent takes him.

To keep up with Matt Ferranti follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Matt Ferranti EP 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.

 

NYCS Swag Spotlight Paulina Jayne

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Paulina Jayne

“I think that music and the ability to write it, is truly something that is a gift from God. I say that in an extremely humble way. He has certain people that he gives songs to and some of those songs get heard and some are just for the writer.”

For our Swag Spotlight feature this week, we got to interview a talented singer-songwriter, who has been in the business since high school. Paulina Jayne is an incredible country music artist, who has a way with words, beautiful vocals, and the wit, drive, and passion that is necessary to make it in the music world.

Born in Michigan, Jayne fell in love with music and songwriting before she even recognized what she was doing. After her mother made her take piano lessons, she began writing songs on the piano rather than playing the notes created by different composers. It wasn’t until a sixth-grade talent show that the songstress realized she was given a gift, “I realized after I played that I really loved doing that.”

Her love for music only grew when she played a show at a dive in Detroit. “One of my family members actually brought a few people from the music industry in Detroit to my show,” she told us, only to add, “The next thing I know, six months later, I wind up signing with my first management [company] the day before going into high school. That was the true beginning of [music] turning into an actual career for me.”

Although she grew up on more Motown inspired artists, such as Bob Seger and Stevie Wonder, Jayne also loved artists like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Shania Twain, but it was not until her management company told her, that she realized what she was doing. “I started to write these lyrics that were stories in a song and so I think what my management company saw was that I was writing country music before I had even realized it.” Even crazier, Jayne didn’t even consider herself to be a country fan until she fell in love with Kenny Chesney’s hit single “Beer in Mexico.”

This catapulted Jayne to the big stages, opening for artists like Sam Hunt and Sheryl Crow at the beginning of her career. She even got to write with some elite songwriters such as J.T. Harding and Shane McAnally. Eventually, after high school, she realized that she wanted to live in Nashville full-time, choosing to advance her career and knowledge of the industry by enrolling at Belmont University.

She spent her time at Belmont cultivating connections, playing shows, but more importantly, just being a passionate, college student. As a student, Jayne decided to rely on her peers and the student body to create what she originally wanted to be, a student run record label, using herself as the flagship artist. The business helped her song “Love’s Gonna Always Win” get not only national but international attention and caught the ear of major labels like Warner Music Nashville. Eventually, Jayne realized that what her and her peers had created was an artist management company. That company is still thriving today.

“It’s so special to know that a bunch of kids that were 18, 19, 20- that were willing to come together and do this crazy idea with me and believe in it. And then believe in me,” adding, “Like I said, there are just some things that I have experienced that are so hard to come by and I try to be worthy of them”.

Flash forward to today, Jayne has garnered a loyal following of fans, as well as, a unique perspective and experience about how the music industry works. She continues to garner partnerships, including partnering with Ford Motor Companies and continues to play shows across the country. In April, the rising artist will released one of her most meaningful songs to date entitled “Everybody’s Somebody.” The song was inspired by her late grandmother, who had late stages of dementia, which she revealed through a touching story that she shared with us, during our interview.

“My grandma was in the last few days of her life,” she tells us, “I played the melody for her […] and I’ll never forget how moved she was.” She knew right then and there that this song had to be lyrically about her relationship with her grandmother. “I want to write a song for people who maybe didn’t feel known in their time on earth, but definitely should have been. Because everybody has a story and some of them get heard, and some of them don’t get heard.” She later, eloquently added “I wrote this song for her and for the little girls in their bedrooms who are sitting there wondering if anyone ever remembers them. And for myself to.”

We are excited to see how fans react to Jayne’s soon to be released tune, and we know that she will continue to turn more and more country fans on to her music and her charm.

To keep up with Paulina Jayne follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

Saturday Night Live Combs

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

NYCS Swag Spotlight Rachele Lynae

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Rachele Lynae

Giving a voice to women in country music is something we take immense pride in, so shining our light on Rachele Lynae this week for our Swag Spotlight was just as exciting. We got the inside scoop about Lynae’s upcoming record, how she came to find success in the industry, and of course, how she feels about the importance of female artists in the genre.

Spending her childhood in Kodiak Alaska, Lynae remembers music being a staple in her household. Although one might assume that country music is not big in her home state, the singer-songwriter shares with us that she grew up on two types of music, with of course country being one of the two.

“I was told I started singing before I was really talking,” she tells us. “My dad played guitar and sings and he hasn’t really done it professionally, but I grew up with that constant influence, and he would just play a lot of country music. I grew up on two types of music, country and gospel. It’s always been a part of my roots.”

Although she did not grow up in the hub of country music per-say, Lynae cannot recall a time, where she didn’t want to sing for a living. After hearing about Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, the songstress knew that was where she belonged, and after graduating high school, she followed her path to Music City. “The idea of getting to go to school and studying music and not having to take a break from [my] career, and to go to school and further my career was really what brought me down here,” she explains.

Lynae grew up on 90s country, where female musicians ruled the airwaves. She has been inspired by mega-successful singers like Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Shania Twain, and of course, Reba. These talented superstars not only helped her to fall in love with the genre but also influenced how she creates her own sound and style in her music.

According to Lynae, “When you listen to [her] music you can hear the country roots, but you also hear a pop influence in it,” adding, “I think that a lot to those women, definitely Faith Hill and Shania have the same type of marriage of the genres.”

For Lynae, it took her six years after her self-titled release to finally nail down her artistry and perfectly blend her country and pop sound together. In May, the songstress will release her sophomore studio album entitled Every Reason. “It really will cover the spectrum of different places in relationships, but this album as a whole,” she tells us, “Is full of every reason that I love my husband, as well as, every reason I love making music.”

The singer-songwriter co-wrote all twelve of the tracks and will continue to release a song each month off the record, until its release date. Currently, Lynae has released two sassy tunes, “Braggin On Ya” and “Can You.” The former depicts her love for her husband, while the latter is basically a ‘you wish’ anthem to an ex, who realizes too little too late that they want you back.

Although topically the record is diverse, it is connected by authenticity. “This album is more just straight up me,” she declares, “I let myself really enjoy it and not worry about fitting into a box and made the music that was true to me and that I enjoy and I’m really excited to share it.” We cannot wait to see how the singer-songwriter continues to blossom this year.

To keep up with Rachele Lynae follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Braggin On Ya” and “Can You” are 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.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

NYCS Swag Spotlight Williams Honor

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Williams Honor

This week’s Swag Spotlight shines on two musicians, Gordon Brown and Reagan Richards, who call themselves Williams Honor, a name they told us honors their late fathers, William and Benard. We talked with them about everything from their influences, their journey as a duo, and how they view the ever-changing genre of country music.

Hailing from the Jersey Shore’s Asbury Park, Williams Honor has a unique rise in the industry. Richards made the big move from New Jersey to Nashville to further her career, where she worked with an impressive list of collaborators and sang back-up for rock artists, while Brown, spent decades writing, producing, and directing all in the realm of the music world.

Although the two have known of each other for years, the two met in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy ripped through New Jersey and New York. Both Richards and Brown performed on the same benefit show, bonding over their roots and Nashville, and the rest was history.

“Being that we had two separate careers, all of sudden we say ‘hey’ why don’t we look into doing something together and we started writing and that’ sorta how Williams Honor started. It was very organic. It just really happened with us realizing that we had the same interests, the same goals, and the same things that we really loved,” Richards tells us.

Their mutual love for country music both brought Williams Honor together and have kept them dedicated to the genre over the last few years too. “With country music, you listen to that song. And from the first word sang until the last word sang, you know what they’re talking about,” adding, “And 9 times out of 10 you can relate to it or your best friend can relate to it. So when we sit down to write, that’s what we write, we write country music. Because of just being able to resonate with it. It’s authentic, it’s truly authentic. We love it, we write it.”

The duo hopes to continue to be ambassadors for country music, as they show their loyal fans across many genres that at the heart of country music is a story and a message. This understanding truly resonates across their original music. Mixing old school country-rock influences of everyone from Pasty Cline, Frank Sinatra, and Johnny Cash to Keith Urban, Bon Jovi, and Little Big Town, Williams Honor runs the gamut of the country music spectrum and have truly found a fresh, yet vulnerable sound.

With a new song, “Step!” just released, the duo also have a new full-length album on the horizon. The record will focus on themes of loss and grief while hoping to empower fans at the same time. The duo wrote every single song off the record together, with one exception, where they partnered with a talented songwriter to create the tune. According to Brown, “This second album that we are just finishing up right now is, of course, another bunch of building blocks on what Williams Honor is, what country music from the east coast is, what country music from Asbury Park is,” adding, “It’s got all the great ingredients that Reagan and I decided we wanted to infuse our music with from day one. This record is about grief and loss. It’s an empowering record for those who need it.”

In their time as a duo, Williams Honor has garnered quite the army of loyal and diehard fans to support them. As we anticipate the new record, we also looked back on the success they have already had as artists, recounting a magical time in their career, where the duo got to open for Bon Jovi at the prestigious Madison Square Garden in New York City. “I did grow up in the shadows of Madison Square Garden,” Brown tells us, “[It’s] where Springsteen would play multiple night sin a row or where Bon Jovi exploded through the years. […]. How great for us, playing country music out of Asbury Park, one of the few artists to ever give that a real whirl, to get a tap on the shoulder by one of the areas’ biggest bands.” They later added, “To play The Garden and to have the support from our music community, there are no words to describe that.”

To keep up with William Honors follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

“Step!” 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.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

NYCS Swag Spotlight: Cody Purvis

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Cody Purvis

This week’s Swag Spotlight artist, Cody Purvis hails from a small town in Virginia. After conversing with the singer, it seems like he was destined to become a country music artist from a young age. Both his mother and father were musicians, and he spent his childhood watching his parents perform, all the while, falling in love with music himself.

“I kind of went around watching them play while I grew up,” he tells us. “That’s kind of where I fell in love with music and decided to follow that passion for myself.” Purvis went on to play in a few different bands all through high school, before ultimately, taking the leap of faith to test the waters in Nashville, Tennessee.

Growing up listening to country music greats like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and Conway Twitty, country music was a necessary fit for Purvis’ passion. He even named Toby Keith as one of his influences. Despite adoring country music, the singer shared a liking for all different types of music. “I enjoy all kinds of music. I have respect for all different genres of music. I enjoy the new stuff too,” but he ultimately stated that the more traditional side of country music “just has a special place in [his] heart.”

As a self-proclaimed “songwriter’s friend,” when it comes to his own music, Purvis searches for songs that feel meaningful to him. Although also a songwriter, the singer chose to carefully select songs written by some of Nashville’s talented songwriters for his latest project, an EP entitled Boots on the Ground.

“I believe that there are a lot of songwriters in Nashville that are there to be songwriters and I like to listen to their songs because that’s what they’re there to do,” he shares with us. “It’s really cool to get to listen to so many different songs and so many different styles and narrow it down to the five songs that I thought was the best to fit me.”

Purvis accomplished that feat with his latest release. After listening to over two thousand songs, the rising artist narrowed it down to five special tracks. Each of the five tracks showcases a different side to the recording artist’s talent and story, keeping fans excited for his music. His lead single, “Drinkin’ Terms” has amassed over 7 million streams across all platforms and even charted on Billboard. The follow up single “Whiskey” continues to be added to playlists across streaming platforms too.

Despite the success with the two singles, the singer resonated most with the title track of the EP. “‘Boots on the Ground’ is probably my favorite one on there,” he tells us, adding, “It’s just one of those songs that I really connected with when I heard it. […] I’m a very pro-military guy myself. It kinda reminds me of how lucky we are to live in this great country.”

Fans can anticipate a lot more music coming their way this year! Purvis hopes to release a new EP sometime this year, as well as, many tour dates on the horizon to look out for. The Red 11 Music rising artist will be one to look out for, and we are excited to see where his career takes him next!

To keep up with Cody Purvis follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Drinkin’ Terms” is now available everywhere you can 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.

—————

SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

Saturday Night Live Combs

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook:

Who Is Alex Hall? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Alex Hall? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

Alex Hall

The Beginning:

Our Swag Spotlight this week, Alex Hall spoke with our Managing Editor, Christina about growing up in Gainesville, GA, idolizing Elvis Presley and putting in 10 years honing his craft before signing his record deal with Monument Records. As a child, Hall lived on a small horse farm and would go to the rodeo every weekend to race his horses. His first recollection of loving music was randomly finding Elvis Presley, not only loving his music but everything about him. “Elvis grew up very country, in a rural area in Mississippi and then moved to Memphis, everything about him besides his music was really country,” he tells us. “I resonated with him so much, I would dress up as him and put on concerts with my karaoke machine and would sing his live concerts front to back. I studied him, I still to this day could probably give an entire documentary interview about him.”

His love for music was then shaped by his father listening to the country greats, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson while his mother was a rock n roll fan, playing ZZ Top, Black Sabbath, and AC/DC. Between sports, rodeo, starting to dig into songwriting and guitar, Hall was already busy in high school but when he was 15 years old he made his first trip to Nashville with his parents and his life changed forever.

The Turning Point:

From then on he would spend hours in the car driving back and forth from Nashville to Gainesville, taking cowrites, playing gigs, and working to gain some traction for himself in the music industry. After moving to Nashville after he graduated high school, Hall explains it was almost 10 years to the day from when he first visited Music City to when he was offered a record deal with Monument Records “I feel like it’s like you are earning your Masters Degree in the music industry,” he explains. It’s like you earn your education to where you get to graduate and perform surgery on people,  It’s the way that it works.”

Speaking of his record label, Monument Records, co-presidents Jason Owen and Shane McAnally fell in love with the singer-songwriter and upon meeting, offered him a record deal on the spot. McAnally had been on his list of dream cowriters for a long time, so to have the chance to actually work with him and have him believe in his music is something he cherishes. “Shane is amazing at tearing stuff apart and putting it back together in a beautiful way, I have learned to deconstruct stuff to build it stronger and better, he is an amazing guy, mentor, label head, producer, TV guy and all of the above.”

Today:

He then takes a moment to tell us about the first single they released last year, “Half Past You”. Looking for a breezy, acoustic song, to complement the groovy, electric and uptempo other songs on his debut project, the song was originally written by Hall along with Pete Good and AJ Babcock. Then he tells us, “Shane literally ‘Songlanded’ us, saying,  ‘I want to push you to rewrite these verses’, he sat in with us and we rewrote it and in about 10-15 minutes we had rewritten every verse and that is the version that’s out now.”

As for 2020, Hall is heading out of the United States for the first time in his life and gets to play C2C in London with headliner Eric Church as well as other festivals over the summer. He also plans to continue writing and recording for his debut record.

To keep up with Alex Hall follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

NYCS Swag Spotlight Featuring Kylie Frey

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Kylie Frey

Photo Credit: Rachael Mason

This month’s Swag Spotlight series features Louisiana born Kylie Frey; a former rodeo star, honky-tonk singer, and rising country artist. Growing up in a rodeo family in Louisiana, music came a little bit later for Frey. Her early success originated from roping calves and tying goats, however she showcased another talent with her voice at the rodeo. Frey said, “When I was about five years old, I started singing the National Anthem at every rodeo I was entered in, so that’s how I got into it.”

Music became even more prominent in her life when she began writing her own songs. Frey revealed, “I picked up playing guitar around13 or 14 and it was the age of Taylor Swift.” A voice coach encouraged her to write, and at that point in her life, she was just a little girl who did not know how to get her feelings out.

Writing songs became her outlet and safety net, not imagining she could ever be a big-time country star. It was essentially a form of therapy, Frey explained, “It was me getting my feelings out onto a piece of paper and for some reason, words just made sense when you put a melody and chords to it.”

Frey’s earliest memories of country music and major influences were Shania Twain and The Dixie Chicks. One of the most incredible full-circle moments occurred when Frey was a contestant on “Real Country,” and Shania Twain chose her to be on her team.

It was back in Kindergarten when Frey dressed up as Shania Twain for career day, and Twain was able to see the photo during the audition. However, it was not the childhood photo that stood out to Twain, Frey explained that “Twain told her she heard a strong independent woman.” and her response was, “Yes, that is because who your music taught me to be.”

It was truly a life-changing experience for Frey who recently released her new single “One Night In Tulsa.” The singer-songwriter tells a story of the desperation of wanting one more night with someone when you know it ultimately will not work out. Frey possesses the incredible ability to write songs that draw us in with her traditional county style and smooth, powerful voice.

Looking forward to 2020, Frey will be releasing new music, in addition to “all things deep-fryed.”

To keep up with Kiley Frey follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

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NYCS Swag Spotlight Update Jordan Rager

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Jordan Rager

“I think country music is at its best when we don’t try to say- I’ll say not just about country music- but about all music, I think music is at its best when we just enjoy what we enjoy listening to […]. It should be that simple when it comes to music.” – Jordan Rager

Back in April 2018, we had the pleasure of interviewing rising artist, Jordan Rager as he was on the brink of a new career move and signing with Riser House Records. Check out our original Swag Spotlight here to learn more about that move, as well as, his backstory. Most recently, we caught up with the singer to chat about his new sound, new music, and what fans can expect from him in 2020.

For the last six years, Rager has been working hard in Nashville to get his music out there and to build his fanbase. Since signing with Riser House, the momentum has picked up, as he is finally able to release the music he is most passionate about. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was put music out that I believe in and have a team of people behind me who believe in that music and I have that now,” he tells us. “2019 was a lot of kinda reintroducing myself to people.”

Over the course of the year, Rager has released five songs that truly personify, who he is as a singer, songwriter, and a performer, including the two most recent tracks “The Wrong Ones” and “Dirt In My Veins.” The former came about by happenstance when the singer joined forces with songwriters, Michael Whitworth and Brent Anderson.

“The three of us were in very different places relationship-wise,” he shares, adding, “We’ve all got this different perspective on relationships at the time of writing this song. That’s kinda the conversation that we’re having that got us on the topic of ‘it takes getting it wrong to get it right,’ that’s the thing we kept going back to.” The trio of songwriters included details of their own experiences in the creative tune. As Rager looked back on the writing experience he decided that “…it was just the perfect formula to write that song that day.”

In regards to “Dirt In My Veins,” the Georgia native delivered a song that is an enticing ode to his hometown. “That song was the first thing that I wrote after signing with Riser House. That was kinda the song that like, kicked off, call it a new direction, a new sound or a new attitude, that was the song that started it because I wrote as honestly as I possibly could about how I feel about my hometown.” After writing the track, Rager decided that he was going to take that approach to all of his music and no longer try to fit a mold.

Although the songs have garnered success, the singer-songwriter admits that it was a scary decision to change up his sound into something that felt more genuine and authentic to him. “If I’m being honest, I was incredibly nervous going into 2019 because I knew that this new music, all five songs that we were going to release this year, I knew that sounded different than what people probably expected from me,” he explains. “I used influences that I had my entire life and for lack of a better term, I kinda got weird on a couple of songs.”

For Rager being transparent and honest in his music and having fans connect with his lyrics and melody is the ultimate reward. “As a writer and as an artist, there’s no greater high than having somebody say ‘I understand completely what you’re saying,’ ‘I’m right there,’ ‘you wrote that song about me,’ stuff like that.”

At this point in his career, Rager is an artist who knows who he is. His vast influences, such as Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, 2000s alternative and punk rock, and even Rock ’n’ Roll, keep his music at the forefront of creativity. He is someone that is going to continue to take risks because he is truly all about the music. Looking ahead, fans can expect a ton of new music in 2020. The singer will also be getting back out on the road to play the songs for his fans. “I’m excited to keep rocking and rolling and to keep building this machine that we’re trying to build!”

To keep up with Jordan Rager follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“The Wrong Ones” 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.

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SHOP THE HERO COLLECTION

The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook: