NYCS Swag Spotlight: Tara Thompson

/in , /by

“I want to change the world, and I’m just little old me, so I might as well do that with lyrics because God gave me that talent to tell stories and hopefully make people laugh.”

Tara Thompson

This week we got to champion a uniquely talented artist, who truly knows who she is and what kind of music she wants to put out into the world. Our Swag Spotlight is singer-songwriter, Tara Thompson. We recently got to chat with the songstress about her career, her musical family, and of course, her brand new Christmas album, which she dropped just two weeks ago.

It was evident throughout our conversation that Thompson has one of those infectious, can’t quit, personalities that she has had since childhood. Growing up in East Tennessee, she tells us that music was always in her blood. “I was one of those weird kids that always had a microphone in my hand, as in the remote was a microphone, the shampoo was a microphone,” adding, “I knew since birth I wanted to be a singer.”

Thompson grew up admiring her cousin and country superstar, Loretta Lynn, sharing “I got to grow up and watch her from behind the scenes and I was completely hooked on it and knew that was exactly what I wanted to do,” later adding, “It’s an honor to be related to someone like Loretta Lynn.” She also credits some of the old-school country greats like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Tanya Tucker, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash as some of her all-time favorites.

At the tender age of eighteen, Thompson moved to Nashville, where like many artists, she played gigs at bars, for ten years, before she got her break, signing with Big Machine Records. The songstress released her debut record with the label, only to get released three years later. Ironically, being released from the label gave Thompson a new lease on life and a clever idea for an independent record.

She recently premiered her first project as an independent artist called Hillbilly Christmas, featuring the clever and charming lead single “Willie Nelson Tickets” and nine other festive tracks. “I said from the start I want when people hear this album to think ‘wow that’s country music,’ from the first note to the end. It almost takes you back in time, mixed old school and modern, yeah, country,” she shares about the record, hoping that fans garner it “timeless” and break it out year after year for the holidays.

Thompson is sure to make waves with her newest release. She shows her wit, her originality, and her talent throughout the music. The singer-songwriter promises that she has more new music in the works, calling her soon to be released songs, “A lot deeper,” adding, “I feel like my last album that I put out […] was a lot more tongue in cheek. I still like doing that, but I think this is more- I went through something, so my fans get to see a side of me that’s like ‘Oh, oh wow, that’s where she’s been.’ I feel like they can maybe relate to me on a deeper level. So real, authentic, and deep.”

To keep up with Tara Thompson follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Hillbilly Christmas 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: Donovan Woods

/in , /by
Donovan Woods

Photo Credit: Danielle Holbert

Continuing to shine a light on rising artists and singer-songwriters releasing compelling music, our Swag Spotlight this week is Donovan Woods. A native Canadian, Woods grew up in a working-class town, and what he calls a “country music town” but said at the time, it was what all the dads were listening to, so he was initially drawn to hip hop and artists like Another Bad Creation, Bell Biv Devoe, and Bobby Brown. As he matured, his musical tastes also evolved and the great singer-songwriters like Paul Simon, Billy Joel, and Traveling Wilburys became a staple as his influences.

I was eight years old when I picked up a guitar, my older sister told me to have a skill like that, she could tell I wasn’t hitting a home run in the looks department,” Woods laughs.  “She was preparing me for a life, that I was going to have to work for it, she told me I should develop a skill, and so I picked up a guitar that my mom used to play and kept in the house.”

At first, he released a bunch of records on his own in Canada, eventually making connections and moving down to Nashville to continue to pursue a career as a songwriter and artist. Writing songs that were cut by other artists, Woods is a master at crafting lyrics and stories that others felt the need to tell through music. Songs like “Portland, Maine” recorded by Tim McGraw on his 2014, Sundown Heaven Town album and “Leaving Nashville”, recorded and released by Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley’s solo project, The Driver. “Leaving Nashville” is one of the most honest, raw and real songs about the music industry and although we love Kelley’s version, listen to Woods sing it below.

He explains that he loves modern country music, such as HARDY and Morgan Wallen. “I love anything that feels good, that stuff feels good to me,” he says. “Country music is funny, as soon as we get backlash from that other type of sound, someone like Morgan comes along and doubles down on it, it’s such a strange genre.” We discuss at length the fluidity of music, bending genres and putting labels on music. “Country music, Americana, Folk Music, Singer-songwriter, I take it all as a compliment. I just don’t really pay much attention to it. Kids pay a lot less attention to genres these days. They live in a playlist world rather than an album world.”

Recently, he released a duet with one of our 2019 Artists to Watch, Tenille Townes, an acoustic version of his song “I Ain’t Ever Loved No One”. Townes’ unique and evocative voice particularly shines and complements the bittersweet sentiment of a love story that will never be matched.

His latest release, “Way Way Back” was a solo write, a song Woods knew would work with the right production, working with Todd Clark in Nashville, it was released this fall. His gentle voice along with the most powerful, beautiful lyrics make Donovan Woods one of the most talented writers in Nashville. His dry sense of humor and witty remarks also make him one of the funniest to interview and to see live.

We caught his opening set on the Brightly Burst Tour with Ruston Kelly earlier this fall at Bowery Ballroom and he is now playing shows in Canada as he wraps up 2019. He looks ahead to new music in December and getting into the studio to record at the top of the new year.

To keep up with Donovan Woods follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

—————

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: Swearingen & Kelli

/in , /by

Swearingen & Kelli

This week’s Swag Spotlight series features artists Jayne Kelli, and AJ Swearingen, also known as the country folk duo Swearingen & Kelli. Singing and songwriting are what brought this husband and wife duo together, and their infectious story-telling and harmonies are something we will all appreciate.

So how did these two gifted artists come together and create their own musical love story? Well, Kelli grew up in a small town in Michigan, just north of Detroit and Swearingen was born and raised in Bethlehem, PA just north of Philadelphia. They had been solo artists for many years and it was not until their paths crossed at a small venue called “The Hideaway Cafe” in St. Petersburg, Florida that they began working together. Swearingen initially played lap steel in Kelli’s band, and before they knew it their synergy and cohesiveness revealed something special. Swearingen spoke of their effortless ability to collaborate saying, “She fills in the blanks pretty quickly, and we understand each other musically.”

Their country-folk style is heavily influenced by genres that span across decades, and both agreed they were inspired by similar artists. Kelli explained, “We love so many styles, but there’s a lot of folk and country from the ’60s and 70’s that we really pull from and love.” Swearingen agreed, and he added, “My Mom used to spin all kinds of country records like Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. So I really was steeped in that and almost exclusive to country music when I was growing up, so that became part of who I am. Lyrically, we’re influenced by the singer-songwriters from the ’70s. ”

The duo has spent the last two years in Nashville writing and recording songs. Swearingen and Kelli drew inspiration from visiting an old timin’ country bar called The Station Inn. In between trips to the bar, they were able to put together an honest record with a classic sound that originated from their own life experiences entitled Cold-Hearted Truth. In order to showcase the realness of this album, they did not use any autotuning on their vocals, with no click tracks, and no isolation booth. Their goal was to let their onstage chemistry and intimacy be heard throughout the recording of the album. Swearingen said, “There’s a lot of our history coming out in all of this writing, and that feels good to us, its a very honest record.”

Cold-Hearted Truth truly is as authentic and raw as one can imagine, and the “live” feeling is captured throughout the entirety of the record. Swearingen and Kelli are currently on the road promoting Cold-Hearted Truth and will be opening up for David Bromberg on select dates. In addition, they plan to release a recently recorded Merle Haggard classic before the year’s end.

To keep up with Swearingen & Kelli, follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

—————

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: Brennley Brown

/in , /by

Brennley Brown

Our Swag Spotlight this week, Brennley Brown has been in love with music and performing for as long as she can remember. At only seventeen years old, she has honed her craft and is ready to reintroduce herself to the world on her own terms with music that she hopes inspires others and clearly tells her own unique story.

Growing up in Apple Valley, on a ranch and with classic country musicians such as Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton, blasting through the speakers, Brown discovered her love for music at an early age. At just five years old, the natural-born talent mesmerized the audience at her kindergarten talent show with her rendition of Faith Hill’s “Mississippi Girl.” Her parents knew then that they had an entertainer on their hands. She continued to play shows and perform at open mic nights throughout her childhood, both singing and playing guitar, but it wasn’t until her mom got sick with Lyme disease that the songstress knew how important music truly was to her.

“For me, that’s when music became something more than what I just listened to on the radio or played in my dad’s truck. It became something that became very important to me. It was a safe place, a sanctuary for me during that time. Really my faith, my music, and my family were the there top things in my life.”

Continuing to rely on music and her family, Brown landed different gigs in the industry. Since the age of twelve, she went back and forth to Nashville to write songs, as well as, worked in voiceover and acting for big networks, such as Dreamworks, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel. Currently, she voices ‘Leyla’ on the Netflix series “Dragon Rescue Riders.”

During that time, Brown was invited to audition for the twelfth season of NBC’s The Voice, where she found herself making it further than she ever thought. She reflected on that experience, during the interview, calling it a “crazy, crazy experience,” for her at just fourteen years old, adding “I was on Team Blake [Shelton] and then stolen by Gwen Stefani. It’s such a great experience, a great stepping stone in my journey.” The star in the making made it to the finals of her season and garnered the recognition she deserved for her unique talent.

As an artist, Brown shared with us that her goal is to bring awareness to the disease her mother battled, as well as, to the healing power of music. “Music is healing. […] Music can make you feel happy, sad, it may bring back a memory, but it’s so healing in so many different ways.” She decided to wait three years before releasing her own music to the world because she wanted to hone in on her craft and what she truly wanted to say in her music.

Finally, just last week, on November 1st, Brown released her debut single “Keep Coming Back” to the world. The song was carefully cultivated with influences from an array of genres, ultimately culminating in a fresh new, different, and uniquely enticing sound. For Brown, the inspiration for the track stems from her own experiences in her life sharing with us a little bit about how the song came to fruition.

“I remember there was something kinda weighing on my heart. For me being 17 years old, I’m kinda in that place, where I can go to college, where I can take more years and really dive into my education, and kinda put music aside for a moment, and choose maybe the smarter path,” but ultimately the singer reveals, “I just get pulled back to music. When you’re given a gift or a calling in or your life or a dream, it’s gonna have its challenges, its up and downs, its trials that you’re going to go through, but having that dream inside you- it’s not there for no reason, like it’s going to continue to be a part of you, no matter what trial or what thing you have to overcome, you’re going to keep coming back to it, and keep pushing, and keep working towards your dream.”

Brown’s unique perspective and her powerful voice will continue to take center stage in her next single, which will be released on January 24th, her 18th birthday. On top of that, she is anticipating that her debut EP will drop in March of 2020. Expect to hear a lot coming soon from this rising artist, as she makes her mark on the industry!

To keep up with Brennley Brown follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Keep Coming Back” 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 LJ

/in , /by

LJ Music

Our Swag Spotlight this week shines on LJ, a Houston, Texas native who moved to Nashville back in 2017 to pursue her love of songwriting and infuses her own blend of country music. Growing up in a huge family, LJ tells us in a recent interview that she loved listening to her dad play guitar, played sports from a young age and considered herself a tomboy, fishing and hunting.  It wasn’t until she hit her teenage years that she really took an interest in music, at age 13 her father gave her his guitar to play around with and she would listen to Sheryl Crow and Colbie Calliat and eventually taught herself how to play by ear. “We daydream when we are kids, some people want to be an astronaut, a fireman or a doctor or whatever that may be but I hadn’t’ really daydreamed about music until I was in high school,” she explains.

She recalls loving all different types of music growing up, including Latin music, dance music, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, and Brian McKnight but being from Texas, George Strait was definitely one of her biggest musical influences. She recalls seeing him play at Greune Hall when she was young and being enamored by his stage presence and the live music. From a young age, she loved certain melodies and she loves that she can bring those different melodies that she grew up loving and help evolve her own, now in a music career of her own.

She met her husband, Ricky, while he was playing baseball for Rice University and she was his support system through his career playing professionally. She tells us that it wasn’t that she put her dreams on hold, but she knew she wanted to be there for him, traveling with him and supporting his career. All the while, LJ was working on creating connections, networking as well as experience what the life of someone always on the road is like, something that would bode well for her future career. “All of this traveling and grind of trying to make it to the majors, it was equipping me to realize the work that goes into making it in the music industry, all of the steps that it takes not just to get a record deal, there is so much you pour into that.”

The day after retired and played his last game, the two of them hopped into a Uhaul and moved to Nashville, ready to start realizing and trying to follow her career path as a musician and songwriter in Music City.  “If there is something you are supposed to do, I think a lot of people can look back on their journies in life and they were probably were once in a position of ‘I don’t know how I am  going to get there’ but we have to do our part by planting the seeds and there are times when we can’t always be the person to water them or give them sunshine, there is something else that comes in and does that,” she poetically explains. “I believe that God has done that for me, he has opened up doors that are unexplainable, I know it’s God, I’m just here for the ride.”

Her most recent single, “Vegas” was written with Kelly Archer and Nathan Spicer and they looked to emulate the feel-good, light-hearted feelings that the city of Las Vegas can bring out in people. “When I was dating Ricky, I remember feeling like I wanted to run off and marry him, so we wanted to give that feeling of like, getting on a plane and going to the place that has tested the time of running away and getting married.”

The video, shot in one day and of course, in the city of lights, perfectly sums up that sentiment of being carefree and getting married in Vegas. “We shot at this chapel in vegas, the most famous wedding chapel and it was packed, around the clock people getting married from all over the world,” LJ tells us of the experience”.  “Couples that are so in love, it was so neat to see that. There is a lot of love here. When you are in love and you want to get married, it doesn’t matter where you get married.” She and her husband even renewed their vows while they were there shooting, a moment that will always be a fond memory for them. Fans of the video can head to CMT and vote for “Vegas”

Looking ahead to the end of 2019 and into the new year, LJ is playing a few rounds at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, a place she loves to play because it is so iconic for songwriters. She looks ahead to 2020 and releasing even more new music, working with Red Creative Group, her publisher.

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

—————

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: Rayne Johnson

/in , /by

Rayne Johnson

This week’s Swag Spotlight is taking over the airwaves with his current radio single “Front Seat.” Rayne Johnson hails from Southern Ohio, but his sound is influenced by his vast life experiences and multi-genre musical interests.

Growing up in church, Johnson often sang on holidays. He shared that his parents, especially his mom would always play the classics on vinyl, such as Nat King Cole, Elvis, and Frank Sinatra. “I think the impact that influenced me from the Nat King Cole and the Frank Sinatra stuff [was] I could always recognize how they could make you feel what they were singing.” On the other hand, his father made him fall in love with classic country music, especially Merle Haggard. “On the country music side, my dad was a classic country guy, that was more of the story-telling and I saw that in country music.” When he got older, he added R&B artists like Brian McKnight and Babyface to his music collection.

His eclectic music taste led him to a music career, writing and recording songs that span genres. Johnson’s song “Laid Back” garnered success on Spotify, where fans took a liking to the cheeky lyrics in the fun song. He wrote the song with a friend from Rhode Island, who he claims has a knack for wordplay. Although the lyrics are the star, the funky and soulful beat, along with the singer’s vocal delivery make it a smash.

On the the other end of the spectrum, Johnson’s current radio single and first national release, “Front Seat” showcases his vulnerable and emotive side. All the buzz around the new song can only be described with one word “surreal,” according to the singer. “Honestly it wasn’t one of those songs, where we’re like ‘this is the one,’ everyone is going to love this. We knew it was a good song for sure, but it’s really hard to break with a ballad in any type of music really. It’s just been received super well.”

As we delved deeper into the impactful song, we learned about the inspiration for the beautiful ballad. “It was more or less, some friends of mine attacking a song that could maybe inspire guys to treat girls better. A few of us have younger boys, and we were like ‘How do we want our boys to be when they grow up?’ Cause honestly, today’s society is a lot different when it comes to respect and the old school type of thing, ya know.”

Johnson added that he is so appreciative that fans are relating to the song’s message, sharing “It’s been really cool to see. I get direct messages all the time from young ladies, I would say more from women expressing like “I just came out of an eleven-year relationship, where I was treated awful, this song is so awesome for me.,” adding that the song resonates with the men too. “I also get messages from guys, saying “Bro, this song is awesome man. I wish my friends treated their girlfriends this way.””

We could all learn a thing or two from “Front Seat,” and it is especially important that we continue to empower women to stand up for themselves, but also to encourage men to be the best they can be too. Johnson is a pioneer when it comes to that sentiment.

We closed out our interview discussing upcoming music. Although are no solid dates, Johnson assures us that there is an EP coming towards the end of the fall, early winter. He added, “I’m so excited about it because I feel like it’s one of those EPs that have so many songs that people are going to love.” If it is anything like his previous releases, we are sure that Johnson’s upcoming EP will be just as powerful.

To keep up with Rayne Johnson follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Front Seat” 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: Jordyn Stoddard

/in , /by

Jordyn Stoddard

If you are looking for an artist that is going to inspire you to be your authentic self, look no further than our Swag Spotlight this week, Jordyn Stoddard. Throughout our conversation, we covered everything from a coveted moment on stage with Kenny Chesney, how her music has evolved, and of course what to expect going into the future.

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Stoddard fell into music at a young age. After discovering she wasn’t good at soccer, she stuck with piano and vocal lessons and even taught herself to play guitar a few years later. At just seven years old, the songstress went to her first concert, where she just so happen to be pulled up on stage by Kenny Chesney himself. Stoddard reflected on this moment with us, sharing “I really did kind of remember some of that moment just being on stage because it was like so life changing. But I remember looking out into the crowd and being like ‘Wow,” this is the coolest job anyone could have.”

This moment combined with her love for music started Stoddard on the trajectory to becoming a singer-songwriter. She connected to country music and songwriting at an early age, identifying artists like Chesney, Taylor Swift, and Miranda Lambert as some of her influences. She shared that she loves how Chesney, “Doesn’t have a lot of props on stage, and somehow captures the audience every single night,” and credited Swift for “changing songwriting for country music,” especially for young women.

Nowadays, Stoddard pulls inspiration from all different genres, including, pop, R&B, alternative, and of course, country, name-dropping The Band Camino, H.E.R., and Parker McKay as some of her current favorites. Her wide range of music taste, shines through in her own music. She shared with us that it is important for her to reflect on her musical tastes throughout her own music, stating, “I think that songs come when you’re uncomfortable or when you’re doing things that you aren’t familiar with.”

Her current single, “Bad Baby” perfectly blends pop with country and hints of R&B flavor, personifying her statement about the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone. Stoddard wrote the track with her good friend, Peyton Porter, “coming from the perspective of an R&B sound.” According to the singer, the song was inspired from “just the idea that you’re really like somebody and it’s almost like you’re kinda stuck in a daydream. You’re walking in from a distance, and you’re feeling all these things, but you kind of don’t know how to communicate that to that person,” adding later that the song rings true for her, “I kind of lean on music sometimes to communicate how I’m feeling. That’s really the idea behind that song.” The enticing melody, clever lyrics, and the creative title clearly show off her artistry and her assets in the best light.

To wrap up our conversation, we made sure to check in to see, when we can expect more music from the talented singer-songwriter. She revealed that she is getting ready to put out music soon, exclusively sharing that her next single will be “Shouldn’t Have To,” adding that it is more on the countryside of the spectrum. “It was important for me to challenge myself and to write things where it was coming from a real honest and vulnerable place,” adding that the next two upcoming tracks “talk about a previous relationship.” Even more exciting, the songstress has even more music in the works, continuing to experiment with different sounds and vibes that speak to her as an artist and a songwriter, her ultimate goal as a singer-songwriter.

To keep up with Jordyn Stoddard follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Bad Baby” 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 Tori Martin

/in , /by

Tori Martin

Nashville’s latest newcomer, singer-songwriter Tori Martin is this week’s Swag Spotlight artist. Before making a name for herself in Nashville, Martin grew up in a military family and has lived all over the country. Nevertheless, she considers Texas home and spent the majority of her life growing up in a small town, filled with lots of southern hospitality.

As a young girl, she knew what she wanted to be doing. She admits, “I didn’t grow up in a musical family, I was kind of an oddball who liked to sing, and wanted to play guitar and play piano and just loved everything to do with music.” One of the first things she did at a young age was an audition for the Texas Girls Choir, a traveling state choir that would sing all over the world. It was Martin making the group that opened up her family’s eyes to her skill as they recognized, “Oh, she kind of has a talent. It’s more than just a little girl being like, ‘I like to sing.'”

Her family was her support system, and Martin said, “Somebody who really encouraged me to pursue music was my grandfather, I called him Pawpaw, he has passed now, but he loved country music and he loved that I loved to sing. He would always get me to sing Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash – just the good classic’s.” Ironically, it was not until much later in life she found out that he was the one that actually paid for her to be in the Texas Girls Choir. Looking back, the songstress reflected, “He was my number one supporter, and even bought me my first guitar.”

She fell in love with Nashville when she visited the city at age 16. It was there where she started to pursue her career in music and recorded her first EP at Clive Studios. She had a goal in mind, and her eyes set on getting back there. Martin returned to Texas to promote her EP, play local shows, make a name for herself in Texas Country Radio and ultimately grow her fan base before making the official move to “Music City” in 2017.

With a voice that is beautiful yet powerful, her music is heavily influenced by big voices and soul singers. She said, “One of my favorite singers and idols is Stevie Nicks, and seeing her in concert was mindblowing, and I was in awe.” In addition to Nicks, Martin is a huge Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin fan. She tells us, “I am kind of like a blend – I love country music, I love rock, I love soul, I love pop, and I have influences in different genres.”

Her current single “Living the Dream” is an inspirational song about not giving up on what you have your heart and mind set on. Martin wrote “Living the Dream” with Lyndsay Highlander when she first moved to Nashville and it has become her anthem to remember why she is doing it – not because of fame or fortune, but because she loves what she does. She then goes on to reveal the meaning behind the song, “I’ve been in the music industry since 16, and of course, you’re on a musical journey and there’s a lot of opportunities and there’s a lot of no’s and a lot of yes’s. Sometimes it’s hard not to get jaded and to stay encouraged and to keep going.”

The music video to “Living the Dream” is a perfect depiction of that meaning. It features famous NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb and blends together her career and Martin’s aspiring singing career. Martin said, “We don’t have the same job, but we’re both in male-dominated scenes, and we’ve both been chasing our dreams since we were very young, so we wanted to merge both of the stories together and inspire all girls, all women, no matter what area of life they might be pursuing their dreams just to go for it.”

Martin has a lot in store for the remainder of the year and into 2020. She is currently in the studio working on an album that will be released soon. In addition, she is playing shows in and around Nashville and is the cohost to a singer-songwriter series called “Music Biz Besties” that showcases up and coming artists at different venus once a month in Nashville.

To keep up with Tori Martin, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

—————

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: Hannah Ellis

/in , /by

Hannah Ellis

We’ve loved championing Hannah Ellis over the past few years, watching her career blossom and watching her release great song after great song. We realized that although we’ve featured her in a Swag Session (below) as well as had her as our guest musical artist at our very first Babes, Booze & Brunch event we haven’t really learned about her backstory so this week she is our Swag Spotlight.

Growing up in a small town, Campbellsville, Kentucky, Ellis grew up with two parents who were both wedding singers, always instilling a love for music from early on. She, of course, was influenced by 90s country, artists like Shania Twain, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw but she also listened to gospel music as well as 90s R&B.

She received a full scholarship to college but felt a pull towards making music while she was still in high school. Her parents told her that they would help fund her musical career as long as she attended school. She scheduled her classes at the University of Kentucky for the middle of the week and drove to Nashville on Fridays, making the most out of networking and making connections on the weekends. Officially making the move to Nashville after graduation in 2012 she tells us “It’s been so special, just because, doing it while you are driving back and forth from school is not ideal, but it really helped me to grow in my own way before I got here. I had the luxury of not growing up in front of my peers during those crucial discovery years.”

Back in 2017, Ellis was inducted into the CMT Next Women of Country class and most recently she joined her friends Cassadee Pope and Clare Dunn on the CMT Next Women of Country Tour which we caught when it made its stop in NYC this April. “I remember when I found out, my heart, my stomach turned over I remember going to my first ever CMT Next Woman event back in 2014 and that was the year Kelsea [Ballerini] played, it was the first time I saw her play, and ironically enough, I found this picture, Gavin DeGraw was at that event and I got a picture with him, the world is so weird,” she laughs, as she just recently wrapped up touring with the pop singer-songwriter.

Her current single, “Friends Like These” was written with Melissa Fuller and Jason Massey after Ellis had a night out with some of her friends around town. “We just started talking about how some of our favorite memories that we’ve ever made, with friends from high school or college, some of my favorites were the ones we didn’t know we were making or the ones we didn’t go out planning to make,” she says. “Even though I wrote it about my friends when I sing it for these people in the crowd, it’s my anthem to them and for them because they are who I am spending my nights with and who I am hanging out with until 3 am and I love it.”

She spent the summer promoting her new single and on the road with pop singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw. DeGraw who is most famous for songs like “Not Over You” and the theme song to One Tree Hill, “I Don’t Wanna Be” continues to impress and gain fans with his relatable lyrics, something Ellis explains she thinks is at the heart of her genre, country music. She tells us how welcoming his entire team was, how grateful she is for his mentorship during their summer together. We caught the tour last month at The Paramount out on Long Island, and we were so impressed to see Ellis perform for fans who she wouldn’t usually get to tap into on a regular country tour. “People tell me, ‘I don’t typically listen to country music but I love your stuff, you are winning me over’ and as an artist that feels so good for me personally but also good for our genre. We want others to realize we are making competitive music here.”

Looking ahead, Ellis tells us she is so excited about what is coming up in the new year and looks forward to releasing more music and meeting and making new fans. We can’t wait to continue to champion Hannah, an artist we truly love and believe in.

To keep up with Hannah Ellis be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and for all of her upcoming tour dates head to hannahellismusic.com.

—————

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: Leah Turner

/in , /by

Leah Turner

Leah Turner has been in the music industry for years and she is now an artist reestablishing herself and her music in the country genre. Turner was born and raised in California on a ranch with her rodeo winning father and strong Latina mother.  Growing up she was always around music and remembers always singing around her house and getting involved in all different kinds of artistic avenues. With her dad being a cowboy she recalled that “country music was really the soundtrack in my household growing up… with Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Brooks and Dunn, and George Strait on the radio, I heard people singing about the life I was living going from rodeo to rodeo.”

Partway through college at Santa Barbara, she dropped out and packed her bags after Kenny Loggins heard her sing/write in a songwriting class, reinstilling in her that this was the career she had always wanted. After moving to L.A. to hone in on her craft and perfect her voice, she felt there was still something missing. Wanting to sing the type of music she grew up on, she packed up again and made the move to Nashville, Tennesse. One of her early songs, “Take the Keys,” became a Top 40 hit as Turner toured with Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Jake Owen, and more.

This year Turner was named one of CMT’s Next Women of Country alongside Stephanie Quayle, Tenille Townes, Rachel Wammack and more. When talking about getting inducted, Turner says “it was a God thing because you are getting a new beginning with new management and releasing a new single”. During that time she also signed a deal with L3 Entertainment.

Turner’s latest release, a song titled “Blah Blah Blah” is showcased through the perspective of a woman who has heard enough empty words from her significant other. Believe it or not, she says the song is “literally taken from text messages from a guy I dated for about a year. It was a long-distance relationship that had a lot of good intentions that fell flat with a lot of over-promising and under-delivering.” She explains to keep a relationship going “if someone wants to do something, nothing will stand in their way.” After realizing her worth and value, she took their words, text messages, and her heart, she decided to air all frustration out for everyone to hear. With the amount of traction it is receiving, Turner told us “I am really grateful to have Nashville still wrap their arms around me as an artist and songwriter and being able to show that you never give up.” This song is something everybody has heard from a significant other or just anyone in life blowing smoke and all you hear is their “Blah Blah Blah” and Turner turned it into a powerful statement of a song.

One new venture the CMT’s Next Women of Country inductee has up her sleeve the rest of the year is something you would not see coming and that is releasing “Blah Blah Blah” in Spanglish. This decision is something that is important to her as she is half Mexican. Between paying tribute to her roots and tapping a market that has such a growing demographic in the country world, Turner sees the similarities between the two cultures. Growing up in the rodeo culture, she saw that family, faith, and hardworking ways are something they all have in common, as well as a love for country music of course. Also locking down new tour dates, there will be plenty of times to catch her live. For tour dates and more information head to https://www.leahturner.com/

To keep up with Leah Turner, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

—————————-

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: