Dustin Lynch Announces ‘Stay Country Tour’ & New Album, ‘Tullahoma’

November 6, 2019/in Blog /by Erica Zisman

Today is a big day for Dustin Lynch fans! Fresh off his opening gig for Thomas Rhett on the widely successful ‘VERY HOT SUMMER TOUR.,’ the platinum-selling recording artist is officially announcing his 2020 headlining tour and the release date for his new record Tullahoma.

The new album is slated to come out on January 17^th and will focus on all things small town. According to Lynch, “It’s all about [him] and growing up in [his] hometown,” adding, “every song on the album points to something that happened to me or my close friends and family and that’s really cool. I’m very proud of where I’m from, and proud of this record because it will hopefully make my hometown a little more famous than it already is.”

Lynch’s Ridin’ Roads EP, including songs “Ridin’ Roads,” “Little Town Livin’” and “Red Dirt, Blue Eyes,” as well as his charted single, “Good Girl” will all be featured on the new project, as they all fit the hometown, country boy vibe that the Grand Ole Opry member is after. This is sure to be Lynch’s most personal project to date.

Soon after the album premiere, Lynch will share the stage with country newcomer, Travis Dennis on his headlining ‘STAY COUNTRY TOUR 2020.’ The tour kicks off at The Filmore in Detroit, Michigan on January 30^th, giving fans just enough time to learn the words to all the new music. Lynch and Denning will be on the road together through March, hitting fifteen different venues across the United States. There is not yet a New York City date, but keep an eye on our calendar for any additional dates!

Tickets go on sale Friday, November 15^th at 10:00 am. local time and a portion of each sale will benefit Lynch’s ‘The Cowboys and Angels Funds,’ which supports a multitude of children’s charities. Head to dustinlynchmusic.com for tickets and more information.

To keep up with Dustin Lynch follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

DUSTIN LYNCH’S STAY COUNTRY TOUR 2020 announced dates:

January 30 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore+
January 31 – Troy, OH @ Hobart Arena+
February 1 – Athens, OH @ Memorial Auditorium+
February 7 – Norman, OK @ Riverwind Casino+
February 8 – San Antonio, TX @ San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo*
February 13 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee+
February 14 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland+^
February 15 – Prior Lake, MN @ Mystic Lake Casino+*
February 28 – Bensalem, PA @ Parx Casino+^
February 29 – Verona, NY @ Turning Stone Resort Casino+
March 1 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues+
March 13 – Reno, NV @ Silver Legacy Resort Casino+
March 14 – Bakersfield, CA @ Rabobank Theatre+
March 27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE+
March 28 – Mt. Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino++with Travis Denning
^on-sale date is November 22
*on-sale now

—————

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:

New York’s Country 94.7 Announces Stacked Line-Up for Inaugural ‘Stars And Strings’

October 14, 2019/in Blog /by Stephanie Wagner

On Friday (Oct 11), local country radio station, New York’s Country 94.7 introduced a brand new event for New York Country fans, “Stars And Strings”. Teasing the event all weekend long with on-air announcements and several posts across social media, the beloved radio station left the line-up up to imagination, leaving fans guessing who could be filling the seemingly seven spots on the show.

At precisely 7:10AM this morning (Oct. 14), country radio personalities Kelly Ford and Jesse Addy broke the highly anticipated news. The December event will include music from rising artists Matt Stell, Gone West, Runaway June, and Blanco Brown. Additionally, Chris Janson and Dustin Lynch will take the stage and finally, country music superstar Sam Hunt will headline the show. The show marks Sam Hunt’s first stop in New York City in over two years with his last NYC show being his sold out show at Madison Square Garden back in September 2017.

The event takes place on December 4th at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, October 18th. Grab your tickers here and for more information, visit: newyorkscountry947.radio.com.

Be sure to sign-up for our Weekly Round-Up here so you don’t miss any ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events and more!

To keep up with New York’s Country 94.7 follow them on Facebook, Instagram, 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:

Thomas Rhett & His ‘VHS’ Tour Give Fans an Unforgettable Night at MSG

September 23, 2019/in Blog /by Dylan Bestler

It was truly an unforgettable night at Madison Square Garden as Thomas Rhett brought his Very Hot Summer (VHS) tour to a sold-out “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” With him were special guests Russell Dickerson, Dustin Lynch and his father, Rhett Akins, to support his funk-infused country show that left the New York City fans in awe.

Rhett Akins led off with two songs he wrote for other artists: Jon Pardi’s “Dirt on My Boots” and Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here.” He mentioned how cool it was to be opening for his son, playing at this iconic arena again. He played two original songs in “Don’t Get Me Started” and “That Ain’t My Truck.” Putting things in perspective, Akins said he wrote: “That Ain’t My Truck” when his son was only four years old.

Back in 2016, just weeks after NYCountry Swag officially launched, we hosted Russell Dickerson during our very first event at Libation NYC. To say we believed in him and his talent is a vast understatement, and we just knew that one day we would be celebrating his Madison Square Garden debut. Watching him perform for that many fans, hearing them sing back his words was emotional for our entire team. He played five songs from his latest album, Yours including the title track, “Billions,” “Blue Tacoma,” his current single “Every Little Thing” and “MGNO” (My Girl’s Night Out) that he blended with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Dickerson got emotional after performing “Blue Tacoma” as he recalled playing for our company in a small bar to now playing Madison Square Garden in the heart of New York City.

“I remember sitting on top of a barstool, sitting on a box, (for) a little thing called NYCountry Swag (playing with) a microphone duct-taped to a mic stand with about twenty-five people there. The fact that all y’all packed in tonight…thank you, thank you.” MSG turned into a rave scene during “MGNO” as the fans were dancing and cheering the singer-songwriter on as he jumped and ran all over the stage. The Tennessee native hyped up the NYC fans as they got ready for the next act, Dustin Lynch.

Lynch started with the lead single from his third studio album, Current Mood, “Seein’ Red” then followed it with three songs from his second album Where It’s At, including the title track, “Hell Of a Night” and “Mind Reader.” During his performance of “I’d Be Jealous Too,” Lynch sat in the middle of the stretched out catwalk signing autographs, taking selfies and singing into fans’ cell phones. Lynch then went all the way back to his first single, “Cowboys and Angels,” a song in which he wrote as a dedication to the love his grandparents shared.

Lynch took a lot of time to talk to the crowd about his journey from being a kid listening to country music all the way to opening for Thomas Rhett at Madison Square Garden. His biggest influences growing up were George Strait and Garth Brooks, along with Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, of course. He covered bits of four songs in between each portion of the story: “Chattahoochee” by Alan Jackson, “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw, “What Was I Thinkin’” by Dierks Bentley and “Love Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban. Lynch has a special relationship with both Urban and Bentley. Dierks told Dustin to knock on every door and take every chance you can get if you want to be a successful artist. Those words stuck with him to this very day. “If you guys take anything away from my show tonight, I want you to take this away: If you have a dream and you really believe in yourself…do not take ‘no’ for an answer, from anybody,” he emoted. “We’re here living the dream tonight because we did that.” Lynch will join Dierks Bentley for a special show at Michie Stadium in West Point, NY, home of the Army Black Knights on October 18^th.

The singer-songwriter recalled receiving a phone call back in 2012 from a number he did not recognize. He picked up anyway and it was Keith Urban on the other line asking him to join him on his Light The Fuse Tour with Little Big Town. That was the first time Lynch and his band played this historic arena. Lynch closed his set with his most recent single, “Ridin’ Roads” and two number ones in “Good Girl” and “Small Town Boy.” Lynch tipped his cowboy hat as he exited the stage as fans got ready for their headliner, Thomas Rhett.

Rhett literally jumped out of the stage (yes, he was inside the stage) and began singing his most recent number one hit, “Look What God Gave Her” from his most recent album Center Point Road. He kept the energy going with three more upbeat songs, one from each of his first three albums; “Crash And Burn” from Tangled, “Get Me Some of That” – It Goes Like This and “Craving You” – Life Changes.

At the end of Rhett’s performance of “Notice,” the crowd went silent as the 2019 ACM Male Artist of the Year played one more acoustic chorus of the song. The fans responded with loud applause. After “Sixteen,” One of Rhett’s powerhouse backup vocalists joined him on stage to take Little Big Town’s spot in the R&B-influenced track off the new album, “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time.” He then followed that with a speech before playing his current single “Remember You Young.” Rhett got choked up on stage reminiscing about how he got here. Back in 2013 he opened for Jason Aldean at MSG and only got twenty minutes on stage. Flash-forward six years later he is headlining a sold-out show at the same venue. Fans lit up the crowd with their flashlights during this very sentimental song.

Rhett went a different route with his performance of “Make Me Wanna” as he jazzed up the traditional-sounding country song by heavily adding the six-piece band that was behind him. Rhett also threw in a verse from Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie” in the middle of his number one song. After performing his most personal song, “Life Changes,” the 29-year-old played three stripped-down songs, including “Star of the Show,” “That Old Truck” and an unreleased song titled “To The Guys Who Date My Girls.” Although it’s a slow, heartfelt tune, Rhett throws some humor in there with the line “When you pull her close, make sure you leave some room for Jesus. If you cross that line, I swear boy, you’re gonna meet him.” You can listen to the song below.

Next, he mentioned before performing “Beer Can’t Fix” that Jon Pardi, the country artist who is featured on the studio recording was not in attendance, so he was going to need some help. When Pardi’s verse came up, Lynch and Dickerson returned to the stage sporting New York Knicks jerseys to continue the song. Then Rhett Akins ran up the long catwalk with a cooler and then distributed cans of Bud Light to the guys on stage.

Rhett stretched out “Vacation” and handed the mic over to the DJ to introduce the band behind the country super-star. Each of them got a solo on their respected instrument and when it was time for Rhett’s shout-out, he dazzled the crowd with an incredible drum solo.

He couldn’t leave the stage before performing his last two slow songs of the night in “Marry Me” and “Die a Happy Man.” Rhett let the audience sing the final chorus of “Die a Happy Man” which gave us, and probably a majority of the fans, major chills. “If Madison Square Garden in New York City is the last show I ever get to play…I could die, a happy man,” he sung as the final lyrics to his number one hit song.

Rhett ended this spectacular show with “Unforgettable” and “T-shirt”. For the finale of “Unforgettable”, Rhett ran across the stage as rainbow-colored confetti rained down onto the fans. Words cannot describe the energy of the crowd the entire 90-plus minute show. A historic night at Madison Square Garden for the artists and the fans alike. For exclusive clips from the show, head to our Instagram Stories highlight.

Although this week marks the beginning of fall, Rhett and his supporting cast will extend summer until October 12^th where they will close the tour at the one and only Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

To keep up with Thomas Rhett, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

—————

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:

Dustin Lynch Lyrics To Use As Instagram Captions

June 21, 2019/in Blog, Instagram Captions /by Tricia Murdy

Superstar Dustin Lynch is celebrating his most recent hit and number one song with “Ridin’ Roads”. We’ve put together some of Lynch’s best lyrics to go along with your photos and Instagram captions to commemorate what is sure to be “One Hell of A Night” if you catch him live this year.

Photo Credit: Daniel Vorlet

1. “I’m a sucker for your kiss, wanna steal ‘em from your lips baby like a crook.” – Hell of A Night

2. “When I get ya climbin’ up in the cab of this truck, yeah ya know it’s on.” – Hell of A Night

3. “I kinda give a damn, I kinda don’t care.” – Small Town Boy

4. “She’s my ride or die, baby, she’s my cool, she’s my crazy.” – Small Town Boy

5. “You shine and I just can’t wait to get you out tonight.” – Seein’ Red

6. “I’m lovin’ just livin’ every minute since you came around. I was lost in the neon lights till the day that you called me yours.” – Good Girl

7. “A girl like that’s what a country boy’s after. She cranks, she cranks, she cranks my tractor.” – She Cranks My Tractor

8. “I’ve got boots and she’s got wings. I’m hell on wheels and she’s heavenly.” – Cowboys and Angels

9. “The way it’s going tonight you probably know I’m ready to fall.” – Mind Reader

10. “Whatever you got to raise up, you can’t get it high enough.” – To the Sky

11. “Gonna dance you in the midnight sky and kiss you ’bout a thousand times.” -Red Dirt, Blue Eyes

12. “I’m lovin’ nothin’ to do with you, baby. Just ridin’ roads on a night like this.” Ridin’ Roads

13. “We’re just little town livin’ it up tonight.” -Little Town Livin’

14. “Everything about you girl is just my style. You got some wild in your smile.” -Wild in Your Smile

15. “Dressed up, her hair down, in a ball cap. Yep yep, as long as I get that.” -Where It’s At

—————————-

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 First Impression Dustin Lynch ‘Ridin’ Roads EP

March 8, 2019/in Blog, First Impression /by Shanna Vitaliano

Country music heartthrob Dustin Lynch is back with new music and has released an EP with three new tracks, including his newest single “Ridin’ Roads”. Lynch is no stranger to being atop the country music charts, as he has six number ones to date with his latest hit being “Good Girl.” Fans have been eager for the singer-songwriter to release new music and no one will be disappointed after listening to the three featured songs: “Ridin’ Roads”, “Little Town Livin”, and “Red Dirt, Blue Eyes”. He keeps up with his down-home, feel good, edgy back road country style that everyone loves.

Lynch’s new single “Ridin’ Roads” is a slow and steady depiction of ditching a standard nightclub or bar and escaping to the countryside with that special someone. Lynch sings, “Ridin’ roads that don’t nobody go down, a little trip through the countryside, these 38’s making the world go round, I hit a curb just to make you slide,” and perfectly describes the desire and admiration you feel while lost down a secluded country road.

Forget all of your worries with the second track “Little Town Livin'” as Lynch sings about a perfect night out in a small town. He starts off the verse talking/rapping and then sings the chorus ” We’re just little town livin’, where the sun goes down, we’re gonna ride, turnin’ dirt into dust, yeah that’s a ticket, we’re just little town livin’ it up.” It is nothing but good times in Lynch’s eyes as he continues with “Twist it off, turn it up, pass it around, no other place id rather be right now,” he makes us all feel like we are “Little Town Livin'” it up in a small town with him. This slower tempo, r&b infused track shows a new side to the Grand Ole Opry member who continues to explore different techniques and sounds.

The third track “Red Dirt, Blue Eyes” is a mid-tempo song about a getaway trip with a girl alongside him; a time where they dust off a bottle by the river and unwind. Lynch sings, “Gotta get you on some red dirt, get lost in your blue eyes, I want to see a little suntan, lit up in the moonlight, gonna dance you in the midnight sky, kiss you bout’ a thousand times,” and there is nothing more romantic than that.

The three tracks off of Lynch’s EP will remind you of old fashion romantic nights spending it with the one you love and making the most out of life with friends in a small town however he is continuously showcasing what a talented singer-songwriter he is by sonically branching out into new directions. Not to mention, he is also an incredible performer.

Lynch is currently on tour with Thomas Rhett for his “Very Hot Summer” tour now through October. Be sure to check out the dates here: dustinlynchmusic.com and New Yorkers, grab your tickets when the tour rolls through town at Madison Square Garden on September 20th.

Lynch’s new music 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.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!

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:

Thomas Rhett Announces 2019 ‘Very Hot Summer Tour’

November 19, 2018/in Blog /by Danielle Tornatore

Multi-platinum selling artist Thomas Rhett surprised fans with a brand new 2019 tour announcement this morning. The recent CMA Award winner will head out on his ‘Very Hot Summer Tour’ next spring, summer and fall, hitting thirty-nine cities across the country.

Rhett will be joined by his father, hit songwriter Rhett Akins on all dates and special guests recent BMI honoree Russell Dickerson and singer-songwriter Dustin Lynch on all with the exception of the first two dates.

The tour will kick off on May 17, 2019, in Spokane, Washington at Spokane Arena and run sporadically throughout the following four months, until the last show in Nashville, Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena on October 12, 2019.

“I’m glad we have the winter to plan and come up with some crazy stuff for next year because I can’t think of a better way to spend the summer than out on the road with my fans. And, I get to bring my dad and two of my favorite artists in country music along for the ride,” Rhett shared in a recent press release.

New York fans will have the chance to see this tour at the legendary Madison Square Garden on September 20, 2019.

Tickets for select dates will go on sale Friday, November 30th at 10 AM local time. The remaining shows will continue to go on sale over the coming weeks. Visit https://www.thomasrhett.com for additional information.

Thomas Rhett: Very Hot Summer Tour

May 17 – Spokane, WA*

May 18 – Tacoma, WA*

May 25 – Orange Beach, AL

May 26 – Orange Beach, AL

June 13 – Virginia Beach, VA

June 14 – Charlotte, NC

June 15 – Bristow, VA

June 20 – Detroit, MI

June 21 – Indianapolis, IN

June 28 – Dallas, TX

June 29 – Houston, TX

July 11 – Toronto, ON

July 12 – Pittsburgh, PA

July 19 – Darien Center, NY

July 20 – Hershey, PA

August 1 – Philadelphia, PA

August 2 – Boston, MA

August 3 – Holmdel, NJ

August 8 – Raleigh, NC

August 9 – Cincinnati, OH

August 10 – Atlanta, GA

August 15 – Rogers, AR

August 16 – Southaven, MS

August 17 – Birmingham, AL

September 5 – Sioux Falls, SD*

September 6 – Des Moines, IA*

September 7 – St. Paul, MN*

September 12 – Kansas City, MO*

September 13 – St. Louis, MO

September 14 – Chicago, IL*

September 19 – Bridgeport, CT*

September 20 – New York, NY*

September 21- Albany, NY

October 3 – Greenville, SC

October 4 – Jacksonville, FL

October 5 – Orlando, FL

October 10 – Knoxville, TN

October 11 – Louisville, KY

October 12 – Nashville, TN*

*ON SALE NOVEMBER 30th

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!

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:

Reba McEntire Inducts Dustin Lynch into Grand Ole Opry

September 20, 2018/in Blog /by Molly Holmberg

Photo Courtesy of Grand Ole Opry, LLC / Chris Hollo, Photographer

Tuesday night (Sept. 18), platinum-selling Broken Bow Records star Dustin Lynch stepped into the famed wooden circle of the Grand Ole Opry for what would be the night he was inducted into the family. After singing a few of his hit songs, iconic entertainer and Opry member Reba McEntire surprised the singer onstage to induct him as the Grand Ole Opry’s newest member.

Back in August, Trace Adkins surprised Lynch with the exclusive invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry. McEntire welcoming Lynch as an official member came as a complete surprise to the “Good Girl” singer. Clearly shocked and emotional, Lynch thanked his friends, family, bandmates and everyone who plays a part in his career. He later shared, “I wouldn’t have wanted to be inducted by anyone else … Reba’s the top of my list. She could have been anywhere in the world today and chose to be here. That means so much to me.”

Dustin Lynch & Reba McEntire, Opry Induction

Photo Courtesy of Grand Ole Opry, LLC / Chris Hollo, Photographer

Lynch made his Opry debut back on March 2, 2012, singing his breakthrough hit “Cowboys and Angels” from his self-titled debut album. The track later went platinum-certified. Since then, Lynch has racked up five more platinum or gold #1 singles (“Where It’s At,” “Hell of a Night,” “Mind Reader,” “Seein’ Red” and “Small Town Boy”) and three Top 5 Country albums (Dustin Lynch, Where It’s At and Current Mood).

Aside from the Opry induction and the surprise of Reba McEntire, even more good news was in store for Lynch on his special night. Backstage, BBR Music Group Executive Vice President Jon Loba stepped up to surprise the star with a special commemorative plaque certifying over 1 billion digital streams throughout the course of his career.

Meanwhile, Lynch’s energetic current single “Good Girl” is making its way up the Country radio charts, and its action-packed video is live now. Up next for Lynch is a high-profile performance at the all-genre iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas, NV, on Saturday (Sept. 22), and he’ll team up with Cole Swindell and special guest Lauren Alaina for the “Reason To Drink… Another Tour” beginning October 4 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

For tour dates and more information visit DustinLynchMusic.com.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!

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:

Dustin Lynch Plays Bad Boy In His “Good Girl” Video

September 13, 2018/in Blog /by Molly Holmberg

Dustin Lynch surprised fans with the unexpected release of a new song following his most recent single “I’d Be Jealous Too”. The release of “Good Girl” is not on his Current Mood album and already appears to have had success, as it debuted at Number 37 on the Airplay chart and is still rising.

The country star along with video director Mason Dixon take fans to the Mojave Desert where they deliver the music video for the upbeat single. Country music’s newest bad boy runs from the law with his new love interest as a modern-day Bonnie & Clyde. The video plays out with Lynch and actress Angie Simms running from the police. While at first the couple is portrayed struck in love as they check into a local motel, a news report shows the opposite as they’re wanted for robbing a convenience store. The front desk clerk recognizes the two and the police get involved. Lucky for Lynch, he spots the cops first and they make their escape. Not too long later, they’re at a local diner and while Simms is in the bathroom Lynch gets arrested by the authorities. She manages to get her hands on another set of keys and works to save her man.

“They are rare birds,” Lynch says about the song in a recent interview with Esquire. “We went in and recorded it immediately.” Lynch knew right away he wanted it to be released just in time for summer. He explained it also gave him the opportunity to act for a few hours. “I didn’t have to just sing the song 796 times into the camera,” he says enthusiastically. “It was a new challenge—trying not to look like an idiot when I’m acting in a scene.”

Dustin Lynch will be the newest inductee into the Grand Ole Opry on September 18 after being invited by Trace Adkins earlier in this summer. Lynch is also currently on tour, and this fall he kicks off a tour with Cole Swindell and Lauren Alaina. A full list of dates is available on the Lynch’s website.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!

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:

NYCountry Swag’s Favorite Concerts of Summer 2018

September 5, 2018/in Blog, Team Picks /by Team Country Swag

Christina Bosch: The Fest Featuring Brown and Gray, Mitchell Tenpenny, Russell Dickerson, and Dustin Lynch

This summer as Managing Editor for New York Country Swag we attended at least one show a week, sometimes two or three. Narrowing my favorite concerts to one was a hard decision but as a big fan of rising artists, I think one of the greatest experiences we had was attending The Fest out on Long Island. The lineup featured Brown and Gray, Mitchell Tenpenny, Russell Dickerson and Dustin Lynch. Over the past year, we have seen each of these artists perform separately whether it was a Live Swag Session like we did here with Brown and Gray or Mitchell Tenpenny or catching Dustin Lynch at Playstation Theatre or Russell Dickerson at his sold-out NJ show.

Seeing them all on one stage was truly incredible, their unique talents and the different vibe each bring to the country music genre made for the perfect night of music. Between Brown and Gray’s summer hit “Top Down” to Dickerson’s venue-wide sing-a-long to his latest single “Blue Tacoma” the audience was loving these rising artists and the smash hits they are releasing.

Stephanie Wagner: Mitchell Tenpenny at Mercury Lounge

As Christina mentioned, we had the incredible opportunity to see so many amazing shows this summer. One of my favorite things to do with this company is to support rising artists which is what makes Mitchell Tenpenny’s Mercury Lounge show my favorite show of the summer.

We first worked with Mitchell back in December when we did a Live Swag Session in the heart of Times Square. This was before he had a song on the radio and before his record deal with Riser House/ Sony Nashville. I had been a fan of his since the first time I heard his music, so I was excited to work with him that day. To see how hard he has worked and watch his debut single hit the Top 20, makes me so proud of the artist and person he is. Tenpenny sold out his Mercury Lounge show two weeks before the date, which is a huge accomplishment for a new artist on a NYC play. There was a special sense of magic in the room that night catching Tenpenny’s performance while the packed house sang back every word to his hour long set. You only get to experience your ‘firsts’ once, so being in the room to experience Tenpenny’s first sold out headlining NYC show is a memory I will treasure.

Crystal Fenton: Trip Around the Sun Tour Kenny Chesney

Seeing Kenny Chesney live has LONG been on my bucket list, so naturally, the Trip Around the Sun tour was my absolute favorite concert of summer 2018. Plus, with Old Dominion & Thomas Rhett as openers, even a multi-hour rain delay at MetLife stadium couldn’t damper (see what I did there?!) the vibe of No Shoes Nation. The show was amazing from start to finish. What a perfect & appropriate way to close out the summer while kicking off September, my birthday month where I’ll take another trip around the sun myself; My first Kenny show definitely won’t be the last! For a full recap and more photos of the Metlife Stadium show, click here.

Photo by Matthew Paskert

Molly Holmberg: Jake Owen, Chris Janson, and Jordan Davis

Jake Owen has always been the barefoot blue jean icon in country music and when he takes the stage, he embraces that. During his “Life’s What You Make It” tour this summer he came out barefoot every night and ready for a party. Playing hits like “Good Company”, “Beachin’”, and even a mash-up between Eight Second Ride / Mountain Music / Tennessee River / Dixieland Delight, he puts on a show.

With opening acts Chris Janson and Jordan Davis, the night gets started with a kick. By the time Owen steps foot on stage, the fans have been on their feet the past two hours and are ready for more. The 37-year-old’s big smile with a loose and carefree attitude brings so much life and energy to the stage. He comes to not only entertain but to have a good time with the fans. He is engaging, charismatic, and an overall nice guy. His concert puts you in a feel-good mood by the end of the night. So if you are looking for a great concert, Jake Owen’s is definitely worth every penny.

Owen is putting out music that is real country. And real country is the reason Jake Owen’s future keeps looking promising. Check out his latest party song single “Down To The Honkytonk” here.

Nicole Piering: The Bandwagon Tour Featuring Tenille Townes, Little Big Town, and Miranda Lambert

When it comes to summer in New York, Jones Beach is undoubtedly the best place to see a concert. While I attended quite a few this year, my favorite show of the summer was definitely Little Big Town and Miranda Lambert’s “The Bandwagon Tour.” For one, it was great to see these two superstar acts play at Jones Beach, but even better, the set they did together was electric. While both Lambert and LBT played their own shows, they also combined forces into an epic super-group for a 40-minute set that included some of their biggest hits and some incredible covers. “Boondocks” is always one of my favorite songs to hear live, and their joint covers of “Goodbye Earl,” “Say My Name,” and “Let’s Go Crazy” were all phenomenal. I’d love to see other acts join forces and make shows like this more popular in the future. The full recap of The Bandwagon’s Jones Beach tour stop here.

Nicole Sellati: CMA Fest

This year I was lucky enough to attend the music event of the summer, CMA Fest! This was easily my favorite week of the year! The week was jam-packed with amazing artists, going from concert to concert with no stopping. Some highlights for me were going inside to the fan fair as well as attend the fan parties of Michael Ray and Luke Bryan. These were the events I was looking forward to the most while in Nashville, getting to see the artists up close and personal in an intimate setting. Luke Bryan’s fan club party was in celebration of 10 years of the Nut House where he got to play an acoustic set, performing songs he hasn’t in years. CMA Fest as a whole was amazing but if I had to choose my favorite night at Nissan Stadium I would say Sunday was hands down the best. The last night had all my favorite artists starting with Brett Eldredge, Cole Swindell, Thomas Rhett, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line, and closing the night was Luke Bryan. It was a night I never wanted to end and thanks to Luke Bryan he made it last a little longer. He was just getting warmed up and ended up playing for over an hour closing out the best concert of my summer. CMA Fest was as perfect as I imagined and I can’t wait to be back next year!

Shanna Vitaliano: Ashley McBryde at Taste of Country Music Festival

My favorite concert of the summer was seeing Ashley McBryde at Taste of Country Music Festival in Hunter Mountain, NY on June 9th. Ashley has an infectious personality onstage. She is down to earth, extremely humble, and her stage presence along with her sense of humor had every festival goer’s attention. Her incredible songwriting ability shined through during “The Jacket” and powerful voice captivated all during “American Scandal.” It was my first time seeing her live after being a fan of her album Girl Goin’ Nowhere and I look forward to seeing her again. Her next show in the NYC area will be December 5th at Gramercy Theatre, grab your tickets here.

Danielle Tornatore: Sam Hunt and Kane Brown in Atlantic City

I attended almost twenty concerts this summer but my favorite had to be Sam Hunt and Kane Brown at Atlantic City BeachFest on July 1st. There are so many reasons why this was my favorite show, one being, I got to road trip there and back with two of my best friends. It’s about two and a half hours each way from us so we were able to make some great memories together. Between jamming out to some great music, sharing stories and just making each other laugh, it was overall a great trip. The day this show got announced, we knew we had to go. We’ve seen Sam Hunt together multiple times, but we had yet to see Kane Brown and he is one of our favorites. We missed Kane when he played at Irving Plaza in New York City in 2016 so we knew this was our perfect opportunity. It was literally 100 degrees out that day and the show was on the actual beach, toes in the sand and all, and despite the heatwave, both guys put on an incredible show which made me admire them even more. Myself, along with the rest of the crowd, were sweating. So much. But the two of them somehow made everyone forget about the weather and just get lost in the music. In the middle of Kane’s set, most of the sound equipment went out from the intense heat but he kept the show going and that is one of the many reasons why I am a huge fan of his. Sam was jumping all around the stage, as usual, during his entire set and maintained his high energy the whole time. It honestly was a day I will never forget and another memory I’ve gained with my best friends.

Erica Zisman: CMAFest (Lee Brice at HGTV Lodge)

Public service announcement: Go to Country Music Association Fest (CMA Fest) in Nashville, Tennessee at least once. Although there are a ton of wonderful concerts held in New York, especially those good ole’ country shows at Jones Beach Amphitheater on Long Island, CMA Fest is a once (or more if you’re lucky) in a lifetime experience for any country music lover. The four-day festival combines some of the biggest names in country music, such as Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett, with new artists and up and coming artists, like Dylan Scott and Morgan Wallen, into a musical extravaganza. The event is packed with free shows all day long, free shows at night, and the ticketed Nissan Stadium line up.

I was able to experience CMA Fest for the second time this summer. One of my favorite free venues is the HGTV Lodge, which is an intimate venue that gets you up close and personal with an artist, while the singer performs acoustically. I was able to see Lee Brice perform, for the first time in June. Hearing some of his hits: “Drinking Class”, “Love Like Crazy”, and his most recent single, “Rumor”, live and stripped down, was one of my favorite concert moments of the summer. Brice was extremely charming, poised, and humble; despite, his major success and even opened the doors to extra fans, who were unable to get into the lodge, due to it being over capacity. Being able to relate to Brice’s songs, but also, Brice as a human being was a really special moment for me and my friends. It was a “concert” I will never forget.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!

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:

Long Island’s The Fest Kicks Off The 4th of July

July 5, 2018/in Blog, Concert Reviews /by Christina Bosch

The perfect way to kick off the 4th of July holiday is seeing some of your favorite rising country acts after tailgating in the parking lot. The Fest which takes place each year at Bald Hill Amphitheater on the east end of Long Island is known for showcasing rising talent and for being one big party. If you arrived early you would see tents, corn hole games and a whole lot of American pride. Men and women alike were decked out in the American Flag, some with their faces painted, drinking beer and celebrating their freedom. With three seating options, the lawn section was filling up quickly as Emily Brooke took the stage to open the festivities.

Fans gathered close to the stage in the pit to see the duo from Texas and London, Brown & Gray, who sang each song from their brand new debut EP Salt in the Coffee. Kaci and Sam announced that their next single is “Home” before playing the first track from the EP, which highlights their perfect harmonies. They closed their set with their first single to country radio, the perfect summertime hit “Top Down” and mashed it up with Tom Petty’s “American Girl”, the perfecting ending to a set that fans were excited to see.

Next up in the lineup was Mitchell Tenpenny, an artist New York Country Swag has been following since last year when we hosted a Swag Session with him in Times Square. Tenpenny who’s gritty vocal and catchy lyrics have earned him a current spot on country radio attracted a ton of fans to watch his 40-minute set. Along with singing songs from his debut EP, he covered Billy Currington’s “Good Directions” and sang the song he wrote that Granger Smith cut, “If The Boot Fits” which he said completely changed his life. Closing out he played three of his biggest hits so far, “Alcohol You Later” which fans knew and sang along to, his current radio single “Drunk Me” and “Bitches” which he said is for all of the assholes, liars and cheaters that we all have dealt with in the past. With obvious charisma, we are so excited to watch Tenpenny’s career soar.

The next New York Country Swag favorite to take the stage was Russell Dickerson, bringing his high energy set, which we know well from our early Country Night events with Russell, to Long Island. The sun just started to set as Dickerson performed songs from his debut album for a packed crowd including “Would You Love Me”, “Every Little Thing” and “FLOAT”. Taking time to slow things down just a bit, Dickerson paused to recognize the reason we were all there celebrating. “Thank you to all of the men and women overseas, we send our love and support to our troops and our service men and women of this country, it’s why we get to celebrate the 4th of July,” he exclaimed. Immediately following you could hear “USA” chants throughout the entire open venue, proving country fans are absolutely proud of their country. He closed his 50-minute set with his current single “Blue Tacoma” and then, of course, his very first number one, the love song he wrote for his wife Kailey, “Yours”.

The Fest concluded with country superstar Dustin Lynch who took the stage around 9:30 PM, ready to close out the night of incredible acts and patriotism. Kicking things off with “Hell of a Night”, he also performed songs from his latest album including “I’d Be Jealous Too” and “Love Me Or Leave Me Alone”. During his first ever single “Cowboys and Angels” he changed the words to include “Long Island girls and guys like me” pausing to recall his 2012 single that got him started in this business and brought him to Long Island for the very first time, changing his life. “I wrote that song about my grandma and my grandad who have been married 63 years this summer and to see y’all sing and dance to this song is unbelievable,” he told the crowd. His most recent number one single, “Small Town Boy” was the perfect way to end a night of celebrating America and the country music that we all love leaving fans already excited for next years The Fest.

For more country music in New York, make sure you are following us on Instagram, @NYCountrySwag.

—————————-

Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC!

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:

Posts