Posts

NYCS First Impression: Matt Stell ‘Everywhere But On’ EP

Matt Stell Everywhere But On

Photo Credit: Dustin Haney

Country newcomer Matt Stell is one to look out for this year. We have had the chance to host a Swag Session with the rising artist, spotlight his talent in an exclusive interview, and be in the audience as he performed at Hackensack Meridian Health Stage 17 for the first time. Now, we are excited that the singer-songwriter has officially released his new EP, under Sony Music Nashville/Arista Nashville, titled Everywhere But On.

The new record is a compilation of seven songs, all co-written by Stell. One of the tracks is of course, the singer’s lead single, “Prayed for You.” The coveted love song is currently climbing the charts, and we suspect that it will be Stell’s first top ten song, sometime in the near future. Co-written with Allison Veltz and Ash Bowers, Stell pours his heart out on the lyrics, singing a love letter to the girl of his dreams, whom he dreamt about and prayed for before he found her. Stell played this song for us, during our live Swag Session back in September.

On the contrary, just before the release of his EP, Stell premiered the heartbreaking title track. The singer-songwriter shows off his knack for creating catchy hooks and choruses and tugging at the listener’s heartstrings. “Everywhere But On” is Stell’s take on dealing with heartbreak, and struggling to move on, exclaiming “I’ve moved everywhere, but on.” The intriguing wordplay mixed with the entertainer’s raspy undertones is the perfect combination for this break-up song.

In the same vein, Stell sings about turning to alcohol to move on from a break-up. In “Better I Drink” the singer-songwriter shows off his outlaw side, delivering a song with heavier instrumentals and deeper vocals. The track is a stark difference from the previous songs he has released, but it gives the EP more versatility, which only adds to Stell’s talent. “Gonna drown my heart in a whiskey rain / The more I feel the better I drink.”

Stell sings about alcohol again in “I Bet Whiskey Would.” This time, using the liquor as a way to get comfortable with a new girl in a bar. The song is smooth, enticing, and sexy, even though its seemingly at first about alcohol. Once again, relatable, the lyrics mixed with Stell’s impressive vocals will keep this song stuck in your head.

Continuing with a more hard-hitting sound, Stell sings about not being able to break free of the love spell some girl has him under in the first track, a mid-tempo song. “Last Habit” is the singer’s realization that he’s addicted to a girl’s love and that he just can’t/doesn’t want to help it. “Yeah, the stars are just made for me wishing that dark was just made for your kisses / And all I wanna do is keep on holding you, keep on holding you / You’re my last habit.”

One of the stand-out tracks off the EP is “Home In a Hometown,” featuring fellow rising country artists, and one of our 2018 Artists to Watch, Jimmie Allen. The duo take turns, trading verses, paying homage to their perspective hometowns. Plenty of artists share their appreciation for the people and places that raised them, but Stell does so through honest and raw lyrics that stand out amongst the crowd. You’ll truly feel the nostalgia while listening to this track. “Put the back in the road / When we pull off the highway / The score on the board / On a November Friday / The hey how you been when you ain’t been around. The home in the hometown.”

Arguably the best track off the EP, Stell closes out his record with “The Reason Why.” Co-penned by the singer with songwriters, Paul Sikes and Matt Alderman, the mid-tempo love song has the ‘it’ factor. Throughout his EP, Stell has pure love songs and break-up songs, but “The Reason Why” is the perfect middle ground. It is his honest interpretation of wanting to give up on love but finding that one person that makes you want to give it another try. His cleverly crafted lyrics paired with the intriguing instrumentals will have you both crying, smiling, and singing along, which is everything you want in an uplifting anthem. “Love is a gamble, it’s a game / But those dice ain’t been rollin’ my way / It’s a song we’ve all heard / But I don’t seem to know the words / I swore I had given up on it / But you walked in and made me want it / You’re the reason why.”

Overall, Stell’s EP Everywhere But On is a solid representation of his artistry that will make you want to root for his success. We can’t wait to see where his career takes him next and will continue to champion him on as he carves his own path in the country music industry.

If you’re in the tristate area later today, head to Neptune City, New Jersey for a free Summer kickoff event, where Stell will be performing. Additionally, the singer-songwriter will be a staple at many country music festivals this summer, including CMA Fest, Carolina Country Music Fest, and Country LakeShake Festival. For tickets and more information, head to mattstell.com.

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

Everywhere But On 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 & 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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Dylan Scott, Jimmie Allen and More Perform for Guys With Guitars

Guys With Guitars: My Country 96.1’s 8th Birthday Bash at Stereo Garden in Patchogue ended up with many unexpected surprises including a special female performing alongside the guys. The lineup this year featured Dylan Scott, Jimmie Allen, Tyler Rich, Riley Green, and Filmore who all took turns performing their biggest hits to date and telling stories behind each of the songs.

Guys with Guitars

Filmore kicked it off with his tracks ‘Country Song,” “Love That About You,” “Slower” and a hidden gem “Leave Our Mark” requested by the audience. Riley Green played the two songs he recently released, “Bettin’ Man” and his upcoming single “In Love By Now.” He also sang his unreleased track “Get That Man A Beer” and his radio smash hit “There Was This Girl,” which is currently #3 on both Billboard and Mediabase charts.

Next, Rich introduced his potential upcoming single “Leave Her Wild” by saying “Has anyone had a controlling ex?” The lyrics are “If you’re going to make her do something, make her smile; If you’re going let her dance, let her sing, let her be whoever she wants to be; leave her wild.” He explained the song is about “happy wife, happy life” and loving a girl for just the way she is.

Guys With Guitars

In the next round, Dylan Scott and Jimmie Allen played their biggest songs and even brought out a special guest. Allen started out the night by playing the first song on his album Mercury Lane “American Heartbreaker” to get the crowd started. Scott opened up with his catchy, smash hit “Hooked” and the crowd was screaming the lyrics. He was very interactive with the crowd, even roses were being thrown up on stage to his band.

Guys with Guitars

The singer-songwriter told stories behind his songs especially about his high school sweetheart turned wife and how they’re expecting their second child. Allen brought out his surprise guest, Abby Anderson to sing their collab on the resonating “Shallow” duet by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Anderson also sang her sassy, southern new single coming out tomorrow called “Good Lord.”  From the crowd’s participation and enthusiasm, it’s safe to say country music is a fan favorite on Long Island.

 

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Jimmie Allen Makes his Good Morning America Debut with “21”

This morning, 2019 ACM Award Nominee for New Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen performed “21” from his album Mercury Lane on ABC’s Good Morning America. Amy Robach introduced Allen and said, “We are back with rising country star Jimmie Allen – his debut album Mercury Lane features the number one single “Best Shot.” “Jimmie is making history actually as the first black artist to launch his career with a number one song on country radio, and here he is performing “21.”

With a casual baseball cap and a stylish coat, Allen rocked out with his band with an energizing performance of “21.” The up-tempo fast track song with easily relatable lyrics speak of going down memory lane, and longing to be young again with the chorus:

“Twenty-one, I can see it like a picture / Up on the hood of my truck with a sixer / Hangin’ with the boys talkin’ ’bout girls / Slow-mo watchin’ this world go round and round this nowhere town / Somewhere between forever and young, twenty-one”

Allen ended things on a high note, literally, showing off his dramatic vocals and wowing the audience with his incredible performance. In addition to the already popular fan favorite “21,” and Allen’s No. 1 hit “Best Shot,” his latest single “Make Me Want To” is climbing the charts and was the most added at country radio in its first week. The undeniably talented singer-songwriter recently finished up supporting Kane Brown on his Live Forever Tour and will be joining Chris Young on his Raised on Country Tour, as well as Rascal Flatts’ Summer Playlist Tour. Be sure to check out his performance and see him out on the road. For more information go to www.jimmieallenmusic.com.

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Jimmie Allen Drops ‘Best Shot The Remixes’ EP

Jimmie Allen The Remixes

 

One of our favorite Artists to Watch, Jimmie Allen, just released a project like no one ever has. ‘Best Shot The Remixes’ is an ep of 4 versions of the singer’s debut #1 hit. Allen posted earlier this week on Twitter “In 3 days I’m releasing remixes of ‘Best Shot’. A few different DJs from different countries took my song and gave it their own twist.” How cool is that? The list includes Mushroom People, Aligee, and Heyder alongside a pop mix.

The pop remix is your classic addition to the trendiest sounds including beatbox noises, kickdrums, and new guitar parts. We would not be surprised if this makes its way to the radio! Mushroom People’s remix takes it to a whole different level. Stretching the vocals and adding well-placed pauses makes the song have a whole new vibe. The Aligee remix is definitely a hit! With echos, kick beats, and more, the song sounds like its familiar self with a great twist. Heyder took a new approach and added new pitch tones to Allen’s vocals and in certain parts of the song, you can hear faint background vocal tracks. After the second verse/chorus, that new voice you could previously hear comes into play to sing the bridge and nails it at the end.  This project should prove to be successful, as it will resonate more and more with each genre of music that is currently popular today. The remixes do a great job of still keeping the original message and feel of the song alive,  just adding their own styles.

Still launching off of the success Allen found in 2018, 2019 is looking no different. Reaching fans across the country, Allen has been an opening act on Scotty McCreery’s Seasons Change Tour that began late last year and is set to take off on tour Kane Brown on the Live Forever Tour this month. If you are looking for more details about upcoming shows, new music, and more check Allen’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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

[Listen] Jimmie Allen & Abby Anderson Duet on Cover of “Shallow”

Shallow Abby Anderson Jimmie Allen

Photo Credit: Kelsey Page Photography

Arguably one of the biggest songs released recently, “Shallow” from A Star Is Born, has already garnered almost 400 million streams on Spotify and 300 million views on YouTube. The song, written by Andrew Wyatt, Anthony Rossomando, Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga who also sings the track with Bradley Cooper has won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media, a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and is nominated once again on Sunday night for an Oscar for Best Original Song.

As the highly anticipated performance on the Oscars looms, two of our favorite rising country artists decided to record and cover the smash hit, putting a spin on it that is truly all their own. Available everywhere today, Jimmie Allen and Abby Anderson take on Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s roles respectively.  Allen starts the song, and from the very first notes his sultry voice pulls you in and his unique runs will have the listener ready to hit replay again and again.

Anderson’s rasp is sweet and powerful, as she hits the chorus she proves her vocal chops. They softly sing together, accompanied by a piano and a solo acoustic guitar. “Shallow” has been performed by Lady Gaga alone as well as a duet with Bradley Cooper in Las Vegas but her most recent performance on the Grammy Awards was raw and ruthless, Allen and Anderson’s version is more subtle, allowing each and every note to be heard and appreciated.

Take a listen to the track below and join us in rooting for “Shallow” to win Best Original Song this weekend at The Oscars which airs live from L.A on Sunday, Feb 24 at 8:00 PM EST.

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Scotty McCreery & Friends Sell Out Long Island Venue

On Saturday night at NYCB Theatre at Westbury, country singer Scotty McCreery brought his headlining ‘Seasons Change Tour’ to Long Island, New York. Lucky fans filled the intimate venue for the sold-out show, which was the last show of the tour.

Tasked with warming up the crowd, brilliant singer-songwriter, Heather Morgan performed first, showcasing her talent with every song. One of the highlights of her set was her cover of the song she wrote with country crooner Brett Eldredge entitled “Beat of the Music.” Morgan shared the backstory with the audience just before jamming out to the track with her guitar in hand. “He’s this tall guy with an amazing voice, and we passed the guitar around, and he was just amazing. […] We got together and wrote a song. […] You might know this song, I’m hoping you do, it was on the radio a bunch that year, it’s called “Beat of the Music” that I wrote with Brett Eldredge.” Beaming with pride and positive energy, Morgan ended her set with her favorite song from her debut album Borrowed Heart, “Hurricane” and the audience erupted in cheers for the upcoming artist.

Scotty McCreery Jimmie Allen

Next up, rising country star, Jimmie Allen made quite the entrance, walking through the audience, jamming to his song “County Lines” as he made his way to the the stage. The crowd immediately erupted into applause. Allen’s set was full of noteworthy moments, which truly gave concert-goers a feel for who he is as both a person and entertainer.

Allen engaged with the audience throughout his entire performance, often introducing the backstory to the songs he’s penned, influences in his life, including his late Grandmother, as well as, his love for being a father to his young son. Just before performing his new single “Make Me Want To,” the singer-songwriter addressed the crowd. “So I put out my first album last year called Mercury Lane, named it after the street that I grew up on in Delaware. We’re gonna jump into that. This next song is my second single going to country radio starting Monday. This song’s called “Make Me Want To”.”

Up until this point, many concertgoers were still seated in their seats, which didn’t quite match Allen’s high-energy personality, so he responded by getting each and every person invested in his performance. A true entertainer, the singer had everyone up on their feet dancing and swaying as he belted the lyrics to “American Heartbreaker,” another song off his debut album.

Towards the end of his performance, Allen humbly thanked fans for helping him reach number one on the country charts with his first single “Best Shot,” just before singing the song. He ended his set with the incredible anthem “Underdogs,” which we think make a great single. By the time Allen’s set ended, it was evident by the energy in the room that he had gained a ton of new fans that evening.  Allen received a standing ovation by concert-goers and left everyone pumped for the headliner, Scotty McCreery, who was up next.

Scotty McCreery Jimmie Allen

A few minutes later, the man of the night, appeared on stage donning a jean jacket, jeans, and a yellow guitar, with a big grin on his face. The McCreery Army erupted into applause almost instantly. After songs “Buzzin’” and “Boys From Back Home,” McCreery kept the high-energy going, as he engaged with the crowd for the first time. “New York, I tell ya what, we have one question for y’all right now. We just love to know how many folks here on Long Island are feeling it already tonight..” exclaimed the singer-songwriter just before singing the opening lyrics to his hit “Feelin’ It.”

Stopping to thank the crowd once again for their support of his first number one album, Seasons Change, McCreery introduced his current radio single “This Is It.” “It’s been a good year already, but I’ll tell ya what 2018 was probably the best year of my life. Started out that year, February 25th got a call from my label back in Nashville. They said ‘Hey man, just wanted to call you up and let ya know that as of today you have the number one single in the USA with “Five More Minutes”,’ and what’s better, we put out a whole album called Seasons Change behind that single, and I got a call a week after that album went out from the label again, said ‘Hey man, as of today you have the number one country music album in the US of A.’ It just kept getting better. June 16th, 2018, I became a married man. […] My wife at home, I wrote a song for her and it’s currently the number 3 song in the country and it’s called ‘This Is It.’”

McCreery passionately performed the beautiful love song, as the crowd sang along. Song after song, the singer-songwriter had concertgoers on their feet, bopping and singing along throughout his entire set. The recording artist shared another personal moment with the audience, just before he acoustically performed his beautiful song “Still,” as well as, his classic song, “The Trouble With Girls.” He shared that he has known his wife, since kindergarten, admitting that he did not have the nerve to ask her out, until he came back to high school, after winning American Idol. His performance of the song reminded fans why they fell in love with his deep and rootsy voice several years ago.

Scotty McCreery Jimmie Allen

As the concert came to a close, McCreery thanked fans again, just before ending his set with an incredible cover of Garth Brooks’ “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and fan-favorite, the heart-melting “Five More Minutes. The singer will continue to play shows throughout the first half of the year. Head to scottymccreery.com for more information. As for, Allen, fans can catch him on Kane Brown’s ‘Live Forever Tour.’

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

Jimmie Allen Joins TODAY For ‘Guys Tell All’ and Performs His New Song

Jimmie Allen Today Show

Photo Via today.com

Rising country star and NYCS artist to watch (2018), Jimmie Allen is becoming a fan-favorite on ABC’s TODAY with Hoda and Kathie Lee. The musician has appeared on the television show four times in just the last few months, as both a performer, co-host, and panelist. This morning, Allen was invited back to set to participate in the ‘Guys Tell All‘ segment for the second time and to perform his latest song, “Make Me Want To” off his debut album Mercury Lane.

Once again, the all-male panel consisted of reality star, Ben Higgins, comedian, Chuck Nice, and celebrity gym trainer, Don Saldino. This time around, the men answered questions pertaining to New Years, older women, women proposing, deal-breakers in dating, and much more. Introduced as the “chart-topping single dad,” Allen shared his deal-breaker with the co-hosts and fellow panelists, “My deal-breaker is someone who’s not motivated, someone who’s not ambitious, not chasing anything. No matter what she’s chasing, she has to be doing.” Additionally, the singer-songwriter agrees that women are sexiest in comfy clothes, sans makeup, and just rocking some confidence. Check out clips from the segments here, as well as, the battle of sexes game the co-hosts and panelists played together.

At the end of the segment, Allen took the stage yet again to perform as part of the Citi Concert Series. Hoda and Kathie Lee gave the newcomer a warm welcome, “He spent the entire morning with us, but we could not let one of the hottest acts in country go cause we needed a performance. We’re talking about our friend Jimmie Allen, who had quite the year with the release of his debut album, and his hit single “Best Shot.” He’s treating us to his latest song, it’s called ‘Make Me Want To.’”

Allen shared his inspiration for the song, just before having the time of his life on stage, “So I’m a sensitive guy and I wanted to write a song about seeing a girl at a bar that you like, but also, I’m the one that’s normally catching feelings first […] You’re amazing, I like you, I’m the cool guy, but if I’m being honest it might be too soon to say I love you, but you’re gonna make me want to.”

The singer-songwriter appeared so comfortable on stage, as he belted the lyrics, interacted with his fellow co-hosts and panelists, as well as, showed off some of his signature dance moves. Check out the entertainer’s entire performance here!

Next up, Allen will hit the road on Scotty McCreery’s ‘Season Change Tour.’ The tour makes its way to Long Island, New York in January. Find tickets here. Fans can catch the singer on select dates of Kane Brown’s 2019 ‘Live Forever Tour’ this new year as well. Head to jimmieallenmusic.com for tickets and more information.

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

2018: Most New Artists to Top Charts with Debut Singles in Over a Decade

Top the Charts

In 2018, country music saw a dynamic shift at the top of the charts, with radio no longer being ruled by the old guard. While the likes of Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, and Old Dominion all had #1 hits this year, the charts saw an onslaught of chart-toppers hits by country newbies. In fact, there were five new artists who scored #1’s with their debut singles, including Jordan Davis, Jimmie Allen, Russell Dickerson, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Morgan Evans.

Russell Dickerson: “Yours”

Despite originally being released digitally in 2015, “Yours” was truly the little song that could, being released to country radio by Triple Tigers Records in April 2017. The romantic wedding song, co-written by Dickerson, Parker Welling, and Casey Brown, slowly climbed the charts, hitting #1 for two weeks in late-January and early-February.

“[“Yours”] was only the second song that the three of us ever wrote together,” Dickerson told Billboard. “It’s certainly a love song, written for my wife, Kailey. I’m not kidding: when we finished it, we knew it was special, and I said to Casey and Parker, ‘You can go to zillow.com and pick out a new house, ’cause we just wrote a No. 1 song.'”

Dickerson would go on to score his second #1 eight months later with “Blue Tacoma.”

Jordan Davis: “Singles You Up”

Written by Jordan Davis, Steven Dale Jones, and Justin Ebach, “Singles You Up” was the debut single from Davis, and the first release from his album, Home State. “It took us a little while to land on something, but at the time Justin had just gotten engaged and through congratulating him on the engagement that term, ‘single her up,’ got said,” Davis told Rolling Stone Country of the writing session. “Right when it was said, I think all three of us were like, ‘Oh man, that’s really cool.’”

Davis will be spending much of 2019 on tour with Old Dominion, Morgan Evans, and Mitchell Tenpenny as part of the Make It Sweet Tour. The tour will stop at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT on February 8.

Morgan Evans: “Kiss Somebody”

Released in July 2017, at the lead single from his Morgan Evans EP, “Kiss Somebody” was Morgan Evan’s first release to U.S. country radio, and his first #1. Co-written by Evans, Chris DeStefano, and Josh Osborne, the track hit #1 over a year after its initial release.

Interestingly enough, Evans told Nash Country Daily that the romantic tune was NOT inspired by his superstar wife, Kelsea Ballerini. “A lot of people asked me if I wrote [“Kiss Somebody”] about Kelsea,” said Evans. “No. The answer is absolutely no. It was inspired by a mate of mine, actually. I used to stay with him in Nashville before I moved here, and he went through this really rough breakup and he was devastated. And, I was with him through that period, and I went back to Australia. A year and a half later, I came back and he was still devastated over this situation. And, I was like, ‘Dude! You need to kiss somebody!’ And so, the lyrics kind of go, “Sometimes you’ve got to drink about somebody / Sometimes you’ve got to cry and miss somebody / Sometimes you’ve got to kiss somebody.’”

Jimmie Allen: “Best Shot” 

When Jimmie Allen’s “Best Shot” became a #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, Allen made history by becoming the first black artist to have a debut single top the country charts. Interestingly, after losing the top spot on December 8 to Kane Brown’s “Lose It,” Allen’s song returned to the top spot December 15, making “Best Shot” the first song by any artist to reclaim the top spot after descending in over a decade.

“If someone asked me two years ago if I thought that this would be my life today—that I’d be on the red carpet at the CMAs or my song would be the No. 1 song on country radio, I would have honestly said no,” reflected Allen in a statement. “Did I think it would happen eventually? Absolutely! Just not this soon. I’m humbled and grateful— it’s such an honor to get my first No. 1 and to know that my song is connecting with people and resonating in a way that hopefully makes us all better people in the end, because that’s really what ‘Best Shot’ is all about.”

Allen will kick off 2019 on tour with Scotty McCreery’s Seasons Change Tour, with a stop at Westbury, NY’s NYCB Theatre on January 26.

Mitchell Tenpenny: “Drunk Me” 

Just five days before the release of his debut album, Telling All My Secrets (December 14), on Riser House/ Columbia Nashville, Mitchell Tenpenny’s first single, “Drunk Me,” became the top song on the Mediabase/ Country Airplay chart. Co-written by Tenpenny, Jordan M. Schmidt, and Justin Wilson, the single was officially released in March, and climbed to the top position nearly nine months later.

“I recorded ‘Drunk Me’ after pitching it to other artists in town for over six months,” recalled Tenpenny in a statement. “I believed in my heart it was such a special song and that it would be a hit for someone. I never dreamt it would be the song labels first heard from me, resulting in a record deal … or that it would go on to bring us our first single, let alone a number one.” He continues, “It’s been a two-year journey with this song, yet so many believed, and so, this is one of those moments we all share together – my co-writers, our band and record label, country radio and all the fans that have streamed it over 120 million times. I can’t get over you. You’ve changed my life.”

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

NYCS 2018 Artist To Watch Where Are They Now: Jimmie Allen

Here at New York Country Swag, we pride ourselves on being tastemakers, finding and championing new and up-and-coming artists and introducing our followers to the best of the best of the rising acts. Back in January of this year we named the 10 artists below in our “Artists to Watch in 2018” and we are proud to say, we know rising talent before they make it big. Someone to add to your watchlist is Jimmie Allen.

We first introduced our readers to Jimmie Allen in November of last year when we hosted him at The Refinery Rooftop for our signature Swag Sessions (above).  Then back in March, we caught up with Allen as one of our Swag Spotlights. At the time, Allen had just released his first single to country radio “Best Shot.” It took a while to climb up the radio charts, sitting on the bottom of the charts for almost 35 weeks before making its huge jump towards the top. Despite that, Allen has made history with his debut single as he becomes the first black artist to score a career No.1 at country radio and remain there for a second week. Allen told us just how grateful he is for his team and how hard they have fought for him. “Nobody has gotten where they are without someone believing in them and people around them working towards the same goal,” he explains.  “It’s a great win for all of us and it continues to prove if you have something that is halfway good and you have a strong team around you that believes in it you can make some things happen.” Fans are still raving about this song as many people have made it their wedding and proposal songs, too many covers to count, and still makes the fans jump to their feet whenever he plays it live.

Allen released his debut album Mercury Lane on October 12th, and since we have seen his career boom like never before. Everyone from Jake Owen, Michael Ray, Scotty McCreery, and more were giving props to Allen for his album. That is what happens when you have such a great reputation in town! With all of the success of “Best Shot” and his new album, Allen has been lead to greater opportunities. Within the last month, he has joined the TODAY Show, one of his biggest supporters, for many special events. Allen made his national TV debut to promote his new album and current single. Allen also came back to co-host and be apart of a “Guys Tell All”segment alongside reality star Ben Higgins, comedian Chuck Nice, and celebrity gym trainer Don Saladino. Besides having the number one song in the country, he announced his part in the Montgomery Gentry 20 Years of Hits album. Growing up a fan of Montgomery Gentry’s music, he is honored to be apart of the song “Hell Yeah” that you can stream, along with the rest of the album, now. To end a long list of achievements, Country Radio Seminar announced the CRS New Faces of Country Music® Class of 2019. Alongside Allen is Russell Dickerson, Dylan Scott, Lindsay Ell, and LANCO.

Looking to reach fans across the country, Allen is an opening act on McCreery’s Seasons Change Tour that began on Nov. 29 in Dallas and will continue into late January 2019. He’ll then jump back on the road with Kane Brown, opening for him on the Live Forever Tour through the beginning of March. If you are looking to see the most talked about artist on tour check Allen’s website for a full list of tour stops.

 

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook:

CRS New Faces of Country Music Class of 2019 Announced

CRS New Faces 2019

Earlier today, Country Radio Seminar (CRS) officials announced the CRS 2019 New Faces of Country Music® Class of 2019.

CRS is an annual three-day convention sponsored by the Academy of Country Music and St. Jude Children’s Hospital, where country music and the radio industry gather to exchange ideas, set trends, introduce brands, launch artists and make decisions that affect every aspect of the genre’s future. Featuring some of the most established artists in the business, the seminar also includes new music from rising new artists.

Each year, a group of five of the previous year’s brightest rising artists are selected to showcase their talent as part of the weekend-long events closing showcase entitled New Faces. This showcase remains one of the most anticipated events of the entire seminar.

The Class of 2019 features the following artists: Jimmie Allen who just recently scored his first ever number one single with “Best Shot,” Russell Dickerson who was recently honored with a BMI award for his platinum single “Yours,” Lindsay Ell who scored a number one single in her homeland of Canada with “Criminal,” LANCO whose album Hallelujah Nights debuted at number one on the country charts earlier this year and Dylan Scott who achieved his first ever number one single last year with “My Girl.”

Last year our team attended the seminar and New Faces Show which featured Carly Pearce, Lauren Alaina, Midland, Michael Ray, and Luke Combs.  Check out the full recap from the week here. Precious New Faces include Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, Sam Hunt, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Maren Morris and many more.

The 50th annual Country Radio Seminar will take place this upcoming February 13th through February 15th at the Omni Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.  Be sure to keep up with New York Country Swag for exclusive CRS coverage.

 

—————————-

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 InstagramTwitter & Facebook: