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NYCountry Swag Takes on Taste of Country Festival

Taste of Country Festival

For the second year in a row, New York Country Swag headed to Hunter Mountain to set up shop and cover the Taste of Country Music Festival. The weekend takes place on a mountain, with a huge stage at the base and fans packed onto its grassy hills to listen to their favorite country artists.

Taste of Country Festival

The lineup for the 2018 festival included huge stars like Florida Georgia Line, Dustin Lynch, Lee Ann Rimes, Justin Moore, Eric Church and Sam Hunt.  This was the biggest year for the festival, having sold out the general admission tickets, fans were thrilled to be heading back for their favorite weekend.

Taste of Country Festival

The team headed to Hunter Moutain early on Thursday morning to set up our vending booth to sell items from our store as well as brand new merchandise that festival goers had the opportunity to shop first before it hits the site next week. Our signature line features hats, tank tops, t-shirts and sweatshirts that all help to cohesively explain our brand, clothing, and accessories that country music fans will love.  In addition to our country music inspired items, our Hero Collection was expanded this summer with the addition of tank tops and t-shirts all showcasing the red and the blue line American flag.  This turned out to be a huge seller at the festival, initiating awesome banter between those that support our firefighters and those that support our police department.

Taste of Country Festival

Fans also had the opportunity to take a boomerang photo in front of our step-and-repeat at our photobooth station set up within our vending booth.  With props featuring their favorite country artists as well as cowboy hats and even a blow-up horse, this turned out to be a fantastic fun addition to our setup this year.  Guests can view their photos boomerangs here and more photos here. We also included a giveaway which entered our shoppers into a raffle to win a signed Eric Church Jack Daniels guitar.  The winner was announced right before Sam Hunt hit the stage and the lucky winner collected her prize before the festival ended.

Taste of Country Festival

Our managing editor, Christina also interviewed some of the festivals biggest names at our tent including Jimmie Allen and Rodney Atkins. They both talked about new music which they played during their respective sets.  Allen and Atkins both revealed that their albums will be available later this fall.

Taste of Country Festival

We also had the opportunity to interview Dustin Lynch and find out what 3 essential camping items he would bring if he was attending Taste of Country Music Festival as a fan.  Jimmie Allen took time to hang out with some of our shoppers and take pictures with each of them after his set.

Taste of Country Festival

The weekend was filled with meeting so many of our followers and making new friends that rocked our gear at the festival.  Between the great music and the perfect weather,  Taste of Country Music Festival 2018 was a huge success.  We are already looking for next years event, for more information and tickets head to www.tasteofcountryfestival.com  Our team wants to thank everyone who stopped by to say hello, purchased an item from our booth or just was friendly to us this weekend.  We had the best time and look forward to seeing all of our followers at more events this summer.

 

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Jimmie Allen Swag

NYCS Swag Spotlight: Jimmie Allen

Jimmie Allen Swag

Since we last caught up with this week’s Swag Spotlight and one of our Artists to Watch in 2018,  Jimmie Allen we find he has made his way across the country on a radio tour and has his very first single on country radio.  In a recent chat, he explained his appreciation for the incredible team he has surrounding and supporting him and the story behind his first radio single “Best Shot”.

During our conversation, Allen was in LA visiting the radio stations on the west coast. Although he is traveling all around the country, they really only get to see the inside of radio stations so he makes the best of it. He loves not only meeting the program directors and DJs but everyone who works there and the local listeners. “I feel like they are the heartbeat of the station…the way they have responded to me has been nothing short of amazing,” he says. He does try and see the cities he is visiting at night or on the weekends, taking it all in day by day. “I love it, it is grueling but for me, it keeps me focused on staying positive and the opposite alternative which is not traveling or doing music,” he explains.

His voice beams with pride when discussing his very first radio single and how on its very first day it was added to rotation by a whopping 58 stations, the second most added song that day. He truly understands that his incredible team and the relationships they have built over the years has helped to catapult his song to country radio and how grateful he is for their support. “Nobody has gotten where they are without someone believing in them and people around them working towards the same goal,” he humbling 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.”
Speaking of the new single, “Best Shot” Allen tells us was written with his friends JP Williams and Josh London over the course of a few weeks and four or five writing sessions to get the vibe just right. Recording the song three times and still not loving how it was turning out he decided to strip it down to play the song at The Bluebird Cafe one night at a songwriter round. “It’s easy to cover a song with guitars and drums and bass and fiddle and you can kind of smother it, you don’t hear the lyrics and the production sounds like everything else that’s out,” Allen says.  After his producer heard that version he knew to focus on the vocal performance to get the result that ended up on the radio today.

 As he finishes up his radio tour, Allen is gearing up to play some pretty big festivals, including Taste of Country up at Hunter Mountain, NY, and CMAFest in Nashville. He is also playing the ACM Tailgate Party in Las Vegas and heading to his very first award show right after.  Ending our conversation on a personal question, we wanted to know if he could go back in time ten years and give himself some advice what would it be.  He delicately explained, “I would tell him to keep going, trust yourself, don’t allow the noise of everyone else’s opinions of who you should be, drown out your own voice of who you know you are.”
We can’t wait to continue to support and champion Jimmie Allen as his career reaches new heights and more and more people discover what an incredible artist he is.  Be sure to be following all of his adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

CRS

NYCountry Swag Team Heading to Nashville for CRS Week

CRS

 

Next Week, the New York Country Swag team heads to Nashville to take part in Country Radio Seminar (CRS).  CRS is an annual three-day convention 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.   The seminar includes new music from rising artists as well as some of the most established artists in the business.

This year Dierks Bentley, CRS 2018 Artist Humanitarian of the Year will be a featured speaker as well as a Q&A session with Brad Paisley during the “Art and the Artist Conversation”.   The Amazon Music & CRS Monday Night Showcase will feature Jimmie Allen, Jordan Davis, and Jason Aldean.

Just announced, the UMG Lunch, taking place at The Ryman, will feature Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Little Big Town, Vince Gill, Kip Moore, Maddie & Tae, Brothers Osborne, Darius Rucker Jon Pardi and more.

The New Faces Show which takes place Wednesday night to close out the seminar will include Lauren Alaina, Midland, Carly Pearce, Luke Combs and Michael Ray. The show is sponsored by the Academy of Country Music and St. Jude Children’s Hospital and will include performances by each of the five artists.

Be sure to follow us on all of our social channels to see exclusive content from the seminar (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.)

NYCS Nashville

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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

NYCountry Swag’s 2018 Artists to Watch

The New York Country Swag team loves to discover new artists that are releasing great music and share our favorite songs with New York country fans. Here is a list of 10 rising country artists we think you should look our for in the new year. —

 

 

  1. Ryan Griffin – Releasing his debut EP, Sake of the Summer back in March, the first single “Back Seats & Burnt CDs” hits you with just the right amount of nostalgia.  Fans of Thomas Rhett and Dan & Shay will love this newcomer. P.S. he also co-wrote Kelsea Ballerini’s number 1 hit, “Dibs”.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Ryan Griffin

Listen: Back Seats & Burnt CDs
Stay Connected: @RyanGriffinLive

 

  1. Brandon Lay – Brandon Lay’s debut single packs a punch of small-town living and growing up.  Fans can look forward to a full-length EP in the new year and can catch him as an opening act for Kenny Chesney’s, “Trip Around the Sun” Tour in 2018.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Brandon Lay

Listen: Speakers, Bleachers & Preachers
Stay Connected: @BrandonLayMusic

 

  1. Jordan Davis – Fans of Thomas Rhett and for more of a contemporary country sound will love Jordan Davis.  Just wrapping up his opening slot on Kip Moore’s, “Plead the Fifth” Tour, Davis is currently working on his debut full-length album for Universal Music Group Nashville.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Jordan Davis

Listen: Singles You Up
Stay Connected: @JordanDavisOfficial

 

  1. Jillian Jacqueline – Continuing to change the game for women in the country genre, Jacqueline released her debut EP, Side A, featuring six new tracks along with three acoustic versions of her singles.  Fans of Maren Morris and Cam will relate to the singer’s honest approach to songwriting and compelling storytelling.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Jillian Jacqueline

Listen: God Bless This Mess
Stay Connected: @JillianJacqueline

 

  1. Adam Doleac – With a grit-filled, blues-inspired vocal, Doleac’s debut EP released earlier this year features all kinds of love songs.  The first single on the project “Whiskey’s Fine” earned him a spot on Sirius XM’s Highway Finds Tour and since then the nationwide stations have played “Some Girls” and “Everybody Needs Somebody”.  Doleac even stopped by Refinery Rooftop for Swag Sessions with us back in October.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Adam Doleac

Listen: Whiskey’s Fine
Stay Connected: @AdamDoleac

 

  1. Ryan Kinder – Blending R&B and country to make his own unique sound, Ryan Kinder released the powerful “Still Believe In Crazy Love” earlier this year which has racked up over 2 million streams on Spotify.  Read more about the artist in our review of his first NYC show here.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Ryan Kinder

Listen: Still Believe In Crazy Love
Stay Connected: @RyanKinder

 

  1. Jimmie Allen – With a larger than life personality and catchy songs, Broken Bow recording artist, Jimmie Allen is sure to have a big 2018. During a recent trip to NYC, Allen joined New York Country Swag for a Swag Session to tell us about the trials and tribulations he overcame to follow his dreams.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Jimmie Allen

Listen: Blue Jean Baby
Stay Connected: @JimmieAllen

 

  1. Danielle Bradbery – Reinviting herself in 2017, Danielle Bradbery released her sophomore album, I Don’t Believe We’ve Met which showcases the young singer’s beautiful vocals and songwriting skills. Check out her next single, “Worth It” which features a powerful message for women of all ages.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Danielle Bradbery

Listen: Worth It
Stay Connected: @DanielleBradbery

 

  1. Cale Dodds – Rising artist, Cale Dodds has racked up over 8 million streams with his break out single, “People Watching”. Fans of Dustin Lynch and Ryan Hurd will definitely dig Dodds’ vibes.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Cale Dodds

Listen: People Watching
Stay Connected: @CaleDodds

 

  1. Morgan Evans – Our final ‘Artist to Watch’ in 2018, Morgan Evans hails from Austraila, just married country superstar Kelsea Ballerini and has his first single on country radio.  “Kiss Somebody” is infectious and watching Evans’ live show will mesmerize fans, he uses a peddle loop to play each of the instruments and acts as his own backup band.

NYCS 2018 Artists to Watch: Morgan Evans

Listen: Kiss Somebody
Stay Connected: @MorganEvansMusic

 

Like what you hear? Give a follow to our 2018 Artists to Watch List here.

 

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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

 

Top 10 NYCountry Swag Moments of 2017 – #5: Swag Sessions…

Next up on our Top 10 New York Country Swag Moments of 2017 Countdown, #5: Swag Sessions.

In 2017, New York Country Swag rolled out a new way of connecting New York Country fans with their favorite rising artists.  Utilizing some of New York City’s most iconic spaces, we started Swag Sessions.  A live way to showcase some incredible talent coming out of Nashville.

Our first segment took place back in July, right in the heart of Times Square.  Lucas Hoge, rockin’ our Camo Hero Collection Snapback,  played “Dirty South” and “Boom Boom” for our inaugural Swag Session, before taking the stage at The Cutting Room for his album release party.

 

For our next Swag Session, we invited Adam Doleac to stop by the Refinery Rooftop and sing some songs.  Doleac was out on Sirius XM’s Highway Finds Tour this summer and stopped by to play three songs off of his debut EP.  Singing “Some Girls”, “Everybody Needs Somebody” and his first single “Whiskey’s Fine”. Doleac showcased his storytelling and incredible vocals.  For the part two click here.

 

Winnie’s Jazz, inside the Refinery Hotel, was the perfect location for our Swag Sessions with singer-songwriter, Jo Smith.  In between songs, Smith talked about growing up in a small town and finding her sound.  She sang songs from her debut EP including “Dance Dirty” and “Old School Groove” Full recap video below.

 

Scooter Brown Band, clad in cowboy hats walked through the streets of NYC to find themselves in the middle of Times Square. The group took time before playing B.B. Kings to sing a few songs off their latest album, American Son including the title track, “Won’t Back Down” and a love song, “Pistols and Pearls”.  For more about our Swag Session with the band check out the video below and for our interview, click here.

 

Broken Bow Recording artist, Jimmie Allen while in New York City for promo stopped by the Refinery Rooftop to tell us how much he loves the word “swag” and to play songs from his debut EP.  Allen also told us all about the struggles he faced leading up to his recording deal and what he did to overcome them. Check out the full video below.

 

Before opening for Dustin Lynch at NYC’s Playstation Theater, country newcomer, Mitchell Tenpenny joined us in Times Square for an afternoon of music, laughs and.. jingle bells! Check out our Swag Session with the rising star here.

 

As the weather got colder, we moved our Swag Sessions inside the Refinery Rooftop to a cozy fireplace, adorned with Christmas decorations for our final segment of the year featuring Brown and Gray.  Kaci and Sam recently became a duo after their debut single “Top Down” was played on radio. They played the single and their beautiful original Christmas song, “It’s Not Christmas (‘Til You Come Around)”,  check out the full video below.

We’re looking forward to bringing you more great Swag Sessions in 2018.
Be sure to sign-up for our Weekly Round-Up so you don’t miss a thing!

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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

 

 

Swag Sessions

Swag Sessions Spotify Playlist

Swag Sessions

 

On our latest Spotify Playlist, we feature all of the songs that have been performed during our LIVE Swag Sessions with artists including Adam Doleac, Lucas Hoge, Scooter Brown Band, Jo Smith, Mitchell Tenpenny, Jimmie Allen and Brown and Gray. Check out the playlist below.

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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag

Swag Sessions: Featuring Jimmie Allen…

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

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Thanks for supporting Country Music in NYC!

Click Here to learn more about NYCountry Swag
+ Follow our Country Music Adventures on Instagram, @NYCOUNTRYSWAG!

– Team NYCountry Swag