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Old Dominion Guest Star on Shane McAnally’s Show ‘Songland’

Songland Old Dominion

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

The 2019 ACM Vocal Group of the Year, Old Dominion was featured on NBC’s Songland last night. The five-member band, consisting of Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi, and front-man, Matthew Ramsey chose to record “Young”, written by Katelyn Tarver. The song, however, will not be featured on their upcoming album but in a never before seen Jeep commercial.

The commercial expresses how Jeep makes you feel young again. It shows scenes of an older couple reliving a moment from their younger days. Tarver stars as the young version of the wife as the video cuts back forth between the couple at a young age and them now, driving around in their electric blue-colored Jeep. We believe Old Dominion’s new song fits the commercial perfectly. Watch it for yourself here:

“Baby, I just wanna be young / Young forever with you”

In “Young”, Ramsey sings of how he wants to go back to his younger days when he and his significant other were the only two people in the world that mattered. When Tarver went into the studio with Shane McAnally to work on the song, they had to make it fit Old Dominion’s style and Jeep’s brand. They toughened the song up by adding a “pulsing bass” and changing the verses to help it lose its original femininity. When she performed “Young” the second time in front of the Chief Marketing Director at Jeep, Oliver Francois, she sang it with a male to better display its toughness.

“When I drive (with the) top-off my wrangler, I morph into this 26-year-old self of mine”, Francois said after hearing Tarver’s song. “That’s exactly what Jeep is about.”  Tarver, from Glennville, Georgia is an artist, herself. Just yesterday she released a new song titled “Sinking In”. For Old Dominion, “Young” is the first song the group has ever recorded that they didn’t write.

When you go to a concert or hear a song on the radio, the singer is always the center of attention. Songland gives four songwriters the opportunity to enjoy the spotlight for a change, allowing them to pitch their song to already established artists, like Old Dominion. It demonstrates the long, complicated process that is involved with songwriting.

Alongside Old Dominion in the song-editing process were three Grammy-winning/nominated songwriters in Ester Dean, Ryan Tedder, and McAnally, who appear on each episode of the show. Dean has written a number of smash hits including “Super Bass” by Nikki Minaj, “Firework” by Katy Perry and many by Rhianna including “Rude Boy”.

Tedder has a long resume when it comes to songwriting and producing. He has contributed to three Grammy-winning albums including Taylor Swift’s 1989 and Adele’s 21 and 25. Tedder also has a background it country music, writing songs for Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood and most recently, Thomas Rhett, contributing to two tracks on his latest album Center Point Road, “That Old Truck” and “Beer Can’t Fix”. Tedder has also had three singles reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 as the lead singer of his pop-rock group, One Republic, “Apologize”, “Good Life” and “Counting Stars”.

Shane McAnally is one of the most established writers in country music. He has written number-one hits for multiple artists including Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett, and many others. McAnally has racked up a number of awards with singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves, including the 2019 Grammy Awards for Best Country Song (“Space Cowboy”) and Album of the Year (Golden Hour).

Old Dominion’s new self-titled album comes out on October 25th. The Nashville-based group has released five songs from the album thus far, including the lead single, “Make It Sweet”.

To keep up with Old Dominion, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

“Young” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a look below and check out more recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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NYCS Woman of the Month Jessica Valiyi, Digital Strategy for Sony Music Nashville

We’re bringing you stories from women who are chasing their dreams and building a life that they love with New York Country Swag’s, “Woman of the Month.”

Each month, we highlight a different female pursuing her passions. Introducing you to women who are taking risks, working relentlessly and turning their dreams into reality. These are empowering women who serve as role models and should be celebrated.

Jess Valiyi

 

For this month we celebrate Jessica Valiyi, Associate Director, Digital Strategy for Sony Music Nashville. Growing up in Carmel, Indiana, she recalls all of her extracurricular activities outside of school revolved around music. She learned to play the drums when she was 10 years old and said she was a music fanatic in high school, although, she wasn’t a huge fan of country music until college. “I’m the oldest child, I didn’t have a big sibling or anyone to talk to but I felt like music was always there for me,” she says. While attending college at Indiana University in Bloomington, Valiyi’s friends she met on her dorm room floor freshman year introduced her to modern country and she instantly fell in love with the lyrics and storytelling. Some of her first favorite artists were Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and the Dixie Chicks.  “I remember listening to the lyrics, and that is what drew me in, they have substance and meaning compared to anyone else I was listening to at the time,” she recalls. After college, she took a job in biotech and medical device company and worked part-time at the local country radio station doing promotions and marketing and helped with their social media. “I feel like there are two types of people in this world, you are either motivated by money or you are motivated by passion and I am the passionate one,” she states. Finding herself looking forward more and more to her side gig at the radio station, she happened to meet Alex Valentine who at the time worked the Northeast promotions for Big Machine Label Group. After talking to him about how she could ‘do what he does’ in the industry, she took that information and chance meeting to heart and a year later made the move to Nashville. Valentine gave her words of advice that she carries with her today, “You have to be present to win”.

Jessica Valiyi Woman of the Month

Mitchell Tenpenny at Wal Mart on the night of his debut album release

Just two months after moving, she took her dream job, a part-time gig with Big Machine Label Group, home to Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts, the two artists that helped to cultivate her love for the genre. One of her mains jobs was to help the digital team and assist in keeping Swift’s music off the internet and mainly off of YouTube. She laughs talking about all of the tweets she saved from fans who would try to find her music and couldn’t without buying the actual album, something that proved she was successful in that task.

In December of 2017, she made the move over to Sony Music Nashville and during our conversation, recalls a moment that really has come full circle since moving over to her new position. “The first week I lived in Nashville I went Belcourt Taps. It was Heather Morgan, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz, and Maren Morris and it was my first writers round and I remember thinking ‘Why isn’t this girl an artist?’ I went up to her after and told her how incredible her voice and songs were. Most off her EP and one other song called ‘Loose Change’” Valiyi recalls “I was following Maren’s career when I was at Big Machine and I remember being so bummed that she went to Sony but now it’s just full circle.” The moment becomes even more poignant this week that the Sony Music Nashville team gets to celebrate Morris’ second number one song, “GIRL”.

Jessica Valiyi

Maren Morris and Sony Music Nashville Team

Her day to day jobs as the Associate Director of Digital Strategy for Sony Music Nashville include helping her artists on fan engagement, email marketing, websites, digital advertising, coming up with creative content, collaborating with digital partners and essentially anything directly related to helping grow the fan base. Her clients at Sony include Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Old Dominion, Mitchell Tenpenny, Pistol Annies, Tenille Townes, Jameson Rodgers, The Sisterhood Band, and Ryan Hurd. “One thing that drew me to digital is the space is constantly changing. You really have to be one step ahead of everyone, finding out what the newest, coolest, greatest thing is,” Valiyi says. “You don’t just use specific things because everyone uses it, it has to make sense for your individual clients. It’s trying to keep up with the trends and how to incorporate them with our artists.”

Jessica Valiyi

Team Sony Music Nashville at Luke Combs’ Grand Ole Opry Induction

She passionately talks about the fans and how there would be no country music industry without them and how she loves that the digital space is the department that is closest to the fan. One artist she highlights in our interview is Luke Combs. “Luke Combs is so dialed in, everything he does is for the fans, he says ‘They are the ones who are providing me this life and this career’, that’s why I love working for him. Yes, my job is social media, yes my job is in the digital space and content but it’s also listening to fans.” An example of how Combs continues to give the fans exactly what they want by uploading unedited videos of unreleased songs.

When we talk about what advice she would give to young people in the industry she says, “Our industry is so small, networking is huge. The more you are around and people can see you and see what you do, I feel like that goes a long way, every opportunity I’ve gotten in Nashville has come from someone I’ve networked with.” She also highlights the importance of accepting that you won’t know everything and not being afraid to ask questions or to learn from others around you. She quotes Steve Jobs saying “I don’t care about being right. I care about success and doing the right thing.” as something she refers to often. She hopes to empower the people who work with her but when she is in a leadership role, she is the first one to also listen and learn from them as well.

We are so grateful for all of the women who not only take time out of their busy schedules to chat with us but also teach us their stories and share advice with us. We want to thank Jess Valiyi for her guidance and friendship to NYCountry Swag over the past few years and we look forward to continue to champion her and her incredible artists.

 

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Old Dominion Release New Track “Never Be Sorry”

Old Dominion Never Be Sorry

Photo Credit: Mike Spotz for NYCountry Swag

Old Dominion’s new song “Never Be Sorry” is here and wow is it a good one. Thankfully the country band did not have to make us wait long as they teased the title on Instagram last week. Similarly, to how they announced their highly anticipated new album, Old Dominion, they posted a word from the song title each day beginning with the word “Sorry.”

Written by Brad Tursi, Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Shane McAnally, and Trevor Rosen, “Never Be Sorry,” is an upbeat song that shares a message that everyone who has ever gone through a breakup needs to hear. Breakups can be messy, but just because the relationship ends doesn’t mean you have to be sorry for falling in love with that person. You’re allowed to cherish those memories the two of you made together.

“Oh but I’ll never be sorry for my hands in the pockets / Of your hoodie, called you “Sugar” just to make you smile / And I’ll never be sorry for the shoes that I bought you / In Chicago, we were walking down the Miracle Mile / Oh I, oh I / I’ll never be sorry, I’ll never be sorry / I’ll never be sorry for loving you”

“Never Be Sorry” is the fourth song released from the new album, which is due out on October 25th. It follows “Make It Sweet, which hit number one, “One Man Band,” and “Some People Do.” These four songs have truly shown us a whole new level of talent from Old Dominion, and we can’t wait to hear the entire album. We are 100% certain it won’t disappoint.

Old Dominion is currently headlining their “Make It Sweet Tour.” It stopped in our area last month, where they sold-old the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden, and it was a night for the books. The tour continues through the fall in both the US and Europe. To see if they are coming to a city near you check out www.weareolddominion.com/.

To keep up with Old Dominion follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Never Be Sorry” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

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

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Old Dominion Announce New Album & Perform on GMA

Old Dominion Good morning America

Photo Screen Grab from GoodMorningAmerica.com

Upset that the long weekend is over? Well, Old Dominion made a huge announcement that will brighten up your Monday morning. Right before performing their next single “One Man Band” on Good Morning America, lead singer Matthew Ramsey announced that their third studio album will be available on October 25th. The self-titled album will include their most recent number one and the album’s debut single “Make It Sweet” as well as “One Man Band”.

Good Morning America co-host and well-known country music fan, Robin Roberts chatted with Ramsey before the performance, congratulating the group on the success of “Make It Sweet” and their win for CMA Vocal Group of the Year and allowed him to make the announcement fans were speculating would come this morning. The ballad about finding that perfect someone to spend your life with has garnered over 20 million streams on Spotify and was an instant fan favorite. The in-studio audience could be seen slowly swaying back and forth to the live performance which you can watch here. 

We heard both new songs last month when they headlined and sold-out The Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Check out our full recap and photos from the show here.

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

“One Man Band” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

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

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Old Dominion, Jordan Davis & Mitchell Tenpenny Sold Out Show in NYC

Nestled underneath the grandeur of the iconic Madison Square Garden is an intimate venue, The Hulu Theater at MSG. Friday night three of country music’s biggest rising acts took the stage to perform for a sold-out crowd, as the Make It Sweet Tour made its way to New York City.

Old Dominion/Mitchell Tenpenny/Jordan Davis

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

One of our Swag Session alums, and 2019 Artists to Watch, Mitchell Tenpenny took the stage first, and it was remarkable to watch the room, which was almost completely packed at that early part of the night, engage with Tenpenny and his music. He sang “Truck I Drove In High School”, “Goner” and the title track to his debut album which was released late last year, “Telling All My Secrets”. Another great moment was watching him perform his current single “Alcohol You Later” and already seeing the crowd loving it.

“I’ve gotta thank you guys for changing our lives this year with our next song, gave us our first platinum song, which is crazy, I never thought that would happen, you bought it, you streamed the shit out of it, thank you so much for that.” Tenpenny humbly expressed to the crowd. “And then you requested it so much at radio, you gave us our first number one song, I was so grateful for that. And now we get to come to cool cities, like New York City and play our music.” He performed “Drunk Me” and throughout the entirety of the song, the whole crowd was singing back to him, at one point, he even stood back to just let them sing, it was an overwhelming moment for the singer-songwriter.

 Mitchell Tenpenny / Jordan Davis

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

Closing the night with “Bitches”, a song that isn’t about “calling guys bitches or calling girls bitches, it’s about calling bitches, bitches,” he laughed. We watched his performance of this one, a song we caught during our Swag Session in 2017 and were so proud that we can champion him and continue to watch where his already successful career goes.

Jordan Davis / Old Dominion / Mitchell Tenpenny

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

Next up was another artist that we chose back in 2018 as One to Watch, Jordan Davis. The singer-songwriter from Shreveport Lousiana already has two number one hits to his name and took full advantage of the sold-out crowd, running up and down the catwalk and interacting with the fans in the pit. His debut album, Home State is packed with radio-ready singles and he performed a few of them on Friday including “Selfish” which he mashed with Hailee Steinfeld’s “Starving”, “Leaving New Orleans”, and  “Tough to Tie Down”. He also covered Tim McGraw’s classic, “Something Like That”, putting his own spin on it.

Jordan Davis

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

His set wouldn’t be complete without performing both of his number one hits, “Take It From Me” and “Singles You Up”. At this point, the pit in front of the stage was completely packed and all of the seats were filled and at times the audience screaming back the lyrics was so loud you could barely hear Davis. He left the stage and the crowd ready to enjoy the final act and headliners of the night, Old Dominion.

Old Dominion

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

We’ve seen the guys in Old Dominion in some of the smallest rooms in New York City over the past few years including Joe’s Pub, Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, and Arlene’s Grocery. The important thing to remember is that no matter the size of the room or the number of people who are there to see them, they always give 110% percent of not only a high-energy performance but they can set your soul on fire with their meaningful lyrics and delivery.

Old Dominion Brad Tursi

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

Playing to a sold-out room in a much bigger venue, Old Dominion did just that for the lucky fans in attendance. Their set included their biggest radio hits including “Snapback”, “Break Up With Him”, “Hotel Key” and “Written in the Sand”. They also included a few album cuts that haven’t made their way to the radio which we know fans of the band were happy about like “Said Nobody” and “Half Empty” from their debut album Meat and Candy.

Old Dominion

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

Highlights from their set included “New York At Night” where stunning visuals of our beautiful city lit up the background of the five band members as they sang lines like “With that just right Friday night curl in your hair / Got my heart beating louder than Madison Square / That electric energy / Something tells me you’re gonna keep me going til the morning light / Girl your like New York at night”. It seemed as if the songwriters (Brad Tursi, Trevor Rosen, and Jordan Schmidt) had written those lines specifically for that moment in time on Friday night.

Another rather surprising moment was when Matthew Ramsey stood at the front of the catwalk and announced they were going to sing their new song, “One Man Band” and from the first word to the last, the crowd was screaming the lyrics back to the band. It was such a special point of the night, watching loved ones turn to each other and sing the ballad, the emotion was palpable and could be felt throughout the room. Taking time to slow things down, Tursi, Rosen, and Ramsey took a seat at the top of the catwalk to chat with the audience about the culminating moments that led to them sitting in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater. They played the songs they have written for other artists that have become hits including “Wake Up Loving You”, “Better Dig Two”, “Make You Miss Me” and Michael Ray’s latest number one “One That Got Away”. “Before you ever realized it, you were listening to our music, and before country radio ever realized it they were playing our music, and as broke ass songwriters in Nashville, you need every little bit of motivation you can get,” Ramsey told the crowd. “Every song made us want to write another one, crowds got a little bigger, shows got a little better, we kept writing, we kept playing until finally we can come to New York City and play in a beautiful room like this one.”

Old Dominion

Mike Spotz (@illkoncept) for NYCountry Swag

Old Dominion closed the night with the first single revealed from their forthcoming project, the upbeat “Make It Sweet” and a throwback “Wrong Turns”. The magical night was the perfect way to kick off the summer concert season, bringing some of the best rising talents in Davis and Tenpenny as well as established stars Old Dominion to New York. Head to our calendar to find out all of the shows heading to our area this summer!

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
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Old Dominion Lyrics to Use As Instagram Captions

Old Dominion

If you didn’t know, Old Dominion is comprised of five talented and successful songwriters who have written hits for some of your favorite artists. No surprise though, they saved the best and craftiest lyrics for themselves. If you are lucky enough to catch them on tour, we have the perfect lyrics for your Instagram posts.

1. “We had our foot on the gas goin’ nowhere fast” – Nowhere Fast

2. “You gotta love like there’s no such thing as a broken heart” – No Such Thing as a Broken Heart

3. “Life is short, make it sweet” – Make it Sweet

4. “Brown-Eyed Girl, Sweet Caroline, Free Fallin’, Small Town Saturday Night” – Song for Another Time

5. “Naw I ain’t drunk. Okay, maybe I do have a little buzz.” – Break Up with Him

6. “Tequila was cheap but the flow we were feeling was real” – Hotel Key

7. “Breakin hearts like only you can in your snapback” – Snapback

8. “Are we written in the stars, baby, or are we written in the sand” – Written in the Sand

9. “Said, whatever girl, you know I’m down, I was thinkin’ we could crush this town” – Beer Can in a Truck Bed

10.“Baby you’re like, New York at night” – New York at Night

11. “I don’t wanna be a one-man band, I don’t wanna be a rolling stone alone.” – One Man Band

12. “Most people don’t change, but some people do” – Some People Do

13. “I’m looking for smooth sailing, feeling the breeze on my back.” – Smooth Sailing

14. “I’ll never be sorry, I’ll never be sorry, I’ll never be sorry for loving you” – Never Be Sorry

15. “How ’bout a midnight, midnight mess around, I know which road, which road to take you down.” – Midnight Mess Around

16. “Let’s make a little lemonade, if lemons is all we got.” – Make It Sweet

 

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

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Old Dominion’s Emotional New Ballad “Some People Do”

Some People Do Old Dominion

Old Dominion are known for their hard-hitting tracks, such as “Hotel Key” and “Break Up With Him,” as well as their cleverly strung together slow jams, like “Written in the Sand;” however, the country group are pushing their talents and creativity to new heights this year. Old Dominion just released their third song off their highly anticipated third studio album. The new track, “Some People Do,” follows their number one single, “Make It Sweet” and “One Man Band.”

Tapping into a whole new level of artistry and vulnerability, lead singer Matthew Ramsey pours his heart out on the raw and honest track. The song focuses on humanity’s ability to change and learn from their mistakes and lends itself well to the feel of a breakup song. Co-written with country star Thomas Rhett, the lyrically-impactful song will leave you with chills.

“Some people quit drinking too much / And some people quit lying / Some people decide to grow up / But it’s never good timing / Most wouldn’t forget / What I put you through / But I’m here tonight / Hoping some people do.”

The reigning ACM Vocal Group of the Year winners shared on Twitter their feelings about the song being released to the public earlier today. “We pushed ourselves on this album. This song is a side of us we haven’t shown as blatantly, and it’s a little scary to put out into the world. But part of our job as songwriters it to tell the truth, even if it’s hard to go there.”

Old Dominion has truly outdone themselves with “Some People Do”, showcasing honesty and relatability. Additionally, Ramsey shows another side to his impressive vocals. We hope to see more lyrically driven and vocally challenging songs on the group’s forthcoming album.

Old Dominion’s ‘Make It Sweet Tour’ makes its way to the New York area in just a few weeks. Catch the group with tour mates Jordan Davis and Mitchell Tenpenny on Friday, May 17th at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden or Saturday, May 25th at the Brookhaven Amphitheater on Long Island. For additional information, visit weareolddominion.com.

To keep up with Old Dominion, follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Some People Do” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

 

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

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

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Old Dominion Release New Love Song “One Man Band”

Following the success of the lead single from their highly anticipated forthcoming third studio album, “Make It Sweet,” ACM and CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Old Dominion have released a brand new song entitled “One Man Band.”  The guys debuted “One Man Band” with a live performance during a YouTube live stream they conducted earlier this week to announce the new track as well as new dates being added to their current tour.

The romantic love song, penned by band members Matthew Ramsey, Brad Tursi, Trevor Rosen, and songwriter Josh Osborne, is the second track to be released from their upcoming album. Also produced by hitmaker Shane McAnally, the ballad compares being alone to playing music all by yourself, until you find that special someone.

The band took to their Instagram to further explain the story behind the track, “One of the things we talk about the most in this band is how we can’t imagine being on this crazy ride alone. We have each other to celebrate the highs and to get through the challenges with. It’s one of the best parts of being a band. Sure, you can make music alone. But if you find people you have chemistry with a whole new world opens up. I think it’s the same with life and love. You can go it alone. But sometimes there’s another person out there that adds something to your “music” that you would never have had alone. That’s the show you want to take on the road.”

Lead singer Ramsey sings in the chorus, “I don’t wanna be a one man band / I don’t wanna be a rolling stone alone / Putting miles on a run-down van / Baby we could take our own show on the road / I’ll lay down the beat, you’ll carry the tune / We’ll get tattoos and we’ll trash hotel rooms / Baby take my hand / I don’t wanna be a one man band”.  Check out the music video that the group shot in the studio and during tour rehearsals below.

Old Dominion is currently on their ‘Make It Sweet Tour’ which they just recently extended into the fall. New York country fans can catch the tour Friday, May 17th at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden and Saturday, May 25th at the Brookhaven Amphitheater. For additional information, visit www.weareolddominion.com.

“One Man Band” 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.

Old Dominion Extend Their ‘Make It Sweet’ Tour Into the Fall

New York country fans are in luck, yesterday Old Dominion announced that they have extended their ‘Make It Sweet’ tour well into 2019 and they have included not one by two local area dates. The tour kicks off this weekend in Chicago and Old Dominion will bring along special guests Michael Ray, Jordan Davis, Morgan Evans, Mitchell Tenpenny, Brandon Lay, Carlton Anderson, the Washboard Union and Jason Benoit on select dates, for the exact openers on your tour stop, visit weareolddominion.com

As the title of the tour is also the title of their debut single from their forthcoming album, fans can probably expect to hear new music at each stop. New Yorkers, be sure to catch the Make It Sweet Tour either on May 17th in New York City at Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden or May 25th Farmingville, N.Y. at Brookhaven Amphitheater.

Follow @NYCOUNTRYSWAG on Instagram, so you don’t miss any upcoming announcements, ticket giveaways and more.

Old Dominion’s 2019 Make It Sweet Tour Dates:

Jan. 18 – Chicago, Ill. @ Allstate Arena 
Jan. 19 – Bloomington, Ill. @ Grossinger Motors Arena 
Jan. 24 – Bemidji, Minn. @ Sanford Center 
Jan. 25 – Brookings, S.D. @ Swiftel Center 
Jan. 30 – Scottsdale, Ariz. @ Birds Nest WM Open
Feb. 2 – Durant, Okla. @ Choctaw Grand Theater 
Feb. 7 – Lowell, Mass. @ Tsongas Center 
Feb. 8 – Uncasville, Conn. @ Mohegan Sun Arena 
Feb. 9 – Washington, D.C. @ The Anthem 
Feb. 27 – Athens, Ga. @ Akins Ford Arena 
Feb. 28 – Asheville, N.C. @ U.S. Cellular Center 
March 1 – North Charleston, S.C. @ North Charleston Coliseum 
March 4 – Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
March 7 – Pensacola, Fla. @ Pensacola Bay Center 
March 8 – Tallahassee, Fla. @ Donald L Tucker Center 
March 10 – Plant City, Fla. @ Florida Strawberry Festival
March 28 – Madison, Wisc. @ Alliant Energy Center 
March 29 – St. Louis, Mo. @ Chaifetz Arena 
March 30 – Omaha, Neb. @ CenturyLink Center 
March 31 – Cedar Rapids, Iowa @ US Cellular Arena 
April 10 – Casper, Wyo. @ Casper Events Center 
April 11 – Loveland, Colo. @ Budweiser Events Center 
April 13 – Tupelo, Miss. @ Bandcorp South Arena 
April 25 – Boise, Idaho @ CenturyLink Arena 
April 26 – Reno, Nev. @ Reno Events Center 
April 27 – San Jose, Calif. @ San Jose Events Center 
April 28 – Indio, Calif. @ Stagecoach Country Music Festival
May 2 – Fort Wayne, Ind. @ War Memorial Coliseum 
May 3 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Ascend Amphitheater 
May 8 – Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada @ Scotiabank Centre 
May 10 – Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada @ Avenir Centre 
May 12 – St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada @ Mile One Center 
May 17 – New York City @ Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden 
May 18 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Skyline Stage at the Mann 
May 23 – Portland, Maine @ Thompson’s Point 
May 24 – Gilford, N.H. @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion 
May 25 – Farmingville, N.Y. @ Brookhaven Amphitheater 
May 31 – Virginia Beach, Va. @ Patriotic Festival 
June 1 – West Windsor, N.J. @ Thunder 106 Presents Country in the Park 
June 13 — Windsor, Ontario, Canada @ Caesars Windsor 
June 15 – Winsted, Minn. @ Winstock Country Music Festival
June 21 – Manhattan, Kan. @ Country Stampede
June 28 – Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada @ Dauphin’s Countryfest
July 10 – London, Ontario, Canada @ Rock the Park Music Festival
July 12 – Rhinelander, Wisc. @ Hodag Country Festival
July 27 – Hillsboro, Ore. @ Washington County Fair
Aug. 3 – Camrose, Alberta, Canada @ Big Valley Jamboree
Aug. 4 – Merritt, British Columbia, Canada @ Rockin’ River Music Festival
Sept. 11 – Morrison, Colo. @ Red Rocks Amphitheater
Sept. 12 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ Utah State Fairpark
Sept. 19 – Puyallup, Wash. @ Washington State Fair

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NYCS 2018 Artist to Watch Where Are They Now: Brandon Lay

Brandon Lay

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 Brandon Lay.

It was just over a year ago newcomer Brandon Lay’s song “Speakers, and Bleachers, & Preachers” got added to Spotify’s New Country Playlist, which changed the whole course his career was on. Accumulating over 44 million streams and counting, Lay caught the industry’s attention. Quickly joining fellow labelmate, Kenny Chesney, on his 40 date stadium tour, Lay had quite the summer touring around the country gaining more fans than ever. Being his first tour on a bus, playing HUGE crowds, and getting to open up for Old Dominion, Thomas Rhett and Chesney himself, Lay learned the ropes of being on tour from some of the best.

Lay has released songs in pairs first being “Speakers, Bleachers, & Preachers” alongside “Let It”. Then came “Break Down On Me” and “Wilder Horses.” “Wilder Horses”, “Let It”, and “Break Down On Me” have not been released to country radio so they are not as well known to some. With that being said these three songs have racked up nearly 9 million streams combined. Fans are in love with Lay’s ability to create infectious songs with his soft vocals and insightful lyrics.

Lay just released his newest song “Yada Yada Yada” almost three years after he originally wrote it in 2015. The new song highlights his ability to find catchy melodies to add to those smooth vocals. The song explains a couple’s hope for a night in together despite their friends trying to convince them otherwise. On top of a full band song, Lay also released a stripped down acoustic version as well. Both tracks are racking up streams and airtime on the radio. With its release earlier this month, “Yada Yada Yada” was the Number 1 most-added song at country radio across the country.

There are no signs of Lay’s success stopping anytime soon. He is a newcomer that has shaken everyone with his quick and successful rise to fame. We hope to see him add more tour dates soon in the coming year as well as some new music. If the pattern continues, fans will be getting a new song very soon! Keep up with Lay on all his socials and streaming platforms to be the first to know when he drops new music!

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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!

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