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New York’s Country 94.7 Kick Off to Summer with Russell Dickerson

May 28, 2019/in Blog /by Christina Bosch

The perfect way to kick off not only the summer but Memorial Day Weekend is with some cold drinks, a beautiful sunny day and country music. New York’s Country 94.7 and Radio.com hosted its annual summer kick off at Headliner on the Jersey Shore on Friday featuring Jessica Rose, Matt Stell, and Russell Dickerson.

Stell who kicked off the event was also celebrating the release of his brand new EP, Everywhere But On, by taking the stage in New Jersey. Fans of the artists and the radio station came out early to support, grab a drink and listen to the great music. He performed songs from the EP including “Last Habit”, and “Better I Drink” as well as his radio single, “Prayed For You” which is currently climbing the charts. Although it was early, the fans raised their drinks and danced along as Stell covered Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” as well as the classic John Michael Montgomery hit “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)”

Next up, Russell Dickerson took the small stage, to bring his high-energy set to the intimate crowd in New Jersey for an afternoon of hits and even revealed a few new songs. Rocking a tie-dye shirt and pink sunglasses, Dickerson danced around the stage performing songs from his debut album, Yours, including “Float”, “Would You Love Me”, and “All Fall Down”.

He played two brand new songs for the New Jersey crowd, “Some Things Never Get Old” and “Something To Dance To”. The afternoon wouldn’t be complete without his latest radio single “Every Little Thing” and the two songs that have reached the top of the charts “Blue Tacoma” and “Yours,”. All three tracks had the crowd singing along. Closing out his set in the most epic way, Dickerson not only climbed the stage but with the help of New York’s Country 94.7 radio personality and morning show host, Kelly Ford, got his shoes off and ran through the crowd, jumping and doing a cannonball into the pool.

Dickerson now heads out on the Very Hot Summer Tour with Dustin Lynch, Rhett Akins, and headliner Thomas Rhett. The tour hits our area on September 20th at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Grab your tickets now.

Keeping the music going, New York City artist and local Nash Next winner, Jessica Rose entertained the crowd next, closing out the afternoon. She performed her songs “One of The Boys”, “Rose Tattoo” and even covered Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman”. The perfect weather along with the high-energy performances, it was the ultimate way to kick off the weekend.

Keep up with New York’s Country 94.7 by following them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Russell Dickerson Releases “Every Little Thing” Stripped

May 8, 2019/in Blog /by Christina Bosch

If you have seen Russell Dickerson perform live then you know he is a ball full of energy, running, jumping and dancing around the stage. One song after another he brings the crowd to another level each and every time.

His latest single “Every Little Thing” which is currently climbing up the country music charts is another ode to his beautiful wife Kailey, who he just celebrated a six-year wedding anniversary with. Although the track was written by Dickerson with Parker Welling and Casey Brown about his wife, anyone who truly admires even the smallest quirks about their significant other can relate.

“Yeah, she’s Seattle and Sonoma / Runs on coffee and red wine / Easy like Sunday morning and wild like Saturday night / She’s 24-carat goodness, an angel’s all I see / She dresses up for everything, but she only dress down for me”

Released on Friday, Dickerson gave “Every Little Thing” a make-over, stripping it down to an acoustic version. Although it keeps the same mid-tempo pace, the newer version allows you to focus strictly on Dickerson’s delivery of each lyric.

To accompany the stripped version, you can watch a color-block video of the song on Spotify here. Check out the official music video for the track below.

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

“Every Little Thing” Stripped 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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Russell Dickerson Releases High-Energy Video for “Every Little Thing”

April 29, 2019/in Blog /by Shanna Vitaliano

Photo Courtesy of Russell Dickerson Facebook

Coming off his recent ACM nomination for Song of the Year for “Yours”, Tennessee native, Russell Dickerson is giving us all a feel-good vibe in the video for his newest song “Every Little Thing.” The third single from his debut album is a crowd favorite at his shows and was inspired by his love for his wife Kailey.

In the accompanying video, Dickerson is rehearsing for his show, and with one kiss from his wife, he is performing on stage to a packed house of fans singing along to every word. The video is set in Chinatown and the singer-songwriter is having some light-hearted fun in a convenience store with his wife singing, “Cause I love every little, every little, every little thing about her love/Just a little, just little, just a little ain’t enough/ Gotta get a, gotta get a, get a little more of all she does/Cause I love every little, every little, every little thing about her love.”

No matter where or what Dickerson is doing, as long as he is with the woman he loves – all is okay. He describes the amazing qualities his wife has in “Every Little Thing” with lyrics: “She’s easy like Sunday morning and wild like Saturday night/she’s 24-carat goodness, an angel’s all I see.” The music video of the catchy song highlights the incredible energy Dickerson brings to his set on tour and after watching it, who would not want to be there?

Dickerson has a jam-packed summer ahead joining Dustin Lynch and Thomas Rhett on the 2019 Very Hot Summer Tour. The star-studded lineup will head to Madison Square Garden on September 20th. By the looks of it, Dickerson has every little thing to look forward to this year!

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

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Kelly Ford Returns To NASHFM 94.7 & Russell Dickerson Performs

January 28, 2019/in Blog /by Kelly Cunningham

Photo Via NASHFM 94.7 Facebook

Not only did Russell Dickerson take Stage 17 at NASH FM 94.7 for a live set, but it also included a surprise announcement for all country music fans in New York/New Jersey area.

NASH FM welcomed backed Kelly Ford to the studio after a long road on her morning show in Nashville, “Ty, Chuck & Kelly.” NASH FM 94.7 had a warm welcoming message back saying, “This is more than just a radio station, we’re in this together… NASH Nation, this is for you. You called, texted, emailed and commented a lot; we heard you loud and clear,” announcing Ford’s new local morning show debuting Feb. 4 after three years of living in Nashville. The crowd gave her a rousing round of applause and Ford gave the most heartwarming speech including an exciting shout out to NYCountry Swag, talking about the very first time Dickerson had played an event in New York City, our country brunch back in January of 2016 which Ford MCed.

Photo Via NASHFM 94.7 Facebook

Dickerson then took the stage and performed his second No. 1 song “Blue Tacoma” and his current single “Every Little Thing.” Ford then asked Dickerson questions about new music, explaining how he penned songs with Lady Antebellum while he was out on tour with them last summer. Ford asked Dickerson to talk about the passionate New York/New Jersey country music fans and what makes us different, he replied “New York chooses it, it’s not on every station. They fight for it, they’re passionate about it and that’s why we keep coming back.” Dickerson also revealed who his favorite physical aspirations are in terms of performers, he replied, “Obviously Garth Brooks, he’s everywhere on stage. When I see him do that, he’s so engaging. Sometimes performers just focus on themselves meanwhile the fans are the reason why we’re performing, that’s my main focus.” Dickerson then played his first No. 1 single “Yours” to end the exciting show. Check out the full live stream below.

It was an emotional rollercoaster yet inspiring day welcoming Ford back to NASH FM 94.7 and having Dickerson there to celebrate and perform made it even more special. Dickerson is currently on The Way Back Tour with Carly Pearce and will make an appearance again here in New York at MSG with Thomas Rhett on Sep. 20.

When Ford returns to the New York airwaves next week, she will be joining the midday host Katie Neal and Jesse Addy who airs in the afternoon to form a popular and powerful Nash team. Be sure to tune in to Nash FM 94.7 on Feb. 4 from 6-10 A.M. to hear ‘Kelly Ford in the Mornings’.

Photo Via NASHFM 94.7 Facebook

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Russell Dickerson Sings “Blue Tacoma” On TODAY

January 23, 2019/in Blog /by Erica Zisman

Photo Via Today.com

Back in 2016, singer-songwriter Russell Dickerson performed at New York Country Swag’s very first event at Libration in NYC. Just a year later, he released his debut album, Yours, which continues to garner more and more success. Flash forward to today, earlier this morning, the hitmaker performed his number one hit “Blue Tacoma” on NBC’s ‘Today with Kathie Lee & Hoda’ for the second time in his blossoming career co-hosts Hoda and Jenna Bhager excitedly introduced Dickerson sharing, “Its been a very good year for Russell Dickerson. Not only was he named Billboard’s Number 1 emerging artist, he also landed two consecutive number one singles. Tomorrow, Russell hits the road, kicking off his first co-headlining tour, but before he wants to sing for us his hit song “Blue Tacoma” off his debut album Yours,”

Just before the performance, the co-hosts chatted with the singer about his co-headlining tour with country singer Carly Pearce, his inspiration for his famous $6 music video for “Yours,” and of course shouting out his beautiful wife, Kailey. Dickerson shared the sweet sentiment, “From day one, before we had any budget, before we had anything going on – I had her. We shot the ol’ music video for my first single “Yours,” and that’s honestly what kinda put us on the map, and got us started, got us going,” adding later “what a babe,” when the cameras showed his wife. Dickerson delivered a high-energy and entertaining performance of “Blue Tacoma” from the first note. His energy and enthusiasm for performing and his music is seemingly unmatched.

Clearly having fun, the rising country star played with his vocals and his lyrics throughout the entire performance, adding to his lyrics, “It’s right here- baby, on the Today Show.” Check out the full performance above. Dickerson embarks on his co-heading, ‘The Way Back Tour,” with Carly Pearce starting in Cleveland. He will also play Madison Square Garden in September, as a supporting act on Thomas Rhett’s headlining tour. Head to russelldickerson.com for tickets and more information.

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

December 12, 2018/in Blog /by Nicole Piering

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.”

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CRS New Faces of Country Music Class of 2019 Announced

December 3, 2018/in Blog /by Danielle Tornatore

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.

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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

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Where Are They Now? Our 2017 Artists to Watch Update

October 30, 2018/in Blog /by Christina Bosch

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 2017, we named the 10 artists below in our “Artists to Watch in 2017” and we are proud to say, we know rising talent before they make it big. Check out what each of these artists has done over the past two years and what is coming up for them in 2019.

10. Seth Ennis – In 2017, Ennis released his debut EP, Mabelle, which featured his first single “Woke Up In Nashville” which put him on our radar early on. Most recently he released a heartfelt song “Call Your Mama” which features Little Big Town and has garnered over a million streams on Spotify. The singer-songwriter joins Dylan Scott on tour which hits Gramercy Theatre on January 17th. Grab your tickets here.

9. Trent Harmon – Harmon spent 2017 writing and working on his debut album, You Got Em All. The American Idol winner of season 15 set out to prove to his fans and critics that he wasn’t just a competition winner that could sing covers but that he had something important to say with his songwriting. We caught Harmon back in February in Nashville as he performed his single “You Got Em All” for radio programmers and the audience was blown away by his delivery of the breakup song. He told New York Country Swag during a recent interview: “I had one job that day and that was to solidify myself a slot for the next year as a relevant up-and-coming artist in the country format,” which he certainly did. We can’t wait to see what he has in store for fans in 2019.

8. High Valley – This Canadian duo since making our Artist to Watch list has toured the country on the Sirius XM The Highway Finds Tour and released brand new music, The Farmhouse Sessions which was recorded appropriately on a farm outside of Nashville. When we caught their infectious, high energy set a little over a year ago, the brothers, led the audience in a dance off and played their top 15 hit “She’s With Me” which elicited a crowd singalong. The duo has tour dates booked through the new year, playing shows in the U.S as well as Canada. For all of the tour dates head to their website.

7. Runaway June – The ladies of Runaway June are at such an exciting time in their career. The week that New York Country Swag hosted them for a Live Swag Session, they had just announced they would be joining Carrie Underwood and Maddie and Tae on her Cry Pretty 360 Tour. Since then they have also released their debut self-titled EP and their single “Buy My Own Drinks” is garnering plenty of spins on Spotify. Watch their performance and interview with New York Country Swag below and grab your tickets to see this powerhouse group of girls at Madison Square Garden on October 2nd, 2019.

6. Brett Young – Arguably the artist who has made it the biggest over the past two years, Young released his debut, self-titled album in February of 2017 and since then has had four no. 1 hits including “Sleep Without You,” “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Like I Loved You”, and “Mercy.” His brand new single from his forthcoming album, “Here Tonight” is already Top 40 on the Country Radio Charts and steadily climbing. Young is coming to New York City on December 9th with Tyler Rich and drops his sophomore album, Ticket to L.A just two days prior.

5. Ryan Hurd – We highlighted Hurd’s incredible songwriting career back in 2017 however since then he has written and recorded songs for himself that have proved he isn’t just a songwriter anymore. Recently he released two songs, “Diamonds or Twine” and “To A T” which were both inspired by another huge milestone Hurd has accomplished since 2017, he got married. Marrying fellow singer-songwriter and chart-topper Maren Morris earlier this year has given Hurd the opportunity to write about his love for her and when he sings those songs, his delivery and devotion is evident. We are hoping for a full-length album in 2019 and will keep you posted about future tour dates heading our way.

4. Russell Dickerson – We are proud to champion the very first artist that New York Country Swag ever featured at our very first event back in January of 2016 just a few weeks after our launch! Dickerson played on top of a bar at Libation, a New York City nightclub, the event was sold out long before he had signed his record deal with Triple Tigers. Since previewing his music for 300 of our lucky followers and a handful of NYCS events later, Dickerson has garnered not one but two no. 1 songs on the Country Radio Charts. His love song for his wife, “Yours”, made it to the top of the charts and appropriately was the title of his debut album which was released this time last year. Most recently, his second single to radio “Blue Tacoma” took the top spot. He toured all summer with Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker, increasing his fanbase. Looking to the new year, Dickerson is working on new music and will hopefully get back on the road. Take a look back at our Country Night with the rising superstar from September 2016 below.

3. Walker Hayes – In January of 2017 when our list was published, Hayes had only released his 8Tracks Vol. 1 and 2 to his fans, a unique take on the storytelling country music is so accustomed to. Over the past two years, the lines of genres have blended, country music has sonically changed and become more fluid and no artist has benefitted more than Hayes. His blend of hip-hop, R&B and pop all infuse with country lyrics and have created a sound that is undeniable all his own. We hosted Hayes earlier this year for a Live Swag Session after he released his major label debut album boom. and garnered plenty of success with his debut radio single “You Broke Up With Me”. He just released a new single, “90’s Country” which name-drops 22 different 90’s country songs that Hayes tells us in a recent interview, influenced him growing up and is the first of new music we can look forward to in the new year. Watch the Live Swag Session from April below.

2. Luke Combs – Another artist who had huge success since 2017, Combs released not only a debut album but a deluxe version with five additional songs. The album entered the Billboard charts 73 weeks ago and continually makes its way back to the top of the charts, including this week where he holds the top spot for not only album but also the top song with “She Got The Best of Me” at no. 1 for the second week in a row. This marks the fourth chart-topper for Combs, previously he landed the top spot with “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours,” and “One Number Away”. He joined Jason Aldean this summer on his High Noon Neon Tour which made its way to Madison Square Garden in August. The sold-out crowd knew every word to each of his songs, even the deep album cuts proving that the country crooner has grown his fan base so wide and is here to stay.

1. Drake White – White’s ability to captivate a crowd during his live performances landed him an opening spot on Zac Brown Band’s tour and at festivals across the country. He just released five new songs in an EP titled Pieces which highlights his signature groove and sultry vocals. Next year he is heading overseas to play the C2C Country to Country Festival in Glasgow along with Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, and Lady Antebellum.

Be on the lookout in the coming weeks for an update on all of the artists we named to watch in 2018 and then coming soon, our 2019 Artist to Watch list.

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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.

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