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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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Our Favorite Songs From Summer 2018

August 30, 2018/in Blog, Team Picks /by Team Country Swag

As summer 2018 comes to a close, our team of writers have each chosen a song that they loved to listen to this summer, whether it was a song they heard at a concert, had a special moment with a special someone, or a song they listened to while driving around with their windows down.

Check out our picks for the best songs of Summer 2018, then be sure to give our Spotify account a follow and listen to our favorite tracks!

Stephanie Wagner: “Blue Tacoma” – Russell Dickerson

“My favorite song of summer 2018 has to be “Blue Tacoma” recorded by Russell Dickerson who co-wrote the tune with Casey Robert Brown and Parker Welling. These are the same songwriters who brought you Dickerson’s very first single and first number one, “Yours” off his debut album. His second single to country radio is once again a love song, but this time with being carefree, driving down the beautiful coast of California. The picturesque lyrics make for the perfect ‘sing at the top of your lungs’ vibe and makes you want to turn the volume up to 11. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Russell Dickerson after working with him on our very first event and then some, but being able to finally hear this on radio makes it one of my favorite songs of summer 2018. ”

Christina Bosch: “Top Down” – Brown & Gray

“I first heard this song in the dead of winter wearing a giant coat waiting for my car to heat up and thinking to myself, I can not wait to roll my windows down this summer and have this one on full volume driving to the beach. Brown & Gray, a duo made up of Kaci Brown and Sam Gray told NYCountry Swag about their inception as a group during our Live Swag Session in December and since then they have traveled the country together performing at festivals and concerts promoting their debut EP. “Top Down” is the quintessential summer song perfect for tailgates and the wind in your hair.”

Nicole Bochinis: “All to Myself” – Dan + Shay

““All to Myself” by Dan + Shay is one of those songs that I could have on repeat all day and never get tired of. I first heard it during CMA Fest in Nashville at their album listening party. This song is one of my favorites off of their self-titled album Dan + Shay, however, it didn’t mean as much to me until I met my boyfriend. It was one of the first songs we heard while driving around with the windows down. I looked at him and said “This is our song.” Since then, we listen to it every time we are driving and sing at the top of our lungs. This song is not just my favorite song of the summer, it is hands down one of my favorite songs ever.”

Kelly Cunningham: “If I Know Me” – Morgan Wallen

“”If I Know Me” By Morgan Wallen was my song of the summer. Even though his whole album is golden, this title track caught my attention. When I first heard it when his album came out, I knew it’d be something special. It shows his southern roots with a mix of rock. It also has that catchy, upbeat melody that would be perfect for his next single.”

Taylor Felvey: “Must Be the Whiskey” – Cody Jinks

“When you think of a summer country hit, nothing says summer more than a song about drinking! “Must Be The Whiskey” is a song recorded by Cody Jinks an ex-metal rocker turned country rocker. It tells the story of a lover battling with why his relationship is over and what was real to begin with. Was it love? Was it lust? Or was it the whiskey? You can’t go into a bar in Fort Worth, Texas without hearing this song from native Texan Jinks. Once you hear the hook you’ll find yourself humming and singing it all day long “I’ve been drinkin’ to remember and drinkin’ to forget / I got “I love you” on my mind, I got Jim Beam on my breath”.”

Crystal Fenton: “Talk You Out Of It” – Florida Georgia Line

“”Talk You Out Of It” by Florida Georgia Line is my favorite song of the summer. It’s got such a cool, sexy, unusual (for Florida Georgia line) vibe that conjures up (in my mind, anyway) sultry summer nights, plus the seductive tones of Barry White/Luther Vandross. Summer is all about turning up the heat and this is the perfect song to make you want to chill out, pop a bottle and call that special someone to come over, immediately.”

Molly Holmberg: “Downtown’s Dead” – Sam Hunt

“It had been 15 months since Sam Hunt had released music following his megahit “Body Like a Back Road,” which came out in 2017. Fans were anxiously waiting for new music from the superstar who seemed to disappear. After wiping clean his entire Instagram account, the singer/songwriter solely focused on marketing his new song with pictures of what appears to be a Spanish inspired town. Warm tones, desert vibes, and desolation were prominent, leaving fans up for interpretation.

Hunt released his new single “Downtown’s Dead”, just in time for summer – which for me was an automatic download after just one listen. The chorus has an unforgettable catchy tone and the flow of the music will make you want to put it on repeat, without even realizing it. Hunt has always given his songs a great storyline, this one included, making people want to listen to the very end. “Downtown’s Dead” depicts the story of a girl leaving and now nothing seems alive without her. Despite being in the midst of clubs with strobe lights and house music, the feeling of emptiness is depicted with the lines “Everywhere I go looks like the place to be I see people that I know and I feel like there’s no one here but me.” As a country/pop crossover, this is just the song to add to any playlist.”

Nicole Piering: “Tequila” – Dan + Shay

“For Dan + Shay, “Tequila” was a huge hit, and their first multi-week number one, but for me, the song was one of my most played and also provided one of my favorite concert moments of the summer. The duo opened for Rascal Flatts at Jones Beach in July, and while their entire set was a memorable one, it was “Tequila” that truly stood out. There is nothing like witnessing an entire crowd sing along to every word in a song, and that’s exactly what happened at this concert. In fact, it would’ve been possible for Shay Mooney to stop singing and hold the microphone out to the audience for the entire song, but he didn’t, joining the crowd in the epic singalong. Forget beer and whiskey in 2018, this year was truly the summer of “Tequila.”

Nicole Sellati: “Fan Girl” – Michael Ray

“After seeing Michael Ray perform “Fan Girl” five times in one week it quickly secured its spot as my favorite song of the summer. There’s something about his energy onstage that transitions into his music and this song in particular. I love the fact that it’s such a catchy upbeat song that fits perfectly with the passion fans feel when watching their favorite artists on stage. When he sings, “You give me that front-row feeling, screaming with my hands up / walk in the room and everybody stands up / you got my heart singing whoa-oh-oh-oh”, it tells the story about being a fan in that moment. As an artist, he was able to turn the table on himself showing that he truly understands what it’s like to have the passion us fans have. Because of this “Fan Girl” is one of my go-to songs to blast while driving, along with the rest of the album Amos!”

Danielle Tornatore: “Shoot Me Straight” – Brothers Osborne

“There were hundreds of songs on my playlist this summer and choosing just one to be my soundtrack of the past few months was a difficult decision. But, the one I could always put on whether I was getting ready to go somewhere, in the car, laying by the pool, or just hanging out in my room, was “Shoot Me Straight” by Brothers Osborne. This song is THE definition of a jam and even makes for a great tailgating song. The lyrics are great, I love when metaphors and similes are used in songs instead of being straightforward about a situation, which is ironic considering the message of this particular song. And don’t even get me started with the four minute guitar solo. Genius and insane are a few words that come to mind when trying to describe how amazing it truly is. As if I didn’t love this song enough, they recently released a hilarious music video for it and my love grew even more. I cannot wait to see and hear the song live next month when these guys open for Dierks Bentley at Madison Square Garden.”

Erica Zisman: “I Was Jack (You Were Diane)” – Jake Owen

“One of my favorite parts about country music is how the songs really become an anthem of your life! “I Was Jack (You Were Diane)” by Jake Owen is certainly one of those anthems. I especially enjoy the collaboration of musical inspiration the writers and Owen took from singer John Mellencamp’s previously recorded song.

I became enamored with Owen’s song, after heading to CMA Fest 2018, and meeting (by happenstance), one of the songwriters, David Ray. Besides being a great singer himself, (Bonus- check out his infectious song “Light It Up”) Ray helped co-write this number 1 single and could not be more humble about it.

The song is the perfect reminder that the innocence from our pasts help shape who we are now. Also, the music video is super fun and nostalgic. “Kind like those songs that saved our souls.””

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The Summer Plays On Tour Heads to Long Island

August 6, 2018/in Blog, Concert Reviews /by Christina Bosch

Jones Beach concerts are a staple for Long Islanders and New York City patrons alike each summer, setting up tents and BBQing while chugging beers and dancing along to music blaring out of the speakers of their tailgates. Although Saturday morning brought heavy rain, the clouds cleared away just in time for the afternoon tailgaters to head to the parking lots and set up their spots. By the time the Summer Plays On Tour kicked off the sun was shining brightly over the sparkling waterfront venue.

Russell Dickerson took the stage for his 30-minute opening set, which included the biggest hits from his debut album, Yours including “Billions”, “Float” and “Every Little Thing”. The energy he brings to every single performance is unmatched, he spins and jumps around the stage as if the music can not be contained inside his body. Making this night extra special, Dickerson had 80 friends and family who all live in the NY area attending that night, showing their pride in the rising star. “It’s my absolute pleasure to be kicking this thing off here tonight,” he says of the Summer Plays On Tour. He closed his set thanking the country music fans for making “Yours,” his very first number one at country radio before singing the love song, allowing the audience to take the lead at the end.

Next up, Darius Rucker who is no stranger to the Jones Beach stage played all of his biggest songs as the sun set over the venue. Kicking things off with “Homegrown Honey”, “Radio” and “Alright” Rucker knows how to create a set that features some of the best songs from his earlier records as well as highlighting his most recent hits like “If I Told You”. He told the audience “Everyone in my camp says I have to sing this song on tour, I think it might be the next single so let me know what y’all think of this one” before singing “Hands On Me” off his latest album, When Was the Last Time.

Fans know that when they are attending a Darius Rucker concert they are bound to be hit with some of the classic Hootie and The Blowfish singles that catapulted him to stardom in the 90’s. On this particular night, Rucker sang “Let Her Cry” and “I Only Wanna Be With You” and each time he sings those oldies, the crowd goes absolutely wild. “This guy is my very best friend in the business,” Rucker said as he introduced front man for Lady Antebellum to the stage to sing their cover of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’s “Straight to Hell” which also features Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean. The hilarious western video played in the background while the two buddies sang the heck out of the song. Closing his set with “Wagon Wheel” the crowd erupted into a giant sing-a-long swaying to the smash hit.

Headlining the night, Lady Antebellum took the stage and the trio has never sounded better. Their harmonies shined on their classic songs such as “Dancing Away With My Heart”, “Our Kind Of Love” and “I Run To You” while they kept the energy up by performing “You Look Good” and “Downtown”. Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood come together each tour as the quintessential hitmakers, bringing their live show to the next level each year. The fans know and love their music and always show up to sing along.

The biggest highlight of the night was when Hilary Scott acknowledged a cardboard cut-out of our buddy, Nick McElhatton, who is serving our country right now. Scott asked to get a camera on the group stating “He is obviously protecting our freedom, keeping us safe in the greatest country in the world and I want to dedicate this next song to this man, this is “American Honey”. Watch the emotional moment above.

Darius Rucker and Russell Dickerson joined Lady Antebellum for an encore that was one for the books, performing Hootie and the Blowfish “Hold My Hand” then Dickerson highlighted his talent while singing Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” as a duet with Scott. After their song Kelley and Rucker even commented “`Don’t be comin’ up here tryin’ show off” Kelley laughed as Rucker said, “Who do you think you are young man” truly impressing not only the crowd but his tourmates as well. They closed with Lady Antebellum’s “Love Don’t Live Here” and had 15,000 people on their feet, thankful for a night of incredible country music. For the rest of the Summer Plays On Tour dates click here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Russell Dickerson Sells Out New Jersey Venue

June 1, 2018/in Blog, Concert Reviews /by Christina Bosch

Located right near the beach in New Jersey, House of Independents is a venue that isn’t well known for their country nights. Russell Dickerson was only the third country act to play at this particular venue and boy did the fans show the owners of the venue what country music fans can do, selling out the venue and packing both floors. Before heading out on tour with Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum for the summer, Dickerson is making a few stops around the east coast this weekend and the New York Country Swag team wouldn’t miss an opportunity to see a full band, full set show.

Our Swag Spotlight from last month Abby Anderson was the supporting act for last night’s show, performing to a room full of Russell Dickerson fans and definitely introducing her unique sound to a new fan base. She sang her current debut single “Make Him Wait” and the crowd erupted in cheers at the conclusion.

After a quick set change, Dickerson took the stage, his high energy set included songs from his debut album including “Float”, “All Falls Down”, “twentysomething” and “Every Little Thing”. “Did anybody come to dance tonight, or get a little funky?” Dickerson said to the crowd before performing “Would You Love Me” which was co-written by Hannah Ellis, our Babes, Booze & Brunch performer from earlier this year.

He closed the night with three of his biggest hits thus far including a mash-up of “MGNO” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” where he ran through the crowd just to kiss his beautiful wife Kailey who was watching from the soundboard. He then performed his next single, “Blue Tacoma” and although it just hit radio stations, the entire crowd sang along. Head to our Instagram to see an exclusive clip of the crowd belting out the last chorus. “I appreciate you guys from the bottom of my heart, this song has completely changed my life,” Dickerson said before playing his breakout hit “Yours” to end the night.

After recalling when he played to very small crowds in New Jersey before his album was released, he was humbled and expressed his gratitude for all of his fans that have been there since the start of his career. Now with a number one song, Dickerson is heading out on a huge tour this summer, sure to garner plenty new fans across the country. Grab your tickets to any of Russell Dickerson’s upcoming shows here.

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Russell Dickerson’s $6 Video Up For CMT Breakout Video of the Year…

May 9, 2018/in Blog /by Stephanie Wagner

Rising country star, Russell Dickerson was amongst the multiple artists who were surprised with a CMT Award nomination yesterday (May 8.). His debut single and first #1 song, “Yours” is up for CMT Breakout Video of the Year. The nomination sparks an extra special recognition for Dickerson as the entire video was directed, filmed, produced and edited by none other than his beautiful wife, Kailey.

The now famous “$6 Video”, costing only the price of the gas used, was filmed from the back of a friends SUV, while Dickerson used a tri-pod and camera to shoot her husband walking behind the truck. When a thunderstorm erupted during the middle of shooting, nature’s beauty added it’s own special effects to the impromptu shoot.

Kailey Dickerson, who also happens to be one of our recent ‘Woman of the Month’ features, credits God for the extra touches in the video in a recent Instagram post.

Read more about Kailey here and be sure to VOTE for Russell Dickerson’s video “Yours” for CMT Breakout Video of the Year here. Tune in to the CMT Awards Wednesday, June 6th 8/7c on CMT and CMT.com.

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