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Tenille Townes Channels Classic Country Songs on “I Kept The Roses”

Tenille Townes I Kept The Roses

Canadian-born and talented newcomer Tenille Townes released “I Kept the Roses” this week and continues to showcase her incredibly heart wrenching and empathetic songwriting ability. “I Kept the Roses”, written by Townes with Chris Gelbuda and Dustin Christensen has a vintage feel to it, telling the story of a relationship gone wrong, and the promising strength to find your way through losing the one you love.

“I Kept the Roses” exhibits a classic, subtle vibe conveying the message that no matter what we go through in life, and no matter how it shapes us, we can still find a way to be happy and be at peace with where we are. Townes optimistically sings in the chorus, “I kept the roses, right by my bed, and they sure make me lonely, but I’m smilin’ instead, cause you weren’t the one babe, but you were the closest, I let the rest of us go, but I kept the roses.”

Post break up lyrics include getting rid of many of the material things, but Townes explains the roses signify the meaning behind the breakup. She continues with lyrics, “I guess they remind me of how love can feel, sometimes it don’t work, doesn’t mean it ain’t real, we had something different, we had something great, oh but some things they just wilt away.”

In her own traditional optimistic take on a broken relationship, “I Kept the Roses” follows former releases “White Horse” and the bold “Somebody’s Daughter.” Townes has grown her fan base from Canada all the way down to the United States and beyond. Nashville’s newest voice has everyone anticipating her debut album that is set to be released in 2019. Townes is currently on the Burning Man Tour with Dierks Bentley and will be joining Miranda Lambert’s Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars Tour later this year.

To keep up with Tenille Townes follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“I Kept the Roses” 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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Tenille Townes Releases Her Twist on a Love Song Titled “White Horse”

Tenille Townes White Horse

One of our 2019 Artists to Watch, Tenille Townes has released her second single today and “White Horse” is not only relatable but shows a different side to the “Somebody’s Daughter” singer-songwriter.  The track, penned by Townes along with Jeremy Spillman and Daniel Tashian is a twist on love songs and managing expectations that we are taught as a child. Although it may not turn out as the fairytales do, the song is uplifting and the female is thankful that she is not looked at as a prize, rather a mystery, proving her self worth.

“I’d been waiting on a white horse, to take me away on a sunset ride /  But you showed up on a dark horse / At the Cinderella midnight—just in time  / Maybe, not the way I was dreaming of  / But you rode in and won my love  / And now I’m finally on the right course / Who needs a white horse?”

“White Horse” is a song about how love can look a little bit differently than we might expect it to. I think we grow up in our society completely surrounded by that fairy tale idea of what love should be, but maybe love is even bigger than that,” Townes says of the song. “I think it’s important to be open hearted and to push the boundaries of what society might build up in our expectations. I love that this song stands strongly in the idea that love isn’t always about the ivory towers and the roses.”

Townes is currently traveling the country as support on Dierks Bentley’s ‘Burning Man Tour’ which most recently made its stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and will head to the New York City area on August 2nd, at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Amphitheater. Tickets and more information about Tenille Townes available at https://tenilletownes.com/

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Dierks Bentley Announces ‘Burning Man Tour’ Extended Dates

Burning Man Tour Dierks Bentley

Early this morning Dierks Bentley announced he will be extending his ‘Burning Man Tour’ throughout the summer with major tour stops across the country included a New York show at Northwell Health at Jones Beach on August 3rd.  Bentley is bringing Jon Pardi and one of our 2019 Artists to Watch, Tenille Townes, and Hot Country Knights for the continued dates.

“The Burning Man Tour is off to a killer start…I’ve loved standing side stage to watch Pardi and Tennille and to feel the energy bottled up in these arenas before we go on,” said Bentley in a recent press release. “We are making the most of every minute out there – on stage and off – and I’m excited to announce we are going to roll it through the summer.”

Fans can purchase tickets now for select cities as part of Live Nation’s Country Megaticket at www.Megaticket.com and other tickets go on sale this Friday, February 15th. Head to http://www.dierks.com/ for more information.

 

Upcoming 2019 BURNING MAN TOUR Dates:
2/14/19  Ontario, CA
2/15/19  Fresno, CA
2/16/19  Reno, NV
2/21/19  Lexington, KY
2/22/19  Nashville, TN
2/23/19  Columbia, MO
2/28/19  Sioux Fall, SD
3/01/19  Wichita, KS
3/02/19  Omaha, NE
3/07/19  Moline, IL
3/08/19  Duluth, MN
3/09/19  Grand Forks, ND
3/28/19  Toledo, OH
3/29/19  Columbus, OH
3/30/19  Grand Rapids, MI
5/30/19  Cincinnati, OH
5/31/19  Indianapolis, IN
6/01/19  St. Louis, MO
6/13/19  Brandon, MS
6/14/19  Alpharetta, GA
6/15/19  Orange Beach, AL
6/29/19  Clarkston, MI
6/30/19  Syracuse, NY
7/18/19  Jacksonville, FL
7/25/19  Cleveland, OH
7/11/19  Raleigh, NC
7/12/19  Virginia Beach, VA
7/13/19  Bristow, VA
7/19/19  West Palm Beach, FL
7/20/19  Tampa, FL
7/26/19  Holmdel, NJ
7/27/19  Burgettstown, PA
8/01/19  Darien Center, NY
8/02/19  Wantagh, NY
8/03/19  Scranton, PA
8/08/19  Charlotte, NC
8/09/19  Tuscaloosa, AL
8/10/19  Dallas, TX
8/15/19  Hartford, CT
8/16/19  Boston, MA
8/17/19  Philadelphia, PA
8/22/19  Kansas City, MO
8/23/19  Chicago, IL
9/06/19  Irvine, CA*
9/07/19  Mountain View, CA*
9/08/19  Sacramento, CA**

*with Jon Pardi, Caylee Hammack, and the Hot Country Knights
**with Caylee Hammack and the Hot Country Knights

Karen Fairchild Calls Attention to Rising Female Artists

Little Big Town Rising Female Artists

Photo Via Instagram @LittleBigTown

Wednesday night, CMT did their part in changing the conversation about women being played in country music and the lack thereof.  While the night specifically honored Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Carrie Underwood and the ladies of Little Big Town, Karen Fairchild, and Kimberly Schlapman, Fairchild used her platform during her acceptance speech to acknowledge something that we already knew at New York Country Swag, there is a TON of incredible female artists out there.

We have worked with several of the artists that Fairchild named including Jillian JacquelineAbby AndersonTenille TownesRunaway June, and Natalie Stovall.  Below is a playlist of our favorite songs from all 35 of the rising female artists that were named during that epic moment which you can check out here as well as some other amazing females that you should be listening to.

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Tenille Townes Releases Emotional “Somebody’s Daughter” Music Video

Country music newcomer, Tenille Townes continues to shine a light on important societal issues through her music. We first introduced you to Townes back in April, when we reviewed her Living Room Worktapes EP, and again, in May, as a NYCS Swag Spotlight artist.

The Sony Music/Columbia Nashville recording artist hones her songwriting skills and expresses her vulnerability and honesty through each of the four songs. The newly released music video for her beautiful song, and one of NYCountry Swag’s August song picks, “Somebody’s Daughter,” continues to depict the powerful lyrics and the overall message of the track – recognizing homelessness  as an epidemic, but also empowering people to look at individuals, who are homeless as human beings.

The music video showcases the singer-songwriter playing guitar, as she belts the lyrics; however, the visuals focus on a little girl and her father, joyfully playing with one another, and the little girl all grown up, struggling with being homeless.

Townes captioned the video sharing, “This message is so important to me. My hope is for people to feel empowered to recognize those around us. We’ve all got a story and there’s a lot we can learn from a kid at a lemonade stand.”

One of the more powerful visuals comes at the end of the video, when the singer crosses paths with the homeless woman at a lemonade stand, run by a young male child. The visuals end with a commanding sentiment, “Everybody has a story.”

Check out the touching music video below.

Next up for the artist, who just wrapped up The Bandwagon Tour with Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town, is an overseas tour in October as part of the CMA Songwriters Series. Her full-length debut album is slated to be released in 2019.

 

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What We’re Listening To: August Picks

We recently welcomed a team of writers to the NYCountry Swag Squad. With that, we’re excited to introduce a new monthly feature with our “What We’re Listening To” playlist, where we will highlight the wide range of our team’s favorite songs and artists when it comes to the country music genre.  At the end of the day, we are all fans first with a passion for country music and are eager to share with you all what we’ve got on repeat each month.

Find below each of our team member’s favorite songs and why in our August picks. Then be sure to give our Spotify account a follow and listen to our favorite tracks!

 

AUGUST PICKS:

 

Stephanie Wagner, Founder

Pick: “Drunk Me” – Mitchell Tenpenny
Songwriters: Jordan Schmidt / Justin Wilson / Mitchell Tenpenny

Mitchell Tenpenny’s “Drunk Me” is easily one of my favorite songs out there right now.  We were fortunate enough to hear the song back in early February when Tenpenny performed it live at CRS.  The song puts a unique twist on a typical heartbreak song.  Where most associate heartbreaks with getting drunk, Tenpenny goes the opposite route with the idea that someone would need to get sober to stop thinking about the other person, because “Drunk Me” can’t stop thinking about you. 

Pairing the powerful lyrics with Tenpenny’s voice is key in highlighting the emotions on this track.  It’s catchy, it’s relatable, it’s emotional, it’s everything you need in a hit song.”

 

Christina Bosch, Managing Editor 

Pick: “Somebody’s Daughter” – Tenille Townes
Songwriters: Tenille Townes / Luke Laird /  Barry Dean

“For my very first pick, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to choose Tenille Townes.  I went back and forth between two of the songs she released on her Living Room Worktapes but finally landed on “Somebody’s Daughter”.  In big cities like New York and Nashville, homelessness is an absolute epidemic and every person reading this piece or listening to music, in general, has experienced what Townes’ expresses in her latest single.  Waiting for the light to change, to escape the awkward stares that the man or woman on the corner gives, while holding their cardboard sign.  Instead of looking away, the songwriters tell the tale of curiosity, how did this person end up here when they were probably just like us growing up.   Reminiscing on a made-up past for the woman in the shaggy clothes just wanting a couple of dollars, Townes’ brings light to a dark situation that we all encounter, but does it in a way that country music sorely needs right now.

“Bet she was somebody’s best friend, laughin’ / Back when she was somebody’s sister / Countin’ change at the lemonade stand / Probably somebody’s high school first kiss / Dancin’ in a gym where the kids all talk about someday plans / Now this light’ll turn green and I’ll hand her a couple dollars /  And I’ll wonder how she felt when no one caught her / She’s somebody’s daughter”

I am always a fan of the drinking songs that we can enjoy at tailgates and raise a glass to, but when a song and a songwriter come along that really tugs at my heart, I will always choose the raw, real side of country music.”

 

Nicole Bochinis, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Tequila” – Dan + Shay
Songwriters: Dan Smyers / Jordan Reynolds / Nicolle Gaylon

When I first heard “Tequila” by Dan + Shay I knew it was going to be a huge hit. I have been a fan of them since their Where It All Began days and to see the success and growth they have experienced is truly amazing. Being able to watch and listen to the duo take the CMA Fest stage for the first time ever was something I will never forget. To hear every single person in the stadium sing “Tequila”, the debut single off of their third studio album, was incredible and seeing their faces was priceless. “Tequila” is one of those songs that you just want to drive around with your friends, windows down, and sing at the top of your lungs. Songs like that are the reason I fell in love with country music. There is just something so special about a song that showcases so much talent and Shay’s vocals are truly incredible. “Tequila” is not just the song of the summer, it is the song that will be listened to year after year.”

 

Kelly Cunningham, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Home and a Hometown” – Hannah Ellis
Songwriters: Hannah Ellis / Mark Trussell / Nicholas Wayne

“”Home And A Hometown” by Hannah Ellis describes my life in a nutshell. Ellis coming out with this track was perfect timing for me.

“One I wanna make it, One I wanna make proud / No matter which one I’m leaving still wanna turn around”

These lyrics could not be more accurate in my life as it is right now. I’m constantly going back and forth from New York to Nashville. It’s comforting knowing I’m not the only one who feels this way. The story behind her lyrics and how she sings it with such emotion is why Ellis is going to be a game-changer in country music.”

 

Taylor Felvey, Contributing Writer

Pick: “I Can’t Breathe” – Parker McCollum
Songwriters: Parker McCollum / Micky Braun 

“Perhaps I’m biased, but the song I love in 2018 comes from Texas native, Parker McCollum. From the opening chords of the guitar to first keys of the piano there is a sound so welcoming and somewhat familiar.  I couldn’t stop listening.

McCollum draws you in with his raspy voice making you believe in every word he sings. The song is his explanation of his love of being torn between two things – her and the road. But the road keeps calling.  “I’m on the road missin’ home / missin’ the road while I’m home”

He sings about loving and leaving and hoping what he’s doing is enough to keep her. One of the lines sings “I can’t believe you think I’m lyin’ / what are you not buyin’” – take one listen to the soul and the pleading in McCollum’s voice and not only will you buy it, but you’ll have the song on repeat guaranteed!”

 

Crystal Fenton, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Get Along” – Kenny Chesney
Songwriters: Josh Osborne / Ross Copperman / Shane L McAnally

“I love, love, love Kenny Chesney–his music, his vibe, his love of the sea and island life!  It’s hard to pick a favorite song; “Get Along”, off of his latest album Songs for the Saints, really resonates with me.  When I heard him say the song’s message is one of taking negative energy and turning it positive, I loved it even more!  This is an intention I am always trying to practice; there’s good in any situation, experience, event or person.  It’s said attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure, so why not make life one big, happy adventure of love and good energy?!  That is what I hear in this song and in Chesney’s voice and why I love it so much!”

 

Molly Holmberg, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Caught Up in the Country” – Rodney Atkins
Songwriters: Connie Rae Harrington / Jordan Mark Schmidt / Mike Walker

Rodney Atkins’ infectious “Caught Up in the Country” roped me in at first listen.  It is his first single in four years and features the Fisk Jubilee Singers who add their hand clapping and foot stomping to the song for a new kind of rhythm.  “Caught Up in the Country” talks about the best parts of country living: being outdoors with endless dirt roads and surrounded by countless stars in the sky.  The words hit me directly as it reminded me of my time living in the country and the beauty of it all.  Between the dirt roads to the house, green fields surrounding me, and the clearest nights, this song captures it, making me feel as if I was there just by listening to the song. 

 Atkins says “When I heard ‘Caught Up in the Country’ I just felt like the two things had to come together. It doesn’t sound like anything I’ve recorded or released before and that also excites me.”  This song feels like an anthem when it comes on with my friends and family, singing it as loud as we possibly can! While I may not live in the country anymore you can always find me going back to and caught up in it all.”

 

Nicole Piering, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Why Can’t She” – Adam Craig
Songwriters: Adam Craig / Jon Nite / Matt Rogers

“It was nearly impossible for me to pick my favorite song of 2018 thus far, but as I scrolled through my Spotify playlist listening to some contenders, I kept going back to Adam Craig’s “Why Can’t She.”  In my mind, this song is everything that a great country song should be.  It tells a powerful story, it has a strong hook and music, and Craig’s vocals are among some of the best in the business.  He seriously conveys all of the song’s emotions and sings the heck out of it.  I was first introduced to country music by a Rascal Flatts concert in the early-2000’s, and that era of country music is definitely my favorite.  This song wouldn’t sound out of place during that time period, which makes me love it all the more.”

 

Nicole Sellati, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Downtown’s Dead” – Sam Hunt
Songwriters: Josh Osborne / Sam Hunt / Shane L McAnally / Zach Crowell

“Downtown’s Dead” by Sam Hunt is one of my favorite songs of the year so far.  It’s one of those songs you can’t help but get stuck in your head and after waiting for what felt like years Hunt finally released a new hit single in May.  I’ll admit when I first heard the song I thought it was interesting, but after playing it again I really started to love the vibe “Downtown’s Dead” gave off. The song is different from what plays on country radio and I could see the song branching off to a more pop-friendly radio station.  “Downtown’s Dead” has a more modern take on country music than Hunt’s older music.  I love when artists take risks to change up their sound and this song makes me excited to see what comes next.”

 

Danielle Tornatore, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Must’ve Never Met You” – Luke Combs
Songwriters: Jonathan Singleton / Luke Combs / Robert Williford

“There have been countless great songs released in 2018 so far, but there is one in particular that has stood out to me; “Must’ve Never Met You” by Luke Combs.  This song was part of his deluxe version of his previous album This One’s for You, released in 2017.  There is something about this song that gets me pumped up from the second it starts, from the initial drums to the mini guitar solo.  I relate to this song on a personal level, the lyrics are so well written. The clichés he uses in this song are so accurate when you meet somebody that is so special to you, you just cannot seem to get over them.  This song is just incredible overall and I hope Combs will add it to his concert setlist in the near future.”

 

Shanna Vitaliano, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Most People Are Good” – Luke Bryan
Songwriters: David Fraiser / Ed Hill / Josh Kear

“When I listen to “Most People Are Good”, off Luke Bryan’s latest album What Makes You Country,  the lyrics take me back to growing up without a care in the world. It is easy to get lost in our day to day busy life, where time can pass us by too quickly.  This song creates a sense of simplicity in life, and an optimistic outlook in believing in others with every verse. It reminds us that even with all of the negative news going on around us, there are still people in this world with good intentions.  I love this song because the lyrics are a breath of fresh air as it speaks to loving your mother and accepting everyone for who they are.  It is the perfect reminder to put aside our differences and appreciate our time here on earth.”

 

Erica Zisman, Contributing Writer

Pick: “Leaving New Orleans” – Jordan Davis
Songwriters: David Fraiser / Jordan Davis / Lonnie Fowler

“I fell in love with the relatable stories and real-life feelings, at the heart of country music several years ago; however, Jordan Davis and his debut album, Home State recently reignited my passion for all things country music.  One of my favorite songs off the album- and this year (so far) is “Leaving New Orleans”.  It embodies the art of story-telling and incites emotions in the listener, all wrapped up in a feel-good melody with an unmatchable cool vibe.  I have been lucky enough to witness Davis’ magic, as he acoustically played the song, for the first time, with less than 50 people present.  These are the little moments I live for- bearing witness to country music magic from up and coming artists, who find a way to pull at your heartstrings and make you feel a part of their story.  I encourage any music lover to give “Leaving New Orleans” a listen.”

 

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Bandwagon Tour

The Bandwagon Tour Rolls Into Jones Beach Theater

“We’ve been wanting to tour with Miranda Lambert for a very long time and we’ve been planning this tour for years and years and thanks to you we are here!” Little Big Town said during their set on Thursday night at Long Island’s Northwell Health Jones Beach Theater.  The Bandwagon Tour kicked off just last week and tourmates Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town along with openers Tenille Townes and the Turnpike Troubadours took the oceanfront stage to entertain a packed crowd.

Bandwagon Tour Tenille Townes

It’s no secret that the New York Country Swag team are huge fans of Canada native, Tenille Townes and we were thrilled to catch her live set for the first time.  Standing on the stage just her and her guitar, Townes filled the theater with her remarkable voice and haunting lyrics from her debut EP the Living Room Worktapes.  She told the audience that this was a dream come true to be on The Bandwagon Tour with Lambert and Little Big Town. Next up were the Turnpike Troubadours who brought a different vibe to the venue during their 25-minute set.  Their traditional country sound and fiddle-heavy songs had the crowd clapping along to their boot stompin’ hits.

Bandwagon Tour Little Big Town

Little Big Town were the first of the two headliners for the show, singing their biggest hits from the past two decades including “Pontoon”, “Front Porch”, “Happy People” and “Tornado”.  “What a gorgeous place to spend the night,” Kimberly Schlapman exclaimed. “We’ve heard all about you but this is our first time here and we are so happy to finally be here.”   The picturesque venue of the sun setting and the smell of the ocean breeze lent well to the bands current single “Summer Fever” and one of our favorite album cuts from The Breaker, “Lost in California”.

As the Bandwagon Tour continued, Lambert took the stage lighting a fire under the crowd by opening with one of her very first singles “Kerosene” then sliding right into songs from her latest album The Weight of These Wings including “Highway Vagabond”, “We Should Be Friends” and “Vice”.  She didn’t leave out the classics, knowing her loyal fans would want to hear “Gunpowder and Lead” and of course “Mama’s Broken Heart”.  “I’m making my goal every time I walk on this stage to make you feel something before you leave here,” she said to the audience. “Sometimes in country music, feeling something means feeling sad and I do, so I wrote about it. Sing along if you know it; This one’s called ‘Tin Man’.” Lambert sang the emotional ballad with help from her biggest fans.

The Bandwagon Tour Pistol Annies

As the venue went dark, fans heard familiar notes of “Hell on Heels” as The Pistol Annies logo appeared on the giant screen, and for the first time in a few years, Angeleena Presley and Ashley Monroe joined Lambert on stage for a full-fledged reunion. As the ladies clicked onto the stage in their high heels, the screams were deafening.  “Surprise, Jones Beach” Lambert smiled and the trio sang their biggest hit as well as “Takin’ Pills”.

The Bandwagon Tour

The highlight of the night was when Little Big Town came back to the stage to join Lambert for a full 40 minutes to sing some of their smash singles as well as country music’s most popular songs.  The biggest audience sing-a-long happened during Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” where Lambert stood front and center to trade off lines with Karen Fairchild.  The group also sang the Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” and closed the show with Bill Wither’s “Lean On Me”.  It was an epic night of incredible harmonies and some of country music’s best songs.  Check out the remaining tour dates below and make sure to get in early to catch opening act, Tenille Townes!

Thursday, August 2 – The Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, Alabama
Friday, August 3 – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, Florida
Saturday, August 4 – Coral Sky Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Florida
Friday, August 10 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, Texas
Saturday, August 11 – Dos Equis Pavilion, Dallas, Texas
Thursday, August 16 – Darien Lake Amphitheater, Darien Center, New York
Friday, August 17 – KeyBank Pavilion, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Saturday, August 18 – BB&T Pavilion, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Thursday, August 23 – Budweiser Stage, Toronto, Ontario
Friday, August 24 –DTE Energy Music Center, Clarkston, Michigan
Saturday, August 25 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Chicago, Illinois

 

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NYCS Swag Spotlight: Tenille Townes

Tenille Townes

Photo via tenilletownes.com

Tenille Townes grew up in Grand Prairie, Canada, about a 45-hour drive away from her current hometown of Nashville, Tennesee.  Townes describes how country music was a big part of the identity of the people in Northern Alberta, always being played around the kitchen table as well as in the tractors on the farms.  Her parents taught her the meaning of hard work from a young age, starting their own business out of their garage, showing her that anything you put your mind to, you can go after.

“I fell in love with music in the backseat of the car and would follow along with all of the lyric booklets and obsess over all of the songwriters and my favorite artists and dreamed of coming to Nashville,” Townes tells us in a recent phone conversation. She explains that what she listened to growing up all depended on who was at the steering wheel. Her dad loved rock music and always played U2. While her mother was a big listener of powerhouse woman vocalists including Shania Twain, Martina McBride, and the Dixie Chicks. Her grandparents however really set the tone for her love of country music, playing Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and even Elvis Presley. “The storytelling aspect is something I love and have grown to love even more since moving to Nashville,” she explains. “The writers like Lori  McKenna, Caitlyn Smith, and Patty Griffin… I just love that element of the songwriting parts of music.”

Her grandparents gave her her first guitar when she was fourteen years old, and she made her first writing trip to Nashville shortly after that.   From a young age, she was in awe of Music City and the community of songwriters it nurtured.

Another element of her life that was important to her besides making music was philanthropy.  Big Hearts for Big Kids is an organization Townes is involved with that has raised over 1.5 million dollars since its inception just under a decade ago.  “Honestly, to me that is what music is for, that’s what it always been about.  I am lucky to have grown up in a home that believes in the power in looking out for one another and that is part of what we did as a family.  As a community you show up at all kinds of local events and reach out your hand to whoever you could,”   she thoughtfully explained. Organizing the concert in her hometown each year and raising money for this shelter is something she is most proud of, seeing a small group of people come together to really make a difference. We asked if it was something she would be interested in continuing now that she has moved to Nashville to which she told us  “Absolutely, one of the things I am most excited for is to draw a spotlight to the things that I love and that I am passionate about and be able to see how that can grow alongside the music.”

Townes has been writing and honing her craft ever since she moved to Nashville four years ago, getting into writing rooms with some of the best writers in town. She released “Living Room Worktapes” which is a project featuring four songs she has written and recorded in their rawest form, no fancy production just her impeccable voice and her meaningful lyrics. “A lot of times Nashville songwriting can feel a lot like a living room where you are sitting around having a conversation with someone you just met or maybe some old friends and all of the sudden you are sitting around talking about something that inspires you and a few hours later you leave with this song that didn’t exist in the world before that moment,” she tells us. She wants the listener to feel the symbolism of a living room, a homey, common place you can have a conversation and feel less alone.

This summer Townes will join her idols Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town on the road for their Bandwagon Tour which will hit the tri-state area on July 19th at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater. “I am so excited to see all of these cities, the only one I’ve been to is Toronto so this is going to be quite the adventure,” she tells us.  Another exciting moment for Townes will happen on June 23rd, as she just announced via Instagram that she will be taking the stage for her Grand Ole Opry debut.  For more tour dates and tickets head to www.tenilletownes.com and be sure to follow Tenille on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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NYCS First Impression: Tenille Townes Living Room Worktapes

Newcomer Tenille Townes hails from Grand Prairie, Canada.  After years of playing writers rounds in Nashville including the famed Bluebird Cafe, she has finally made her music available digitally today.   The Living Room Worktapes are four songs that culminate to paint the perfect picture of what this young artist is truly capable of.  In addition to releasing her music today, Townes announced on social media that she has signed a record deal with Sony Music/Columbia Nashville.

The lyrics on this project are so well written, so thought out that it is apparent these ideas have been working their way through her life and just had to be expressed through song. Vulnerable stories coupled with Townes’ uncanny vocal ability to be strong and sweet, tender and powerful.

Teaming up with heavy hitters such as Luke Laird and Barry Dean for “Somebody’s Daughter” the story is about a woman struggling with the reality of homelessness.

“Bet she was somebody’s best friend / laughing back when she was somebody’s sister / counting change at the lemonade stand, probably somebody’s high school first kiss /  dancing in the gym where the kids all talk about someday plans / now this light will turn green and I’ll hand her a couple dollars / and I’ll wonder if she got lost or they forgot her shes somebody’s daughter” 

Another stand out is “Jersey on the Wall”, a slow ballad, burning with questions for God or a higher power including the reason for someone dying so young.

“If I ever get to heaven, you know I’ve got a long list of questions /  like ‘How do you make a snowflake?’ / ‘Are you angry when the earth quakes?’, / ‘How does the sky change in a minute?’ /’How do you keep this big rock spinning?’ / ‘Why can’t you stop a car from crashing’ /  forgive me I’m just asking”

Proving that a simple guitar and an exquisite voice can transport the listener, with very little production needed. Take a listen below to Living Room Worktapes below and follow Tenille Townes on social media here: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

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