A huge part of our company is using our platform to give back to the community. We think it is important to support the heroes among us every day. Today, we wanted to highlight some artists in the country music industry, who have taken it upon themselves to do the same and have been making a difference through their music.
Walker Hayes Partners with NY Country Swag
We teamed up with our friend Walker Hayes and his ‘Be A Craig’ Fund, as well as, NY Country 94.7 to help feed the frontlines. With each purchase of our Kindness Isn’t Canceled t-shirt, all profits will be donated to provide meals by IGC Hospitality for our healthcare heroes. Of course, the added incentive is that everyone who purchases a shirt will be invited to an EXCLUSIVE virtual show by Walker himself. The show will take place on June 17th. More details here.
Kane Brown’s “Worldwide Beautiful”
The superstar recently released the long-awaited tour namesake single. “Worldwide Beautiful” is an impactful song that is geared towards encouraging people to acknowledge our differences but to love each other because of them rather than in spite of them. Brown released the song early because of today’s climate and is donating all proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club, an organization that enables young people to reach their full potential.
Thomas Rhett is a Light with “Be A Light”
Thomas Rhett has been a pioneer for hope, during these unsettling times since day one. Back in March, Rhett teamed up with Reba, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, and Christian singer Chris Tomlin to release a beautiful and much-needed song called “Be A Light.” All of the proceeds of this song are going to the COVID-19 Relief fun for MusiCares, which directly supports those in the music community.
Luke Combs Gives Back
Platinum-selling megastar, Luke Combs has been a staple and a force in country music, even during these times. Along with premiering a powerful song entitled “Six Feet Apart,” back in April, Combs joined Miller Lite, supporting bartenders with a live stream event. The event raised millions of dollars for those who were out of work to the pandemic.
We look forward to seeing more and more country artists step up and find ways to help others give back, during these unprecedented times. As always, we are thankful for this community and for country music for getting us through.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/country-artists-making-a-difference.jpg6301200Erica Zismanhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2020-06-12 12:42:292020-06-12 12:42:29Country Artists Making A Difference Through Music
Throughout quarantine, Thomas Rhett has invited fans inside his home and given the treat of brand new music that shows an intimate look into his personal life. The country star is known for singing about real high and low points in life, whether it be romantically, with starting a family or relating to his career. This has established him as an extremely relatable artist. Through his first IGTV release “What’s Your Country Song” the singer continues to use songwriting to help him through phases of life.
“What’s Your Country Song” contains every element to be an instant classic. This song acknowledges the power of music to guide one through life and provide an emotional connection. Ultimately, pinning the idea that each person can identify a specific “country song” that transports them back to a certain moment in time and carries significant meaning. We featured each of our writers and the songs that turned them into country fans, check it out here.
Nearly each and every line in this song namechecks special lyrics and titles from country songs that we as fans have personal relationships too, whether contemporary or legendary classics. These clever and meaningful lyrics along with the calming acoustic guitar picking pattern that Rhett plays while on camera culminates in an impactful song.
In the first verse, the singer-songwriter playfully sings of common country clichés that evoke feelings of freedom and carefree fun, “Did you cruise down a back road / with your Dixieland Delight / Are you on the Chattahoochee, On a barefoot blue jean night”.
He artfully weaves in these well-known song titles into the lyrics, making for an especially engaging and memorable song. When it comes to the chorus, Rhett is soulful in the way he ties together the song’s meaning as a whole: “Everybody got a small town anthem / Everybody got a story to tell / Everybody got a hallelujah / Everybody been through a little hell / When you’re rolling down a little two lane highway / And you turn your radio on / Tell me which one hits you baby / Yeah what’s your country song”.
During this special moment, he sings about everyone having their own struggles and life stories, and that country music is a constant that helps carry people through. This chorus leads the listeners to reflect on songs that have been alongside them during moments in their lives, both on an everyday level and during pivotal life happenings.
The Nashville fan-favorite even takes us back to the 1980s for a particularly clever lyrical spin from Barbara Mandrell’s legendary hit “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”,“Are you already country / back when country wasn’t cool”.
Listening to this song is like a scavenger hunt, and with each play there are new creative lyrical references to pick up on. The singer’s acoustic song releases through IGTV have been a welcome surprise to help fans through these tough times. We hope that this track and the others that Rhett has posted will soon be released, whether as acoustic versions or featured on his upcoming studio album.
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/whats-your-country-song-thomas-rhett.jpg6301200Alexa Ebnerhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngAlexa Ebner2020-06-10 11:45:152020-06-10 11:45:15Thomas Rhett Asks Fans, “What’s Your Country Song?”
As summer shows and tours are canceled or postponed throughout the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thomas Rhett’s The Center Point Road 2020 Tour with special guests Cole Swindell and HARDY, becomes the latest to post an update. The entire tour is being postponed and shifted to 2021 dates.
“”We have made the decision to reschedule my 2020 concert dates to 2021,” he continued. “This decision was made with the health, safety and well-being of our fans, touring crew and venue staff as our priority. If you’re able to come out in 2021, your tickets will be honored and if you need a refund, you’ll be receiving an email soon from your point of purchase with instructions. I miss seeing y’all out on the road and can’t wait until we are back in your neck of the woods next summer. I’ll keep writing songs and making music, hoping to hear your voices singing back to me next year louder than ever,” Rhett wrote in an Instagram post shared above.
Tickets purchased for 2020 will be honored for the rescheduled 2021 dates. All ticket holders will be emailed directly with their refund options including a full refund until June 19, 2020, or you can request a 150% credit at Live Nation venues with an equal number of tickets donated to healthcare workers on the front lines. For more details, visit livenation.com/refund.
CENTER POINT ROAD 2021 NEW TOUR DATES:
6/3/21 Gilford, NH @ Bank of NH Pavilion*
6/4/21 Gilford, NH @ Bank of NH Pavilion*
6/10/21 Syracuse, NY @ St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
6/11/21 Burgettstown, PA @ S&T Bank Music Park
6/12/21 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
6/17/21 Indianapolis, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
6/18/21 Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
6/19/21 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
7/9/21 Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
7/10/21 Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
7/15/21 Birmingham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
7/16/21 St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7/29/21 Sacramento, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
7/30/21 Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
8/5/21 Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
8/20/21 Bangor, ME – Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
8/21/21 Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theatre
8/22/21 Canandaigua, NY @ The Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
8/26/21 Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
8/27/21 Philadelphia, PA @ BB&T Pavilion
8/28/21 Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
TBD Boise, ID @ Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
TBD Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre
TBD Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/rhett-thomas-tour.jpg6301200Stephanie Wagnerhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngStephanie Wagner2020-05-19 15:17:262020-05-19 15:32:38Thomas Rhett Reschedules The Center Point Road 2020 Tour
One of the only things that are still keeping our spirits up at this time is artists continuing to release new music. Whether they play it sitting at home on their couch on a live stream or artists that are going ahead with their release dates on streaming platforms that were previously recorded, we can look to music right now as a comfort.
Thomas Rhett who has been quarantined with his wife Lauren, and three daughters, including a newborn has taken time to sing a new song, “Ya Heard” for his social media following. Rhett has a way of including personal details in his biggest hits but fans always resonate and make each line of the songs relate to their own lives. “Ya Heard” has a similar story to one of Garth Brooks’ biggest hits of all time, “Unanswered Prayers”.
“There’s been times where I thought that my prayers never made it past the ceiling, much less the sky and I’ve had doubts and questions about my faith but I don’t really even know why or how”
Rhett sings about three crucial facets of his life, marrying the love of his life Lauren, becoming a hit songwriter and artist and finally having the family he longed for. Each verse he looks at his life and is sure that God heard his prayers. The final verse, focusing on infertility and their story of adopting Willa Gray then finding out they were pregnant with Ada James is so personal but culminates in the most beautiful ending.
“People say you’ve got a way of being pretty funny while you make us wait, cause I look at these babies crawling up on me, the ones that I bothered you about since I was 23, ya I know that I wasn’t wasting breath or words cause I look at them and I look at her, more than I deserve yeah I’m pretty sure ya heard”
If artists continue to release new music, we will continue to love it and support it. Check out this new one by Luke Combs, “Six Feet Apart” and Rhett’s collaboration “Be A Light” where proceeds are donated to COVID-19 relief.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police, and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/thomas-rhett-ya-heard-1.jpg6301200Christina Boschhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngChristina Bosch2020-04-22 12:40:552020-04-22 13:15:20Thomas Rhett Thanks God in New Song, “Ya Heard”
ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee Thomas Rhett released a new song Monday afternoon called “Be A Light”, featuring Reba McEntire, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, and Christian singer Chris Tomlin. Rhett confessed during his Instagram Live mini-concert on Monday that he wrote this song last year and he’s thankful that his label allowed him to release it ahead of schedule. “We weren’t supposed to release this now but I really felt like this song needed to come out today.” All of the proceeds of this song are going to the COVID-19 Relief Fund for MusiCares. Administered through MusiCares, the COVID-19 Fund will be used to directly support those in the music community with the greatest need.
Watch the lyric video here:
“In a world full of hate, be a light / when you do somebody wrong, make it right / Don’t hide in the dark, you were born to shine / In a world full of hate, be a light”
This is the kind of encouragement we need in our world right now. It’s easy to be a downer and to think negatively about everything but it’s only making matters worse. Even in the darkest of time, there is always some good, and Thomas Rhett and company help us realize that.
“Be A Light” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
Thomas Rhett and his beautiful wife Lauren have welcomed their third daughter, Lennon Love Akins! The adorable family of five has won over the hearts of America, giving sneak peeks into their lives through social media.
Rhett even featured home movies in a special version music video of “Remember You Young” which shows Willa Gray and Ada James playing together, each of their first steps and other memorable moments in their lives. Watch below.
Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett made the decision to adopt a beautiful baby from Uganda. During the adoption process, Akins found out she, in fact, was expecting and just months after they welcomed Willa Gray to the United States and into their home, Ada James was born. Now the couple who is totally #RelationshipGoals will be “paying for three weddings” as they welcome their third little girl.
Congratulations to our favorite country music family!
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
Country music superstar Thomas Rhett is getting us ready for the holiday season! The singer-songwriter celebrated his favorite holiday by releasing two new Christmas jams for fans to listen to all season long, including an original entitled “Christmas In The Country” and his own rendition of the classic “The Christmas Song.”
“Christmas is hands-down my favorite time of the year,” the hitmaker shares in a recent press release. “We have so many Christmas traditions in our family that included a lot of festival music, but I’ve never recorded anything myself. Lauren has wanted me to make some Christmas music for a long time, so this year felt like the right time to finally take a stab at writing something and to put my own twist on one of the all-time classics.”
Making his wife, family, and fans proud, Rhett’s new original song is an instant hit. The new track is endearing and as cheerful as they come! The singer laments about all his favorite Christmas traditions and wintery landscapes, as the sounds of jingle bells create an inviting backing track to his smooth vocals.
“We got snowflakes falling on an old true lane / Red-bow wreathes on a windowpane / Just sitting ‘round a fire with the ones who love me / Miles from a city and the crazy crowd / Where the pine trees grow and the world slows down / Way out here, yeah man I sure feel lucky / Doing Christmas in the country (Do-do, do-do, do-do)”
Keeping the spirit of Christmas alive and well, Rhett also premiered his rendition of his wife’s favorite Christmas classic “The Christmas Song.” In his version, the Grammy nominee leans on his country roots and R&B vibes to deliver a spectacular cover of the heartwarming classic laced with jazz influences. It is clear that the singer has been gearing up to record this special song for a long time coming.
We love how Thomas Rhett continues to deliver music that speaks to who he is an artist and as a family man. The singer just wrapped up his widely successful 2019 Very Hot Summer Tour last month. The sold-out tour blazed its way through major cities, including an unforgettable stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“Christmas In The Country” and “The Christmas Song” are 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.
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/christmas-in-the-country-tr.jpg6301200Erica Zismanhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2019-11-21 20:56:532019-11-21 20:56:53Thomas Rhett Releases Both an Original and Classic Christmas Song
CMT honored five country artists on Wednesday night that had incredible success on tour and on country radio this past year. Those five were Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett. CMT also honored Ashley McBryde, who received the Breakout Artist of the Year and Reba McEntire, who received the Artist of a Lifetime Award.
Dan + Shay began show performing their hit song “Tequila”. The Grammy-winning duo was introduced by gospel-pop singer and their good friend, Tori Kelly. The two accepted their award, told the story of the journey and thanked a bevy of people who helped them get there.
“We’ve spent the last four or five years trying to figure out what we wanted to say and by that third record, this was finally the time we could put our stamp on a record,” Shay Mooney explained.
Roseanne and Big Bang Theory Star Johnny Galecki came up on stage to announce Luke Combs as the next Artist of the Year Award winner. He spoke of Combs’ past, being broke and working odd jobs to make end’s meat until “Hurricane” blew up online. He has since generated millions of streams and set sales records with his debut album “This One’s For You”. Combs, who is currently on his Beer Never Broke My Heart tour with Morgan Wallen and Jameson Rodgers, couldn’t be there last night, so This is Us star Chrissy Metz performed Combs’ newest single to country radio “Even Though I’m Leaving”.
Another This Is Us cast member, Lonnie Chavis introduced Kane Brown. Chavis and Brown got to know each other when Chavis portrayed a younger version of Brown in his music video for “Good As You”. It has been an emotional week for Brown, as his drummer and lifelong friend Kenny Dixon passed away tragically in a car accident last Saturday. Brown, who was vulnerable on stage, dedicated the award to Dixon. “I want to dedicate this to my drummer Kenny, he started with me coming out of Chattanooga on Facebook. People didn’t think we would make it, he was with me the whole time. He was so supportive of me.” Another friend of Brown and fellow country artist Chris Young performed one of his new songs, “Drowning” which is about the loss of a friend.
Next on stage was Kid Rock, who introduced the recipient of the Breakout Artist of the Year, Ashley McBryde. “It’s daunting to tell you the story about this year’s Breakout Artist because she is the real storyteller…I defy you to listen to those songs and not be moved; they take a hold of us.” McBryde then performed her most recent release “One Night Standards”.
McBryde told us she was broke, living out of her car and playing acoustic gigs before she got recognized. “I had this tip jar and I would look at these one dollar bills like this one dollar bill was a moment for somebody and any nights where you go ‘what I am even doing this for?’ just count your moments in the tip jar and try to put on your big-girl boots.”
Radio DJ, Bobby Bones introduced Carrie Underwood as the next Artist of the Year. He mentioned Underwood was one of the first recipients of the award ten years ago and has won three more in between her first and this one. She was not in attendance either because she was in Ohio performing on her Cry Pretty 360 tour with special guests Maddie & Tae and Runaway June. However, we did get to see Underwood’s powerful vocals on display during two songs from the show, both from her 2012 album Blown Away including “Blown Away” and “Two Black Cadillacs”
Thomas Rhett was the last Artist of the Year recipient and he was introduced by none other than his wife, Lauren Akins. He performed a song off his new album about sacrifice; one we did not see live at Madison Square Garden, “Dream You Never Had”. Arguably one of the most emotional and touching moments the country family has seen in a few years, Rhett spontaneously moved by the emotion of the night, asked the audience if he could take a moment to pray, for Kane Brown’s family and Kenny Dixon’s family. “Father God, we love you so much. Loss is something that we can’t comprehend and so right now I pray that you can be with Kane and his family and his drummer, Kenny and his family and bring them peace that only you know how to bring somebody,” Rhett prayed.
Last, but certainly not least, the Artist of a Lifetime Award winner, Reba McEntire was honored. First, Lady Antebellum covered her song “Is There Life Out There”. Next, Country Music Hall of Famer, Vince Gill gave a very personal and heartfelt speech about their friendship and of course all the success she has had in this industry. Then, it was McEntire’s turn to speak:
“I appreciate the people I got to open the show for and the ones that guided me and taught that I would get through with my show, run back and sign autographs and then I’d sit there and watch their shows because I was learning all the time…That’s what this business is all about: the people we get to learn from but get to know,” she praised. “I am very blessed to have so many friends” To end the show, Sam Hunt delivered an excellent rendition of McEntire’s “Fancy”.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/cmt-artist-of-the-year-2019.jpg6301200Dylan Bestlerhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngDylan Bestler2019-10-17 14:05:452019-10-17 14:05:45Country Stars Honored During Emotional CMT Artist of the Year Special
It was truly an unforgettable night at Madison Square Garden as Thomas Rhett brought his Very Hot Summer (VHS) tour to a sold-out “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” With him were special guests Russell Dickerson, Dustin Lynch and his father, Rhett Akins, to support his funk-infused country show that left the New York City fans in awe.
Rhett Akins led off with two songs he wrote for other artists: Jon Pardi’s “Dirt on My Boots” and Blake Shelton’s “Boys ‘Round Here.” He mentioned how cool it was to be opening for his son, playing at this iconic arena again. He played two original songs in “Don’t Get Me Started” and “That Ain’t My Truck.” Putting things in perspective, Akins said he wrote: “That Ain’t My Truck” when his son was only four years old.
Back in 2016, just weeks after NYCountry Swag officially launched, we hosted Russell Dickerson during our very first event at Libation NYC. To say we believed in him and his talent is a vast understatement, and we just knew that one day we would be celebrating his Madison Square Garden debut. Watching him perform for that many fans, hearing them sing back his words was emotional for our entire team. He played five songs from his latest album, Yours including the title track, “Billions,” “Blue Tacoma,” his current single “Every Little Thing” and “MGNO” (My Girl’s Night Out) that he blended with Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Dickerson got emotional after performing “Blue Tacoma” as he recalled playing for our company in a small bar to now playing Madison Square Garden in the heart of New York City.
“I remember sitting on top of a barstool, sitting on a box, (for) a little thing called NYCountry Swag (playing with) a microphone duct-taped to a mic stand with about twenty-five people there. The fact that all y’all packed in tonight…thank you, thank you.” MSG turned into a rave scene during “MGNO” as the fans were dancing and cheering the singer-songwriter on as he jumped and ran all over the stage. The Tennessee native hyped up the NYC fans as they got ready for the next act, Dustin Lynch.
Lynch started with the lead single from his third studio album, Current Mood, “Seein’ Red” then followed it with three songs from his second album Where It’s At, including the title track, “Hell Of a Night” and “Mind Reader.” During his performance of “I’d Be Jealous Too,” Lynch sat in the middle of the stretched out catwalk signing autographs, taking selfies and singing into fans’ cell phones. Lynch then went all the way back to his first single, “Cowboys and Angels,” a song in which he wrote as a dedication to the love his grandparents shared.
Lynch took a lot of time to talk to the crowd about his journey from being a kid listening to country music all the way to opening for Thomas Rhett at Madison Square Garden. His biggest influences growing up were George Strait and Garth Brooks, along with Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, of course. He covered bits of four songs in between each portion of the story: “Chattahoochee” by Alan Jackson, “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw, “What Was I Thinkin’” by Dierks Bentley and “Love Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban. Lynch has a special relationship with both Urban and Bentley. Dierks told Dustin to knock on every door and take every chance you can get if you want to be a successful artist. Those words stuck with him to this very day. “If you guys take anything away from my show tonight, I want you to take this away: If you have a dream and you really believe in yourself…do not take ‘no’ for an answer, from anybody,” he emoted. “We’re here living the dream tonight because we did that.” Lynch will join Dierks Bentley for a special show at Michie Stadium in West Point, NY, home of the Army Black Knights on October 18th.
The singer-songwriter recalled receiving a phone call back in 2012 from a number he did not recognize. He picked up anyway and it was Keith Urban on the other line asking him to join him on his Light The Fuse Tour with Little Big Town. That was the first time Lynch and his band played this historic arena. Lynch closed his set with his most recent single, “Ridin’ Roads” and two number ones in “Good Girl” and “Small Town Boy.” Lynch tipped his cowboy hat as he exited the stage as fans got ready for their headliner, Thomas Rhett.
Rhett literally jumped out of the stage (yes, he was inside the stage) and began singing his most recent number one hit, “Look What God Gave Her” from his most recent album Center Point Road. He kept the energy going with three more upbeat songs, one from each of his first three albums; “Crash And Burn” from Tangled, “Get Me Some of That” – It Goes Like This and “Craving You” – Life Changes.
At the end of Rhett’s performance of “Notice,” the crowd went silent as the 2019 ACM Male Artist of the Year played one more acoustic chorus of the song. The fans responded with loud applause. After “Sixteen,” One of Rhett’s powerhouse backup vocalists joined him on stage to take Little Big Town’s spot in the R&B-influenced track off the new album, “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time.” He then followed that with a speech before playing his current single “Remember You Young.” Rhett got choked up on stage reminiscing about how he got here. Back in 2013 he opened for Jason Aldean at MSG and only got twenty minutes on stage. Flash-forward six years later he is headlining a sold-out show at the same venue. Fans lit up the crowd with their flashlights during this very sentimental song.
Rhett went a different route with his performance of “Make Me Wanna” as he jazzed up the traditional-sounding country song by heavily adding the six-piece band that was behind him. Rhett also threw in a verse from Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie” in the middle of his number one song. After performing his most personal song, “Life Changes,” the 29-year-old played three stripped-down songs, including “Star of the Show,” “That Old Truck” and an unreleased song titled “To The Guys Who Date My Girls.” Although it’s a slow, heartfelt tune, Rhett throws some humor in there with the line “When you pull her close, make sure you leave some room for Jesus. If you cross that line, I swear boy, you’re gonna meet him.” You can listen to the song below.
Next, he mentioned before performing “Beer Can’t Fix” that Jon Pardi, the country artist who is featured on the studio recording was not in attendance, so he was going to need some help. When Pardi’s verse came up, Lynch and Dickerson returned to the stage sporting New York Knicks jerseys to continue the song. Then Rhett Akins ran up the long catwalk with a cooler and then distributed cans of Bud Light to the guys on stage.
Rhett stretched out “Vacation” and handed the mic over to the DJ to introduce the band behind the country super-star. Each of them got a solo on their respected instrument and when it was time for Rhett’s shout-out, he dazzled the crowd with an incredible drum solo.
He couldn’t leave the stage before performing his last two slow songs of the night in “Marry Me” and “Die a Happy Man.” Rhett let the audience sing the final chorus of “Die a Happy Man” which gave us, and probably a majority of the fans, major chills. “If Madison Square Garden in New York City is the last show I ever get to play…I could die, a happy man,” he sung as the final lyrics to his number one hit song.
Rhett ended this spectacular show with “Unforgettable” and “T-shirt”. For the finale of “Unforgettable”, Rhett ran across the stage as rainbow-colored confetti rained down onto the fans. Words cannot describe the energy of the crowd the entire 90-plus minute show. A historic night at Madison Square Garden for the artists and the fans alike. For exclusive clips from the show, head to our Instagram Stories highlight.
Although this week marks the beginning of fall, Rhett and his supporting cast will extend summer until October 12th where they will close the tour at the one and only Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
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and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/thomas-rhett-vhs-tour-msg.jpg6301200Dylan Bestlerhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngDylan Bestler2019-09-23 11:37:102019-09-23 11:56:47Thomas Rhett & His ‘VHS’ Tour Give Fans an Unforgettable Night at MSG
Lauren Akins, one of our favorite wives of country music, is adding author to her resume. Akins announced on Friday that her first book, Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life’s Changes will be available May 5, 2020.
Written with bestselling collaborator, Mark Dagostino, Live in Love is a memoir for anyone looking to keep the romance alive while balancing children and marriage, along with anyone who wants to live a life with purpose. It shares the love story between Akins and country star, Thomas Rhett. The mother of two (with another on the way), gets personal sharing details about how she and Rhett were best friends since childhood, how they reconnected as young adults, and what it was like finding herself as her husband’s career took off. She also opens up about her life changing mission work in Uganda and Haiti including how she fell in love with their first daughter, Willa Gray.
This is the first time we get to hear Akins’s story as she never had any plans to be in the spotlight. That all changed after she started to become the main subject of Rhett’s songs, including the award-winning song “Die a Happy Man.” Not only will we get an inside look at the couple’s happy, romantic times which includes handwriting their wedding vows, but it will also give us a glimpse into the tough times the couple faced when becoming parents for the first time.
In a recent press release, Akins shared, “I would have never guessed I’d be telling my story in a book about my life. I hope by sharing parts of myself and my journey that I’m able to help someone feel less alone, inspired and find the love that we share as humans in these pages.”
While this may be Akins’s first book, it isn’t her first time stepping into the publishing world. She is currently a contributor to Country Living Magazine.
Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life’s Changes is available for preorder here.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/lauren-akins.jpg6301200Rebekah Milstedhttp://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngRebekah Milsted2019-09-22 21:02:052019-09-22 21:02:05Lauren Akins Reveals Details About Her First Book ‘Live in Love’
