Friday, October 21, 2011

SARA EVANS, MARTINA MCBRIDE, SCOTTY MCCREERY, SUGARLAND, AND ZAC BROWN BAND WILL PERFORM ON "THE 45th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS"


NASHVILLE - The lineup for "The 45th Annual CMA Awards" continues to grow with today's announcement that Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, and Zac Brown Band will perform on "Country Music's Biggest Night(tm)."
  
"The 45th Annual CMA Awards," hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network. Previously announced performers include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, and Chris Young, plus Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter singing their hit collaboration "You and Tequila," Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield singing their current hit duet "Easy," and co-hosts Paisley and Underwood in their first live televised-performance of their No. 1 song "Remind Me."    


Evans earned two nominations this year, Female Vocalist and Single of the Year (for the multi-week No. 1 and Platinum-certified digital single "A Little Bit Stronger"). She has received one CMA Award thus far, Music Video of the Year (2001 for "Born to Fly"). Her current album is Stronger.
 
McBride is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year.  She has won five CMA Awards, including Music Video (in 1994 for "Independence Day") and four Female Vocalist of the Year Awards (1999, 2002-2004), which ties her with Reba McEntire for the most wins in that category. She recently released her album, Eleven.
 
McCreery, the 18-year old 2011 winner of "American Idol," recently made history when his first album Clear as Day debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. He is the youngest male solo artist to achieve this feat. The album features his Gold-certified digital single "I Love You This Big" and his current hit, "The Trouble with Girls." This will be his debut CMA Awards performance. 
 
Sugarland is nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year, an Award they have won for the last four consecutive years (2007-2010).  Their most recent album is the Platinum-certified The Incredible Machine, which featured the Double Platinum-certified digital single "Stuck Like Glue." Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles will once again host "CMA Country Christmas," which tapes in Nashville on Nov. 10 and will air later this year on ABC.
 
Zac Brown Band is nominated in four categories: Vocal Group, Album (for You Get What You Give), Musical Event (for "As She's Walking Away" with Alan Jackson), and Single of the Year (for "Colder Weather"). Bandmates Zac Brown and Coy Bowles were also nominated for Song of the Year (for co-writing "Colder Weather"). Lead singer Brown could potentially pick up two additional trophies for co-producing the Album and Single of the Year. Zac Brown Band won the CMA New Artist of the Year Award in 2010.                                                                                            

Tickets for "The 45th Annual CMA Awards" are on sale and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster outlets; by calling (800) 745-3000; or at the Bridgestone Arena Box Office, located at 501 Broadway (corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, Nashville). Ticket prices for the CMA Awards start at $110 for Upper Level seating. Ticket prices include tax, but exclude applicable service fees. Purchase tickets early for the best available seats. In 2009 and 2010, the CMA Awards sold out in advance.

Dixie Chicks' VH1 Storytellers Available November 29

AVAILABLE ON DVD AND BLU RAY INCLUDING 3 NEVER BEFORE BROADCAST PERFORMANCES

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2011 Columbia Records proudly presents Dixie Chicks Storytellers , available for the first time ever on DVD and Blu Ray on Tuesday November 29, 2011.  Recorded live in September 2006 at the historic Los Angeles Theater, Dixie Chicks Storytellers was the grand finale in the whirlwind that surrounded the release of the band's 5x Grammy Award winning album Taking the Long Way.  Fans are treated to personal anecdotes and inspiration around some of the band's biggest hits including "Not Ready to Make Nice," "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Wide Open Spaces." Dixie Chicks Storytellers will also feature three never before seen performances from the original broadcast including "Lullaby," "Easy Silence" and "So Hard" (see below for full track list).
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111018/NY88254)
The Dixie Chicks are witty, charming and sometimes irreverent, but above all, incredible musicians and songwriters.  With over 25 million albums sold, Dixie Chicks are the biggest selling female band of all time in the U.S.  Dixie Chicks are Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison.
Watch the trailer and pre-order now on www.dixiechicks.com
Dixie Chicks Storytellers
  1. The Long Way Around
  2. Truth No. 2
  3. Silent House
  4. Cowboy Take Me Away
  5. Lullaby
  6. Lubbock or Leave it
  7. Not Ready to Make Nice
  8. Easy Silence
  9. So Hard
  10. Wide Open Spaces
  11. Sin Wagon

www.dixiechicks.com
www.ColumbiaRecords.com
SOURCE Columbia Records

COUNTRY STAR CRAIG MORGAN
TO RELEASE
 
THIS OLE BOY FIVE-SONG EP
ON NOVEMBER 1st

Nashville, TN... (October 18, 2011)... After his recent signing with Black River Entertainment, country music superstar and celebrated TV host Craig Morgan is anxious to share new music with his fans. The highly anticipated 5-song EP, This Ole Boy, will be available for digital purchase on November 1st in advance of a full-length album expected in early 2012.

The toe-tapping sing-along title track “This Ole Boy” is currently climbing the country charts. In between touring and filming for the 3rd season of his TV show  Craig Morgan All Access Outdoors, Morgan worked in the studio with co-producer Phil O’Donnell to create that classic Craig Morgan sound. In addition to co-producing the EP, Morgan also co-wrote the song, “The Whole World Needs a Kitchen.”

This Ole Boy Track Listing
1.    This Ole Boy – (Ben Hayslip, Dallas Davidson, and Rhett Akins)
2.    The Whole World Needs A Kitchen-  (Craig Morgan, and Shane Minor)
3.    Fish Weren’t Bitin’- (Jimmy Yeary Marty Dodson)
4.    Show Me Your Tattoo- (Ben Daniel, Skip Black)
5.    Better Stories- (Monty Chriswell, Michael White, Lee Thomas Miller)


ABOUT CRAIG MORGAN:
One of country music’s best-loved artists, Craig Morgan has made a name for himself with massive radio airplay of his signature hits:  “Bonfire,” “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “That’s What I Love About Sunday” and “International Harvester. His newest single “This Ole Boy,” has just been delivered to country radio. Craig received one of country music’s highest honors when he was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2008. In addition to his career as a Country Music superstar, Craig is also a celebrated TV personality as the host of “Craig Morgan: All Access Outdoors,” currently in its second season on The Outdoor Channel. Prior to becoming a country music and TV sensation, Craig Morgan spent over 10 years of active duty in the Army and an additional nine years in the Army Reserves.  He is an avid supporter of America’s military personnel and a recipient of the 2006 USO Merit Award. For more information on Craig Morgan, please visit www.craigmorgan.com or follow him on Twitter @cmorganmusic.

# # #

 

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: The Dirt Drifters
By Bob Doerschuk
© 2011 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

Words like “gritty” come to mind when The Dirt Drifters take to the stage. Of course, there’s no shortage of grit out there, but something in the sound of this five-piece separates it from the pack.
Maybe it’s the vivid images on these 11 tracks performed by band members: drummer Nick Diamond, lead singer/guitarist Matt Fleener, singer/guitarist Ryan Fleener, bassist Jeremy Little and singer/guitarist Jeff Middleton. The images — cigarettes and beer cans on “Sun Goes Down” (written by Matt Fleener, Middleton and Rivers Rutherford), the bullet holes, blue lights and traces of cheap perfume on “Married Men and Motel Rooms” (Middleton, Mark Irwin and Josh Kear) — seem to have been scraped up from a cellar of hard-time memories. (The group wrote or co-wrote all but one track on the album.)
Then there’s the performance, the power chords, the galloping groove that feels like you’re taking corners a little too fast on “Something Better” (Diamond, Matt Fleener, Ryan Fleener and Middleton), the blue-collar epic that John Mellencamp might have conceived had he grown up in a Southern factory town (“Always a Reason,” Ryan Fleener, Middleton and Justin Wilson), the way that lyrics come to life in the union of Matt Fleener’s whiskey-rough lead vocals and pristine backup harmonies.
Drawn from New Jersey, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Tennessee, The Dirt Drifters found each other in Nashville. Warner Bros. signed them and producer Justin Niebank captured their spirit on This Is My Blood. And they’re not waiting for success to come to them; on tour dates beginning in August, they’ve giving two copies of their debut CD to audience members, one to keep and the other to pass along. They call it “Give Blood”; we call it building a base one fan at a time.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
(ALL ANSWERS BY MATT FLEENER)
MUSICAL HERO“Steve Earle because of his lack of boundaries. I like Johnny Cash for the same reason.”
CD IN YOUR STEREO“Guy Clark’s Somedays the Song Writes You.”
FAVORITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION“Anything but an RV.”
LUCKY CHARM“When I was a kid, I would sit on my grandma’s kitchen floor and play with the magnets on her fridge while she cooked and listened to music. I keep one of those magnets with me on the road.”
SONG YOU’D LOVE TO COVER“‘Wild Horses,’ by the Rolling Stones.
FIRST GIG“Me and my brother singing ‘Modern Day Romance’ and ‘Pancho and Lefty’ back in OKC. We butchered ‘Pancho and Lefty’ pretty bad.”
TITLE OF YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHYDay Dreamer.”
On the Web: www.TheDirtDrifters.com

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

RASCAL FLATTS ANNOUNCE 2012 TOUR
“Thaw Out 2012”
            Nashville - (Oct 17, 2011) -  The newest members of the Grand Ole Opry and CMA awards nominees, Rascal Flatts have announced their winter tour, “Thaw Out 2012,” with special guest Sara Evans and opener Hunter Hayes.  The tour will kick off in Charleston, West Virginia at the Civic Center Coliseum on January 12 and will run through February 18.
Rascal Flatts wrapped up touring for 2011 last month and critics across the nation touted this year's "Flatts Fest" was a thrilling experience for fans.  The Buffalo News claimed, "This band is incredibly tight and capable of conjuring up grandiose, emotion-filled moments." "Long considered one of the top touring acts in country music, Rascal Flatts proved the reputation was rightly deserved," said the Leader-Post.  Cmt.com shared the band "delivered an electric show full of special effects, big hits and a renewed sense of purpose…it's a testament to their talent that the band can keep the momentum going."
Rascal Flatts debuted their first album on Big Machine Records, NOTHING LIKE THIS, last fall at #1 on the country album sales chart and became one of only four country acts to debut six consecutive studio albums at #1.  Since their musical debut in 2000, the band has sold over 20 million albums and 25 million digital downloads and delivered 13 #1 singles to the top of the chart.  Rascal Flatts is the most awarded country group of the past decade with over 40 trophies from the American Country Awards, Academy of Country Music, American Music Awards, Country Music Association, People's Choice Awards and more.  Since their touring career began, they have sold over 6 million concert tickets.  They are currently nominated asVocal Group of The Year at the upcoming 45th Annual CMA Awards, on the ABC Television Network Nov 9 and also received 3 nominations for the American Country Awards taking place Dec. 5, a iring on FOX.  For additional information on Rascal Flatts go to www.rascalflatts.com .
Multi-platinum RCA recording artist Sara Evans has been honored with numerous accolades, among them the 2005 ACM Female Vocalist of the Year and the CMA Video of the Year for "Born to Fly.” She has been named one of People Magazine’s "50 Most Beautiful People" and won the hearts of television viewers as the first-ever country star to compete in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.  She enjoys a prolific recording career with nearly 6 million records sold and 5 chart toping # one Country singles including the self-penned “Born To Fly”.  2011 marks the release of Evan’s highly anticipated sixth studio album “Stronger” which debuted at #1 for two weeks and features the Platinum smash multi-week #1 single “A Little Bit Stronger.”  Evan’s also received award nominations for Single of the year and Female vocalist of the year at the upc oming CMA awards in November
Hunter Hayes, the Breaux Bridge, Louisiana multi-instrumentalist (acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums, electric guitar, ganjo, mandolin, keys and more) is making some noise as he continues to draw attention from thousands of fans, industry. Billboard notes Hunter as “a prodigious talent…drawing on modern pop and country sounds – including Keith Urban, John Mayer, Rascal Flatts and Jason Mraz” and USA Today recently raved that “if this Louisiana singer is as good as this single [Storm Warning], he’s about to be a big country star.” His self-titled Atlantic Records debut album, which he kicked-off release week with his world-premiere national television debut on CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman of his hit single, “Storm Warning.” Hunter has co-written songs for renowned artist such as Rascal Flatts and Montgomery Gentry and has shared the stage with Trace Adkins, Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban, to name a few. He recently wrapped-up touring with superstar Taylor Swift on her “SPEAK NOW World Tour 2011” and made his Grand Ole Opry debut.
“Thaw Out 2012”
1-12     Charleston WV            Charleston Civic Center Coliseum
1-13     Roanoke, VA               Roanoke Civic Center
1-14     Hershey, PA                Giant Center
1-19     Columbia, MO             Mizzou Arena
1-20     Peoria, IL                     Peoria Civic Center
1-21     Columbus, OH             Nationwide Arena
1-26     Albany, NY                 Times Union Center
1-27     Providence, RI             Dunkin’ Donuts Center
1-28     Atlantic City, NJ          Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
2-9       Jacksonville, FL           Jacksonville Arena
2-10     Birmingham, AL          BJCC Arena
2-11     Little Rock, AR           Verizon Wireless Arena
2-17     Wilkes-Barre, PA         Mohegan Sun Arena
2-18     E Rutherford, NJ         Izod Center
###
ALAN JACKSON INDUCTED INTO
NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME
 
 
NASHVLLE, Tenn.  (Oct. 17, 2011)   Country music superstar Alan Jackson received yet another honor last night as he was inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame as a 2011 Songwriter/Artist inductee at the 41st Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction ceremony.
 
Jackson was officially inducted by Capitol Records Nashville President and CEO and long-time friend Mike Dungan.  Afterwards he addressed the audience, “Denise and I packed up a U-haul and moved to Nashville and I didn't know a publisher from a producer. I was stupid enough not to be scared. I have written songs about the ups and downs of married life, songs for the working man, a song about when my daddy died, when my first child left home - I just write whatever I feel.  I never wrote a song to get a Grammy or Country Music Award.   All of these things are just life and that is what country music has always been to me.”
 
Taylor Swift and The Wrights paid tribute to Jackson’s songwriting during the event, held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. Swift performed “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” and The Wrights offered a medley of the hits “Good Time,” “Remember When,” “Chattahoochee,” “Don’t Rock The Jukebox” and “Here In The Real World.”
 
Jackson is one of today’s most prolific songwriters – his straightforward, honest and sincere lyrics reflect the essence of country music and speak to the common man.  He has written/co-written 24 of his 35 #1 hit singles. This places him second only to Merle Haggard in country music history as artists who have written or co-written #1 songs they have also recorded. Jackson is in the elite company of Paul McCartney and John Lennon among songwriters who’ve written more than 20 songs that they’ve recorded and taken to the top of the charts.
 
Jackson’s songs are distinguished by straightforward, honest and back-to-basics Country sincerity.  Included in his 24 number-one songs for himself are “Remember When,” “Good Time,” “Drive (For Daddy Gene),” “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” “Where I Come From” and the career highlights “Chattahoochee” and “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning).” “Chattahoochee” won a CMA Song of the Year award.  “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” won Song of the Year honors from the CMA, the ACM and the Grammys.  He was ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 1993, 1994 and 1998; Jackson was ASCAP’s Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2008 and 2009; and in 2010 he was honored with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award.  Jackson was NSAI’s Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 1991, 1992, 2002, 2007 and 2008.  In addition, he has penned  or co-written hits for other artists, notably the #1 songs “A Better Class Of Losers” (Randy Travis) and “If I Could Make A Living” (Clay Walker). 
 
The Georgia native is a three-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and a member of the Grand Ole Opry – in fact, he’s one of the most-honored singer-songwriters of the last 20 years, with a total of two Grammys, 16 CMA Awards and 17 ACM Awards to his credit. Jackson’s songs span 13 studio albums, three hits collections, two holiday albums and a critically-acclaimed gospel album with combined global sales of nearly 60-million. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2001. One of country music’s most-prolific songwriters, Jackson’s latest hit is “Long Way to Go,” the first single from his forthcoming debut album on EMI Records Nashville and his own ACR (Alan’s Country Records) venture. Recent credits also include “You’d Be Lonesome, Too,” from the new Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams project, spearheaded by Bob Dylan. Jackson completed the song based on origina l unfinished lyrics by the legend.
 
GRAMMY WINNING TRIO LADY ANTEBELLUM
ANNOUNCES THE 2ND LEG OF
OWN THE NIGHT 2012 WORLD TOUR
 
 
Tour Rolls Into 2012 Beginning Jan. 27 In Tulsa, OK

Nashville, TN – Oct. 17, 2011 – Reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum announced today the second leg of their OWN THE NIGHT 2012 WORLD TOUR. The arena tour kicks off Jan. 27 in Tulsa, OK with Darius Rucker and special guest Thompson Square and runs through June. Fans can purchase tickets to the first dates on sale beginning Oct. 28. For more ticket information visit www.ladyantebellum.com.

"This is the tour we've always dreamed of putting together," says Charles Kelley. "We got to help design the stage and really collaborate on new production ideas, and now we're just really trying to hone in on the perfect set list to give the fans a cool mix of hits and some of their favorite songs from the new record.  Plus, we've been working on some really intimate moments for our show, where we can really break things down and be close to the crowd.  I can't wait for the next nine months!"

OWN THE NIGHT 2012 WORLD TOUR DATES 
1/27         Tulsa, OK
1/28         Des Moines, IA
1/29         Bloomington, IL
2/3           Huntington, WV
2/4           State College, PA
2/14         Salt Lake City, UT
2/15         Denver, CO
2/18         Dallas, TX
2/22         Nashville, TN
2/25         Detroit, MI
2/26         Evansville, IN
3/2           Bossier City, LA
3/3           Lafayette, LA
3/9           Chicago, IL
3/10         Omaha, NE
3/11         Minneapolis, MN
3/14         Saskatoon, SK
3/16         Calgary, AB
3/17         Edmonton, AB
3/19         Vancouver, BC
3/20         Seattle, WA
3/21         Eugene, OR
3/23         San Jose, CA
3/24         San Diego, CA
3/27         Los Angeles, CA
3/28         Fresno, CA
3/29         Sacramento, CA
4/5           Moline, IL
4/6           Kansas City, MO
4/7           Norman, OK
5/3           New York, NY
5/5           Worcester, MA
5/6           Hershey, PA
5/9           Birmingham, AL
5/10         Jacksonville, FL
5/11         Tampa, FL
5/12         West Palm Beach, FL
5/18         Hartford, CT
5/19         Philadelphia, PA
5/20         Columbia, MD
5/22         Augusta, GA
5/31         Cleveland, OH
6/1           Pittsburgh, PA
6/2           Bethel, NY
6/3           Rochester, NY
6/8           Raleigh, NC
6/9           Charlotte, NC
6/10         Virginia Beach, VA
6/14         Montreal, QC
6/15         Ottawa, ON
6/16         Toronto, ON
6/21         St. Louis, MO
6/22         Atlanta, GA
6/24         Cincinnati, OH
6/27         Little Rock, AR
6/28         Memphis, TN
6/29         Indianapolis, IN

Lady A’s record breaking third disc OWN THE NIGHT debuted at the No. one position on Billboard’s Top 200 chart last month, becoming the biggest first week debut by a country artist this year. Its current hit “We Owned The Night” is the album’s second single and follows their fifth career No. one hit “Just A Kiss.” The trio’s previous two albums have sold over five million copies across the globe, spawned four No. one hits, scored six GRAMMYs and over a dozen other award show trophies. The group is currently nominated for Vocal Group of the Year for the 45th Annual CMA Awards, Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group for the 2011 American Music Awards and will be honored as one CMT’s five Artists of the Year in December. They will kick off the first leg of their OWN THE NIGHT 2011 TOUR on Nov. 11 in Knoxville, TN. 

Darius Rucker has again topped the charts with the release of his sophomore country album, Charleston, SC 1966, on Capitol Records Nashville. Since it’s October 2010 debut, Charleston, SC 1966 has garnered two No. one hits with “Come Back Song” and “This.” The third single, “I Got Nothin’,” is on country radio now and working its way up the charts. His chart-topping 2008 debut release, Learn To Live produced three consecutive No. one singles and Top Five smash, “History In The Making.” In addition to country music, Darius offers much of his time to charitable efforts benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation, and many others. 

One of Country music’s biggest breakout acts of 2011, Stoney Creek Records’ Thompson Square, has earned 12 major awards show nominations in 2011. The husband-and-wife's infectious hit single, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” reached the coveted No. one spot on both Country radio charts and has sold 1.5 million downloads to-date. The single is also the most played song of the year on Country radio (Mediabase). Thompson Square's current single, "I Got You," is cresting Top 10 on both the Billboard and Mediabase Country radio charts and is a No. one hit on the Music Row chart
Lady Antebellum Teases 2012 Dates

Posted on Tuesday October 18, 2011 at 11:01 AM Add |
The reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year announces dates and cities, but is silent when it comes to venues.
But it is a very busy schedule with the routing showing Lady Antebellum playing arenas through the end of June. The newly released itinerary has the second leg of the “Own The Night 2012 World Tour” beginning in Tulsa Jan. 27 and wrapping in Indianapolis June 29. Cities along the way include Des Moines (Jan. 28); Salt Lake City (Feb. 14); Nashville (Feb. 22); Chicago (March 9); Seattle (March 20); San Jose (March 23); Kansas City (April 6); New York City (May 3); Philadelphia (May 19) and Atlanta (June 22).
There are also a few stops in Canada such as Saskatoon (March 14); Calgary (March 16); Edmonton (March 17); Vancouver (March 19); Montreal (June 14); Ottawa (June 15) and Toronto (June 16).
Darius Rucker and special guest Thompson Square appear on all dates.
“This is the tour we’ve always dreamed of putting together,” Lady A’s Charles Kelley said in a statement. “We got to help design the stage and really collaborate on new production ideas, and now we’re just really trying to hone in on the perfect set list to give fans a cool mix of hits and some of their favorite songs from the new record. Plus, we’ve been working on some really intimate moments for our show, where we can really break things down and be close to the crowd. I can’t wait for the next nine months!”
Ticket sales begin Oct. 28. Visit LadyAntebellum.com for more information.

Monday, October 17, 2011



Bonerama
Thursday, December 1st
Doors 7pm Show 8:30pm
$20 Flat  Over 18 Only

Even in a city that doesn’t play by the rules, New Orleans’ Bonerama is something different. They can evoke vintage funk, classic rock and free improvisation in the same set; maybe even the same song. Bonerama has been repeatedly recognized by Rolling Stone, hailed as “the ultimate in brass balls” (2005) and praised for their “…crushing ensemble riffing, human-feedback shrieks and wah-wah growls” (2007). Bonerama carries the brass-band concept to places unknown; what other brass band could snag an honor for “Best Rock Band” (Big Easy Awards 2007)? As cofounder Mark Mullins puts it, “We thought we could expand what a New Orleans brass band could do. Bands like Dirty Dozen started the “anything goes” concept, bringing in the guitars and the drum kit and using the sousaphone like a bass guitar. We thought we could push things a little further.”


Dax Riggs
Wednesday, November 30th
Doors 7pm Show 8pm
$12 Flat  All Ages

Louisiana’s own dark star and Orpheus of the underground, Dax Riggs – the fool in your tarot deck – trippin’ over his own tombstone, reaching into the atmosphere and pulling spirits from the air. An alchemy of all roots music, doom metal and glam-punk poetry.  It sounds like voodoo, feels like redemption and puts off heat like a burning oil rig. In the service of tears and the ghost of all sorrows…say goodnight to the world.

Phillipalooza
A Concert to Fight Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Saturday, December 3rd
Doors 6pm Show 6pm
$10 Flat  Over 18 Only
*Tickets available at www.phillipalooza.com

Phillip-A-Looza is an annual concert developed as a third party event to raise money for the ALS Association- St. Louis Regional Chapter to help fight Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the St. Louis Metro Area. We are committed to producing an exciting and diverse concert event featuring local and national live music acts to provide attendees with fantastic concert experience while raising money for patient and family support to help fight ALS.

Old Rock House
1200 S. 7th St.
St. Louis, MO 63104


www.oldrockhouse.com
www.facebook.com/oldrockhouse
www.twitter.com/oldrockhousestl








Justin Bieber's UNDER THE MISTLETOE, His First Christmas Album, Set For November 1st Release on RBMG/Island Def Jam Music Group

MARIAH CAREY & JUSTIN BIEBER - TWO OF MUSIC'S BIGGEST SUPERSTARS - COME TOGETHER FOR A ONCE IN A LIFETIME DUET OF MARIAH'S #1 ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU"

ICON AND MENTOR USHER, FEATURED ON "THE CHRISTMAS SONG"

ADDITIONAL GUEST APPEARANCES INCLUDE BOYZ II MEN, BUSTA RHYMES AND THE BAND PERRY

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Global phenomenon Justin Bieber begins his third year on the world stage with the November 1st release of his first Christmas album UNDER THE MISTLETOE . The album is a seasonal mix of traditional Christmas standards and newly penned holiday music largely co-written by Justin Bieber. UNDER THE MISTLETOE will be available both as a standard and as a deluxe CD + DVD edition. The deluxe CD edition includes 25 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage plus the video for "Pray," along with four additional holiday songs. UNDER THE MISTLETOE 's first single "Mistletoe" will be launched worldwide on October 18th and the accompanying video was shot last week in Franklin, Tennessee by Roman White, who also directed Justin's "One Less Lonely Girl" video.

"Mistletoe" was written and produced by the hit making Canadian duo known as The Messengers (Nasri and Adam Messinger).  The Messengers first wrote and produced Justin's chart-dominating hit of early 2011, "Never Say Never," title track off his hit concert film, Never Say Never. In addition to "Mistletoe," the Messengers wrote and produced the songs "Christmas Love" and "Home For Christmas" (featuring The Band Perry). The album   UNDER THE MISTLETOE was Produced by Kuk Harrell.
In just two short years Justin Bieber has accumulated over 13 million Twitter followers, 36 million Facebook friends and 2.2 billion combined views on YouTube and VEVO. UNDER THE MISTLETOE is 17 year old Justin's fifth release since he first arrived on Island Records/RBMG in November 2009 with My World .   My World contained his worldwide debut hit, "One Time," the follow-up "One Less Lonely Girl," and two more chart hits, "Love Me" and "Favorite Girl."  With that, Justin became the first solo artist in history to send four songs from a debut album into the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 prior to the album's release. To date, Justin has amassed more than 11 million in worldwide CD sales.
UNDER THE MISTLETOE
1.  Only Thing I Ever Get For Christmas
2.  Mistletoe
3.  The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) feat. Usher
4.  Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
5.  Fa La La  feat. Boyz II Men
6.  Christmas Love
7.  All I Want For Christmas Is You Duet Mariah Carey
8.  Drummer Boy feat. Busta Rhymes
9.  All I Want Is You
*10. Fa La La (acapella) feat. Boyz II Men
11. Christmas Eve
12. Home This Christmas feat. The Band Perry
*13. Silent Night
*14. Pray
*15. Someday At Christmas

* Denotes Songs on Deluxe Edition Only
www.youtube.com/justinbieber
SOURCE The Island Def Jam Music Group

Judas Priest Celebrate Stellar Metal Career With Two Compilations and Upcoming North American Epitaph Tour

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Judas Priest's contribution to the world of heavy metal can never be understated, as there are few metal bands that appeared in their wake that can match the group for their influence on the genre, and the amount of classic albums and anthems they created. And soon, fans will be able to re-experience Judas Priest's all-time classic recordings with two compilations.
On October 18th, fans will have 20 discs of Priest to sink their teeth into, when 'Single Cuts' arrives. The box set presents all of the group's UK 7" and 12" A and B sides from 1977 through 1992 (a total of 51 tracks), and each single will be featured as a vinyl-replica disc, and housed in a wallet featuring the original artwork. Additionally, the set will feature track-by-track notes by Kerrang! founder Geoff Barton, as well as rarely seen photos.
'Single Cuts' will be made available as a limited edition set, and pre-orders are now being taken via judaspriest.com, or via this direct link:  www.myplaydirect.com/judas-priest
And for those metal-heads who are looking for a stellar single disc of Priest classics, 'The Chosen Few' will certainly fit the bill. Released a week earlier than 'Single Cuts,' 'The Chosen Few' is comprised of 17 Priest classics, chosen by some of the biggest names of the hard rock/heavy metal community (including Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield, Slash, and Alice Cooper, among countless others). The result is a release that manages to include the obvious choices ("Breaking the Law," "Living After Midnight," "You've Got Another Thing Coming," etc.) with the less-than-obvious, but just as rocking ("Dissident Aggressor," "Rapid Fire," "Turbo Lover," etc.).
And last but not least, U.S. fans will soon be able to experience these Priest classics one last time on a nearby concert stage, as the group will be launching their Epitaph Tour on October 12th, in San Antonio, TX.
As Priest's vocalist, Rob Halford, recently told Rolling Stone about the upcoming dates, "We're pulling out all the stops. We've built a brand new stage set, we've got all the effects that people love us for – the lasers, the fire, the bombs, the smoke, new costumes, and the bike. It's just a full-on metal extravaganza."
'SINGLE CUTS' TRACKLISTING
1977
Diamonds and Rust
Dissident Aggressor
1978
Better By You, Better Than Me
Invader
1978
Evening Star
Starbreaker
1978
Before The Dawn
Rock Forever
1979
Take On The World
White Heat Red Hot (Live)
Starbreaker (Live)
1979
Evening Star
Beyond The Realms Of Death (Live)
The Green Manalishi (Live)
1980
Living After Midnight
Delivering The Goods (Live)
Evil Fantasies (Live)
1980
Breaking The Law
Metal Gods
1980
United
Grinder
1981
Don't Go
Solar Angels
1981
Hot Rockin'
Breaking The Law (Live)
Living After Midnight (Live)
1982
You've Got Another Thing Coming
Exciter (Live)
1982
(Take These) Chains
Judas Priest Audio File (Biography)
1984
Freewheel Burning
Breaking The Law (Live)
You've Got Another Thing Coming
1984
Some Heads Are Gonna Roll
Jawbreaker
The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown) (Live)
1986
Turbo Lover
Hot For Love
1986
Locked In
Reckless
Desert Plains (Live)
Freewheel Burning (Live)
1990
Painkiller
United
Better By You, Better Than Me
1991
A Touch Of Evil
Between The Hammer And The Anvil
You've Got Another Thing Coming (Live)
1992
Night Crawler
Breaking The Law (Live)
Living After Midnight (Live)
'THE CHOSEN FEW' TRACK LISTING:
1) Diamonds And Rust (1977) - chosen by Joe Elliott (Def Leppard)
2) Dissident Aggressor (1977) - chosen by Steve Vai
3) Exciter (1978) - chosen by Accept
4) Beyond The Realms Of Death (1978) - chosen by Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
5) Delivering The Goods (1979) - chosen by Kerry King (Slayer)
6) The Green Manalishi (with the Two-Pronged Crown) (1979) - chosen by David Coverdale (Whitesnake) & Randy Blythe (Lamb of God)
7) The Ripper (1979) - chosen by Ozzy Osbourne
8) Victim Of Changes (1979) - chosen by James Hetfield (Metallica)
9) Breaking The Law (1980) - chosen by Lemmy (Motorhead)
10) Rapid Fire (1980) - chosen by Vinnie Paul (Pantera & Hell Yeah)
11) Grinder (1980) - chosen by Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society)
12) Living After Midnight (1980) - chosen by Alice Cooper & Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
13) Screaming For Vengeance (1982) - chosen by Slash (Guns n Roses)
14) You've Got Another Thing Coming (1982) - chosen by Klaus Meine (Scorpions) & Corey Taylor (Slipknot)
15) The Sentinel (1984) - chosen by Chris Jericho
16) Turbo Lover (1986) - chosen by Jonathan Davis (Korn)
17) Painkiller (1990) - chosen by Joe Satriani
CONFIRMED NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:
12 October
AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
14 October
Concrete Street Amphitheater, Corpus Christi, TX
15 October
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX
16 October
Allen Event Center, Dallas, TX
18 October
Ava Amphitheater, Tucson, AZ
19 October
Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA
21 October
AZ State Fair, Phoenix, AZ
22 October
San Manuel Amphitheater, San Bernardino, CA
(THE ONLY LOS ANGELES SHOW OF THE TOUR!)
23 October
Hard Rock, Las Vegas, NV
27 October
Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord, CA
29 October
WaMu Theater, Seattle, WA
30 October
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC


1 November
  Shaw Conference Center, Edmonton, AB
2 November
  Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
4 November
  Maverik Center, Salt Lake City, UT
5 November
  1STBANK Center, Denver, CO
8 November
  US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH
9 November
  Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, IL
10 November
 The Family Arena, St. Louis, MO
12 November
 The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, Chicago, IL
13 November
 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI
15 November
 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
16 November
 The Armory, Rochester, NY
18 November
 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
19 November
 Cambria County War Memorial, Johnstown, PA
20 November
 Paul E. Tsongas Arena, Lowell, MA
22 November
 Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
23 November
 Colisee Pepsi Arena, Quebec City, QC
24 November
 Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
26 November
 Sovereign Center Arena, Reading, PA
27 November
 Lawrence Joel Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC
30 November
 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa


1 December
  Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, Miami
3 December
  Hard Rock Biloxi Hotel & Casino, Biloxi


FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:
www.judaspriest.com
SOURCE Legacy Recordings

Lady Gaga to Release Blu-Ray/DVD From The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden With Exclusive Never-Before-Seen Footage on November 21st

Special Collector's Edition Package will Include Born This Way 17-track and The Remix Albums as well as a Blu-Ray & DVD from The Monster Ball tour at Madison Square Garden

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning artist Lady Gaga will release a Blu-Ray & DVD copy of the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award winning HBO special  Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden  that includes exclusive, never before seen footage. Also being released is the album  Born This Way   The Remix  – a 14 track collection of remixes by some of today's most prominent artists, DJs and producers, including Foster the People, Michael Woods and The Weekend. The new products are also available in a special package called Born This Way, The Collection, that will include the multi-platinum 17-track record  Born This Way , the brand new  Born This Way   The Remix  album and the Monster Ball Tour DVD. All items are available beginning November 21st, the same day that the much anticipated  Lady Gaga x Terry Richardson  book will be released from Grand Central Publishing.
Lady Gaga's third studio album,  Born This Way , broke the iTunes record for the fastest rise to the # 1 on release day. The singles from the album, including "Born This Way," "Judas," "The Edge of Glory" and "You and I" have sold a combined total of more than 7 million copies in the US alone. The first single from the album, the title track "Born This Way," set a music industry record by becoming the fastest single in history to reach sales of 1,000,000 copies (five days after its February 11th release). Only the 19th single to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (issue date February 26, 2011), the recording was Lady Gaga's third #1 on the chart. On iTunes, the song debuted at the top spot in 14 countries, including the U.S., and hit #1 in all 23 iTunes stores worldwide its first week out. The singles from the album, including "Born This Way", "Judas", "The Edge of Glory" & "You & I" have sold a combined total of more than 6 million copies in the US alone.
In less than three years, Lady Gaga has earned numerous achievements including five Grammy Awards amongst twelve nominations, two Guinness World Records and the estimated sale of 23 million albums and 64 million singles worldwide. Billboard named her both the "2010 Artist of the Year" and the top selling artist of 2010 ranking her as the 73rd Artist of the 2000's decade. Gaga has been included in Time's annual "The 2010 Time 100" list of the most influential people in the world as well as Forbes' list of the "The World's Most Powerful Celebrities" in the world. Forbes also placed her at number seven on their annual list of the world's "100 Most Powerful Women." With over 1.9 billion combined views of all her videos online, Lady Gaga is one of the biggest living people on Facebook with over 44 million 'likes' and is #1 on Twitter with over 14 million followers. Lady Gaga is the only artist in the digital era to top the 5 million sales mark with her first two hits.
SOURCE Interscope Records
NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Hunter Hayes
By Bob Doerschuk
© 2011 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

At only 20 years old, Hunter Hayes has already picked up an impressive amount of experience as a performer and writer. Born in Breaux Bridge, La., he was immersed in music by age 2, when he began replicating songs on a toy accordion his grandmother gave him as a birthday present. Hayes was just 4 years old when he joined the house band at a nearby Cajun restaurant as an accordionist; a year later, he was fronting the group as its lead singer. Also at age 4, he sang “Jambalaya” with Hank Williams Jr., a performance that has since been viewed 15 million times on YouTube. Then, at 6, he went through triple rites of passage as he appeared in the film “The Apostle,” began playing the guitar the film’s star Robert Duvall had given him and wrote his first song.
Fourteen years of stage seasoning followed. Empowered by lessons learned in the spotlight, Hayes moved to Nashville in 2009. Advancing quickly, he signed with Universal Music Publishing Group and with Atlantic Records, who will release his self-titled debut album on Oct. 11, 2001.
The 12 tracks on Hunter Hayes, co-produced by Hayes and Dann Huff, are a tour de force even by recording veteran standards. Not only did Hayes co-write 11 songs and write the 12th by himself, he also played every instrument on the record — more than 30 to count. Hayes’ diverse influences permeate the album. A hint of Stevie Wonder is evident in his artfully soulful vocals on several tracks. Blues riffs reminiscent of John Mayer find themselves on a number of tracks from his debut single, “Storm Warning,” written by Hayes, busbee and Gordie Sampson, to the love ballad “Wanted” (Hayes and Troy Verges). Yet the overall feel is Country all the way, with a mix of drama and down-home that marks Hayes as a unique stylist.
In His Own Words
SONG YOU’D LOVE TO COVER“‘Another Way to Die,’ the James Bond theme by Jack White and Alicia Keys."
SONG YOU WISH YOU’D WRITTEN“‘Heartbreak Warfare,’ by John Mayer.”
LUCKY CHARM“My necklace with a cross and dog tag.”
FAVORITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION“I could spend years on a bus just fine.”
TITLE OF YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHYFor the Love of Music.”
On the Web: www.HunterHayes.com
Big & Rich Rock the 'Footloose' Soundtrack
By Kip Kirby
© 2011 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

How do you remake an iconic movie with a classic soundtrack that’s still timeless 27 years later? If you’re Paramount Pictures and the movie is Footloose, the answer is — very carefully. Three years in the making, with multiple cast changes, the film seemed at one point destined to be one of those “great ideas in the works” projects that never materialized.
But patience on the part of those connected with the movie prevailed, and the result is a film heavily laced with music that borrows from the old while showcasing the new. The 1984 pop/rock soundtrack was replete with radio smashes that even today still get airplay. Original Footloose tracks including “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” “Almost Paradise,” “Holding Out for a Hero” and of course the title cut remain instantly identifiable and linked to the careers of the artists who sang them. So obviously it was crucial to the success of the remake to cast the songs smartly and give them a fresh start while still paying homage to the originals. And with the new Footloose set in the South (Georgia), the movie presented a perfect opportunity to showcase Country acts.
Grammy-winning producer Randy Spendlove, President of Motion Picture Music, Paramount Pictures, has been integrally involved with Footloose from the outset. He believes its soundtrack will boost some already-established careers — Big & Rich, Cee Lo Green, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band — at the same time that it showcases newer artists including Whitney Duncan, Hunter Hayes and Jana Kramer. Paramount joined forces with Atlantic Records in New York and Warner Music in Nashville to coordinate a vigorous marketing campaign centered on Country radio and Country dance clubs across the U.S. Spendlove couldn’t be more pleased with the final product.
“The music is the backdrop of the entire movie, and a featured backdrop too,” he said. “It’s a movie about what it’s like to grow up in the South and be able to be free and have your time. It’s a real celebration of music and dance in a coming-of-age story. The marketing method will be the movie itself, with the music a huge part of it.”
“When I started working with this film,” he continued, “one of the first things I did was to contact Anastasia Brown (head of Format Entertainment’s Nashville office) and asked her to set me up with a dozen or two up-and-coming artists. I came to Nashville and met with about 20 young artists. Most of them weren’t even signed at the time. I just didn’t want it to be about some guy from L.A. coming in to take all these meetings and then nothing ever comes of it. I’m really proud of the fact that three of the artists from those initial meetings have ended up in the movie. We’ve got some newer artists sitting alongside acts such as Blake Shelton and Cee Lo in the movie and on the soundtrack.”
Shelton got the nod to sing the iconic Footloose anthem, but it was Warner Music Nashville colleagues Big & Rich (John Rich and Big Kenny) who won the honor of releasing the soundtrack’s first single and video, “Fake ID.” Rich co-wrote “Fake ID” several years ago with L.A. hit songwriter John Shanks, thinking it might work for one of Big & Rich’s projects. Rich’s demo of the song caught the attention of Spendlove and Footloose director Craig Brewer, himself a major Big & Rich fan, even before filming began. The more they listened, the more they felt the song deserved a key spot in the film.
“Craig loved the demo with John’s voice and thought the beat and melody worked perfectly for the big Country line dancing scene,” recalled Warner Music Nashville President and CEO John Esposito. “But he felt it would be enhanced even more if we could get it to be a Big & Rich song. So John and Kenny went back in and redid the song with Gretchen Wilson singing harmony.”
“Fake ID” ended up becoming the music cue for the pivotal dance club scene in the film. Big & Rich’s video was shot to resemble the movie scene as closely as possible. As luck would have it, “Fake ID,” the first new music from Big & Rich in more than three years, tied in perfectly and helped add momentum to their summer tour, "Xtreme Muzik: The Tour."
Rich recalled being curious once he and Big Kenny decided to do the tour. “We were wondering, were the fans still there? Was anybody gonna show up? But all the shows were either sold out or almost sold out. It’s great to feel yourself running out of breath because you’re jumping up and down on the stage so much, and you get to the bus and your clothes are wringing with sweat, and your ears are ringing because the crowd was so loud and you’re so pumped.”
When the original Footloose came out in 1984, the singer was only 10 years old, but like so many people he’s an admittedly ardent fan of the film. “It’s definitely a ‘bus movie,’” he said. “It’s one of the movies you always keep on the bus so you can watch it any time.” He also thinks that the new version completely lives up to its legendary namesake. “If you can improve on a classic — if it’s possible — I think they’ve done it. People are going to be blown away.”
Was having a song on the silver screen always atop Rich’s constantly evolving bucket list? (And has he started thinking about an Oscars acceptance speech?) “No — and no!” Rich insisted, with a laugh. “But I love movies. I’ve never had a song in a movie, so to be able to go sit and watch and then all of a sudden there’s your song, and all your friends are elbowing you and going ‘There it is! There it is!’ and you hear your voice in the background, sure, it’s exciting. It doesn’t rank up there with ‘Hey, I’d like to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry,’ but it is exciting for sure. It gives you a sense that you’re a little piece of pop culture, so it’s really cool.”
Rich relishes his artistic freedom and his ability to experiment freely in new avenues. He sees it as a safeguard against potential career boredom and burnout. He’s also quick to defend his creative multitasking, insisting that prioritizing projects isn’t a problem for him. “I never set out to be a record producer or a TV personality or anything like that,” he explained. “But all the different parts of what I do — whether it be writing a song, recording, performing, producing, finding someone else and developing them — to me, it’s all one thing because it’s all Country Music. People ask me all the time, ‘How do you do all those things at once?’ Well, I don’t do them all at once. I kind of do them in a circle. It’s like a washing machine that figures out how to keep itself balanced. If I ever do too much of any one thing, I feel out of balance.”
So what advice can those associated with the new Footloose offer to other artists and songwriters wishing to expand their own musical horizons into film? They all say there are no hard and fast rules, no guaranteed playbook for success to follow. They insist it comes down to timing, being in the right place at the right time, and staying true to who you are musically.
“Big & Rich were game changers from the minute they launched their career seven years ago,” stated Esposito. “They brought a new spirit to the format. They’ve both made solo records, but there’s something magic about those two voices together, and there’s nothing like a Big & Rich show in terms of colorfulness and entertainment value. You can see it in the ‘Fake ID’ video. I think they help round out our Country format with something nobody else has done or I think could do.”
“John Rich is very selective in the things he wants to be involved with, but once he’s involved, he gives 110 percent,” observed Peter Strickland, Senior VP of Brand Management and Sales, Warner Music Nashville. “He’s one of the most creative and nonstop hard working artists I’ve ever seen. His career is very well rounded.”
Rich goes a step further. “I would say to anyone reading this, keep mastering each level one step at a time. When you find yourself at the next step, challenge yourself to keep going. I never said to myself, ‘Someday I’m gonna be on TV and movies and radio and touring and producing and writing hit songs and running a publishing company.’ There was no way I would ever have even thought that. It’s my reality now, but I think it’s because it happened to me one step at a time and I was open to failure along the way as a part of the process. When I failed at something, I went back to the woodshed and figured out how to not fail at that again.”
He paused before adding, “No matter what, you can’t lose sight of why you’re doing what you do. For me, playing music is where everything else came from. As big as it’s gotten now for me, it wouldn’t have happened at all without a guitar, a microphone and a honky-tonk.”
On the Web: www.BigAndRich.com, www.JohnRich.com, www.FootlooseMovie.com