Danielle Bradbery Joins Big Machine Label Group

Join us in congratulating Danielle Bradbery, winner of Season 4 of NBC's The Voice! We're excited to welcome Danielle to the Big Machine Records family.

Read more about Danielle's win at People.com

LITTLE RIVER BAND SET TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
CUTS LIKE A DIAMOND ON AUGUST 27TH

New Single “The Lost and the Lonely” set for release on July 8th

Nashville, TN (June 24, 2013) – Legendary hit-makers LITTLE RIVER BAND are gearing up for their latest album release of AOR masters Cuts Like A Diamond for Frontiers Records on August 24th in Europe and August 27th in North America.   The group will be releasing a digital only single “The Lost and the Lonely,” on July 8th. Formed originally in Melbourne, Australia in 1975, LITTLE RIVER BAND started enjoying their success in their home country before becoming radio staples in the United States with good songwriting, powerful vocals, and guitar harmonies. They immediately claimed their place as one of the great vocal bands of the ‘70s…and the ‘80s. Lead singer and bassist Wayne Nelson says “The songs that appear on the album were either written by the band, or submitted to us by other songwriters from the US and Europe. We worked closely with label President/A&R Manager, Serafino Perugino, to choose songs that reflect the style and heart of LRB in it’s 38th year. That process took a little more time than usual, but the end result was well worth the effort. Once chosen, we tailored all the songs into the traditional LITTLE RIVER BAND mold...smooth AOR arrangements with lots of vocals and guitar harmonies. Picking a single for radio with all these good songs to choose from will be difficult…in a good way!” Through the years LRB has thrived as a highly respected and constantly in-demand outfit, going about their craft with a dedication to excellence and professionalism that few, if any, can match.  The Little River Band nowadays is stronger than ever: there is a new element of youthfulness and vitality, anchored by leader and consummate lead vocalist / bass guitarist Wayne Nelson, who began his LRB career in 1980. Other current LRB members include Rich Herring and Greg Hind on guitars, Chris Marion on keyboards and Ryan Ricks on drums. LITTLE RIVER BAND is considered to be one of Australia's most significant bands selling more than 30 million albums worldwide.  LRB also set a record for having Top 10 hits in six consecutive years…the first band to achieve that mark. According to BMI, their smash song “Reminiscing” has garnered status with over 5 million airplays while another hit “Lady” is close behind with over 4 million airplays.  In 2004, LITTLE RIVER BAND was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame. LITTLE LIVER BAND’S new album Cuts Like a Diamond includes the following tracks : The Lost And The Lonely Forever You Forever Me Cuts Like A Diamond You Dream I'll Drive I'm An Island Way Too Good What If You're Wrong Where Do I Run Someone Who Speaks For Me Love Is A sampling of new musuc can be heard following the link below: http://youtu.be/m8nWmopsb2M UPCOMING TOUR DATES June 22 - Fort Wayne, IN June 27 - Orlando, FL June 29 - Pheonix City, AL July 3 - El Cajon, CA July 4 - Beaumont, CA July 5 - Junction City, KS July 6 - Hays, KS July 7 - Littleton, CO July 11 - Oshkosh, WI July 12 - Watseka, IL July 14 - Allentown, NJ July 20 - American Fork, UT July  26 - Streetsboro, OH August 9 - Baldwinsville, NY August 10 - Malone, NY August 11 - Montreal, QC August 24 - Mankato MN August 30 - Kettering, OH September 21 - St Peters, MO September 27 - Irmo, SC September  28 - Benton Harbor, MI October 3 - Easton, PA October 4 - High Point, NC October 5 - Powder Springs, GA October 11 - Canyonville, OR October 13 - Ferndale, WA October 17 - Augusta, GA October 18 - Boonville, MO October 19 - Ottawa, KS November 8 - Ocala, FL November 9 - Jensen Beach, FL November 15 - Medina, MN November 16 - Kansas City, MO December 31 - Tallahassee, FL Weblinks : www.frontiers.it   /  www.littleriverband.com

TIM MCGRAW RELEASES "SOUTHERN GIRL" AS NEW SINGLE FROM TWO LANES OF FREEDOM

Two Lanes of Freedom 2013 Tour Grabs a New Gear Leaving Sold Out Amphitheatres In Rearview Mirror


Single Cover Courtesy of Big Machine Records
 

Nashville, TN  -- Country superstar Tim McGraw's "Southern Girl" is being released to radio today as the fourth single from his Big Machine Records debut, TWO LANES OF FREEDOM.   The "seductively melodic" (Pittsburgh Post Gazette) track has had an infectious reaction from fans on the TWO LANES OF FREEDOM 2013 Tour, which continues to sell out venues coast to coast.

"At the beginning of the tour, we threw a lot of new songs into the set list, and that's always a risky thing when an album is so brand new," said McGraw.  "It didn’t take a whole weekend out there before the girls were shouting at us to play 'Southern Girl.'  The song has a really cool groove to it that just gets everyone moving and sets the right tone for a perfect summer night."

McGraw has hit a new top speed on the TWO LANES OF FREEDOM 2013 Tour that has capacity crowds topping out at more than 21,000 fans a night, while catching a renewed level of excitement from music critics.

"McGraw is approaching two decades since he broke big at mainstream country radio with 1994′s Not a Moment Too Soon. To maintain any career at the top for that long requires major stamina and showmanship. It requires a keen ear for timeless songs and for the kind of craftsmanship that accentuates the positives and compensates for the negatives. McGraw has held his own amidst a slew of male hatted and not-hatted country singers since his ascent. Some have burned bright and then flamed out. But he’s still here."  Dallas Morning News

"The man sweats star power and has an effortless, sexy swagger that make it hard to believe he's a mere mortal, yet he performs with humility, smiling at the response from the crowd as if he's genuinely surprised they like him." Tampa Tribune

"With substance vastly overpowering flash, the country legend was in top form Friday night at USANA Amphitheatre, unleashing a set of hits spanning 20 years."
Salt Lake Tribune

"electrifying stage presence" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"McGraw successfully set the party tone for the summer…" Buffalo News

"characteristically high-octane…" Billboard

McGraw's latest single comes on the heels of his 34th No. one hit and all-star collaboration, "Highway Don't Care" with Taylor Swift, featuring Keith Urban on guitar.   Since the release of his debut album in 1993, McGraw has sold over 40 million albums, won three GRAMMY’s, 15 ACM Awards, 12 CMA Awards and 10 AMA’s, while simultaneously maintaining a parallel career as a successful actor in such films as the Oscar nominated The Blind Side, Country Strong, and Friday Night Lights—as well as hosting Saturday Night Live, a rare honor for a singer in any genre.  Nielsen-BDS recently certified McGraw as the most-played Country artist of the past 20 years (1992-2012) with more than 10 million spins detected and Mediabase recognized him as the most-played Country artist in the history of their tracking service.  

The TWO LANES OF FREEDOM 2013 Tour continues on this weekend with stops in Hartford, CT (6/28); Boston, MA (6/29) and Holmdel, NJ (6/30).  

  

 

MACHINE HEAD ANNOUNCES NEW BASSIST

 

It is with great pride and excitement that Machine Head announce Jared MacEachern as their new bass player.  Jared has already begun rehearsals for the upcoming Rockstar Mayhem U.S. summer festival tour and will soon relocate from North Carolina to Northern California to begin pre-production for Machine Head's upcoming 8th studio release.

Some fans might remember MacEachern from 2007's The Black Tyranny Tour, playing with his previous band Sanctity.  Machine Head, challenged to find a fill-in bass player for the North American tour after an injury sidelined their then-4-stringer, also found themselves in need of someone to sing harmony with singer/guitarist Robb Flynn.  Flynn remembers, "We had locked in Brandon Sigmund of local boys Hostility to play bass on that tour, but we soon realized we'd need someone to hit the high harmonies.  Our A&R guy Monte Conner recommended Jared since he was already on the tour, and that ended up being a great call.  Jared flew out a few days before the tour and rehearsed with us and did great.  What was most impressive about the whole thing was that he was doing double duty - opening for Machine Head with his band at the time Sanctity, and then later singing with us.  He would stay sober until after our set, and often get in the van and drive all night.  His seriousness and dedication was awesome to see and it stuck with us".

Earlier this year, Machine Head conducted an extensive search for candidates through various channels, the most fruitful of which proved to be video submissions.  Sifting through more than 400 videos, the band personally reviewed and evaluated everyone's performances, including MacEachern, who made the short list without a second thought.  Lead guitarist Phil Demmel recalls, "There were dozens of amazing players, and it was interesting to watch each one take on our tunes.  One of our biggest criteria for this gig was to be able to sing the high harmonies.  That was our litmus test.  And Jared passed with flying colors."

After reviewing all of the submissions, the band narrowed down the 400+ candidates to a short list of 7, each of whom took a trip to Oakland to perform a handful of songs in person and spend the day hanging with the band.  Remembers Drummer Dave McClain, "Jared came in to the audition and just killed it!  Besides being able to nail the bass and vocal harmonies, he also had the vibe and personality to make it feel like we were a BAND again. It was a great feeling and we all knew he was the guy."

MacEachern first picked up concert bass at 12 and around the same time, discovered metal.  Jared recalls, "I heard the song 'Unforgiven' and really liked it.  The next day my friend gave me 'Kill 'Em All' and it was over.  I became completely enamored with all the metal bands of that time; Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Pantera, but when it came to bass, it was all about Cliff Burton, he was, and is my dude."  With a brief stint at the Brevard School for Music Performance, Jared has consistently played bass for the past 22 years, most notably in Sanctity, where oddly enough, the band needed a guitar player. "That was purely out of necessity" he explains, "I'd been a bass player, but that gig opened up and I gave it a shot on the 6-stringer."

After extensive global touring with Sanctity and the birth of his daughter in 2007, the band's release from their label ignited Jared's sense of responsibility and he quit the band to focus on her.  But music stayed a part of his life and he continued to jam locally throughout the south with death metal bands From A Dig and Telic, until he saw Machine Head were in need and thought he'd try out.

Frontman Robb Flynn reflects, "We really wanted a guy that was hungry for this, someone who could live and breathe this with us.  Dave would joke around that we didn't want to get someone too green that'd be like 'oh my god, is this a dressing room?!', but we also didn't want someone who was too jaded by the whole thing and 'been there done that'.  We thought the perfect guy would be someone who'd paid some dues, who had done 9 or 10 crummy van tours, and wasn't broken by that, but inspired to keep going and play music, and in many ways that was Jared.  I mean hell, the guy's only rode in a bus for two nights, one of which was with us!  It brings a really cool level of appreciation to the table, and it shows where his heart's at"

Jared enthuses, "I'm ready to get to work!  This tour is going to kick ass and the new tunes are heavy as shit! I'm SO looking forward to making good music with good dudes!"

LACLEDE’S LANDING IS ROCKIN’ INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND!

ST. LOUIS, MO (June 25, 2013) – Celebrate Independence Day on the St. Louis riverfront on Laclede’s Landing!  Budweiser’s Rockin’ on the Landing is July 4^th, 5^th and 6^th.  Three days packed with music, food and fun for the whole family on every corner. The Landing will be rockin’ to the music of Dirty Muggs, Scott Air Force Band, Super Jam, Rough Ryders, The Wandering Madman, and Genesis Jazz Project featuring Colleen Schoendienst! And the entire event is FREE!

The main stage located next to the Eads Bridge at 700 N. First Street will feature outdoor entertainment, as well as DJs on N. Second Street and outdoor karaoke, children’s activities and an assortment of vendors along Morgan Street occurs Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 11pm each day.

At 9:15 each night everything pauses so attendees can enjoy the spectacular Fair Saint Louis fireworks high above the Mississippi River.  Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.  The Landing is the home of more than a dozen bars and restaurants, which are perfect for a taking a break from the heat.

Rockin’ On The Landing is a prelude to the annual Labor Day weekend event, Big Muddy Blues Festival.  2013 tickets are now on-sale and the full line-up is available at bigmuddybluesfestival.com.

Rockin’ On The Landing is another annual entertainment event produced by Laclede’s Landing Merchants Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing St. Louis’ historic riverfront district through the promotion of music events and marketing of the area’s unique character and businesses. Rockin’ On The Landing is supported by Anheuser-Busch, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal and Chrysler.  For more information on this event, join Laclede’s Landing on Facebook or visit the district’s website at lacledeslanding.com. 

ELI YOUNG BAND STARTS OFF SUMMER WITH SIZZLING SALES MILESTONE & NEW SINGLE “DRUNK LAST NIGHT” – AVAILABLE TODAY ON iTUNES

 “Crazy Girl” Certified Double Platinum For Over Two Million Downloads Sold



Eli Young Band’s Mike Eli performs to packed arena during a stop in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, on Kenny Chesney’s NO SHOES NATIONS TOUR. Photo Credit: Corey Wernecke

Nashville, TN (June 25, 2013) – As temperatures begin to rise, so do emotions in Eli Young Band’s brand new single, “Drunk Last Night,” which is available today (6/25) on iTunes. The band has been previewing new music out on tour and if the fan reaction is any indication, another smash is on the way! The lead single from their second Republic Nashville album will officially impact Country radio on July 1.

“’Drunk Last Night’ starts the next chapter for EYB. We loved our last record and we are lucky enough to have a song from that reach double platinum. We set the bar high on these next set of songs, no pun intended, and we are thrilled to release our first single from those sessions ... the response has been huge out on the Kenny Chesney tour!” said Jon Jones, EYB bassist.

EYB’s LIFE AT BEST album has proven to be wildly successful, garnering both fan and industry recognition as well as a wave of critical acclaim and back-to-back #1 hits with “Crazy Girl” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” Now, the talented foursome is celebrating RIAA DOUBLE PLATINUM certification of “Crazy Girl” for over two million copies sold thanks fans like these: http://smarturl.it/EYBvid. “Crazy Girl” previously scored EYB their first ACM Award for Song Of the Year and was named the Billboard #1 Country Song of the Year.

The band has also received ACA, Billboard, CMA, CMT and Teen Choice Award nominations. Their second-consecutive #1 smash, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” garnered their first-ever GRAMMY nominations for both Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The PLATINUM-certified song, whose message parallels EYB’s journey, became their first-ever #1 in Canada and was featured on ABC’s “NASHVILLE” and The CW Network’s “HART OF DIXIE.”

In addition to their own headlining dates, EYB is on the road with Kenny Chesney for the NO SHOES NATION TOUR.  For tour dates and more, visit EliYoungBand.com.

Old Rock House welcomes Typhoon

Typhoon
Tuesday, September 17
Doors 7pm  Show 8pm
$10 Advance $12 Day of Show

All Ages

*on-sale Wed. 6/26 @ 5pm

Portland, Oregon’s Typhoon – one of the most talked about new bands – is proud to release new song “Dreams of Cannibalism” from their upcoming album White Lighter, for free download on The Wall Street Journal. Set for an August 20th release on Roll Call Records, White Lighter is the follow up to the band’s acclaimed EP A New Kind Of House that caught the attention of countless music critics and listeners for what NPR’s Bob Boilen calls “absolutely stunning” and “so beautiful, it makes me want to follow every single thing Typhoon does.”

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

 

 

Fitz and the Tantrums will be performing on Late Show with David Letterman tonight at 11:35/10:35c. On May 7, the band released their sophomore album,

More Than Just A Dream. They are currently on tour with Bruno Mars...Dates here.

The “MRS. CARTER SHOW WORLD TOUR”
STARRING
BEYONCÉ

Saturday, December 14th

Tickets on sale next Monday, July 1st at 10am
Tickets available at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center,
Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster Retail Outlets,
or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000
All dates, acts, and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. Tickets may be subject to fees.

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE’S GOLD-CERTIFIED DEBUT HERE’S TO THE GOOD TIMES CATAPULTS TO #1 ON BILLBOARD'S TOP COUNTRY ALBUMS CHART 

Breakout Duo’s Multi-Week #1 Debut “Cruise” Certified 4X Platinum

New Single “Round Here” Is Top 30-and-Rising At Country Radio


Photo Credit: Adam Taylor for Republic Nashville

Nashville, TN (June 21, 2013) – Florida Georgia Line is on fire this week with their debut album HERE’S TO THE GOOD TIMES topping Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart for the first time and moving up to the #5 spot on the Top 200 Chart. The feat catapults the breakout duo into an elite bracket as one of just three artists (Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party" in 2011 and Taylor Swift's self-titled in 2007) in the past six years, to reach the top after their initial chart debut. Named as “Country’s party album of the year” by USA Today, the Republic Nashville project increased an impressive 20% in sales this week and has already garnered GOLD certifications in both the U.S. and Canada.

The hot duo - comprised of Tyler Hubbard (Monroe, Georgia) and Brian Kelley (Ormond Beach, Florida) - learned of the great news following their live performance with Nelly of the smash “Cruise” remix on NBC’s The Voice season finale Tuesday night (6/18). Watch the electrifying performance here: http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/video/florida-georgia-line-and-nelly-cruise/n38159/.

FGL has skyrocketed since releasing back-to-back, multi-week #1 smashes in the US and Canada with the PLATINUM “Get Your Shine On” and 4X PLATINUM-certified “Cruise,” which combined with the Top 10-and-climbing (Top 40 Charts) remix, has sold over four million downloads. Their follow-up single “Round Here” is already Top 30-and-rising at Country radio.

Garnering buzz among fans, media and several Superstars across genres – including Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Ed Sheeran – the hot newcomers most recently scored two CMT Music Awards for Duo Video of the Year and Breakthrough Video of the Year as well as a Teen Choice Awards nomination for Choice Country Group. Fans ages 13-19 can vote once a day via teenchoiceawards.com, with results airing August 11 at 8P ET on FOX. VEVO has also selected FGL for the coveted LIFT program, offering exclusive content across the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform.

The ACM New Artist of the Year and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year winners are currently touring with Taylor Swift’s THE RED TOUR and Luke Bryan’s DIRT ROAD DIARIES TOUR.

For tour dates and more, visit FloridaGeorgiaLine.com. 

DESTINATION AMERICA ANNOUNCES
GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BAND THE MAVERICKS
FOR UPCOMING “RED, WHITE AND YOU” FESTIVITIES
IN FAYETTEVILLE, NC AND UNION BEACH, NJ

Communities Awarded with a Memorable Fourth of July Celebration
Featuring Local Music, Kids Activities, Food, and Fireworks


Pictured (L-R): Robert Reynolds, Raul Malo, Eddie Perez, Paul Deakin, Jerry Dale McFadden
Photo Credit: Mark Tucker

Nashville, TN (June 21, 2013) – Destination America, the only television network that celebrates the people, places, and stories of the U.S., has lined up a spectacular party for the two winning towns of the RED, WHITE AND YOU contest – Fayetteville, NC, and Hurricane Sandy-ravaged Union Beach, NJ – headlined by country-steeped garage band The Mavericks. Most recently highlighted during this year’s nationally televised CMT Awards, the band will be the featured musical act at both RED, WHITE AND YOU events, with Union Beach scheduled for July 3 and Fayetteville on July 4.

“We’re thrilled to have The Mavericks, a band known for being one of the most exciting live performers, as part of the festivities in both of these worthy communities,” said Marc Etkind, general manager for Destination America. “Their infectious vibe paired with the activities, food, and fireworks display will no doubt leave a lasting impression and, hopefully help strengthen the spirit, patriotism, and tradition of this all important holiday – America’s birthday – in Union Beach and Fayetteville!”

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the opportunity to play for these two outstanding communities on this special occasion. We’re honored to have been invited, and look forward to celebrating with everyone,” said Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks.

Additional planning is in the works for each city to enjoy a tailor-made celebration. Union Beach will be treated to BBQ from stars of Destination America’s hit series, BBQ PITMASTERS, with both Myron Mixon and Tuffy Stone confirmed to be on location. LAST CALL FOOD BRAWL host Adam Gertler (Next Food Network Star) will be master of ceremonies in both towns. In Fayetteville, and in partnership with Time Warner Cable, there will be a more patriotic nod to our country’s armed forces: the 82^nd Airborne Division Chorus will perform after a traditional Posting of the Colors and remarks from Maj. Gen. Jeffrey N. Colt, deputy commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg.

Destination America partnered with national weekly magazine USA WEEKEND for the first-ever RED, WHITE AND YOU contest, awarding two deserving communities a one-of-a-kind Fourth of July celebration. Launched in March, the contest asked folks across the country to put their patriotism on display to prove why their respective towns were most deserving of an over-the-top Independence Day party. With more than 3,500 entries, the two grand prize winners proved to be very worthy communities: Union Beach, NJ, a coastal town still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and Fayetteville, NC, a community which zealously supports its military partners at Fort Bragg. Five runner-up towns were also awarded $1,000 each to be used toward one of the following local organizations: Parks and Recreation Department, YMCA/YWCA, or Habitat for Humanity.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS: Forget the GRAMMYs, the CMA and ACM Awards for prestigious things like Vocal Group and Album of the Year. Never mind the sold out shows in England’s Royal Albert Hall or taking country to places the genre had never been. With a Cuban-American lead singer, garage band ferocity, an intense live show and a deep love of both romance and pure country to go with the polyrhythmic beats The Mavericks were raised on, they were unlikely superstars. Yet, The Mavericks distilled country’s essences, bulked them up with a big, raucous sound, then broke ground for the format that saw people from all walks of life, many cultures and some surprising places lining up for hits like “Here Comes The Rain,” “Crying Shame,” “Dance The Night Away” and “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.”
                                                           
Twenty years later, the little band that could returns, more soulful and innovative than ever. Again drawing on myriad influences – from Buck Owens’ tonk to Roy Orbison’s heartbreak, Ravel’s eroticism to Buena Vista Social Club’s infectious rhythms, Patsy Cline’s brazen emotion and that little “Mavericks’ magic.” For their first sessions in almost a decade, it was spontaneous combustion; literally, the band falling into step with the euphoria they were known for. And they built quite an album from there. The Mavericks released their first album, IN TIME, on The Valory Music Co. on February 26.

ABOUT USA WEEKEND: USA WEEKEND Magazine is the national weekly that empowers America to start taking action every weekend, with 22.6 million circulation and 50 million readers in print and online. Awarded for its journalism and design, USA WEEKEND is an action based news source for people throughout the country who look for real stories behind change and a source for American families to find food, health, family and celebrity information. USA WEEKEND is a Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), publication. Find us on Twitter and Facebook and visit usaweekend.com.


ABOUT DESTINATION AMERICA: Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters, A Haunting, Epic, and Buying Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world’s #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in 218 countries and territories. Please visit the Press Website at press.discovery.com/us/da for additional press materials.

THE BAND PERRY VISITS THE FOOD BANK OF THE SOUTHERN TIER TO FIGHT HUNGER

MEDIA ONLY (Link to Hi-Res Images): https://bmlg.box.com/s/av8u38vxi915b4dfjqvm
Photos Courtesy of Food Bank of the Southern Tier
 

Nashville, TN (June 19, 2013) – The Food Bank of the Southern Tier received a visit from Superstar Country trio The Band Perry, which is composed of siblings Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry.  This visit was in partnership with Outnumber Hunger – a national initiative with General Mills, Big Machine Label Group and Feeding America to help fight hunger in local communities – to recognize Kyle Halm, resident of Pine City, NY and local volunteer firefighter.

Kyle was voted the winner of The Band Perry’s Hometown Contest, which encouraged fans to write an essay in 100 words or less describing how they too are working to help make a difference in their local community. The prize was a visit from the trio in the winner’s hometown.

“We are big believers in community - folks coming together to make big things happen. Kyle brought us all together today - he has the spirit of the Pioneer. It was a rewarding experience to pack boxes at the Food Bank and to share a meal with our Webbs Mills firehouse friends,” said The Band Perry. As the face of Outnumber Hunger, The Band Perry is lending a hand across the country to help Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, secure meals on behalf of local food banks.

Kyle’s visit with The Band Perry included a hunger-relief volunteer activity at the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, followed by a luncheon at the Webbs Mills Volunteer Fire Department where Kyle volunteers his time to help make a difference in the community.

"Overall this whole experience, including the visit to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, was an exciting and excellent opportunity to give back to the community once again, except this time with an amazing group of talented, successful, and down to earth musicians, The Band Perry. This experience just shows one of the many ways how rewarding volunteering can be. I want to thank everyone who voted and made all of this possible," said Kyle.

“As a member of Feeding America, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier was thrilled to learn that Kyle and The Band Perry would be visiting us.  Today’s volunteer activity included boxing up frozen chicken that will be distributed to people in need across the Southern Tier,” said Food Bank of the Southern Tier President & CEO Natasha Thompson.

Each week, over 11,000 individuals visit a hunger-relief member agency served by the Food Bank of the Southern Tier.  To learn more about how you can make a difference in the fight against hunger, visit the Food Bank’s website at www.foodbankst.org or Outnumber Hunger at www.outnumberhunger.com.
 

###

About The Band Perry:  The Band Perry has notched a string of hit singles, including the quadruple-platinum “If I Die Young” (which climbed to #1 on Billboard’s Country and AC charts), the platinum “You Lie,” and the gold-certified Country #1 “All Your Life” as well as their platinum, two-week #1 smash “Better Dig Two,” from their sophomore release PIONEER, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart and #2 All Genre. The project, produced by Dann Huff, has received acclaim from top critics across the country and the second Gold-certified single, “DONE.,” is nearing Top 5  at Country radio. They’ve also enjoyed a showering of honors, including multiple ACM, CMA, and CMT Music Awards, as well as AMA, ACA, and Billboard Music Award nominations. The Band Perry is currently nominated for Choice Country Group at the TEEN CHOICE AWARDS and fans can vote at teenchoiceawards.com until August 11. This summer, they are on the road with Rascal Flatts for the LIVE & LOUD TOUR. For more on The Band Perry, visit thebandperry.com and “join the family” at thefansperry.com.

About General Mills: General Mills is one of the world’s leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries. Its consumer brands include Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Progresso and Old El Paso. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2012 net sales of US$16.7 billion. Visit www.generalmills.com.

About the Food Bank of the Southern Tier: Established in 1981 and headquartered in Elmira, NY, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier distributes food and other grocery products to people in need through a network of more than 165 member agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other hunger relief organizations in Broome, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins Counties. The Food Bank also administers several direct service food distribution programs including the BackPack Program™ and Mobile Food Pantry. The Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and a regional agency of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester. The Food Bank helps fulfill Catholic Charities’ commitment to create a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people by working together to build and sustain hunger free communities throughout the Southern Tier.

About Feeding America: Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

About Big Machine Label Group: At the helm of the independent Big Machine Label Group is industry veteran Scott Borchetta, who serves as President and CEO. The conglomerate encompasses Big Machine Records (founded in 2005), The Valory Music Co. (founded in 2007) and Republic Nashville (a partnership with Universal Republic founded in 2009 with Jimmy Harnen serving as President). The Big Machine Label Group’s current artist roster includes Multi-Platinum superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Reba; Platinum sensations The Band Perry and Florida Georgia Line; Legendary group The Mavericks; Gold-selling artists Brantley Gilbert and Justin Moore; Chart-topping act Eli Young Band as well as Hot newcomers Thomas Rhett, Cassadee Pope, Greg Bates, and RaeLynn. BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, American Music Awards, CMT Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Award and People’s Choice Award accolades as well as Brit Award and JUNO Award nominations. In 2012 BMLG rejuvenated its publishing arm with Big Machine Music, which has created a joint venture with Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald’s Prescription Songs, allowing the two companies to co-publish songwriters and artists whose unique talents translate across genres. The label group has also forayed into the racing world, sponsoring the Brickyard 400 as well as back-to-back Indy500 drivers. Visit www.bigmachinelabelgroup.com/ for more.  


PET SHOP BOYS UNVEIL THE VIDEO FOR THEIR NEW SINGLE 'VOCAL'

THE SINGLE IS TAKEN FROM THE NEW ALBUM 'ELECTRIC', RELEASED THROUGH x2 ON JULY 15

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 18, 2013 - The video for the new Pet Shop Boys single 'Vocal' is now available on VEVO here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNR8gQAoYCs. 

Pet Shop Boys - Vocal

 

This short film has been produced and directed by the filmmaker and photographer, Joost Vandeburg. He has created it using authentic amateur film footage shot at various raves in the late 80s, along with some footage from the Haçienda in Manchester. The video (and the song) was inspired by the way British youth at this time found its own freedom with a new culture epitomised by dance music and raves: "It's in the music/It's in the song/And the feeling of the warmth around us all is so strong."

'Vocal' is released as a physical single on July 22. The track is already available to download. The new album 'Electric', produced by Stuart Price, is released on July 15. Remixes of 'Vocal' are to be announced soon.

Pet Shop Boys perform live in the UK this week as part of the worldwide 'Electric' tour. Tonight they play London's O2 Arena, and on Thursday the tour reaches the Manchester Arena.

'Vocal' is available to download now here: http://bit.ly/16D3aQt

 

'Electric' Artwork:

   

Album Pre-order links:

Electric (iTunes): http://smarturl.it/psbelectricdigital

Electric Physical Album: http://smarturl.it/psbelectricphysical

Pet Shop Boys Store: http://smarturl.it/psbelectricd2c

www.petshopboys.co.uk

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS PREMIERE NEW SONG "THIS LIFE" ON ROLLINGSTONE.COM TODAY

SELF-TITLED ALBUM DUE OUT ON JULY 23RD

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 18, 2013 - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros are currently premiering their new song, "This Life", on RollingStone.com. "This Life" is from their forthcoming self-titled album due out July 23rd in the United States and July 29th everywhere else on Community Music. Check it out HERE.

 

"These songs mean everything to me," said frontman Alex Ebert who produced the album. "It's the rawest, most liberated, most rambunctious stuff we've done."

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros formed in 2007 after singer Alex Ebert met fellow singer Jade Castrinos outside of a cafe in downtown Los Angeles. In 2009 the 10-member troupe released their debut album Up From Below which featured the hit "Home" as well as fan favorite's "40 Day Dream" and "Janglin". The band has spent the past few years touring the world while winning over audiences at festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Leeds, Austin City Limits and more. Their follow up album, Here, was released in May 2012 and featured the tracks "Man On Fire" and "That's What's Up."  The album debuted at #1 on the Independent Music Chart and #5 on Billboard Top 200 Chart the week after it's release. Relix Magazine hailed it as "an album full of undeniable folk-rock hooks, gospel overtones, infectious lyrics, orchestral swells and a whole lot of love." Entertainment Weekly declared, "...they've got so much heart, they can crush hipster irony with one squeeze of the accordion." The album was listed at number seven on Rolling Stone's "Best Albums of 2012" List.

 

  

1. Better Days

2. Let's Get High

3. Two

4. Please!

5. Life is Hard

6. If I Were Free

7. In The Lion

8. Country Calling

9. They Were Wrong

10. In The Summer

11. Remember To Remember

12. This Life

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros 2013 Live Dates

6/18 - Chattanooga, TN - Track 29

6/19 - Knoxville, TN - Bijour Theatre

6/21 - Norfolk VA - The Norva

6/21 - 6/23  - Dover, DE - Firefly Music Festival

6/24 - Kalamazoo, MI - Kalamazoo State Theatre

6/25 - Minneapolis, MN - Cabooze Outdoor Plaza

6/26 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest

6/28 - Chicago, IL - Old St. Pat's Church Block Party

6/29 - Kansas City, KS - Kanrocksas

7/27 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest

8/1 - Las Vegas, NV - The Cosmopolitan Hotel

8/4 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl

8/17 - Sterling Heights, MI - Mo Pop Festival

8/23 - Simcoe, ON - Gentleman of the Road Stopover [SOLD OUT]

8/29 - Kennett Square, PA - Longwood Gardens

8/30 - Troy, OH - Troy Memorial Stadium [SOLD OUT]

9/1 - Aspen, CO - Snowmass Conference Center

9/6 - Guthrie, OK - Cottonwood Flats Campground [SOLD OUT]

9/7- 9/8 - St. Louis, MO - Loufest

9/13 - St. Augustine, FL - Francis Field [SOLD OUT]  

9/27 - 9/28 - Nashville, TN - Southern Ground Music Festival

 

www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com

Thompson Square Downplays Duets on 

Just Feels Good        

                           

By Sarah Skates

© 2013 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

Keifer and Shawna Thompson explore new avenues and share stories of their personal and professional voyage on Just Feels Good, the second album they’ve released as Thompson Square.

“We wanted to really open up our lives to everybody on this album,” Keifer explained. “It’s literally a soundtrack to our lives over the last 13 or 15 years.”

“I’m so proud of this album because they did what is so tough to do: They stayed true to their brand but really pushed themselves creatively,” added Jon Loba, Executive VP, The BBR Music Group, which includes the group’s label, Stoney Creek Records. “It’s a journey of where they’ve been content-wise, but production-wise it is a roller coaster. They had to come with a next-level project and they did. One listen to this album and Thompson Square elevates.”

The married twosome experienced the rush of success with their breakout No. 1, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not.” Written by Jim Collins and David Lee Murphy, the single achieved double Platinum for digital downloads and became the most played song at Country radio in 2011, according to Mediabase. In 2012, Thompson Square earned numerous distinctions, including CMA’s Vocal Duo of the Year Award, and a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance of the Year.

The duo averages 250 dates a year on the road. As guests on tours with Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum, they played to more than a million fans. This demanding itinerary taught them some important lessons. For example, Keifer notes that performing onstage night after night helped them understand the importance of building a varied set list, from ballads to feel-good uptempos, in preparation for their future as headliners. Also, opportunities arose for them to explore new outlets, including co-writing a novel, Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not, based on the hit song and released on June 4.

The commercial success, enriched by years of working together before their breakthrough single, informed Thompson Square’s confidence as songwriters and artists. Armed with plenty of creative ammunition, they were ready to start on the follow-up to their self-titled debut, but they could barely find time to begin work on the project.

“They are such hard-working artists that the challenge was to find available days for everyone to sit down and go over songs,” said Loba. “The success of the first album created endless promotion and media opportunities, and they didn’t want to pass on any of them. Consequently, it took nearly a year to record the album, but the end result was a much stronger project. They had a wider array of songs to choose from and were able to dial in even more precisely what they wanted their music to represent.”

In fact, songs that seemed like obvious choices for singles in the early process didn’t even make the final cut, as the quality of the material steadily increased. Keifer and Shawna invited co-writers to join them on the road and took songwriting retreats, including a productive junket to Breckenridge, Colo., with hit tunesmiths Brett James and David Lee Murphy. The Thompsons composed six tracks on Just Feels Good, including the lead single, “If I Didn’t Have You,” with Paul Jenkins and Jason Sellers.

“The project runs the whole gamut that we’ve gone through over the years,” Keifer said, “beginning from the time we met with ‘That’s So Me and You’ (Keifer Thompson, Vicky McGehee and Kyle Jacobs) to the song on the Walmart exclusive album, called ‘What Am I Gonna Do’ (Keifer Thompson, Shawna Thompson, Jacobs and McGehee), about Shawna’s dad passing last year.”
Thompson Square co-produced Just Feels Good with New Voice, the production team made up of Kurt Allison, David Fanning, Tully Kennedy and Rich Redmond. “The major advantage of working with those guys is that they are musicians and they play on the project,” Keifer explained. “They all come to the studio at the same time, and they aren’t just acting as producers. They are physically producing something as well as mentally producing something. They are friends of ours and we get along really well, so working on an album together is really enjoyable.”

Maintaining Thompson Square’s track record at Country radio was key to their process in making Just Feels Good. “You’re crazy if you don’t think about radio,” Keifer stated. “Radio is the lifeblood of what we do. It’s changed our lives forever. I can’t tell you how much gratitude we have toward our friends at radio. You have to keep them in mind because they’ve got to play it and get it to the fans. They know what works and what doesn’t work. It’s not the only thing that goes into the equation, but it’s a big component. What we normally do is pretty radio-friendly. You want to push the envelope a little bit, but not so far down the road that no one can see where you’re going. You’ve always got to think about what radio might like, but not to the point where you sacrifice your creativity. You still have to be an artist.”

For the most part, Thompson Square avoids maudlin love songs. “In the past, we’ve been pitched very lovey-dovey stuff, and that’s not what we want,” Keifer said. “That’s not what we write. We tell everybody we don’t want to record duets. Instead, we prefer songs that could be sung by an individual, and then we make them our own. We don’t want to get pigeonholed into duets, because they can be so predictable.”

That same focus drives their approach onstage, including their current run on Luke Bryan’s “Dirt Road Diaries Tour.” “I think people come to our shows expecting a love story the whole show, and then they’re pleasantly surprised by the rockin’ out aspect of what we do,” Keifer said. “We’re not really a stereotypical, boring old married couple. We were both raised out in the country, hunting, fishing and riding 4x4s. We take our motorcycle on the road. We’re a married couple that likes to rock out, and hopefully that’s what we exude onstage.”

On the Web: www.ThompsonSquare.com

On Twitter: @ThompsonSquare