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Monday, May 21, 2018
St. Louis Blues and Enterprise Announce Building Naming-Rights Agreement; Rename Home of the Blues “Enterprise Center”
Enterprise Partnership and Building Renovations Reinvent the Facility and Position It for Continued Success
ST. LOUIS – May 21, 2018 – The St. Louis Blues and Enterprise today announced that they have entered into a building naming-rights agreement, renaming the home of the Blues “Enterprise Center.” The 15-year agreement, which calls for interior and exterior signage featuring the Enterprise logo, underscores Enterprise’s deep commitment to the economic growth and development of St. Louis, where the company was founded and is headquartered.
“We are thrilled to have two St. Louis institutions extend their partnership with this naming-rights agreement,” said St. Louis Blues Chairman Tom Stillman. “The Blues and Enterprise were born in St. Louis and have enjoyed more than a half century of success in this community. Jo Ann Taylor Kindle and Andy Taylor have been key members of our all-local ownership group since 2012, and this new agreement is yet another example of the Taylor family’s commitment to the Blues and to the entire St. Louis community. We are excited that the home of the Blues, and the site of so many high-profile sports and entertainment events, will soon be Enterprise Center.”
“This new partnership is a natural fit – the Blues and Enterprise are St. Louis originals,” said Jo Ann Taylor Kindle, President of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, as well as a member of the St. Louis Blues’ ownership group and daughter of Enterprise founder Jack Taylor. “Last year we both celebrated milestone anniversaries in our hometown – 50 years for the Blues and 60 years for Enterprise. St. Louis means a lot to our company – it’s where my family founded our business and where many of our employees and customers live and work. We’re excited to take our partnership with the Blues to this new level, and we look forward to the many memories to be made at Enterprise Center.”
Formerly named “Scottrade Center” and located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, the venue is one of the finest sports and entertainment complexes in the country, with state-of-the-art facilities and an unprecedented commitment to quality and service. It features a full range of programming that includes concerts, ice shows, family shows and sporting events. The building plays host to approximately 100 events a year, bringing over a million guests to downtown St. Louis annually.
The naming-rights agreement was announced at a press conference on May 21. The new agreement goes into effect on July 1. Renderings and a press kit can be found at EnterpriseCenter.com.
Enterprise has been an Official Partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) for nearly a decade. “NHL fans are three times more likely to rent from Enterprise three or more times a year compared to our general customer,” said Pat Farrell, Enterprise’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer. “Our frequent renters are also more likely than average consumers to tune in to high-profile sporting events. All that has made the NHL a proven high-value marketing partner that helps us drive increased levels of brand awareness and consideration.”
The announcement comes at a time when the facility is being renovated and reinvented to heighten the fan experience, elevate the dining and beverage options and create new gathering spaces. The summer 2018 renovations will bring dramatic changes at every level, for every fan. More information about the building renovations can be found at stlouisblues.com/renovations.
About Enterprise The Enterprise brand – which comprises Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Enterprise CarShare, Enterprise Truck Rental, Enterprise Car Sales, the Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise, Zimride by Enterprise and Rideshare by Enterprise – offers customers a total transportation solution. Its flagship brand, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, was founded in 1957 and is known for an extensive network of convenient locations, affordable rates and outstanding customer service. Enterprise Rent-A-Car was ranked on BusinessWeek magazine’s annual list of “Customer Service Champs” for four years in a row. Enterprise operates not only as a key provider for insurance replacement, weekend getaways and special occasions, but also as a local transportation alternative. With more than 5,800 fully staffed airport and neighborhood offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, Enterprise can meet whatever transportation need customers may have – renting, buying or sharing.
About St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues have been a part of the NHL since 1967. During more than 50 years of operation, the organization has established itself as one of the premier professional sports franchises in the country. With nine division titles, a Presidents’ Trophy and more than 20 former team members enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Blues have etched one of the most storied histories in the NHL. Through their history, the Blues have hosted more than 35 million fans and invested millions in the St. Louis community via Blues for Kids, the team’s charitable foundation
Enterprise Partnership and Building Renovations Reinvent the Facility and Position It for Continued Success
ST. LOUIS – May 21, 2018 – The St. Louis Blues and Enterprise today announced that they have entered into a building naming-rights agreement, renaming the home of the Blues “Enterprise Center.” The 15-year agreement, which calls for interior and exterior signage featuring the Enterprise logo, underscores Enterprise’s deep commitment to the economic growth and development of St. Louis, where the company was founded and is headquartered.
“We are thrilled to have two St. Louis institutions extend their partnership with this naming-rights agreement,” said St. Louis Blues Chairman Tom Stillman. “The Blues and Enterprise were born in St. Louis and have enjoyed more than a half century of success in this community. Jo Ann Taylor Kindle and Andy Taylor have been key members of our all-local ownership group since 2012, and this new agreement is yet another example of the Taylor family’s commitment to the Blues and to the entire St. Louis community. We are excited that the home of the Blues, and the site of so many high-profile sports and entertainment events, will soon be Enterprise Center.”
“This new partnership is a natural fit – the Blues and Enterprise are St. Louis originals,” said Jo Ann Taylor Kindle, President of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, as well as a member of the St. Louis Blues’ ownership group and daughter of Enterprise founder Jack Taylor. “Last year we both celebrated milestone anniversaries in our hometown – 50 years for the Blues and 60 years for Enterprise. St. Louis means a lot to our company – it’s where my family founded our business and where many of our employees and customers live and work. We’re excited to take our partnership with the Blues to this new level, and we look forward to the many memories to be made at Enterprise Center.”
Formerly named “Scottrade Center” and located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, the venue is one of the finest sports and entertainment complexes in the country, with state-of-the-art facilities and an unprecedented commitment to quality and service. It features a full range of programming that includes concerts, ice shows, family shows and sporting events. The building plays host to approximately 100 events a year, bringing over a million guests to downtown St. Louis annually.
The naming-rights agreement was announced at a press conference on May 21. The new agreement goes into effect on July 1. Renderings and a press kit can be found at EnterpriseCenter.com.
Enterprise has been an Official Partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) for nearly a decade. “NHL fans are three times more likely to rent from Enterprise three or more times a year compared to our general customer,” said Pat Farrell, Enterprise’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer. “Our frequent renters are also more likely than average consumers to tune in to high-profile sporting events. All that has made the NHL a proven high-value marketing partner that helps us drive increased levels of brand awareness and consideration.”
The announcement comes at a time when the facility is being renovated and reinvented to heighten the fan experience, elevate the dining and beverage options and create new gathering spaces. The summer 2018 renovations will bring dramatic changes at every level, for every fan. More information about the building renovations can be found at stlouisblues.com/renovations.
About Enterprise The Enterprise brand – which comprises Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Enterprise CarShare, Enterprise Truck Rental, Enterprise Car Sales, the Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise, Zimride by Enterprise and Rideshare by Enterprise – offers customers a total transportation solution. Its flagship brand, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, was founded in 1957 and is known for an extensive network of convenient locations, affordable rates and outstanding customer service. Enterprise Rent-A-Car was ranked on BusinessWeek magazine’s annual list of “Customer Service Champs” for four years in a row. Enterprise operates not only as a key provider for insurance replacement, weekend getaways and special occasions, but also as a local transportation alternative. With more than 5,800 fully staffed airport and neighborhood offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, Enterprise can meet whatever transportation need customers may have – renting, buying or sharing.
About St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues have been a part of the NHL since 1967. During more than 50 years of operation, the organization has established itself as one of the premier professional sports franchises in the country. With nine division titles, a Presidents’ Trophy and more than 20 former team members enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Blues have etched one of the most storied histories in the NHL. Through their history, the Blues have hosted more than 35 million fans and invested millions in the St. Louis community via Blues for Kids, the team’s charitable foundation
WATCH GUNS N' ROSES' PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN MUSIC VIDEO FOR "IT'S SO EASY" EXCLUSIVELY ON APPLE MUSIC
In celebration of the forthcoming Appetite For Destruction reissues, due
out on June 29th, today the band released a previously unseen music
video for "It's So Easy," available to watch now exclusively on Apple
Music HERE.
Filmed
live in 1989 at the infamous Cathouse, "It's So Easy" was never
completely finished and remained in the vaults, unseen and unreleased.
The footage was recently uncovered for inclusion in the box set and has
been digital restored in 4K UHD from 16mm film transfers with the
original conceptual scenes edited back in with the live footage, just as
the band had originally intended.
Released on July 21, 1987, Appetite For Destruction remains the best-selling U.S. debut album ever, selling over 30 million copies globally.
Click HERE to watch Guns N' Roses' 15 seminal videos spanning the band's career, in newly upgraded 1080p HD video.
# # #
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Rescheduled to Friday, November 30 at Scottrade Center
Tickets on sale now! All tickets for original date will be honored.
Rescheduled to Friday, November 30 at Scottrade Center
Tickets on sale now! All tickets for original date will be honored.
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band are pleased to announce their
show previously scheduled for Thursday, October 12, 2017, at Scottrade
Center has been rescheduled for Friday, November 30, 2018. Seger is
feeling great and ready to hit the road.
All tickets for the concert originally scheduled for Thursday, October 12, 2017 will be honored at the new date, Friday, November 30, 2018.
Tickets are available at BobSeger.com, LiveNation.com, and the Scottrade Center Box Office.
Inducted to both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Seger has earned 13 platinum and 7 multi-platinum RIAA Certified sales awards, including such landmark albums as Night Moves, Stranger In Town, Against The Wind, Live Bullet and Nine Tonight, all of which have sold in excess of 5 million units. Seger’s GREATEST HITS album has been certified diamond by the RIAA for achieving 10 million units sold in the U.S. In 2015, Bob Seger was honored with Billboard’s “Legend of Live” award at the 12th annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards for his significant and lasting impact on the touring industry.
All tickets for the concert originally scheduled for Thursday, October 12, 2017 will be honored at the new date, Friday, November 30, 2018.
Tickets are available at BobSeger.com, LiveNation.com, and the Scottrade Center Box Office.
Inducted to both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Seger has earned 13 platinum and 7 multi-platinum RIAA Certified sales awards, including such landmark albums as Night Moves, Stranger In Town, Against The Wind, Live Bullet and Nine Tonight, all of which have sold in excess of 5 million units. Seger’s GREATEST HITS album has been certified diamond by the RIAA for achieving 10 million units sold in the U.S. In 2015, Bob Seger was honored with Billboard’s “Legend of Live” award at the 12th annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards for his significant and lasting impact on the touring industry.
For additional information on Bob Seger, please visit www.bobseger.com.
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
CHARLEY CROCKETT FEATURED ON “WALKING THE FLOOR WITH CHRIS SHIFLETT”
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NEW ALBUM
LONESOME AS A SHADOW OUT NOW
LONESOME AS A SHADOW OUT NOW
HEADLINE TOUR DATES CONFIRMED
Charley Crockett is featured on this week’s episode of “Walking The Floor with Chris Shiflett.” Listen to the full interview HERE. Of Crockett and the episode, Rolling Stone praises, “Charley Crockett has become the king of his own wild frontier…the
conversation traces his path from the cotton fields of south Texas to
the stages of theaters across the country. Along the way, Crockett and
podcast host Chris Shiflett geek out over Memphis’ musical history,
Texas' independent spirit and the thrill of chasing down your own unique
horizon.”
The interview celebrates the release of Crockett’s critically acclaimed new album, Lonesome As A Shadow, which is out now (purchase/stream HERE). Produced by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Zac Brown) and recorded at Sam Phillip’s Recording in Memphis, TN, Lonesome As A Shadow is Crockett’s fourth full-length album and his first release consisting entirely of original songs.
Recent praise for Lonesome As A Shadow…
“…a rollicking mix of classic folk, soul, jazz, honky-tonk and blues…”
“It’s a more soulful side of the traditional roots-based sound that Crockett first honed as a street performer in New Orleans.”
“A soulful track that calls to mind Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions.”
“His music is rich with Southern flavor, a musical gumbo of Delta blues, honky-tonk, gospel and Cajun jazz. It’s the manifestation of a hard-lived life…”
“…Crockett's an instantly authentic Texan blessed of a voice and, on this fourth full-length, all original tunes that lope familiar, reassuring.”
“Wondrous”
“A captivating blend of Memphis soul, Cajun blues, and Texas country.”
“An infectious rockabilly scorcher…gets you moving; it’s so much fun to dance to this song that you’re disappointed when the music fades out.”
“He looks like a modern-day singing cowboy, writes lyrics with the conviction of a well-traveled blues picker and belts out songs with the finesse of a soul singer.”
“…Crockett is a much needed kick in the ass for country music. The cajun twist gives him an edge that would soon have him mentioned in the same breathe as Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Ryan Bingham, and Jason Isbell. The future is here, and it is Charley Crockett.”
“…Charley Crockett seems to possess everything needed for stardom.”
“Lonesome As A Shadow, is injected with a lot more southern soul…blends some newfound grooves in with the dusty country sound of Texas and his own traditional Cajun roots.”
“Charley Crockett is a name you’re going to be hearing more in the near future…an incredibly unique, yet traditional voice.”
Crockett
will tour throughout 2018 in support of the record including headline
shows at Phoenix’s The Rebel Lounge, Los Angeles’ The Mint, Dallas’ The
Statler Ballroom and Seattle’s Sunset Tavern among many others. Crockett
will also perform a series of shows supporting Turnpike Troubadours and
Old 97’s. Tickets are on-sale now. See below for complete details.
In addition to Crockett on vocals and guitar, Lonesome As A Shadow also features his longtime touring band, “The Blue Drifters.”
photo credit: Lyza Renee
The release of Lonesome As A Shadow culminates a series of breakthrough years for Crockett following the release of 2015’s A Stolen Jewel and 2016’s In The Night
which received widespread critical acclaim and earned him a Dallas
Observer Music Award for “Best Blues Act.” Following the releases, Rolling Stone included
Crockett as one of their “10 Artists You Should Know” while Wide Open
Country described him as, “A honky tonk hero for the modern era.” Most
recently, in 2017, Crockett released a collection of his favorite honky tonk songs, entitled Charley Crockett presents Lil G.L.'s Honky Tonk Jubilee.
The album features songs originally performed by Hank Williams, Ernest
Tubb, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Roy Acuff, Webb Pierce and other great
heroes of honky tonk.
Inspired by the life of his ancestor Davy Crockett, the Texas native has traveled the world, spending time in
Paris, Spain, Morocco and Northern Africa as well as singing on the
streets across the U.S. from New Orleans’ French Quarter to New York
City.
LONESOME AS A SHADOW TRACK LIST:
1. I Wanna Cry
2. The Sky’d Become Teardrops
3. Ain’t Gotta Worry Child
4. How Long Will I Last
5. If Not The Fool
6. Help Me Georgia
7. Lonesome As A Shadow
8. Sad & Blue
9. Lil’ Girl’s Name
10. Oh So Shaky
11. Goin’ Back To Texas
12. Change Yo’ Mind
May 24—St. Louis, MO—Off Broadway
Tickets: www.offbroadwaystl.com
www.charleycrockett.com
OLD ROCK HOUSE ANNOUNCES:
Murder By Death
Doors 7pm Show 8pm
$20 Advance $25 Day of Show
All Ages
(Tickets On-Sale 5/18 at 10am)
Murder
By Death is a Louisville, KY quintet with a wry, ominous name. But
behind the geography and moniker is a band of meticulous and literary
songwriters matched by a specific brand of brooding, anthem-riding
balladry and orchestral indie rock. Murder By Death's path began in the
early 2000s as most Midwestern college-town groups do, by playing to
small crowds at ratty venues and frenzied house parties. While many of
their formative-year scene-mates failed to make it much further than
campustown's borders, Murder By Death translated their anonymous
beginnings into a 15+ year career founded on a bedrock of five
full-length albums, tireless D.I.Y. touring and performing ethics, and,
most importantly, a dedicated, cult-like fanbase.
NOTE THIS' ONE HOT SHOW THIS WEEK
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
Friday, May 18 @ Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy
BROWN COUNTY, Ind. — Southern Indiana-bred singer-guitarist Reverend Peyton is the bigger-than-life frontman of Reverend Peyton’s
Big Damn Band. He has earned a reputation as both a singularly
compelling performer and a persuasive evangelist for the rootsy country
blues styles that captured his imagination early in life and inspired
him and his band to make pilgrimages to Clarksdale, Mississippi to study
under such blues masters as T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour and David “Honeyboy” Edwards. 
That passionate inspiration has made Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band America’s foremost country blues outfit and fuels the Rev’s new release, The Front Porch Sessions.
Peyton’sdazzling guitar mastery is equaled here by his knack for vivid, emotionally impactful songwriting, and his originals are matched in their authenticity by the deeply felt vintage blues tunes that he covers. The album showcases the Rev’s irrepressible personality while echoing the enduring spirit of such acoustic blues icons as Charlie Patton, Blind Willie Johnson, Bukka White and Furry Lewis, whose “When My Baby Left Me” receives a memorable reading.
The Front Porch Sessions will be released March 10, 2017 on Family Owned Records/Thirty Tigers.
“It started as a literal whim on my part, but it turned into something really special,” Reverend Peyton says of this new collection. “I wanted it to feel like you’re on my front porch. You can almost hear the wood creaking.”
The Front Porch Sessions maintains a potent level of intensity throughout, from the upbeat optimism of the album-opener “We Deserve aHappy Ending” to the blunt slice-of-life rural reality of “One More Thing” to the rollicking, playful swagger of “Shakey Shirley,” “One Bad Shoe” and “Cornbread and Butterbeans.”Meanwhile, the instrumentals “It’s All Night Long” and “Flying Squirrels” demonstrate the Rev’s nimble, imaginative guitar work.
“I didn’t have much planned when I went into the studio,” the Reverend notes. “I went into the studio with some new songs and some old songs that I’ve always wanted to try. At first, I thought ‘Well, maybe we’ll make it a download or release a single.’ But it took on a life of its own, and when it was all said and done, I was as proud of it as anything I’ve ever done. To me, it was a lesson in not overthinking things; I just went in and let my gut guide me.
“We recorded this album at a studio called Farm Fresh, which is right down the street from my house,” he continues. “It’s in the shade of the oldest poplar tree in Indiana, and there’s a graveyard next to it and train tracks run across there. In fact, I think you can hear the train on one track on this record. The studio’s in an old church, and the main sanctuary is the tracking room, so the haunting reverb that you hear is that room.
“We used a lot of vintage gear in the recording. I love that organic sound, and I’m always chasing that in everything I do. I just like things that feel timeless. Feeling timeless to me is way more important than feeling old. When you try to make something sound old, you’re trying too hard.’
That lifelong pursuit of musical authenticity was instilled in his musical consciousness while Peyton was growing up in rural Indiana, where his early love for blues, ragtime, folk, country and other traditional styles gave him a sense of direction that would soon manifest itself in his own music. He and the Big Damn Band won a large and loyal fan base, thanks to their tireless touring efforts and high-energy showmanship, along with such acclaimed albums as Big Damn Nation, The Gospel Album, The Whole Fam Damnily, The Wages, Between the Ditches, So Delicious and the Charlie Patton tribute disc Peyton on Patton.
Despite his prior achievements, the Rev views The Front Porch Sessions as a personal creative milestone.
“This record’s very personal for me, because so much of it is just me,” he says. “The Big Damn Band is on there, but it’s mostly me. Breezy (Breezy Peyton, washboard) plays washboard on a couple of songs, and Max (Maxwell Senteney, drums) plays a suitcase drum set that we put together in the studio. It’s a snapshot of the week we spent in the studio, but it also represents a lifetime of me building up to it.”
The Front Porch Sessions has also spawned a series of audio-vérité companion videos, many of them shot on the Rev’s actual front porch, that embody the album’s intimacy and immediacy. “A lot of these songs started on the porch, and that’s what the videos are,” he says. “I’d be pickin’ and go, ‘I like the way this sounds, let me get my camera.’”
Reverend Peyton has already begun to integrate The Front Porch Sessions’ spare approach into the Big Damn Band’s expansive live shows, which are renowned for their intensity and abandon.
“In a lot of our shows in the past few years, we’ll take a break and I’ll come out and do a song or two by myself,” he explains. “That brings things down and allows me to do some songs like this. We’re definitely gonna be doing more of that, so there’s definitely gonna be moments in the shows where you’re gonna hear a lot of these songs. We may also do some Front Porch Sessions shows, and maybe present some of our other songs in a more stripped-down way. We did one earlier this year as kind of a test, and that worked really well.
“Over the years, our shows have gotten more dynamic,” he continues. “The ups are more up and the downs are more down. That’s something that’s important to me. If I go and see a show and someone’s just standing there and staring at their feet and singing their songs, I feel insulted. That’s not a performance. I want to know that you’re living that song, not just regurgitating it. I don’t think artists should seem like they’re too cool for their audience.”
The Rev’s dedication to delivering the goods on stage is reflected in his flamboyant performance persona. “The Rev is me,” he states. “Sometimes that freaks people out, because the person who’s on stage is exactly the way I am offstage. I don’t know how to separate myself from my music, because it’s so personal to me. My mom calls me Rev; it’s been my nickname since I was a teenager. It was a name that was given to me by some friends, and it sort of stuck.
“I’m one of those people who feels everything really hard, for better or worse,” he continues. “If I’m angry, I’m really angry. If I’m sad, I’m really sad. If I’m happy, I’m really happy. So onstage, I tap into that. There are certain songs that I can’t play on some nights, because they’re just too sad. That may be the rantings of a crazy person, but it’s the God’s honest truth.”
With The Front Porch Sessions showcasing his expanded musical palette, Reverend Peyton is excited about bringing his new music to his fans.
“I really think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done,” he asserts. “I’m interested in making hand-made American music, and the goal is to be timeless.”
# # #
PRAISE FOR REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND
“The latest from Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band…. is, in short, a revelation. An amazingly well crafted, controlled explosion of talent, the range and depth of the music performed by the trio is remarkable.” – American Blues Scene
“… the reincarnated Mississippi moan of guys like Son House… a burly soul punishing the senses with a Deltapunk attack and a heavy helping of rural realism. You can’t ignore his Big Damn Band’s gospel.” — Elmore
“The tent revival, almost punk energy of the Big Damn Band is a refreshing splash of coldwater to the face. Between The Ditches doesn’t keep it in the road – it takes up both lanes as it barrels along.” — Living Blues
“The country blues is a gift of 20th century American music, and it’s awesome to see a band tap into its legacy with so much gusto and original vision.” – Music City Roots
“With his wife, Breezy, serving as a one-woman amen corner, and Max laying down the floppy-boot-stomp drums behind Peyton’s spiky, waspish National steel slide guitar on tracks like “Something for Nothing”, the result is a peculiarly infectious blues crusade, touching on themes of money, morality and social responsibility.” – The Independent (UK)
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is a twenty-year-old bourbon in a room of vodka Red Bulls and PBRs; vintage yet timeless, exciting and still welcoming…” –MXDWN.COM
“The focal point and ring leader Reverend J. Peyton is the star of the show here flashing a guitar style that elates the ear, at times flying all over the fret board and equally delicately picking with ease.” – Glide Magazine
FOR SHOW AND TICKET INFORMATION, VISIT THE VENUE WEBSITE
www.atomiccowboystl.com
NOTE THIS' TWO DAY AWAY PLAY
CHRIS KNIGHT @ OFF BROADWAY
Chris Knight doesn’t like to say much.
Won’t chat
about his worldview or engage in conversations on his creative
approach. For 17 years, several acclaimed albums and a hard-nosed
career that’s been hailed as “where Cormac McCarthy meets Copperhead Road”,
Knight has always let his music do most of the talking. And on record –
as well everywhere across America, from roadhouse taverns to major-city
concert halls – his songs have had plenty to say. But with his most
recent album, Little
Victories (September 2012), Chris Knight has taken the
discussion to a whole new level.
His first album of new material since 2008, Little Victories is a record of blunt honesty, elegiac truths and the raw rural poetry of an artist who’s come into his own and intends to stay. And for a performer who’s been compared over the years to Cash, Prine, Earle and Nebraska-era Springsteen, Knight now stands alone as a singer/songwriter that has carved his own idiosyncratic sound and sensibility out of the dirt road American dream. Little Victories not only sounds like a Chris Knight album, but the best Chris Knight album yet.
Little Victories also marked a reunion with producer Ray Kennedy, who’d engineered and mastered Knight’s seminal Enough Rope and two Trailer Tapes albums and is well known for his work with Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, John Mellencamp and Lucinda Williams. The album’s 11 songs purely rank among Knight’s finest. And if the title track not only finds Knight at his most cheerily optimistic (for Chris, at least), it also features vocals from his lifelong musical hero John Prine. “When I was 16, I got a John Prine songbook and learned about 40 of his songs,” Knight explains. “Used to play them for the kids in study hall at school every day. About 20 years later, I finally got to meet him when I opened a few shows for him. He asked me to come out and sing “Paradise” as part of his encore, and I got to play the blonde Martin guitar that was on the cover of his first album. I sent him “Little Victories” and he liked the song enough to be on it.” Chris treasures the moment when the two first listened to the playback of their distinctive twangs rasping joyfully together on the chorus. “‘Prine turned to me and said, ‘We sound pretty good together. Just like Phil and Don Everly.’”
So after 17 years, 8 albums and a still uncompromised reputation as one of the best singer/songwriters in America, what has Chris Knight learned from it all? “I’ve learned that I’m pretty lucky to do what I do and make a living at it,” he says. “I’m really proud of this record, and it’ll be fun to play these songs live. For people who like my music and maybe even for someone hearing me for the first time, I think they’ll find songs on here that mean something to them and they can hang on to. I don’t want to talk about it too much, but I think people are gonna be surprised.”
And for Chris Knight, that’s victory enough.
His first album of new material since 2008, Little Victories is a record of blunt honesty, elegiac truths and the raw rural poetry of an artist who’s come into his own and intends to stay. And for a performer who’s been compared over the years to Cash, Prine, Earle and Nebraska-era Springsteen, Knight now stands alone as a singer/songwriter that has carved his own idiosyncratic sound and sensibility out of the dirt road American dream. Little Victories not only sounds like a Chris Knight album, but the best Chris Knight album yet.
Little Victories also marked a reunion with producer Ray Kennedy, who’d engineered and mastered Knight’s seminal Enough Rope and two Trailer Tapes albums and is well known for his work with Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, John Mellencamp and Lucinda Williams. The album’s 11 songs purely rank among Knight’s finest. And if the title track not only finds Knight at his most cheerily optimistic (for Chris, at least), it also features vocals from his lifelong musical hero John Prine. “When I was 16, I got a John Prine songbook and learned about 40 of his songs,” Knight explains. “Used to play them for the kids in study hall at school every day. About 20 years later, I finally got to meet him when I opened a few shows for him. He asked me to come out and sing “Paradise” as part of his encore, and I got to play the blonde Martin guitar that was on the cover of his first album. I sent him “Little Victories” and he liked the song enough to be on it.” Chris treasures the moment when the two first listened to the playback of their distinctive twangs rasping joyfully together on the chorus. “‘Prine turned to me and said, ‘We sound pretty good together. Just like Phil and Don Everly.’”
So after 17 years, 8 albums and a still uncompromised reputation as one of the best singer/songwriters in America, what has Chris Knight learned from it all? “I’ve learned that I’m pretty lucky to do what I do and make a living at it,” he says. “I’m really proud of this record, and it’ll be fun to play these songs live. For people who like my music and maybe even for someone hearing me for the first time, I think they’ll find songs on here that mean something to them and they can hang on to. I don’t want to talk about it too much, but I think people are gonna be surprised.”
And for Chris Knight, that’s victory enough.
For show and ticket information, log on to the venue website at www.offbroadwaystl.com
JENNIFER NETTLES DELIVERS INSPIRING
SPEECH AT HER ALMA MATER
SPEECH AT HER ALMA MATER
’97 Alumna Offers Commencement Speech at Agnes Scott College
NASHVILLE, TN (May 14, 2018) – Jennifer Nettles spent
Mother’s Day weekend at a place that helped shape her into the woman
she is today, her alma mater. The ’97 alumna delivered a moving
commencement speech at Agnes Scott College's 129th Commencement
in Decatur, GA to inspire students to follow their dreams and forge
their own path. Nettles pondered, “what kind of woman do you want to be?
'Cause I know what kind of women I want you to be. I want you to be
fearless dream warriors, I want you to be the boss ladies of your own
lives. I want you to live authentically in your truth. I want you to be
so in touch with your truth that nothing can pull you off your path.”
The GRAMMY® Award-winning musician is no stranger to using her platform and charisma to create opportunities for conversation. Nettles passionately spoke about the social media haters, the language of pain and the power of connecting on a human level. She closed the speech with a beautiful rendition of an Irish blessing. Watch her full speech/performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=113&v=s18973h_lNY.
As one half of duo SUGARLAND, Nettles and Kristian Bush will release their new album BIGGER on June 8 under their joint venture with Big Machine Records and UMG Nashville. A few songs are already available now through the pre-order.
Since the band’s inception in 2002, Sugarland has sold nearly 10 million albums domestically, earned seven No. 1 singles to date and amassed more than 320 million on-demand streams, making them one of the most popular Country music duos of all time. Sugarland will kick off their highly-anticipated STILL THE SAME 2018 TOUR May 25, hitting 48 cities in the U.S. and Canada. For tour dates, visit https://sugarlandmusic.com/.
SUGARLAND will play the Chaifetz Arena in St, Louis on June 30.
For show and ticket information, visit www.ticketmaster.com
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