MONUMENTS announce new North American Tour in support of AMANUENSIS Out Now!

MONUMENTS have announced another string of North American dates.  This run will be with POLYPHIA, VILLAINS and LIONFIGHT.  See dates below. 

Check out "The Alchemist" taken from the album THE AMANUENSIS  

in stores now via Century Media:    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTKB5enjIN4&feature=youtu.be

Available now online: 

Amazon:  

http://www.amazon.com/monuments+the+amanuensis 

iTunes: 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-amanuensis/id892768897 

CURRENT DATES:

07/25 @ Reggie's - Chicago, IL
07/26 @ The Garage - Burnsville, MN
07/27 @ West End Cultural Centre - Winnipeg, MB
07/28 @ The Exchange - Regina, SK
07/29 @ The Den, Calgary, AB
07/30 @ Kelowna, BC - Rutland Centennial Hall
07/31 @ The Rio Theatre, Vancouver, BC
08/01 @ Chop Suey - Seattle, WA
08/02 @ Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
08/03 @ Oakland Metro - Oakland, CA
08/04 @ The Lyric - Los Angeles, CA
08/05 @ Southern Nevada Sports Centre - Las Vegas, NV

08/06 @ The Underground - Mesa, AZ
08/07 @ Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
08/08 @ Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
08/09 @ Jackpot - Lawrence, KS
08/10 @ Fubar - St. Louis, MO
08/11 @ Park Street Saloon - Columbus, OH
08/12 @ The Concourse - Knoxville, TN
08/13 @ Blind Tiger - Greensboro, NC
08/14 @ 1904 Music Hall - Jacksonville, FL
08/15 @ Propaganda - Lake Worth, FL
08/16 @ Backbooth - Orlando, FL
08/17 @ Vinyl At Center Stage - Atlanta, GA
08/19 @ Tomcats - Fort Worth, TX
08/20 @ Red 7 - Austin, TX
08/21 @ Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX

NEW DATES: 

9/12 Trenton, NJ @ Championship Bar

9/13 Allentown, PA @ Planet Trog

9/14 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall

9/15 Marietta, GA @ Swayze's 

9/17 La Crosse, WI @ The Warehouse

9/18 Springfield, MO @ The Outland Ballroom

9/19 Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews

9/20 Burnsville, MN @ The Garage

9/21 Milwaukee, WI @ The Metal Grill

9/22 Barrington, IL @ Penny Road Pub

9/23 Hamtramck, MI @ Paychecks Lounge 

9/24 Springfield, VA @ Empire

9/25 Buffalo, NY @ Broadway Joe's

9/26 Danbury, CT @ Heirloom Arts Theatre

9/28 Brooklyn, NY @ Coco 66

 

   

*For any press ops, please let me know!!

MONUMENTS online:

https://www.facebook.com/thisismonuments

https://twitter.com/thisismonuments

Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek Album Of Classic Jazz Standards To Be Released on Tuesday, September 23  

Debut Song "Anything Goes" Available Now on iTunes; Accompanying Studio Video Live on YouTube and VEVO 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 29, 2014  -- The long-awaited collaborative jazz album from Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, Cheek To Cheek, will be released on Streamline/Columbia/Interscope Records on Tuesday, September 23.  The first taste of this new music is the classic Cole Porter song, "Anything Goes", available today on iTunes (iTunes.com/CheekToCheek) and other digital retailers.  An accompanying studio video featuring "Anything Goes" and footage from the recording sessions and moments during the making of Cheek to Cheek is currently available on YouTube and VEVO.  Cheek to Cheek represents a collaboration between two legendary musical artists spanning the generations to celebrate jazz music.
(http://vevo.ly/IaqyHg)
Cheek To Cheek features classic jazz standards sung by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett in a combination of vocal duets and solo performances.  Each song was handpicked by the artists, and the album features classic selections from the Great American Songbook including "Anything Goes," "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," "Sophisticated Lady,"  "Lush Life," and the record's title track, "Cheek To Cheek." Recorded in New York City, the record took over a year to complete and features jazz musicians associated with both artists including members of Bennett's quartet, Mike Renzi, Gray Sargent, Harold Jones and Marshall Wood as well pianist Tom Lanier.  Jazz trumpeter Brian Newman, a long-time friend and colleague of Lady Gaga appears on the album as well with his NYC based jazz quintet. Jazz soloists on selected tracks include tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano and flutist Paul Horn, who passed away earlier this month.
Of this new project Lady Gaga commented, "Cheek To Cheek came out of a very organic friendship and relationship that Tony and I have built over the years and it truly was a collaborative effort. It was important to Tony that this was a jazz record. I've been singing jazz since I was a child and really wanted to show the authentic side of the genre. We made an album of jazz classics, but it has a modern twist."
"I have been singing the Great American Songbook my entire career and all along forging a bridge between pop and jazz music.  Creating this album with Lady Gaga has been a beautiful experience as she is a fantastic singer and I am hoping that all her fans will embrace this music and swing along with it," said Tony Bennett.
Photographer Steven Klein contributed the photographs and spearheaded the artistic design for the album packaging as well as for the first official image released from Cheek To Cheek, which is featured on the "Anything Goes" cover art.
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga first met backstage in 2011 after the two performed at the Robin Hood Foundation gala in New York City and Bennett asked Lady Gaga to sing a duet with him on his DUETS II album that he was beginning to record.   "The Lady is A Tramp" was the result of that endeavor and conversations began about collaborating on a jazz project.  Recently, Bennett and Gaga surprised the student body at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, a NYC public arts high school founded by Tony Bennett, when they spoke and performed for the school on the last day of classes in June.  Earlier this month, Gaga surprised the Montreal Jazz Festival audience by joining Bennett on stage when he was performing at the famed jazz festival.  Last night, they taped a television special that will air on PBS later this fall. The two appeared this morning on the TODAY SHOW to official announce CHEEK TO CHEEK.

SOURCE Interscope Records

 

Big & Rich Breaking New Ground with Historic New Album Release

'Gravity' Set to Explode Its Way onto the Music Scene on September 23rd
  

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  – Country superstars Big & Rich, Big Kenny and John Rich, are celebrating 10 years of hit music making with their highly-anticipated new album, Gravity.   It’s the multi-platinum selling duo’s fifth studio album and is set to launch on September 23, 2014.  Big & Rich’s lead-off single for the project, “Look at You” has already proven a chart-climbing success.  Their first studio album, Horse of a Different Color, was released by Warner Bros. in 2004, producing four straight hits, including the iconic "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)."   Other accolades include being first-rate songwriters, producers and musicians with a roster of collaborations and hits produced or penned for various artists including Jason Aldean, Gretchen Wilson, James Otto, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Merle Haggard, Bon Jovi, John Anderson, Willie Nelson, Jewel, Keith Anderson, Hank Williams, Jr., John Legend, Wyclef Jean, Tim McGraw, Ky-Mani Marley and Cowboy Troy. In addition to the latest recording project, the larger-than-life duo has formed its own label, Big & Rich Records, a partnership with Kobalt Label Services.  Big Kenny describes the business venture and forthcoming CD as a platform for gaining creative control of their trailblazing musical legacy.  "This is an exciting and intense time in the history of Big and Rich.  We continue to embrace all the change that happens in our business of entertainment.  As artists, we are now at the place where we can finally gain complete creative control.  That's huge.  It allows us to be true to ourselves and be the trailblazers we've always risked being. We want to be important to Country music.  It's important to Big and Rich. It is our musical legacy.  Our new album title is perfect.  Big and Rich can now really feel the Gravity.  We are counting our blessings," he says. John Rich adds, "We couldn't be happier with how the fans and radio are responding to our new music!  To take on the challenge of being your own label and slugging it out with the majors is a gambler's move, but BK and I are happy to just let it all ride.” Big & Rich are generating rave reviews for the summer leg of their 2014 concert tour with shows spanning across the U.S. and Canada.  Cities among upcoming stops for the tour include Orlando, Grand Rapids, Spokane, Hampton, Panama City and more. For the latest updates or information on a concert near you, visit:  http://www.bigandrich.com.  Here’s a link to the current single, “Look At You”: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/look-at-you/id797028801 Gravity Track Listing: 1. Look At You 2. Lovin' Lately (feat. Tim McGraw) 3. Gravity 4. Brand New Buzz 5. Rollin' Along 6. Run Away With You 7. Lose A Little Sleep 8. Don't Wake Me Up 9. That Kind of Town 10. Thank God For Pain 11. I Came To Git Down About Big & Rich: Big & Rich is comprised of Kenny Alphin and The Celebrity Apprentice winner John Rich. The multi-platinum hit duo have garnered multiple GRAMMY, ACM, CMA and CMT Music Award nominations and were recently nominated as the 2014 ACM Vocal Duo of the Year. Their current single "Look At You" which is racing up the charts is from their forthcoming studio album to be released this Fall. Their first studio album, Horse of a Different Color, includes their hit infectious single, "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)." Other hits include, "Comin’ to Your City," "8th of November" and their #1 hit "Lost in this Moment." "Comin’ to Your City" is nearing a decade as the theme song for ESPN’s College GameDay show.    ###

TIM MCGRAW BEGINS TO SHED LIGHT ON SUNDOWN HEAVEN TOWN – SET FOR RELEASE SEPT. 16

McGraw Returns As Co-Producer with Byron Gallimore On The New Project



 

Nashville, TN (July 28, 2014) – Country music icon Tim McGraw revealed more details today about his upcoming Big Machine Record's album, SUNDOWN HEAVEN TOWN, available everywhere on September 16. With a staggering 35 No. one hits and 54 Top 10 singles to his credit, McGraw presents a new collection of songs that capture a distinctly country and a distinctly McGraw sound.The album was co-produced by McGraw and his longtime collaborator Byron Gallimore and features both a 13 track standard and 18 track deluxe version. The album cover was revealed to fans on Facebook this morning, and is available for pre-order on both iTunes and Amazon MP3 starting tomorrow, July 29.

"This album is very encompassing of everything that I’ve done in my career," said McGraw. "I think it’s a good microcosm of what my 20 or so years in music have been, in a lot of ways. You can certainly hear parts of my career throughout all of these songs, as well as the future and where my music is headed. To me, the title of the album is all about that time where you stop doing what you have to do, and start doing what you want to do. "

"I feel like I’ve got a lot of music in me and that's part of the reason why this album is so soon after the last one and why I wanted to start sharing it with everyone as soon as I could," continues McGraw. "I’m excited about where music is gonna take me and where I’m gonna take my music."

To build anticipation of the new album, McGraw launched his sold-out summer tour ahead of the album's release and began revealing tracks through his "Countdown to Sundown" program. Over the past few months, he has made high profile performances where he introduced new songs to fans for the first time. He has appeared on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon to perform "Shotgun Rider," on The Voice where he debuted "City Lights," at NBC's TODAY where he revealed "Overrated" and on the Academy of Country Music Awards, where the performance of "Meanwhile Back At Mama's (featuring Faith Hill) spawned so much fan demand that it was immediately released as the next single. The song is currently driving up the Top 10 at country radio.

SUNDOWN HEAVEN TOWN TRACK LIST: 
1. Overrated
2. City Lights
3. Shotgun Rider
4. Dust
5. Diamond Rings and Old Barstools (with Catherine Dunn)
6. Words Are Medicine
7. Sick Of Me
8. Meanwhile Back At Mama’s (featuring Faith Hill)
9. Keep On Truckin’
10. Last Turn Home
11. Portland, Maine
12. Lookin’ For That Girl 
13. Still On The Line

DELUXE TRACKS
14. Kids Today
15. Lincoln Continentals and Cadillacs (duet with Kid Rock)
16. The View
17. I'm Feelin' You
18. Black Jacket
 

For more information and behind the scenes exclusives, visit www.countdowntosundown.com.

Nathan Stanley Releases New CD Every Mile
 

Vince Gill, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Sonya Isaacs and more guest on new project;
Nathan Stanley set to appear on TBN's 'Praise The Lord' with Jason Crabb July 28th
 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 25, 2014) – Nathan Stanley, the grandson to Dr. Ralph Stanley, is considered to be the "Prince Of Bluegrass" and releases his latest music endeavor EVERY MILE.  His heart is golden, his voice is pure and his soul has deep roots in the lonesome sod of bluegrass music.

Nathan's latest project boasts a combination of Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, & Country styles and features several collaborations with guest artists. Released on Willow Creek Records, Nathan is joined by long-time friends Vince Gill on "Hand In Hand With Jesus," Jeff & Sheri Easter on "Heart That Will Never Break Again," Sonya Isaacs Yeary & Becky Isaacs Bowman on "I Know Jesus Will See Me Through," T. Graham Brown & Judy Marshall on "Baptism of Jesse Taylor," Jeff Bates & Judy Marshall on "Green Pastures," Wes Hampton on "Every Mile", & Lord You're The Best Thing," Adam Crabb on "Would You Be Ready," and Dr. Ralph Stanley on "You Can't Make Old Friends".

Nathan Stanley has recorded and released seven solo albums, including the 2011 release of "My Kind Of Country". Voted "Classic Country Album Of The Year" by the National Traditional Country Music Association, this project featured Ricky Skaggs, Connie Smith, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Gene Watson, Rhonda Vincent, Marty Stuart, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jim Lauderdale, among many others and released two music videos for "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Long Black Veil".

From his humble beginnings of playing spoons to becoming the lead singer for Dr. Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Nathan continues to showcase his distinctive good looks and charismatic personality while making the music he loves so much. Nathan hosts his own television show, The Nathan Stanley Ministry Show, which airs on Saturday nights on the Living Faith network. He has appeared on numerous television shows including, Bill Gaither's "Bluegrass Homecoming," and "The Late Show" with David Letterman.

EVERY MILE TRACK LISTING:
1. Every Mile
2. Baptism Of Jesse Taylor
3. Heart That Will Never Break Again
4. I Know Jesus Will See Me Through
5. Let Me In Your Heart
6. Green Pastures
7. Piece Of Clay
8. Where No One Stands Alone
9. Hand In Hand With Jesus
10. Where Will You Go
11. Would You Be Ready
12. Lord You're The Best Thing
13. You Can't Make Old Friends

 

# # #

www.nathanstanleymusic.com

Garth Brooks all five dates, eight shows total in Chicago now on sale...still awaiting future cities

Chicago: Thursday, September 4 at 7:30pm
Friday, September 5 at 6pm
Saturday, September 6 at 6pm
Saturday, September 6 at 10:30pm
Thursday, September 11 at 7:30pm
Friday, September 12 at 6pm
Friday, September 12 at 10:30pm
Saturday, September 13 at 6pm
www.ticketmaster.com
Trisha Yearwood is also on the bill.
All the Garth Brooks concerts are taking place at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill., and they are the first dates on the country superstar’s recently announced world tour.
Further dates and cities have not been revealed, but they likely will be announced soon, so again, stay tuned for updates.

Tom Petty Radio Returns to SiriusXM Limited-run channel to air a "Town Hall" special featuring Petty answering questions from fans

Tom Petty Radio to feature music spanning Petty's entire career, including his new album with The Heartbreakers, "Hypnotic Eye" 

SiriusXM announced today that Tom Petty Radio will return to SiriusXM on Friday, July 25 at 6:00 pm ET on channel 25.

Tom Petty Radio, the exclusive, limited-run channel, will feature music spanning Tom Petty's entire career, from his first album with The Heartbreakers up to their new album Hypnotic Eye, including personal stories from Petty and his bandmates in The Heartbreakers about each track on the new album. The channel will also feature songs Petty recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the Traveling Wilburys as well as live tracks from Petty's most recent tour. Listeners will also hear highlights from Petty's exclusive SiriusXM show, Tom Petty's Buried Treasure. Tom Petty Radio will air on SiriusXM's Classic Rewind channel through Sunday, August 3.
Tom Petty Radio, which previously aired for a limited time in 2013, will also feature an exclusive "Town Hall" with Tom Petty, during which Petty will sit down for an intimate Q&A session with a select group of SiriusXM listeners in Los Angeles.
Moderated by SiriusXM host Jim Ladd, "SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" will air on Saturday, July 26 at 3:00 pm ET on Tom Petty Radio via satellite, channel 25 and through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online at siriusxm.com. For rebroadcast times, please visit www.siriusxm.com/townhall.
"SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" will feature Petty answering questions from fans about his career, including the release of their new album Hypnotic Eye, scheduled for release on July 29.
"Tom Petty has written and performed some of the most legendary and loved music of the recent decades, and he is followed by a legion of fans that cross generations," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. "We're excited to bring all his music together in one place for a truly special and unique channel."
After the broadcast, "SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" will be available on SiriusXM On Demand for subscribers listening via the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphones and other mobile devices or online at siriusxm.com. Visit www.siriusxm.com/ondemand for more info on SiriusXM On Demand.
Now in its eighth season, Tom Petty's Buried Treasure features the Grammy Award®-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, playing a set of rare and classic tracks from his private vaults, many vintage, with his informed and entertaining commentary. Tom Petty's Buried Treasure airs on Deep Tracks, channel 27, on Thursdays at 5:00 pm ET.
"SiriusXM's Town Hall with Tom Petty" is part of SiriusXM's "Town Hall" series, featuring iconic entertainers and figures sitting down with studio audiences of SiriusXM listeners. Previous SiriusXM "Town Hall" specials have featured Bruce Springsteen, Billy Crystal, Roger Waters, Quentin Tarantino, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, KISS, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Ringo Starr, Taylor Swift, Hugh Jackman, the surviving members of Nirvana, Gregg Allman, Usher and Tony Hawk.
For more information on SiriusXM, please visit www.siriusxm.com.

 

THE ICONIC KENNY ROGERS TO PARTICIPATE IN UNIQUE INTERVIEW AT COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME® AND MUSEUM SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

Program Presented in Conjunction with August 15 Opening of the Museum's Exhibition 'Kenny Rogers: Through the Years'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 24, 2014) – Multi-talented legend Kenny Rogers will participate in a special interview at the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum on Saturday, August 16. The expert-led conversation will take place in conjunction with the debut of Kenny Rogers: Through the Years, a biographical exhibit in the museum’s East Gallery opening August 15, 2014, and running until June 14, 2015.

Rogers will recount memories from throughout his history-making life and career during the interview, which will be held in the museum’s CMA Theater at 2:30 p.m. Archival photographs and video will supplement the storytelling. The event is included with museum admission on August 16 and is free for museum members; seating is limited and a program pass is required. Those unable to attend in person are invited to listen and watch live online via countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.

Other Kenny Rogers: Through the Years opening weekend programs include a Songwriter Session with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Don Schlitz, who penned Rogers’s signature story song “The Gambler,” along with other beloved hits, on August 16; and a film screening of 2001’s Kenny Rogers: Live by Request on August 17. A detailed schedule of grand opening activities is below.

A companion book also entitled Kenny Rogers: Through the Years will accompany the exhibit. Published by the museum’s Country Music Foundation Press, the collectible tome includes a trove of photos—many of which were previously unpublished—from throughout Rogers’s long career. Featuring a foreward composed by Dolly Parton and additional insight into Rogers’s importance from key figures, the image-rich volume expands on the exhibit story. Kenny Rogers Through the Years will be available in the Museum Store and at countrymusichalloffame.org.

“Kenny Rogers redefined and elevated country music superstardom in every sense,” said Museum Director Kyle Young. “He blurred traditional genre lines and substantially expanded the core demographics of country music’s audience, all by being true to his unique artistic vision. His versatility is astounding. We could not be more thrilled to share this detailed presentation of his story.”

Rogers has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. What’s more, he has charted a single in each of the last seven decades—including 21 Billboard #1 country hits. According to the RIAA, he has one diamond album, 19 platinum albums, and 31 gold albums.  He has earned three Grammys, six Country Music Association awards (including a 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award), eight Academy of Country Music awards—including Entertainer of the Year in 1978—and was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

From the enduring wisdom of "The Gambler" and the forlorn tales of "Lucille" and "Ruby (Don’t Take Your Love to Town)," to the success of his collaborations with Dottie West, Dolly Parton and others, Rogers took hallmarks of country music, such as rich storytelling and iconic duets, and made them larger than life—and very much his own. That’s just skimming the surface of his musical contributions alone. In the 1980s, he starred in the five-part Gambler series that attracted more than 100 million television viewers. In addition to his achievements as vocalist and actor, his accomplishments as musician, photographer, author, Off-Broadway star, entrepreneur, and humanitarian round out his résumé.

Kenny Rogers: Through the Years
Incorporating awards, costumes, sheet music, memorabilia, and more from Rogers’s personal vault as well as from the collections of frequent collaborators, Kenny Rogers: Through the Years provides a comprehensive tour through Rogers’s acclaimed musical phases and other artistic outlets.

The exhibit will feature dozens of artifacts including:

• Costume pieces worn and used by Rogers in the five-part Gambler TV movie series, including a fedora and gun belt, a Western-cut jacket, shirt and brocade vest, and a cane with a brass knob


• A Tony Alamo of Nashville denim outfit, embellished with rhinestones and studs, worn by Rogers as the frontman for Kenny Rogers and The First Edition in the 1970s


• Dolly Parton’s rhinestone-embellished velvet jacket and dress, which she wore during a performance of “Islands in the Stream” with Rogers on her TV show, Dolly


• Dottie West’s Bob Mackie outfit with bugle beading and Dolcis pumps, worn in performance with Rogers


• A 1970 program from a week of shows featuring both Kenny Rogers and the First Edition and Merle Haggard and the Strangers at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri


• Sheet music for the Mickey Newbury-penned “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),” which became the First Edition’s first top 10 hit, and “Ruby (Don’t Take Your Love to Town),” a crossover hit for Kenny Rogers and the First Edition written by Mel Tillis


• A handmade tambourine with Kenny Rogers’s logo burned into the wood, similar to the ones he throws into the crowd at his concerts


• Assorted cameras used by Rogers, including two Polaroid models; a Calument Scientific Inc. 8" x 10" folding camera; and a Linhof Master Technika Classic camera, used by Rogers to capture the fifty-eight studio portraits of country artists in his third book of photos, Kenny Rogers: This Is My Country


• A paperback novel, part of a series of books inspired by Rogers’s iconic portrayal of the “Gambler” in the popular TV movies


• Numerous awards, including the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award; Grammy statuettes; the Academy of Country Music’s Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award; and the Honorary Master of Photography award presented to Rogers by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) at its annual conference; and more


• Items that reflect Rogers’s longtime status as a pop culture icon, including Die-cast metal replica of the Camaro race car driven by Kenny Rogers in the film Six Pack, a collectible pack of cigarettes featuring Rogers’s name and likeness; and more


• Original LP, 45-RPM picture sleeve and tape boxes for releases by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition and Kenny Rogers as a solo artist

Kenny Rogers: Through the Years Grand Opening Weekend Program Schedule

All programs are included with museum admission and free to museum members. For more information about obtaining program passes due to limited seating, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

Saturday, August 16 11:30 a.m.
Songwriter Session: Don Schlitz
Don Schlitz launched his career by penning the Kenny Rogers classic “The Gambler.”  He also wrote the Rogers hits “The Greatest” and the Grammy-nominated “You Can’t Make Old Friends.” Schlitz’s catalog also includes “Forever and Ever, Amen” (Randy Travis); “Give Me Wings” (Michael Johnson); “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” (Mary Chapin Carpenter); “On the Other Hand” (Randy Travis); “Rockin' with the Rhythm of the Rain” (The Judds); “Strong Enough to Bend” (Tanya Tucker); and “When You Say Nothing at All” (Alison Krauss, Keith Whitley). Schlitz is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has won multiple ACM, ASCAP, CMA, and Grammy awards. Presented in support of the exhibit Kenny Rogers: Through the Years. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members. Limited seating. Program pass required.

Saturday, August  16 2:30p.m.
Interview: Kenny Rogers
In celebration of the opening of the exhibit that explores his life and music, Kenny Rogers will share memories and insight into how he parlayed his trademark, husky voice and laid-back sex appeal into a remarkable and diverse career. Rogers has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and is one of the RIAA’s best-selling artists of all time. His popular stage shows have filled arenas at home and abroad, and he continues to draw large crowds today. His broad musical tastes, strong work ethic, and relentless quest for perfection have made him a successful record producer, songwriter, actor, photographer, and New York Times best-selling author. The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming. Presented in support of the exhibit Kenny Rogers: Through the Years. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members. Limited seating. Program pass required.

Sunday, August 17 2:00 p.m.
Film Screening: Kenny Rogers: Live by Request (2001)
In 2001, Kenny Rogers and his band performed a concert in front of a studio audience at the Sony Music Studios in New York City. The concert was broadcast live on the A&E cable network and various radio outlets, and the set list consisted of requests phoned in by fans from around the country. In addition to honoring viewers’ requests for hits like “The Gambler,” “Coward of the County,” and “Ruby,” Rogers tells stories behind each song and casually chats with each caller in his characteristically warm and candid style. Linda Davis joins him to duet on “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” and “We’ve Got Tonight.” Hosted by Mark McEwen. 85 minutes. Presented in support of the exhibit Kenny Rogers: Through the Years. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members.

Kenny Rogers: Through the Years will be accompanied by an ongoing series of programs throughout the exhibit’s duration. These programs are made possible, in part, by grants from the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and by an agreement between the Tennessee Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts.

Kenny Rogers: Through the Years is supported by SunTrust.

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum’s mission is the preservation of the history of country and related vernacular music rooted in southern culture.  With the same educational mission, the foundation also operates CMF Records, the museum’s Frist Library and Archive, CMF Press, Historic RCA Studio B and Hatch Show Print^®.

More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org  or by calling (615) 416-2001.

KENNY ROGERS will perform at the Du Quoin State Fair on Sunday, August 24...look for the fair's Facebook page for details

MADDIE & TAE GIVE A VOICE TO EVERY “GIRL IN A COUNTRY SONG” IN NEW MUSIC VIDEO 

 

NPR Offers First Look At Critically Acclaimed Duo’s Humorous Music Video 

Kevin White for Dot Records

 

Nashville, TN  – MADDIE & TAE boldly bring a fresh perspective to the radio waves, giving a voice to the often trivialized, “Girl In A Country Song.” NPR exclusively shared the vision earlier today, premiering the official music video for the female duo’s cheeky debut single on Dot Records. While gaining a lot of recent attention, the esteemed outlet notes, “Maddie Marlow, who is 19 years old, and Tae Dye, who is 18, made it abundantly clear that they're aiming to tweak country's conventions, not tear them down.” Watch the unique video here, shot outside of Nashville with director TK McKamy.

Additionally, “Girl In A Country” song was the most-added song at Country radio this week.

Maddie & Tae will make their national television debut  August 11 on NBC’s TODAY .

MusicRow calls the unabashed introduction, "fabulous. They have the guts to sass every ‘bro-country’ cliche out there. She hates her tight cut-offs, her bikini top and being called pretty little thing, hottie or baby. Not to mention being whistled at, shaking her money maker and being invited to ride along in the pickup truck. Bonus points for the lively tune, the catchy track, the saucy harmonies and the overall wit. I guarantee you will smile.”

Maddie & Tae, who penned the tune with Big Machine Music staff writer Aaron Scherz, merged their love of mainstream Country and traditional upbringing into the confident yet carefree track. "…it’s no mystery why this singing and songwriting pair from the neighboring states of Texas (Marlow) and Oklahoma (Dye) has built such buzz. Excellent timing, for one thing. They've arrived on the heels of listener fatigue, offering a different vantage point. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that they have a feel for intertwining their voices, executing their phrasing and crafting their hooks for maximum smartly sweet impact,” surmises Rolling Stone Country.

Their creative insight initially dominated headlines across The Atlantic, The Washington Post, CMT, Yahoo! Music and more, touting the song as “undeniably catchy” and “a deliciously snarky tune.”

Maddie & Tae are currently on the road for their first Country radio tour. Follow their journey on Twitter.

RANDY TRAVIS TO RELEASE
INFLUENCE VOL. 2: THE MAN I AM
ON AUGUST 19TH

ALBUM AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ON ITUNES NOW

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 23, 2014) – Multi-Platinum and seven-time GRAMMY winning icon Randy Travis’ new album Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am due August 19th is available for pre-order on iTunes now. Fans who pre-order the album will get “Don't Worry 'Bout Me” as a special instant download. Two more songs will be available each week following the pre-order, including “Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line” on July 29th and “That’s The Way Love Goes,” on August 5th (full track listing below).  Additionally, fans will be able to download the full album online on August 12th, an entire week before the official release date. Much like his popular Influence Vol. 1 collection released last year, Vol. 2 reminds us of the unique feel created in the studio that shines through on each song by Travis and a special group of friends he calls band members.

Travis and his music have been a major influence to other country artists throughout his celebrated career. On Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am, Travis again pays homage to some of the songs and artists that were instrumental in crafting his musical career.

“We had such a great time putting together Influence Vol. 1, but there were still so many musical heroes of yesteryear that I learned from and wanted to honor. We had no choice but to release a second volume. The “Influence” that the older, great ones had on me, and the “Influence” that I may, somehow, have on the ones that come along after me, is God’s way of allowing us to pay it forward. It is my prayer answered—and, His will done—it is what makes me, “the man I am.” – Randy Travis

RANDY TRAVIS Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am TRACK LISTING:
1.    I’m Moving On
2.    Set ‘Em Up Joe
3.    Are The Good Times Really Over?
4.    Nearly Lose Your Mind
5.    There I’ve Said It Again
6.    That’s The Way Love Goes
7.    Sunday Morning Coming Down
8.    Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me
9.    Mind Your Own Business
10.  Only Daddy
11.  For The Good Times
12.  California Blues
13.  Tonight I’m Playing Possum (Solo Version)

For more information, please visit www.randytravis.com / Follow: @randytravis

 

# # #

Michael Jackson's Hometown To Name School For Him

 

Plans are in the works to name a school in Michael Jackson's Indiana hometown for the late pop star.

The Gary Community School Board on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding with Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson. The agreement that Katherine Jackson signed last month says the district wants to inspire children to excel in the arts and education.

District superintendent Cheryl Pruitt tells the Post-Tribune  she's working with the Jackson family on which school to rename.

Pruitt says the renaming came up in a conversation with Katherine Jackson, who donated $10,000 during the Gary Promise scholarship event hosted by Magic Johnson in April.

The family moved to California after the Jackson 5 struck it big struck it big in 1969 when Michael Jackson was 11 years old.

--Associated Press

 

Son Of British Singer Adele Wins Privacy Case

 

British singer Adele's toddler son has won a five-figure sum in damages after paparazzi photographed private family moments.

Adele’s lawyer Jenny Afia said Wednesday that the Grammy-winning performer was adamant her son Angelo must never become “public property.”

She said: “It is a matter of profound sadness that many of his milestone moments, such as his first family outing and his first trip to playgroup, were photographed and published worldwide expressly against his family’s wishes.”

Afia said Adele accepts her public profile, but the family never encourages routine photos that intrude on their privacy.

The damages from the settlement with photo agency Corbis Images UK will be held in a trust for Angelo, who turns 2 in October, and the agency agreed not to use the photos again.

--Associated Press

Old Rock House announces four new shows

John Nemeth's Memphis Grease Party

Thursday, August 7th

Doors 7pm, Show 8pm

$12 Advance $15 Day of Show

All Ages

http://youtu.be/0Mpr6YC9Wls

Boise, Idaho is hardly the place anyone would conjure up as a hotbed of soul-blues. But for John Németh, it’s where his love for the genre began—and the starting point for a journey that’s taken him from his first gigs fronting a teenage blues band to five Blues Music Award nominations in 2013 alone. After logging over 1000 concerts between 2007 and 2011, Németh released a pair of live solo albums showcasing his 25 most popular songs. Those discs, titled Blues Live and Soul Live, received five Blues Music Award nominations—the most ever for any live release.

ORH Concerts Presents
The Apache Relay

at The Gramophone

Tuesday, September 23rd

Doors 7pm, Show 8pm

$6 Advance $8 Day of Show

21+ Only

http://youtu.be/_nfWQx_trCU

The self-titled album from The Apache Relay is out now on So Recordings to widespread praise – Rolling Stone asserts, “…echoes classic Gamble and Huff productions before folding out into a classic Spector-ish wall of sound,” while the Seattle Times calls it “an 11-song collection full of satisfying, layered moments.” Since their debut, the band has opened for Grammy award-winning Mumford & Sons and performed at multiple festivals including Bonnaroo, the Newport Folk Festival, Firefly Music Festival, Voodoo Music Experience, Bristol Rhythm and Roots and Gentlemen of the Road.

RL Grime

Saturday, November 15th

Doors 8:30pm, Show 9:30pm

$20 Flat  18+

http://youtu.be/04ufimjXEbA

Seemingly out of nowhere, 22-year-old Henry Steinway aka RL Grime has risen the ranks to the forefront of what is a new generation genre-fusing artists, setting eyes on exploring the uncharted and reshaping modern music with every new track he makes. Releasing his debut EP Grapes in April of 2012 on LA’s WEDIDIT imprint, RL took little time in making a name for himself, garnering early support from some of the biggest DJ’s in the world, including Diplo, A-Trak, Skrillex, and Just Blaze. In 2013 he released his sophomore EP High Beams on Fools Gold Records, debuting at number 8 on Billboard’s electronic charts. RL Grime’s work as a remixer has also been met with great acclaim, clocking in official remixes for Benny Benassi, Chief Keef, Jamie Lidell, and Shlohmo – as well as a bootleg of “Mercy” by Kanye West, which has since received over 3 million plays on SoundCloud. With two EP’s and a world tour under his belt, 2014 looks to be RL Grime’s brightest year to date, continuing to refine his sound and further pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a producer in the 21st century.

Disco Donnie and B&W Productions Present:
Carnage: Parental Advisory Tour

with Dzeko & Torres, Paris Blohm, Junkie Kid

Thursday, November 20th

Doors 8pm, Show 9pm 

$25 Flat  18+

http://youtu.be/HG0FtkF7N10

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

Library of Congress honors 'Piano Man' Billy Joel with Gershwin Prize for Popular Song

 

Each year, the Library of Congress honors the career of one popular musician and their dedication to "promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations" with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. This year's recipient is Billy Joel.
A press statement from the Library of Congress' James H. Billington called the six-time Grammy winner and member of the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame "a storyteller of the highest order."

"The great composer, George Gershwin, has been a personal inspiration to me throughout my career," Joel said in the statement. "And the Library's decision to include me among those songwriters who have been past recipients is a milestone for me."

Having been in the music industry for 50 years, Joel is the sixth top-selling artist of all time and the third top-selling solo artist of all time, the statement noted.

The Gershwin Prize is one of many milestones for the musician who made history with his one-of-a-kind residency at Madison Square Garden, where he's committed to playing once a month for the indefinite future. He also was the first American pop star to bring a full rock production to the Soviet Union back in 1987 and recently released a documentary about the two-week tour.

Previous recipients of the Gershwin Prize include Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach, and the late Hal David. Last year, Carole King became the first woman to receive the award.

Joel will receive the prize this November in Washington D.C., where he will be honored in a series of events, including an honoree's luncheon and musical performances.

 Courtney Love, Marilyn Manson to guest-star on final season of "Sons Of Anarchy" on FX

 Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson have roles on the upcoming final season of “Sons of Anarchy.”
The musicians join such previous guest stars as Stephen King and David Hasselhoff as unusual casting choices in the motorcycle club drama on FX.

“We try to have some things that are fun,” creator and executive producer Kurt Sutter told the summer TV critics’ meeting Monday.

Love plays a teacher, and Sutter, a self-professed “huge” Nirvana fan, said, “I thought, who better than Courtney Love?”

Malcolm-Jamal Warner of “The Cosby Show” also has a role in the seventh and concluding season that debuts Sept. 9.

In last season’s finale, Katey Segal’s character used a fork to fatally stab the wife of Charlie Hunnam’s character. Sutter said fans now come up to Segal, his real-life wife, with forks they want autographed.
“The absurdity has crossed the line in some respect,” Sutter said.
--Associated Press

RYAN ADAMS AT PEABODY OPERA HOUSE

SUNDAY OCTOBER 19 

Reserved $35 & $45 • All Ages 

Doors 7 PM / Show 8 PM

Tickets may be purchased at the Scottrade Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 800-745-3000, or online at ticketmaster.com. There is a facility fee on all tickets purchased at all locations, includding at the Scottrade Center Box Office.Additional Ticketmaster service charges and handling fees apply to all tickets purchased through Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or online. For disabled seating, call 314-622-5420.* Price includes $3 facility fee.

Ryan Adams has confirmed September 9 as the release date of Ryan Adams, his new album and first to be released on the combined Pax Am/Blue Note imprint. Produced by Adams himself at his own Pax Am Studios in Los Angeles, the eponymous new record is the NC-born singer/songwriter’s first full length since 2011’s acclaimed Ashes & Fire.Now available for pre-order, Ryan Adams is preceded by the July 1 debut installment of the Pax Am 7” vinyl single series, “total knockout” (Stereogum) and album opener “Gimme Something Good.”  At press time, the single, which also features non-LP B-side “Aching For More,” had hit #1 at the Amazon.com music store, marking the first time a physical single has ever been the store’s top-seller.

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