Chase Rice knows who he is as artist; and who he’s not. And he is set to release a new album, Lambs & Lions, with a new label partner BBR Music Group/BMG, and kick off a coast-to-coast “Lambs and Lions Tour” that strikes at the heart of what the industry outlier believes about reaching fans and making music that reflects more than the just the bravado that garnered the North Carolina native national acclaim.
With the confidence that comes from writing and playing from a deeper emotional well, Rice is launching the “Lambs and Lions Tour” in Boone, N.C. at Appalachian State University. It ends two continents, three countries, six months, five support acts and 30 tour dates later at Atlanta’s Buckhead Theatre. In between, he is playing gritty clubs, festivals, arenas, and some of the most revered music venues in the country. Unapologetic and fiercely independent, Rice is clearly comfortable in his own skin and on any stage.
As stated in an article by Marissa Moss in Rolling Stone, his current musical path “is a chance for him to move past bro-dom, experiment with new sounds and textures, and discuss much more than just the party. It’s about finding faith in relationships and learning how to persevere when things get a little tough, and is also an emotional dip into the world of an artist who, like many of his peers, was dismissed before he could reach a lot deeper.”
Rice has been one of country music’s most exciting figures since arriving in Nashville. He co-wrote Florida Georgia Line’s megahit Diamond certified “Cruise” and his 2014 major label debut album, Ignite the Night, opened at No. 1 and yielded two Top 5 hits with “Ready Set Roll” and “Gonna Wanna Tonight,” in addition to more than 900,000 in album sales. Rice initially released “Ready Set Roll” through his own Dack Janiels label and later partnered with Columbia Nashville for a wider release, though he never gave up control of his music to sign a long-term deal.
He signed with BBR Music Group because of the label’s proven track record of fostering an independent spirit while still helping deliver hits for its acts including Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch, Randy Houser, and Granger Smith, all artists who began as independents and continue to chart their own paths with millions of songs and albums sold.
The 31-year-old singer-songwriter has had eclectic life for inspiration, playing football at the University of North Carolina, serving as a NASCAR pit crew member, even a role on a season of Survivor, all before finding success as a singer/songwriter/entertainer. His unrivaled live show has led to numerous sold out tours, a slot performing on Kenny Chesney’s stadium tour stops in 2015, and to ESPN’s Marty Smith noting in that sense, “Rice is an anomaly.”
“Lambs and Lions Tour”
Sept. 14 Boone, N.C. | Appalachian State University*
Sept. 15 Raleigh, N.C. | The Ritz*
Sept. 16 Charlotte, N.C. | Coyote Joe’s*
Sept. 21 Missoula, Mont. | Wilma Theater~
Sept. 22 Boise, Idaho | Knitting Factory~
Sept. 23 Idaho Falls, Idaho | Colonial Theater~
Sept. 28 Saint Paul, Minn. | The Myth^
Sept. 29 Rosemont, Ill. | Joe’s Live^
Sept. 30 Chicago, Ill. | Joe’s on Weed Street^
Oct. 1 Atlantic City, N.Y. | Garden State Country Muisc Food Truck Fest*
Oct. 12 San Marcos, Texas | The Marc+
Oct. 13 Dallas, Texas | House of Blues
Oct. 14 Dardanelle, Ark. | Front Street Grill
Oct. 26 Memphis, Tenn. | Minglewood Hall+
Oct. 27 Tulsa, Okla. | River Spirit Casino Resort
Oct. 28 Oklahoma City, Okla. | The Criterion+
Nov. 2 Huntington, N.Y. | The Paramount+
Nov. 3 Cleveland, Ohio | House of Blues+
Nov. 9 Phoenix, Ariz. | The Van Buren
Nov. 17 Denver, Colo. | Grizzly Rose
Nov. 18 Denver, Colo. | Grizzly Rose
Dec. 1 Glasgow, U.K. | King Tuts
Dec. 2 Manchester, U.K. | Deaf Institute
Dec. 4 Birmingham, U.K. | O2 Institute2
Dec. 5 London, U.K. | Borderline
Dec. 6 Dublin, Ireland | Whelans
Dec. 8 Maryville, Mo. | Northwest Missouri State University
Jan. 18 New York, N.Y. | Terminal 5#
Jan. 19 Boston, Mass. | House of Blues#
Jan. 20 Philadelphia, Pa. | The Filmore#
Jan. 25 St. Louis, Mo. | The Pageant*
Jan. 26 Milwaukee, Wis. | The Rave*
Jan. 27 Detroit, Mich. | The Fillmore*
Feb. 1 Norfolk, Va. | Norva Theatre*
Feb. 3 Pittsburgh, Pa. | Stage AE*
Feb. 8 Orlando, Fla. | House of Blues+
Feb. 9 Tampa, Fla. | The Ritz Ybor+
Feb. 10 Atlanta, Ga. | Buckhead Theatre+
*Travis Denning
^Jacob Davis
#Brooke Eden
~Filmore
+Sam Riggs
AT&T is sending customers to the front of the line with AT&T priority pre-sale ticket access beginning June 27 at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, June 29, at 10 p.m. local time via the AT&T THANKS program. For complete pre-sale details visit att.com/frontoftheline.
For more information, visit chaserice.com or follow on Twitter @ChaseRiceMusic and Facebook.com/ChaseRiceMusic.
