As the saying goes, all roads lead back home. This holds especially true for GRAMMY nominated country hit maker Cassadee Pope. After a long yet productive journey that brought her back to her roots in country music, Pope is returning to the Vans Warped Tour, the stage that she rocked 8 years ago as the lead singer of punk band Hey Monday. You can catch the platinum certified Pope on July 30th in Charlotte, NC, and July 31st in Atlanta, GA.
“Growing up, the thought of playing Warped Tour was a dream. Now, not only do I get to say ‘I played Warped Tour twice’, I get to perform songs that I poured my heart and soul into over the last few years. It almost feels like a graduation of sorts for me, and I can’t wait to get on that stage and get all nostalgic!”
Cassadee’s hard work came into fruition earlier this year with the release of her newest single, “Take You Home”. Pope’s newest tune in 2 years shows her in a vulnerable yet confident light, singing about the different layers of relationships. With its confessional and forward lyrics, fans will be treated to a new side of Cassadee.
The Warped Tour has become a musical institution since its inaugural run in 1995, hosting major acts such as Sublime, Blink-182, and Green Day. This year, Cassadee will find herself playing alongside bands such as 3OH!3, Mayday Parade, and Reel Big Fish.
Tour buses and GRAFFITI U wrapped trailers, twenty-two in all, and a crew of ninety-three have hit the road, hauling enough cable to carry electricity from Nashville to St. Louis and nearly forty guitars for the launch of Keith Urban’s “GRAFFITI U WORLD TOUR 2018.” A 23-song, two-hour plus set, marks the four-time GRAMMY Award winner’s first world tour in more than two years.
After only a few shows, fans have been treated to Urban’s now expected unexpected. His fast-paced party-like performances reveal an unrivaled triple threat entertainer. Vocalist, virtuoso guitarist and ever the showman, Urban’s connection to his fans always features spontaneous moments and “GRAFFITI U WORLD TOUR 2018” has been no exception.
He revealed that his opening night featured guests, the innovative blues, Americana and rock duo Larkin Poe, will accompany him on the tour through August, performing “Where the Blacktop Ends.” In addition, Urban has not only made a phone call to a fan’s friend (from the stage), he’s given an onstage pre-wedding first dance performance of “Making Memories of Us” to a Detroit couple.
It should come as no surprise that critics are raving. Of his show in Indianapolis the Star said, “Urban reached an undeniable peak of energy exchange between performer and audience. He had the crowd hanging on every line…you’d be in decent shape if you wagered on Urban in a guitar duel against any living player.”
The “GRAFFITI U WORLD TOUR 2018” debut in St. Louis led their Post-Dispatch to proclaim that, “Urban has made (his show) memorable from opening to closing.” And Pittsburgh’s Post-Gazette states that “(Urban) maintains a special inexplicable quality seen in few musicians.”
The 58-city, 62 show North American leg of his “GRAFFITI U WORLD TOUR 2018,” features GRAMMY Nominee Kelsea Ballerini, who will accompany Urban on the U.S. leg as his supporting act and Lindsay Ell, who will accompany Urban on shows north of the border (not including June 29 and 30 in Toronto).
THE GRAFFITI U WORLD TOUR 2018 Wed Jun 27 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center Fri Jun 29 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage Sat Jun 30 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage Thu Jul 5 Gilford, NH Bank of NH Pavilion Fri Jul 6 Gilford, NH Bank of NH Pavilion Sun Jul 8 Canandaigua, NY CMAC Fri Jul 13 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre Sat Jul 14 Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre Sun Jul 15 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater Fri Jul 20 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre Sat Jul 21 Lake Tahoe, NV Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys Sun Jul 22 Lake Tahoe, NV Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys Fri Jul 27 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park Sat Jul 28 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion Sun Jul 29 Alpharetta, GA Verizon Amphitheatre Fri Aug 3 Philadelphia, PA BB&T Pavilion Sat Aug 4 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center Sun Aug 5 Bangor, ME Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion Fri Aug 10 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center Sat Aug 11 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live Sun Aug 12 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater Wed Aug 15 Rogers, AR Walmart AMP Fri Aug 17 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center Sat Aug 18 Chicago, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Sun Aug 19 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center Fri Aug 24 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena Sat Aug 25 Orange Beach, AL The Wharf Amphitheater Sun Aug 26 Tuscaloosa, AL Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Fri Sept 7 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena Sat Sept 8 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena Wed Sept 12 Moncton, NB Moncton Downtown Centre Fri Sept 14 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre Sat Sept 15 London, ON Budweiser Gardens Wed Sept 19 Winnipeg, MB Bell MTS Place Fri Sept 21 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre Sat Sept 22 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place Sun Sept 23 Calgary, AB ScotiaBank Saddledome Tue Sept 25 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena Thu Sept 27 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Arena Fri Sept 28 Boise, ID Taco Bell Arena Sat Sept 29 Missoula, MT Adams Center Thu Oct 4 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion Fri Oct 5 Laughlin, NV Laughlin Event Center Sat Oct 6 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center Mon Oct 8 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl Fri Oct 12 Peoria, IL Peoria Civic Center Sat Oct 13 Minneapolis, MN Target Center Sun Oct 14 Grand Forks, ND Ralph Engelstad Arena Thu Oct 18 Toledo, OH Huntington Center Fri Oct 19 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena Sat Oct 20 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center Wed Oct 24 Youngstown, OH Covelli Centre Thu Oct 25 Hershey, PA Giant Center Sat Oct 27 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center Sun Oct 28 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena Thu Nov 1 Little Rock, AR Verizon Arena Fri Nov 2 New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center Sat Nov 3 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
As friends were being airlifted off the Hurricane Irma-toppled Virgin Islands, Kenny Chesney was in the studio recording what in many ways was his response to the destruction that swept through in the Caribbean. Writing, recording and searching for songs in the moment added an immediacy to the music, and those recordings became Songs for the Saints.
Deeply personal, but more importantly, deeply committed to the rescue and healing of the people who live in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, the project goes past the trauma to focus on the indomitable spirit of those people. The 11 songs offer hope, support, commitment and especially recognition of how irrepressible they are.
“I wanted to make a record that shows the spirit and resilience of the people who live on those islands, who are generationally tied to them, or are raising families there,” Chesney explains. “To me, it’s about the hope, the strength, the joy and the courage they are bringing to the task of rebuilding after a kind of destruction no one has ever seen before. To let them know, they’re not only not forgotten months later, but we’re holding them up as inspiration – and offering help in any way that we can, including music. Because music heals, it inspires, and this is for them.”
With the percolating “Get Along” in the Top 10, with its message of coming together and valuing what matters, the rest of Songs for the Saints works from a more philosophical place. The title track and “Love for Love City,” especially, hone in on committing to the long run of providing support, while “Better Boat” is more personal, considering one’s own flaws and working to be more.
For the dozen song project, the 8-time CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year enlists good friends Jimmy Buffett, Ziggy Marley and Mindy Smith. As he says of his guests, “Each one of them has a tie to my life in the islands, but also reflect some piece of what we’re trying to do. Ziggy Marley, and his family’s legacy, holds so much truth for all of the people I know down there. Mindy Smith’s Come To Jesus was an album I lived with from morning to night when I was first going down there – and her voice sounds like an angel. And Jimmy, more than the lost shaker of salt, understands the poetry of the islands beyond what tourists see, the life in a way that made a song written decades ago so current. I’m honored they also want to help.”
Recorded largely in Nashville and mixed in Key West, Songs for the Saints is an immediate response to a place that has helped shape the songwriter/superstar from East Tennessee into the artist he became. Writing five of the songs, he spent time on the phone with other writers who shared his concern – and more songs poured in, as well as the musician/dreamer’s benediction “Gulf Moon” and Lord Huron’s “Ends of the Earth.”
“Creating like this, you don’t have a master plan, but the music will take you and teach you,” Chesney explains. “I knew I wanted this album to show the spirit of the people, but I wanted it to focus on healing, on their gift to rise above such complete chaos and devastation. They had no power, no real food, nothing; they dug in, started clearing the land and rebuilding. To me, that’s inspiring.”
Songs for the Saints available everywhere July 27.
SONGS FOR THE SAINTS Track Listing Songs for the Saints Every Heart Get Along Pirate Song Love for Love City (with Ziggy Marley) Ends Of The Earth Gulf Moon Island Rain Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season (with Jimmy Buffett) We’re All Here Better Boat (featuring Mindy Smith)
Ahead of this Father’s Day, country music star, Walker Hayes, is launching his ‘Be A Craig Fund’ as a tribute to a man named Craig who gave Hayes and his family a van when they were struggling to make ends meet. The unexpected and incredibly generous act meant that the Hayes family would finally have a vehicle big enough for all six of their children to travel together safely.
Kindness and selflessness are at the heart of the ‘Be A Craig Fund’ and Hayes’ goal is to shine a light on not only those in need but also those who are willing to step-up to help.
“I wanna be a ‘Craig,’” says Hayes. “I want to be more selfless and look outward. I want to give back and this fund allows us to do so, together.”
“Craig” also serves as Hayes’ latest single from his studio album, boom (Monument Records.) The heartfelt tribute has been resonating with fans and critics alike. The song, in conjunction with the ‘Be A Craig Fund,’ encourages us all to be a beacon of hope for others who may be going through a tough time.
Fans will be able to submit a story of someone they would like to “be a Craig” for, buy a “Be A Craig” t-shirt with all proceeds going to the fund, or can make a simple donation. Several of the stories submitted will be chosen along the way and profits from donations and t-shirt sales will be used to aide those special people just looking for a little help.
For more information on The Be A Craig Foundation, please visit: www.beacraig.org
Following three consecutive GOLD-certified singles, CHRIS LANE has announced his sophomore album, LAPS AROUND THE SUN. Revealing the news exclusively to Billboard on Thursdsay (6/14), the breakout talent’s forthcoming release with Big Loud Records is set for July 13. The announcement comes as his smash hit “Take Back Home Girl” (featuring GRAMMY-nominated artist Tori Kelly) is on the verge of Country radio’s Top 10 and closes in on 200 million combined streams.
With tracks chosen based on meaning and personal connection, Lane’s serene confidence and good-natured humor shine bright on LAPS AROUND THE SUN. Produced by studio ace Joey Moi (Florida Georgia Line), the organic collection of soulful arrangements was recorded with a live band accompanied by Lane’s timeless voice in its natural register.
“I’ve learned a lot. With my first record, I was trying to figure out exactly what kind of sound I wanted to have, and now I know. I know what I truly love and what kind of artist I want to be,” says Lane to Billboard. “My goal was to make sure anyone who hears this album finds a song they can relate to. I hope I accomplished that.”
LAPS AROUND THE SUN is available for pre-order today, with fans immediately receiving Country-to-the-core track “Fishin’” in addition to the album’s “All The Right Problems” and “Old Flame” upon purchase. Click hereto pre-order LAPS AROUND THE SUN.
Here is the official track list for Chris Lane’s LAPS AROUND THE SUN:
1. “Take Back Home Girl” feat. Tori Kelly – (David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey, Josh Miller) 2. “Fishin’” – (Matt Dragstrem, Brian Kelley, Josh Thompson) 3. “Drunk People” – (Zach Abend, Michael Hardy, James McNair) 4. “I Don’t Know About You” – (Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jameson Rodgers) 5. “Laps Around The Sun” – (Bobby Huff, Chris Lane, Ernest Keith Smith) 6. “Bad Girl” – (Rodney Clawson, Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson) 7. “New Phone, Who’s This” – (Rhett Akins, Matt Dragstrem, Marv Green) 8. “All The Right Problems” – (Rodney Clawson, Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson) 9. “Life Goes On” – (Nate Cyphert, Josh Miller, Ben West) 10. “Sun Kiss You” – (busbee, Ryan Hurd, Jon Nite) 11. “Number One” – (Bobby Huff, Ernest Keith Smith, Brad Warren, Brett Warren) 12. “Old Flame” – (Rodney Clawson, Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson) 13. “Without You” feat. Danielle Bradbery – (Ben Burgess, Ross Copperman, Emily Weisband) 14. “Hero” – (Josh Miller)
