Michael Ray Set To Release Deeply Personal Sophomore Album, AMOS, on June 1

Michael Ray burst onto the scene with his self-titled, debut album featuring two RIAA Gold-certified No. 1 hits, “Kiss You in the Morning” and “Think A Little Less.” Now, the Florida native is set to release his true introductory album, Amos, June 1 on Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville.

Promising his most personal to date, the album is named after Ray’s grandfather, Amos, who was a huge influence on him not just musically–also in fueling his love for country music. In fact, Ray first began singing and performing in his grandfather’s band when he was only nine years old. To this day he still plays Amos’ hand-me-down guitar, a 1978 Les Paul, as a reminder of the time they spent together sharing stories, learning songs and making memories.

One memory in particular stays with Ray to this day: “The day I made my debut on the Opry stage, all I could think about was how he would be so proud,” Ray shares of his late grandfather, whose passing was just two months prior to his first bow on her stage. Ray was set to fulfill the dream they crafted over a decade before while touring dive bars, American legions and pool halls when he got the call from his family that Amos had suffered a heart attack.  “Looking back, that moment was a pivotal one–our family lost its patriarch. So, when we started making this record, before I would record vocals on the song I would ask myself, ‘is this a song I would have played proudly for him?’ It makes this album that much more special to think he would have said, ‘Ray, that’s a good one.’”

Amos features 11 tracks including Ray’s current top 20 and climbing single, “Get To You.”

For more information, visit MichaelRayMusic.com.

Complete List of Winners of the 53rd ACM Awards

Winners have been announced for the 53rd ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS™. Airing live last night from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and hosted by Reba McEntire, the evening included stellar performances and honored multiple country artists.

Following is a complete list of winners from the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean – WINNER
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert – WINNER
Reba McEntire
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Keith Urban
Chris Young

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne – WINNER
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
LOCASH
Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
LANCO
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion – WINNER

NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
 Lauren Alaina – WINNER
Danielle Bradbery
Carly Pearce
Raelynn

NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
 Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Devin Dawson
Russell Dickerson
Brett Young – WINNER

NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
 High Valley
LANCO
LOCASH
Midland – WINNER
Runaway June

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Breaker – Little Big Town
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

California Sunrise – Jon Pardi
Producers: Bart Butler, Jon Pardi
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Records

Happy Endings – Old Dominion
Producer: Shane McAnally
Record Label: RCA

Life Changes – Thomas Rhett
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
Record Label: The Valory Music Co.

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
Better Man – Little Big Town
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

Body Like A Back Road – Sam Hunt – WINNER
Producer: Zach Crowell
Record Label: MCA Nashville

Broken Halos – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Records

Drinkin’ Problem – Midland
Producers: Dann Huff, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
Record Label: Big Machine Records

I’ll Name The Dogs – Blake Shelton
Producer: Scott Hendricks
Record Label: Warner Bros.

SONG OF THE YEAR
Body Like a Back Road – Sam Hunt
Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Anderson Fork In The Road Music (ASCAP), Atlas Music Publishing, Highly Combustible Music (ASCAP), I Love Pizza Music (ASCAP), Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR), Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (ASCAP), Sam Hunt Publishing (ASCAP), Smack Hits (GMR), Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP), Smackville Music (ASCAP), Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP), Who Wants To Buy My Publishing (ASCAP)

Female – Keith Urban
Songwriters: Ross Copperman, Nicolle Galyon and Shane McAnally
Publishers: A Girl Named Charlie (BMI), EMI Blackwood Music Inc. (BMI), Plain Jane Songs (BMI), Rezolant Music (BMI), Smack Hits (GMR), Smack Songs LLC (GMR), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

Tin Man – Miranda Lambert – WINNER
Songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert Jon Randall
Publishers:Beat Up Ford Publishing (BMI), BMG Platinum Songs (BMI), Lonesome Vinyl Music (BMI), Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), SWMBMGBMI (BMI)

Whiskey And You – Chris Stapleton
Songwriters: Lee Thomas Miller, Chris Stapleton
Publishers: New Sea Gayle Music (ASCAP), Spirit of Nashville One (BMI), Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), WM Music Corp. (ASCAP)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Black – Dierks Bentley
Director: Wes Edwards
Producer: Max A. Butler

It Ain’t My Fault – Brothers Osborne – WINNER
Director: Wes Edwards, Ryan Silver
Producer: Tiffany Davies

Legends – Kelsea Ballerini
Director: Jeff Venable
Producer: Ben Skipworth

Marry Me – Thomas Rhett
Director: TK McKamy
Producer: Dan Atchison

We Should Be Friends – Miranda Lambert
Director: Trey Fanjoy
Producer: April Dace

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Craving You – Thomas Rhett Featuring Maren Morris
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Dann Huff, Joe London, Thomas Rhett
Record Label: The Valory Music Co.

Dear Hate – Maren Morris featuring Vince Gill
Producers: Brad Hill, Maren Morris
Record Label: Columbia Nashville

Funny (How Time Slips Away) – Glen Campbell And Willie Nelson
Producer: Carl Jackson
Record Label: Universal Music Enterprises

The Fighter – Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood – WINNER
Producers: Busbee, Keith Urban
Record Label: Capitol Nashville

What Ifs – Kane Brown Featuring Lauren Alaina
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Label: RCA Nashville

Sugarland To Release New Album BIGGER June 8, Track List Revealed

GRAMMY® Award-winning superstar duo SUGARLAND announced their highly anticipated sixth studio album, titled BIGGER, will be released on June 8 and will become available for preorder on April 13. Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush co-wrote nearly all of the songs on the album, which was co-produced by Kristian, Jennifer, and Julian Raymond. The project’s lead single, “Still The Same,” is currently climbing the Country radio charts ahead of the duo’s spring-summer STILL THE SAME 2018 TOUR.

After taking a hiatus to pursue a series of high profile solo projects, BIGGER is the duo’s first new music in seven years and the first project under their new joint venture with Big Machine Records and UMG Nashville. It will be available to pre-order at digital retailers as well as the title track, “Bigger,” available to download on April 13.

As fans have come to expect from Sugarland, BIGGER embodies the musical spirit of the band: it contains tracks both uptempo and upbeat as well as powerful message songs that address specific issues facing the world. “Our hopefulness and our sparkiness and our joy is one of the things I think we do uniquely well, especially in the country format,” says Jennifer of the set’s sunnier material. “We offer that in a unique way.”

The bold graphics of the recently unveiled album cover conjure up images of a circus tent, representative of both that fun side and some of the more enigmatic content on the project, which was written over and influenced by the course of the past six months. “This album has a whole bunch of mystery,” says Kristian, who has been enjoying peeling back the layers of the production and the nuanced songwriting. “I’m listening to it every two days just to see what’s in it. I have entire pints of blood in that thing, but I still don’t know where it all came from, and I love that.”

Recently featured on the cover of USA Today’s Life section, the duo will give fans a taste of the new material when they appear on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! May 2.

Their STILL THE SAME 2018 TOUR kicks off May 25 and will visit 48 cities in the U.S. and Canada, but the duo has already delighted audiences in the U.K. with their new material, earning standing ovations during their performances at the C2C: Country to Country festival in March.

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 260 million on-demand streams, making Sugarland one of the most popular Country music duos of all time.

Lauded by Entertainment Weekly as one of the format’s “most successful and beloved acts,” both members of the duo say their time away from writing and recording together has only made them come back stronger and, yes, BIGGER.

“We have always enjoyed playing in the margins and stretching the format,” says Jennifer. “But it’s fun to have taken this time away and seen how the format has expanded and how music has evolved. Before, we were playing in the margins. Now, the margins have moved, and that’s fun to hear.”

“It’s not like we stopped creating with [2010 album] THE INCREDIBLE MACHINE,” adds Kristian. “We kept going, but like a good Netflix show you skipped seasons three and four and now you’re seeing season five and you’re reminded of why you loved it. We didn’t really hit pause on anything. We both got on treadmills that were even faster in some ways. But we made a promise to come back, and we kept that promise.”

Cover Art Courtesy of Big Machine Records

BIGGER TRACK LIST
1. “Bigger” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
2. “On A Roll” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
3. “Let Me Remind You” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
4. “Mother” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
5. “Still The Same” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
6. “Lean It On Back” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
7. “Babe (featuring Taylor Swift)” | Taylor Swift, Pat Monahan
8. “Bird In A Cage” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
9. “Love Me Like I’m Leaving” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles, Tim Owens
10. “Tuesday’s Broken” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles
11. “Not The Only” | Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles

Morgan Wallen To Release Debut Album “If I Know Me” April 27

Morgan Wallen is sharing new details behind his highly-anticipated debut album IF I KNOW ME, arriving Friday, April 27 on Big Loud Records.

The sought-after songwriter co-penned six tracks for the album, produced by CMA and ACM Award winner Joey Moi. The project embodies Wallen’s downhome roots, whiskey-soaked vocals, and Southern rock edge, serving as a fitting introduction to “country music’s newest superstar” (NKD Mag).

The 14-song collection kicks off with Wallen’s “too dang catchy to ignore” (Taste of Country) single “Up Down” featuring MULTI-PLATINUM duo Florida Georgia Line. The breakthrough smash has amassed over 80.5 million plays to date and continues its swift ascent up the radio charts, currently inside the Top 15.

Wallen will make his late-night debut performing the “buoyant” (Rolling Stone Country) track on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! alongside FGL on April 26.

IF I KNOW ME Track listing:
1. “Up Down” (Feat. Florida Georgia Line) (Brad Clawson, CJ Solar, Michael Hardy)
2. “Happy Hour” (Corey Crowder, Michael Hardy, Craig Wiseman)
3. “Had Me By Halftime” (Michael Hardy, James McNair, Josh Miller, Daniel Ross, Morgan Wallen)
4. “Whiskey Glasses” (Ben Burgess, Kevin Kadish)
5. “Whatcha Know ‘Bout That” (Michael Hardy, Cameron Montgomery, Craig Wiseman, Josh Leo, Jim Photoglo, Wendy Waldman)
6. “Redneck Love Song” (David Garcia, Michael Hardy, Hillary Lindsey, Josh Miller)
7. “Little Rain” (Matt Dragstrem, Chase McGill, Ben Hayslip)
8. “If I Know Me” (Michael Hardy, Ernest Keith Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, Morgan Wallen)
9. “Chasin’ You” (Jamie Moore, Morgan Wallen, Craig Wiseman)
10. “The Way I Talk” (Jessi Alexander, Ben Hayslip, Chase McGill)
11. “If I Ever Get You Back” (Dallas Davidson, Matt Dragstrem, Ben Hayslip)
12. “Gone Girl” (Jessi Alexander, Cameron Montgomery, Deric Ruttan, Morgan Wallen, Michael Hardy)
13. “Not Good At Not“ (Brett Tyler, Morgan Wallen, Craig Wiseman)
14. “Talkin’ Tennessee” (Jeff Hyde, Morgan Wallen, Craig Wiseman)

IF I KNOW ME will be available for pre-order on all digital platforms Friday (4/13). Fans who pre-order will instantly receive “Happy Hour” that day and “Had Me By Halftime” on 4/20.

In addition to welcoming IF I KNOW ME on 4/27, Wallen will also make his Stagecoach Festival debut before continuing his headlining UP DOWN TOUR presented by Shiner Light Blonde. The kinetic performer will then join Luke Bryan’s WHAT MAKES YOU COUNTRY TOUR beginning May 31 in Toronto.

Walker Hayes’ Hit Single “You Broke Up With Me” Certified Platinum

Last week, Walker Hayes was surprised with Platinum certification for his hit, “You Broke Up With Me,” in front of a sold out crowd of more than 2500 fans at PlayStation Theater as part of Kelsea Ballerini’s Unapologetically Tour. The Platinum certification signifies 1 million records sold.

As he was brought to stage by the local radio station, NASH FM, DJs Katie Neal and Jesse Addy introduced him to the packed house as a “13 year overnight success story” and although the first single from his debut album, “You Broke Up With Me,” is now Certified Platinum, Hayes says the long journey to this point is what makes it so special.

“I’m so humbled and excited to get my first Platinum plaque,” Hayes said to his crowd as they roared with applause. “This is because of people like you who are open minded and love my music that doesn’t really fit in a box. This has been a long journey and I’m finally making the music that is true to me, so thank you for listening and buying and showing up.”

On the heels of the Top 10 smash comes the “gut-wrenching” (Washington Post) single, “Craig,” written by Hayes in an effort to thank a friend for his generous gift of a car when Hayes’ family was having trouble making ends meet. The piano driven track is “the type of uncomfortably honest music that Hayes is most comfortable writing” (Washington Post) and subsequently “makes for one of the album’s [boom.] most compelling tracks” (Sounds Like Nashville). “ ‘Craig’ — with its personal, soul-bearing storyline; rolling rhymes; and Macklemore-like cadence — nicely summarizes the evolution that occurred during those seven wilderness years.” (Billboard).

Download “Craig” here.

In addition to launching his new single, Hayes splits time on the road between his first-ever headlining tour, Good As Gold Tour, and opening for Kelsea Ballerini on the Unapologetically Tour. Hayes will perform at the ACM Party for a Cause in Las Vegas next week as well as Stagecoach at the end of the month. For a full list of tour dates, visit walkerhayes.com.