Shania Twain Releases “Life’s About To Get Good” Music Video

Multi-platinum and multi-award winning Global superstar Shania Twain has released the Matthew Cullen (Katy Perry, Kygo, Weezer, Beck) directed video for her single ‘Life’s About to Get Good’. Watch it HERE. The track is taken from ‘Now’, Shania’s first album in fifteen years, out September 29, on Mercury, Nashville.

“When writing “Life’s About to Get Good,” Shania explains, “I was at home looking out at the ocean and I said to myself, ‘Here I am stuck in this past of negativity, but it’s so beautiful out. I’m not in the mood to write a ‘feeling-sorry-for-myself’ song.” The songwriter recognized that with all of the negative in life also comes the positive. “You can’t have the good without the bad. And that’s what the song ended up being about.”

Eric Paslay Releases ‘The Work Tapes’ EP

EMI Records Nashville’s Eric Paslay is currently in the studio working on his sophomore album as the follow up to his critically acclaimed self-titled debut that produced three hit singles including the No. 1 “Friday Night.” In the process of creating this new music, Eric has spent many months writing and immersing himself in his catalogue of over 1500 songs. In a desire to share music with his fans now, Eric is releasing a collection of five ‘work tapes’ that invite his fans to peek behind the curtain and take a look at the real music creation process. The Work Tapes is available digitally now.

“While working to finalize my second album, I spent weeks revisiting all the songs I’ve written,” shares Eric. “I couldn’t believe how many were left behind never to be heard, but also how refreshing it was to hear them again in their raw, imperfect state just moments after they were written. I hope my fans will enjoy listening to the very beginning of a songs journey with this collection.”

To see and hear more from Eric himself about the inspiration behind this music go HERE or watch below. 

The Work Tapes is available here: http://strm.to/EPWorkTapes

‘Work tapes’ are the first recordings of the song, often the day the song was written and sometimes recorded acoustically on nothing more than an iPhone. These songs, in this rare and honest form, are exclusive to this collection and offer a true picture of Eric as an artist and songwriter.

The Work Tapes Track List
Less Than Whole (Eric Paslay and Big Kenny) from his Eric Paslay debut album
Amarillo Rain (Eric Paslay and Amy Stroup)
Back Home To You (Eric Paslay and Carey Ott)
Come Back To This Town (Eric Paslay and Dean Alexander)
Let Go (Eric Paslay, Dylan Altman and Rose Falcon)

Thomas Rhett Announces Third Studio Album – LIFE CHANGES – Available September 8

Thomas Rhett scored his first hit in 2012, introducing a sound that mixed the southern swagger of Country music with Pop hooks, R&B grooves, soulful strut and the anything-goes attitude of Rock. During the years since, thanks to eight chart-topping singles, he is now a headliner of massive arenas. And, he’s become a husband. A father, too. Now, he announces LIFE CHANGES as his third release with The Valory Music Co., available everywhere September 8 and fans can pre-order exclusive autographed bundles now at ThomasRhett.com.

It’s the biggest, boldest-sounding record of his career, filled with songs that stretch his sound to new limits. Kicking off the album is the already chart-topping “Craving You,” and from there it carves a path as wild and wide as Thomas Rhett’s own career. There are coming-of-age Country ballads, heartland Rock & Roll anthems, EDM-influenced Pop tracks and R&B slow jams all wrapped together by the songwriting skills and elastic vocals of a frontman who’s willing to shine a light on his own milestones and mistakes.

“I am and will always be a country artist,” Thomas Rhett said. “It’s who I am, it’s in my blood. I will always try to push boundaries because that rebellious side has been in me since I was a kid. My voice and my journey that inspired these songs is the glue that makes this album cohesive. This is where I’m at musically and these are my stories.”

Thomas Rhett found himself in the producer’s chair for the new album alongside Dann Huff and Jesse Frasure, as well as new collaborators Julian Bunetta and Joe London. Having a hand in writing 10 of the album’s 14 tracks, there’s plenty of autobiography, but Thomas Rhett’s stories are so compelling because they are our stories, too. And like any great storyteller, he weaves a wide narrative with the new collection, delivering the album from several different perspectives.

Fans will next get a taste of new music Friday (7/28) when the ACM Awards Male Vocalist of the Year shares the highly-anticipated album’s next single “Unforgettable.” For a sneak peek of the new track before its official release, listen here.

LIFE CHANGES Track List:
1. “Craving You” (featuring Maren Morris) | Dave Barnes, Julian Bunetta
2. “Unforgettable” | Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally
3. “Sixteen” | Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur
4. “Drink A Little Beer” (featuring Rhett Akins) | Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, Ben Hayslip
5. “Marry Me” | Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally
6. “Leave Right Now” | Thomas Rhett, Julian Bunetta, Edward Drewett, John Henry Ryan
7. “Smooth Like The Summer” | Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
8. “Life Changes” | Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley
9. “When You Look Like That” | Jessi Alexander, Matt Dragstrem, David Lee Murphy
10. “Sweetheart” | Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur
11. “Kiss Me Like A Stranger” | Thomas Rhett, Dave Barnes, Jordan Reynolds
12. “Renegades” | Thomas Rhett, Julian Bunetta, John Henry Ryan
13. “Gateway Love” | Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Sam Ellis, Emily Weisband
14. “Grave” | Chris DeStefano, Hillary Lindsey, Josh Miller
 

Phil Vassar and Kellie Pickler Launch “A Christmas Tour” This Holiday Season

Country music fans know that when the holidays come around that they are in for a treat from their favorite stars. Now, two essential holiday-favorites, recording artist Phil Vassar and country music darling Kellie Pickler, are teaming up this season for a special Christmas tour around the country launching at the end of November and continuing throughout December.

Tickets for A Christmas Tour go on sale Friday, July 28. In honor of the tour, Pickler and Vassar teamed up to release a new Christmas single this holiday season called “The Naughty List,” written by Phil Vassar and Juliana Songs, and co-produced by Vassar and long-time friend Dane Bryan, who also co-produced Vassar’s first Christmas album, Noel.

“I absolutely love Kellie, and am so excited to go on tour with her,” shares Vassar, who has completed a Christmas tour every year since 2009. “She is an amazingly talented lady and everyone who comes to our show this holiday season is going to be in for a fun time!”

Vassar established himself as a holiday-favorite upon the 2011 release of his first Christmas album, Noel. The album was co-produced by Vassar and his longtime friend Dane Bryan and includes covers of holiday favorites such as “Away in a Manger” and “Merry Christmas Darling” as well as witty original songs with “Santa’s Gone Hollywood” and “Big Ol’ Texas Christmas.” Noel also included a fan-favorite version of Vassar’s own “Let’s Make A Little Christmas,” a track that originally appeared on 2007’s Hear Something Country Christmas, which also included Kellie Pickler’s sultry rendition of “Santa Baby.”

“So excited that Phil and I are hitting the road together this Christmas season,” shared the country music recording artist and reality star Kellie Pickler. “Being able to tour with Phil is an amazing honor…he’s an incredibly talented artist.  We’re both looking forward to spreading as much cheer as we can this holiday season!”

Kellie Pickler’s 2007 version of “Santa Baby,” which she performed that year at “CMA Country Christmas,” quickly became a Christmas classic and landed on Taste of Country’s Top 50 Country Christmas Songs. She also notably performed “The Man With The Bag” at the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Pickler continues to release hauntingly memorable holiday singles, with “My Christmas Caroline” debuting in 2015 and last year releasing a special version of “White Christmas” – a tune she famously covered with Michael Bublé in 2013 and remains the biggest-selling Christmas song of all time. An avid supporter of the military, Pickler has completed 11 USO tours and spent five Christmas holidays performing for servicemen and women overseas.

Pickler has further celebrated the Christmas spirit with two holiday collections in her Southern home goods line with the Grand Ole Opry, Selma Drye. The collections have included ornaments, festive frames, decorative wreaths, as well as two special one-of-a-kind collector’s snow globes that play Pickler’s versions of “My Christmas Caroline” and  “White Christmas.”

Phil Vassar Kellie Pickler A Christmas TourA Christmas Tour Dates:
Friday, Nov. 24 Wheeling, WV The Capitol Theatre
Saturday, Nov. 25 Van Wert, OH Niswonger Performing Arts Center
Thursday, Nov. 30 Waukegan, IL The Genesee Theater
Friday, Dec. 1 Milwaukee, WI Potawatomi Hotel & Casino
Thursday, Dec. 7 St. Charles, MO The Family Arena
Friday, Dec. 8 Madisonville, KY The Glema Mahr Center for the Arts
Saturday, Dec. 9 El Dorado, AR Griffin Music Hall
Sunday, Dec. 10 State University, AR Fowler Center @ Arkansas State University
Thursday, Dec. 14 Hamlet, NC Cole Auditorium & Community Center
Friday, Dec. 15 North Canton, OH Canton Palace Theatre
Saturday, Dec. 16 Rising Sun, IN Rising Star Casino Resort
Wednesday, Dec. 20 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
Saturday, Dec. 23 Charlottesville, VA The Paramount Theater

For more information and ticket sales, please visit www.philvassar.com and www.kelliepickler.com. Additional shows to be announced.

Darius Rucker Set To Release New Album “When Was The Last Time” October 20

On the heels of his eighth No. 1 Country single Darius Rucker has responded to fans’ appeals for new music with an announcement on the TODAY Show, letting them know they won’t be waiting much longer for a new album from the 3-time GRAMMY winning star. When Was The Last Time, the long-awaited fifth studio country album on Capitol Records Nashville, will be released nationwide Friday, October 20. Fans can preorder the album now at http://umgn.us/DariusPreOrder.

The Platinum-selling star released the album’s second single, a song he wrote with Derek George and Travis Hill, “For The First Time” to Country radio earlier this week. “For The First Time” is the follow-up to his most recent No. 1 single, “If I Told You, marking eight country No. 1 singles for Rucker since his country music debut in 2008.

Earlier this week, Rucker spoke with Billboard about teaming up with esteemed Nashville producer Ross Copperman (Dierks Bentley, Brett Eldredge, Keith Urban) to bring his vision for the album to life.

“On top of being a genius with the equipment, Ross is so high-energy and funny; that kid is never not laughing.”  He added, “Every time we were in the studio we had a great band who had great ideas of their own, so it was the farthest thing from tedious, but just, let’s get in and do it. I think for the whole record we spent just three days tracking music.”

This fall’s release will be yet another signature moment in the multi-platinum career of one of music’s most beloved figures. Rucker has never been busier while working on his new album with a slate of television appearances this spring and summer including a CMT Crossroads episode with John Mellencamp, an appearance in Adam Sandler’s Netflix original, Sandy Wexler, and his own episode of Celebrity Undercover Boss on CBS.
 
Rucker, an avid golfer and passionate fan of the game, will host a new monthly show in SiriusXM’s 23/7 golf channel, SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio. On Par with Darius Rucker will debut on Wednesday, July 26, at 3pm ET.

The pre-order packages available include exclusive merchandise and the option to receive an autographed copy. For more information about new music, appearances and tour dates, please visit www.dariusrucker.com.