“Nashville” Star Charles Esten To Host 2017 CMT Music Awards on June 1

Deacon Claybourne is taking the reins of the loudest night in country music as CMT today announced that “Nashville” star Charles Esten will host the fan-voted “2017 CMT Music Awards,” live from Nashville on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 8:00 pm ET/PT. The announcement was made by Esten on Instagram. The news comes on the heels of the beloved music drama, which recently shattered ratings and viewership for CMT, returning with new episodes on Thursday, June 1 at 9pm ET/PT and a new season slated to premiere early next year.

Superstars Blake Shelton, Brett Eldredge, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett are set to perform with additional artists, presenters and special guests being announced soon.

“Everybody knows that CMT has a special connection with country music and the incredible fans that love it so much,” said Charles Esten. “That connection is why our show, “Nashville,” now has a perfect home on the network. It’s also why there is no other show quite like the “CMT Music Awards.” It’s a show fully dedicated to the fans and an annual chance for them to place their votes for their favorite artists. Besides always being flat-out fun, it’s also always been a stage for magical musical moments – and a place where some of country’s biggest legends have been made. I’m thrilled and honored to get to host this great event.”

Nominations will be announced on Tuesday, May 9. Fan voting begins the same day at CMT.com and continues until Monday, June 5 at 12:01 AM ET.

Follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

Maren Morris Adds Additional Dates To The Hero Tour 2017, Featuring Special Guest Ryan Hurd

Columbia Nashville GRAMMY Award-winning singer/songwriter Maren Morris announces the fall leg of The HERO Tour 2017, produced by AEG Presents, with 10 dates running from October 5 to October 28 throughout the U.S. Midwest and Southeast regions. Tickets go on sale at 10AM local time this Friday, May 5. Fans can visit Morris’ website to purchase tickets at the on sale.

For The HERO Tour 2017 fall extension Maren Morris has partnered with CID Entertainment to offer VIP Experiences including concert tickets on tour. VIP Experience amenities include a meet & greet with Maren, early venue entry, an exclusive signed poster, and VIP merchandise. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to ‘The HEROES Fund’ which benefits fine arts programs and music education in public schools. For full details, click HERE.

Supporting the fall leg of the The HERO Tour 2017 is once again RCA Nashville singer/songwriter Ryan Hurd, who opened for Morris’ winter/spring, SOLD OUT, leg of The HERO Tour 2017.

Thus far Morris’ The HERO Tour 2017, which received its name from Morris’ critically acclaimed, ACM, CMA and GRAMMY Award nominated debut album HERO, has already covered a lot of ground with the promise of more to come.

The sold out winter/spring dates on The HERO Tour 2017, which kicked off in New York City and wrapped in Nashville, had the celebrated Texas native performing at 15 major market tour stops and with the fall extension, as well as the previously announced international leg, The HERO Tour 2017 will encompass 17 more dates.

The HERO Tour 2017 (U.S. Fall dates)
Date Venue City
10/5 State Theatre – Kalamazoo, MI
10/6 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
10/7 7 Flags Event Center – Clive, IA
10/12 Keith-Albee Theatre – Huntington, WV
10/13 Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN
10/19 City Hall Live – Brandon, MS
10/21 Soul Kitchen – Mobile, AL
10/26 Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland – Kansas City, MO
10/27 Brady Theater – Tulsa, OK
10/28 The Cotillion – Wichita, KS

Eric Church Announces Final Eight Shows for 2017

When Eric Church’s 2017 Holdin’ My Own Tour launched in January, the 62-stop tour encompassing 40+ states and provinces in less than five months promised to give fans everything in Church’s arsenal. With “the attitude of rock ‘n’ roll, transgression and a little sin,” (The Courant) Church has been delivering on that vow with over 35 songs and three hours of music spanning his five-album discography each and every night.

As he prepares for its last dozen stops in May, Church is looking to the future still, adding 8 remaining plays to his 2017 calendar, leaving only 10 opportunities coast-to-coast to see Church live after his Holdin’ My Own Tour wraps May 26-27 in Nashville, Tennessee with the first of eight going on sale May 12 at 10 a.m.

For the eight new performances, Church will retire his two-set model (for now), and bring special guests to join him. The first to be announced for his Alabama dates Sept. 15-16 are CMA and ACM Duo of the Year winners, Brothers Osborne, and singer/songwriter Ashley McBryde who fans from Church’s Chicago show will remember due to their rousing rendition of “Bible and a .44” off her Jalopies & Expensive Guitars album.

“This tour has been so special musically; I can honestly say I’m really gonna miss it,” Church says referring to not only the journey but seeing everyone on their feet night-after-night singing as loud as they can for the entire show. “That being said, I’m looking forward to sharing the bill with some artists I enjoy. It’s gonna be a fun challenge to turn a three-hour show into a shorter one that can vary drastically night-to-night.”

With surprise collaborative moments from newcomers like McBryde to Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes and Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell to guest choirs that have appeared at every stop, Holdin’ My Own Tour has notched the #1 most attended touring concert in the world in 2017 according to Pollstar with critics noting, “in a relatively short time Eric Church has firmly established himself as one of the best live performers of his generation,” Thom Jennings of the Niagra Gazette observed following his Buffalo show. “His albums keep getting progressively better as do his live shows. It may only be a matter of time before he is too big for hockey arenas and will start headlining stadium shows.”

Until then, you can see him here and only here June and beyond:
June 23 Cadott, WI at Country Fest+
Sept. 2 and 3 Stateline, NV at Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys**
Sept 7, 2017 Austin, TX at Austin 360 Amphitheater**
Sept. 8, 2017 Houston, TX at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion**
Sept 15, 2017 Tuscaloosa, AL at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater*
Sept 16, 2017 Orange Beach, AL at The Wharf Amphitheater*
Sept 21 and 22 Gilford, NH at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion**
Oct. 29 Las Vegas, NV at Route 91 Festival+
*With special guests Brothers Osborne and Ashley McBryde; on sale May 12 at 10 a.m.
**Special guests announced soon
+Previously announced
Additional support announcement and on sale information coming soon.

Pre-sales will be powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan, an innovative new technology from Ticketmaster built to help Church continue to combat bots and get tickets into the hands of real fans who intend to go to the shows.

For more information, visit ericchurch.com/events.

Tyler Farr Releases New Single “I Should Go To Church Sometime”

Tyler Farr delivers his heart wrenching new single “I Should Go To Church Sometime” to Country radio and all digital streaming partners. The new single was  written by Brinley Addington, Michael Hardy and Sarah Turner, and is the next step in a path filled with hit songs from Farr including three No. 1 singles; “A Guy Walks into a Bar,” “Redneck Crazy,” and “Whiskey in my Water.”

Purchase “I Should Go To Church Sometime” HERE. Stream it HERE

“I’m not exactly known for walking the ‘straight and narrow,’ but I have a strong conscience and I was taught right from wrong,” says Farr. “It’s something that we all face at some point. What am I going to do? How am I going to act? What am I going to do today that’s different from yesterday? That decision is what this song is all about.”

Known for his dynamic, full-throttle live shows, Farr will hit the road this summer joining Brantley Gilbert on his The Devil Don’t Sleep Tour alongside Farr’s label mate, Luke Combs. In addition to dates on The Devil Don’t Sleep Tour, Farr will appear at festivals across the country as well as headlining his own tour stops.

Additionally, Farr will star in his own upcoming series, A Little Too Farr (Unscripted), to air on Rated Red and GO90 this coming summer. In A Little Too Farr (Unscripted) Farr pulls back the curtain giving fans an all-access glimpse at his life on and off the road and true to nature he is going to take things “A Little Too Farr” in every episode.

Levi Hummon Releases Progressive New Country Single “Don’t Waste The Night”

Country newcomer Levi Hummon delivers a cool, modern feel to country music with his newly-released single, “Don’t Waste the Night.” The brand new track is available now on digital music outlets, and is being highlighted during Hummon’s live performances.

Written by Hummon, Josh Thompson and Matt Dragstrem, “Don’t Waste The Night” reflects couples who want to live out their relationships to their fullest potential – no matter where life may take them. With a pop laden feel, excellent written lyrics, and Ed Sheeran-like guitar strums, “Don’t Waste The Night” provides a progressive vibe to the country genre that will have listeners eager for additional music from the artist on the rise.

Hummon has already achieved some major accomplishments early on in his career, including being listed as one of Rolling Stone Country’s “Artists You Need To Know,” and has hit the benchmark of over 1M streams on Spotify!

Pick up Levi Hummon’s brand new single “Don’t Waste The Night” on iTunes here, and add it to your country playlist. Stay connected with the country newcomer by visiting his Official Website, and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.