Tucker Beathard Releases “Better Than Me” To Country Radio

Singer/songwriter Tucker Beathard’s driving new single “Better Than Me” (Warner Music Nashville) is going to country radio. Since its release as the first song taken from the second installment of his debut double album, critics have been quick to applaud the single co-written by Beathard with Dan Isbell and Jonathan Singleton. Additionally, Beathard produced and played both lead guitar and drums on the “anthemic single” (Rolling Stone). 

The first country artist to release a debut double album, Tucker Beathard’s first installment, NOBODY’S EVERYTHING, was immediately praised for the “gritty” nature of the album, and Beathard’s “fresher, rawer sound” (Music Row).

Beathard just announced that he has signed a major recording deal with Warner Music Nashville. Beathard inked the contract following the independent release of NOBODY’S EVERYTHING and the second chapter will be released this year on Warner Music Nashville.

For more information, visit tuckerbeathardmusic.com or follow him on Instagram: @tuckerbeathard, Twitter: @TuckerBeathard and Facebook: facebook.com/tuckerbeathardmusic.

Brooks & Dunn Return To No.1 With REBOOT Collaboration Album

The best-selling duo of all time, Brooks & Dunn, debuts at No. One this week on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart with their collaboration project REBOOT. Proving “the timing couldn’t be better to celebrate the influence of Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks” (Music Row), the impressive feat marks the first time the duo has topped the album charts since 2009 while simultaneously earning the duo their 10th Billboard 200 Top 10 album, the most of any country duo or group in the chart’s history.

The 12-track collection produced by Dann Huff “revisits some of the duo’s most iconic songs with the genre’s hottest young talents” (PEOPLE) including Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, LANCO, Ashley McBryde, Brothers Osborne, Luke Combs, Midland, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi, Tyler Booth and Kacey Musgraves.

“We always said that after all the crazy highs we’ve had along this journey, that the most important thing to us was that the music that held up over time,” said Ronnie Dunn. “To have a No. One record with these songs we love is wild and we’re so happy to have worked on this project with so many current talents. It is a testament to the power of collaboration.”

“These songs are so important to us, and we’re so thankful that they have had this chance to have new life breathed into them,” added Kix Brooks. “We had so much fun in the studio with everyone, it’s been a really special project for us.”

To mark the release, the next inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Brooks & Dunn, took an “electrifying performance (Billboard) of “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” with Midland to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, watch HERE and a “thrilling take” (Rolling Stone) of “Brand New Man” with Luke Combs to Academy of Country Music Awards, watch HERE.

Aaron Watson Launches The Red Bandana Tour In Support Of New Album Release

“Fiercely independent” Aaron Watson reveals the first dates of The Red Bandana Tour with thirteen shows spanning coast to coast on its initial summer swing.  As announced exclusively via Rolling Stone Country, the tour kicks off on June 28 in Watson’s hometown of Abilene, TX on the heels of his highly anticipated Red Bandana album release on June 21. All tour dates just released are on-sale now, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.   Tickets are available at www.aaronwatson.com/tour.

Watson’s “arena-ready country” live show is full of “modern-throwback aesthetic” and “supercharged Texas swing” says the Houston Press as his  headlining tour continues to pack rooms coast to coast with sellout shows already logged in Boise, Pittsburgh, Austin and a dozen other markets in the first part of 2019. To celebrate the launch, Watson released video content for the new song, “Trying Like The Devil,” just released as an instant grat track when you pre-order his upcoming album. The video clip, along with The Red Bandana Tour details, can now be seen at Rolling Stone Country.
 
“I am so excited to announce the new tour this summer with the release of my new album Red Bandana,” says Watson.  “Of course, kicking it off in my hometown of Abilene means the world to me.  Touring is what we do, it’s how we built the business and met so many amazing fans over the years.  I can assure everyone that we plan on coming to your market over the course of this record with a brand-new stage and production as well as set list.  We’ll be playing the old favorites and a lot of new songs from Red Bandana.”

Aaron Watson’s The Red Bandana Tour
6/28 – Taylor County Expo Center – Abilene, TX
6/29 – White Oak Music Hall (Outdoors) – Houston, TX
7/6 – Big Lake Festival – Big Lake, TX
7/11 – Hodag Country Festival – Rhinelander, WI
7/12 – Riverfront Live – Cincinnati, OH
7/13 – Jam In The Valley – Varysburg, NY
7/18 – Adams County Fair – Hastings, NE
7/19 – Lazy Gators – Lake Of The Ozarks, MO
7/26 – A Night In The Country – Yerington, NV
8/10 – Ford Park Arena – Beaumont, TX
8/15 – Power & Lights District – Kansas City, MO
8/23 – Colorado State Fair – Pueblo, CO
9/5 – Washington State Fair – Puyallup, WA

CMA Fest Reveals Lineup For Firestone Country Roads Stage

Back for a third straight year, CMA Fest has revealed the lineup for the popular nightly concerts at the Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater Thursday, June 6 through Saturday, June 8, with performances starting at 6:30 PM/CT each evening.

Tickets are required for entry, with three-day reserved tickets selling for $66, single-day reserved for $25 each night and single-day lawn selling for $10 per night, plus taxes and fees. Fan presale begins Wednesday, April 17 at 10:00 AM/CT and closes Thursday, April 18 at 5:00 PM/CT, with public on-sale opening Friday, April 19 at 10:00 AM/CT. Tickets can be purchased at CMAfest.com or Ticketmaster.com.   

Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater Presented by BBR Music Group kicks off the festivities Thursday night. Headliner Chase Rice will be joined by Jimmie Allen, Blanco Brown, Adam Craig, Lindsay Ell, Tyler Farr, King Calaway, LOCASH and Runaway June.

Brett Young will headline Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater on Friday night. Joining Young will be Bailey Bryan, Jordan Davis, Adam Hambrick, Caylee Hammack, Jillian Jacqueline and Mitchell Tenpenny.

Closing out Saturday night, fans will enjoy Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater Presented by Warner Music Nashville. Hunter Hayes and Cody Johnson will co-headline the evening, joined by Ingrid Andress, Tucker Beathard and Ashley McBryde.

“We are excited for the Ascend Amphitheater performances to return for a third straight year with a stellar lineup and are thrilled to offer an additional nightly concert series to festival goers as well as our local Nashville fanbase during CMA Fest,” said Damon Whiteside, CMA Chief Marketing Officer. “With a portion of ticket proceeds benefiting high-quality music education initiatives across the U.S. through the CMA Foundation, the loyal fans that attend the Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater are helping to support this mission.”

As part of its partnership with CMA Fest, Firestone will create unique experiences for festival attendees through both its interactive space at Xfinity Fan Fair X inside Music City Center and the popular nightly concerts on the Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater. As a fan favorite for the past two years, each nightly show will feature an exciting list of Country Music stars from some of the industry’s leading labels and management partners, including Broken Bow, Red Light Management and Warner Music Nashville. Full details on activities and activations will be announced at a later date.

“As a time-tested American brand built on durability and dependability, Firestone fits perfectly as the Official Tire of Country Music,” said Amber Holm, Vice President, Consumer and Customer Engagement, Bridgestone Americas. “Like those who drive on Firestone tires, Country Music’s inspiring artists and passionate fans understand what it means to work hard. We’re excited to give them a chance to play hard, too, by partnering with CMA Fest to offer nightly shows right here in our hometown of Nashville on the Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater.”

Outdoor daytime stages including the Budweiser Forever Country Stage, Chevy Riverfront Stage and others to be announced soon are free and open to the public. Additional stage lineups, Xfinity Fan Fair X activities and more will be announced in the coming weeks. All artist lineups are subject to change.

Don’t miss a beat by staying connected with CMA on CMAfest.com, the Official CMA Fest App, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and sign up for CMA Country Connection emails to receive the latest news as soon as it’s announced.

CMA and Nashville-based Futureshirts have just released even more new merchandise items online at shop.cmafest.com. Recently released CMA Fest essentials include sunglasses, plastic water bottle, sunscreen and more! Order by Tuesday, May 28 to receive in time for the festival. Fans will also be able to purchase official merchandise at several locations across the festival footprint in June.

Brantley Gilbert To Hit The Road On His 2019 Not Like Us Tour

When Brantley Gilbert gets his tour on, he goes out of his way to make sure it’s unlike anything he’s ever done. Having spent last fall on the road with Kid Rock, he wanted to take his own southern rock country to some new places on his 2019 Not Like Us Tour – bringing some different flavors to the ever faithful BG Nation, which kicks off June 20 at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Joining the CMA Song of the Year nominee on the Not Like Us Tour will be traditional-leaning, country-pop superstar-in-the-making Michael Ray, known for “Get To You,” “One That Got Away,” “Kiss You In The Morning” and “Think A Little Less,” and the fiery, genre-blurring guitarist/vocalist Lindsay Ell, who joins Gilbert on his first male/female duet “What Happens In A Small Town,” as well as her own “Criminal” and “Shut Me Up.”

“I’m trying to open things up, but keep bringing the intensity,” Gilbert says of what might well be his most diverse line-up yet. “I think Michael really gets how guys feel, and rolls into a sound that’s all his own, and Lindsay, man, the only thing better than the way she sings is the way she plays that guitar! I am really fired up to be bringing both these folks out on the road this fall, because I know they’re gonna give the BG Nation something that’s gonna lift’em up, throw’em down, and make them glad they got there early.”

Having spent the last six months writing and working on his upcoming The Valory Music. Co. project, the full-throttle songwriter/outlier rocker is ready to get back on the road. With a tour concentrating on the East Coast and Midwest, it’s a chance to bring classics like “Bottoms Up,” “Miles of Memories,” “The Weekend,” “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” “Country Must Be Country Wide” and “One Hell of An Amen,” as well as road-testing some new music, to the ones who live his songs every day.

“People work hard for their money, and I take it very seriously when we come to town,” says the South Georgia-born and bred star. “Any time we hit that stage, we intend to give the people everything we’ve got. This new music is a whole new chapter of my life, and as much as the fans have been there for every step of this journey, I think – once again – they’re gonna know just what I’m singing, too.”

Citi is the official presale credit card of the Brantley Gilbert: Not Like Us Tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Wednesday at 10am local time until Thursday at 10pm local time through Citi Entertainment. For complete Citi presale details visit www.citientertainment.com. In addition, Live Nation is the official promoter of the 2019 Not Like Us Tour.

With “What Happens In A Small Town” hitting Billboard and Mediabase’s Top 25, “Not Like Us” debuted in a NASCAR marketing campaign promoting the upcoming April 28 Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The spot will be running across NASCAR programming on Fox, FS1 and NBCSN until the Talladega race (April 28, 2pm/ET FOX). The tour of the same name is set to get off to a fast start with a few more dates to be announced. The man The New York Times raved, “comes on like a revving monster-truck engine, backed by heavy rock guitar” is fixing to bring it. People get ready for a long, loud night of the toughest country around.

BRANTLEY GILBERT: 2019 NOT LIKE US TOUR
featuring Michael Ray and Lindsay Ell

*June 20 Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, Ohio
August 22 Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion Bangor, Maine
August 23 Bank of New Hampshire Amp. Gilford, New Hampshire
*August 24 Xfinity Theater Hartford, Connecticut
August 30 Darien Lake Amphitheater Darien Center, New York
August 31 KeyBank Pavilion Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
September 20 Hollywood Casino Amphitheater St. Louis, Missouri
*September 21 Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center Indianapolis, Indiana
*September 27 Daily’s Place Jacksonville, Florida
September 28 MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amp. Tampa, Florida
October 10 Ameris Bank Amphitheater Alpharetta, Georgia
*October 11 PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte, NC

Dates marked with an asterisk (*) are on-sale soon.
More dates to come.