Author: Lauren Zimmerman

Sony Music Nashville recording artist Ross Ellis, known for penning hits for country music superstars such as Tim McGraw’s “Neon Church,” released the heartfelt new song “Love Blind” today. Listen HERE . The track, which was inspired by his romance with long-time girlfriend, Brittany, follows recent additions to his catalog including breakthrough song and No. 1 on SiriusXM’s The Highway, “Buy and Buy,” as well as recent fan-favorite and his first release with Sony Music Nashville, “Home To Me.” 
 
“This song is a prayer from my heart,” acknowledges Ellis. “A prayer that I can be the man the woman I love sees when she looks at me. I want to be the best version of myself for her and for me. That’s what ‘Love Blind’ is all about.”
 
Produced by Aaron Eshuis and written by Ellis alongside Zach Kale and “Buy and Buy” collaborator Allison Veltz Cruz, the heartfelt new track, part prayer and part reflection, finds the Monterey, Louisiana native crooning:
 
Tell all your angels / To work overtime / Stay on both shoulders / And keep me in line / You walked on water / And turned it to wine / So Lord make me better / And keep her love blind
 
The new track follows a series of formidable songs from Ellis, who was named an “Artist to Watch” by The Boot, including “Home for the Weekend” in 2017 and the hauntingly powerful “Ghosts” in 2018, which Rolling Stone named a “top song of the week.”
 
For more information, visit rossellismusic.com or follow on social media @RossEllisMusic.

Multi-Platinum country superstar Kane Brown released “Be Like That” together with Grammy-nominated artists Swae Lee and Khalid today. The Pop-forward summer anthem, which all three artists had a hand in writing, follows Brown’s unifying ballad “Worldwide Beautiful,” which he released last month and debuted on nationwide television with a performance at the 2020 BET Awards on June 28. Listen to “Be Like That” here.

“It’s about all the different feelings you can have in a relationship,” Brown says of “Be Like That. “And trying not to overthink it. When it gets tough, you want to be on your own, but then you miss the person a second later. I think it’s something everyone goes through.”

“Be Like That” reunites past collaborators Brown and Khalid, who teamed up for a remix of Khalid’s single, “Saturday Nights,” in January 2019. From there, Brown went on to work with a series of stars across multiple genres, including famed DJ Marshmello, with whom he co-wrote and released “One Right Thing,” which reached the Top 15 at Mediabase’s Pop Radio Airplay chart. His ballad with John Legend, “Last Time I Say Sorry,” followed in March 2020 and peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart. The following month, Brown dropped “Cool Again,” which closed out April as the most-added single to country radio and is currently at No. 14 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. 

Swae Lee released “Reality Check” last month, his first new music since his feature on Chloe x Halle’s hit “Catch Up” from their Top R&B Albums No. 2 long-player, Ungodly Hour. Earlier this year, Khalid unveiled a pair of critically acclaimed new singles, “Know Your Worth” (w/ Disclosure) and “Eleven” feat. Summer Walker along with stunning visuals to accompany both tracks.

Riser House/Columbia Nashville, chart-topping artist Mitchell Tenpenny released “Broken Up” today. The song, written by Mitchell, Devin Dawson, Kyle Fishman and Ernest Keith Smith and produced by Jordan M. Schmidt, will impact country radio as Mitchell’s newest single on July 27. 

“We wrote it about a year ago at Kyle Fishman’s studio downtown,” Mitchell says of “Broken Up.” “I loved the idea of taking responsibility for a breakup, because most end badly with both sides blaming each other.

Mitchell debuted the song on the “CMA Summer Stay-Cay” online streaming special earlier this week. Watch it HERE.

Since the beginning of the at-home era, Mitchell has kept an active schedule, writing new songs to release and perform during his weekly #TenpennyTuesdays LIVE Q&A sessions on Instagram and Facebook. “Broken Up” follows his heartfelt cover of Lewis Capaldi’s No. 1 hit, “Someone You Loved,” and his latest original song, “HERE.”  During one of Mitchell’s weekly livestreams, a member of his fan club, the Night Owls, presented him with an RIAA Gold certification plaque for “Alcohol You Later.” In April and May, he took part in the “There’s Comfort in Giving” program with  Cracker Barrel Old Country Store ®, Sony Music Nashville, and other artists to help donate meals to healthcare professionals in the HCA Healthcare system and partnered with his record label again in a livestream series #SingForStJude to support St. Jude’s mission of families never receiving a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food while a child is being treated. Shortly before the pandemic, just after Nashville was struck by a devastating tornado in early March, Mitchell and many of his artist friends performed a live concert at Whiskey Row to help impacted families and raised $74,000 for Hands On Nashville.

Go to www.mitchell10penny.com for more details.

Acclaimed 2-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year and 2-time ACM Group of the Year, Old Dominion release “Everything to Lose” and “Dancing Forever” today! The two tracks follow 3 previously unreleased tracks that the band unveiled in May, originally recorded for past projects. The tracks are available to stream everywhere. Click HERE to listen.

Old Dominion appeared live this morning on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Summer Concert Series, performing their current single “Some People Do” HERE. They are also set to perform tonight on “iHeart Country 4th of July BBQ” airing on The CW. Additionally, the band will appear on “Good Morning America” again tomorrow, July 4, for an additional performance. 

Old Dominion, who most recently were notably the most nominated for the 2020 ACM Awards with 8, released the moving music video for their latest single “Some People Do .” The video was inspired by Jason Schneidman, celebrity men’s groomer, who also works with Old Dominion. Schneidman was previously homeless and, after overcoming drug addiction, turned his life around. In his spare time, he helps out the homeless of LA, providing haircuts as a means to connect with those who may be battling addiction issues, and funds scholarships to rehab centers. Back in early February 2020, the band joined him on the ground in Los Angeles to help out. The visuals, directed by Mason Allen, show the effect that if we all do a little, we can help out a lot. The song, with over 41 million streams, is the latest single off Old Dominion’s self-titled third studio album, which was released in the fall of 2019. 

Old Dominion’s previous single, “One Man Band” went to No. 1 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. With over 391 million streams, “One Man Band” marked the band’s 8th consecutive No. 1 and biggest song to date. The band recently received Platinum and Gold certifications for 5 of their other hit songs: “Written in the Sand” (2x Platinum), “Break Up With Him” (2x Platinum), “Hotel Key” (Platinum), “Make It Sweet” (Gold) and “Nowhere Fast” (Gold). 

Today, the genre-defying, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Niko Moon released an Amazon Original cover of “It’s a Great Day to be Alive,” available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music. Moon is the latest in a long line of country musicians who have recorded the classic track, which was originally written by country singer/songwriter Darrell Scott and performed by Jon Randall before it was made famous by Travis Tritt. Moon’s rendition stands out from the others through his genre-fusing mix of country and hip-hop/R&B, while still remaining faithful to the song’s roots. 

Listen to “It’s a Great Day to be Alive” only on Amazon Music:

https://amzn.to/NikoMoon

“I grew up 15 minutes from Travis Tritt. Driving down the same roads as him, blasting ‘It’s a Great Day to be Alive’ as loud as my little S10 speakers could handle,” says Moon. “This is a chance for me to honor one of my favorite country artists while doing my best to put my own twist on one of the greatest country songs of all time!”

The Amazon Original cover follows Moon’s critically-acclaimed debut GOOD TIME EP which was praised by outlets including American Songwriter, Billboard, and The Boot . Along with his successful solo career, which has taken him on the road opening for acts like Ryan Hurd and Eli Young Band, Niko has co-written five No. 1 hits for Zac Brown Band, including the Chris Cornell-assisted “Heavy Is The Head,” which topped multiple rock charts. He was named a 2020 Artist To Watch by Amazon Music and CMT. Moon is currently self-producing his debut full-length project alongside longtime collaborator and friend Joshua Murty.

Earlier this year, Moon was chosen as Amazon Music’s Weekly One, a program designed to give developing artists an opportunity to reach broader audiences and become more discoverable to customers at the very start of their careers through additional programming opportunities and marketing. He also performed at Amazon Music’s annual Country Heat showcase at CRS in February.

Amazon Music listeners can find the track on the Country Heat playlist, the ultimate global playlist for today’s country music fan. Customers can also simply ask, “Alexa, play the Amazon Original by Niko Moon” in the Amazon app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to Niko Moon, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.

Multi-platinum entertainer Chris Young is officially releasing his brand-new track, “If That Ain’t God,” today! The full song and lyric video are available everywhere now at https://CY.lnk.to/ITAG. Chris exclusively spoke with People.com about the song, along with a video interview for People Now.

After teasing a 56-second clip to social media recently, the song received an overwhelming response from fans. His first new music in over a year, “If That Ain’t God” is written by Young, Matt Roy, Mitchell Oglesby, and Greylan James and co-produced by Young and Chris DeStefano. He talks about what drew him to “If That Ain’t God” during a recent episode of his podcast, “The Quad with Chris Young .” The song’s uplifting and inspiring message feels especially poignant in today’s times:

If that ain’tGod, if that ain’t Him
If that ain’t the man upstairs somewhere looking down on us again
Don’t it make you wanna pray, don’t it make you wanna live
Oh, if that ain’tGod, if that ain’t God, I don’t know what is

That short glimpse of the new song was so powerful, that it resonated immediately, and received an outpouring of praise from critics:
CMT — “Young has outdone himself. Or I should say he’s done it again: taken listeners to a place that you can only get to with a poetic country lyric.”

Sounds Like Nashville – “[Young is] letting the tune itself do the talking, full of gratitude and big-picture confidence in uncertain times….Pairing his full-bodied baritone with a heavenly blast of modern sonics, he paints the picture of a supreme being who’s always watching.”

Taste Of Country – “…fair warning, it’s a tearjerker.”

Country Now – “…the song’s message immediately resonated with fans, who went on to beg the country hitmaker to release the full song.”
“If That Ain’t God” follows his most recent releases, including his latest single, “Drowning,” which had over 1.2 million streams in its first week of release and was named to Rolling Stone’s Best Country and Americana Songs of 2019, as well as “ Raised On Country” and “Town Ain’t Big Enough,” featuring Lauren Alaina. 

Chris Young has over 2 Billion career streams and 12 Million singles sold, 17 R.I.A.A. Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum certifications, and over 400,000 tickets sold for his 2019 arena and amphitheater headline tour. 

For more information, visit  chrisyoungcountry.com. 

Rising Arista Nashville singer/songwriter Robert Counts has debuted his new release “What Do I Know” today. Listen here.

Co-written with HARDY and Jake Mitchell, “What Do I Know” is a modern-day, Southern blue-collar anthem, that Counts describes as inspired by “things you’re taught about growing up – hunting, fishing, living off the land – things that your dad tells you and his granddad told him.”

The blazing new track follows Counts’ “soulful-and-sophisticated” (Sounds Like Nashville) self-titled debut EP, which ranges from “heartfelt” (CMT) standout “Backseat Driver,” to the sweet anticipation of “Someone In My Someday,” the take-you-as-you-are “Dress Up,” the hopefulness of “Better People,” and the smoldering soul in a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.”

Counts grew up in Franklin, Tenn. and started playing guitar and singing at his church, where he led worship throughout his teens, but it wasn’t until after he graduated from Lee University with a degree in Biochemistry that he committed to a career in music. After winning a songwriter’s round at Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant in Downtown Franklin, he earned a cash price and his first publishing deal. Today, the artist continues to prolifically craft new tunes, pulling fresh inspiration from his life experiences in the tradition of true country music storytelling.

Arista Nashville’s Adam Doleac is set to release a performance video for track “Neon Fools” today at 1:15pm CST on YouTube. Prior to the premiere, the “Famous” crooner will treat fans to a chat via the platform at 1pm CST. The video, which was filmed in Nashville and directed by Alex Alvga, can be viewed HERE.

“It’s always fun to put a visual to the music,” said Doleac. “This video was a challenge working with social distancing and a limited crew but I think Alex did an amazing job capturing exactly the right feeling and emotion of the song.” 

Earlier this week, Doleac performed his current single “Famous” for Chicago’s WGN-TV (view video HERE). To date, the song has over 60 million streams.

Emerging singer, songwriter and musician Tenille Townes’ highly anticipated debut album, The Lemonade Stand, is out today on Columbia Nashville in partnership with RCA Records. Stream/purchase HERE. In celebration of the release, the two-time ACM Award nominee will chat with fans on her YouTube page starting at 1:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. CT before the premiere of the official “When I Meet My Maker” music video.  

Additionally, Townes will host her annual “Big Hearts For Big Kids” benefit concert this Tuesday, June 30 at 7:00 p.m. CT from Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Available to stream via Townes’ YouTube, Facebook and Instagram pages, the virtual event will feature Townes performing songs from her new album along with special at-home performances from Dierks Bentley, Brandi Carlile, Luke Combs, Andy Grammer, Mickey Guyton, Caylee Hammack, Ashley McBryde, Lori McKenna, Chrissy Metz, John Osborne and Lucie Silvas. The Bobby Bones Show will also be the event’s exclusive radio partner, featuring an on-air interview with Townes and the event’s stream on their Facebook Page.

In the ten years since Townes started the fundraiser, “Big Hearts For Big Kids” has raised over $1.9 million for Sunrise House—a local youth shelter in Townes’ hometown of Grande Prairie, Alberta Canada. Proceeds from this year’s event will once again benefit Sunrise House as well as Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee’s Troop 6000—an initiative that supports girls without permanent housing. Donations to both organizations can be made via bigheartsforbigkids.com.

Produced by Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town), the album consists of twelve songs all co-written by Townes and is already receiving widespread critical acclaim:
 “stellar…a perfect marriage of her razor-sharp melodic sense and Joyce’s stop-on-a-dime production”—The Tennessean

“With a curious and probing spirit, Townes infuses a distinct sense of wonderment into the stunning album that reflects her equally beautiful soul.”—Sounds Like Nashville

“It’s the kind of refreshing country music you didn’t even know your life was thirsty for”—CMT

“there’s nothing more integral to Townes’ first full-length career venture than this sense of community…continues the tradition of country music as a storytelling medium.”—Forbes

“She is a treasure…Moving and meaningful.”—Music Row

“a strong message about the power of empathy and compassion”—The Boot
Of the album, Townes reflects, “The Lemonade Stand is a collection of songs that mean so much to me and are the way I see the world in this season of my life right now. I want this music to be like a gathering place, where people can come and be filled up. I hope this record reminds people of who they are, that they are not alone, and reminds them of their dreams. This record is the dream that I had when I was a seven-year-old kid singing along in the backseat of the car. She would really be freaking out right now.”

The release of The Lemonade Stand adds to a breakout series of years for Townes, who is nominated for two awards at the 55th ACM Awards: New Female Artist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” with Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack and Elle King. Townes is also nominated for two 2020 JUNO Awards (Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year) and recently won four awards at the 2019 Canadian Country Music Awards: Female Artist of the Year, Single of the Year (“Somebody’s Daughter”), Anthem Entertainment Songwriter of the Year and Video of the Year (“Somebody’s Daughter”). Moreover, she is a MusicRow 2020 Next Big Thing Artist, an iHeartCountry’s “On The Verge” artist and has been included in Amazon Music’s “2019 Artists To Watch,” CMT’s “Next Women of Country,” iHeart Radio’s “Artists To Watch in 2019,” “The Bobby Bones Show’s” “Class of 2019,” CMT’s “Listen Up” and the inaugural class of “Opry NextStage.” Additionally, Townes is featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum’s new American Currents: State of the Music exhibit.

THE LEMONADE STAND TRACK LIST 
1. Holding Out For The One
2. Where You Are  
3. Jersey On The Wall (I’m Just Asking)
4. Lighthouse
5. White Horse
6. I Kept The Roses
7. When I Meet My Maker
8. Come As you Are  
9. The Way You Look Tonight
10. Find You
11. Somebody’s Daughter
12. The Most Beautiful Things