Author: Meghan Reich

REIGNING ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR CONFIRMED TO PERFORM WITH TRAIN ON SEPT. 16 BROADCAST

PERFORMS CANADIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM AT MLB ALL-STAR GAME

TRAIN TRACK WORKTAPES AVAILABLE NOW

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Reigning CCMA Entertainer of the Year Tenille Townes earned five nominations for the 2023 Awards, including Entertainer and Female Artist of the Year. 

Townes is additionally nominated for TD Aeroplan Visa Fan’s Choice, and Songwriter and Video of the Year for “The Things That Wrecks You,” her duet with Bryan Adams. She’ll also hit the stage during the broadcast, joining Grammy-Award winning band Train for the first live performance of their new release “I Know.” 

The 14-time CCMA winner performed the Canadian national anthem at the 2023 MLB All-Star game this week in Seattle. Watch a snippet HERE. 

Townes’ latest release, Train Track Worktapes, is out now. The roots-driven, five-track project was conceptualized, written, and recorded on a charity train trip that covered nearly 3,000 miles across southern Canada. Listen HERE. 

The 2023 CCMA Awards air Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV App.

Stay in touch with Townes via her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Pre-Save Available Today!

Kicks Off Jason Aldean’s “Highway Desperado Tour” Tonight!

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Platinum selling Riser House/Columbia Nashville/Sony Nashville recording artist Mitchell Tenpenny will release his new song, “Bigger Mistakes,” across all digital platforms on July 28 with a pre-save available TODAY! “Bigger Mistakes” was written by Mitchell, Chris DeStefano, Josh Kear and Michael Whitworth and is the latest new music from the #1 hitmaker, landing just in time for the summer touring season. 

“I’ve always loved Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’ because of the line ‘you’re so vain you probably think this song is about you.’ That line just cuts to the core,” Mitchell says. “Some people like to think the world revolves around them and I wanted to write a song that was a reminder that isn’t the case. ‘Bigger Mistakes’ is about realizing that there are bigger and more important things in life than a breakup. The song is a reminder that you’ve gone through harder times and the future can be bright.”

Tonight, Mitchell launches Jason Aldean’s “Highway Desperado Tour” in Bethel, New York at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Mitchell will serve as direct support for the tour performing in 41-cities across the U.S. in Atlanta, Charlotte, Phoenix and more before wrapping in Tampa at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre on October 28. Tickets are available now at JasonAldean.com and Mitchell10penny.com. 

During the tour Mitchell will perform many of his hits like “Drunk Me,” “Truth About You,” “At The End Of A Bar” and his current radio single “We Got History” from his This Is The Heavy album released last fall. He is also adding “Bigger Mistakes” to his set list!

HIGHWAY DESPERADO 2023 TOUR DATES: 

Fri Jul 14 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Sat Jul 15 – Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre

Sun Jul 16 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Thu Jul 20 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center

Fri Jul 21 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center

Thu Jul 27 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion^

Fri Jul 28 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium

Sat Jul 29 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

Fri Aug 04 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium

Sat Aug 05 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre

Sun Aug 06 – Tuscaloosa, AL – Tuscaloosa Amphitheater

Thu Aug 10 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

Fri Aug 11 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Fri Aug 18 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

Sat Aug 19 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Amphitheater*

Thu Aug 24 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena

Fri Aug 25 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

Sat Aug 26 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater

Thu Sep 07 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Fri Sep 08 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Sat Sep 09 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Thu Sep 14 – Rogers, AR      – Walmart AMP

Fri Sep 15 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Sat Sep 16 –Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Thu Sep 21 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre

Fri Sep 22 – Portland, OR – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

Sat Sep 23 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre

Thu Sep 28 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre

Fri Sep 29 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre

Sat Sep 30 – San Bernardino, CA – Glen Helen Amphitheater

Thu Oct 05 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Fri Oct 06 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater

Sat Oct 07 – Denver, CO       – Ball Arena

Thu Oct 12 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center+

Fri Oct 13 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center

Sat Oct 14 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena

Thu Oct 19 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena

Fri Oct 20 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center

Sat Oct 21 – Toledo, OH – Huntington Center

Fri Oct 27 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Sat Oct 28 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

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GEARS UP FOR OPENING STINT ON JAKE OWEN’S “LOOSE CANNON TOUR” NEXT MONTH

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Kentucky-born songsmith Tyler Booth debuted his latest track, “Different Kind of Blue,” today. The track mourns a lost love, and preludes more new music to come from the singer this year, who has been working on a project targeted to release this fall. Listen here.

“I wrote ‘Different Kind Of Blue’ with Rob Pennington and Forrest Finn, and it came from a place where I was feeling pretty sad and wanted to make something cool of it,” Booth said. “It’s about how no matter where you go, everything you see reminds you of somebody. Instead of it being a good feeling like comfort or being in love, it’s the total opposite.”

Earlier this year, Booth released “Bring On The Neon,” which MusicRow called “Superb. This instant-classic country weeper simmers in piano and steel while Booth’s always-awesome baritone delivers the emotional goods. Regret and heartache have seldom sounded better. I remain a fan.” Additionally, Booth added songs “Bring On The Neon” and “Real Real Country” to his repertoire this year. About the latter, Country Now shared that the singer is “taking his wicked twang and hard-hitting instrumentals to the next level,” and that the song “puts forth a stylish lick on his sundry capabilities,” while MusicRow deemed it “redneck rock, especially if you crank it up.”

Recently, Booth shared stages with acts such as Darius Rucker, Jon Pardi, Brooks & Dunn, and Cody Johnson and he is set to open for Jake Owen’s “Loose Cannon Tour” this fall. The road warrior has gained a loyal fanbase through his extensive touring and is also backed by his over a million followers on social media. CMT described Booth as, “a country traditionalist with an impressive knack for storytelling” while American Songwriter called him, “an outlaw with the baritone voice, an endearing smile and a flowing mullet,” who “just might prove to be a breath of fresh country air in a world of far too perfectly coifed and filtered country superstars.”

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Last night, breakout star and powerhouse vocalist Nate Smith debuted his fiery music video for his latest single “World On Fire.” Watch here.

In the video directed by Chris Ashlee, Smith is surrounded by flames as he belts the rock-infused anthem with his fire from within vocals.

Smith, who is currently opening for Thomas Rhett on his HOME TEAM TOUR 2023, wanted the video to encapsulate his live performance. “I was thrilled when Chris Ashlee turned in the treatment for the music video because it would give fans an idea of what the energy is like at a live show!” he said.

He added, “I wrote ‘World On Fire’ alongside Ashley Gorley, Taylor Phillips, and producer Lindsay Rimes. The song touches on aspects of the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, CA, but is used as a metaphor for a failed relationship.” Originally from Paradise, Smith lost everything he owned in the tragedy, which is now known as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history.

Rolling Stone shared, “The metaphor for the video and song are woven throughout his album, which retells the age-old story of love, loss, and moving on through Smith’s heavy blend of rock grounded in country soul.” The breakup hit is one of 26 tracks on Smith’s self-titled album / deluxe version released on April 28. Upon its release, the project achieved the largest album debut from a new artist this year (2023), as well as the largest full length album debut from a new artist since 2020. The album hit #6 on Billboard’s Country albums chart and #30 overall on the Billboard Top 200.

Press raved about the album, with The Tennessean sharing that it “lends itself well to country’s radio-ready expectations, but also is so well-delivered that it explodes them, too… Smith’s vocal is a flexible instrument that is so genuinely powerful that, aided by intentional musicianship, it achieves songs that feel familiar in a heart-warming and instantly connective manner.” Billboard lauded his “formidable, rangy and raw vocal power” while Holler noted that his range bears “resemblance to country legend Vince Gill, whose vocal control could cause fainting spells three states over,” adding that “this is Smith’s superpower.”

Smith, who is known for his “strong voice that grips a lyric with ferocity” (Billboard), was nominated for NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR at the 58th ACM Awards in addition to his 2023 CMT Awards nomination for BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR for his Platinum-certified No.1 hit “Whiskey On You.” The smash single topped the country radio charts for two weeks in a row earlier this year, following its record breaking six-week run at No. 1 on the country radio charts in Canada – making the song the longest running No. 1 country debut by a male vocalist in their chart history. His follow up single “World On Fire” is currently hitting country radio airwaves nationwide.

Smith is currently on the road with Thomas Rhett as part of his HOME TEAM TOUR 23 and will kick off his opening stint on Cole Swindell’s TWELVE TOUR this fall. For tour dates, tickets, and additional information, visit NateSmithOfficial.com.

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Feel-good Anthem Has Most Spins in a Week by Any Duo/Group

Landing Atop Country Radio Chart, 13x Platinum Band Delivers a Song that Captures Lives & an Unprecedented Leap to the Band’s Ninth #1 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When Old Dominion lead singer Matthew Ramsey’s smoky tenor started “If I could buy a house on memory lane, I’d put my money down and sign my name…,” it felt like everything good about life. Reassuring, sweeping, the kind of intimacy that’s made the 6-time Academy of Country Music and 5-time Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year one of contemporary music’s most bankable bands. 

However, no one expected the song to smash the record for the most points by a duo or group in a single week (33,936 in a single week), or the most spins in a single week by a duo or group (9,124 plays breaking Old Dominion’s own record of 9,050 on “No Such Thing As A Broken Heart”). That velocity saw the effervescent homage to the best moments in a life take “Memory Lane” to #1; the third largest point increase behind “I Called Mama” and “Tennessee Orange” saw the power-of-positivity fivesome tap into America’s heart.

“Somehow with that first line, when it happened in the writing session, all of us were immediately zapped into our little trip to that place,” Ramsey marvels as news of the song topping the charts arrives. “And that happens for everyone. When people hear it, they’re transported to wherever it is for them. You can see it on their faces, and it’s amazing watching that expression [of delight] light up an entire arena.”

With their 8-song Memory Lane EP finally delivered to the fans, Old Dominion has taken their downtime from the pandemic to sort through what’s important as a band and as full-grown men. That sense of priorities and taking life on its terms permeates the collection; “Memory Lane” suggesting how precious the moments are – and how sweet hanging onto the best of whatever’s happened can be.

“We were certainly at a highpoint when the pandemic lockdown happened,” Ramsey says. “The rug got pulled out from under us, shifting how we saw everything about making music, what we give and mean to our fans, why we do what we do. There was some real introspection and discovery for us as individuals and as a band, and I think it made our music richer and truer for the people who’ve been listening.”

The vibrant track – punctuated by a circling electric guitar part and the percolating drum pattern – suggests sifting through one’s reflections for the highwater marks in a relationship that’s gone. Whatever happened, it’s done, but that doesn’t make the good stuff any less wonderful.

“I can’t decide if it’s happy or sad,” admits Ramsey, who wrote the song with Jessi Jo Dillion, bandmates Brad Tursi and Trevor Rosen. “The reality is I’m so glad to have that place to go to. It definitely has a bounce to it, so it feels good; but when you listen, it’s a really deep nursery rhyme. If you’re young, it’s that hopeful space, but for an adult who’s been through some stuff, it’s a pretty great place to land.”

Landing is something the five writer/player band is good at. Whether headlining their own sold-out arena tour – most recently capping Memory Lane’s street week with two sold out nights of 15,000 fans in Lake Tahoe – or conjuring some of country radio’s most inescapable ear worms, including “I Was On A Boat That Day,” “Written In The Sand,” Break Up With Him,” “Song for Another Time,” “No Hard Feelings” and “Hotel Key,” Ramsey, Rosen, Tursi, Whit Sellers and Geoff Sprung have spent the last decade creating a space for people who want to experience joy in even their hardest spaces. 

Exuberant, engaged, willing to throw their hearts to the night, their ninth #1 suggests Old Dominion is finding a new gear – and sowing songs that make the bittersweet and the sweet something worth playing all day long. Whether in concert, on a car stereo or streaming service somewhere, Old Dominion is the sound of being alive and living one’s best life. As Ramsey laughs, “We sure try. Just listen.”

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SET TO MAKE GRAND OLE OPRY DEBUT ON JULY 9

KICKS OFF OPENING STINT ON HARDY’S the mockingbird & THE CROW FALL TOUR NEXT MONTH

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sony Music Nashville rising star Dylan Marlowe released his debut EP, Dirt Road When I Die, today. Listen here. On Sunday evening, the singer will achieve another career milestone as he’s set to take the stage at the Grand Ole Opry for the first time.

“The Dirt Road When I Die EP is really the first project I’ve gotten to put out,” Dylan said. “I’m really excited about all of these songs and it feels super authentic to me, which is what I wanted it to be. It’s got a lot of energy and a lot of songs for the live show, but also some that mean something to me. It was really fun to put together a project from top to bottom, and I hope y’all love it.”

Produced by Joe Fox, the project features “You Were Right (Nat’s Song),” released as a surprise for Dylan’s now-wife on their wedding day in May. Country Now lauded his “raw, consoling vocals” on the song, noting that the “elegant piano melody takes the ballad to new heights.” Dirt Road When I Die also includes “Record High,” which Outsider called “arguably his best work yet.” Additionally, MusicRow praised the track, calling it “Moody and haunting. The soundscape ripples with dobro, muted percussion and chimed electronics. His broken-hearted delivery aches with sincerity. Excellent work.” 

Named one of Spotify’s 2023 Hot Country Artists to Watch, Dylan will be heading out on HARDY’s the mockingbird & THE CROW FALL TOUR beginning August 31 in Knoxville. For tour dates and tickets, visit DylanMarloweOfficial.com.

Dirt Road When I Die EP Track Listing:

1. Record High  (Dylan Marlowe/Zach Abend/Screech/Abram Dean
2. What I Know Now  (Dylan Marlowe/Bart Butler/Mark Holman)
3. Dirt Road When I Die  (Dylan Marlowe/Joe Fox)
4. You See Mine  (Dylan Marlowe/Corey Crowder/Hunter Phelps)
5. Rich Kids  (Dylan Marlowe/Joe Fox/Jordan Minton)
6. You Were Right (Nat’s Song)  (Dylan Marlowe/Andy Albert/Joe Fox)
7. Empty Shotgun (Mr. Mechanic)  (Dylan Marlowe/Seth Ennis/Joe Fox)
8. Grew Up Country  (Dylan Marlowe/Zach Abend/Jeb Gipson)

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“NO CAN DO” OUT NOW, LISTEN HERE!

Nashville, TN – Rising trio Restless Road (Zach Beeken, Garrett Nichols and Colton Pack) release their new summer anthem “No Can Do” today (listen here).  The upbeat jam comes just in time for the 4^th of July holiday weekend and is the perfect companion for all your holiday BBQ’s and parties.  

“Our fans have been asking for this song for a while,” says Zach. “So we thought we’d kick the holiday weekend off right and give them a song to listen to all weekend long.  It’s the perfect song to listen to out on the lake, with some friends, or around a bonfire drinking a cold one.”

2023 started with a bang with the trio being named as one of Spotify’s Hot Country Artists To Watch, and releasing a number of tracks including “On My Way,” “I Don’t Wanna Be That Guy,” and “Last Rodeo.”  Country Central raved “Last Rodeo,” is “Undeniably catchy, built around big pop rock guitars,” while Country Now claims, “Letting their hard-hitting storytelling skills take the lead, the band adds a bit of fuel to the fire in a post-breakup tune that doubles as a fresh summertime anthem.

The guys tour kicked off the year touring in Europe/UK with Kane Brown, played Stagecoach for the very first time, was all over CMA Fest (including having their very own dunk tank) and was one of the special guests at Kane Brown’s historic Fenway Park show in Boston.  They will continue through the rest of the year touring with Russell Dickerson and make spots at various festivals along the way.  For more information on touring please visit www.restlessroad.com.

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RESPONDING TO ONSLAUGHT OF COMMENTS, MARLOWE INVITES THE ASPIRING VOCALIST TO JOIN HIM FOR DUET; SURPRISES HER WITH RECORDING SESSION

PERFORM FOR FIRST TIME TOGETHER ON THE GRAND OLE OPRY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When Kameron Marlowe first gave fans a sneak peek of his latest release “I Can Lie (The Truth Is)” last November, one response stood out. Aspiring singer/songwriter Erin Kirby posted a TikTok adding harmonies over Marlowe’s original voice memo, drawing immediate praise (including a “HOLY S***” from Marlowe himself) as fans flooded both artists’ comments begging for an official duet. Today, the pair answer the call with “I Can Lie (The Truth Is)” by Kameron Marlowe featuring Erin Kirby. Listen HERE. 

“A while back I teased this song on TikTok and the next day I got an insane amount of notifications about this girl named Erin Kirby. I listened to her video and immediately said we had to throw her on ‘I Can Lie’,” said Marlowe. “This song wouldn’t be true without her, and she was definitely the missing link to making the story of this song come to life. I’m excited for my first duet to be something the fans made happen and I can’t wait to see how Erin’s career takes off from here. She’s the real deal and I’m very proud of this song.”

Marlowe released the solo version of “I Can Lie (The Truth Is)” earlier this month, but listeners were still ravenous to hear Kirby’s distinct vocals round out the track and blend with Marlowe’s mournful wail. Unbeknownst to Kirby, Marlowe was hard at work behind the scenes to make it happen and extended the invite to join him for a duet via TikTok – the platform that originally connected the two. Thinking she was on her way to a meeting, the 19-year-old Georgia native actually ended up in the recording studio, where Marlowe surprised her with the news that she would be recording vocals that day. Watch the moment HERE. 

Kirby added “This has been such a thrill getting to be a part of this song! From the response to me covering the song, to then getting surprised by Kameron to sing with him on it, I’m just so excited to be a part of this and can’t wait for y’all to hear it.”

Additionally, Marlowe invited Kirby to join him for their first joint live performance Tuesday (6/27) on the Grand Ole Opry. “I Can Lie (The Truth Is)” earned nearly 1.5 million global streams its first week of release and has been touted as “a heater” by Whiskey Riffas Country Now observed “The singer/songwriter’s baritone vocals are accompanied by the traditional sounds of pedal steel and the fiddle, taking listeners back to that traditional country sound that’s been passed down from generation to generation by the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and more.” 

It’s the latest offering from Marlowe, who is a member of the CMT Listen Up and Opry NextStage classes of 2023. He released his debut album We Were Cowboys – produced by Dann Huff – in 2022 and will spend the rest of the year touring with Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, and Jordan Davis in between his own headline dates, fairs, and festivals including Watershed, Faster Horses, Windy City Smokeout, and more.

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CHECK OUT SOME OF THE RAVE REVIEWS & POSTS!

Pollstar – Kane Brown Knocks It Out of The Park At Fenway: Live Review

The play-up music before the support acts was a certain kind of contemporary country from the ’80s and ’90s, but the tune changed as darkness settled on Fenway Park. Suddenly Tupac’s “California Love” and “Jump Around” were floating – like the anticipation – through the air.

Kane Brown, the genre-straddling country force who’s sold out every NBA basketball arena in America, was on the verge of becoming the first Black artist to headline the home of the Boston Red Sox. As comfortable recording with Khalid, Swae Lee, H.E.R. and Marshmello as he is with Chris Young, Lauren Alaina and his own wife Katelyn, this audience reflected not just the diversity, but the joy Brown imbues in his music.

Young, old, Black, white, Latin, Asian, hipster, fratty, LGBTQ+ and folks just like your uncle Buster were thigh-to-thigh on the infield; arms aloft, they often took whole chunks of Brown’s songs. Whether No. 1 songs on country radio, viral jams or hits on other genre’s streaming platforms, the crowd knew everything in his 17-song “Drunk or Dreaming Tour” set list.

Starting with a red stage, steam and fire blasts, what could’ve been a heavy-handed hard rock tableau was tempered by Brown ambling onstage in a Sox shirt, good-natured smile tempered with awe on his face. “Lose It,” the night’s opener, was the perfect note to strike. A song about being actualized by another, this show – and all that it meant – was a witness to a slow build that focused on music, going to the fans and creating a connection that transcended all the star-making hype and empty jargon that is often used to conjure superstars.

This was a moment of recognition, of being seen for who you are – and being thrilled at the prospect of what that means. For Brown, an outlier with a melted toffee voice suited to classic country, it was also a moment of reminding people to trust your music if only for the joy it provides; to lean into things that feel good and empower you.

Throughout the night – without ever lecturing or being pedantic – Brown would find ways to slip the story of his journey to this historic night into his onstage raps. Telling kids about being a fifth year senior, begging to graduate and not having to get his GED, reminding them how hard it is “so when you have a choice about doing something bad, go the other way.”

Going the other way, Brown knows, isn’t easy. He spoke of his father being incarcerated since 1996, 15 schools, a redneck kid who taunted him, shouting “Hey, N-word, you better not screw up this song…” before performing – and winning – his school’s talent show with Chris Young’s “Gettin’ You Home.” He told it all, but never as a downer; more to delivered a witness for anyone in Fenway who might be struggling.

But that’s not even truly the point.

Kane Brown has come into his own as a performer. Easy, fluid, able to let the audience crest and surf on the songs he performs, he allows his shows to be a place for them to have their own magic moments. He understands people want the euphoria, something he delivers.

Whether the downhome, do-si-do twangery of “Like I Love Country Music,” the minor-keyed emo-metal of “Bury Me In Georgia,” the silky “Heaven,” which he performed walking through the crowd or the sweeping, slightly stop-start country “One Mississippi,” he wrapped the music around the crowd and brought them through all the genre-tilts without missing a moment.

Leaving room – especially with a stadium-sized show – is a tricky proposition. With a clean stage, marked by four vertical video screens used for dimension as much as live action capture, there was room to take in Brown, whichever musicians were down front soloing or the larger tableaus being presented.

That economy stretched to his band: often only one guitarist or featured musician was as likely to drive a song as his full band. Creating dynamics, there was never a teeter on the Beavis & Butthead rawk overkill meter. Everything played mattered. Rhythms, especially when they shifted, were crisp and forward. Most especially, the musical elements had a torque that stood up to the night in a way that really penetrated the conscious.

Also reflecting Brown’s own aesthetic as an engaged human, “Memory,” a trying to cope, barely hanging on ballad, provided an early highlight. For those people not sure how to get through, he delivered it with subtle passion to suggest he knows the struggle, understands futility, but believes there are always reasons to persevere, to survive long enough to thrive.

Not long after, he moved through the crowd to a satellite stage behind the sound board where he sang the pained “Used To Love You Sober,” the song that launched him. Like “Memory,” it acknowledged modern day Haggard heartbreak templates. In the middle of the outfield, it was a scale that reminded the sold-out crowd how small he was when that song happened.

More, though, Brown brought the fun. He did an homage to growing up country, as well as surrounded by a houseful of women, dropping into a frisky “Redneck Woman,” which he bookended with “Friends In Low Places.” Then he added his own “Short Skirt Weather,” which mined the basic boy-celebrates-hotties Bro Country notion, to the mix.

That interlude provided a karaoke glory opportunity for him to tell the crowd to be like his younger self, saying they’d put the words to his first No. 1 on the screens, so the fans could take over “my first No. 1.” A glorious tangle of hard rock guitar, lumbering hip-hop beats and a banjo churned the perfectly country melody of “What Ifs.” The crowd not only knew what to do, when the song was technically over, they just kept going as the Tennessee/Georgia-raised performer laughed.

That delight tempered everything. With an interlude to switch gears, new age soul music filled the air, the stage went dark and a host of boughs with leaves emerged from the lighting rig.

When Brown returned to the stage, his wife Katelyn emerged in a sparkly black mini dress and tailored Red Sox jersey, the show’s culminating songs became an act of true love that was as deep as what we’ve come to expect from those moments when Beyoncé and Jay-Z (who co-headlined Fenway with Justin Timberlake in 2013 on their “Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour”) merge their own musical realities.

But where the Carters are a high impact entertainment force, the Browns are more innocent kids finding their way. What the men share is deep love of their women, a desire to lift them up to excel and exhibit all the ways love delivers a better life. For a kid from a broken childhood marked with love, Brown’s music validates how loving the right one is like breaking free.

Starting with their duet “Thank God,” the final few songs brought that home. Adding openers Restless Road for the free-for-all “One Mississippi,” then culminating in “Good As You,” a jammy, sleek soul ballad that closed the night, the sobering moments of the “Drunk Or Dreaming Tour” stop never bogged down the good feelings. Instead, he uses those good feelings to create a reason to not stray to from where leading a good life takes you.

To that end, Brown tapped Darius Rucker, a fellow Black groundbreaker in the rock and country space, as direct support. A former arena rock headliner, Rucker knew how to move the crowd where he wanted them, deploying Hootie & the Blowfish classics as well as his own country No. 1s. But Rucker’s real gift in the space is his willingness to get truly, really, absolutely country.

While “Hold My Hand” and “I Only Wanna Be With You” had the expected effect, it was his set-closing “Wagon Wheel” that made the park explode. For one song, all were one, churning and screaming along to the country/Americana “Margaritaville.” One of the most cornpone songs in the world of roots music, Rucker had a multiple week No. 1 with it, demonstrating his willingness to be the guy who keeps hardcore country on the radio.

Like Brown, who makes music beyond genre and color lines, he delivers music true to his soul and essence. It is a testament to both performers’ willingness to use music to transcend that marks each of their highly successful careers. In doing so, they light the way for plenty – hopefully – to follow.

https://news.pollstar.com/2023/06/27/kane-brown-knocks-it-out-of-the-park-at-fenway-live-review/

The Boston Globe – Kane Brown is on his game at Fenway Park

Since self-releasing videos that showcased his deep voice and love of country music in the mid-2010s, Kane Brown has become one of Nashville’s biggest stars — although he’s done it by forging his own path and bucking Music Row’s conventions. On Friday night at Fenway Park, he tore through a set of his hits — and unsurprisingly, there were a few curveballs in the mix.

Brown had a tumultuous, musically omnivorous youth in Tennessee and Georgia, which he discussed during a mid-set revue-style rundown of his biography; he went to “like 15 different schools,” he said, and dealt with racism (he is biracial) and bullying. He eventually made his way into the music business; after he left the American version of “The X Factor”over creative differences, he began posting covers of Nashville hits online, and his deep voice and affable charm got him enough traction to lead to a record deal. Brown’s obviously a student of country music, a fact he made plain on Friday with original cuts like the electro-swamp stomp “Bury Me In Georgia” and the winking “Short Skirt Weather,” as well as a rollicking run through Garth Brooks’s “Friends in Low Places.”

He also uses the tenets of country music — relatable storytelling, big hooks — to turn it into a big tent, whether it’s through collaborating with the masked pop-EDM hitmaker Marshmello on the appreciative “One Thing Right,” combining the sing-song cadences of emo-rap on the anxiety snapshot “Memory” (a collaboration with the similarly catholic producer and songwriter blackbear), or showcasing the sugary upper register of Swae Lee, one-half of the brotherly hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd, on the crazy-in-love portrait “Be Like That.” Brown’s muscular band handled the fluidity with aplomb, dropping pyrotechnic guitar solos and delicate banjo playing when the moment called for it.

While Brown’s genre-bending makes him a compelling artist, he shines most brightly when he’s expressing the joy of being in love, with his resonant baritone tailor-made for adding extra emotional heft to proclamations of devotion. He performed his 2017 breakthrough single “Heaven” (which opens right in the middle of the action, with Brown coaxing his beloved to bestow another kiss on him) while walking around the Fenway infield, shaking stretched-out hands, and leading an enthusiastic singalong.

“Thank God,” a duet with his wife, Katelyn, that reached the Billboard Hot 100′s top 20 earlier this year, opened his encore, and Brown seemed as excited to have his spouse appear in front of the Fenway crowd as he did to headline his current tour’s largest venue. A sweet, spare ballad that splits the sonic difference between stripped-down early-’90s hits like Mr. Big’s “To Be With You” and modern acousti-pop by the likes of Jason Mraz, “Thank God” revels in the chemistry of its two leads as they thrill in finding each other, Kane Brown’s burr and Katelyn Brown’s winsome drawl complementing each other beautifully.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/25/arts/kane-brown-is-his-game-fenway-park/

Boston.com – Country star Kane Brown rocks Fenway Friday

Brown released his premiere EP “Closer” in 2015, after building up a following on Facebook the previous year.

Kane Brown came to Fenway Park Friday night as one of the stops in his “Drunk or Dreaming” tour. 

Brown released his premiere EP “Closer” in 2015, after building up a following on Facebook the previous year.

The album became a viral success, selling 3,200 copies in its debut week.

Here is the setlist from the concert, according to wiki setlist.fm. 

• Lose it 
• Grand 
• Like I Love Country Music 
• Play Video 
• Famous Friends by Chris Young 
• Memory Be Like That 
• Used to Love You Sober 
• Homesick 
• Heaven 
• Bury Me In Georgia 
• One Thing Right 
• Friends In Low Places / Redneck Women 
• Short Skirt Weather 
• What Ifs 
• Thank God 
• One Mississippi 
• Good As You

https://www.boston.com/news/entertainment/2023/06/25/country-star-kane-brown-rocks-fenway-friday/

Hits Daily Double – KANE BROWN KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK

Kane Brown made history Friday night (6/23) when he became the first Black artist to singlehandedly headline Boston’s Fenway Park (JAY-Z co-headlined there with Justin Timberlake in 2013). Brown was joined by Darius Rucker, Gabby Barrett and Restless Road for the historic show, his biggest yet. More than 35k fans packed the storied venue to see the RCA Nashville star. Seen shortly before a hearty meal of Fenway Franks are (l-r) Rucker, Brown, Restless Road’s Zach Beeken, Garret Nichols and Colton Pack.

https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=336477&title=KANE-BROWN-KNOCKS-IT-OUT-OF-THE-PARK

Music Row – Kane Brown Plays Largest Headlining Show Yet

Kane Brown marked a major milestone this weekend when he performed at Boston’s Fenway Park. Playing to over 35,000 fans, it was the entertainer’s largest career headlining show to date.

The show also marked the first time a Black artist has headlined the historic ball park solo. Brown was joined by Darius Rucker, Gabby Barrett and Restless Road for the historic night on his “Drunk or Dreaming Tour.”

The milestone comes as the newest of Brown’s recent career achievements. The singer-songwriter just celebrated his multi-week No. 1 with his wife Katelyn, “Thank God,” while his current single, “Bury Me in Georgia,” is rising on the charts. Earlier this year, he was nominated for Entertainer of the Year at the ACM Awards for the first time in his career.

Brown’s “Drunk or Dreaming Tour” follows the success of his “Blessed & Free Tour,” during which he visited all 29 NBA basketball arenas, making him the first country artist in history to headline every NBA basketball arena in a single tour and one of only 10 other country acts to sell out Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center).

https://musicrow.com/2023/06/kane-brown-plays-largest-headlining-show-yet/