Month: January 2022

The Shires are the UK’s biggest country music export. Their achievements speak for themselves: three consecutive UK Top 3 albums, four #1 UK Country albums, 100 million+ streams, two Gold-certified records, and countless sold-out headline shows, including filling the prestigious Royal Albert Hall. Now The Shires announce the release of their soul-stirring new album ’10 Year Plan’ out on 11th March 2022 and launch it by sharing its lead single ‘I See Stars’ .

Premiered on Zoe Ball’s Breakfast Show on Radio 2, ‘I See Stars’ is symbolic of The Shires’ pop-orientated, crowd-pleasing, full-passion, global-facing take on the country tradition. The duo’s Ben Earle wrote the song with Jeff Cohen (Jake Bugg, Mandy Moore, Sugarland), who previously collaborated on their fan favourites ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ and ‘A Thousand Hallelujahs’.

Ben says, “We love the Coldplay/’Greatest Showman’ vibes on this! it’s not trying to be clever, it’s just really uplifting and big and positive. It’s another one that has arena vibes – I can picture us being up there on a massive stage with everyone singing along.”

‘I See Stars’ is a bold introduction to ’10 Year Plan’, a collection of songs which takes all of The Shires’ biggest influences and condenses them into one cohesive, confident record. Its title harks back to their modest goals when they first started back in 2012.

As Crissie Rhodes reflects, “We wanted to get our music to Bob Harris, and we wanted a thousand Facebook followers. At the time that seemed crazy, but Ben was committed to it.” He was proven right, as Chrissie continues: “The number of people enjoying country music has exploded in the UK, but it still feels like an undercurrent. Even recently, we’ve had people come to our shows and say they were surprised, because they didn’t think country was for them!”

From the early Taylor Swift / Lady A country-pop euphoria of the opener ‘Cut Me Loose’ to the classic pedal steel guitar of the timeless closer ‘When It Hurts’, ’10 Year Plan’ demonstrates that country delivered with ambition and accomplishment can cut through such stereotypes. In fact, that’s something the duo display on every corner, whether they’re layering their lush harmonies on ‘Sparks Fly’ and ‘Bar Without You’, collaborating with Beth McCarthy on the Civil Wars-tinged ‘Plot Twist’, or delivering rousing anthems such as ‘Skydive’.

Currently completing an intimate acoustic tour, The Shires will commence a major UK headline tour in April that culminates with a landmark London show at The Palladium on May 24th. Please see their website for a full list of dates and ticket details.

The Shires first broke through in 2014 with their single ‘Nashville Grey Skies’, a playful song about Britain needing its own country scene. And that’s something which they helped happen, starting with their 2015 debut ‘Brave’, which became the first ever Top 10 album by a UK country music artist. That success continued with a succession of hit albums: 2016’s ‘My Universe’, 2018’s ‘Accidentally On Purpose’ and 2020’s ‘Good Years’.

Their authenticity saw them embraced by the Nashville scene, leading to two CMA Awards. Meanwhile, other touring highlights included the C2C Festival and shows as guests to Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town and The Corrs. Here’s to the next 10 years…

AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY STAR CASEY BARNES WANTS TO ‘GET TO KNOW YA’ AHEAD OF HIS BRAND NEW ALBUM

After two long, hard years of canceled tours, postponed shows and being locked away from family, friends and fans, Australian country music prodigy Casey Barnes is only interested in one thing – human connection!

When the world was thrown a curve ball in 2020, Aussie artists had two options; hunker down and wait out the storm, or push forward into the unknown. For Gold Coast country star Casey Barnes, walking into the eye of the storm was the hardest decision he’s ever had to make, but now it’s paying off in spades, with massive commercial radio success, multiple number one hits and one of the only country artists to achieve mainstream success in Australia in 2021!

Following on from the release of several successful singles over the past twelve months, including the #1 smash “God Took His Time On You” and 2021’s most played country radio song “Come Turn Me On”, the Gold Coast based country music icon has today unveiled “Get To Know Ya”, the lead track from his forthcoming album “Light It Up “, landing on Friday 25 February, 2022.

Written from various lockdowns over the course of 18 months, via a series of zoom calls with producers MSquared (Michael Delozrenzis and Michael Paynter) and Nashville based singer/songwriters Kaci Brown and Sam Gray, “Get To Know Ya” is yet another addition to Casey’s ever growing catalog of hook-laden, arena-sized anthems.

“We’ve all had our fair share of lockdowns and isolation over the last two years and we’re finally enjoying the luxury of being able to get out and about again and reconnect”. Said Casey Barnes of the new track.

“That’s what this single is all about… that instant connection when you lay eyes on someone for the first time. The nervous feeling about getting to know them and hoping they feel the same way because in your eyes, they’re that one in a million. This single is one of my favorite songs on the album and I’m so excited to finally get it out there!”

Where previous singles highlighted Casey Barnes ability to produce everything from slow, melodic ballads to fast paced, raucous country rock, new single “Get To Know Ya” is a masterclass in seamlessly blending earworm-worthy pop hooks, classic country instrumentation and stadium ready sounds. It’s another fan favorite from Casey’s liveshow, finally ready to add to an already massive collection of beloved anthemic pop-country tracks which have helped cement Casey Barnes as one of the most important figures in Australia’s rapidly growing country music market.

To celebrate the launch of his new single, as well as the release of brand-new album “Light It Up” on Friday 25 February, Casey will also be hitting the road from late February until August, performing more than twenty shows around the country, including a special show where it all started;w Forth, Tasmania.

“When I was six years old, I’ll never forget my very first gig. It was Johnny Cash, supported by John Williamson in my hometown of Launceston in Tasmania.”

I just remember being completely captivated by the performance and thinking ‘one day I’d love to do this too’. Several years later that thought became a reality when I was invited to jump up on stage and perform for the very first time at the Forth Pub with the band, and the rest as they say is history. It was only recently that my Mum dug up a bunch of old photos and one of those was a pic of me up on stage as a very green and nervous 15-year-old. That venue has always held a very special place in my heart, so it had to be the first spot on the tour and fittingly it sold out in record time.”

A lot has happened since Casey first performed on stage at the Forth Pub in Tasmania.

He’s gone on to play shows all over the world, opening for acts like Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey, Lady Antebellum to name a few and performing at major events including Savannah In The Round, CMC Rocks, Tamworth Country Music Festival, BluesFest and more!

Five number one singles on the country charts; eight Golden Guitar nominations, including New Talent, Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year; and a swag of other awards action – nominations for Best Country Album at the ARIA Awards, Best Independent Country Album at the AIR Awards, and Most Performed Country Work (‘A Little More’) at the APRA Awards.

Casey was awarded Artist of the Year at the Gold Coast Music Awards in 2020 and 2021. Adding to this, he received the People’s Choice Award for best live act at the Groundwater Country Music Festival, a nod to his powerful live show and ability to connect with his audiences. Casey’s songs have collectively been streamed more than 28 million times, making him one of the most streamed Australian country artists of all time.

Casey’s 2020 album, “Town of A Million Dreams”, cemented his place in the Australian music scene, topping the country charts and spending over 75 weeks on the ARIA Australian Country Album chart to date.

2022 is set to be the breakout year for Bryce Sainty and it all begins with the the summer smash ‘This Summer’s The One’. This new release is perfect for the summer airwaves, and will instantly become the soundtrack for the season.

Teaming up with Phil Barton and Melanie Dyer to co-write ‘This Summer’s The One’, is the second track from the forthcoming EP due in early 2022.

“I am so excited to share everything I have been working on. For a long time I have been releasing single after single working on my sound and direction and with the latest songs (‘Just Chillin’ and ‘This Summer’s The One’) I really feel like I have found a happy place with my music. I can’t wait to share this song and the EP with the world.”

Bryce has been taking the contemporary country world by storm with over 2 million streams and named an “artist to watch” by Spotify. With his is EP set to drop in early 2022, and beginning the year performing with icons Andrew Farris (INXS), Tim Freedman (The Whitlams) and Rod McCormack as part of a songwriters showcase at the Tamworth Country Music Festival , 2022 promises to be a prosperous year for Bryce.

Achievements To Date

2021 Release ‘Just Chillin”- Featured on Mainstream playlists including New Music Friday 2021 Surpassed 2,000,000 streams
2020 On The Weekend – #11 on The Music Network Country Chart
2020 Named “Artist To Watch” by Spotify
2020 Released “Do You Remember” – 400,000 Streams
2019 The Music Network Top 50 Country Chart – KIX FM Top 5 – “Never Going Back”
2019 Released “Never Going Back”, “Table For Two” and “Goodbye” – over 700,000 streams. 2018 Released “Eleven Eleven” and “Something I Want” – Top Radio Singles
2017 Nomination for CMC Award – Best New Artist
2016 Released single “STATUS” – #2 on iTunes
2014 Star Maker Top 10 Finalist
2013 Released Debut EP – Top 5 on iTunes
2013 Performed and Featured on Channel 10 tv show – What’s Up Down Under
2012 Released Debut Single “Message In A Bottle” – Top 10 on iTunes – Top 50 CMC
2012 Graduated the CMAA Academy of Country Music
2011 Winner – TodaysCountry94one Brand New Star Competition

The first offering from The Pleasures (Catherine Britt and Lachlan Bryan’s new outfit) is “The Beginning of the End”. Americana twang meets dirty rock n roll on this sassy single with its themes of mischief and recklessness – the perfect antidote for these austere times. Britt and Bryan’s perfectly matched vocals holler over a stomping, swaggering band, leaving us in no doubt that The Pleasures have come out swinging!

A 70s-psychedelia inspired music video accompanies the single, and it’s filled with the energy and intensity you can expect at The Pleasures’ upcoming live shows.

While Catherine and Lachlan already have established careers, this collaboration which began with a late-night sms exchange, quickly ascended into a feverish fortnight of writing and recording. The project represents a significant stylistic shift for both artists. Their debut album is already in the can and is set for release later in 2022.

“Lachlan and I have always clicked in life and in song” explains Catherine, “and we’ve always had an unspoken understanding and respect for one another. These songs came so easy – they flowed out of us like a raging stream. I just want more honest, real music in the world, and I couldn’t think of a better person to make it with!”

“I don’t think know anyone else who feels and understands country music the way Catherine does”, says Lachlan. “She sounds authentic because she is authentic. When she opens her mouth and sings you can hear the neon lights buzzing, you can taste the tequila and you can barely see for the cloud of smoke. It’s all that stuff that people try and fake – they try and put in on – but it’s like she was just born with it”.

“The Beginning of the End” is out January 21 2022 through Beverley Hillbilly Records/MGM Distribution

Jason Owen jumps straight into 2022 with a brand new single titled ‘Sing Australia’ , showcasing his powerhouse vocals, and shining a spotlight on our incredible country, Australia, its people, and true Aussie spirit.

Jason is now one of Australia’s most popular country artists, having entertained audiences around the country including the Tamworth Country Music Festival, CMC Rocks the Hunter, the ACE Awards and the Sony Foundation’s Wharf4Ward event raising funds for youth cancer care.

Bursting onto the Australian music scene in 2012 as runner-up of X-Factor, Jason Owen is one of Australia’s most popular young country music stars. Jason’s debut album ‘Life Is A Highway’ reached number one on the ARIA Country Chart and number five on the Australian Top 20 All Genre ARIA Chart. He has since released ‘Friday Night’ featuring his first original hit ‘Damn Right’; ‘Proud’, his first all-originals album celebrating his First Nations background; ‘Jason Owen Sings John Denver: The 20th Anniversary’; and ‘Jason Owen Sings John Denver: The Acoustic Sessions’ which debuted at Number one on the ARIA Country Music Charts. He has been nominated for five major music awards including Golden Guitars and CMC Awards.

Having grown up in the tiny town of Albert, NSW, as the only child in a town of just twelve people, in 2019 Jason founded his own charity, Doin’ It For Rural Aussie Kids, supporting regional and isolated children. “Doin It for Rural Aussie Kids was established in 2019 to help rural and isolated children affected by issues such as bushfires, drought, floods, COVID-19 fallout, and economic impacts” Jason said. “Each year we embark on a road trip across multiple states to hand deliver toys, groceries, and funds to kids whose families have been doing it tough”.

For his efforts he won the prestigious 2021 NSW/ACT Young Achiever Award for Community Service and the People’s Choice Award, and was also the most nominated entrant in the 2021 competition.

Jason has also participated in numerous appeals including Telethon Drought, Telethon Children’s Hospital, Cancer Golf Day, Kids Cancer Golf Day, donated two show profits to Burrumbuttock Hay Runners, donated song profits to Sir Ivan Bushfire Appeal and supported charities and businesses in towns toured.

Coming fresh off their recent hit Where Is The Love, Key Loch are bringing us another passionate single! Come Home To Me is a worthy successor to their emotional last single, and the beautiful tones of Avery May Parker’s voice combined with the smooth drums and gentle guitar will make you feel right at home.

Key Loch are Damien Reilly and Justin Gross. They are the founders of the 90’s power Aussie Rock Band Southpaw, which you can learn more about at www.southpawmuzik.com. They bring together a production history between them of 50 years of song writing and playing live music in Australia. And this time, the duo are featuring a third member to their killer ensemble, that being Avery May Parker! A sweet and soulful performance in every lyric, Avery’s voice and Key Loch’s expert playing guarantee that every time you listen to Come Home To Me, it’ll hit you right where it counts.

This track is an emotional story about a husband that has been sent off to war, with his wife pining for his return. “Come home to me”, come back alive, come back safe. It’s a heartfelt scenario that cuts deep and pulls no punches. Avery once again knocked it out of the park with her vocals, and alongside Damien and Justin’s incredible production, we think this one is bound to be a massive hit!

The cozy chord progressions and delicate lyrics will transport you homely times, to nostalgic times you once fondly lived through, and to happy times that are yet to come, or perhaps never will come and are bound to your imagination. The future is a mystery, however the passion presented in this song is a constant one that cannot be altered, merely moulded to suit your idyllic preference. Key Loch are making a name for themselves in the music world with hits like this, and it’s only a matter of time before that name becomes a household one!

Music is the great communicator that can conjure up every emotion. It can make you laugh, cry, or take you right back to a certain time and place with just a melody or lyric. From the teenager who is losing herself in a song to escape a bad situation at home, to the guy who is strumming his guitar trying to get a girl to take notice of him, The Viper Creek Band’s new single ‘The Power of Music’ is bound to strike a chord in us all.

“It can make a blind man see, make a sinner sing hallelujah”.

Since early 2011, The Viper Creek Band have been delivering an exciting new sound to Australian country music.

2014 seen the release of their debut album, ‘Kickin’ Up Dust’, which claimed the number two spot on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart.

Their nominations for Group Or Duo Of The Year in 2015, 2016, 2017, and the coveted Oz Artist Of The Year in 2016 through the fan voted Country Music Channel Awards, leaves little doubt The Viper Creek Band have a well-established, loyal following.

In 2016, the band released their highly anticipated second album, ‘Just Press Play’, which Country Update Magazine referred to as “The soundtrack to the best night out, of the best summer, of your life”. The album debuted in the ARIA top five and spawned four top ten singles.

In 2018, vocalist Damien Baguley joined Adam Brand on his record breaking ‘Milestones Tour’. He also won a Country Music Channel Award with his side project Tailgate Drive, with Troy Kemp.

The album ‘Beautiful Destruction’ was released in early 2019 and includes the number one single ‘Green Light’ and fan favourite track, ‘Australian Girls’. The album debuted at number one on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart.

The Viper Creek Band were finalists in Group Or Duo Of The Year at the 2020 Golden Guitars.

‘People Drinkin’ Beer’ and the brand new single, ‘The Power Of Music’, are the first of a bunch of new tracks to be released as the band celebrate ten years of making music.

‘A Bit More Aussie’ is a fun, up-tempo song for people who love Australia, filled with kangaroos, meat pies, kids running through sprinklers, outback sunsets, old Akubra hats and a Holden ute held together with fencing wire and a prayer. ‘A Bit More Aussie Fun’ is this summer’s feel-good song, with an infectious sing along chorus that every Aussie can relate to.

Benn Gunn plays his own brand of hard rocking music he calls ‘Aussie Heartland Rock’. It’s music from a true blue Aussie battler, for true blue Aussie battlers, with its roots in pub and country rock. If you love Australia, you’ll love Benn Gunn.

Benn spent his childhood travelling, like many great countrymen before him. From Dubbo to Forbes, and down to Bowral, his formative years brought long journeys, dusty plains and heartfelt music. For as long as he can remember, Ben has been preforming. As a young boy, he wanted nothing more than to sing and play guitar like heroes, Garth Brooks, Jimmy Barnes and John Foggerty.

“I had to teach myself to play right handed cause I could not find a left handed guitar!” Benn states. But for a kid on the road, learning to play didn’t come easy. Self-taught from a young age, it came down to personal commitment. Carving up his own style of Aussie heartland rock, entertaining became where Benn felt the most at home.

From humble beginnings, Benn has carved out his own niche place in the Australian music industry. With a swag of nominations and awards, and a long list of charting singles, including two #1 hits, he is seasoned as both an in demand live act and as a recording artist.

His awards include Best New Talent in the 2011 Australian Independent Country Music Awards, Best New Artist in the National Category of the Victorian Country Music Awards and the 2014 MO Award for Slim Dusty Country Act of the Year.

After the success of Benn’s debut album, with four charting singles, Benn launched his second album with American hit songwriter Jason Patrick Mathews and highly acclaimed producer Bart Busch. The first single ‘Girls Like Guys With Trucks’ reached #1 on the National Country Radio Singles Chart and created an amazing buzz within the industry.

The title track off his third album ‘Only In Australia’ hit #1 just a few weeks after release and then went on to break a record for the longest run in the Country Radio Singles Chart. Benn credits the success of the song to the huge number of DJs who continued to play ‘Only In Australia’ month after month. He says “It’s the DJs who support Aussie home grown music and the loyal fans who come to shows who keep our local music industry alive.”

Benn has developed a huge following on social media, with his viral Facebook videos amassing millions of views.

A multiple JUNO & CCMA Award winning entertainer, Dallas Smith is one of the most celebrated artists in Canadian Country music history, amassing 18 Canadian gold-certified single, 3 Canadian gold-certified albums, and 4 Canadian platinum-certified singles, including “Timeless”, “Drop”, and ” Trippin’ Point & Wastin Gas”.

Smith is the first and only Canadian Country artist to have 11 #1 singles , and the first to have 22 consecutive Top 10 singles. He has received 35 CCMA Award Nominations, and 11 CCMA wins, along with 5 Juno Award Nominations and 2 JUNO wins. His CCMA Award wins include, Album of The Year, Male Artist of The Year, Single of The Year, and he is reigning CCMA Entertainer of the year, two years running.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Dallas to premiere his new single “Hide From A Broken Heart” exclusively on the 2021 CCMA Awards (11/29

• 2022 National headlining tour to be announced 11/22, in tandem with “Hide From A Broken Heart” single announce + pre-add/pre-save launch.

• 11 career country #1 singles and half a BILLION combined streams to date

• 5 CCMA Nominations (2021), including: Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year, Fan’s

Choice, Album of the Year & Male Artist of the Year.

• 35 career CCNA Nominations and 11 CCMA wins, including: Entertainer of the Year (2020/2019), Top Selling Country Album (2020/2017), Male Artist of the Year (2019), Album of the Year (2017), and Single of the Year (2017).

• 5 JUNO Award Nominations & 2 JUNO Award wins, including the award for JUNO Country Album of the Year (Lifted).

• 3 Gold albums, 1B Gold singles and 4 Platinum singles (Music Canada)

• Dallas co-hosted the 2019 Canadian Country Music Awards with Billy Ray Cyrus.

• #1 Most Played solo Canadian Country artist of 2020 (MediaBase)

• The only Canadian Artist to have 22 consecutive Top 10 singles

• The most #1 songs by a Canadian Country artist ever, in the NielsenBDS era, surpassing Shania Twain.

• Past festival tour dates include Faster Horses, Watershed, Big Valley Jamboree, Country Thunder, Boots & Hearts, Calgary Stampede, Cavendish Music Fest

• Most recent headlining tour was “Friends Don’t Let Friends Tour Alone” (Fall 2019) with Dean Brody and MacKenzie Porter.

• 500,000 concert tickets sold as a country artist.

• Smith is the creator of the charitable organization, Lifted, which is a non-profit committed to ensuring mental health services are accessible to anyone in need.