The Josh Abbott Band recently announced their Summer of JAB 2014 Tour. The tour begins Saturday May 24th at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels and goes through the summer.

The band has a Tunespeak campaign (right now with limited shows) where fans can support JAB on social media to earn chances for tickets to shows, meet and greets and more. Click here for more information.

For more information visit the JAB official website

Streamsound recording artist, Dakota Bradley recently opened for Love and Theft and Craig Campbell at the famous Joe's Bar in Chicago, and got creative with capturing some behind the scenes content in the process. 

Attaching go-pro cameras to his guitar, Dakota captures unique crowd shots during his performance of his single “Won’t Be Young Forever,” which is produced by Tim McGraw and Grammy award-winning producer Byron Gallimore. The video also includes footage of Dakota performing the classic “Fishin’ In The Dark” with Love and Theft and Craig Campbell. 

Check it out in the video below.

Purchase "Won't Be Young Forever" on iTunes
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First it's Mountain Dew, now Dierks Bentley is partnering with OLE SMOKY® TENNESSEE MOONSHINE® in a multi-year partnership across tour, media and digital platforms.  For Bentley's RISER Tour, the moonshine maker will provide a tailgate party for fans in a throwback 1920's style saloon with a "modern country vibe" featuring drinks, music and specialty merchandise at participating venues.  
 
"When I first moved to Nashville, I lived down at the Station Inn and really dove head first into the bluegrass community…I used to beg my way into pickin parties with those guys because I was eaten up with that sound and that lifestyle.  And when you surround yourself with banjos and fiddles, there's bound to be some shine there too," said Bentley.  "All of that influenced who I am and the music I make today.  Ole Smoky is a great partner for me and my fans out on the RISER tour this year…they're going to help us get the party started early out in the parking lot and set the tone for a rowdy night.”
 
“We are thrilled to be launching our partnership with Dierks Bentley as he starts the RISER tour,” said Joe Baker, founder of Ole Smoky Moonshine. “Just like Ole Smoky, the tour is about bringing people together who love country music and having fun. We can’t wait to see the fans dancing, laughing and sharing their stories over our moonshine.”
 

The amount of free music at CMA Fest is just mind boggling. There are so many not to be missed talented artists who are on the smaller stages. Sirius XM's The HIGHWAY recently announced their HIGHWAY FIND STAGE. Although the sets are way too short, 15minutes hearing Brandy Clark, Logan Mize, Leah Turner and Sam Hunt for starters is fine by me.
Here is the line-up for Wednesday June 4th in front of the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville. 





1:00 - Neal McCoy
1:30 - Jamie Lynn Spears 
1:45 - Lo Cash Cowboys 
2:15 - Joshua Scott Jones 
2:30 - Old Dominion 
3:00 - Brandy Clark 
3:15 - Chris Janson 
3:45 - Sarah Darling
4:00 - Sam Hunt 
4:30 - Ashliegh Lisset
4:45 - Johnny T.
5:15 - Erik Dylan 
5:30 - David Fanning 
6:00 - Joel Crouse
6:15 - Dylan Scott 
6:45 - Samantha Landrum 
7:00 - Logan Mize
7:30 - Shane Gamble 
7:45 - Leah Turner 
8:15 - Green River Ordinance 
8:30 - Dallas Smith 
9:00 - Outshyne 
9:15 - Blackjack Billy 
9:45 - Sundy Best 
10:00 - The Cadillac Three 
10:30 - Kristian Bush 
10:45 - JT Hodges 
11:15 - Glen Templeton 
11:30 - Parmalee 
12:00 - Finale

Country Weekly will hold their annual Kick-Off Party, powered by NASH, on Tuesday, June 3 at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe. The event serves as the magazine’s pre-celebration to the CMA Music Festival. It will feature performances by Kip Moore and Frankie Ballard. 
 
Sponsored by Durango and Roper, all proceeds from the show will benefit Musicians On Call, a non-profit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. For the past eight years, Country Weekly has teamed up with Musicians On Call on fundraisers to help support the charity’s mission. 

“Musicians On Call couldn't be any more excited to work with Country Weekly again on this great event,” says Pete Griffin, President of Musicians On Call. “Having the support of Kip Moore, Frankie Ballard, Hard Rock Cafe, Durango and Roper means so much to us and will allow us to bring the healing power of music to more patients and facilities in Nashville and around the country.”

Tickets are on sale now and range from $30 General Admission to a $500 VIP package including a reserved table for four guests plus a meet-and-greet with the performing artists. 
All attendees will enjoy a red carpet arrival complete with bright lights and a backdrop for photos. Doors open at 7:00P with the music cranking up at 8:00P.  
 
For more information on the event, ticket options and Musicians On Call, please visit www.MusiciansOnCall.org.

One of the few "mainstream" artists we enjoy, Brad Paisley announced the release of his (untitled) ninth studio album on Aug. 26.

To promote the release, Brad will appear on Good Morning America (ABC) as part of their Summer Concert Series on August 29th.


His current single "River Bank" is currently at country radio.
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American Aquarium is heading back into the studio next month to begin work on their sixth record, Wolves. They will be recording the project at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC with Brad Cook (Megafaun, DeYarmond Edison, Sharon Van Etten). 

To help accomplish this undertaking, they are launching a crowd funding campaign through PledgeMusic beginning TODAY, May 8th. Fans can support the creation of this record by pre-ordering the album along with exclusive merchandise, artwork, shows, and a lot more.

As if you need another reason to give, 10% of all funds reached after the initial goal will support Musicians On Call.

From their Pledge Music page: "We wish we were the multi-millionaire success stories that all of you think we should be, but at the end of the day, we aren’t. We’re just six guys from North Carolina that want to give our fans the best product we can, and this is the only way we know how to do it. Thank you for all of your support over the years, it’s been great to have you along for the ride. We can’t wait for you to hear Wolves."

-BJ, Ryan, Bill, Kevin, Whit & Colin

To support their new album visit here: American Aquarium - WOLVES on Pledge Music

Now in it's sixth year, Reckless Kelly's Celebrity Softball Jam combines nine innings of "fun-filled, athleticism-optional softball" with a post-game concert on two stages in centerfield.

Led by brothers Willy and Cody Braun, the band created a signature family friendly event with friends from the worlds of music and sports, combining America’s pastime and music to benefit Austin’s youth. 

In five years, the Celebrity Softball Jam has raised over $150,000 for area youth leagues including South Austin Little League, Balcones Little League, Montopolis Little League, Del Valley Little League, The Miracle League at Town & Country, The Miracle League of San Antonio, Greater East Austin Youth Association and RBI Austin. 

This year, all proceeds from the event will go to a revival of East Austin’s Mabson Field, a park in the heart of an under-resourced neighborhood in the capital of Texas. Proceeds will help cover the ongoing costs of a $300,000 renovation project for Mabson Field, including a professional quality artificial turf playing surface which was revealed earlier this week. The field serves boys and girls ages 4-12 through RBI Austin and the Greater East Austin Youth Association.

Artists announced for the 2014 Celebrity Softball Jam include: Roger Creager, Turnpike Troubadors, Cody Canada and the Departed, Wade Bowen, Charlie Robison, Micky & the Motorcars, Pauline Reese, Peterson Brothers, George DeVore, John D. Hale Band, Possum Posse, Uncle Lucius, Shinyribs, William Clark Green, Whiskey Myers, Taco & the Enchiladas and Midnight River Choir. 

The event will take place on May 11th at 1pm at Dell Diamond, home of the Round Rock Express, an AAA affiliate for the Texas Rangers.

If you live far or cannot make it out, you can still make a difference by donating to this fundraiser. Simply click here to help out!

Tickets are on sale now. For more information visit here.

Really looking forward to this one.

Micky & the Motorcars revealed on their Facebook page the artwork for their new album, Hearts From Above. 

After touring around the United States and Germany, the Motorcars decided to head into the studio and record a new album. They successfully funded the project via Kickstarter, even exceeding their goal. Micky and Gary wrote and "road-tested" their new songs over the past year and brought on their brother Willy, from Reckless Kelly, to produce the album.


Their previous release Raise My Glass was released in 2011.
Hearts From Above is due out sometime this year.

For more information visit their official website
Find MMC on Facebook

The best artists may NOT be at LP FIeld......CMA Fest just got a lot bigger with 5 more stages and 137 more artists added to the lineup! The five stages include:  Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza, the Samsung Galaxy Stage at Walk of Fame Park, the Chevrolet Roadhouse Stage in Fan Alley, The Buckle Stage and the BMI Tailgate Party. 

We may just have to park ourselves in front of some of these stages. Personal "must sees" are in bold.

Times TBD, but artists scheduled to appear include:

Bud Light Stage: Lauren Alaina, Keith Anderson, Katie Armiger, Kelleigh Bannen, Jeff Bates, Big Smo, BlackHawk, Brothers Osborne, Mark Collie, Bucky Covington, Joel Crouse, Sarah Darling, Clare Dunn, Morgan Frazier, JT Hodges, Will Hoge, Home Free, Sam Hunt, Chris Janson, Joshua Scott Jones, Krystal Keith, Meghan Linsey, Robin Meade, Granger Smith, Jamie Lynn Spears, Chris Stapleton, Striking Matches, Sundy Best, The Henningsens, Leah Turner, Trick Pony, Aaron Watson, Austin Webb, Drake White, Chuck Wicks and Holly Williams

Samsung Galaxy Stage: Robby Armstrong, Rob Baird, Ty Bates, Dakota Bradley, David Bradley, Laura Bell Bundy, Cam, Brandon Chase, Cowboy Troy and DJ Sinister, Heath Haynes & the High Dollars, Sam Hollyman, Joey Hyde, Jukebox Mafia, John Karl, Ryan Kinder, John King, Jenny Leigh, Cheryl LuQuire, Rachele Lynae, Brian Milson, Danielle Peck, Pierce Avenue, Stephanie Quayle, Raven Cliff, Julie Roberts, Gwen Sebastian, Canaan Smith, Phoenix Stone, The Brothers Road, The Nelsons, The Railers, The Stickers, Chad Warrix, Ryan Weaver, Jesse Keith Whitley and Zane Williams

Chevrolet Roadhouse Stage: Ballie and the Boys, Brinn Black, Cast of “Crazy Hearts Nashville,” Cerrito, Jaida Dreyer, Jordan Grassi, Marty Haggard, Lyndsey Highlander, Rachel Holder, Levi Hummon, Angie Johnson, Stevens Layne, Matt Mason, Walker McGuire, Randy Montana, Music City Doughboys, Aaron Parker, Jacob Powell, Brent Rupard, Lizzie Sider, The Danberrys, Keni Thomas and Whiskey Rose

The Buckle Stage: Carlton Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Bonner Black, Misty Rae Carson, Karli Chayne, Steven Clawson, Courtney Cole, Hannah Dasher, Jacob Davis, GirlBilly, Ryan Griffin, Curtis Grimes, Adam Hambrick, Brett Kissell, Ryan Lafferty, Brandon Lay, Josh London, Daisy Mallory, Michaelis, Oklahoma, Carly Pearce, David Ray, Jameson Rodgers, Smithfield, Walker County and Hailey Whitters

BMI Tailgate Party: A Thousand Horses, Blackjack Billy, Chase Bryant, Adam Craig, DJ Du, Brett Eldredge, David Fanning, Sara Haze, Chris Lane, Natalie Stovall and The Drive, Michael Ray, Josh Thompson, and Whiskey Jam

LP FIELD ADDITIONS: The Charlie Daniels Band, Sara Evans and Travis Tritt