Phil Vassar's 'Songs From The Cellar' To Launch on Sky TV in the UK

Nashville hit songwriter Phil Vassar will launch his TV series ‘Songs From The Cellar’ in the UK on 6th September 2016, airing weekly on Sky’s Keep It Country channel.

The show features guests from across the world of music and entertainment, ranging from Charles Esten (Nashville), John Rich, Charlie Daniels, and Cam to individuals outside of music like Mike Tyson and comedian Carrot Top. Phil will also debut brand new songs throughout the episodes, as well as introducing viewers to up-and-coming talent like The Cains and Shawn Lacy.

In his own words: “I'm really excited about ‘Songs From the Cellar’ being on Keep It Country on Sky TV. I love playing in the UK - I'm always so impressed how the fans are so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the artists... I hope we can tour the UK for years and years to come!”

The first show will feature singer-songwriter Sarah Darling, who has opened for Carrie Underwood, played the Grand Ole Opry stage multiple times, and enjoyed success with her recent radio singles ‘Home to Me’ and ‘Little Umbrellas’. Sarah tours the UK in September as part of the Nashville in the Round tour. 'Songs From the Cellar' will air weekly on Tuesdays at 18:30, repeated on Saturdays.

Visit philvassar.com and follow the hashtags #noPHILter & #SongsFromTheCellar for more information.

Single of the Week: Lightning Bugs and Rain - Whiskey Myers

With an upcoming album titled Mud, it is perhaps written in the stars that Whiskey Myers's first release from said album would be a thumping, gritty track.

On 'Lightning Bugs and Rain', the band's frontman Cody Cannon tries to convince a girl he has his eye on, to escape with him to a secluded spot on the mountains with only, as the title points out, lightning bugs (perhaps better known as fireflies to us on this side of the Atlantic) and rain (something that us on this side of the Atlantic, know all so well). It's a bluesy number with some lovely guitar riffs, horns every now and then and a foot-tapping drumbeat. Despite the title, this song is made for kicking back and relaxing in the remainder of these summer months.

This was my first taste of this particular Whiskey and I'm already addicted. Have a listen to the track below.

About Whiskey Myers

Whiskey Myers, the soulful Southern rockers, will release their fourth studio album, Mud, on September 9th via Spinefarm Records, featuring the single ‘Lightning Bugs and Rain’. Helmed by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Rival Sons, etc.), this record sees the East Texan outfit taking their easy style and sound to fresh levels, straddling a number of different genres – soul, country, classic rock, blues, etc. – in the process.

The follow-up to Early Morning Shakes (2014), Mud features ten new tracks packed with narrative vocals, emotive hooks and twin guitar strength, including ‘Frogman’ (a co-write with Rich Robinson previewed live at the Download Festival) and ‘Deep Down In The South’, a classic slice of Southern Rock celebrating a culture rich with tradition and solid values.

Through the quality of their song-writing, ability to straddle different genres, plus their undeniable power in concert and on record, the band has attracted a devoted army of home-grown fans who pack out venues, sing their praises online, and continue to make Whiskey Myers a word-of-mouth sensation… and that fervour is now spreading quickly overseas.

Whiskey Myers were recently here for Ramblin’ Man Fair and will return this December for the following dates:

December 1st - The Dome, London
December 2nd - O2 Institute, Birmingham
December 5th - Ruby Lounge, Manchester
December 6th - St Luke's, Glasgow

For further information on Whiskey Myers and their upcoming UK tour, check out their official site.

Holloway Road Release Session Video + FREE DOWNLOAD For 'Good Thing Gone Bad'

One of Somethin' Country's favorites duos, Holloway Road, have released another single from their most recent EP, Roots (click here to read our review of the release) - this time in the form of an acoustic session video and a free song download via Soundcloud.

The release follows a summer of festivals for Jack Cooper and Robert Gulston, including appearances at Buckle & Boots, Village Green, Essex Jamboree and Leigh Folk Festival,

Filmed in and around Southend by Music Gaff, the song is notably the first "slow jam" the band have released, and since being added to the live set earlier this year has been met with a fantastic response by audiences up and down the country.

Check out the video below, and head to the guys' Soundcloud to grab your free copy of the single.

For further information on Holloway Road, visit their official site.

Shovels & Rope Share Video Off New Album

Critically acclaimed husband & wife duo Shovels & Rope will release their anticipated new album, Little Seeds,  on their new label New West Records on 7th October.

Known for their honest, raw and highly distinctive sound, Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent (aka Shovels & Rope) have made their most personal and powerful album yet.

As songwriters, Hearst and Trent have earned a reputation as gifted storytellers. The main distinction between their prior work and Little Seeds, is that the stories here are true and inspired by their own experiences and observations.

The band have now shared a video for first single 'I Know'.

Little Seeds reflects a pivotal and tumultuous time in their lives, and in our society. With song titles such as 'Botched Execution', 'Mourning Song', 'The Last Hawk' and subject matters ranging from Alzheimer’s disease ('Invisible Man') to over-medicating children ('Johnny Come Outside') to racial unity (‘BWYR'), one might think Little Seeds is a hopeless and depressing work, which would be highly inaccurate. Shovels & Rope’s penchant for writing literate, Southern Gothic infused songs that exude a dark humour, deep sentiment and the celebration of the genuine, quirky and beautiful things in life has never shined brighter than it does on Little Seeds.

Like most of their previous material, Little Seeds was recorded in the couple’s Charleston, SC home studio, and produced by Trent. Hearst and Trent wrote all the songs and played every instrument.

Little Seeds is the follow up to their acclaimed 2014 release Swimmin’ Time, which debuted in the Top 20 on the Billboard 200, #5 on the rock chart and #6 on the independent chart. The duo, who were nominated in four categories at the Americana Music Awards, winning ‘Song of the Year’ (‘Birmingham’) and ‘Emerging Artist of the Year’, were the subject of a documentary ‘The Ballad of Shovels & Rope’, which chronicles the band’s humble beginnings through the release of ‘O’ Be Joyful’ and premiered at the Nashville Film Festival. Featuring covers of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Johnny 99’ and Tom Waits’ ‘Bad As Me’, Shovels & Rope released a single through Jack White’s Third Man Records in 2013.

For further information on Shovels & Rope, visit their official website.

Uncle Lucius Release Live Video + Confirm Full European Tour

Uncle Lucius will already be familiar to many who consider themselves fans of country, Americana and southern rock, having shared stages with Merle Haggard, Zac Brown Band, Shooter Jennings, Ryan Bingham and Hayes Carll.

Now, the country-infused Southern rock band have confirmed a full European tour in October and November, that will see them visit Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland and Germany, as well as a run of shows in the UK.

The UK Dates are, as follows:

October 31st - Greystones, Sheffield
November 1st - Fat Lils, Witney
November 2nd - Maze, Nottingham
November 3rd - Academy 2, London
November 4th - Open Studioes, Brighton
November 6th - Hug and Pint, Glasgow
November 7th - Musician, Leicester

Ahead of their tour, the band have also released a brand new live video of their latest single 'Age of Reason', shot at Gruene Hall, New Braunfels, Texas earlier this year, which you can watch below.

For further information about the band, including full details about their tour, visit their official website.

Single of the Week: 'This Girl's Fire' - Outlander

After an already stellar 2016, last year's winners of the BCMA's Horizon Act of the Year Award, Outlander, have released their latest single 'This Girl's Fire'.

The single marks an evolution in Outlander's sound. It was written just before the band performed at this year's Country to Country (C2C) Festival, but was taken to the next level after a chance encounter: "We were extremely lucky to see a bit of Old Dominion soundchecking on the BBC Radio 2 stage; it sounded incredible, and really resonated with us! With this track, we wanted to take our time, and try to capture the modern sound of Nashville that's coming through artists such as Sam Hunt, and Old Dominion". The band recorded the single entirely in-house, rather than going to a studio, so that they could give themselves more than enough time to hone the song. The track was recorded and mixed by the band's lead singer Ali Garner, who graduated from Leeds College of Music with a degree in Music Production.

Have a listen to the track below:




ABOUT OUTLANDER

Outlander is a Pop/Country-Rock band hailing from the North East of England. Forming in 2015, the band has become one of the bands leading the new wave of Country Music in England.

A year on, and the band won the coveted title of Horizon Act of the Year 2015 at the British Country Music Awards (BCMA) in October 2015, following on from the previous year's winners; The Shires. So far in 2016 the band has enjoyed playing some high profile events including two performances at this year's Country to Country Festival (C2C) at the O2 Arena in London, and in June the band were chosen to support Simply Red at The Emirates International Cricket Ground on their Big Love Summer 2016 Tour. The band also performed at the inaugural Buckle & Boots Country Music Festival, sharing the stage with artists such as Ward Thomas and Phil Vassar.

Appealing to new-wave and old-school country fans alike, Outlander's music takes cues from American acts such as Sam Hunt, Hunter Hayes, Old Dominion, and Brett Eldredge, blending pop and rock hooks with country instrumentation. The band has been praised for taking a youthful edge to British country music.

For further information on Outlander, visit the band's official site.

LISTEN To Carolynne's New Single 'Take The Keys'

Out later this month, Carolynne's new single 'Take The Keys' is now available to stream on Soundcloud!

The single follows the success of her single 'I Love You But Shut Up' and the buzz around her performance on the Brooklyn Bowl stage at C2C in London earlier this year.

You can listen to 'Take The Keys' below and it will be released via iTunes and Spotify on the 19th of August.

For more information on Carolynne, including her upcoming shows, visit her official site.

Single of the Week: 'Two' - The Young Fables

'How can we lose, when it's me and you, I never knew it would be so much better with two'.

Well, how can you lose when two talented singers/musicians/songwriters straight from the heart of country music decide to team up and put out good, genuine songs? You really can't lose, ever, and 'Two' from The Young Fables is one of the best songs I've heard in a really long while.

The pairing of Laurel Wright and Wesley Lunsford is a fresh breath of authenticity. The song, about how Laurel and Wesley became a duo, is fun, sweet and real. Think of Chris and Morgane Stapleton, only with the roles reserved and the lovely tones of Laurel's voice taking the lead...beautiful voices, quality lyrics and not a hint of over-production at any point. The Young Fables are a wonderful throwback to when the genre wasn't all about trucks and partying and I absolutely love it.  These two are set for a big future and I'm looking forward to joining the ride.

[Side note: Immediately after writing this review, I discovered Laurel had tried out for American Idol (which was a personal favorite show of mine) and instantly remembered her after rewatching her auditions on YouTube - super talented singer in her own right and a definite case of talent slipping through the cracks of reality TV.]

ABOUT THE YOUNG FABLES

The Young Fables are a country music duo composed of Laurel Wright and Wesley Lunsford, who have worked & performed with The Band Perry, Sara Evans, Randy Houser, The Henningsens, Scotty McCreery, and Joe Nichols.

Laurel Wright, originally from Maryville Tennessee, started singing in church when she was just three years old. At the age of ten, she was inspired to pick up a guitar and write her first song, and during high school, got "really serious about music". Laurel moved to Nashville, working as a restaurant hostess while pursuing her dream of a full-time music career, and since then has played shows across the country both as a solo act and since meeting Wesley, as part of the Young Fables.

According to Laurel, "Meeting Wes was a serious game-changer for me, and my music career". When her former lead guitarist backed out of a gig at the last minute, her drummer said he knew someone and called Wesley, who she describes as one of the most talented and hardworking people she's ever worked with. When she moved to Nashville, Wesley told her that he wanted to be part of anything and everything that he could be part of, and since then they haven't played a show without each other in over a year, and all the Young Fables songs have been written together.

Wesley grew up in Tallassee, East Tennessee, in a music-loving family.  He started learning piano at nine years old, and picked up the guitar at fourteen when he got his first six-string for Christmas. An opportunity to live and play in China for six months with some of his closest friends found Wesley stumbling upon a love of country music, which led him back to Tennessee to play with various artists on a local independent label. It was a friend from that group who called him that night to fill in on guitar with Laurel. In his own words: "I've worked with a lot of musicians, but knew from the moment we started working and writing together, that Laurel and I had something very special."

The Young Fables are currently touring to promote their debut album Two, and are opening up for Chris Janson in September.

For further information on The Young Fables, check out their official site.

John Paul White Shares New Video + UK Dates Ahead of Album Release

Ahead of the release of his album Beulah this month (August 19th), John Paul White has released the video for album track, 'What's So'.

The album is White's first solo work in nearly a decade and will be released through Single Lock Records.

White has also confirmed a couple of headlining shows in the UK this November:

- 7th November 2016 - The Deaf Institute, Manchester
- 8th November 2016 - Bush Hall, London

The highly anticipated release is White’s first solo work in nearly a decade. It was produced by Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes) and White, and recorded in Muscle Shoals at the renowned FAME Studios and at White’s own Single Lock Studios, which he founded and runs with Ben Tanner and Will Trapp.

Beulah is a diverse collection of swampy southern rock, folk balladry and dark acoustic pop, songs that came unbidden to White, who wasn’t entirely welcoming of them at the time. “Honestly, I tried to avoid them, but then I realised the only way I was going to get rid of them was if I wrote them down. I got my phone out, and I’d sing these little bits of melody, then put it away and move on. Eventually I got to a place where it was a roar in my head, and that pissed me off. Then one day I told my wife, ‘I think I’m going to go write a song.’ She was as surprised as I was. I went and wrote probably eight songs in three days. It was like turning on a faucet.” The title refers to a longtime family nickname and a reference to William Blake’s “place deep in the collective spiritual unconscious.”

One half of the four time Grammy-winning duo The Civil Wars, White’s recent recording collaborations include work with Jason Isbell, Candi Staton, Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, among others.

For further information on Beulah and tour dates, visit White's official website.

Bruce Springsteen To Release Autobiography Companion Album, Chapter and Verse!

Chapter and Verse, the audio companion to Bruce Springsteen's extraordinary forthcoming autobiography, will be released on 23rd September through Columbia Records. The career-spanning compilation will be released four days before Simon & Schuster publishes Born to Run. Five of the album's 18 tracks have not been previously released. 


Springsteen selected the songs on Chapter and Verse to reflect the themes and sections of Born to Run. The compilation begins with two tracks from The Castiles, featuring a teenage Springsteen on guitar and vocals, and ends with the title track from 2012's Wrecking Ball.  The collected songs trace Springsteen's musical history from its earliest days, telling a story that parallels the one in the book.

Recordings from Steel Mill and The Bruce Springsteen Band feature musicians who would go on to play in The E Street Band. Solo demos of "Henry Boy" and "Growin' Up" were cut in 1972 shortly before Springsteen began recording his debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. 


Chapter and Verse will be available as a single CD and double LP, as well as via digital download and streaming. The package will include lyrics and rare photos. Chapter & Verse will be available for preorder on Friday 29th July.

Springsteen’s gripping 500-page autobiography, Born to Run, will be released internationally on 27th September, published in hardcover, e-book, and audio editions by Simon & Schuster in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India, as well as other publishers around the world. Springsteen has been privately writing the autobiography over the past seven years. He began work in 2009, after performing with the E Street Band at the Super Bowl’s halftime show. Born To Run is available for pre-order here.