Darius Rucker and Fiona Culley Debut Music Video of Duet 'Life on the Line'

Grammy award-winning, multi-faceted artist Darius Rucker has teamed up with emerging British artist Fiona Culley to record “Life on the Line,” the theme song to a major motion picture of the same name.

Written by Culley, Rucker, Meghan Linsey and Tyler Cain, the music video and trailer for the film can be viewed now on iTunes and YouTube. Starring John Travolta, Kate Bosworth and Sharon Stone, Life on the Line opens in limited release this Friday, November 18th in the following major markets; Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia and Tampa. Life on the Line will also be available nationwide via digital and VOD platforms

Rolling Stone Country exclusively announced the collaboration and world premiered the music video.

Having been named the ‘Adele of Country’ by industry vet and hit producer Paul Worley (Lady Antebellum, The Band Perry, Martina McBride, Sara Evans), Culley first raised eyebrows when her cover video of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” received more than 2 million views overnight. VH1 caught wind of the Culley’s stripped back take on the song and named it one of VH1’s Top 5 Cover Videos to Watch.

Culley is currently in the studio with Worley wrapping up production on her debut EP, due out in the first quarter of 2017.

ALBUM REVIEW: 'Tough Ones to Love' - Amanda Richards

Last week we featured a single called 'Fresh Kill', a single that I enjoyed immensely.

Even though I am someone who considers themselves a fan of most, if not all, of the sub-genres of the broad country genre, I must admit that I do favor the rootsy side over the super-polished and overly produced side. Therefore, Amanda Richards' 'Fresh Kill' was exactly the sort of track that holds a special place in my heart, so I had a good feeling heading into my first listen of her new album.

And man...Tough Ones To Love did not disappoint.

The album is a lovely throwback to traditional country, with songs telling real, interesting and diverse stories. And this is great and, with this album, it is just perfect as Amanda is clearly a natural storyteller, as demonstrated from the get-go with 'Fresh Kill', a song that warns of the dangers of letting life pass you by.

'Last Train' has a wonderful wild west vibe to it as Richards sings about rejecting the advances of a charming yellow-eyed devil. I mentioned in my single review last week about how rich 'Fresh Kill' was in imagery, and in language, and this recurs throughout the entire album, and 'Last Train' is another fine example, as is 'Another Temptation'.

Like her storytelling, Amanda's smoky vocals also shine - particularly on 'Close To Me', a track that shows a more vulnerable side to the singer, increasingly so towards the end of the song where her voice grows and shakes with emotion.

'Lame Tattoos' reminds us that looks can and will fade, whilst 'Cinderella Waltz' is a heartbreaking tale of waiting for a prince that never shows.

This is a diverse album with ten original tracks and three covers, all telling different tales but, ultimately, they're all connected together with an authenticity that makes this album really great. I don't know all too much about Amanda Richards personally but I can tell that this is an album that stays very much true to who she is and I can sense that she's proud of this collection of songs...and she has every right to be.

This is a fantastic album and might just be a sneaky late addition to our top albums of the year list.

Tough Ones To Love is available now. 

For further information on Amanda Richards, visit amandarichards.net.

Folk-Americana Trio Underhill Rose Announce UK November Tour

Harmonies. Soul-touching lyrics. Underhill Rose has become synonymous with beautiful Americana music.

With Eleanor Underhill, playing her distinctive claw-hammer style on a Deering banjo along with harmonica, Molly Rose on guitar, and Salley Williamson plucking the upright bass, the trio has carved out a place in the Americana scene with songs that run the gamut from heart wrenching to sassy and playful to thought-provoking. Eleanor’s salty blues-inspired voice and Molly’s soaring range lead the group in tandem with Salley’s country twang to create three-part harmony music that is real and inspired, rooted in everything life has thrown at Asheville, North Carolina’s pre-eminent female trinity.

Molly Rose and Eleanor Underhill’s musical partnership is the result of a chance meeting at a makeshift performance of ‘Angel from Montgomery’ between classes at Warren Wilson College. Molly Rose’s beautiful voice resonated with Eleanor, and the two eventually started performing live together. Their affinity for the music they make has kept them together for more than 12 years. Underhill Rose formed in 2009, and the addition of Salley Williamson two years later created the foundation for an internationally-recognized female trio known for blending aspects of Americana, rhythm and blues, country and bluegrass into an authentic sound that is all their own – ‘Heartfelt Country Soul.’

2016 has already become a high-spirited year for the boot-wearing trio, with performances at Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour and Folk Alliance International, the band's first-ever international tour to the UK and Ireland, and sold-out shows at clubs and performance centres along the way. On the heels of outstanding UK reviews for their latest album The Great Tomorrow, released to coincide with their first visit earlier this year, Underhill Rose return for a second UK tour in November.

‘After our first trip to the UK, I couldn’t be more excited to return,’ says Eleanor. ‘We met the most incredible people, saw beautiful places, and played on stages we can’t wait to return to play.’

The trio will play the following dates:

Nov 10th: The Hut, Corby
Nov 11th: The Square Tower, Old Portsmouth
Nov 12th: Green Note, London
Nov 13th: Santini's, Kenley
Nov 14th: The Castle Hotel, Manchester
Nov 18th: Woodend Gallery, Scarborough
Nov 19th: The Studio in Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne

For more information on Underhill Rose, including ticket information for their tour dates, visit underhillrose.com.