Southern Halo to Release Debut Album on Vinyl During UK Tour

Mississippi sister trio Southern Halo have announced that their self-titled debut album will be released on vinyl LP, available first to their fans in the UK.

The country-pop band's UK tour begins this weekend in London, with an exclusive press event on Friday 17th in Soho to launch the tour, album release and premiere the video for their current single 'Living Like That'. The record was produced by Catt Gravitt (Jana Kramer, Kelly Clarkson) and Gerald O'Brien (Martina McBride, Trace Adkins), and featured co-writes with Kelsea Ballerini and Forest Glen Whitehead (Dylan Scott, Brantley Gilbert) among others.

As the popularity of vinyl and the fanbase for country music in the UK increase, the release could not come at a better time, and the trio were keen to make this special edition available for audiences on this tour, which stops in London, Nottingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Newcastle. Southern Halo will be available on vinyl and CD at all shows, and online via their website.

The trio will play the following dates:

18th March - LONDON, The Garage (support from Jeannine Barry)
19th March - NOTTINGHAM, Bodega (support from Journey Home)
20th March - MANCHESTER, Gullivers (support from Jade Helliwell)
21st March - GLASGOW, Hug & Pint (support from Gravel Tracks)
22nd March - NEWCASTLE, Jumpin’ Jacks (support from Outlander)

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For more information about the trio and their tour, visit southernhalo.net.

Marty Stuart Hosts UK Premiere of 'Born in Bristol' Documentary at C2C Festival

Celebrating the 90th anniversary of the birth of country music, Tennessee music superstar Marty Stuart yesterday hosted the UK premiere of the documentary, ‘Born in Bristol’, which tells the story of the of the 1927 recording sessions in Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia, an event Johnny Cash called, 'the single most important event in the history of country music'.

Stuart hosted a 30-minute question-and-answer session moderated by BBC Radio personality Baylen Leonard prior to the screening, which was held at the O2 Cineworld Cinemas as part of the C2C (Country to Country) Music Festival in London. Stuart, appearing at C2C in support of his new album, Way Out West, appears in the film, which tells the story of the July 1927 music recording sessions organized by Victor Recording executive Ralph S. Peer, where music legends including Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family were discovered.

Speaking about the evolution of country music from those humble record sessions in Bristol 90 years ago, Stuart said, 'I’ve always said that country music, to this very minute, is such as diverse place…it doesn’t matter where you get on. Whether it’s the Brothers Osborne or Eric Church or Florida Georgia Line or Taylor Swift, or the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers, or Merle Haggard or somewhere in the middle, just get on board and start listening. You will find something that applies to your life—something that speaks to you, I’m sure.'

Produced by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Virginia Tourism Corporation and directed by Sundance Award-winner Chusy, ‘Born in Bristol’, which received shortlist consideration at the 2016 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, was filmed on location in Bristol, which straddles the Tennessee-Virginia state line in the U.S., and Nashville.

‘Born in Bristol’ features re-creations of the 1927 recording sessions, as well as appearances by Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Ashley Monroe, Sheryl Crow, Ashley & Shannon Campbell and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, each of whom contributed music tracks to the 2015 release ‘Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited’, produced by multi-Grammy Award-winner Carl Jackson and featuring an historical narrative by Eddie Stubbs, the voice of the Grand Ole Opry. The release of ‘Orthophonic Joy’ coincided with the grand opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Tenn./Va.

'We like to say the soundtrack of America is made in Tennessee, because our state is the birthplace of no fewer than seven different forms of American music—country, bluegrass, gospel, the blues, rockabilly, soul and rock-and-roll,' said Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. 'We invite visitors from around the world to see and hear our music where it was born and is still going strong today.'

'Quality films have been produced on nearly every genre of music. But this documentary takes a deep dive in addressing the spark that lit the country music flame. What came from those two weeks in 1927 spawned an industry and launched careers of artists, songwriters and producers now enshrined in the Country Music and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame among others,' said Commissioner Kevin Triplett, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.  'Jimmie Rodgers’ first recordings were made during those sessions. George Harrison was inspired by Rodgers’ music before he even got his first guitar. There are hundreds of stories like that. This film celebrates those stories and the ingenuity of Ralph Peer and the mountain music traditions of Ernest Stoneman, the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.  In Bristol those stories are preserved and promoted every day at the Smithsonian-affiliated Birthplace of Country Music Museum.'

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The Q&A session with Marty Stuart and Baylen Leonard will be broadcast at a later date on Chris Country, the UK’s 24/7 country radio station and official media partner of the ‘Born in Bristol’ premiere

Michael Nau Announces New Album and UK Tour with First Single

Michael Nau returns with his new album, Some Twist, out 16th June on Full Time Hobby.

Some Twist is the follow up to 2016’s Mowing and its announcement comes amidst a flurry of recent activity. Two weeks ago, Nau debuted songs from Some Twist on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic and headlined two sold out shows on back-to-back nights in Los Angeles. He has received extensive BBC radio play and been selected as a '6 Music Recommends' pick. One-off single 'Love Survive' cracked the top 50 on Spotify's Global Viral Chart and Elton John has played Nau on his Beats1 show.

The first single from Some Twist, 'Good Thing', debuted via The Fader who described it as 'sweet, a little fuzzy, and good for the soul'. Bright piano and fingerpicked guitar weave together throughout the song with a chorus that swells with feedback fuzz and crashing percussion. Nau’s ever-present sense of humor, one of the hallmarks of his songwriting, gives the song a wry sense of purpose amidst its reflection.

Michael Nau has also confirmed he'll be heading out on a UK tour with Haley Bonar in March and April. He'll play the following dates:

Mon. March 27 – Brighton, UK @ Komedia
Tue. March 28 – Nottingham, UK @ Bodega
Wed. March 29 – Manchester, UK @ Night & Day
Sat. April 1 – Liverpool, UK @ Central Library
Mon. April 3 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
Tue. April 4 – Norwich, UK @ Norwich Arts Centre
Wed. April 5 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
Thu. April 6 – London, UK @ The Dome

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For more on Michael, his new album and his tour, visit his official Facebook page.

Sean Rowe Shares New Video + Announces London Show in May

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Sean Rowe, who releases his new album New Lore through Anti- on 7th April, has unveiled the video to new song ‘Newton’s Cradle’.

'When I was writing the lyrics of the song I kept thinking about the Newton's cradle... you know, that toy that you set off and it reacts back and forth.  And it reminded me of a relationship, of fighting, of that feeling when you just keep setting each other off, making each other crazy and all you want to do is walk away. When we shot the video I wanted to show that feeling you feel in an argument like the whole world is coming down around you and you feel like you're losing your mind a bit.  We had a lot of fun with the masks and props and the different settings. I wanted to do something different, and we nailed that.'

Watch the video below:

Sean has also announced a London show in May. He'll be playing St. Pancras Old Church in London on May 26th.

New Lore’s simple yet powerful sound focuses on Rowe’s renowned baritone and evocative songwriting, delivering a collection of affecting stories of desperation and resilience.  His voice is beautifully augmented throughout by tasteful arrangements including flourishes of piano and a string section. The album was recorded in the city of Memphis at the historic Sam Phillips Recording studio and produced by Matt Ross-Spang who began working at the legendary studio when he was 16 and recently won a Grammy for his work with Jason Isbell.

Rowe says of the album, 'This is a record about loneliness and a longing for connectedness. This yearning for a sense of home. Musically, I think this record is more focused than any before. I’ve become really aware about what it is that I do well, allowing my voice to come through and lyrically grabbing people with the stories.. Those are kind of my superpowers. The instruments on the record never intrude on my voice and words.'

It is a sound that echo’s Rowe’s recent crossover hit  'To Leave Something Behind' a song that resonated with a whole new wider audience after being featured in the recent  Ben Affleck film The Accountant.

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For more information on Sean, his new album and his London date, visit seanrowe.net.

Brent Cobb Announces UK Headline Tour

After the huge success of his debut dates in the UK in February, Brent Cobb will be returning for a full UK tour in May plus two festival appearances including The Great Escape.

On his earlier visit Brent sold-out headline shows in London and Manchester and stunned crowds in Glasgow at the Celtic Connections festival with his raconteur’s wit, tales of rural life in the Deep South and heart-rending performances of songs from his critically acclaimed debut album Shine On Rainy Day.

Brent will play the following dates:

Sat 20th – Brighton, The Great Escape
Sun 21st – Oxfordshire, Wood Festival
Tue 23rd – Manchester, Deaf Institute
Wed 24th – London, The Borderline
Thurs 25th – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
Sun 28th – Glasgow, King Tut’s Wah Wah

Brent has also released a new video of him performing the laid-back, melancholic album track ‘Black Crow’ from a session recorded at the Sam Philips Studio in Tennessee.

Released in the US last year to widespread praise, Shine On Rainy Day made number 11 in Rolling Stone Country’s Top 40 Albums of 2016. The album saw him enlist the help of his cousin and fellow Georgian, Dave Cobb, the Grammy Award-winning producer who has worked with Chris Stapleton, Jamey Johnson, Sturgill Simpson and album guest Jason Isbell.

2017 is a busy year for Brent with him heading out on the road across the US supporting the likes of Nikki Lane, The Cadillac Three, Little Big Town, Jamey Johnson and the aforementioned Chris Stapleton, as well as playing California’s Stagecoach Festival, before hitting the UK in May.

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For full information on Brent and his tour dates, visit brentcobbmusic.com.

Marty Stuart To Host UK Premiere of 'Born in Bristol' Documentary at C2C

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the birth of country music, Country to Country festival in London will present the UK premiere of the documentary Born in Bristol at The O2’s Cineworld Cinemas on Sunday, 12th March 2017 at 1:30pm, including a special question-and-answer session with Marty Stuart moderated by BBC Radio personality Baylen Leonard, himself a Bristol, TN native.

Stuart, who will perform on the C2C main stage later that evening in support of his new album, Way Out West, also appears in the film, which tells the story of the July 1927 music recording sessions organized by Victor Recording executive Ralph S. Peer, an event Johnny Cash called, “the single most important event in the history of country music.”

Produced by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Virginia Tourism Corporation and directed by Sundance Award-winner Chusy, Born in Bristol, which received shortlist consideration at the 2016 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, was filmed on location in Bristol, which straddles the Tennessee-Virginia state line in the U.S., and Nashville.

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C2C wristband and ticket-holders can attend the premiere by visiting the Tennessee Tourism booth at the Town Square and registering to win a trip to Tennessee, to receive a free ticket. There will also be a screening on Saturday 11th at 2:00pm, without Q&A.

Jade Jackson Announces Debut Album 'Gilded'

Set for release on May 19th via Anti-, Jade Jackson’s stunning debut album Gilded offers a powerful introduction to the young singer-songwriter’s preternatural writing and distinguishingly raw sound that is simultaneously new and old, merging a youthful spiritedness with a weary storyteller’s perspective.

The Bluegrass Situation called Jackson’s moody and romantic sound 'part Hank Williams, part the Smiths' and a 'unique combination of deadpan and delicate' while Rolling Stone featured Jackson in their '10 New Country Artists You Need to Know' list, describing her as 'a raspy-throated, confident-beyond-her-years songwriter channelling Hank Williams via a sombre goth-folk aesthetic.'

In anticipation, Jackson has just released a track entitled 'Finish Line'. Like so many truly affecting songs, it is a painful personal experience transformed into a musical work of affirmation and defiance.

Jackson explains, ''Finish Line' is incredibly personal to me and I'm excited to share it with you. Don't let other people tell you who you are because that's only ever up to you; when people put you down make art.'

Jade Jackson hails from the tiny town of Santa Margarita in central California where she began playing guitar and writing songs at 13. By the time she had entered high school she had attracted a growing fan base with local performances and estimates that she had written over 300 songs before graduating.

The notion that music could be more than merely a personal escape dates back to the night she went to a concert for the first time without her parents; and the headliner was Southern Californian legends Social Distortion.

'When I watched Mike Ness walk onstage and felt the energy from the crowd, it ignited something in me,' Jackson explains. 'I wanted to be on that stage too. I never knew I wanted to perform until that day. That shifted all the gears in my life.'

After that Jackson formed a tight knit band and together they have shared stages with such iconic artists as Merle Haggard, Rosie Flores and Dwight Yoakam. Along the way, Jade attracted the admiration of none other than Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness, whose wife was friends with Jackson’s mother. Upon hearing her perform, Ness offered to mentor Jackson and to produce her debut album.

The resulting album, Gilded, is unapologetically country rock, merging the heartbreak and resilience of Lucinda Williams with the melodic confidence of Emmylou Harris, yet containing the emotional presence of a young musician who cherished albums by The Gun Club and Smiths alongside the works of George Jones and Hank Williams.

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For more information on Jade and her album, visit JadeJackson.com.

EP Review: 'Signature Songwriter Series Volume 1' - Zack Dyer

Since launching last year, independent Nashville label Silverado Records have been putting together a very strong and exciting roster.

One such signing is Zack Dyer who kicks off the label's Signature Songwriter Series with his four track co-written EP.

Country is the broad bracket genre for this release but there's also elements of pop and blues, with Zack's incredibly soulful voice at the helm. As much as I try to resist comparing artists to each other, if you like guys like Jason Mraz, Chris Young or Jack Johnson, then you'll love this release. It's easy listening, well-written and welcoming music.

We open with the upbeat 'All American'. This track is about a girl who has caught Zack's eye and it's joyful and sweet. One criticism is that this song has been put out a little too early as this easily has potential to be a summer anthem...give this one a spin when you're driving, windows down, on a beautiful sunny day and you'll get what I mean.

'Heartland', a love letter to home, showcases Zack's smooth voice beautifully. It's bluesy and it paints a lovely picture of where he grew up and everything that's so great about it. A bass guitar gives it an infectious groove.

Then we have another ode...to a car. 'P.O.S' is a lovingly cheeky song to the first car you own. It's nothing special (as he calls it, it's a P.O.S) but it gets the job done and you'll always remember it for a number of reasons. It's a very fun and playful song.

'Wishful Drinking' ends the EP on a more sombre note, a sorrow filled song about a love that was not meant to be. It's the excellent choice to end on, showing that there's more to Zack than the chilled tracks that had proceeded it. Gut-wrenching punches are also part of his wheelhouse.

All in all, this EP is another sign of very promising things to come, both from Zack himself and Silverado. Well worth a purchase.

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Signature Songwriter Series Volume 1 is available to download now.

AMA UK Artist of the Year Yola Carter Announces European Festival Dates

Following a year that saw the release of her debut solo EP ‘Orphan Offering’; acclaimed live performances in London and Nashville and in between; and worldwide coverage in publications like The Guardian, NPR, The Times and No Depression, British country-soul singer and songwriter Yola Carter has announced a run of UK & European festival dates over the coming months.

You can catch her at the following festivals:

8th April 2017: Ramblin’ Roots Revue, High Wycombe UK
29th - 30th April 2017: Kilkenny Roots Festival, Ireland
14th May 2017: Dart Music Festival, Dartmouth UK
21st July 2017:  Underneath the Stars, Barnsley UK
24th - 27th August 2017: Tønder Festival, Denmark

Carter was named ‘UK Artist of the Year’ in the UK Americana Music Association (AMA UK) Awards in February, and was presented with her award by Al Booth, Editor of Specialist Music at BBC Radio 2. She also performed twice at the prestigious award ceremony in London, opening the night and later as part of a finale singing ‘Will The Circle Be Unbroken’ alongside all the evening’s performers and nominees. In her own words: "We did it! This might be a solo project but it has taken a team to get things done. I'll be heading back into the Studio to record from next week so keep an eye out new recordings and clips in the spring!

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For more information about Yola and her tour dates, visit yolacarter.com.