Inside Music Row

Twenty years ago… James House had a top 10 hit with “This is Me Missin’ You”…  The 

song spoke to millions here in the states and resonated with his fans.  Fast forward to 

November of 2013 when that same song hit #1 on the UK Charts!  James found out 

about it an in a very unique way and it prompted him to get back in the studio to produce 

a new album.  Kelly Lynn has more. 

Jarrod Niemann now has two number one songs.  His first number one, “Lover, Lover” 

hit the top of the charts back in 2010.  His latest single to hit number one is a bit different.  

Drink to That All Night is much more of a rockin’ dance song.  So which does he prefer?  

Both!  Kelly Lynn recently caught up with Jarrod at his celebration for “Drink to That All 

Night”.

 Get ready for another episode of “Inside Music Row!”  This week we find out more 

about the writers behind the hot song “Chillin’ It”,  Jarrod Niemann celebrates another 

number one hit.. plus we find out how one Christian group is making a name for 

themselves in the country circles, and Miranda Lambert makes history…when we go 

“Inside Music Row”. 

The Broken Bow artist is set to release his sophomore album “Where It’s At” September 

9th.  He recently told Rolling Stone Country that this is a highly personal 

album…showcasing his life over the past two years.  Of course Dustin has had an 

incredible time opening for superstar Keith Urban on his “Light the Fuse” tour in 2013 

saying he learned a lot from watching Keith’s energy on stage.  Listen for the lead single 

“Where It’s At” currently out on radio. 

It is the end of an era.  The last edition of the Ladies Home Journal was published for 

July/August and guess who was on the cover?  Miranda Lambert!  She talks about how 

she lost weight and got fit, but also admits she is not a good role model.  She says she 

likes to drink and cuss and get tatoos.  But of course that is why so many fans love her 

and clearly Blake doesn’t mind either. 

Grand Junction, Colorado was the place to be for this year’s Country Jam!  Brantley 

Gilbert, Lady A, Eric Church and Jake Owen were a part of the festivities and it was just 

announced that Tim McGraw will be a headliner for Country Jam 2015.  

Speaking of Tim, he released his new single “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s”… a duet with 

his lovely bride Faith Hill.  The song is one that talks about his life on stage versus his 

life on his quiet farm in Franklin, TN.  Tim’s 13 studio album “Sundown Heaven Town” 

will be released September 16th.  He is currently out on the road promoting that upcoming 

album with Kip Moore and Cassadee Pope. 

The Oak Ridge Boys put on one heck of a live show, and it’s amazing that they just released their very first live album earlier this year.  We caught up with the “boys” to talk about their favorite memories on the road, and trust me… they’ve got some funny stories to share.

Rick Monroe has been tied in with Jagermeister for several years, performing on every single country tour the brand has staged.  Now Rick is out on the road with the Eli Young Band as the Jager tour has grown to become the “Ultimate Summer of Music Tour.”  Rick is also celebrating the release of new music, which is a cool blend of traditional country, pop country, and southern rock.  We caught up with Rick during a quick trip home to Nashville in the middle of the new Jager tour to talk about his recent experiences.

In 2008, Frankie Ballard won Kenny Chesney’s “Next Big Star” competition in the state of Michigan, then made the most of his opportunity to open up for Kenny at a few venues near his hometown.  Frankie’s self-titled debut album did pretty well with singles like “Tell Me You Get Lonely” and “A Buncha Girls.”  However…when he released his second project “Sunshine and Whiskey” last year, the lead single “Helluva Life” raced up to the top of the charts.  We caught up with Frankie and writers Rodney Clawson, Josh Kear, and Chris Tompkins at a party to celebrate that song’s success.

Hey there!  I'm Kelly Sutton.  We are so glad you’re here for another Inside Music Row!  We’ve got plenty of entertainment news for you this week, so let’s get started!  Even though Kenny Chesney is taking some time off, he’s still hard at work, now co-producing his 16th studio album.  He’s working hard collecting great songs and pushing the boundaries without betraying his true self.  You can see part of that in the new single “American Kids,” written by Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird, and Shane McAnally.  Kenny says the song ‘just grabs you and holds on, but even more importantly…it feels really good.”  Look for Kenny to hit the road again in 20-15 with tons of new material.

Randy Houser recently helped open a new Operation Homefront Village in Gaithersburg, Maryland.  He helped cut the ribbon for the facility, which helps wounded military service members and their families.  Randy also performed for the group and visited with them before a special cookout.

Thomas Rhett teamed up with his father Rhett Akins to support a charity in their hometown.  Their performance together raised over 40-thousand dollars for Great Strides Valdosta in honor of their cousin Sophie, who has been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. 

Sammy Kershaw is honoring his late friend and mentor George Jones with the release of a new album dedicated entirely to the “Possum.”  The project includes a total of fourteen tracks, including renditions of some of George’s biggest hits like “White Lightning” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”  Also included are two new tracks that were inspired by the legend, plus a special “Near You” duet with Georgette Jones.  Look for “Do You Know Me? – A Tribute to George Jones” to hit stores July 22nd. 

Now it's time to go “Inside The Song.”  John Oates met his songwriting match when he was teamed up with hit writer Craig Wiseman.  John recently shared a fun story about how they wrote “Lose It In Louisiana” together, which is on his latest “Good Road To Follow” project.

In the summer of 2009, Mickey Gilley was helping a friend move some furniture when he fell and crushed four vertebrae, paralyzing him from the neck down.  Fortunately, through intense therapy and a will to perform again, Mickey is now healthy enough to pursue his musical passions.  Kelly Lynn caught up with Mickey to hear about his accident and how the original ‘urban cowboy’ is taking the stage once again.

The storied history of Lonestar includes the incredible crossover hits “Amazed” and “Smile” from the late 19-90s and early 2000s.  Since lead singer Richie McDonald returned to the group in 20-11, they’ve certainly had a lot to smile about.  The foursome released “Life As We Know It” about a year ago, and they’ve just done a music video for the single “Just The Rain” off that album.  We were able to go behind-the-scenes with the group to check out the concept for this new release.

Randy Houser has come a long way since writing the hit “Honkeytonk Badonkadonk,” which was featured on Trace Adkins’ 2005 album “Songs About Me.”  Since moving over to Stoney Creek Records about two and a half years ago, Randy’s career has taken off.  He first hit number one with “How Country Feels” and then followed that up with “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” last year.  Now he’s celebrating again with “Goodnight Kiss,” a track he wrote with Jason Sellers and Rob Hatch.  We caught up with them at a party at Nashville’s label home of Broken Bow Records to celebrate.