Inside Music Row

Hey there!  I'm Kelly Sutton… we are so glad you’re here for another Inside Music Row.  We've got lots in store for you today, so let’s get started with some entertainment headlines.  As country music’s biggest entertainers come together this weekend for the ACM Awards, they will also pay tribute to our nation’s armed forces.  “An All-Star Salute To The Troops” will be filmed Monday Night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and will air May 20th on CBS.  Look for George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, The Band Perry, and many more to perform in the two-hour special.

Martina McBride will release her new album “Everlasting” next week, which is a collection of primarily soul covers.  Hits included on the new disc are “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” “Bring It On Home to Me,’ and “Little Bit of Rain.”  “Little Bit of Rain” includes a guitar solo from Reggie Young, a session musician who played with Elvis Presley, among others.  Look for “Everlasting” to be released Tuesday on Martina’s own Vinyl Recordings.

After plenty of success with the music thing…Josh Turner is set to release his first book.  Josh wants his fans to learn a little more about his Christian faith, as well as his relationships with his wife and his boys.  “Man Stuff: Thoughts on Faith, Family and Fatherhood” hits stores April 29th, and includes a forward written by Jase Robertson of A and E’s “Duck Dynasty.”  Jase is returning the favor after Josh sang “Why I Love Christmas” with him and his wife Missy on last year’s “Duck The Halls” Christmas album.

Miranda Lambert had such a successful 20-13, a new exhibit is being created for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  “Miranda Lambert: Backstage Access” features gowns, costumes, and awards from the last year.  The exhibit opens May 16th and runs through November.

Zac Brown Band will join the lineup for the 33rd annual “Sturgis Buffalo Chip Motorcycle and Music Festival.”  They’ll play August fourth after the “Legends Ride” charity event.  Florida Georgia Line are also scheduled to perform during the nine day festival, along with Lynryd Skynyrd, Motley Crue, and Alice Cooper.

Now it's time to go Inside The Song.  Gordon Mote is an incredibly talented musician and songwriter, and is very well known in contemporary Christian music circles.  His latest album includes a track called “Faith Like That,” and we had a chance to hear what that means to him.

“Bring Up The Sun” is the latest project from hot new duo Sundy Best.  Originally from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, these good friends formed a musical partnership that has taken them from playing a local club in Lexington to a national tour in the last year.  They even made their Grand Ole Opry debut last November.  Kris and Nick have written every song on the new album, which was released earlier this month.  Kelly Lynn had an opportunity to catch up with the guys to hear all about that new music.

Tin Pan South is in full swing this week right here in Nashville.  Presented by Regions Bank, this five-day music festival takes over ten different venues with hundreds of incredible songwriters sharing their stories about their favorite hits.  We had a chance to hear what Tin Pan South is all about from those that know it best.

Eric Paslay is no stranger to number one hits.  He’s already earned number ones with hits like “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” and “Angel Eyes” as a songwriter, but he recently hit the top spot on the charts for the first time as an artist with “Friday Night.”  Co-written with Rose Falcon and Rob Crosby, “Friday Night” is Eric’s third single released as an artist since signing with EMI in 2011.  Kelly Lynn caught up with the honorees at a party at the Country Music Association to celebrate that song’s success.

Hey everybody!  I'm Kelly Sutton… so glad you’ve joined us for another Inside Music Row.  Today is a very special day, as this is our 350th episode of Inside Music Row.  We started in 2007 bringing you a fresh show every single week, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, and hope you have, too.  We've got another great show for you today, so let’s get started!  Blake Shelton is more than just a co-host to the Academy of Country Music.  As Blake announced new dates at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, L-A’s Hollywood Bowl, and Madison Square Garden to his “Ten Times Crazier Tour,” he also committed one dollar from every fan club presale ticket to the Lifting Lives Foundation…the charitable arm of the A-C-M.  The tour kicks off June 21st in Dallas.

Four-time Grammy winning band The Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald are teaming up with some of country music’s biggest stars for an album of all-new recordings of the Doobie Brothers’ biggest hits.  The Doobies are one of music’s most enduring groups, selling more than 30 million albums in the last forty years.  Look for Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, and many more to join in on this Sony project to be released later this year. 

Country music Hall of Famers Reba McEntire, Bobby Bare and Loretta Lynn are all set to perform at this year’s Johnny Cash Music Festival.  The show is set for August 15th in Jonesboro, Arkansas, with proceeds supporting the restoration of Johnny’s boyhood home, as well as a scholarship fund established in his name.  Check out Johnny Cash Music Fest dot com for ticket info, as this will be one incredible show!

Those guys from A and E’s “Duck Dynasty” seem to be everywhere these days!  Now the Duck Commander is taking over as the new title sponsor of a bowl game.  The “Duck Commander Independence Bowl” will be played in Shreveport, Louisiana at the end of the 20-14 college football season.  This partnership will run through 20-19, keeping the bowl broadcast on E-S-P-N.

Country artist and actress Lucy Hale is seeing her dreams come true!  After being named one of 20-14’s “One To Watch” by several media outlets, she made her Grand Ole Opry debut last month.  Her first single “You Sound Good To Me” is doing well on the country charts, and now her new album “Road Between” is set to hit stores June third, just before CMA Music Fest. 

Now it's time to go “Inside The Song.”  Randy Houser hit number one with his single “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,” but that song almost had a different title.  We had a chance to catch up with Kelley Lovelace and his co-writers Ashley Gorley and Dallas Davidson to hear why that was changed.

When Paige Logan and Heather Looney say that life begins at North Forty…they really believe it.  They take the stage as the new high-energy duo North Forty, their music is a creation of their collective experiences, which is meant to inspire and empower others.  Their debut single “Hey Girl Hey” was released last summer, and their full-length album just hit stores.  We caught up with the duo at a special listening party to celebrate.

Country music artists typically have a very special relationship with their fans.  Now that Suzy Bogguss is touring again, she’s gotten plenty of feedback from her fans, and she’s taken it to heart.  While considering songs for her latest album, she kept coming back to a set that spoke to her, and they were all written by Merle Haggard.  This is not meant to be a tribute album, but more her interpretation of his songs.  Through a Kickstarter campaign, her fans stepped up to help, raising over 75-thousand dollars in less than thirty days!  Suzy released that finished project “Lucky” last month, and we headed out to her release party to celebrate.

Florida Georgia Line is quite possibly the hottest duo in country music today.  They’ve come a long way in the last year and a half since we caught up with them on a side stage at the Country Throwdown tour stop in Nashville.  They’ve recently celebrated several number one hits, including their most recent “Stay.”  Kelly Lynn caught up with them and the writers of that incredible song at a party at ASCAP.

Welcome to another “Inside Music Row!”  Today we’ll “Stay” and celebrate a number one hit for Florida Georgia Line.  We’ll also hit up a CD release party for Suzy Bogguss.  Finally…we’ll check out new music from hot new duo North Forty.  All this and more coming up Inside Music Row.

Hey there!  I'm Kelly Sutton… we are so glad you’re here for another Inside Music Row.  We've got lots in store for you today, so let’s get started with some entertainment headlines.  More festivals are being created around the world each year, bringing major artists to towns that might not normally get top talent.  The Inaugural Tree Town Music Festival is set for May 24th and 25th, just before Memorial Day.  This festival will bring Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, and many more to Forest City, Iowa.  For more information, check out Tree Town Festival dot com.

Branding is extremely critical when trying to build a product, or even music.  When the Marshall Tucker Band formed in 1971, they created a simple logo that has stood the test of time.  Now they have been recognized by Grammy Magazine as one of the ten distinctive artist brands that ‘need no introduction.’  The Marshall Tucker Band logo is featured along other original artwork from A-C/D-C, The Beatles, Kiss, and many more.

Josh Thompson is turning it up with the release of his sophomore album.  It’s called “Turn It Up,” the project hits stores April First.  This disc includes his current Top 30 single “Cold Beer With Your Name On It,” along with nine other tracks he co-wrote.   

The tenth annual “Stars For Second Harvest” benefit concert is set for June third at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.  Hit writer Craig Wiseman will host the show, with plenty of other artists and writers to be announced soon.  Last year’s concert and auction raised over 100-thousand dollars, but Craig’s goal for this special anniversary show is 250-thousand dollars for Nashville’s Second Harvest Food Bank.

Now it's time to go Inside The Song.  “Redneck Crazy” was a huge number one hit for Tyler Farr, but we wanted to see if this song was written about a real woman.  Co-writer Josh Kear tells us how he got the inspiration from a song already on the radio.

When an award-winning producer signs a new artist to his very own record label, you know he must see some potential there.  Byron Gallimore has produced countless hits for the likes of Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sugarland, and more, and he’s recently brought Austin Webb into the fold at his Nashville-based label Streamsound Records.  Austin’s first single “Slip On By” has already broken into the Top 40, and he’s been named ‘One To Watch’ by several media sources.  We sat down with Austin to hear all about his new music and what his Opry debut meant to him.