Category: press releases

For Immediate Release
September 16, 2019

 

Lucy Isabel to play 31 shows in October

Equal parts folk, Americana, rock, and roots, Isabel charms listeners with her wanderlust on Rambling Stranger

New Jersey-born and Nashville-based singer-songwriter Lucy Isabel is hitting the road in October on tour for a full month of shows, and her travels will see her visiting the Southeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, as she brings the songs from her most recent album, Rambling Stranger, to life on concert stages.  For three of the shows, Isabel will be livestreaming online from surprise locations along the way. (See full tour schedule below.)

“Over the last few years of touring, I’ve often been struck by how different one show can be from the next,” says Isabel.  “Sometimes it can be draining, but it always keeps me on my toes. When I decided to plan this tour, the idea was to experience a ton of different types of shows, while also sharing Rambling Stranger with as many people as possible.”

Isabel is touring in support of Rambling Stranger (which came out June 14, 2019).  Produced by Jared Anderson and recorded in a series of live, inspired takes, Rambling Stranger shows the full scope of Isabel’s songwriting. These 10 songs are filled with images from an adulthood lived on the run: a shuttered army fort along the Jersey Shore; a mountain range outside of Seattle; a road leading to an unknown destination, promising nothing but the unexpected for anyone willing to take it. And Isabel, of course, can’t resist taking those paths.

On 2019’s Rambling Stranger, Isabel’s classic-sounding folk croon – that evokes everyone from Brandi Carlile to Judy Collins – shares the spotlight with accordion, keyboards, and numerous stringed instruments throughout.  “I was always looking for somewhere else to be,” says Isabel about the album title. “A rambling stranger is who I am to this day, even though I’ve now found a home for myself. My bed is in Nashville. My husband is there. But there’s always a part of me that’s looking to chase down something new, and it keeps me moving.”

Equally inspired by the Americana community of her Nashville home and the boardwalk culture of her native New Jersey, Isabel has been a traveling musician for years, ever since she shelved an acting career in New York City and moved to Tennessee. Living in Nashville motivated her, but it was the road – where she built her audience one show at a time – that sharpened her songwriting. She wrote folk songs, heartland roots-rockers, and acoustic ballads. She wrote about her husband; about the changing landscape of her hometown back east; about the wanderlust that kept her moving night after night, traveling from the listening rooms of America to the pubs of Australia and back again.

All the while, she also made time to visit the recording studio, releasing her first EP, 2016’s Along the Way, within two years of graduating from Yale with a degree in Theater Studies. Another EP,  KANE, followed in 2017, stocked with stories about her maternal grandmother’s family. It was during her senior year at Yale that her work with one of the university’s professional a cappella groups prompted her to shift her focus from acting to music.

Lucy Isabel Tour Schedule:

OCT 1 – The 5 Spot, Nashville, TN

OCT 2 – Odeon, Louisville, KY

OCT 3 – The Listing Loon, Cincinnati, OH

OCT 4 – WTSQ The Afternoon Show, Charleston, WV

OCT 4 – Bluegrass Kitchen, Charleston, WV

OCT 5 – The Purple Fiddle, Thomas, WV

OCT 6 – The Purple Fiddle, Thomas, WV

OCT 7 – Sofar DC, Washington, DC

OCT 8 – Hotel RL, Baltimore, MD

OCT 9 – Sofar DC, Washington, DC

OCT 10 – Three Sheets, New Haven, CT

OCT 11 – The Rendezvous, Turners Falls, MA

OCT 12 – Livestream, Rhode Island

OCT 13 – Lucky Dog Surf Co, Sea Bright, NJ

OCT 14 – House Concert, Brooklyn, NY

OCT 15 – Sarah Street Grill, Stroudsburg, PA

OCT 16 – Black Forge Coffee, Pittsburgh, PA

OCT 17 – House Concert, Kalamazoo, MI

OCT 18 – Uncommon Ground Lakeview, Chicago, IL

OCT 19 – Lincoln Wine Bar, Mt Vernon, IA

OCT 20 – Hotel RL, St Louis, MO

OCT 21 – House Concert, Louisville, KY

OCT 22 – WDVX Blue Plate Special, Knoxville, TN

OCT 23 – Livestream, Tennessee

OCT 24 – Thompson House, Indianapolis, IN

OCT 25 – Southside Beer Garden, Winston Salem, NC

OCT 26 – New Groove Artisan Brewery, Spartanburg, SC

OCT 27 – Livestream, South Carolina

OCT 28 – Puckett’s, Nashville, TN

OCT 29 – Blue Canoe, Tupelo, MS

OCT 30 – Kimbro’s, Franklin, TN

Press praise for Lucy Isabel’s Rambling Stranger:

Take Effect Reviews album review:  “Lucy Isabel knows her way around a tune where Americana, rock, roots and folk ideas are never in short supply, and her strong lyrical imagery helps shape this debut album into a display of stunning creativity. …Rambling Stranger is an intricate, soulful and adventurous outing, where each song is a journey of its own, and we should all be grateful we’re along for the lovely, heartfelt ride.”

Adobe & Teardrops album review:  “The first thing that jumped out at me about Lucy Isabel’s Rambling Stranger is its sense of adventure. Isabel truly embodies the full sense of Americana — no two songs here are exactly the same. Isabel glides between bar band rock, country, folk, LA-dappled psychedelia, and traditional ballads with grace.  …Isabel’s voice sits somewhere between Carole King and Courtney Marie Andrews in its delicacy and boldness. Her songwriting has the same directness and humor as Nashville contemporaries Erin Rae, Caroline Spence, and Becky Warren.”

Americana Highways album review:  “It’s not easy to pin Isabel to any particular style. There are elements of country… There are also elements of rock, including some sounds that bring The Band to mind. However, the one constant is the strength of the lyrics. …This album is a collection of 10 beautifully complex and wonderfully arranged songs that highlight the lyrics and vocal abilities of Isabel.”

PopMatters.com “How It Goes” video premiere:  “Providing ample room for her vocals to resonate, the singer-songwriter soars with a bluesy gravitas at the song’s crescendo, her band invoking gospel and country elements into the song as it rises. An empowering song that encourages listeners to keep their head held high amidst tough situations…”

Bsides & Badlands “Something New” video premiere:  “…folk singer-songwriter Lucy Isabel tunes her emotions into the transitory nature of existence. Her ‘Something New’ music video untangles feelings of uncertainty, weary angst for something more and pangs in her core of needing to recharge back home. Her tears plop upon fiddle and guitar in oceanic shapes, and without that vital realization, she, perhaps, could never have stumbled upon such gorgeous musical flight. …[her] voice is a splendid, sky-tearing routine that strikes at the heart of life and our own many travels.”

Glide Magazine “False Prophet” track premiere:  “With a mix of soul and folk, Isabel writes with a straightforward honesty and it’s hard not to think of fellow New Jersey truth-teller Bruce Springsteen. With subtle musical textures provided by the slide guitar, organ, and soft harmonies, it’s hard not to get swept up in the emotion of the song. Ultimately the song showcases the growth of an exciting songwriter.”

Independent Clauses “How It Goes” track premiere:  “This song is a long series of high moments, pregnant pauses, and exultant refrains, led by Isabel’s powerful voice and underscored by a blazing organ. It’s the sort of song where you hope the final chorus is just everybody going for it at once, and lo, so it is. …the song feel[s] like a warm, comfy shirt. …a big, powerful blast of folk-rock glee.”

The Deli Nashville show preview:  “The album has hints of Americana, blues rock, and soul, all molding together to form a powerful heartland sound that channels the feeling of endless exploration, both physical and spiritual.”

www.lucyisabelmusic.com

For Immediate Release
August 27, 2019

 

Americana singer-songwriter Amy McCarley to hit the road on tour in support of her new album, MECO

McCarley to share her experiences of leaving life as a NASA contractor to pursue a career in music

Huntsville, AL-based, Americana singer-songwriter Amy McCarley is set to hit the road beginning in September in support of her latest and third studio album, MECO, which was released in early 2019.  With shows planned in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast, and with more to be confirmed soon (see tour schedule below), McCarley will bring her stellar live performances to new audiences.  In the past, she has shared stages with Ronnie Milsap, John Hiatt, Doyle Bramhall II, Marty Stuart, Lilly Hiatt, Delta Rae, and many others, and has graced festival stages such as Kerrville Folk Festival, 30A Songwriters Festival, EarleFest, and more.

“I am so proud of this album and I can’t hardly wait to get out to play these songs on tour,” says McCarley. “One of the best parts of the work I do is meeting friends along the way. Connecting with an audience who has shared similar experiences on planet earth is priceless. So I’m hoping to see some familiar faces in the places I’ve played before. But there are a lot of venues on this run I haven’t visited before, too, and I am eager to discover some new friends as well. It’s just a rewarding way to live life, ya know?”

An acronym borrowed from the Space Shuttle program that stands for “Main Engine Cut Off,” MECO occurred for the shuttle when onboard propulsion systems were disengaged at an altitude where velocity could be maintained by the power of an innate force at work in the universe with periodic adjustments from the vehicle. The album traces McCarley’s experience of what it’s been like leaving life as a NASA contractor to pursue a career in music.

The ten tracks of all original material feature McCarley’s yearning vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica. With poignant and thought-provoking lyrics, McCarley finds balance in a new perspective with MECO. After collaborating in writing new songs with Bluebird Café round-mate and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer, Pat Alger, McCarley returned to the studio with esteemed colleagues, co-producers Kenny Vaughan and George Bradfute, to work on MECO, her highly-anticipated follow up to 2014’s Jet Engines. MECO was recorded and mixed by Bradfute in his Tone Chaparral Studios in Madison, Tennessee and mastered by Jim DeMain at Yes Master Studios in Nashville.

Featuring two of Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives on the entire album – including Vaughan on guitar and multi-instrumentalist Chris Scruggs on drums, percussion, bass, and steel guitar – it is only fitting that Harry Stinson joins in on backing vocals on a track and Stuart himself plays mandolin on “Never Can Tell.” Kenny Lovelace (Jerry Lee Lewis) also joins in on fiddle for a tune.

Uniquely relatable, McCarley’s music is embraced by Americana fans across the country and abroad. Americana Music Show praised MECO, saying the album “demonstrates beyond doubt that Amy McCarley has established a clear flightpath in Americana music with her blend of country rock sung with a world weariness that immediately brings to mind Lucinda Williams… in MECO she has reached an elevation that deserves a wider acclaim to propel her musical voyage.”  Country Standard Time called it a “can’t miss effort,” while The Morton Report proclaimed that “the record should propel McCarley into the big time at least as quickly as a NASA rocket launches a capsule into space. It combines mainstream accessibility with the sort of authenticity and depth you’d associate with artists like Lucinda Williams.” Lonesome Highway praised the album, calling it “superb” and lauding McCarley for her “strong and expressive voice that can display presentiment and positivity equally.”  And Take Effect Reviews extolled the “reflective spirit and emotional honesty that’s very transparent… each song is carefully crafted and delivered with a pensive, gorgeous timelessness.”

Amy McCarley tour schedule:
9/14 – Nashville, TN / AmericanaFest Shubb Capo Artist Official Showcase
9/22 – Buffalo, NY / Sportsmen’s Tavern
9/26 – Rochester, NY / Abilene
9/28 – Boston, MA / Bebop Music House
10/3 – New York, NY / Rockwood Music Hall
10/5 – Washington, DC / Gypsy Sally’s
10/9 – Asheville, NC / Isis Music Hall
11/2 – St. Pete Beach, FL / Suncoast Songwriter Weekend @ the Don CeSar
12/12 – Decatur, AL / Princess Theatre Singer-Songwriter Series
…more dates to be announced soon!

www.amymccarley.com

For Immediate Release

August 26, 2019

 

Americana artist David Newbould to release new album, Sin & Redemption, on October 18th

New album is a powerful, 10-song testament from a veteran songwriter at the height of his storytelling prowess

Nashville-based Americana singer-songwriter David Newbould is set to release a new album, Sin & Redemption, on October 18, 2019 via Rock Ridge Music.  Co-produced by Chris Tench and Tres Sasser and recorded over the course of three weeks at Sound Shelter Studios in Franklin, TN, Sin & Redemption is a powerful, 10-song testament from a veteran songwriter at the height of his storytelling prowess, now eight albums deep into his upward-trending career.

Chronicling the seemingly endless cycles of daily peaks and valleys, Sin & Redemption travels a variety of sonic terrains. From the opening gambit singalong of “Sensitive Heart,” to the unrepentant resolve of “Smiling in the Rain” (which features longtime friend and former Georgia Satellites frontman Dan Baird on electric guitar), to the raucous, gospel-tinged and strings-drenched rollercoaster rodeo of “Diamonds in the Dark,” to the stripped-down intimacy of “Love You Too Much (Henry’s Song),” Sin & Redemption is full of inherently cinematic songwriting, which is fitting, considering how Newbould’s songs have appeared in a score of TV shows and movies over the years, including Criminal Minds, Dawson’s Creek, Joan of Arcadia, and Streets of Blood (to name but a few of the entries on his lengthy filmographic CV).

The aural palette of Sin & Redemption had to reflect Newbould’s long-term vision. “There was a point when we were mixing where I thought, ‘Are we really gonna get away with this?’” he says with a laugh. “It felt like such a big sprawl of material to tackle, but we were all pretty invested in it — and then it started coming together. After we listened to an almost-finished mix of the first song, ‘Sensitive Heart,’ we all went, ‘Holy cow, we’ve really got a record going here. This is starting to sound the way it sounds in our heads!’”

The Toronto-born vocalist/guitarist became a father four years ago, upping his songwriting game. “Something seemed to happen after we had our son,” he concedes. “I feel there’s a little more emotional grounding in my songwriting now. I used to write a lot about things that mattered before I really had the ultimate things that matter. Now that I have them, I’m able to flesh it all out better.” That being said, Newbould adds, with a chuckle, “My wife says I still write a lot of songs about guys who are on the verge of losing everything they have.”

After leaving Toronto, he moved to New York City where he first landed a spot as a guitar player for indie recording artists The Mercenaries, then eventually found his songwriting voice and performed his own material in clubs. He released two EPs (Lab Rat, David Newbould), and developed a loyal fan base through relentless live performing and word of mouth. He then relocated to Austin, TX, where he recorded his third EP (Everyone’s Got Their Own 10), his first full length CD (Big Red Sun), had videos in rotation on Austin Music Network/ME Television, and produced an ambitious live CD/DVD package (The Long Way Home: David Newbould & Friends – Live From Austin).  While there, Newbould carved out a niche as a melodic and heartfelt songwriter.

In the spring of 2009, Newbould relocated again, this time to his current home of Nashville, TN. Having spent several years touring, he had by this point demanded attention as a songwriter worthy of notice. The album, Tennessee, was released in April 2013 and reached #5 on the Euro Americana charts, as well as placing on the FAR (Freeform American Radio) and Roots 66 charts. Between 2013 and 2017, 14 songs he’d co-written with Dan Baird appeared on several Dan Baird & Homemade Sin releases during the four-year period. 2016 saw the release of two David Newbould EPs: The Devil Is His Name, and Live At The Building.

Performing Songwriter praised his “dusty radiance” and said that “Newbould blazes brightest when blurring alternate hues of exhaustion and exuberance.”  Austin Chronicle lauded his “confident facility with performance… [he] is fully in command,” while Americana UK cited his “splendid world-weariness” and “hypnotic nature and fabulous interplay.”  Maverick Magazine called him “a highly talented singer-songwriter… a pleasure to listen to.”

Ultimately, David Newbould looks to Sin & Redemption as being the gateway for him to bond with audiences old and new alike, as he takes choice selections from the album onto the live stage with his band to see just how they evolve night after night. “I think it’s going to be an introduction to a lot of people,” he admits. “I sing, I play guitar, and I write songs, and I want to introduce people to the sum of all that — and I want them to connect with it. Finding and building an audience really comes from doing the work and making those connections. What I’m aiming for with my music is that it connects — and then it doesn’t leave.”  Newbould plans some Nashville area dates around album release to celebrate the new record (see confirmed dates below), including three shows on album release day, October 18th.

David Newbould Tour Schedule:
8/26 – Nashville, TN / True Music Room @ Cambria Hotel (full band show, 9 p.m.)
9/7 – Franklin, TN / Mockingbird Theater (full band show, 7 p.m.)
9/13 – Nashville, TN / AmericanaFest AMA Tribute to 1969 @ Basement East (11 p.m.)
10/4 – Madison, TN / Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge (acoustic full band show, 6 p.m.)
10/11 – Nashville, TN / Bowery Vault (acoustic duo show, 6 p.m.)*
10/18 – Nashville, TN / WMOT Finally Friday (full band show, 12 p.m.)
10/18 – Nashville, TN / True Music Room @ Cambria Hotel (full band show, 6:30 p.m.)*
10/18 – Franklin, TN / Kimbro’s (full band show, 10 p.m.)*
10/24 – Nashville, TN / 5 Spot (full band show, 6 p.m.)
*denotes new album will be played in its entirety at these shows
…more shows to be announced soon!

https://davidnewbould.com/

For Immediate Release
August 5, 2019

 

Americana “rhythm & roots” artist Bradford Loomis to release new album in October

Where the Light Ends shares grief, longing, wistfulness, and regret, alongside enduring hope, humility, and love

Nashville-based Americana singer-songwriter Bradford Loomis is set to release a new album, Where the Light Ends, on October 11, 2019.  Recorded at Sound Forge Studios in Kenewick WA, and produced by Brandon Bee, Where the Light Ends speaks of the raw reality of the human condition with passion, sharing tales that are shaped by grief and longing and colored by wistfulness and regret, but that are lifted by enduring hope, humility, and love.  “In my travels, I’ve met a lot of people going through hard times,” Loomis says. “I want them to know they’re not alone. We’re in this thing together.”

Drawing from the storytelling of Bruce Springsteen, Iron and Wine, and Jason Isbell, and pairing it with the soulful delivery of Chris Stapleton, Marc Broussard, and Shawn James, Loomis has created a unique style he calls “Rhythm & Roots.” Grit and melody marry roots and soul.

It’s easy to see where that grit, and Loomis’ musical gumption, come from.  In late 2009, Loomis lost his job, a home, a community, and was supporting a sick spouse when jobs were scarce, yet this storm would not conquer Loomis. His strife was fodder for hard-won songs, and his fear was fuel to push him toward a full-time career in music.  “There is such a thing as good grief,” he muses. “I had walked away from music for 10 years when we started a family. The grief we felt, the desperation of those hard times… without them, I doubt that I would have come back to music in any meaningful way or that we would have ever taken the leap to going all-in with it.”

His family of five moved into a tiny mother-in-law apartment to save money, and his wife started working full-time again after a celiac disease diagnosis. He began touring, building a supportive community of fans and recording the songs that became buoys, leading to new destinations, new friends, and a sense of purpose that overshadows the pain it took to get through, let go, and sail on.

Loomis threw himself into writing and learning about the music business. Mentors appeared like angels, sharing their knowledge and experiences in the music industry. He released his first EP, Under the August Sky (2011), and a full-length album, Into the Great Unknown (2013), before teaming up with another singer/songwriter, Beth Whitney, to release a pair of award-winning records under the name The Banner Days (Banner Days [2014] and Hand Me a Hymnal [2015]). After his father’s diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s, Loomis found further fuel for the fire. With the tales of his family’s struggles burning fresh in his chest, he released his most vulnerable project, Bravery and the Bell, in 2017.

“I learned first-hand the power of telling your story,” Loomis says, “and it helped me process everything we were going through. We are uniquely wired for narrative. It’s how we pass on our history, impart our wisdom, and build connections with each other. We see ourselves in the stories of others. We can put ourselves in their shoes and have empathy.”

On past releases, American Standard Time praised Loomis’ “blessedly unvarnished, wild delivery,” while Vents Magazine lauded his music, saying it was “ripped from a very private place… giv[ing] flesh and blood life to some of Loomis’ innermost thoughts and shroud[ing] them in an approachable sound. …an impressive listen.”  Seattle Weekly championed his sound, suggesting it “blends fast, rustling drums with soothing harmony and folk flavor, but it’s a subtle angst that makes [it] scream replay value.”  Indie Music Review said he “stands out from the field in the Americana scene. There are usually a handful of talents coming along in each generation and style who are torchbearers and innovators for longstanding artistic forms. Loomis is a talent both uniquely of this time and all time.”

Playing 355 shows in two years, while also releasing a Christmas EP (Wintering Heart, [2017]) and a live album (Live at the Red Clay Foundry [2019]), has taken him far and wide in his travels and given him some insights. He plans to tour in support of Where the Light Ends (see confirmed dates below, more to be announced soon).

Bradford Loomis Tour Schedule:
August 10th – Jacksonville Beach, FL / Blue Jay Listening Room
August 14th – Nashville, TN / True Music Room
August 17th – Sparta, TN / Happy Trails Brewing
August 24th – Atlanta, GA / Cottage in the Back
September 6th – Tulsa, OK / The Colony
October 18th – Trempealeau, WI / Elmaro Vineyard
October 25th – Skowhegan, ME / Bigelow Brewing
November 3rd – Nashville, TN / Crying Wolf
November 10th – Panama City Beach, FL / Americana Café
… more dates to be announced soon!

www.BradfordLoomis.com

For Immediate Release

July 9, 2019

 

Hugh Masterson to release a single, “Trouble,” later in July in advance of new album

Tour dates planned in July with The Bottle Rockets and others

Nashville-based Americana singer-songwriter Hugh Masterson is set to share his latest single, “Trouble,” via all download and streaming outlets on July 19, 2019.  The single is the first from his forthcoming (as yet untitled) new album, which is set for release in late 2019 by Rock Ridge Music.  A dusty, yearning, dream-slide ode to life throwing things your way that you can’t control, “Trouble” (along with the rest of the album) was produced by Justin Glasco (formerly of The Lone Bellow).  The track will premiere on July 18, 2019 at The Bluegrass Situation.

“I lost my mom to dementia during the coldest part of the year in northern Wisconsin,” Masterson recalls of the inspiration behind “Trouble.”  “I ended up suffering from a depression I was having a hard time getting out of. I lost a job and a relationship, and I needed a change. I moved to Nashville, so I had to start over completely, and it wasn’t the easiest process for me, having left my band behind as well. In the end, if you keep working through and towards something, a lot comes out in the wash.  This song, and the album it comes from, are about trying to get by and to get through the challenges of life and love, and ultimately realizing much of what we try to control, we cannot.”

The new material came from a time when Masterson was grappling with the writing process – either not feeling creative or experiencing times where he was only writing sad songs.  Glasco encouraged him to work through it, and, as Masterson recalls, “I got back to a place where it felt good again.  Justin forced me into it, but I needed that.”  Before Glasco relocated to the West Coast, the two recorded seven of the 10 songs in his former Nashville studio. The remaining tracks were done at High Cotton Recording Studio just outside of Nashville when Glasco was back in Tennessee.  “Despite pushing me outside of my usual boundaries, I was really comfortable working with Justin,” Masterson says.

The forthcoming album is the follow-up to Masterson’s 2017 release, Lost + Found, which was his first solo effort and was produced after the move from Milwaukee (he was originally from the tiny town of Butternut, Wisconsin) to Nashville. A deeply personal record about surviving loss and life changes while gaining self-awareness through experience, Lost + Found was praised heavily by the press.  No Depression called it “a cohesive, self-reflective journey from one end of the spectrum to the other: loneliness and redemption, love and loss, the atrophy of staying put and the freedom of letting go. …one part Midwest Americana to two parts Lower Broadway honky tonk.” The Daily Country declared it “deeply personal …relatable, impactful, and undeniably enjoyable. …a sound that blends Americana and Southern Rock with jangle, grit, and heart.” Wide Open Country said his music was “rife with wordplay and old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll vibes.”

Masterson found a home in the Nashville music scene and has hit the road with artists such as The Lone Bellow, Margo Price, Nikki Lane, Anderson East, Lindi Ortega, and The Bottle Rockets.  Additionally, he’s drawn attention from the Americana Music Association, CMT, KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” Rolling Stone, World Café, and South by Southwest.

Masterson is on the road this summer – see tour schedule below.

Hugh Masterson Tour dates:
July 11th – Minneapolis, MN / First Avenue (w/The Rad Trads)
July 12th – Spooner, WI / Spooner Rodeo Block Party (w/Brandon Lay, Little Texas)
July 13th – Milwaukee, WI / Cactus Club
July 15th – Appleton, WI / Nice Time (full band show)
July 17th – Spring Green, WI / Shi-tty Barn (w/Liz Cooper & The Stampede)
July 24th – Nashville, TN / The Basement (w/The Bottle Rockets)
July 25th – Decatur, GA / Eddie’s Attic (w/The Bottle Rockets) (solo show)
July 31st – Nashville, TN / 3rd & Lindsley (w/ George Shingleton) (full band show)
August 1st – Appleton, WI / Mile of Music

www.hughmastersonmusic.com

For Immediate Release
July 8, 2019

 

Rootsy pop/Americana singer-songwriter Jordan Whitmore

set to release EP, Good Things, on September 6th

Texas-based singer-songwriter Jordan Whitmore is set to share her rootsy pop/Americana musical goodness with the world on September 6, 2019, with the release of her EP, Good Things. Mixing heartland rock & roll guitars with bright pop hooks a la Sheryl Crow, Whitmore showcases her cross-genre sound on the EP, which was produced by Brian Douglas Phillips (who produced her 2014 album, Other Side, as well as singles like “Here’s To You” and “I Promise”).  Atwood Magazine admired the first single, “Something Different” (released in May), for its “touch of heartland rock n roll mixed with pop catchiness, making it all in all feel-good and familiar.”

“I’m excited to finally share this project with the world,” says Whitmore. “After walking through a personally tough season these past few years, the creative process of writing and recording Good Things felt a bit like coming up for air. Thematically, these aren’t overtly shiny, happy songs, but there’s an underlying optimism and energy that feels really good to me, and I hope the listener feels that too.”

An eclectic EP featuring six songs that excel at turning heavy source material into something beautiful, Good Things casts its net wide, heralding the shifting seasons in Whitmore’s life with a bolder, broader sound, and it’s an EP about changes, challenges, time, and the love that makes it all worthwhile. It’s more guitar-driven than Other Side and more diverse than anything else in her catalog. Inspired by a difficult season of transition and waiting, Good Things ultimately looks ahead toward brighter horizons. While some of the themes may be weighty, the music itself is buoyantly arranged and brightly performed, with Whitmore remaining honest and hopeful as she approaches a new season.

Now five records into her career, and with influences as varied as Aimee Mann, Shawn Colvin, and Alabama Shakes, Whitmore has maintained her artistic independence while racking up a list of accolades. Her sharply-written songs have been finalists at the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and award-winners at the National Unplugged Songwriting Contest. They’ve told the story of her life, too, serving as the soundtrack for the heartaches, hard roads, and happy moments of an adulthood often spent onstage and in the writing room.

When she left Austin several years ago and moved to the small town of Granbury, TX, Whitmore wasn’t only leaving the place she’d called home throughout adulthood. She was leaving the city where she’d launched her career. For years, Austin had been her musical headquarters, inspiring the diverse songwriting that filled her records. Austin press praised her music, with the Chronicle writing, “She sounds thoroughly modern, which speaks well for Whitmore’s writing and alluring vocals.”  KUTX.org’s Austin Music Minute applauded her music and its themes, saying, “For all the times you’ve felt alone in this mess, Whitmore steps up to remind you these are universal challenges we all go through.”  And Ear to the Ground Music lauded her “great voice, nice sensitivities in writing, and an eye toward making the world a better place.”

Whitmore plans to tour in advance of and around the EP release date (see list of confirmed dates below; more dates will be announced soon).

Jordan Whitmore Tour Dates:
July 27: Fred’s Texas Café / Ft. Worth, TX
September 24: Geraldine’s / Austin, TX
September 28: Southern Star Brewing / Conroe, TX
October 24: 04 Center / Austin, TX (with Leigh Nash)

…more dates to be announced soon!

www.jordanwhitmore.com

For Immediate Release
July 1, 2019

 

COLORADO AMERICANA ARTIST LISA BELL TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM IN SEPTEMBER

 

Back Seat is a musically diverse Americana tapestry woven of roots, blues, jazz, and pop

 

Boulder, CO-based singer-songwriter Lisa Bell is set to release her fifth album, Back Seat, on September 6, 2019.  Already known as a musically diverse Americana artist with jazz influences, Lisa Bell shifts gears with the release, compiling a potent album that nods to the influences that have helped sharpen her sound — including laidback R&B, melodic soul, and American roots music — while also pushing into contemporary, Triple A-friendly territory. Gluing the mix together are Bell’s expressive voice and ever-evolving writing chops, which combine to tell the story of an empty nester who, having spent years raising her children, is ready to climb back into the driver’s seat and chase down new dreams. The album was produced by Evan Reeves.

“I am thrilled with this new album and feel it is the most genuine and expressive yet,” Bell says. “I took my time in writing and producing this body of work, to hone songs that really speak directly from my heart and tap into my full creative potential.”

Early press praise for the title track from Bsides & Badlands called her music a “magical haven,” and wrote, “she sweetly guides the golden instruments through a sojourn of hope and well-earned redemption. …while it’s been six years since her last full-length, her craft has only burned stronger and brighter and braver. …Bell peels back layers of her voice like an onion newly uncovered from the earth. She’s flavorful but unpolished enough to crack and let the character dazzle the edges.”

The album began in an off-the-grid cabin in the Colorado backwoods, where Bell wrote the bulk of Back Seat’s 12 songs.  Bell sings with a powerful, natural voice, sharing the spotlight with electric piano, organ, electric guitar, saxophone, and even ukulele. The title track, “Back Seat,” which doubles as the album’s only co-written tune (penned alongside fellow Coloradan Andy Ard), kicks things off with sultry vocals and the story of a career in motion, while “The Road is Always Longer” mixes blasts of brass with a subtle salute to blues-rock icons like Bonnie Raitt. Elsewhere, Bell gets atmospheric with the lushly layered “India,” gives herself a pep talk during “Get in the Flow,” and rides a punchy, keyboard-heavy groove with “What Went Wrong,” all before bringing Back Seat to a soothing stop with the chill, mid-tempo “Meet Me in the Space Between.”

Perhaps most importantly, Back Seat tells a story that reaches beyond Bell’s own experience. There are deep, mature love songs here — songs that examine human relationships not from the perspective of starry-eyed newlyweds, but of lovers who’ve ridden the rollercoaster of a long, emotional partnership together. There are worldly songs, too, with “India” — recorded in part at Colorado’s eclectic The TANK Center for Sonic Arts — recounting Bell’s eye-opening and transformational journey to the magical country. A nature theme runs throughout the album, as well, thanks not only to the remote cabin in which Bell wrote the songs, but also to the ambient sounds of Colorado’s wilderness — including rain, rivers, bird calls, and more — that she recorded with help from her son, Brendan Bell. A rising star in the world of “chill” EDM, Brendan (AKA DJ Covex) also appears on “I Can’t Stand the Rain” and “India,” adding ambience and atmospheric sounds to the tracks.

A graduate of the University of Missouri’s Conservatory of Music, Bell launched her professional solo music career nearly 20 years ago, steadily transforming herself from a jazz standards singer into an eclectic, seasoned musician who co-writes her own songs and shared shows with headliners like Stanley Jordan, Christopher Cross, and Oleta Adams. Back Seat finds her writing without collaborators for the first time. Bell wasn’t just chasing the muse this time; she was proving to the world — and, perhaps, to herself, as well — that she wasn’t finished with her musical journey. After four albums and countless performances, she still had something compelling to say.

“When you reach middle age and it’s ‘empty nester’ time, you have an opportunity to recapture whatever dreams you might’ve left behind,” Bell explains. “That’s the focus of Back Seat. My son is just beginning with his music career, but I’m not close to being done with mine. I’m finding my own voice and my own style of writing, rather than being heavily influenced by others. And I’m happy to be behind the wheel again.”

Bell is planning an album release show to celebrate Back Seat and will be performing on September 5, 2019 at the Nomad Playhouse in Boulder, Colorado.  Tickets are $12-15 and are already available here.  Bell is planning additional shows in support of Back Seat, which will be announced soon.

http://lisabellmusic.com/

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2019

 

FORT WORTH ARTIST JACK BARKSDALE RELEASES LIVE ALBUM RECORDED AT NILES CITY SOUND

Forth Worth, TX-based Americana and blues music artist Jack Barksdale has announced the upcoming release of his first album, Jack Barksdale: Live From Niles City. The 11-year-old singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist plans to release the LP on June 28, 2019.

The upcoming album features an intimate, live set recorded with more than fifty fans in attendance at the iconic Niles City Sound in Fort Worth. It consists of seven original songs penned by Jack, and two covers – a slide guitar version of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and a harmonica-fueled “White Freight Liner Blues” by Townes Van Zandt.

“I’ve always enjoyed live albums for the stories the artists tell, the sounds of the audience and the atmosphere,” says Jack. “They really make you feel like you are there. I love the fact that live albums aren’t perfect and that every note you play counts. It’s real. It’s a throwback in a digital age.”

It wasn’t lost on Jack that he was able to record the live album in a studio with so much importance to the Fort Worth music scene. Leon Bridges, Robert Ellis, and the Quaker City Nighthawks, to name just a few, have all recorded there.

“Niles City Sound is such an important part of the Fort Worth music scene,” he explains. “So much great music has been made in that studio and bringing in a live audience only added to the magic of the night. I’m grateful to Niles City Sound for letting me be a part of their story.”

The first single from the new album, an original song called “Never to Love Me,” can be heard here: https://bit.ly/318QYWi.

Jack Barksdale: Live From Niles City will be distributed by Smith Music and will be available for streaming on all major platforms. Physical CDs will be sold at Barksdale’s live shows and on his official website.

The release of this album follows Barksdale’s debut EP, Revival, which dropped in September of 2018. 2019 is set to be a big year for Barksdale. In addition to being named the Artist of the Month by Hear Fort Worth and the release of the new album, Barksdale has already played SXSW, played the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, and is set to play the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival in September. The three-day festival will feature some of Americana’s most popular artists, including Patty Griffin, Marty Stuart, and Jim Lauderdale.

ABOUT JACK BARKSDALE:

Jack Barksdale is an 11-year-old singer/songwriter from Texas. He’s been called an “old soul” (Fort Worth Weekly), a “Texas force” (Paper City Magazine), a “musical phenomenon” (Buddy Magazine), “amazing to watch” (DFW.com), and “a singer-songwriter well beyond his years” (Baton Rouge Advocate). Texas Homegrown Radio said, “He might just be Townes Van Zandt reincarnated.” Inspired by folk, rock, and blues legends, Jack started performing original music at the age of nine and has already shared the stage with Ray Wylie Hubbard, Max Gomez, Will Kimbrough, and Hayes Carll.

On June 28, 2019, Jack will be releasing a live album recorded at famed Niles City Sound in Fort Worth, TX. Last September, Jack released his debut EP, Revival.

Jack tours nationally and wows audiences with lyrics wise beyond his years. Jack plays guitar, slide guitar, harmonica, mandolin, piano, and ukulele, but identifies first and foremost as a songwriter. His musical influences include Lead Belly, Howlin’ Wolf, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Johnny Cash, The Carter Family, and Willie Nelson.

For more information on Barksdale’s music, visit his official website at JackBarksdale.com.

For Immediate Release
May 15, 2019

 

Award-winning Americana artist Karen Jonas to release new album in July

Wide Open Country premieres first single, “Ophelia,” and exclusively announces new album

Lucky, Revisited features stripped-down, acoustic, re-imagined versions of songs from previous albums

Fredericksburg, VA-based award-winning Americana artist Karen Jonas is set to release a new album, Lucky, Revisited, on July 19, 2019.  Wide Open Country has partnered with Jonas to premiere the first single, “Ophelia” (which is scheduled for release on June 14, 2019, in advance of the album), and to announce the new album (https://www.wideopencountry.com/karen-jonas-ophelia-song-premiere/).  Lucky, Revisited is Jonas’s fourth studio album and features new, stripped-down, acoustic recordings of nine songs released on her first three albums, as well as two stellar covers.  Focus tracks include the first single, “Ophelia,” as well as “Country Songs,” and “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.”

After more than five years of nonstop touring for Jonas and her music partner, guitarist Tim Bray, the songs have taken on a life of their own, and the pair wanted to tip their hats to what the tunes have become in a live setting.  “The songs grow, morphing by millimeters at each of hundreds of shows, so they always feel new,” Jonas says. “We decided to make these new recordings of songs you’ve heard on our previous records, as they are today, after so much growing.”

Lucky, Revisited examines Jonas’s finest songwriting in the sonic format that fans have heard live on tour, highlighting an easy but road-hardened chemistry, laser-sharp dynamics, and intricate arrangements. Bray’s dazzling contributions shine like never before, showcased prominently in every song. Engineer/bassist E.P Jackson stood back, capturing and supporting the unfettered performances of Jonas and Bray without interfering.

Jonas was a featured showcasing artist at SXSW in 2019 and was named “Best Americana/Country Artist” by the Washington Area Music Awards. Each of her three previous albums have garnered international acclaim and charted on both the US and UK Americana charts. She has shared stages with Dale Watson, Alabama, Joe Ely, Bob Schneider, The Lone Bellow, Brandy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, Josh Morningstar, and Amanda Shires—lighting up venues around the country from intimate house concerts and listening rooms to rowdy honky-tonks and outdoor festivals.

Jonas and Bray plan to tour in advance of and in support of Lucky, Revisited.  Confirmed tour dates are listed below, and more will be announced soon.

Karen Jonas Tour Schedule:
May 16th – Fredericksburg, VA / Kenmore Inn
May 18th – Fredericksburg, VA / 6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Company
May 24th – Culpeper, VA / Old House Vineyards
May 25th – Purcellville, VA / Harpers Ferry Brewing
May 26th – Midlothian, VA / Steam Bell Beer Works
May 30th – Washington, DC / Union Stage
July 19th – Fredericksburg, VA / Kenmore Inn (album release show)
July 26th – Washington, DC / Pearl Street Warehouse (album release show)
Sept. 12th – Knoxville, TN / Blue Plate Special

http://www.karenjonasmusic.com/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2019

Opelika Songwriters Festival adds Shawn Mullins as headliner for the event

Festival to be co-produced by The Sound Wall and Russell Carter Artist Management
 
Over 40 singer-songwriters to entertain music fans over Memorial Day Weekend
The Opelika Songwriters Festival, a new annual event based in Opelika, Alabama, has added Shawn Mullins as the headliner for the festival, which will entertain music fans at its inaugural celebration over Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-26, 2019) at multiple venues in the town’s historic downtown. Opelika recording studio/event center The Sound Wall and Russell Carter Artist Management out of Atlanta (producer of the 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida) are co-producing the event in conjunction with The Arts Association of East Alabama. Confirmed sponsors include the City of Opelika, Auburn Opelika Tourism, Opelika Observer, W. James Samford Jr Foundation, United Johnson Brothers of Alabama, Wings 94.3FM, ESPN 106.7FM, WANI 98.7FM, WLEE 96.3FM, Autosport Bodyworks, Auburn Bank, and Sundilla Concert Series. A portion of the net proceeds from the festival go to benefit The Arts Association of East Alabama. Attendees from across the Southeast and further afield are expected to gather for this very special event.

More than 40 singer-songwriters will make up the roster of performers, from local acts to internationally touring artists, including headliner Shawn Mullins, Grammy Award-winner Dan Navarro, Kim Richey, Harpeth Rising, Martha’s Trouble, Tony Lucca, Grayson Capps, Kate Campbell, Korby Lenker, Adam Hood, Pat Wictor, David Jacobs-Strain and Bob Beach, Jack Barksdale, Ryanhood, Kipyn Martin, Noah Zacharin, Chris Rosser, Louise Mosrie, Wyatt Edmondson, Jordana Greenberg, Rock Killough, Tony Brook, Wilder Adkins, Jacob Blount, B.B. Palmer, Chuck McDowell, Jenna McClelland, Daniel Lee Webster, Katie Martin, Dave Potts, Ted McVay, Scott Singer, Sam Pointer, Mitch Emmons, Mutt Cooper, Pam Bedwell, Rick Edwards, and more. The festival will take place in Downtown Opelika at more than seven venues, including John Emerald Distillery, Sneak & Dawdle, Irish Bred Pub, Resting Pulse Brewery, Ma Fia’s Outdoor Patio, Chirpwood Gallery, and Studio 319 – Festival Merch Hub.

“We expect the Opelika Songwriters Festival to be a destination event for fans of singer-songwriters,” says co-founder Rob Slocumb of The Sound Wall. “We can’t wait to showcase this amazing array of talent and to shine a light on our wonderful hometown of Opelika,” says co-founder Jen Slocumb.  Even the town’s mayor, Gary Fuller, is excited about music gathering, saying, “It sounds like another big event for Historic Downtown Opelika!”

Tickets are available now:  https://www.freshtix.com/events/opelika-songwriters-festival.

www.opelikasongwritersfestival.com