If I was asked what music from 2016 caught my attention the most, there would be but one answer - High Valley. The sibling duo is originally from Canada and they easily topped my most played playlist. Their songs have meaning and their sound is full of actual instruments. Their newly released album Dear Life sounds amazing and has the current chart climbing single "Make You Mine" on its' track list. They are not the only wonderful awesomeness to come out of 2016 though. Read on to hear about all the other wonderful musicians, artists, and music that caught my ear through out 2016 including the stunning collaboration Forever Country.
2016 was a year full of incredible artists, albums,
and fantastic live shows. I had the pleasure of meeting so many incredible artists and musicians this year by attending 27 shows with 45
different artists. Read on to hear about all
the highlights.
Shadowbox of Justin Adams' survivors
Concert
Recap
January:
Tara Thompson, Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots, Lindsay Ell, Lucie Silvas,
Old Dominion, BC & The Big Rig, Corey Kent White, The Round Up Boys, Alaska
& Madi
February:
Brantley Gilbert, Canaan Smith, Michael Ray
March:
Jon Pardi, Justin Adams (2)
April:
David Nail, William Michael Morgan, Clare Dunn, Jordan Rager, Drew Baldridge
May:
Granger Smith, Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark, Jordan Rager, Chris Janson, Jerrod Neimann,
Drew Baldridge, William Michael Morgan, High Valley, Lindsay Ell, Ryan Kinder,
Chris Lane.
June:
Chase Rice, Walker Hayes
July:
Justin Adams
August:
Josh Abott Band, Prophets & Outlaws
September:
Michael Ray, Justin Moore, Clare Dunn, Justin Adams
December:
Jesse Joice, Justin Adams, High Valley, Chris Lane, Josh Turner, The Band
Perry, Alaska & Madi, The Swon Brothers
KVOO 5-Man Jam
~
2016 Country Music Gives Back ~
Corey Kent White Folds of Honor Tour - To raise money for Folds of Honor
The Swon Brothers Salvation Army Benefit - To raise money for the Salvation Army
Justin Adams Ugly Sweater Benefit concert - To raise money for Last Minute Toy Store
The Swon Brothers after their stellar Salvation Army Benefit
~
2016 Live Music Highlights ~
Favorite Opening Line-up: Canaan Smith and Michael Ray
on The Blackout Tour
Best Musical Moment: Justin Adams singing me Happy Birthday from the stage.
Favorite Multi-Artist Show: Jake FM New Face Showcase:
William Michael Morgan, High Valley, Ryan Kinder, Lindsay Ell, Chris Lane
Jake FM New Face Showcase Artists (not Shown Lindsay Ell)
Coolest Concert Souvenir: Justin Adams Shadowbox
Favorite Meet and Greet Tradition: Ellfie w/ Lindsay Ell
Most Memorable Meet and Greet: Granger Smith
Still Can’t Believe I Met: Cole Swindell
Meet & Greets with Cole Swindell, Granger Smith, and Cole Taylor
Most Anticipated Performance: Cole Taylor
Most Anticipated Concert: Downhome Tour
Most Anticipated Musical Release:First by David Fanning
My birthday celebration with Justin Adams and his band
Most Seen Artist: Justin Adams - 5 shows
Most Seen Opening Act: Lindsay Ell - 4 shows
An Ellfie with the very talented Lindsay Ell
Most Energetic/Passionate Performance: Granger Smith. He loves this country, what he does, and his fans and it translates on stage beautifully.
Most Appreciative Performer: Cole Swindell on his Down Home tour. He not only continuously thanked his fan, but the love he showed opening acts Cole Taylor and Travis Denning was amazing.
Most Noteworthy Concert Moment: 5-Man Jam with Jordan
Rager, Brady Clark, Chris Janson, Drake White, and Drew Baldridge when every artist randomly decided to stay and meet all their fans after perhaps the funnest multi-artist show ever.
Click Here to continue on to Musicians, Artists, and Musical Discoveries of 2016
What do you get when you combine Christmas with country music?
Christmas is the spirit of giving without any thought to getting and the country music industry is filled with some of the biggest hearts there is. It's definitely the time of year when the random acts of kindness are plentiful. For example, The Last Minute Toy Store in Nashville, TN has been working hard since 1993 to provide a little Christmas cheer.
The Last Minute Toy Store, a ministry of Sixty-First Avenue United Methodist Church of Nashville, Tennessee has distributed free toys and other gifts to thousands of low-income children and youth who live in Davidson County. Working in cooperation with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s “Toys for Tots” program and other local toy providers, the “Last Minute” Toy Store is for low-income families who did not pre-register with those other providers earlier in the fall.
For the last five years country singer Justin Adams has been volunteering every Christmas to help out The Last Minute Toy Store. The past two years Justin Adams' Ugly Sweater Christmas Concert has been Adams' way of raising money for this good cause. This years Ugly Sweater Christmas Concert is on December 7th and takes place at 3rd and Lindsley. Nada from The Bobby Bones show will be hosting the evenings events again. This years fantastic line up includes Ryan Hurd, Drew Baldridge, Maggie Rose, Kelleigh Bannen, Carly Pearce, The Railers, Mitchell Tenpenny, Courtney Cole, Erik Dylan and a special songwriters round with Casey Beathard, Lee Thomas Miller and Wynn Varble. The last Minute Toy Store is such a great cause and Justin Adams' Ugly Sweater Christmas Concert is a fantastic way to help support it. The cover charge is just $10 and an unwrapped toy is encouraged.
If you can't make the concert, but still want to help I found a couple of options on The Last Minute Toy Store website to help you. If you don't live near Nashville or just wish to donate online visit their website here. Have toys you want to drop off? Take them to 61st Avenue UMC 6018 New York Avenue in Nashville during these listed times:
Nothing
makes a weekend more enjoyable like a night of amazing live music and Saturday night was definitely one for the books. The Vanguard in Tulsa, OK played host to a
couple of extremely talented artists December 3rd. Both Justin Adams and
opener Jesse Joice have played at The Vanguard before and both performed as if
they were seasoned pros singing to a sold out arena.
This was the first time I heard Jesse
Joice perform live and the strength of his voice was just as beautiful as the
tone. His band, which consisted of Daniel (keys), Matt (electric guitar), Sean
(Bass), and Jarrod (drummer), was nothing to shake a stick at either. Leading up to the show I had actually been listening to Joice's music a
lot. Going in I was really hoping to hear "Like I Ain't From Around
Here," "On The Edge," and "Oklahoma Weather." Because
they were just a few of the songs I had been playing on repeat. Let's just say,
disappointed I was not. In addition to those songs, the set list included "Small Talk," "Enough To Fall In Love," "Work Hard,
Play Hard," "The South Don't Make You Southern," "Little White Lie," and several others. One of the things at a concert that always catches my attention is whether or not the artist acknowledges their band mates. That simple show of respect says so much about an artist and it
was something both Jesse Joice and Justin Adams took the time to do during their sets.
The crowd
was plenty warmed up and very excited when Justin Adams hit the stage. If you
have read much from this blog you may realize this was not my first show by
Adams. I will admit when I didn't recognize the guitarist or bassist I was a
little nervous. However, looking back I realize there was no reason to be. As
always, Adams was on top of his game and Clark James (drummer), Mark Dejaynes
(bass), and Joe Giaimo (guitar) sounded terrific. The set list included recent
additions like "I keep It Country," "Feels Wrong," and
"Lips On Mine," as well as, older hits like "Miss Me
Whiskey" and "My My My." Believe it or not it just got better
from there. Because Adams also played a reputable treasure trove of new material that included
"Passing Through," "Get Gone," "Me And You,"
"Don't Hold It Against Me," "Last Thing I Do," and a few
others. It was definitely a true treat for both new and established fans alike. After the show both Jesse
Joice and Justin Adams spent a decent amount of time talking with every single
fan that wanted to meet them. Something I am sure they will not forget any
time soon. All in all, it was a great night with fantastic music from some
pretty talented artists.
Sometimes events combine to give a fan one of the best nights ever and Cole Swindell's Down Home Tour was just that special. The opening acts for this years tourare Cole Taylor and Travis Dennning. Both are relatively new artists with some pretty stellar songwriting credits to their names.
This makes the third year for this tour and each year Swindell releases a Down Home Sessions EP to serve as a sort of soundtrack. When the tour was announced, I discovered not only was it coming to Oklahoma, but the opening stop was here in Tulsa on October 26th at my favorite concert venue, Cain's Ballroom. Swindell was one of the three remaining artists on my 'See Before I Can't See' list and finally getting to see Cole Taylor live was an amazing bonus. You can read his Artist 411 article here. Needless to say things were aligning to be a great concert and I had yet to hear Travis Denning's music before.
Cole Taylor - Cain's Ballroom
Cole Taylor was the first artist to take the stage and I was not disappointed. Sometimes opening acts have not fully developed their craft for live shows, but that was not the case with Taylor. He played several songs from both his self titled EP and his Step 2 EP including "Drop Top" and "Part Of This Town." He also played his newest single "Cold Beer." A wonderfully written, opposites attract song that I highly recommend. After a small intermission, Travis Denning took the stage and he sounded incredible. We got to to hear several of his songs including "Here's To The Home Town" and "Southern Rock." Not to mention some of his awesome songwriting credits like "Everybody We Know Does." The latest single by Chase Rice. On top of having incredible sets, both Cole Taylor and Travis Denning came out to the merch table to meet their fans. You can listen to Cole Taylor's music on Spotify and Travis Denning's on the Reverbnation Discover app.
Travis Denning - Cain's Ballroom
When Cole Swindell, the 2016 NSAI Songwriter of the Year, took the stage, the energy level was incredible. He has to be one of the most humble and sweet artists I have ever come across and had the pleasure of meeting. I swear his entire time on stage he never stopped smiling! Swindell told the crowd he loves the Down Home Tour. Because it is when he gets to reconnect and give back to the fans that helped him get to where he is today. Swindell's set list was absolutely AMAZING. The songs ranged from the one that started it all, "Chillin It," to the heartwarming tribute pinned about his father, number one hit, "You Should Be Here" to Down Home Sessions 3 songs "You've Got My Number" and "Chevrolet DJ." In fact, we were treated to all Swindell's singles including a favorite of mine "Let me See Ya Girl" and his newest one "Middle Of A Memory." After the Down Home Tour raps up Cole Swindell will be hitting the road with none other than Dierks Bentley. He told us about the pending tour before he sang "Flatliner." A song he sang with Bentley on his You Should Be Here album.
Cole Swindell - Cain's Ballroom
The amount of love and respect Swindell showed his opening acts was like nothing I have ever seen before. He told the crowd to remember their names. Because they were going places in the music industry. At different times, Swindell brought both artists back on stage with him. Cole Taylor performed "Stay Down Town" with him. One of Taylor's songwriting credits from Swindell's album You Should Be Here. When Travis Denning came back out, Swindell let him perform one of his songwriting credits for the crowd. A song several people around me were pleasantly surprised to hear. I heard,"Wait, he wrote this?" several times as he started playing "All Outta Beer." A song recently cut by Jason Aldean. Every artist in the Down Home Tour lineup is proof keeping up with songwriters is definitely a great idea.
Sometimes a photo truly is worth a thousand words. This one in particular shows just how appreciative Cole Swindell is of his musical journey and the fans that got him there. A journey that he is now actively using to help newer artists. To me, Cole Swindell is one of those artists you can't help, but respect.The third anniversary of the Down Home Tour certainly started out with an incredible bang and is packed full of some extremely talented Georgia natives. I highly recommend picking up tickets if you get the chance.
Eric Paslay is in the midst of his Angels In This Town tour. The song of the same name tells a story of believing in angels. According to Paslay's website, each stop on the tour he will be conducting "Angel Visits." He'll visit local "angels" in their organizations, including hospitals, fire houses, police stations, Girls and Boys Clubs, Habitat for Humanity builds, and more. When an artist goes above and beyond, it deserves mentioning.
On October 19th, Paslay brought Angels In This Town to Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa Oklahoma. He had some rather amazing talent opening up for him too. The stunning Lindsay Ell is no stranger to the Cain's Ballroom stage and she just keeps getting better and better. Her set list included some of her regular hits like "By The Way" and "Criminal," as well as, her newest single "All Alright." A song that was immediately purchased after the show, I may add. Ell came out to the merch table after her set to meet and take an Ellfie, the Lindsay Ell version of a selfie, with any and all the fans that wanted to.
This was my first time seeing Eric Paslay live and he had no trouble carrying on and increasing the energy level the talented Ell created. Paslay owned that stage. I mean his ability to work the stage, interact with his band and the fans was amazing. His set list included a wonderful combination of his song writer credits like "Angel Eyes," "Even If It Breaks Your Heart," and "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" to songs released like "She Don't Love You," his up beat and fun to watch performed single "High Class," and tour name sake "Angels In This Town."
Sometimes there is a show were the singer is not only immensely impressive, but the band sharing the stage with them is as well. That definitely happens on the Angels In This Town tour with Tyler Tomlinson (guitar), Chris Roach (Bass), Marcus Hill (Drummer) and Luke Moller (utility). A super cool part was watching Lindsay Ell come back out and lend her exceptional guitar skills to this amazing band during a song from Paslay's set. My parting advice, don't pass up the Angels In This Town tour!
I've told you all about the talented David Fanning in a prior #Artist411 article, but let me recap just a little. Fanning is a talented triple threat poised to do amazing things in country music. He is one-fourth of the production team, New Voice Entertainment and a songwriter with some pretty amazing cuts under his belt including Parmalee's "Musta Had A Good Time" and Scotty McCreary's "I Don't Want To Be Your Friend." That is not all though, he is extremely vocally talented. His loyal Fanndom has been enjoying original hits via his original YouTube videos for some time now, but as of September 23rd they've had his debut EP First playing on repeat.
The EP begins with the title track "First" and immediately Fanning has you on an instant trip of future possibilities with such lyrics as "I wanna go where you’ve never gone, see what you’ve never seen. I wanna do what you’ve never done, baby just you and me." As you drift along to smooth vocals and fantastic instrumental ability you can't help, but be hooked. In track 2 "Break Us," the story continues with tales of how the couple has "that never tear apart, nothing can break us" love. In track 3 "Complicated," the lyrics tell a story of how sometimes too good to be true doesn't always apply. Because "It is what it is, you get what you give… it ain't complicated." A beautiful ballad to remind you not to overthink the good things. I believe everyone should pay close attention to the lyrics in track 4, "Breathtaker," especially females. Music that not only tells a story, but has the ability to inspire is beautiful and rare. "Breathtaker" is just that kind of song with lyrics like "Don't ever let nobody go and steal your star. You're that one and a million just the way you are." Track 5, "Where Are You Now," tells you about the flip side of falling in love. The lyrics take you down memory lane of the things that were promised in a relationship, but now "they're no where to be found."
This amazing EP is a five track sampling of just how talented Fanning is and the great things to come. In fact, Fanning contributed to the writing on all five tracks of his debut EP. Along with friends, Ben Stennis and Curt Gibbs, he also served as music producer as well. You can download First from iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon as well as stream it on Spotify.
Last Friday, the 16th of September, a few friends
and I met up in Oklahoma City to catch Michael Ray at the fair. The last time we saw Ray was his stop in Oklahoma City during Brantley Gilbert’s
blackout tour (Show Review and Band Review) and we were all excited to see what
he could do as the headlining act. It was like mother nature herself knew there
was great music coming. Because the rain we were expecting never showed. I had
the pleasure of getting to meet Ray before the show and he as usual was a total sweetheart.
He started out the show with his up tempo song "Another Girl" and I am pretty sure I did not sit back down til the show was over. We also got to hear the song he co-wrote for Big & Rich, "Runaway With You," as well as "Look Like This," and his newest single "Think a Lil Less." A truly fun part of the show was when the iPod Shuffle began. Ray and the band played a fun selection of songs from Toby Keith's "Should Have Been a Cowboy" to Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance." Though a special mention goes to his cover of Bruno Mars' "Just The Way You Are." Before Ray began singing, he addressed the females in the crowd saying they were beautiful just the way they were. That they should never change for anyone, but rather they are amazing just the way they are.
We also heard "Everything In Between," "Drivin' All Night," "This Love," "Real Men Love Jesus," and the number one hit "Kiss You In The Morning." Michael Ray is an amazing singer and has a very talented band backing him up. Kurt Ozan (utility player), Jonathan Sepulveda (bassist), and Lucas Chamberlain (guitarist) are just as amazing to listen to and watch perform as Michael Ray. Everyone always looks like they are having the time of their lives while performing. Their cover of "Dust On The Bottle" was perhaps one of the funnest covers I have seen. It was such a fun night and definitely not the last time I'll see Michael Ray.
You can see Michael Ray on his Think A Lil Less tour, which is his first as headliner, starting Oct. 14th in Phoenix, AZ. Tickets are on sale now.
If there's one station that knows how to put together a phenomenal group of talented artists for an acoustic show, it would be one of the oldest country stations in Tulsa OK, 98.5 KVOO. The station's annual 5 Man Jam took place on May 24th and it was packed full of some incredible talent. Chris Janson, Drake White, Brandy Clark, Jordan Rager, and Drew Baldridge were all on the stage together at the River Spirit Casino with Janson acting as the host for the evening. Something each artist on the stage had in common that night is they are not only incredibly talented artists, but songwriters as well. Though the artists played in a round robin fashion, it was the host Chris Janson who kicked things off.
Janson started out the night with "Truck Yeah" a song he helped pen that Tim McGraw released. When he told us about the story behind "Holdin' Her," his current single, and sang it for us, it was clear he absolutely adores his wife and family. If you think genuinely kindhearted people no longer exist, I suggest you meet Chris Janson to be pleasantly proven wrong. Janson sang a few versus of a couple of songs before his hit "Buy Me A Boat" including a bit of LoCash's song "I Love This Life." A song that Janson, himself, helped pen. A truly awesome part of the night came when he discovered two young boys in the audience had made signs for him. Janson invited the little boys on stage. It was easy to tell this family man knows how special little creations like those are.
The country Johnny Depp was up next. Those were Janson's words not mine for the very talented Drake White. Their back and forth banter through out the show never failed. The first song White sang was "It Feels Good," the title track from his EP released last year. His current single "Livin' The Dream" certainly got the entire crowd singing along. Because honestly we all need to remember the first step in loving our life is loving what we already have. The next time White took his turn on the mic he pointed to this little boy who was enjoying the concert from his dad's shoulders and told us it was times like that we need to remember, the simpler ones. He than sang us "Back To Free." Another great song that can be found on his It Feels Good EP.
Four time GRAMMY Award nominee and the only female performer, Brandy Clark, was up next. Like some of the others on the stage, Clark is relatively new to the artist side of country music, but she is a well established songwriter. Her first song of the night was her, tell it how it is, single, "Girl Next Door." The sassy lyrics continued when she sang us a song from her pending album Big Day in a Small Town (out 6/10) titled "Daughter." After playing two songs she helped write, Clark played a song that she says always inspires her by Buck Owen called "Together Again." Knowing that Clark contributed to the writing of every song on her upcoming album has me very excited to hear Big Day in a Small Town on June 10th. "Southern Boy" singer Jordan Rager took his turn on the mic next.
The homemade Jordan Rager t-shirt was the first clue he had a few fans in the crowd and the volume increase when he started singing was definitely the second. All things considered both were and are completely deserved. Because I don't think we've even scratched the surface of what this talented newcomer will bring to country music, both as a singer and as a songwriter. Something that was totally evident when he mixed his first song "Whatever" with a bit of Eminem's "Lose Yourself." His current single, "Southern Boy," a song he recorded with Jason Aldean, totally inspired an impressive sing-a-long with the crowd. Before he sang his final song "All Outta Beer," he told us it was his first official cut as a songwriter. Let me just say I'm intrigued to hear Jason Aldean's version of "All Outta Beer" and more from Rager the songwriter. Because I loved the song.
The ever energetic Illinois native Drew Baldridge played "Train" for his first song. I'll attach the just released official video below. I waited till Baldridge wasn't singing to take his photo. Because when he is performing he is up and always moving. To love what you do and always put a 100% forward is never a bad thing though. Blurry concert photos are a sure sign you had a great time. Everyone else was definitely up and dancing themselves when Baldridge played his first single "Dance With Ya." His final song was the title track of his debut album (out 6\10) "Dirt On Us." Given the caliber of the track, this is one album I am extremely excited for.
After singing Happy Birthday to one very happy 8 year old in the front row, Janson ended the evening in an impressive and out right hilarious ad-libbed montage of Oklahoma songs ranging from Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee" to Garth Brooks' "Friends In Low Places." I say ad-libbed because Janson had actually started making up his own lyrics for the songs. Everyone helped finish it out with Hank Williams, Jr.'s "Family Tradition." Then with an 'I'm going to sign autographs' declaration these stunningly talented artists shocked, surprised, and simply delighted the crowd when every one of them came to the floor to sign autographs and take photos with fans. I actually heard Jordan Rager say to the crowd "Please don't push, I'm staying right here til I get to meet every single one of you."
The KVOO crew was right when they said these were the best kinds of concerts because you get "up close and personal" with the artists. I walked away not only loving each of them artistically, but also feeling like I knew them. It will definitely be interesting to see if next years 5 Man Jam can touch the success of this years.
Some times you can't find the right words for a situation, but music can tell that story for you. The weekend is over and it's officially the last Monday in May. The one day of the year set aside to pay homage to and honor the fallen members of our armed forces. While I hope you enjoyed your weekends, the BBQs, and your families, take a moment to thank those who died to help make those things possible. Below is a list of songs that I encourage you to listen to as you reflect on the fact Freedom isn't Free and remember the ones who died to make it all possible.
James Otto "Soldiers and Jesus"
Trace Adkins "Arlington"
Big & Rich "8th of November"
Billy Ray Cyrus "Some Gave All"
Radney Foster "Angel Flight"
Tim Mcgraw "If You're Reading This"
George Jones "50,000 Names"
Lee Greenwood "God Bless the U.S.A."
Statler Brothers "More Than a Name on a Wall"
Interstate 10 "I'm Gonna Miss You"
Keith Urban "For You"
Johnny Cash "Ragged Old Flag"
Alan Jackson "Where Were You"
Wade Davis "Last Monday in May"
Toby Keith "American Soldier"
The above songs are a combination of old classics and new favorites. The theme remains the same though. There is an incredible group of men and women out there who have literally given it all for this great country, you, and me. Don't forget to honor them today, on their day, the last Monday in May, Memorial Day.
Because I know some people prefer Spotify to YouTube, I also created a Spotify playlist with the above songs. The only difference is on the Spotify list it is Joey & Rory singing "50,000 Names" instead of George Jones as his version is not available.
In 2015, Granger Smith broke onto the country radio scene with his number one hit song "Backroad Song" and the already huge YeeYee Nation exploded. May 14th, Smith came back to the Historic Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Ok and he had the talented Lindsay Ell opening the show for him.
Before the show, I had the pleasure of meeting Granger Smith. In a move I have never seen before, the meet and greet took place on Smith's tour bus. It eliminated the feel of an assembly line and set the tone for a more personal meet and greet. Talking with Smith, right away, I could tell he was genuinely a good person and not just because of his response to my unfortunate entrance. I’ll just say nothing loosens up a nervous fan quite like falling on their face. After the meet and greet, it was time to head back inside to hear Lindsay Ell.
Lindsay Ell - Cain's Ballroom
This was my third time seeing Ell perform and she never ceases to impress. She set the tone perfectly by opening with her single "By The Way." A fun, upbeat tune about being "good at getting over goodbye." She also played us a song she wrote for a friend called "Not Another Me," “Eyes Off You," "What Does You Good," and "Criminal." A great example of Ell's talent and skills is when she uses her loop machine before she starts “Criminal” to add a second guitar and some beat boxing to it. The song is also mixed with Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood," Ed Sheeran's "Think Out Loud," and John Mayer's "Say What You Need To Say." Among the notable covers Ell played was the classic Deana Carter hit "Strawberry Wine." She had the crowd pretty wound-up for Granger Smith.
Granger Smith - Photo Credit: S.Sanders
Granger Smith took the stage to a song from his new album Remington called "Tonight." A song all about making the most of an entire night. Some of the other songs from Smith's first major-label album that were performed was "Country Boy Love," "Echo," "Likin' Love Songs," "City Boy Stuck," "Blue Collar Dollars," "Tailgate Town," and of course the title track "Remington." A song that is about being as dependable as a Remington shotgun and one of my favorites. At one point in the show Smith slowed it down a bit. He spoke straight to our hearts with the powerful song he wrote about his grandpa titled "5 More Minutes" and the George Straight song "Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa.” The other covers we were treated to included George Strait's "Run" and Garth Brooks' "Ain't Goin’ Down." Of course the crowd sang along to every word of both hit songs.
Smith - Photo Credit: S.Sanders
That was not all though. We also got to hear some older songs, from his album Dirt Road Driveway, that included "Miles And Mud Tires," "If Money Didn't Matter," "Bury Me In Blue Jeans," "We Do It In A field," "Silverado Bench Seat," and "19 Forever." There were several amazing moments throughout the show, but there are two that definitely deserve mentioning. Before singing his newest single, "If The Boot Fits," Smith told the crowd if they were wearing boots to slip one of and hold it up in the air. It's hard to accurately describe the energy of the crowd during that song or the sheer amount of boots in the air. So check out the clip below that Smith posted the day after the concert.
Then, during a song, I noticed Smith discover something I had already seen. In front of me, by the side stage, was an adorable little boy, four or five years old, who was dressed just like Earl Dibbles, Jr. While singing Smith ventured over to grab a guitar pick, came back, and leaned out into the crowd to give it straight to the little boy. The last song before Earl Dibbles, Jr.'s performance was "Backroad Song" and the volume change in the already vocal crowd was staggering. While Granger Smith was back stage "becoming" Earl Dibbles, Jr., the band kept playing. I didn't mind watching this band shine earlier in the show during their mini jam session with the phenomenally skilled Lindsay Ell and I was not complaining this time either. Granger Smith is backed by a stunning band made up of Jonathon Wisinksi on bass, Dusty Saxton killing it on drums, the talented Todd Howard on electric guitar and banjo, and last but, not least the second electric guitarist John Marlin.
Earl Dibbles Jr. - Photo Credit: S.Sanders
I'll be honest. Because of how Smith's alter ego was initially explained to me, I was a bit worried about the Earl Dibbles, Jr. part of the show. However, he just reminded me of half the men I grew up around! "Country Boy Love" and "Merica" were the songs Earl Dibbles, Jr. performed to close out the show. Granger Smith and his alter ego both put on a one of a kind, highly energetic show, and it's one I'd see again. If you get the chance definitely check out Granger Smith and Lindsay Ell. You can catch up with both artists on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even Snapchat.
A few of the most exciting new faces in country music just got together for an amazing showcase in Norman, Oklahoma. It was all thanks to local country station Jake FM and their annual New Face Showcase. On May 12th, the Riverwind Casino played host to the free event. This year the spotlight was on Ryan Kinder, High Valley, Lindsay Ell, William Michael Morgan, and Chris Lane. The set up for this multi artist acoustic show was a bit different then most. Because the artists were not all on the stage at the same time. Ryan Kinder was the first out to perform.
Ryan Kinder, Photo Creedit @Little_Bridgie
Kinder had his bassist and cajon player with him and it was fun to watch them interacting with each other and the crowd. I hadn't seen Kinder perform in over a year. So it was a serious treat to discover we would be getting longer sets from each artists than expected. Kinder played us several songs which included a beautiful ballad titled "Still Believe In Crazy Love," a song about hoping for a second chance titled "Kiss Me When I'm Down," and his single "Tonight." Kinder has an album available on iTunes and Spotify called Deconstructed Studio Sessions. The only duo of the night, High Valley, took the stage next.
High Valley, Photo Credit @Little_Bridgie
High Valley was also accompanied by their bassist and cajon player, but they had a banjo\dobro player as well. Among the crowd pleasing songs the duo played was their single "Make You Mine," a sweet song called "She's With Me," and perhaps the most stunning cover of "I'll fly Away" I have ever heard. It was truly amazing to hear the entire crowd singing along with them word for word. In most duos there is a predominate singer and the other provides back up vocals. That is not the case with this Canadian duo and their vocals blended beautifully. You can download or stream the duo's music, including their newest single, on any music platform. The ever talented Lindsay Ell was out next.
Lindsay Ell
Ell was the first artist of the night to take the stage solo and she owned it. At times she would even record her own guitar playing and beat boxing to play along with her during a song. Ell started her set with her upbeat, catchy single "By The Way." She kept the great time going with more of her original songs including "Criminal" and "Eyes Off Of You," as well as a few covers. On top of fantastic vocals, Lindsay Ell is amazing on the guitar, both electric and acoustic. You can download or stream her single "BTW" on music platforms like iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. William Michael Morgan took the stage next.
William Michael Morgan
Like Lindsay Ell, Morgan was alone on the stage. However, it did not make a difference to the crowd. They absolutely loved his traditional sound. A sound that is currently earning him a lot of praise. He opened his set with a cover of one of my favorite Mark Chesnut songs, "It's A Little too Late." Morgan currently has an EP out right now and he played several songs from it including his current single "I Met A Girl," and a song about an old fashion kind of love called "Vinyl." You can download or stream Morgan's self-titled EP from all music platforms including iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. The last artist of the night to perform was Chris Lane.
Chris Lane
Lane was accompanied by two guitarist (one who played a cajon at the same time) and a banjo player when he took the stage. Lane played several songs from his EP Fix including the title track, "Her Own Kind Of Beautiful," and "Saturday Night." The covers Lane performed were a balanced combination of classic country hits and some crowd moving boy band hits. Lane was all over the stage performing and interacting with the crowd. Fix is available to stream or download from all music platforms including iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.
While each of these artists may be "new faces," they definitely have what it takes to be around for a long time. William Michael Morgan didn't even let breaking a guitar string mid song slow him down! It was clear looking around the venue that night, there is definitely a growing fan base for each of these up and comers.
