Rich with Talent

Thanks to the advance of technology and explosion of the different social media platforms, artists now have different ways at their disposal to get their music heard and to build their fan bases. 

These very circumstances were how I first heard the name Tyler Rich a little over three years ago. When the California native signed to Big Machine Music and The Valory Music Co. for both a publishing AND recording deals at the end of 2017, I’ll admit to being very excited for him. I’ve lost track of the amount of times I’ve listened to all his released music including his self-titled EP that came out in September 2018 and the success that the incredible love song "The Difference" found on country radio made my face hurt from smiling so much. When my go to country station, 98.5 KVOO, plays his current single "Leave Her Wild" I can’t resist the urge to turn it up and sing along. 

Tyler Rich and Ben Jindra

I am telling you all this in hopes to effectively illustrate exactly how excited I was when KVOO announced Tyler Rich as the next artist in their acoustic Ladies Lock In concert series. A concert series that I’ve told you about in prior pieces. A series that brings newer country artists to the 5 O’clock Somewhere Bar at the River Spirit casino for an acoustic set and meet and greet for the female listeners of the radio station. Something I hope they don’t stop doing any time soon.

Rich was originally scheduled to perform back in May; however, the show was put on hold due to the unprecedented flooding of the Arkansas river. I for one was holding my breath hoping for a reschedule. A reschedule that was able to take place this past Tuesday, Aug. 20^th. It was the first time Rich had ever played in Oklahoma and I already can’t wait for him to return.

Tyler Rich

Despite not having a friend to go with me, I ended up making two new ones who also came solo to the show. As we were getting to know each other before Rich took the stage, Amber, half of KVOO’s morning show came up to our table to see how we were and get to know us. I found this particularly noteworthy because she went up to EVERY table. She did not pick and chose which listeners to connect with, but went out of her way to connect with each one of them. It wasn’t necessarily something that is common practice. So, it definitely had this long-time listener smiling before Tyler Rich even took the stage with his bass player Ben Jindra. A smile that never faded the entire night.

Bassist Ben Jindra

When Rich took the stage, he admitted the set list for the night wasn’t planned out. So, we were treated to various songs that just felt right in the moment including such songs as “Turn It Up,” “Made for a Small Town,” and “Feels Like Home” as well as “Adrenaline,” “11:11,” “Billie Jean,” and “The Difference” from his self-titled EP. When Rich started singing his current radio single “Leave her Wild” several jumped up and started dancing along to every note. It was definitely a cool moment to be hold.

Rich’s seemingly natural ability to tell stories, impressive gift of improvising, and the camaraderie with his equally talented bass player elevated the entire night to one not soon forgotten. After just a glimpse of the skill and talent Rich (and his bassist) bring to a live show, I am already hoping a venue here in Tulsa steps up to book a show with the full band. As it is sure to be incredibly Rich with Talent.

Breaking the Mold

Sometimes change is not swift, but rather slow and steady. If you are a fan of country music you understand female voices can seem a little rare on the radio. There are talented female artists out there though and slowly they are making their way to the air waves. One such example, climbing the charts and digging their way into the hearts of millions is all female trio Runaway June. While you count the years it has been since an all female trio has been on the country music charts, let me tell you what one local country radio station did this last week.

Runaway June Album Cover

That station is 98.5 KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and they have an on-going concert series titled Ladies Lock-In. Now I have written a few pieces about prior shows and how they are acoustic sets just for their female listeners. The artists/bands for those prior shows have been incredible in their own ways. All bringing different things to the table and also all have been male. That is until the show on July 10th, 2019. On that date, KVOO dispensed with their normal Ladies Lock-In concert mold, just like country stations in general are doing slowly and they brought Naomi Cooke, Hannah Mulholland, and Jennifer Wayne, the trio Runaway June, to the 5 O’clock Somewhere Bar inside the freshly reopened, post-flood River Spirit Casino for one of the funnest, most relaxing, music centered, inspiring acoustic shows I have been to in a long time.

The crowd was not only treated to early singles such as "Lipstick" and "Wild West," a song the trio told the crowd would always hold a special place in their hearts, but also several songs from their recently released, incredible debut album Blue Roses like "Head Over Heels," "Fast As You," "I Am Too," "I know The Way," and their current chart climbing hit "Buy My Own Drink." 

Runaway June Performing

The fun did not stop with the crowd singing and literally dancing along to Runaway June's original songs though. The trio also treated everyone to several covers that included Sara Evans' "Suds in the Bucket," Keith Urban's "Someone Like You," and Dixie Chicks' "Let 'er Rip." 

At one point in the show, I had to slip away to grab a drink (due to a LOT of singing) and, I noticed people gathered outside the bar and one of them stopped me to ask, "Who are those ladies? Because they are fantasic." Smiling, I responded, "That's Runaway June and I couldn't agree more." I look forward to what lies ahead for these three. Because it is sure to be incredible and I can't wait to see where KVOO goes from here with this concert series. Since Runaway June so throughly broke the mold!

Runaway June Meet and Greet Photo

2017 Musical Recap

It was a bit hard for this music blogger to get to as many shows as she would have liked thanks to an unavoidable hip surgery, but it was still a great year music wise.

Concert Summary
January - Chris Young
February - Drew Baldridge, Dylan Scott, Jerrod Niemann
March - William Michael Morgan
May - Jesse Joice, Casey James. Cannan Smith
June - Jon Wolfe, Sunny Sweeny, Tyler Farr
July - Kane Brown
September - William Michael Morgan
October - LANco
November - Midland

Favorite Full Band Show
- William Michael Morgan at the OKC State Fair
Favorite Acoustic Show
- LANco
Best Community Give Back Show
- KVOO Can Jam

Best Musical Moment
- William Michael Morgan dedicating Vinyl, my favorite song of his, to me the night before my hip surgery and wishing me good luck.
Best Musical Souvenir 
- My KVOO t-shirt
Best Meet and Greet
- Catching up with Stephen Whitfield the guitarist from Cannan Smith's band at my sixth Cannan show

Most Anticipated Performance
- Hearing my first steel guitar live (William Michael Morgan's band)
Most Anticipated Concert
- William Michael Morgan (Full Band)
Most Noteworthy Concert Moment
- Kane Brown, all I can say is the explosion from YouTube viral videos to a record deal is total warranted
Most Anticipated Album of the Year
- 27861 by Parmalee

Social Media Discovery of the Year
- Carter Winter
Breakout Artist of the Year
- Brett Young

Noteworthy Song of the Year
- Road Less Traveled by Lauren Alaina
Noteworthy Album of the Year
- Brett Young's Debut Album
Noteworthy "Life Lesson" Song of the Year 
- Drunk Girl by Chris Jansen

KVOO's All Access: Story Tellers featuring LANco

Tulsa's country radio station has a long history of not just giving back to the community but their listeners as well. October brought the birth of the All Access: Story Tellers concert series and it kicked off at The 5 o'Clock Somewhere bar inside The Riverspirit Casino with up and coming hit sensation LANco. You may recognize them from their Top 10 Hit "Greatest Love Story." A song that also broke onto the Billboard Hot 100 list. The show was free to any listener who wanted to come. KVOO also ran contests on their social media pages prior to the event for a chance to meet the band as well. A contest this music lover was fortunate enough to win.

Going into the show, I was only familiar with their singles "Long Live Tonight" and "Greatest Love Story." It was also my first time seeing them live. Most wouldn't think that combination makes good ingredients for a very fun night, but it's honestly one of my favorite 'night of live music' recipes. LANco proved exactly why too! The five-man band consists of frontman Brandon Lancaster, guitarist Eric Steedly, bassist Chandler Baldwin, Utility Player Jared Hampton, and drummer Tripp Howell and they kicked off the show with perhaps my favorite song from their self-titled EP, called "Trouble Maker." Their hour-long set continued on with other songs from their EP like "We Do," their singles, and some new tracks from their pending album including "Win Her Over." This highly energetic band seemed to entrance the hypnotized crowd, even more, when they broke into classic covers like "Dixieland Delight" by Alabama and "Better Man" by Brooks & Dunn. They had the audience singing along to every word all night and the dance floor completely occupied the entire time too. 

It wasn't just the music that was memorable about KVOO's first All Access: Story Tellers concert though. It was the atmosphere that the band created. Frontman Brandon Lancaster was utterly charismatic and hilarious between songs. Never once standing still and at times even holding the mic stand out for the audience as he got swept up in the crowd singing back to him. His bandmates matched his energy level, talent, and excitement movement for movement. It will definitely go down as one the best all-around shows this music nerd and concert junkie has ever been too. I can't wait to hear more from this band. Because something tells me this is just a glimpse of what they are capable of.

I highly look forward to the next installment in the All Access: Story Tellers series from KVOO

Ladies Invade The River Spirit

Image From KVOO website

Tulsa country music station KVOO has been pulling in some stellar acts for their acoustic ladies only shows at the 5 O'clock Somewhere bar inside the River Spirit Casino and Resort. All of them have produced happy enthusiastic fans, but nothing like on July 12th when Kane Brown took that stage. The crowd even spilled out into the casino with ladies stopping by the half-wall around the bar to enjoy the music.

Kane Brown built his fan base in a true grass roots fashion by posting covers on YouTube and Facebook before RCA/Sony added him to their roster. I was intrigued for this Ladies Lock-In because I was curious about what caused the obvious shine of this artist's rising star.

Brown played an hour set full of original hits and covers. From his self-titled debut album the crowd got treated to "Pull It Off," "Better Place," "Rockstars," "the emotionally charged "Granddaddy's Chair"Thunder in the Rain," and his current hit single "What Ifs." From his EP Chapter One, we also got "Used to Love You Sober" and "Wide Open." While he impressed with all his original songs, he  also showed just why he caught everyone's attention when he seamlessly covered varying ends of the country genre singing songs like Sam Hunt's current summer hit "Body Like A Backroad" to Randy Travis' "Three Wooden Crosses." 

The verdict from this music blogger is Kane Brown is extremely deserving of all the hype. Never judge a book by its' cover because you could be missing out on something wonderful. This young man has a voice beautifully suited for country music and I'm excited to see how he develops and grows as an artist.

2017 Can Jam

The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma is the largest private hunger-relief organization in eastern Oklahoma who feeds the hungry of Eastern Oklahoma through a network of Partner Programs. They endeavor to provide food security, with dignity, for all eastern Oklahomans. On their website, this is what is listed under who we serve: 

With locations in Tulsa and McAlester, we provide food and other donated goods to 450 Partner Programs in 24 counties of eastern Oklahoma. These programs include emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and senior citizen centers. Together, we provide more than 339,000 meals each week to people struggling with hunger. During Fiscal Year 2016 we distributed more than 21.1 million pounds of food, 31 percent of which was fresh produce.

I am explaining all of this because I want you to grasp how important it is to give back to one's community and why what local Tulsa Country music station KVOO is doing is so impressive and basically pretty darn cool. They announced a concert called Can Jam 2017. 

The way it works is stated clearly on the station's website 

To get your tickets, stop by special KVOO van collection stops with a canned food donation to benefit the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Minimum 1 can per ticket and limit 1 pair of tickets per person per stop. This is a 21+ show.

So do you want to know who you get to see when you come out and support a cause that helps so many Oklahomans? There is not just one artist, but four! That is right you get to see Joe Nichols, Brett Young, Frankie Ballard, and Seth Ennis! The show is at Paradise Cove in River Spirit Casino Resort, but not until August 20th at 7 PM. The second ticket location is this Friday the 6/16 at The Tate Boys at 71st and 145th in Broken Arrow from 11-1 and the first 45 people get tickets! 

It is sure to be an incredible night so keep your radio stations on 98.5 KVOO and do not miss out on your tickets or helping out the incredible Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma!

KVOO Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Joe Nichols Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube

Brett Young Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube

    

Frankie Ballard Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube

Seth Ennis Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SnapChat | Spotify | YouTube

Acoustic Heaven

In my little corner of this vast universe, few do country right better than radio station KVOO. In addition to playing the music listeners actually, want to hear, they do countless wonderful things for their listeners including some pretty amazing acoustic shows. Tonight there was one such show at the 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar in Tulsa's River Spirit Casino Resort. It was another in their acoustic Ladies Lock-In concerts and the featured artist this time was Canaan Smith. I was intrigued to see if Smith would be playing any new music given the recent release of his new single "Like You That Way." 

It was an impressive set list full of new material like "Love & Learn" and "Chaos" as well as established hits like the number one song "Love You Like That" and my favorite "Mad Love." I have yet to walk away from a Canaan Smith show disappointed, and this performance was no exception. He engaged the crowd beautifully, never stopped smiling, and my head is still happily spinning from all the new songs. Having been to multiple shows, it was impressive to see how his sound has grown and evolved.

Photo Credit: Bridget Little

I'll just say one thing: Smith is still a fantastic songwriter, and whenever the date arrives I will happily be purchasing the follow-up to his terrific album Bronco. When the show was over Smith and even his guitarist Stephen Whitfield, took photos with every fan that asked. After tonight, I look forward to the next KVOO treat and when Canaan Smith returns to Tulsa.

MEET AND GREET

Canaan Smith 5/31/2017

Stephen Whitfield 5/31/2017

KVOO Valentine’s Hangover

The Tulsa radio station, 98.5 KVOO has been delivering a variety of country music for over 20+ years. In addition to talented radio personalities and phenomenal music, KVOO frequently runs contests to give back to their listeners and their Ladies Lock-In shows are one such event. It is a relatively new platform for this radio station and has already netted such acts as Parmalee, Granger Smith, and Chase Bryant. It’s a ladies only show with the single way in being to win your invites. The invite includes a +1 so you can bring a girlfriend AND the opportunity to meet the featured act. February being the month of love, KVOO put together an extra large Ladies Lock-In for the day after Valentine’s Day. This was the biggest Ladies Lock-In to date with an opening act named Brent Giddens as well as the featured artists Drew Baldridge, Dylan Scott, and Jerrod Niemann. 

If you asked the attending ladies whom they were there to see, the answers would have been widely varied. I had actually seen everyone live before. So I knew it would be a fun night. When the event opened at 7, every lady who wanted one was treated to a beautiful red rose. That we were later informed was not provided by the radio station KVOO, but rather Drew Baldridge himself. Local act Brent Giddens did a wonderful job warming up the crowd before Baldridge took the stage. I found out afterward that Giddens has an excellent EP out titled Tangled. Baldridge treated us to several songs from his debut album Dirt On Us including his current single “Rebound,” the adorable melody “Burnt Toast,” and up-tempo hit “Dance With Ya.” Drew Baldridge proved KVOO’s Valentine’s Hangover was not going to be just an “Everyday Night.” 

Dylan Scott was out next and he demonstrated one of my favorite parts of acoustic shows: the stories artists share before some of their songs. We learned two things that night. Scott’s songwriting inspiration is his wife and he loves her very much. He played us several songs from his self-titled album including newest single “My Girl,” “Ball Cap,” and “Crazy Over Me.” We also got to hear “Sleeping Beauty.” A song Scott just released an acoustic video for on Valentines Day. I think “Sleeping Beauty” left the biggest impression on me. Because the only other time I’ve heard the artist’s love for the person behind a song shine through so strongly was when I heard Chris Janson perform “Holdin’ Her” live.

Described by the amazing hosts of the evening as the best hugger in country music, the self-proclaimed half Okie, Jerrod Niemann was the final artist of the night. He opened with one of his songwriting credits that Blake Shelton cut called “You’ll Always Be Beautiful.”  Then he sang us several more songs including “Only God Could Love You More,” “Lover, Lover,” “God Made a Women,” and “Blue Bandana.” Not to mention his newest single, a duet with Lee Brice, titled "A Little More Love." The smooth, soulful style of Jerrod Niemann, the heartfelt ballads of Dylan Scott and the upbeat, movement inspiring style of Drew Baldridge blended perfectly for the perfect night of live music. All three gentlemen were extremely kind while taking pictures and signing autographs for everyone after the show.

With a pending hip surgery, this music lover doesn't think she could have asked for a better last concert before embarking on the pending road of rehabilitation. Check out all the links below to keep up with this amazing radio station and all the talented artists.

KVOO Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Brent Giddens Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify 

Drew Baldridge Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Snapchat: dbaldridge00  | Spotify | YouTube

Dylan Scott Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube

Jerrod Niemann Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube

Introducing Carter Winter

This journey began when I fell in love with live music. However, one of the increasingly popular ways to discover new artists and their music is social media. One of the first artists to catch my ear and inspire a late night jam session was Carter Winter. That is why the Ohio native with the stunning baritone vocals is my first Social Media Find to be showcased.

This up and coming artist has already shared a stage with stars such as Travis Tritt, Thomas Rhett, Chase Rice, and The Swon Brothers. In 2016 Winter’s released a solid album full of nine incredible songs titled The Whiskey In Me. A fantastic album that you can download from iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play. You can also stream Winter’s music on Spotify as well.

  

With such goals as making people dance and enjoy themselves as well as making a difference, It’s safe to say, Carter Winter is accomplishing just what he set out to.

For Carter Winter Updates

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube

What's to Come in 2017

Here on An Ear for Music you are used to getting concert reviews and artist 411 articles. First, don't expect that to change. Second,  I wanted everyone to know this year I'll be adding some new features and I am very excited about them! Read on for small descriptions of each and hopeful posting schedule. Don't want anyone to miss out!

Johnny and June Cash

I was inspired to start this first new feature by the newest Parmalee single "Roots." A fantastic song

that is acknowledging no matter where you end up, your roots are still a part of you. So twice a month I'll be sharing Iconic 411 articles in order to acknowledge the roots of country music. 

Carter Winter

The possibilities of this next feature have me very excited! Sharing my prior posts on social media has brought many other artists to my attention. So every week I will be sharing Social Finds were I'll be introducing everyone to a new artist\band I discovered via a social media platform. 

Lauren Alaina

I'll be continuing the artist 411 articles twice a month just like the new Iconic 411 articles. You will also be able to find the country airplay mediabase charts each week and a Spotify discovery piece featuring their New Boots playlist. At the end of each month there will be a poll to decide which artists featured via artist 411 articles or Social Finds articles will become a Permanent Rotation artist. Permanent Rotation means they'll have their own page here at An Ear for Music were you will be able to find all their links and music.

Next month is the holiday of love, so starting the first I look forward to showing some love to some well deserved artists and music! I'm very excited for 2017 and I truly hope you'll be along for the journey!

High Valley

Canadian sibling duo, Brad and Curtis Rempel, currently have a top 20 hit with their single "Make You Mine" and if you have ever listen to their music you know it is not going to be their only hit in the making. Twice now I have had the pleasure of seeing High Valley live and I walked away wanting more both times. Their music is like a serious breath of fresh air. Their sound is full of actual instruments and lyrics that are family friendly with meaning. I have yet to hear a song from them I did not enjoy. Don't just take my word for it though, listen to their new album Dear Life below via Spotify and tell me what you think!

                         

Get Dear Life
iTunes | Amazon | Google Play

Follow On
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Snapchat ID: highvalleysnap

Visit High Valley's website HERE to sign up for their newsletter, join their fan club, and even download their app.

Who is Seth Costner?

You may recognize Seth Costner as the talented keyboardist touring with The Swon Brothers. The one who gets to perform a song as a part of their show. However,  there's so much more to this artist. Seth Costner is a talented singer/songwriter who has an incredibly beautiful voice that just draws you in. In fact, Costner just released his second EP, The Easy Part. The five song EP is currently available on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play. The Easy Part not only showcases the smooth vocals of this up and comer, but his astounding writing skills as well. There's more, he also plays the keyboard, guitar, banjo, and harmonica.

Seth Costner playing keys

 Talent is not the only thing Seth Costner has going for him though. He is very down to earth and appreciative of his fans. He interacts with them after shows and on social media often. In fact, his fans are quite a buzz with the holiday spirit thanks to the recent release of  the holiday tune "Celebrate Me Home" on iTunes. My advice for the new year is to keep a watch out for Seth Costner. As 2016 is sure to hold amazing things for this gifted artist.

The Easy Part's Cover Art

For updates (and singing clips) follow Seth Costner on Twitter and Instagram with @sethcostner

Musician, Artist, and Music Discoveries of 2016

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. 

~ Top 5 Noteworthy Bands ~

1. Michael Ray's Band:  

• Lucas Chamberlain – Guitarist
• Jonathon Sepulveda – Bassist
• Kurt Ozan – Utility Player
• Andrew Beselica - Drummer 

2. Granger Smith's Band:

• Jonathon Wisinksi – Bassist
• Dusty Saxton – Drums
• Todd Howard – Electric Guitar & Banjo
• John Marlin - Electric Guitar

3. Brantley Gilbert's Band:

• BJ Golden – Utility Player
• Jess Franklin – Guitar & Keys
• Noah Henson – Guitar
• Stephen Lewis - Bassist & Bass Cello
• Ben Simms  - Drums

4. Canaan Smith's Band:

• Luke Berridge – Bass
• Tucker Wilson – Drums
• Kenny Fuller – Guitar
• Stephen Whitfield - Guitar

5. Eric Paslay's Band:

• Tyler Tomlinson – Guitar
• Chris Roach – Bass
• Marcus Hill – Drums
• Luke Moller - Utility Player

.~Top 5 Noteworthy Musicians ~

1. Blaze - Guitar
2. Clark James - Drums
3. Lindsay Ell - Guitar
4. Dave Gayland - Fiddle
5. Seth Costner - Keys\Banjo

Lindsay Ell

~ Top 10 Must Listen To Artists ~

1. Seth Costner
2. Cole Taylor
3. David Fanning
4. Ryan Kinder
5. Jesse Joice
6. Tara Thompson
7. Runaway June
8. Travis Denning
9. Drake White
10. Timmy Brown

~ Top 10 Noteworthy Albums/Eps ~

1. Dear Life by High Valley
2. Remington by Granger Smith
3. Pawn Shop by Brothers Osbourne
4. You Should Be Here by Cole Swindell
5. Fired Up by Randy Houser
6. Timeless by The Swon Brothers
7. Spark by Drake White
8. Vinyl by William Michael Morgan
9. Southern Boy by Jordan Rager
10. Big Day in a Small Town by Brandy Clark

~ Top 10 Noteworthy Singles ~

1. "Humble and Kind" by Tim McGraw
2. "Alien" by Cassadee Pope
3. "You Should Be Here" by Cole Swindell
4. "Cold Beer "by Cole Taylor
5. "Road Less Traveled" by Lauren Aliana
6. "Hometown Girl" by Josh Turner
7. "My Church" by Maren Morris
8. "Lil Bit" by Timmy Brown
9. "Different for Girls" by Dierks Bentley
10. "Angels in this Town" by Eric Paslay

Highlights of 2016's Concert Season

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
• October: Seth Ennis, Aaron Lewis, Eric Paslay, Lindsay Ell, Cole Swindell, Cole Taylor, Travis Denning
• November: Collin Raye, John Michael Montgomery
• 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

Country Kindness with Justin Adams and Friends

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: 

TOY DROPOFF HOURS:

12/5 - 12/9 (Monday to Friday) 9 am - 6 pm

12/10 (Saturday) 9 am - 4 pm

12/11 (Sunday) 1 pm - 6 pm

12/12 to 12/17 7:30 am - 6 pm

12/18-19 1 pm – 5 pm

Justin Adams at The Vanguard

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.

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Jesse Joice

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Justin Adams

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