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Eli Young Band Announces ‘Strange Hours’ Album and Tour

Eric Alper
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Eli Young Band Announces ‘Strange Hours’ Album and Tour

After dropping the slinky new single “Strange Hours,” 18x RIAA Gold and Platinum-certified country hitmakers Eli Young Band are back for more, launching a new era with the announce of their Strange Hours album and headline tour.

Set for release August 1, Strange Hours finds the trailblazing group returning to the bold creative defiance of their independent roots – and to Panhandle House Studio in their hometown of Denton, Texas, where their debut album Level was born.

Reviving the raw, grassroots energy and emotional sting of their early work, a brand new batch of country-rock anthems feature Eli Young Band’s signature live-band philosophy, and their chart-topping sound. Along the way, frontman Mike Eli continues to wield one of the most distinctive voices in modern country, leading a band of brothers who write the majority of their fan-favorite tracks.

Featuring 13 songs – all co-written by Eli Young Band members and produced by Jimmy Robbins and Eric Arjes – Strange Hours includes title track with its grooving tribute to a black-magic romance, plus the songs off their Nothing On the Wild EP. A fearless batch of all new tunes join the previously released “Home In Hometown,” “What Do Lonely People Do,” “I’m Yours Amen” and “Nothing On the Wild.”

Looking back over the course of their 25-year career, the band members say they still feel the magnetic pull of sold-out country music crowds. And it still has them keeping Strange Hours.

“This is a full circle moment for us. Going back home to Denton, Texas to record the album that is our first independent release in years,” shares lead vocalist, Mike Eli. “It was just us in the studio with our producers and a couple of old friends making music that we love! These songs are special to us and this record is the start of a whole new chapter for EYB!”

Meanwhile, the ACM winning and GRAMMY nominated band will also return to the road for their headlining Strange Hours Tour. Kicking off June 7 in Cambridge, Idaho, the celebratory run will include 55 stops in cities from coast to coast, before wrapping in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Making six key stops in their home state of Texas, the thrilling foursome return to their element – packing a live-show setlist with No. 1 smashes like the 5x Platinum single “Crazy Girl,” 3x Platinum “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” 2x Platinum “Love Ain’t” and Platinum “Drunk Last Night.”

Tickets for the Strange Hours Tour will go on sale Friday, May 23 at 10 a.m. local time. Select dates offer pre-sale from May 21 at 10 a.m. local time to May 22 at 10 p.m. local time. The complete routing of Eli Young Band’s Strange Hours Tour can be found below.

Eli Young Band Tour Routing:
June 7 || Cambridge, ID || Hells Canyon Jam
June 13 || Milligan, NE || Centennial Garden
June 14 || Karlstad, MN || Kickin’ Up Kountry
June 20 || Chisholm, MN || Minnesota Discovery Center
June 21 || Chicago, IL || Meltin Margs
June 22 || Sauk Rapids, MN || Rollie’s Rednecks and Longnecks
June 26 || Sherman, TX || Hot Texas Summer Nights
June 27 || San Diego, CA || House of Blues
June 28 || Santa Rosa, CA || Country Summer Music Festival
July 3 || Simpsonville, SC || CCNB Amphitheater
July 5 || Waldorf, MD || Regency Furniture Stadium
July 17 || Ludington, MI || Stix
July 18 || Paw Paw, MI || Warner Vineyards
July 19 || Wyandotte, MI || District 142
July 23 || Sherman, NY || Pine Junction
July 24 || Washington D.C. || The Bullpen
July 25 || Newton, NJ || Newton Theatre
August 1 || Prairie du Chien, WI || Country Line Country Fest
August 5 || Mentor, OH || Mentor Amphitheater
August 7 || Hobart, IN || Art Theater
August 8 || Troy, OH || Miami County Fair
August 9 || Watertown, WI || Riverside Park
August 14 || Troy, NY || Joe Bruno Stadium*
August 15 || Dillon, CO || Lake Dillon Amphitheater^
August 16 || Colorado Springs, CO || Ford Amphitheater^
August 17 || Aspen, CO || Belly Up
August 22 || Wichita, KS || Equity Bank Park
August 23 || Fredericksburg, TX || Gillespie County Fair
August 30 || Bedford, TX || Bedford Beats & Eats
September 4 || Fort Smith, AR || TempleLive
September 5 || Hays, KS || Fox Theatre
September 6 || Lampe, MO || Black Oak Mountain #
September 11 || Foxborough, MA || Six String Grill & Stage
September 12 || Dewey Beach, DE || Bottle & Cork
September 13 || Amagansett, NY || Stephen Talkhouse
September 18 || Moorhead, MN || Bluestem Center +
September 19 || Riverside, IA || Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
September 20 || Van Buren, MO || Hellbenders On The Current
September 26 || Royse City, TX || Southern Junction
September 27 || Cedar Park, TX || The Haute Spot
October 4 || Monterrey, MX || Ahuestern Country Festival
October 10 || Union Hall, VA || Coves Amphitheater
October 11 || New Haven, KY || The AMP at Log Still
October 12 || Birmingham, AL || Iron Hills
October 16 || Norwalk, CT || District Music Hall
October 18 || Chesterfield, VA || Cattle Baron’s Ball
October 24 || Broken Bow, OK || Hochatown
November 1 || Christoval, TX || Cooper’s LIVE!
November 5 || Jacksonville, FL || Decca Live
November 6 || Fort Meyers, FL || The Ranch
November 7 || Fort Pierce, FL || Sunrise Theater
November 8 || Sanford, FL || Tuffy’s Music Box
November 13 || Salt Lake City, UT || The Complex
November 14 || Denver, CO || Grizzly Rose
November 21 || Baton Rouge, LA || Texas Club

* with Tyler Hubbard
^ with Billy Currington
# with Dwight Yoakam
+ with Kansas

 

Billie Eilish Expands ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’ Tour With New Arena Dates

Eric Alper
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Billie Eilish Expands ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’ Tour With New Arena Dates

With her sold-out 2024/2025 Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour currently underway, Billie Eilish has today announced 23 additional arena dates in Japan and the U.S. for this year.

Produced by Live Nation, the newly added shows include two nights at Tokyo’s Saitama Super Arena on August 16 and 17, followed by a second U.S. leg this fall with stops in Miami, Orlando, Raleigh, New Orleans, Austin, and more. The tour will now span 106 dates in total, concluding on Sunday, November 23 at Chase Center in San Francisco-more than a year after it first kicked off in fall 2024.

Since launching last September, Billie Eilish has brought her tour to North America and Australia, and is currently touring across Europe, the U.K., and Ireland. The run has featured multiple-night stops in several cities, including five sold-out hometown shows at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles and three sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The current tour leg continues Thursday, May 29 with two shows in Cologne, followed by stops in Prague, Vienna, Paris, Barcelona, and more. This July, she’ll also headline an impressive six sold-out nights at The O2 in London.

Billie Eilish is using Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange to give fans, not scalpers, the best chance to buy tickets at face value. To make this work, tickets will be non-transferable and the tour may cancel tickets posted elsewhere for more than face value. In New York, where resale can’t legally be restricted, tickets will be transferable. Fans can still buy and sell their tickets at the original price paid on Ticketmaster.

Billie Eilish’s critically acclaimed third studio album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT was released May 17, 2024 via Darkroom/Interscope Records, and continues to shatter the ceiling for artists in 2025. Her GRAMMY nominated smash hit BIRDS OF A FEATHER is now the most streamed song on Spotify by a female in the last decade, surpassing 2.5 billion streams, making it the fastest song in history to achieve this. It is also the longest charting solo song by a female artist in Billboard Pop Airplay chart history.

HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR 2025 JAPAN DATES
Sat Aug 16 – Tokyo, Japan – Saitama Super Arena
Sun Aug 17 – Tokyo, Japan – Saitama Super Arena

HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR 2025 U.S. DATES
Thu Oct 9 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
Sat Oct 11 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
Sun Oct 12 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
Tue Oct 14 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center
Thu Oct 16 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Fri Oct 17 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Sun Oct 19 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Mon Oct 20 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Thu Oct 23 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Sat Oct 25 – Long Island, NY – UBS Arena
Sun Oct 26 – Long Island, NY – UBS Arena
Fri Nov 7 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
Sat Nov 8 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
Mon Nov 10 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
Tue Nov 11 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
Thu Nov 13 – Austin, TX – Moody Center ATX
Fri Nov 14 – Austin, TX – Moody Center ATX
Tue Nov 18 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena
Wed Nov 19 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena
Sat Nov 22 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Sun Nov 23 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Avril Lavigne Launches 2025 ‘Greatest Hits’ Tour With Live Debuts of “Young & Dumb” and “Pink Pony Club” Cover

Eric Alper
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Avril Lavigne Launches 2025 ‘Greatest Hits’ Tour With Live Debuts of “Young & Dumb” and “Pink Pony Club” Cover

Diamond-certified global superstar Avril Lavigne kicked off the 2025 extension of her sold-out North American Greatest Hits Tour last night with a high-energy, hit-packed show at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, NB.

The opening night featured the live debut of Avril’s anthemic new single “Young & Dumb” released earlier this month with Simple Plan and included a standout acoustic moment where she performed a stripped-down mash-up featuring her song “Warrior” and a heartfelt cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.” During the action-packed show, Avril also invited a special fan onstage and signed his tattoo portrait of her after spotting his sign.

Produced by Live Nation, the 19-date tour showcases Avril’s biggest hits from her record-breaking catalog and continues Tuesday, May 20 at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, NS. Notably, the run of dates includes a massive stadium performance at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, PA, and a show at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York, NY before wrapping up on Friday, June 27 in Bethel, NY at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

Special guests include Simple Plan on all U.S. dates, and Fefe Dobson on all Canadian shows. We The Kings will join on select U.S. and Canada dates. Upcoming mainstage festival performances include Bonnaroo, the 2025 Vans Warped Tour and more along with a headlining set at All Your Friends Fest on June 29 in Ontario at Burls Creek.

AVRIL LAVIGNE: THE GREATEST HITS 2025 TOUR DATES
*With Simple Plan and We The Kings
+With Fefe Dobson and We The Kings
^ No We The Kings
~ Festival Date

Tue May 20 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre +
Sat May 24 – Alston, MA – Boston Calling~
Sun May 25 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater *
Tue May 27 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC *
Wed May 28 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater *
Fri May 30 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden *
Tue Jun 03 – London, ON – Canada Life Place +
Wed June 04 – Niagara Falls, ON – Fallsview Casino Resort +
Thu Jun 05 – Niagara Falls, ON – Fallsview Casino Resort +
Sat Jun 07 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium *
Sun Jun 08 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center*
Tue Jun 10 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center *
Thu Jun 12 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis *
Sat June 14 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo 2025~
Sun June 15 – Greenway, DC – Warped Tour 2025~
Tue Jun 17 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park *
Wed Jun 18 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium *
Fri Jun 20 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre *
Sat Jun 21 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino *^
Mon Jun 23 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place *^
Thu Jun 26 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake *
Fri Jun 27 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts *
Sun Jun 29 – Burls Creek, ON – All Your Friends Fest~
Fri Jul 4 – Quebec, Quebec – Festival d’ete de Quebec 2025~
Sat Oct 18 – Las Vegas, NV – When We Were Young~

Carrie Underwood Celebrates 20 Years of ‘Some Hearts’ With Special Edition Vinyl Featuring Live Versions of “Jesus Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats”

Eric Alper
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Carrie Underwood Celebrates 20 Years of ‘Some Hearts’ With Special Edition Vinyl Featuring Live Versions of “Jesus Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats”

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album, 8-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood is releasing a new special edition vinyl, Some Hearts 20th Anniversary Edition, via Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music. This special edition is available for pre-order now exclusively through Target (link HERE), and will be released on Friday, November 14, just ahead of the album’s anniversary date (November 15, 2005).

Originally released in 2005, the 9x certified platinum album Some Hearts, catapulted Carrie Underwood to stardom following her historic win on Season 4 of “American Idol.” The album quickly became the best-selling debut country album of all time, featuring timeless #1 hits such as “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Before He Cheats,” and “Wasted,” and garnering numerous awards and honors throughout the years.

To commemorate this milestone, the double 20th Anniversary Edition vinyl will have a new alternate cover image and packaging, and an exclusive photo booklet. The release will also include four tracks from Carrie’s live session at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, TN, recorded on October 26, 2005, and available on vinyl for the first time ever.

This year, Underwood commemorated the 20th anniversary of winning “American Idol” by becoming the popular singing competition’s first alum to join the judging panel. The hit ABC series had its season finale on May 18 and streams on Hulu.

Carrie Underwood is a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, film, and as a bestselling author and successful entrepreneur. She has sold more than 85 million records worldwide, recorded 29 #1 singles (14 of which she co-wrote), is the most-awarded female country artist for singles in RIAA history, and has seven albums that are certified Multi-Platinum or Platinum by the RIAA, with over 72 million total RIAA certifications to date, all while continuing to sell out arena tours across North America and the UK. All 10 of her albums (including nine studio albums and her 2014 Greatest Hits: Decade #1) – three of which she co-produced – have debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart for all genres, beginning with her 9x platinum debut album, Some Hearts, which was released in 2005. She has won over 100 major awards including 8 GRAMMY Awards, 16 ACM Awards including three for Entertainer of the Year (the first female in history to win twice and the only female ever to win three times), 25 CMT Music Awards (holding the record for the most award wins ever for the show), 17 American Music Awards, 10 People’s Choice Awards, and 7 CMA Awards. She has been a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2008 and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018. She has also built a successful business portfolio inspired by her passion for health and wellness, as she founded and created the fitness and lifestyle brand, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, and her first book, FIND YOUR PATH was an instant New York Times bestseller in 2020 when she also launched her popular fitness app, fit52. Carrie launched her exclusive year-round SiriusXM channel, CARRIE’S COUNTRY, in 2023, and created two additional channels, CARR-DIO by CARRIE’S COUNTRY and SAVIOR SUNDAY DAILY by CARRIE’S COUNTRY, both of which stream exclusively on the SiriusXM app. She became the first artist to perform at the Resorts World Theatre in 2021, where her REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency played to packed house through April 2025, the longest-running Las Vegas residency of any solo female country artist. Her concert special, “CARRIE UNDERWOOD: REFLECTION,” is now streaming worldwide on Hulu and Disney+. She has starred in the show open for primetime television’s #1 program, NBC’s Sunday Night Football, for 12 consecutive seasons, and can currently be seen on the judges panel of the hit show “American Idol,” alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on ABC and Hulu, marking the 20th anniversary of her winning the title.

Tracklist:
Side A
Wasted
Don’t Forget to Remember Me
Some Hearts
Jesus, Take The Wheel
The Night Before (Life Goes On)

Side B
Lessons Learned
Before He Cheats
Starts With Goodbye
I Just Can’t Live a Lie
We’re Young and Beautiful

Side C
That’s Where It Is
Whenever You Remember
I Ain’t In Checotah Anymore
Inside Your Heaven

Side D
Wasted (Live at Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN – October 26, 2005)
Some Hearts (Live at Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN – October 26, 2005)
Jesus, Take The Wheel (Live at Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN – October 26, 2005)
Inside Your Heaven (Live at Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN – October 26, 2005)

5 Surprising Facts About George Wendt

Eric Alper
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5 Surprising Facts About George Wendt

George Wendt, the beloved actor who brought Norm Peterson to life on Cheers, has died at 77.

When Wendtwalked into Cheers, the world shouted, “Norm!” But behind the barstool and beneath the lovable grin was a career — and a life — filled with unexpected stories. Sure, you knew him as the everyman of Cheers. But here are 5 facts that just might make you say, “Wait… really?”

1. He Got Kicked Out of Notre Dame with a 0.00 GPA
Before he was raising a glass on Cheers, Wendt was flunking out of the University of Notre Dame. Literally. He earned a perfect 0.00 GPA in his junior year — not for partying too hard, but because he stopped going to class altogether. Living off-campus, facing cold winters and no transportation, Wendt admitted, “I basically quit and didn’t inform the university.” Somehow, it worked out.

2. His First Job in Showbiz? Sweeping Floors
George didn’t walk into Second City with a script — he walked in with a broom. After being inspired by a show, he asked how to join. They told him to show up at 11:30 a.m. sharp. He did — and was handed a broom with the words, “Welcome to the theatre, kid.” From janitor to comedy legend, Wendt literally swept his way into the business.

3. He’s Married to the Voice of Vera — Norm’s Wife on Cheers
You never saw her on Cheers, but you definitely heard her. Norm’s never-seen wife Vera was voiced by Bernadette Birkett — George Wendt’s real-life wife. The two met while performing at Second City, and stayed married for over four decades. In Season 3, she even briefly appears as Cliff’s Halloween date. Talk about sitcom synergy!

4.He Never Turned Down a Chance to Make Fans Smile
Despite his fame, Wendt was known for being endlessly approachable and kind. Whether it was a surprise appearance at a local theatre, a guest spot on Hot in Cleveland, or simply sharing a beer with fans who shouted “Norm!” across the street, he embraced the love with warmth and humility. He once joked, “If their impulse is to buy me a beer, then by all means, follow that impulse.” For Wendt, being Norm wasn’t just a role—it was a way to make people feel seen, welcomed, and at home.

5. He Played Santa, a Killer, and Even a Moose
Post-Cheers, George Wendt took on roles as diverse as Santa Claus (Elf: The Musical, Santa Buddies), a thoroughbred-owning murderer on Columbo, and even competed on The Masked Singer as “Moose.” His long career included everything from Broadway (Hairspray, Death of a Salesman) to sitcoms (The George Wendt Show, Clipped), proving he was never just Norm — he was a whole world of characters in one cozy flannel shirt.

So raise a glass to George Wendt. He made us laugh. He made us feel at home. And he reminded us that sometimes the best characters — and people — are the ones who greet you like a regular. Norm may have lived at Cheers, but George Wendt lived in our hearts.

Avery Anna Releases Powerful Short Film With Sophomore Album ‘let go letters’

Eric Alper
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Avery Anna Releases Powerful Short Film With Sophomore Album ‘let go letters’

To accompany the release of her sophomore album let go letters, available now, singer-songwriter Avery Anna unveiled a short film that weaves together the official music videos for five featured tracks: “cheerios,” “Danny Don’t,” “depresion,” “GRAVE,” and “skinny.”

Directed by Avery, Ben Humphrey, Kate Bowling, and Tyler Shoemaker, the short film presents a powerful narrative by connecting five standalone but thematically connected music videos that bring the album to life. Interspersed between the videos are poignant moments of Avery engaging with letters from her “Let Go Letters” series, which has long been a safe place for her listener community to ‘let go’ of experiences that may be troubling them by writing them down and sending them off. These letters inspired the song and video concepts and explore deeply emotional topics such as body image struggles, depression, suicide, addiction, and domestic violence. The result is a raw and moving portrayal of resilience, connection, and healing through music and storytelling.

“I started asking people for their letters because I wanted to give them some kind of emotional outlet, but they ended up shifting my whole perspective on so many things in life,” says Avery. “After a while, it felt almost impossible not to write about the letters, and over time, this album became a way to thank everyone for being so vulnerable and sharing their lives with me.”

She adds, “This was a whole new world I stepped into for this album, trying to best portray the pains and struggles people have shared with me through their beautiful letters. I hope they feel seen when they watch this film.”

Thanks to her boundless empathy-as well as the subtle force and spellbinding power of her vocal work-Avery inhabits the album with a depth of emotion that makes every lyric feel undeniably lived-in. Featuring 14 tracks all penned or co-penned by Avery and produced by David Fanning, let go letters follows the singer-songwriter’s celebrated 2024 debut album, Breakup Over Breakfast. Entertainment Focus noted that the new project is “dedicated to letting pain breathe,” and that Avery “doesn’t just write back to her fans-she sings their stories back to them with grace, rage, vulnerability and compassion. It’s not just a concept album-it’s a lifeline that both entertains and impacts the listener with the juxtaposition of its heartbreaking subject matter, soaring melodies and ambitious instrumentation.” Holler raved, “Anna’s willingness to let go of any artistic ego in service of the songs is not only an impactful way to give back to these individuals but strategically marks the next phase of her career.”

 

Grant-Lee Phillips Announces Introspective New Album ‘In the Hour of Dust’ and 26-Date International Tour

Eric Alper
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Grant-Lee Phillips Announces Introspective New Album ‘In the Hour of Dust’ and 26-Date International Tour

Acclaimed Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and painter Grant-Lee Phillips announces the release of In the Hour of Dust, his 12th solo album, out September 5 on Yep Roc Records. Today, he unveils “Closer Tonight,” the first single available now.

Of “Closer Tonight,” Phillips offers: “A reflection of my uneasy feelings about this moment. On one hand, we’re living in an age of scientific advancement, an integration of technology that could vastly enhance life as we know it. On the other hand, we’re equally capable of barbaric cruelty, incapable of prioritizing life, neither our own nor that of the planet, all as we plot to plant our flag on Mars. We’re closer than ever to realizing our greatest potential and closer than ever to self-destruction.”

In celebration of the album, Phillips will embark on a 26-date U.S. and UK tour beginning with a run of Northeast dates in September, with a West Coast run in November, including a stop in Los Angeles, and dates in the UK, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Finland throughout the fall and winter.

Inspired by a painting from India discovered while wandering the Norton Simon Art Museum in Pasadena, CA, and the evocative Indian concept of ‘the hour of cow dust’–“It’s that moment of the day when the cows are led back home, they kick up the dust; that’s a cue to prepare the lamps. Night is about to fall,” says Phillips.

The self-produced album finds Phillips at his most introspective and poetic, channeling his visual and musical sensibilities into a striking mediation on disconnection and grace. “The mood on this album is contemplative,” says Phillips. “It’s about trying to find meaning in an age of confusion, feeling your way through the blinding dust of unreality.”

Known for his cinematic lyricism and atmospheric arrangements, In the Hour of Dust spans universal and personal themes. “Bullies,” co-written with pianist Jamie Edwards-the first co-write to appear on any Phillips’ albums-channels his experience as an outsider into a defiant anthem of resilience. “She Knows Me” offers a deeply personal testament to partnerships and vulnerability, while “Did You Make It Through the Night Okay” draws Phillips’ heritage as an Enrolled citizen of the Muskogee (Creek) Nation, reflecting on hardship and survival.

Written and recorded between his home studio in Nashville and Lucy’s Meat Market in Eagle Rock, CA, In the Hour of Dust features intimate solo recordings and collaborative sessions with longtime friends and acclaimed musicians: Jay Bellerose (drums), Jennifer Condos (bass), and Patrick Warren (keyboards). “I don’t see songs of love and songs of protest as being so far apart, really,” Phillips reflects. “It’s all about recognizing the value of connection in a disconnected time.”

Since his early days as the frontman of Grant Lee Buffalo, through his role as the town troubadour on Gilmore Girls to his prolific solo career, Phillips has established himself as one of America’s most consistent and compelling songwriters. His distinctive voice, poetic lyrics, and masterful musicianship have earned him a dedicated following and critical praise across multiple decades.

Grant-Lee Phillips Tour Dates:
September 7 – Jammin’ Java – Vienna, VA
September 9 – City Winery – Philadelphia, PA
September 10 – City Winery – New York, NY
September 11 – City Winery – Boston, MA
October 10 – St. Michael-in-the-Hamlet Church – Liverpool, UK
October 11 – Halle at St Michael’s – Manchester, UK
October 12 – Portland Arms – Cambridge, UK
October 14 – Kitchen Garden – Birmingham, UK
October 15 – The Lower Third – London, UK
October 16 – Les Etoiles – Paris, France
October 17 – Reflektor – Liege, Belgium
October 18 – Ramblin’ Roots – Utrecht, The Netherlands
October 19 – Metropol – Hengelo, The Netherlands
October 21 – DR Koncerthuset – Copenhagen, Denmark
November 8 – McCabe’s Guitar Shop – Los Angeles, CA
November 9 – HopMonk Tavern – Novato, CA
January 14 – The Lantern – Bristol, UK
January 15 – The Trades Club – Hebden Bridge, UK
January 16 – Celtic Connections – Glasgow, UK
January 17 – The Common Room – Newcastle, UK
January 18 – Tithe Barn – Carlisle, UK
January 20 – Out to Lunch Festival – Belfast, UK
January 21 – Whelan’s – Dublin, Ireland
January 23-24 – G Livelab – Helsinki, Finland
January 25 – Yllas Jazz & Blues Festival – Lapland, Finland

Craig Campbell & Bradley Gaskin Lead Benefit Concert at Ryman with Tyler Farr, Michael Ray, Bryan White & Hailey Benedict

Eric Alper
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Craig Campbell & Bradley Gaskin Lead Benefit Concert at Ryman with Tyler Farr, Michael Ray, Bryan White & Hailey Benedict

Craig Campbell has announced the inaugural Kenny Campbell Foundation Presents a Benefit Concert Featuring Craig Campbell & Bradley Gaskin at the Ryman Auditorium on July 24, 2025. The exciting event will also include performances by Tyler Farr, Michael Ray, Bryan White, and Hailey Benedict. Tickets range from $65 to $175, plus fees, and will be available May 23.

Craig’s father died of colorectal cancer at age 36, and he started The Kenny Campbell Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, in his honor to raise money and awareness. The 11th Annual Craig Campbell Celebrity Cornhole Challenge also benefits the Foundation and will be held at 6th & Peabody in Nashville on June 3, 2025.

“I was talking to Bradley (Gaskin) about my dad and The Kenny Campbell Foundation, and we decided to call some friends and host a concert at the Ryman,” said Craig. “There’s no better place for a concert in Nashville than at the Mother Church of Country Music. I think my dad would be proud.”

“When I hear ‘The Ryman,’ my honky-tonk bones rattle,” added Bradley Gaskin. “It’s such a great place to sing and perform my favorite kind of traditional country music in my most favorite city – Nashville. And, I hope we raise all kinds of money in honor of Craig’s dad! Good times with great country music and helping others – that’s what we do!”

Tickets for the concert, which are set at $65 and $75, will be on sale Friday, May 23 at https://www.ryman.com/. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $175 and include an exclusive two-song acoustic set performed by Campbell and Gaskin 30 minutes before doors open, a show poster and a photo with them on the famous Ryman stage. A guitar signed by all of the artists will be auctioned to the highest bidder during the concert.

Jelly Ellington Shines Bright with New Album ‘Glow’—A Roots-Rock Tapestry of Family, Fire, and Finding Peace

Eric Alper
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Jelly Ellington Shines Bright with New Album ‘Glow’—A Roots-Rock Tapestry of Family, Fire, and Finding Peace

Austin-based artist Jelly Ellington channels his Americana, Texas-blues grit and Appalachian roots into his newest offering, Glow. At the heart of the new album is a blend of modern indie rock sensibility and classic American songwriting, with vibrant, analog-driven songs full of soaring riffs and introspective lyrics. The physical album is now available digitally across all streaming platforms.

The singer-songwriter, Jelly Ellington, wrote much of Glow in his hometown of Asheville, N.C., drawing on personal experiences and a deep connection to his family’s artistic legacy. Inspired by a visit to the local museum where the work of his great aunt, watercolorist Sallie Ellington Middleton, who was renowned for her botanical paintings, and “Boomtown” architect Douglas Ellington, who built most of Asheville’s iconic buildings in the 20s, were celebrated, he found renewed purpose. The homecoming was full circle for Jelly as the album marks a return to his roots and a moment of reflection, renewal and creative growth.

Jelly brought together a dream team of collaborators as Glow was created over nine days of live tracking with his full band. It was recorded at Orb Studios in Austin, Texas, and produced by Nick Perri (Silvertide, Nick Perri & the Underground Thieves) and engineered by Austin Asvanonda (The War on Drugs, Sam Fender).

The instrumental palette is broad and expressive with Les Pauls, Telecasters, Strats, and stereo-routed Marshall and Super Reverb amps; lush 12-string acoustics evoking Petty and Bryan Adams; vintage pedals from Perri’s own line; and rich textures from a Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3, and grand piano, courtesy of keyboardist Cole Gramling, who had his own dedicated piano room in Studio A. The rhythm section was helmed by drummer Alex Geismar (with additional contributions from Alex Duck and Lessly Fisher Jr.) and bassist Stefan Ringer, whose distorted tones added grit and muscle to standout moments like “Sail On.”

Guest features also include John Trufant on vocals and mandola, Les Fisher (Jason Mraz) on the drums and bass, Nick Perri lead guitar solo, pedal steel guitarist Ryan “Stiggie” Stigmon (Zach Top), violinist Ryan Lorensen, background vocalist Candice Sanders and Curtis Lee, and Deshawn “D Vibes” Alexander (Kingfish, Marcus King’s band, Watermelon Funk) who delivered a blazing synth solo on “Somebody to Love.”

Jelly comments, “One of the main goals with this record was to produce one that was sonically sound, and I think we did a great job achieving that thanks to the help of everyone involved.”

Taking a “less is more” approach when recording the new album, Jelly and Perri kept the process honest and focused on the result vs individual parts. Sonically, the album is steeped in vintage textures, including an analog synth, Neumann mics, cranked vintage amps, and Juno pads.

But at Glow’s core, the songwriting shines. Lyrics explore themes of movement, acceptance, stillness, and emotional clarity. The result is a collection of 9 songs that radiate warmth and depth.

Songs like “Copperhead Blues,” recorded in a church chapel using just a laptop and a mic, was inspired by back-to-back copperhead encounters in WNC. The song is based on an incident with co-writer John Trufant’s dog Gumbeaux, who was nearly killed by a bite deep in the woods. Soon after, a copperhead showed up at Jelly’s doorstep, just inches from his dog, Bowie, who thankfully made it out unharmed. Jelly recalls, “The copperhead snake serves as a metaphor, as we are constantly facing temptation in our day to day lives. This song serves as an insight into the vicious cycle of never being satisfied and always needing more- that’s when you got those copperhead blues.”

The title track “Glow” is about saying goodbye to the bad times and hello, good times. It was created during sound check in San Francisco, Jelly recalls, “I think we were filled with so much excitement to be out on the road doing what we love that the song just fell from the sky.” But it also encapsulates the album’s overall vibe – a thrill of a ride from beginning to end.

“Irons in the Fire” was recorded in a home studio on the side of a mountain in Western North Carolina. It is a gentle reminder that being too obsessed with material things can lead to our demise, and the most important thing is loving others, and finding satisfaction with simply being engulfed in and by love.

The Daft Punk-tinged outro of “Somebody to Love,” “is def a fav, it just makes you feel good! I enjoyed every step of the process putting together the tune, especially having one of my best friends Deshawn D’ Vibes Alexander, playing the lead synth on the tune,” comments Jelly.

One standout studio moment came during the creation of “Goodbye Rain,” a song written as a cathartic farewell to the grief of losing a family home to fire. The album engineer, Austin Asvanonda, along with a tape loop machine, created intervals of chords, each placed on its own fader on the mixing console that allowed for dynamic, live manipulation. “It was straight wizardry,” Jelly recalls. The result is the perfect road trip song with a groove that strips away the worries of the world. Jelly describes the feeling as, “slide the sunroof down, put on your shades and kiss your worries goodbye.”

The new album is a masterclass on friendship and the creative process, it is a homage to home and family, and serves as a reminder that renewal isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s the glow of a slow burn.

Glow is out now and available on all streaming platforms, order and stream here.

Tracklisting for Glow:
01 – “Glow”
02 – “Sail On”
03 – “Somebody to Love”
04 – “The Night”
05 – “Goodbye Rain”
06 – “Thick and Thin”
07 – “Coyote”
08 – “Copperhead Blues”
09 – “Irons in the Fire”

Upcoming Shows:
May 29 – Antone’s Nightclub @ 7:00 PM, Austin, TX
Jun 4 – Geraldine’s (Live Acoustic) @ 8:00 PM, Austin, TX
Jun 15 – Main Street Crossing w/ Dancing Days: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin @ 8:00 PM, Tomball, TX
Aug 9 – Antone’s Nightclub w/ Dancing Days: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin @ 8:00 PM, Austin, TX
Nov 3 – BMI Acoustic Lounge Series @ Saxon Pub @ 6:00 PM, Austin, TX

Paul McDonald Finds Freedom and Feeling on New Single “Unwind” Ahead of Album ‘So Long To The Dark Side’

Eric Alper
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Paul McDonald Finds Freedom and Feeling on New Single “Unwind” Ahead of Album ‘So Long To The Dark Side’

Today, Nashville singer-songwriter Paul McDonald is thrilled to share “Unwind,” the third song to be released off his forthcoming studio album, So Long To The Dark Side.

“This song emerged spontaneously during a late-night jam session with my old bandmate from The Grand Magnolias, Jonathan Pears,” says McDonald. “We hadn’t written together in over a decade, but that night, we picked up our guitars and somehow the magic fell out of the sky. We finished up the song a few days later with our buddy Hailey Steele. The song is a simple feel-good track kind of born from a moment of nostalgia, but reflects on the free-spirited journey of my college band days. It eventually evolves into a reminder to slow down, let go, and be present.”

“Unwind” follows the releases of “Dark Side” and “What’s The Point?”

“This album took the long road home.”

That’s how Paul McDonald sums it up—and it’s the truth.

His last full-length release came in 2018. Since then, McDonald wrote and recorded multiple albums… and shelved them all. Burned out and broke after chasing an elusive sound through countless sessions, he hit pause on the studio grind and returned to the only place that ever felt right: the stage.

With a new band—The Mourning Doves—he hit every dive bar, burger joint, and juke hall that would have him. No pressure, no polish. Just songs, played loud and honest. That spirit came to life during a month-long residency at East Nashville’s The Underdog, where word of mouth turned into a groundswell. A local buzz grew. A community formed. And out of that energy, McDonald launched One Big Love, a grassroots festival that became a magnet for the city’s most vibrant players.

It was during this time that a friend and local producer, Bobby Holland, offered to record the band. At first, McDonald resisted—after five scrapped albums, he wasn’t eager to try again. But the band cut the record live, straight to tape, with no overthinking. And just like that, the sound he’d been chasing for years finally arrived.

“This album helped me heal,” he says. “It brought me back to life. It’s not perfect, and that’s the point. It’s raw and human and alive. And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

Paul McDonald on Tour:
June 7 Cathead Jam 2025 – Jackson, MS
June 13 Grants Lounge – Macon, GA
June 14 – 185 King Street – Brevard, NC
June 26 – Songbirds – Chattanooga, TN
June 27 – Steel Hands Brewing – Cayce, SC
July 2 – Jammin Java – Vienna, VA
July 3 – American Music Festival 2025 – Berwyn, IL
July 5 – Turntable – Indianapolis, IN
July 17 – Skinny Dennis – Nashville, TN
July 24 – Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side – Denver, CO
Nov 9 – Venue Shrine – Tulsa, OK
Nov 30 – Nashbash – Miami Beach Bandshell – Miami Beach, FL

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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