Home Blog Page 95

T.G. Sheppard And Kelly Lang Host Star-Studded 12th Annual Country For A Cause At Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley

Eric Alper
-
0
T.G. Sheppard And Kelly Lang Host Star-Studded 12th Annual Country For A Cause At Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley

The 12th Annual Country For A Cause returns to Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley on Wednesday, June 3, with one of its most varied lineups yet. Hosts T.G. Sheppard and Kelly Lang bring together a deep roster of country talent, including Darin & Brooke Aldridge, John Berry, Allie Colleen, Linda Davis, Hannah Dasher, Ty Herndon, Jake Hoot, Dani-elle Kleha, The Kody Norris Show, The Malpass Brothers, Neal McCoy, Makenzie Phipps, Mark Wills, and more, for an evening benefitting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Devon O’Day joins as co-host, and the show is presented by Gus Arrendale and Springer Mountain Farms.

Sheppard and Lang set the tone directly: “We are beyond excited to host Country For A Cause once again. It’s truly incredible to see the lineup this year, our most varied yet. We’re bringing together legendary artists, rising stars, and you never know who may stop in. This is going to be an unforgettable show.”

Since partnering with Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in 2018, Country For A Cause has raised over $200,000 for the hospital, named among the nation’s Best Children’s Hospitals for 19 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Sherri Forrest, President of Country For A Cause, notes that VIP tickets have sold out in under five minutes in past years.

General admission tickets are $55, with a very limited number of VIP tables remaining. Tickets are on sale now. The show starts at 6:30 PM and serves as the unofficial kickoff to CMA Fest.

New Zealand Indie Legends The Clean Get The Definitive Biography They Always Deserved

Eric Alper
-
0
New Zealand Indie Legends The Clean Get The Definitive Biography They Always Deserved

The Clean finally get their definitive story. Richard Langston’s In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul arrives April 7 via University of Auckland Press, a full account of one of alternative music’s most influential and undersung bands, told in their own words and the words of the people closest to them.

The Clean’s impact runs deep. Formed in Dunedin in 1978 by brothers Hamish and David Kilgour and schoolfriend Peter Gutteridge, the band hit the New Zealand charts for months with a single made for $50, “Tally Ho!,” helped establish Flying Nun as an independent force outside the major label system, and pioneered a lo-fi, DIY approach to rock music that went on to shape bands like Pavement and Yo La Tengo. Ira Kaplan puts it plainly: “I’m a fan of everything they ever did.”

Langston draws on the band’s inner circle to tell the story from the inside out, including fellow musicians Chris Knox, Martin Phillipps, and Graeme Downes, alongside friends, family, pub promoters, and sound engineers. The narrative runs from teenagers in a Dunedin practice room all the way to New York City on 9/11, tracing nearly forty years of music made on their own terms.

Langston is the right person for this. A journalist, poet, and television director who has written about the Dunedin music scene since the 1980s, he edited the fanzine Garage from 1984 to 1986, later published as Pull Down the Shades: Garage Fanzine 1984–1986 by HoZac Books in 2023. This is a book written by someone who was there.

Nashville Singer-Songwriter Lee Newton Offers Intimate Acoustic Version Of Fan Favorite “Your Hat”

Eric Alper
-
0
Nashville Singer-Songwriter Lee Newton Offers Intimate Acoustic Version Of Fan Favorite “Your Hat”

Lee Newton releases an acoustic version of her popular single “Your Hat” today, offering the first look at her upcoming EP, ‘Beautifully Undone,’ due later this spring. Premiered by The Music Universe, the stripped-down arrangement puts Newton’s soulful delivery and authentic storytelling front and center, and the result is quietly devastating in the best way. Newton frames it directly: “My new single, ‘Your Hat’ is about that moment every girl dreams of when love feels safe, playful, and forever. It’s slow dancing in the kitchen, laughing until midnight, and realizing you’ve won his heart the day he hands you his hat. Recording it stripped down for ‘Beautifully Undone’ let the heart of the song shine exactly the way it did the day I wrote it.”

The acoustic release follows Newton’s recent collaboration with Georgette Jones and Heidi Parton on a reimagining of the country classic “Silver Threads and Golden Needles,” first recorded in 1956 by Wanda Jackson and carried forward by Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, and Loretta Lynn. Newton spoke to the weight of that recording: “Recording this song with Georgette and Heidi was one of those moments that reminded me why I fell in love with country music in the first place. This song carries generations of history, heart, and truth, and getting to honor that legacy alongside two incredibly talented women I admire so deeply was truly humbling. We didn’t just record a song — we paid respect to the women who paved the way before us and poured our hearts into keeping that spirit alive. Georgette and Heidi are absolute powerhouses, and I’m beyond proud they chose to be part of this project. This will forever hold a special place in my heart.”

A Nashville-based singer-songwriter originally from western North Carolina, Newton blends traditional country, soulful blues, and Southern rock into a sound rooted in the legends who shaped her, including Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Patsy Cline. She is a multiple Josie Music Awards winner, taking home Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year, and has collaborated with Leona Williams, Pam Tillis, T. Graham Brown, Joe Bonsall, and Rhonda Vincent.

‘Beautifully Undone’ arrives later this spring. The acoustic “Your Hat” is out now.

Dave Matthews Band Hit Colbert, Premiere New Song, Announce 2026 Tour

Eric Alper
-
0
Dave Matthews Band Hit Colbert, Premiere New Song, Announce 2026 Tour

Dave Matthews Band have a massive Spring/Summer 2026 tour on the way, and Matthews gave fans an early taste during a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he performed three songs solo acoustic, including the world premiere of “Making It Great,” a new track co-written with longtime DMB guitarist Tim Reynolds, alongside “Peace on Earth” and the 1998 classic “Don’t Drink the Water.”

Dave Matthews Band 2026 Tour Dates:

May 8 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

May 9 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion

May 11 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center

May 15 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

May 16 – Charlotte, NC @ Truliant Amphitheater

May 25 – Orange Beach, AL @ The Wharf Amphitheater

May 26 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

May 29 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

May 30 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Jun 5 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Jun 6 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater

Jun 10 – Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium

Jun 12 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center

Jun 13 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

Jun 23 – Shakopee, MN @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater

Jun 24 – Kansas City, MO @ Morton Amphitheater

Jun 26 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center

Jun 27 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center

Jul 7 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Acrisure Amphitheater

Jul 8 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Acrisure Amphitheater

Jul 10 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Jul 11 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Jul 14 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Jul 15 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Jul 17 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Jul 18 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Jul 21 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Jul 22 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater

Jul 24 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake

Jul 25 – Hartford, CT @ The Meadows Music Theatre

Aug 28 – Greenwood Village, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Aug 29 – Greenwood Village, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

Sep 4 – George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre

Sep 5 – George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre

Sep 6 – George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre

Vermont Guitar Ace Bob Wagner Steps Into The Spotlight With Debut Solo Album ‘I’ve Been Down’

Eric Alper
-
0
Vermont Guitar Ace Bob Wagner Steps Into The Spotlight With Debut Solo Album ‘I’ve Been Down’

Bob Wagner has been one of the Northeast’s most sought-after guitar slingers for over fifteen years, lending his leads to the likes of Josh Panda and Kat Wright’s retro soul unit. Now he steps forward under his own name with the announcement of his debut solo album ‘I’ve Been Down,’ due June 12 via RPF Records/Royal Potato Family, and the release of opening track and first single “Sad and Lonesome” today.

Wagner explains the moment plainly: “A pretty regular thing that happens at shows is I end up doing a song or two on lead during the night. After the gigs, people were always coming up to me asking where they could see my band.” ‘I’ve Been Down’ is the answer to that question, a ten-track collection recorded at The Studio Nashville, home to sessions by The Wood Brothers, Seth Walker, and Steve Poltz.

The album carries serious company. Laur Joamets, Sturgill Simpson’s Telecaster-playing fireball, dropped by to add guitar to three tracks, including a swaggering solo on “Sad and Lonesome.” Oliver Wood and Jano Rix of The Wood Brothers were also enlisted, bringing Nashville magic to sessions that reflect Wagner’s storytelling roots while drawing on the spirit of his heroes.

“Sad and Lonesome” opens the record with Wagner crooning like a broken-hearted cowboy over a dose of psychedelicized country funk, more Memphis than Bakersfield. It is a confident and fully realized introduction from a musician who has earned every note on stages across the world. Wagner is currently on the road as one of two guitarists with Phish bassist Mike Gordon’s solo band throughout March.

‘I’ve Been Down’ Track Listing:

  1. “Sad and Lonesome”
  2. “Good Night and Good Luck”
  3. “Richest Man On Earth”
  4. “Universe Is Calling”
  5. “I’ve Been Down” (featuring Oliver Wood)
  6. “Jesus, Coffee Etc.”
  7. “Dear Depression”
  8. “Daniel”
  9. “Duende”
  10. “Fly Away”

Bob Wagner On Tour With Mike Gordon:

Mar 13 – Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater

Mar 14 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony

Mar 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

Mar 17 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel

Mar 19 – Charlotte, NC @ Neighbourhood Theatre

Mar 20 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl

Mar 21 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

Mar 22 – Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Hall

Mar 24 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre

Mar 26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl

Mar 27 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

Mar 28 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre

Mar 29 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

Mar 30 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

Goth Metal Provocateur Brocarde Drags “The Sound Of Music” Into The Underworld With A Thunderous Cover

Eric Alper
-
0
Goth Metal Provocateur Brocarde Drags “The Sound Of Music” Into The Underworld With A Thunderous Cover

Brocarde has taken “The Sound of Music” apart and put it back together as a full-blown gothic metal spectacle, and the result is one of the most audacious cover versions in recent memory. Produced by Chris Collier, known for his work with Korn, Whitesnake, and Mick Mars, the track collides operatic vocals with thunderous metal instrumentation, dragging the cinematic classic somewhere it has never been. It is dramatic, cathartic, and completely committed.

The story behind the cover is as striking as the recording itself. “The Sound of Music” was the first song Brocarde ever learned to sing, taught by her grandmother at the piano. When her grandmother passed away, she made a final request: sing it at her funeral. Brocarde tried. She couldn’t. That unresolved grief has lived with her ever since, and this recording is the reckoning. She explains plainly: “I was an absolute wreck. I couldn’t sing the words. I could barely speak them.” And of the recording itself: “It’s not about genre. It’s my internal grief and anger attaching to each note.”

The track found its final shape after a trip to Salzburg, the birthplace of the beloved musical, where Brocarde arrived at a realization that we never shed our past selves but carry them like spirits. It is a full-circle moment delivered with full gothic ceremony, a possession as much as a performance.

Brocarde’s world has always blurred the lines between the paranormal and the theatrical. She married the ghost of a Victorian soldier named Edwardo on Halloween 2022, divorced him six months later, and conducted a séance in honour of Lemmy at Wacken Open Air. She has appeared on This Morning, Say Yes to the Dress, and First Dates. The cover of “The Sound of Music” is her boldest summoning yet.

Country Maverick Gavin Adcock Celebrates The Classics On New Tribute Album ‘Country Never Dies’

Eric Alper
-
0
Country Maverick Gavin Adcock Celebrates The Classics On New Tribute Album ‘Country Never Dies’

Gavin Adcock steps into the executive producer chair for the first time with ‘Country Never Dies,’ out now. The carefully curated eleven-track tribute album brings together nine of his artist peers, including labelmates Braxton Keith, Hudson Westbrook, The Creekers, and Austin Snell, alongside Jake Worthington, Ashley Cooke, Lanie Gardner, Vincent Mason, and Shelby Stone. Each artist takes on a classic, and the results are as diverse as the talent involved.

Standout moments include Lanie Gardner’s haunting rendition of the American folk song “Wayfaring Stranger,” famously performed by Johnny Cash, and The Creekers’ faithful yet powerful cover of Keith Whitley’s “Kentucky Bluebird.” Adcock closes the project himself with a spirited take on Merle Haggard’s iconic “Mama Tried,” a nod to one of his biggest influences and a fitting way to cap a record built entirely on reverence for the genre’s foundation. Listen here.

American Songwriter noted that Adcock “brings together some of country’s best,” while MusicRow recognized that he “mines some country music gold” with the project. Both assessments land. This is a record that honors the past while putting some of the most compelling voices currently shaping country music front and center.

Adcock arrives at this project with considerable momentum. His album ‘Own Worst Enemy’ debuted as the top new country album on the Billboard 200 Country Chart and crossed 25 million first-week US streams on release. He holds a RIAA platinum certification for “A Cigarette,” multiple gold certifications, and a New Artist of the Year nomination at the 60th ACM Awards. He joins Morgan Wallen as support on 16 dates of Wallen’s Still The Problem Tour 2026.

‘Country Never Dies’ Track Listing:

  1. “Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line” – Gavin Adcock (orig. Waylon Jennings)
  2. “Slow Hand” – Hudson Westbrook (orig. The Pointer Sisters / Conway Twitty)
  3. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” – Jake Worthington (orig. George Jones)
  4. “Southern Nights” – Ashley Cooke (orig. Glen Campbell)
  5. “Slide Off Of Your Satin Sheets” – Braxton Keith (orig. Johnny Paycheck)
  6. “Wayfaring Stranger” – Lanie Gardner (orig. Johnny Cash)
  7. “You Win Again” – Vincent Mason (orig. Hank Williams)
  8. “Kentucky Bluebird” – The Creekers (orig. Keith Whitley)
  9. “Simple Man” – Austin Snell (orig. Lynyrd Skynyrd)
  10. “Big City Blues” – Shelby Stone (orig. Keith Gattis)
  11. “Mama Tried” – Gavin Adcock (orig. Merle Haggard)

Ax And The Hatchetmen Announce ‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe)’ With New Song “Cheesecake”

Eric Alper
-
0
Ax And The Hatchetmen Announce ‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe)’ With New Song “Cheesecake”

Ax and The Hatchetmen announce ‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe),’ arriving March 27 via Arista Records, and drop new track “Cheesecake” to mark the occasion. The deluxe edition adds three previously unheard or rarely heard songs to their debut LP, including “French Press,” debuted on last fall’s tour, and the never-before-heard “Belt Loops.” “Cheesecake” is the one to hear right now, a shambolic, woozy late-night ramble backed by full-band handclaps, seesawing guitars, and expressive brass that lands somewhere between jangly and jagged. Listen here.

Axel Ellis lays out the scene: “‘Cheesecake’ is a night cap. It’s a late stroll through the lower east side of Manhattan, void of any good thought. It’s a bit drunk, a bit high, aimlessly looking for whatever there is to find. The only real certainty is that eventually the sun will have to come back around. At one point you’d walked the same streets with your hand in another’s, but this time Ludlow Street evokes a feeling of reckless abandon. Hoping someone might pick you up, take you where you want to be. Your suitcase is at your friend’s place, waiting for the early flight home.”

The original ‘So Much To Tell You,’ released in October, was produced by Jake Sinclair (Panic! At The Disco, Weezer) and included the explosive lead single “Blurry Lights” featuring Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes, alongside the sunny “7×9,” built around a long-lost Rivers Cuomo demo. Atwood Magazine called it “a dynamic, exhilarating debut LP, a spirited coming-of-age record and love letter to all the band’s defining moments, blending seven years of camaraderie with playful storytelling, big-hearted hooks, and an infectious youthful energy.”

Upcoming live dates include back-to-back hometown shows at The Salt Shed in Chicago supporting Royel Otis, a set at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, and a slot supporting The Revivalists at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Axel Ellis also launched an on-screen career this year with a featured role in Amazon series The Runarounds.

‘So Much To Tell You (Deluxe)’ Tracklist:

  1. “Red Carpet”
  2. “Flagstaff”
  3. “Love Songs”
  4. “7×9”
  5. “Lucy”
  6. “Oasis”
  7. “Blurry Lights”
  8. “Hotel Room”
  9. “Model Citizen”
  10. “Sunscreen”
  11. “Stay // Honestly”
  12. “New Years”
  13. “French Press”
  14. “Belt Loops”
  15. “Cheesecake”

Ax and The Hatchetmen Live Dates:

Apr 02 – Sacramento, CA @ Sacramento State University

Apr 08 – West Lafayette, IN @ Loeb Playhouse

Jul 03 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest

Jul 13 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed (w/ Royel Otis)

Jul 14 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed (w/ Royel Otis)

Jul 18 – New York, NY @ BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! (w/ Royel Otis)

Sep 25 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (w/ The Revivalists)

Platinum-Certified DJ Duo ALTÉGO Kick Off A New Era With Dance Floor Single “CALL ME”

Eric Alper
-
0
Platinum-Certified DJ Duo ALTÉGO Kick Off A New Era With Dance Floor Single “CALL ME”

ALTÉGO drop their new original single “CALL ME” today on Arista Records, the first release of 2026 from the platinum-certified UK-based DJ duo and a deliberate step into new territory. Built around an instantly memorable hook and loaded with up-tempo, feel-good energy, the track signals a fresh chapter for Michael and Lukas as they launch their second US tour.

The duo frames it directly: “Pick up the phone! Our first single of the year ‘CALL ME’ is loaded with up-tempo, feel-good, carefree energy and built around an instantly memorable hook. We wanted to create a song that gets stuck in your head after one listen and keeps you coming back for more and we’re excited to kick off 2026 with our second US tour and something a little different from what we’ve done in the past but equally as exciting. A new era of dance-floor ready energy.” Listen here.

ALTÉGO arrive at this moment with serious momentum behind them. Their “ToxicPony” mashup of Britney Spears and Ginuwine crossed 130 million Spotify streams alone and earned platinum certification in Canada and Hungary, with gold certifications across Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Turkey. “Couldn’t Care Less” featuring Gia Koka climbed Spotify’s Top 200 in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, earning IFPI Sverige Gold certification. Total worldwide streams now sit at over 250 million, with 17 billion views across social platforms.

Their recent sold-out headline show at London’s Roundhouse sold out in 48 hours, with additional sold-out dates in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Denver driving demand high enough to add Texas dates in Austin and Houston. With a country-twisted new project also in the works for 2026, “CALL ME” is just the opening move.

Veteran Singer-Songwriter Gary Marks Announces ‘Crossroads’ LP And Shares Lead Single “I Guess It Never Stops”

Eric Alper
-
0
Veteran Singer-Songwriter Gary Marks Announces ‘Crossroads’ LP And Shares Lead Single “I Guess It Never Stops”

Gary Marks announces ‘Crossroads,’ a new LP due April 18th via Lantern Heights Records, and shares its lead single “I Guess It Never Stops.” The album gathers nine previously unheard songs alongside rare tracks spanning five decades of writing, with each side of the record running chronologically from 1976 through the 2020s. It is a significant body of work from a songwriter who never stopped creating, even after the industry stopped paying attention.

The groovy, buoyant lead single arrives with a lyric that lands with the full weight of Marks’ five decades of writing about power, compassion, and freedom. He lays it out plainly: “We’ve been recalled to Eden, but somehow Eden’s not the same. Ancient rainforest chopped down, strip mined, carried off in trains. We all know we’re doing it as we tear down this place we’re in. See it in boardrooms as they divide their share of it. See it in classroom books with little lies built in. See fathers playing God, when children sin, they’re shocked. I guess it never stops.”

‘Crossroads’ has been selected as an official Record Store Day UK/Europe title for an April release, a vinyl exclusive tracing the continuity of a voice that has remained steady and powerful across generations. Lantern Heights presents some of Marks’ most musically masterful and lyrically pointed work, including rare tracks that have never been widely heard.

Refusing to tour, Marks kept writing long after the music industry moved on. ‘Crossroads’ is the record that makes the full arc visible, fourteen tracks that bridge generations and remind listeners why albums and ideas still matter.

‘Crossroads’ Track Listing:

  1. Castles
  2. Words / Reflections
  3. The Love We Take
  4. For Molly’s Sky
  5. The Elemental Line
  6. Every Man
  7. Signs
  8. Thoughts of Why
  9. Schoolyard Shadows
  10. The Grace to Be
  11. Looking Glass
  12. I Guess It Never Stops
  13. A Whisper Can Change the World
  14. Crossroads

1...949596...3,537Page 95 of 3,537

Follow us on Instagram @thatericalper

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

Popular posts

Popular category

© Copyright - That Eric Alper