Alan Jackson – Where Have You Gone

ALAN JACKSON RELEASES NEW ALBUM “WHERE HAVE YOU GONE”

Superstar’s First Studio Album in Six Years IS OUT NOW

Country superstar Alan Jackson has released his first album of all new music in six years – Where Have You Gone is out now.
Packed with 21 performances, Where Have You Gone is Jackson’s 16th studio album – his 25th in a storied career that includes two Christmas albums, two gospel albums, three Greatest Hits collections, a bluegrass album, and one boxed set.

Jackson – a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame – penned 15 of the album’s songs, including the title track. Keith Stegall, his longtime producer, once again plays that role on Where Have You Gone.
“It’s a little harder country than even I’ve done in the past,” Jackson admits. “And it’s funny, I was driving and listening to the final mixes Keith sent me, and I started to tear up. I was surprised to get so overly emotional, but I just love this kind of music.”

“This kind of music” on Where Have You Gone runs the gamut of what embodies true country music. “When I write, I visualize back home and growing up,” the Country Music Hall of Fame member says. “Real country songs are life and love and heartache, drinking and Mama and having a good time…but it’s the sounds of the instruments, too. The steel and acoustic guitar, the fiddle – those things have a sound and a tone…and getting that right, the way those things make you feel, that’s country, too.”
“Alan’s taken his experiences over the last six years and implemented his poet’s perspective to weave together a masterful love letter to country music,” says UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe. “This is Alan’s story but it’s also the story of country music. This music love letter was written about the most universal experiences in life, almost exclusively with Alan’s own pen, and it’s once again a reminder of what a one-of-a-kind creator he truly is.”

Led by the self-penned title track, Where Have You Gone is highlighted by such songs as the poignant and thoughtful “Things That Matter” and the heartache-filled “Way Down in My Whiskey.” Never one to shy away from reflecting real life in his music, “You’ll Always Be My Baby” and “I Do” were written for his daughters’ weddings…while “Where Her Heart Has Always Been” was written for his mother’s funeral and includes a recording of her reading from The Bible. There’s also plenty of fun to be had on barnburners like “Livin’ On Empty,” “Back” and “Beer:10.” And, in the spirit of the album’s overall sound, “That’s the Way Loves Goes (A Tribute to Merle Haggard)” is a bonus track.

ABOUT ALAN JACKSON:

A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Alan Jackson’s membership among music’s all-time greats is part of a long line of career-defining accolades that include three CMA Entertainer of the Year honors, 30 years of membership in the Grand Ole Opry, a Billboard ranking as one of the Top 10 Country Artists of All-Time, induction to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Heritage Award as the most-performed country songwriter-artist of ASCAP’s first 100 years.
The man from rural Newnan, Jackson has sold nearly 60-million albums worldwide, ranks as one of the 10 best-selling male vocalists of all-time (rock, pop and country). He has released more than 60 singles – registering 50 Top Ten hits and 35 #1s (including 26 Billboard chart-toppers). He has earned more than 150 major music industry awards – including 19 Academy of Country Music Awards, 16 Country Music Association Awards, a pair of Grammys and ASCAP’s Founders and Golden Note Awards.
Jackson is one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music. He’s also the man behind one of Nashville’s most-popular tourist stops, AJ’s Good Time Bar, a four-story honky-tonk in the heart of downtown featuring daily live music and a rooftop view of Music City.

Lily Grace & James Blundell – Annie June

‘Annie June’ was written by Lily Grace and James Blundell who collaborated earlier in the year to pen the song together. ‘Annie June’ was inspired by a scene where a husband introduces his new girlfriend into a family situation. This woman is blamed for everything and is portrayed as a homewrecker. The song takes the audience on a journey of discovery where they come to an understanding that Annie June is not the sole cause of the family’s problems as people originally thought. This song will resonate with anyone who has come from a broken family situation. When new people are introduced they can experience hatred towards them but they must understand that they are not the entire problem, and sometimes the underlying problem are the fractures that already exist within the family.

Lily Grace is a young girl going big places. Already turning industry heads, collaborating with iconic Australian country artists and drawing strong crowds, this 15-year old talent from the Gold Coast is one of the most exciting female artists to emerge in recent years. A soloist whose seamless guitar-playing and mesmerizing voice belie her youth, Lily Grace is a genuine, grounded performer who sings from the heart. With her relaxed, easy-listening style and warm and natural stage presence, Lily Grace leaves audiences transfixed by her talent, her young age, and her unique style.

Naturally gifted, Lily Grace began singing at ten years of age. She dived deeper into music a mere four years ago, when she was gifted her first guitar at the age of eleven. Her determination to self-fund her own equipment saw her busking at local markets, and soon after, attracting her to local cafes, restaurants and festivals. With several years’ stage experience already behind her, Lily Grace delivers her own storytelling originals alongside a vast collection of popular, crowd-pleasing favourites from contemporary, classics, and country. The emotions of love, determination, kindness, gratitude and pure joy pour forth in every performance.

Lily Grace is a sought-after talent, having recently opened for Amber Lawrence and Catherine Britt’s ‘Love and Lies Tour’ across Queensland, and joining Tania Kernaghan her recent concert.

Reuben Hester – Sold My Soul

The only way is up for Manchester UK based, Irish newcomer Reuben Hester and his debut Sold My Soul.

TOP40 Irish Radio Airplay Chart #37 / Shazam Ireland #51 (climbing) A cracking song with an emotive story.

Reuben wrote this song in memory of his father Kevin, who passed away last year following a drug overdose.

Ryan Tubridy, Ireland’s biggest chat show host and presenter, invited Reuben for a 15 min. interview last week to chat about his touching story.

Reuben shows us how to channel a hard and painful fate into something creative and good: his song is now TOP40 #37 in the Irish Radio Charts, Shazam Ireland #51 and since 4 weeks with Germany`s biggest AC station, the national broadcaster SWR3, on daytime rotation.

Singer Songwriter Reuben Hester, who plays the guitar, piano and cello, released his debut single “Sold My Soul”. The song is a thoughtful but at the same time highly powerful pop song with influences from breakbeat, urban and r`n`b and a huge hymnic chart-breaker chorus.

“I wrote this song shortly after my father’s passing. I was struggling with the pain and slowly found myself slipping into a dark place. Most days I felt like I couldn’t write and eventually I stopped feeling anything at all. It was a difficult time.”

“Music brought me back to life. Everything I felt was put into this song. It is the most heartfelt and honest piece I have ever written.”
“Words can’t explain the emotions I feel every time I perform this song.”

Watch Reuben perform his song live and acoustic:
“I wrote this song shortly after my father’s passing. I was struggling with the pain and slowly found myself slipping into a dark place. Most days I felt like I couldn’t write and eventually I stopped feeling anything at all. It was a difficult time. Music brought me back to life. Everything I felt was put into this song. It is the most heartfelt and honest piece I have ever written.”

“Words can’t explain the emotions I feel every time I perform this song.”

Reuben Hester is a 25 year old, Irish singer based in Manchester UK.

Reuben, who under his former stage name China Lane, reached #1 of the Spotify Viral Charts in Netherlands and a sync placement in NETFLIX series “Insatiable”, has been described as Funky/Electronic Pop orientated, with grooving rhythms and catchy pop hooks.

His appearance in the BBC show Little Mix “The Search” last autumn, was the start of his solo career.

The song comes as original “Sold My Soul” and stripped back version “Sold My Soul (To Let Him Know)”

Jason Owen feat. Tania Kernaghan – Back Home Again

Popular country music recording artist Jason Owen is back with a stunning version of one of John Denver’s most iconic songs – ‘Back Home Again’ – duetting with fellow country music superstar Tania Kernaghan.

The single will be released on May 14 – the same day Jason’s new upcoming album – ‘Jason Owen Sings John Denver: The Acoustic Sessions’ will be released, which is his first album in four years. The X Factor star will tour nationally with the album from August onwards. Other songs on the album include such classics as ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’, ‘Thank God I’m a Country Boy’, ‘Rocky Mountain High’ and ‘Calypso’.

Jason’s new album follows on from the huge success of his first tribute album to John Denver – ‘Jason Owen Sings John Denver: The 20th Anniversary Album’ which spent seven weeks in the ARIA charts. A national followed including shows at The Sydney Opera House.

“I’m probably one of the biggest John Denver fans in the entire country, and have been ever since I was a boy,” says Jason. “The very first song I ever performed on a national stage was the Denver classic ‘Annie’s Song’ when I was first on the X Factor back in 2012. ‘Back Home Again’ is one of my all-time favourites and is something I have always related to given my country upbringing in Albert, NSW. To duet with Tania on it was just incredible as she’s truly one of Australian country music’s all-time greats.”

In between putting the finishing touches on the album in 2020, Jason used the down-time of social restrictions to make enormous inroads with his charity Doin It for Rural Aussie Kids which supports regional and isolated kids in Australia.

For his efforts the 27-year-old recently won two awards in the prestigious 7News Young Achiever NSW/ACT Awards 2021 picking up the Freemasons of NSW/ACT Community Service Award nomination for his charity work, as well the popular vote for the People’s Choice Award. He was also a finalist for the Ausgrid Indigenous Achievement Award nomination for his commitment to Indigenous communities which made him the most nominated entrant in this year’s competition.

In December last year Jason undertook a gruelling road trip covering 8,000 kms in 10 days across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to personally deliver funds, Christmas gifts and groceries to around 800 children at 21 schools affected by bushfires, drought and the fallout of COVID 19. The road trip is an annual initiative and main focus of the charity which Jason established in 2019.

Following his star turn as runner up of the X-Factor, Jason soon launched his debut album ‘Life Is A Highway’ which debuted at number one on the ARIA Country Album Chart and number five on the Australian National ARIA Album Chart. He has since released albums ‘Friday Night’ containing his first original hit ‘Damn Right’, as well as ‘Proud’, his first all-originals album celebrating his First Nations background.

Jason is now one of Australia’s most popular country artists having entertained audiences around the country including the Tamworth Country Music Festival, CMC Rocks the Hunter, the ACE Awards and the Sony Foundation’s Wharf4Ward event raising funds for youth cancer care.

The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatrist (Mario Caldato’s 85% Mix)

Ahead of the June 4th, 20th anniversary re-release of their ground-breaking debut album, Since I Left You, The Avalanches share another bonus track: “Frontier Psychiatrist (Mario Caldato Jr’s 85% Remix)” remixed exclusively for the deluxe edition by legendary engineer/producer Mario Caldato Jr. who is best known for his work with The Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal record label having engineered and produced their iconic multi-platinum classics Paul’s Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication and Hello Nasty. The award winning producer has also worked with a multitude of world renowned artists including Money Mark, Tone Loc, Young MC, Beck, Bjork, John Lee Hooker, Yoko Ono and many more.

The 20th anniversary deluxe edition release of Since I Left You will feature numerous bonus tracks – including fresh mixes from such artists as MF Doom, Black Dice, Leon Vynehall, Sinkane and Carl Craig. Set for June 4 release on EMI MUSIC Australia, the anniversary edition is now available for pre-order / pre-save in vinyl, CD and digital formats. Fans who pre-save the album will instantly receive two of the bonus tracks – “Frontier Psychiatrist (Mario C Remix)” the previously released “Since I Left You (Prince Paul Remix).”

Jason McDaniel – Honky Tonk Life

An Australian country music singer, songwriter and musician. Jason McDaniel’s musical style is often considered ‘rowdy’ – a blend of country, rock and blues that keeps the crowd entertained and on their feet for the entire show.

Jason has never been one to toe the line… his musical influences of Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, Hank Williams Jnr, ZZ Top, Dire Straits and more shine through in his live shows and his songwriting.

In 1995, Jason released his debut album ‘Man In The Black Hat’ including thirteen songs – Twelve were written by Jason himself plus a collaboration with Glen Ford on the first single of the album ‘Southerly Change’. This single reached #3 on the Australian country charts, with over 10,000 albums sold in 1995-96.

Jason joined Montana as lead singer alongside Charley Boyter (guitar), Allan James (bass) and Greg Fisher (drums). The band toured the east coast working their own shows and also as a backing band for many great Australian artists. The connection with Slim Dusty and Charley Boyter saw the band play at Slim’s birthday party three years in a row.

Over time the band changed its name to Bushfire – showcasing a more Australian feel, then to the Charley Boyter Band. The band members also changed a few times, with the final line up including Brian K Kelly’s son, Ben Kelly (bass), and renowned concert drummer, Tony Macklin. It was this final line up that recorded the last album ‘Bushfire 25th Anniversary’, incorporating all of the most popular requests over the past 25 years of touring together.

2021 is a new beginning for all and has Jason releasing his new solo album ‘Honky Tonk Life’. Thirteen rowdy songs – all songs written by Jason about living life and having a good time. He has drawn on his influences of blues and rock, and mixed them with country to come up with an album that once you put it on, will make you want to get up out of your seat, grab a drink and hit the dance floor… as Jason says ‘country with drive’.

Brock Colley – No Mascara

‘No Mascara’ is the kind of song that just makes you feel better about yourself. It is empowering, big, uplifting and outright groovy. Don’t let the title fool you. Ladies, this will let you know that no matter what the world says, you rock! Fella’s, this will pump you up to let her know the truth! ‘No Mascara’ is a win-win. With its upbeat, positive groove and ‘straight to the heart’ lyrics, you would be hard pressed to find a more uplifting song in 2021.

Following on from a successful 2020, Australian songwriter Brock Colley is back with a bang in 2021. His new single ‘No Mascara’ is sure to turn a few heads and change a few mindsets along the way. With his passion for people to know that they are loved and wanted, Brock has done what most songwriters are always trying to do; find another way to say it!

With an endless passion for hearing great music bound together with meaningful lyrics, Brock has always dabbled in creating good music. The genre of the music has never mattered, it’s always just been a case of ‘does it mean something, and does it sound good’?

Being able to play live and tour again in 2021 means that Brock is on the road with a brand new show, refreshed and ready to bring new music to our ever-changing world. With influences from soul to country to R&B, and from pop to rock, Brock is about as diverse as it gets when listening to his live show.

As well as releasing music for himself and touring, Brock is writing and co-writing songs for and with other artists from all around the globe, and loves the fact that it opens a door to see other cultures and work in different genres that are continually pushing him to evolve not only as an artist, but as a person.

Keep an eye out for Brock as he could be playing in a city near you.

Elephants and Stars – Dreamland

“vibrant and dynamic record that sweeps from restlessly driving opener “Car’s Running Let’s Go” and crunchy and dynamic “Ceasefire” to rousing rocker “Schroedinger In Love” and heartfelt and dreamier “If You Let It”” — The Big Takeover

“Ceasefire is a catchy single that everyone can relate to” — Rock Source Magazine

“Soundtrack-ready” — Global Texan Chronicles

“Powerful. The vocals turn and twist on the sharp words of a knife”. — The Median Man

the story goes further…

Elephants and Stars, the Toronto and Hamilton-area trio-cum-quintet are back again with more songs, more melodies and more members!

ISOLATION. CONFLICT. ESCAPISM. These are all themes of t heir new EP, Dreamland , which is definitely tougher, louder, faster and has a darker underbelly lyrically leaning a little more heavily on their rock influences than their first EP, Recovery .

In a way, Dreamland, could be the unmade soundtrack to the Twilight Zone episode Five Characters in Search of an Exit, especially as there were originally only 5 songs on the EP. Summing up this storyline is the imagry of the album cover, a photo of an abandoned theme park.

“I thought it was such a great metaphor for life. There is this great and wonderful facade, but inside it’s just all left to rot in the end” – Manfred Sittmann

Following the release of 2020’s Recovery EP, recorded and mixed by Lowest of the Low frontman Ron Hawkins, no one could have predicted what happened next. Recovery was released just as the world plunged into what would become the worst pandemic in over 100 years and essentially shut the music business down for the next year.

Luckily for Elephants and Stars, just prior to this they entered the studio with heavyweight Canadian musician and producer Ian Blurton (Lowest of the Low, The Weakerthans, Amy Millan) and recorded 6 new tracks which became Dreamland.

About Elephants and Stars…

Singer-guitarist Manfred Sittmann and bassist Mike MacMillan have “never not been in a band together”. In the early 2000’s they formed Soap Opera, which was signed to Bullseye Records releasing two albums, Poised and Welcome to the Tangiers. Then came The First Time, whose 2004 debut It’s On, a faster and heavier take on Soap Opera’s pop-punk sound, produced by Warne Livesey (Midnight Oil, Matthew Good). It’s On was named Best Punk Record at the 2005 Toronto Independent Music Awards and received rave reviews, as well as mainstream US radio play and TV network licensing for the singles “Goodbye Harlowe” and “New Day Dawning.”

Cassidy-Rae – Cheers Y’all

‘Cheers Y’all’, the dynamic new single from Cassidy-Rae is an upbeat, anthemic song, toasting good times and good vibes on repeat. Delivering an infectious country-pop sound which is trademark to Cassidy-Rae’s past releases, ‘Cheers Y’all’ is the best way to start the party, keep the party going and make the most of every moment.

Written by Cassidy-Rae and produced by Sydney’s Love HZ Studios by renowned producer Michael Carpenter, the song was inspired by Cassidy-Rae’s pre-Covid global tours with memories of US audiences raising a glass in between songs.

“Cheers Y’all started as a toast after every song performing on cruise ships around the world, but it became so much more than that. It became a way to connect and a way to celebrate friendships made along the way. I’m so excited for this song to be released. The world is in need of some goodness and some joy. This is a reason to celebrate! And it’s just the start; the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more music coming and what better way than to start with a party!” Cassidy Rae

As a graduate of the Country Music Academy of Australia, Cassidy-Rae is a powerhouse to be reckoned with, appearing at major events such as Tamworth Country Music Festival, Blue Water Country Music Festival, Ballina Country Music Festival, Sydney Blues and Roots Festival and more.

With over 80,000 followers across social media, Cassidy-Rae continues to connect with fans worldwide over Covid, performing and sharing her life through two Facebook Live Streams – Sunday Sit Down and Live Music Sessions every week.

Past releases from this talented songstress include ‘I’m on Vacation’ ‘Throwback’ and the heartfelt ballad ‘More’ which have all sustained solid airplay on Australian Radio, airplay on CMC/CMT, streams over 166,000 on Spotify and over 300,000 views on YouTube.

From party anthems to heartfelt ballads, Sydney based Cassidy-Rae is a talented and versatile rising star. Her vibrant, confident and authentic performances from her guitar and keyboard, have proven why she has amassed such a loyal following. Her mesmerizing vocals, and larger than life stage presence ensures she is an artist with a huge future and one to watch.