James Lampman
List of the Top 20 most requested songs for the month of August 2016!
Hardcore country traditionalist, Daryle Singletary, has built a career based on musical integrity.
“When I moved to Nashville in 1990, I left Georgia telling my Daddy, ‘I want to make my living in country music,’” Daryle recalls. “I didn’t tell him I wanted to be played on the radio every day or be on a video channel every day. I said, ‘I want to make a living playing for the people who enjoy my kind of music.’ Fortunately and thankfully, I have been able to do that since 1995.
“We’ve been very fortunate to stay on the road, year in, year out. I continue to work and continue to build a fan base. There are still people out there who want to hear traditional country music. I’ve been fortunate to be able to always keep it real and not have to compromise. I can’t ask for nothin’ better, I don’t guess.”
Daryle Singletary earned his notoriety for country authenticity with such unforgettable hits as “I Let Her Lie,” “Too Much Fun,” “Amen Kind of Love” and “The Note.” His newest album, “There’s Still A Little Country Left” , finds the country singer smack dab in the middle of what he loves the most, traditional Country music. On past albums, some of the greatest talents in his industry have lined up to sing with Daryle, including the late George Jones and Johnny Paycheck, Dwight Yoakam, Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, John Anderson and Rhonda Vincent. On “There’s Still A Little Country Left”, Daryle finds harmony vocal assistance from Grand Ole Opry member Vince Gill on the poignant and moving “Say Hello To Heaven.”
Daryle is from rural Georgia. His father is a retired postmaster and his mother is a hair dresser. They sang gospel music on weekends. By the time he reached his teens, Daryle was a rabid country music fan, enthralled by the sounds of Keith Whitley and his all-time favorite, Randy Travis.
He moved to Nashville in the fall of 1990 and made the rounds of Music City’s nightclub talent contests, picking up $100 here and there. Producer Greg Cole began playing drums in his band at a club called The Broken Spoke. Daryle recorded a pair of singles for the independent label Evergreen Records in 1992, but neither was a success. In the meantime, he was badgering his idol with letters. After members of the Randy Travis band heard Daryle at The Broken Spoke, they urged the star to listen, too. With Randy as his co-producer, Daryle Singletary issued his debut album on Giant Records in 1995. It included the career-launching singles “I’m Living Up to Her Low Expectations,” “I Let Her Lie,” “Too Much Fun” and “Workin’ It Out.” Traditional honky-tonk fans shouted “Hallelujah!” in response. Daryle’s consequent projects included the hits “Amen Kind Of Love”, The Used To Be’s and The Note. 2015 will bring the newest CD release “There’s Still A Little Country Left”, many corporate collaborations and a tour schedule packed with dates from March until December.
When asked about the current state of Country Music Singletary says, There are still great country songs out there. You just have to either write them or ask the songwriting community for them... and say, ‘Look, when I say country, I mean country.’ “And lucky for me, on this new CD I did both... and there are fans who still appreciate that. My fans are not fans of the bro-country movement, which doesn’t bother me a bit. They’re people who like it real, and that’s what I give them. “Like I say, I’ve been very fortunate. I just wanted to make a living doing something I love to do. I’m by no means a millionaire, but I make a living singing what I love, honest country music.”
Matthew Huff, an independent artist, making his own way as a fusion genre’d artist with a mix best described as a little bit of Keith Urban, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, and James Taylor all rolled up in to one. A country rooted artist with several musical genre inspirations.
Huff recently was awarded a 2015 Independent Music Network Award for Favorite Country Single (A Little Bit of Crown).
Get The Album Here !
Country singer, storyteller and entertainer Marshall makes dynamic, homespun music based on his everyday life and observations about the human condition. Packed with soul and grit, his tunes are radiant with infectious guitar melodies, rollicking rhythms and nostalgic poetry. Marshall channels his fresh, frank views on love, loss, self-discovery and moving on through his gravelly voice seasoned with a drop of sweetness. A generous and engaging performer, he connects to audiences through his energetic live shows, inviting them into his expressive inner world.
Marshall's solo debut, Sinners and Saints features six heartfelt songs that bloom from a place of deep honesty and real-world experience. Produced by two-time Grammy nominee Travis Wyrick (Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, Shinedown) in Knoxville, the material on the EP flowed out of Marshall when he moved to Nashville after the brutal end of a long-time romance. The album is brimming with heartbreak and hope and shows his growth as a songwriter as well as his ability to glide through many musical styles, including modern and retro country, rock, folk and everything in between.
A passion for music has coursed through Marshall's veins since his childhood split between rural West Virginia and North Carolina; he hails from three generations of accomplished musicians and singers. He came up listening to country radio hits by artists such as Restless Heart, Lonestar, George Strait and John Michael Montgomery, often while riding around in his uncle's truck. On New Year's Day when he was 16-years old, he discovered his father's old bass guitar in a closet and started learning to play it while experimenting with throwing together his own lyrics. Before long, he was seeking out concerts with friends, playing in bands and putting poetry to music, embracing that he was fated to be a country singer/songwriter. Marshall has already garnered many accomplishments as a musician. He has played bass and sung in both rock and country groups, played thousands of shows and recorded half a dozen studio albums. He has released singles that have charted in the top 10 on R&R charts. Marshall also supported country artist Jody Lee Petty on bass, touring the southeast and opening for nationally-known acts including Colt Ford, Josh Thompson, Justin Moore and David Allen Coe. Drawing inspiration from great country crooners such as Travis Meadows, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton and Dierks Bentley, who are capable of painting vivid pictures with words, Marshall is now boldly embarking on a solo career and preparing for the official release of Sinners and Saints. He is currently building a robust backing band and booking both acoustic and full-band shows throughout the southeast and mid-Atlantic states.
Get The Album Here](http://www.marshallrockscountry.com/)!
Brett Young is an American country music singer-songwriter from Orange County, California. Young was a college baseball pitcher but took up songwriting after getting injured. His self-titled debut EP, produced by Dann Huff, was released by Republic Nashville on February 12, 2016. The lead single, "Sleep Without You", was released on April 11. Young wrote the song with Justin Ebach and Kelly Archer. Billy Dukes of Taste of Country gave the song a favorable review, writing that "Young’s R&B influences come out in the sincerity and warmth of his delivery, not the sonic nature of this mostly acoustic jam." The music video was filmed in Malibu, California and directed by Shane Drake. It co-stars Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan.
Once Again Barrett holds on to a spot in our top 5! Barrett has had 2 songs in the KROW Country Top 20 for an unprecedented 4 Months!
NBC’s The Voice finalist Barrett Baber gave millions of viewers one of the most memorable introductions to a true artist and entertainer the show has ever seen.
With commanding performance energy, Barrett owned the stage from round 1, and his unique, soulful country sound stood out among the entire show as something truly special. Blake Shelton says, “Barrett sounds like no one else on country radio. He can be a superstar in Country music.”
An East Tennessee man, via California and Kentucky, Tony Justice likes to sum up his life in six words: God, Family, Country Music, and Trucking. And this truck-driving, singer-songwriter, God-fearing, family man, with a tough-as-nails work ethic,is having the time of his life chasing his dream! With straight up honesty in his songs, Tony Justice, a second generation trucker, not only writes about the trucking life, he lives it. And he’s well on the way to making his goal (dream?) into a reality – having a No. 1 hit song.
Get The Album Here!
Since the debut of his first album in 2007, Luke Bryan has placed 12 singles at No. 1 and sold 7.5 million albums with 30 million digital tracks from his four studio albums. He has been named Entertainer of the Year by both the Academy of Country Music (twice) and the Country Music Association. In 2014, Luke achieved the best touring year of his career with 1.7 million fans attending his concerts. In early 2015, Luke played his first-ever shows in Europe and on May 22 the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum launched a new exhibit, “Luke Bryan: Dirt Road Diary.” The exhibit runs through November 8, 2015.
On August 7, 2015, Luke will release KILL THE LIGHTS, his fifth studio album and the follow up to his most successful project to date, CRASH MY PARTY, which contains six consecutive No. 1 singles, is certified Double Platinum and has currently sold over two million copies with eight million digital downloads.
Jordan’s competitive nature began at a young age. Sports and music ran on parallel tracks for the Loganville, Georgia native. “My dad’s from Chicago, a big Cubs fan and baseball is lifeblood up there,” Jordan says. “So me and my brothers were raised with that and I was infatuated with it from a young age. I played from the time I could hold a ball up until I was about 16. My dad’s also a pastor and sang a little bit – he’d lead a special song one Sunday a month. He tells a story about me being three or four singing along with the radio and he turned to my mom and said, ‘He’s on key!’”
Speaking of keys, it’s his dad that Jordan credits as being key to shaping his musical influences. “My dad was a huge Country music fan – Kenny Rogers, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, John Michael Montgomery, Tracy Lawrence. All the guys from that ‘90s era have always been big influences for me as well.”
But don’t let that decade fool you: Jordan’s music speaks to his peers – the millennials, the social media generation, the dreamers, the do-ers. The 21-year-old’s music chronicles his everyday life – from the parties to the tender moments to the lofty dreams attainable just over the horizon. It is, in a term, the voice of “Young Country” as evidenced in Jordan’s lead single “Feels Like One Of Them.”
Get The Song Here!
That Ain't Country makes the biggest jump in our Top 20 for August leaping 11 spots on our chart!
Aaron Lewis is an American musician and songwriter, who is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of the rock group Staind, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He has since ventured into country music with his debut solo EP Town Line, which was released on March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records. Lewis' first full-length solo release, The Road, was released by Blaster Records on November 13, 2012.
In 2006, Lewis was ranked at number 49 in the Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists by Hit Parader.
(Get The Song Here!)
Toby Keith Covel, known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Keith released his first four studio albums—1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin', plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of Mercury Records before leaving Mercury in 1998. These albums all earned Gold or higher certification, and produced several chart singles, including his debut "Should've Been a Cowboy", which topped the country charts and was
the most-played country song of the 1990s. The song has received three million spins since its release, according to Broadcast Music Incorporated.
Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1998, Keith released his breakthrough single "How Do You Like Me Now?!" that year. This song, the title track to his 1999 album of the same name, was the number one country song of 2000, and one of several chart-toppers during his tenure on DreamWorks Nashville. His next three albums, Pull My Chain, Unleashed, and Shock'n Y'all, produced three more number ones
each, and all of the albums were certified 4x Platinum.
"All I ever wanted to do coming to Nashville was to write rowdy, in-your-face, straight country music," says Jon Pardi, "and that's what this album is."
Pardi’s high-energy approach, perfected on stages throughout his native California, has its stamp all over his Capitol Records Nashville debut. Just as importantly, that energy is applied to music rooted in songwriting legend Harlan Howard's adage that country is three chords and the truth.
"If you can take a piece of life and put it in a song," says Pardi, "it's going to be a good song—especially if it's from the heart."
Life and love, truth and energy wind their way all through his debut album, which showcases a young artist who is clearly no ordinary newcomer. Few artists hit stride as quickly and as forcefully as he has, and his fellow artists have been among the first to take note.
"People ask me who I'd like to open up for," he says with a smile, "but I’ve been lucky enough to have opened for several artists I look up to."
It's a list that includes Alan Jackson, Dwight Yoakam, Dierks Bentley, Gary Allan and Luke Bryan, artists who appreciate the kind of influences Pardi brings to the table—echoes of the crisp Bakersfield sound of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, hints of the driving beat of Waylon Jennings and the excitement of Jerry Lee Lewis. He brings all of it together and puts his unique stamp on it, topping it off with just a bit of swagger that gives a little edge to his undeniable appeal.
Texas has produced some of country music's biggest legends, and Jody Booth could well be the next member to join that near-cosmic lineup. With a gritty edge that defies convention and a lyrical vulnerability startling in its honesty, this intense guitar-playing singer/songwriter from the small town of Livingston, Texas is hovering on the borderline between regional acclaim and national fame - and he's reaching out for the "big time."
Jody’s music is pure and heartfelt; his writing is forged by a life lived in the trenches of responsibility while dancing on the edge. “I don’t always write about my life” Jody states. “But I think I’m a good observer of the human condition and I think it shows in my songs”
Jody’s playing all over the state of Texas, both acoustic sets and full band. He has made a name for himself, playing Honky-Tonks, festivals and fairs, and while he doesn’t like to “drop names”, he modestly admits to opening for the likes of Willie Nelson, Tracy Lawrence, Jack Ingram, Roger Creager, Aaron Watson, Tracy Byrd, and his absolute favorite, Merle Haggard. As a songwriter Jody has written with a ton of Texas acts such as Kevin Fowler, Roger Creager, Cory Morrow, Dean Dillion, Josh Ward, Bri Bagwell, Jake Worthington, John Slaughter, Jason Allen, Jason Cassidy, and the list goes on and on. He has co-written two number ones from Roger Creager and Jason Cassidy, and several top ten hits From Josh Ward and John Slaughter. When Jody is not writing or performing, he’s playing golf or poker, and getting ready for hunting season.
Artist's Website: Jody Booth
Still holding on to 2 spots on our Top 20!
NBC’s The Voice finalist Barrett Baber gave millions of viewers one of the most memorable introductions to a true artist and entertainer the show has ever seen.
With commanding performance energy, Barrett owned the stage from round 1, and his unique, soulful country sound stood out among the entire show as something truly special. Blake Shelton says, “Barrett sounds like no one else on country radio. He can be a superstar in Country music.”
Trace Adkins’ trademark baritone has powered countless hits to the top of the charts and turned albums into Platinum plaques, selling over 10 million albums, cumulatively. The Grammy-nominated member of the Grand Ole Opry is a television personality, actor, author, spokesman for the Wounded Warrior Program, the American Red Cross and has performed seven USO Tours
(Get The Song Here!)
At only 20 years old Jake Worthington has quite the resume. In 2014 Jake he was named "Runner-Up" on Season 6 of the hit NBC TV Show "The Voice". While on the show Jake managed to release 2 songs that reached the Top 20 on Billboard Heatseekers: His cover of Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting" hit #14 & his remake of Keith Whitley's "Don't Close Your Eyes" went to #17. But perhaps the most impressive of the feats was when Jake's rendition of the Bryan Adam's hit song "Heaven" reached #3 on Billboard Country Top Digital Songs.
Success from the TV show has led to a Social Media presence that reaches nearly 250,000 total people across the world; resulting in numerous YouTube videos with over 1 Million views each.
In October 2015 Jake released his debut EP of original songs. The EP debuted: #6 Billboard South Central, #16 Billboard Heatseekers & #44 Billboard Country. The debut single from the EP "Just Keep Falling In Love" is currently climbing the country music charts and the music video has been featured on GAC, CMT and many other TV outlets.
When Cody Johnson’s Cowboy Like Me debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Country Albums chart in January 2014, jaws dropped in offices all over Nashville.
“I got a lot of ‘Who is this kid?’” Johnson says with a laugh two years later. “I love that. That was a new horizon. And I’m gonna work to make sure people know exactly who I am.”
Johnson does that from the start in Gotta Be Me, a follow-up project that’s loaded with solid country instrumentation and winsome melodies. In the first minute alone, he paints himself as a cowboy, raised on outlaw country, who drinks too much, fights too much and won’t apologize for having an opinion. By the time the 14-track journey is over, he’s shared his rodeo history in “The Only One I Know (Cowboy Life),” demonstrated his woman’s influence in “With You I Am” and paid homage to his gospel heritage in “I Can’t Even Walk.”
Johnson delivers it all with an uncanny confidence. His smoky baritone and ultra-Southern enunciations give him a voice as uniquely identifiable as country kingpins Jason Aldean or Tim McGraw. And he uses it to convey a Texas-proud swagger, a real-man charm and an unwavering honesty about who he is, where he comes from and where he hopes to go.
The best introduction to Jon Wolfe is the basic yet not so simple fact that he’s a country singer and songwriter. Country music, as it was, is and always should be, with boots firmly standing on the bedrock of tradition and an eye focused on taking it into the future. And that, as any fan of true country knows, is no simple proposition.
“At heart, it’s all about being a great singer and storyteller.”
Hence the other best introduction to Jon Wolfe is to hear him sing and share the stories in the songs he performs and writes. And to learn his life story — from small town Oklahoma to the bustling big city commodities trading floor to the dancehalls and honky-tonks of Texas and Oklahoma to Music Row, to give the highlights — and witness his faith in the power of music and determination to touch the hearts of others with something that means so much to him.
It’s world class country music from the American heartland, informed by the great singers that inspired Wolfe — like George Strait, Garth Brooks (a fellow Okie), Clint Black, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam, to name a few — yet fired by his own contemporary energy and vision.
Wolfe’s music has been burning up the Texas Charts where he garnered six consecutive Top Ten singles(“Let A Country Boy Love You,” “That Girl In Texas,” “I Don’t Dance,” “It All Happened In A Honky Tonk,” “The Only Time You Call” and “What Are You Doin’ Right Now”), making Wolfe a “must see” act in the Texas touring scene.
For country recording artist Tony McKee, it’s an odd and unseeming combination of attributes that define the artist and his sound. A bit of a contradiction (he counts old Hollywood MGM musicals and horror films amongst his favorites, he’s from Kentucky but has never cared for hunting), he’s spent a lifetime cultivating his style – a blend of classic country and genuine nostalgia with some unapologetic honesty mixed in. The end result is American Dream, a collection of life’s moments told through song, sold through committed performance and capable of transporting listeners right back to McKee’s Kentucky upbringing. And while the juxtaposition that is Tony McKee may seem a mystery to some, he’s quick to remind that most accomplished in their craft were misunderstood. “Marilyn Monroe is the perfect example of a misunderstood talent – but she had a lot to give the world. I intend to do the same.”
Raised in a family of musicians, McKee initially derived interest in music watching classic Hollywood movies featuring greats Judy Garland, Fred Astaire and, personal favorite, Gene Kelly. “I remember learning every song from the Wizard of Oz… I recorded myself singing the soundtrack and gave it to my dad to have while on the road.” Throughout his early years, McKee performed anywhere and everywhere he could, from leading worship to taking part in competitions like the K-Country Showdown. “I never placed in competitions, but I loved performing and the excitement those performances brought.” But it wasn’t until a performance at class night his senior year of high school that McKee truly recognized his calling. “I got on stage and saw a few hundred eyes on me. It was at that moment I knew I could never get enough of that rush. I knew it’s what I wanted to do.”
After graduating, McKee found himself trying on several genres – first recording a gospel album and touring churches and, later, recording country and pop albums. It was in college as a music major that he stumbled upon songwriting. Working cash wrap at the local Dollar Tree and looking for a way to process some of life’s recent happenings, he pulled some receipt paper and penned his first song. Despite this newly discovered outlet, life’s circumstances kept McKee from moving forward. “I’d been struggling, and ultimately decided to make my first move to Nashville in 2010, but soon after felt my career plateau. I was frustrated, took an out, and moved to L.A. to work in film for a bit. Ultimately, though, I knew my place was Nashville and my life in music.”
With a second wind, he moved back to Nashville in winter 2014. “I was watching CMA Country Christmas and just knew… I wanted to be a part of it all.” The next week, McKee set out to find a producer and connected with Kent Wells (Dolly Parton). The collaboration lead to the creation of American Dream and his upcoming single Lightning Bugs, set to hit radio in late April 2016. With lyrics reminiscent of all the things McKee loved as a child, selling the song and connecting with listeners through vocal performance came naturally.
“I love Eric Church, Granger Smith and Dierks Bentley because they have heart. Same goes for several of Nashville’s local songwriters, like Red Marlow. Watching him perform is a bit of a religious experience. It’s clear he’s sold on what he sings, which is something few artists truly accomplish… That’s ultimately what I set out to do, whether in studio or on stage. I don’t simply want to tell a story – I want to take listeners there with me.”
His voice has helped define the soundtrack of country music for two decades, and now Ronnie Dunn is poised to continue that legacy with the release of his now second solo debut album Peace Love and Country Music.
With 28 Academy of Country Music Awards, 20 Country Music Association Awards, two GRAMMY Awards and more than 30 million records sold as half of country music’s legendary duo Brooks & Dunn, it’s evident that Ronnie Dunn knows a thing or two about pleasing his fans.
Now, having embarked on a solo career after Brooks & Dunn ended its 20-year run in 2011, the acclaimed vocalist is getting back to basics and taking a grassroots approach to releasing new music and re-connecting with fans on a more intimate level.
Artist's Website
Rutledge formed in 2009 and wasted no time in sharing the stage with many national artists. Sharing the stage with artists such as, Lee Brice,Montgomery Gentry, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, LoCash, Eli Young Band, Casadee Pope, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band John Rich, David Nail, Rodney Atkins, Lauren Alaina, Big Kenny, John Michael Montgomery, Steel Magnolia, Emerson Drive, Craig Campbell, Frankie Ballard, Logan Mize, The Farm, Steve Holy, Mountain Heart, Ted Nugent, STYX, REO Speedwagon, Daryle Singletary, Mark Wills, Andy Griggs and Stealing Angels, gave Rutledge the exposure they needed to become one of the areas most popular bands. Playing today’s country hits and originals Rutledge puts on a high energy live show that shouldn’t be missed. One of the bands strengths is that they write their own songs. "Our songs are a little different but very familiar and instantly recognizable" says Lead Singer Adam Rutledge. In 2011 Rutledge released their first music video for their single “I Love My Life” to rave reviews. Rutledge continues to record and release singles and play to packed venues as they work their way to their first big break.
