Slick Rock Entertainment Magazine

BIG & RICH AND GRETCHEN WILSON TO DONATE PROCEEDS FROM XTREME MUZIK THE TOUR DATE AT WOODS AMPHITHEATER AT FONTANEL TO OPERATION FINALLY HOME

Xtreme Muzik The Tour, featuring co-headliners Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson has been a hit with audiences from coast to coast, and Big Kenny, John Rich and Gretchen Wilson will donate 100% of their proceeds from their September 2, 2011 date at The Woods Amphitheater at Fontanel to Operation FINALLY HOME, a 501(c)3 organization that honors wounded and disabled veterans and widows of fallen soldiers with new homes.

“This is a wonderful organization I’ve worked with for years. They have a very simple but very important cause,” said Big Kenny, who first approached his touring partners about the idea. “Building a home is noble, but constructing a home tailored to the needs of a specific injury or disability is one of the things Operation FINALLY HOME really understands and has done well time and again. It’s an honor for us all to have them working with us here in Music City. I’m willing to jump out of a perfectly good plane to raise awareness of the great needs of so many of our returning soldiers!”

Daniel Vargas, a retired U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant runs Operation FINALLY HOME out of New Braunfels, Texas. Born out of the Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops effort, the program provides custom-made homes to wounded and disabled veterans as well as to widows of the fallen in an effort to get their lives back on track.

“For many of our soldiers the real battle begins once they’ve left the hospital and returned home,” said Vargas. “We are committed to helping make sure that these men and women will have the security of a roof over their heads. This mission is possible only through gifts from donors and sponsors. We are grateful and proud to have country music stars Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and Cowboy Troy support our efforts.”

Doors to Woods Amphitheater at Fontanel, located at 4225 Whites Creek Pike in Nashville, open at 6:00 p.m. Big Kenny, CMSgt Steph Page and Shaun Meadows, a double amputee Afghanistan combat veteran, along with Team Fastrax Professional Skydiving Team will kick off the evening by skydiving high above the venue and landing in the meadow at Fontanel. Music will start at 7:00 p.m. with newcomer Bradley Gaskin. Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson will take the stage at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.woodsamphitheater.com.

About Operation FINALLY HOME

Operation FINALLY HOME is an award-winning program created by Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops. Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops was established in 2005 as a non-partisan/non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops mission is to provide custom made mortgage free homes to wounded and disabled veterans and the widows of the fallen in an effort to get their lives back on track and become productive members of their communities. Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops partners with corporate sponsors, builder associations, builders, developers, individual contributors, and volunteers to help severely wounded heroes and their families’ transition from the battlefront to the home front and help them succeed in their challenging new world so they may ultimately enjoy a productive and rewarding life.

www.babasupport.org

JOEY+RORY RELEASE NEW “HEADACHE” VIDEO AND SINGLE

Headache. One word every man hates to hear – whether it’s used in truth or just in fun – is now the focal-point of a new song by award-winning duo Joey+Rory, and Sugar Hill/Vanguard Records will release the single to Country radio on August 29, 2011. Written by Joey+Rory with longtime friend and collaborator Wynn Varble, the infectious tune drives spikes in the best laid fishin’ – or other plans – of every good-hearted man.

“I feel a headache comin’ on.
I think this one’s a doozy,
It might last all month long.
So go on that’s fine, have a good time,
But remember while you’re gone.
I feel a headache comin’ on.”

“With this song, I think I’ve finally come up with the perfect solution for women to get their men to do some work around the house,” quipped Joey. “Since the day we wrote it, this song has been nothing but fun for Rory and I. We’ve been playing it out on the road for several months and the crowds have just loved it.”

Rory adds, “Like one of her heroes, Loretta Lynn, my wife likes calling it like it is. And this song definitely does just that. So does the video…it’s hilarious. Let’s just say, it doesn’t end well for me! Well, actually it does! Making the video was so much fun. We can’t wait for people to see it and to hear the song.”

The single will be the first release from the duo’s forthcoming third album on Sugar Hill/Vanguard Records, due out after the first of next year. The fun, tongue-in-cheek music video for “Headache”, shot at Joey+Rory’s farm, began airing on GAC this week and features Joey and her friends line-dancing.

“I love to line dance” Joey says, “when I was younger, my sister Julie and I used to sneak into 8 Seconds country nightclub in Indianapolis and spend the whole evening line-dancing. I miss doing it and I also miss seeing it in country videos.”

Fans can vote for the clip in GAC’s Top 20 here, and the video is also available for viewing on YouTube.

Joey+Rory opened dates for Alan Jackson in Norway and Sweden last week and have spent this week sightseeing around France, Italy and elsewhere. Follow their trip updates on twitter @joeyandrory.

For additional information on Joey+Rory, their upcoming A Farmhouse Christmas album, tour dates and more visit www.JoeyandRory.com.

Christmas Time’s A-Coming – Celebrate With A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS VOLUME TWO
10-Song CD, With Bonus DVD Included, In Stores September 27
Special Holiday Tour Begins November 28

Christmas time’s a-coming, and holiday music fans will find a special treat when A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS VOLUME TWO hits stores nationwide on September 27. The new disc comes with a bonus DVD filled with 26 performances of traditional seasonal favorites and new compositions that are sure to become holiday treasures.

For Skaggs, a 14-time Grammy® winner, the FAMILY CHRISTMAS projects are a true labor of love. “We released Volume One back in 2005 because our fans asked us for it,” Ricky recalls. “We didn’t know if we’d ever do another one, but we’ve been hearing from our fans and they’re ready for more Christ­mas songs, so here’s Volume Two. It was a joy to create and we’re excited to share it.” Ricky, his wife Sharon and their children (Luke and Molly) are joined by Buck and Cheryl White, and Cheryl’s daughter, Rachel Leftwich, part of the Skaggs’ extended family and members of a celebrated musical clan in their own right. Also featured are world-renowned Kentucky Thunder and The Nashville Strings.

The 10-song CD features both studio and live recordings, and the disc kicks off with the upbeat bluegrass arrangement of “Christmas Time’s A Coming,” which segues smoothly to showcase Sharon White Skaggs and her sister, Cheryl, trading lead vocals on the bright, acoustic, “Light of the Stable.” An a capella version of “The First Noel” finds Ricky singing lead, while the signature vocals of the White sisters excel on the high and low harmonies. Heavenly voices rise in praise on the classic seasonal favorite, “Silent Night,” which also features a poignant mandolin and soaring strings. Molly Skaggs shines on “What Songs Were Sung,” proving she’s more than worthy to carry on the families’ traditions, while brother Luke burns up the fret on his own composition, the intricate instrumental, “Flight To Egypt.” The modern “Reunion Song” features a deceptively-simple sing-along melody, and Ricky not only triumphs on the lead vocal, but also plays Guitars, Mandolin, Gut String Solo and Dan Electro. Skaggs’ lightning-fast finger pickin’ guitar lick jump-starts “Children Go” and the vocal interplay between the family members (Ricky, Buck, Sharon and Cheryl) should leave listeners breathless. A haunting, original arrangement and expressive vocals by Luke, Molly and Rachel highlight “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel,” and the disc closes with a classical instrumental interpretation of “Joy To The World.”

As a bonus, A SKAGGS FAMILY CHRISTMAS LIVE (DVD) is included with the purchase of the CD. The DVD features the family’s heartwarming holiday concert, recorded live in Nashville at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The three generations have taken this special show on the road for the last eight years, and the tradition continues this year, with the troupe performing at a variety of venues throughout the holiday season, including:

11/28/11 Brooks Ctr. for the Perf. Arts / Clemson, SC
11/30/11 The Paramount Theater / Charlottesville, VA
12/01/11 Music Center at Strathmore / N. Bethesda, MD
12/02/11 Tennessee Theatre / Knoxville, TN
12/10/11 Honeywell Center / Wabash, IN
12/11/11 Niswonger PAC of NW Ohio / Van Wert, OH
12/17/11 Smokey Mtn. Performing Arts Center / Franklin, NC
12/22/11 Schermerhorn Symphony Center / Nashville, TN

“We started singing these songs in our living room all those years ago, with no idea that we would ever take A Skaggs Family Christmas to so many places,” explains Sharon. “We’ve performed everywhere from churches to symphony halls to the National Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington D.C., where we sang for President George W. Bush. The recording process, the performing and traveling has been so much fun! It has been such a blessing to share all of this as a family.”

Explore the history of the Skaggs Family and more at www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com.

AVERAGE JOE’S ENTERTAINMENT SETS DATE FOR MONTGOMERY GENTRY ALBUM Rebels On The Run to Hit Stores October 4, 2011

The past year has seen incredible changes in the personal and professional lives of Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry – some positive, some not – and all of those experiences and emotions have been funneled into award-winning duo Montgomery Gentry’s seventh studio album. Rebels on the Run, a collection of 11 songs that define where Montgomery Gentry have been and where they’re going, will be available from their new label home, the indie powerhouse Average Joe’s Entertainment, on October 4, 2011.

“In a lot of ways the past year has been has been nothing but hell,” said Eddie Montgomery, whose life was upended with the C-word and D-word late last year. He was blindsided by news of prostate cancer, which was fortunately caught early, promptly treated it and is now in remission. A short time later, his wife filed for divorce. “Man, without T-Roy and my family, this music, our fans and the Man upstairs, I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through it.”

“I don’t know if we would have made the same album if we hadn’t been through everything we’ve been through in the last year,” added Troy. “We’ve always tried to record songs about things we’ve lived or seen, but the depth of all of those experiences really comes out in this album.”

The biggest career change in the last 10 months was a move from the only label they had ever known, Columbia Records, to one of the most artist-friendly companies, Average Joe’s Entertainment.

Average Joe’s instructed Eddie, Troy and producer Michael Knox, whose production credits include Jason Aldean, Trace Adkins, Hank Williams, Jr, Kelly Clarkson and others, to “go in and make some Montgomery Gentry music.” Music that harkened back to the songs that initially brought them to the dance.

“They had gotten away from the music that made people fall in love with them in the beginning,” said Tom Baldrica, President of Average Joe’s Entertainment. “Eddie and Troy know their audience better than anyone, because they are their audience. That made it easy for them figure out what kind of songs they wanted on this album. They have also developed incredible relationships with the best songwriters in the business, which in turn helped them get the absolute best songs.”

Eddie and Troy collaborated with Jim Collins, Ira Dean, Wendell Mobley, David Lee Murphy, Rivers Rutherford, and Neil Thrasher on three cuts on the album. Rodney Clawson and Dallas Davidson co-wrote the duo’s first single from Rebels on the Run, “Where I Come From,” and they turned to friends like Kelly Archer, Greg Bates, Kevin Grantt, Justin Weaver and others for the remaining songs.

The guys are on the road this week with dates in California, Las Vegas and Colorado. As members of the Grand Ole Opry since 2009, they will be back in Nashville to play the storied stage on September 13. They are scheduled to headline the 28th Annual Love Ride motorcycle rally with Jay Leno outside Los Angeles on Sunday, October 23, 2011. For more details, visit www.montgomerygentry.com.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY SETS ATTENDANCE RECORD AT BIKE RALLY

Montgomery Gentry will, in all likelihood, be invited back to the Wild and Wonderful MountainFest Motorcycle Rally in Morgantown, WV next year. Organizers are reporting the award-winning duo helped set two attendance records last week. The guys served as Grand Marshals of the MountainFest Parade of Bikes, which drew the largest crowd ever for the event. That night, a record 20,000+ fans were on hand for MG’s headline performance at the Riverfront Park in Morgantown.

The duo’s new single, “Where I Come From,” which is the first release from their upcoming album, hit the national charts this week. Eddie and Troy will perform in Wisconsin and Michigan this weekend before heading west for three dates in California and stops in Colorado and Las Vegas.

Visit www.MontgomeryGentry.com for tour dates, venues and news.

38 SPECIAL TO RELEASE LIVE ALBUMLIVE FROM TEXAS Hits Stores August 30

After more than three decades together, 38 SPECIAL continue to bring their signature blast of Southern Rock to over 100 cities a year. At every stop, fans ask the same question: “When are you going to record a live album?” And it’s for those very fans the band has recorded LIVE FROM TEXAS, an explosive collection of the band’s signature songs that are engrained in the fabric of American music that will hit stores August 30, 2011.

The notion of releasing a new live album started to take precedent around the fall of 2009. A desire was growing to showcase a new spirit of 38 SPECIAL, a band that had matured into a tighter unit with an innate ability to read each other on the stage after thousands upon thousands of miles on the road.

“For LIVE FROM TEXAS, we brought our digital equipment out with us and recorded the shows using direct inputs and special audience mics. Then we took it all back to our studio for remixing,” said 38 SPECIAL co-founder/guitarist/ vocalist Don Barnes. “We wanted to experiment with the new audio technical advances gained in the last decade. The plan was to make it sound like you’re right there in front of the band with the audience all around you, a sense of ‘being there.’ So, I think there’s a noticeable difference. It just rocks! Those crowds out in Texas were massive and all of the classic songs deserved a chance to shine in an enhanced live fashion. I think we were finally able to deliver what we represent onstage.”

Their initial idea was to make a live recording available exclusively at the band’s shows, with an eye toward having fans take home a copy to carry on the party. But what they found as they listened back – after gleaning select tracks from various cities across Texas – was a blistering new set with a distinct difference in performance as well as audio quality than years before. It grew into an excitedly motivated plan to make available to the world 38 SPECIAL – LIVE FROM TEXAS, a collectively proud history of a band that has made the road a part of its heritage.

In addition to the numerous hits and rock anthems – “Rockin’ Into The Night,” “Caught Up In You,” “Back Where You Belong,” “Fantasy Girl,” “Hold On Loosely,” and “Chain Lightnin,” – there is much more. The album also includes a seven-song medley of other popular cuts, as well as a surprise appearance with co-founder/vocalist Donnie Van Zant being joined by his younger brother, Johnny – current lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd – on the only live version of their Van Zant country hit “Help Somebody.” The band later goes even wilder on a bombastic encore to reveal some past influences, with rousing renditions of “Back In The U.S.A.” and “Travelin’ Band.”

The high-energy compilation is highlighted by the vocals and guitar work of Danny Chauncey, with Bobby Capps on keys and vocals, bassist Larry “LJ” Junstrom holding the bottom together, and drummer Gary Moffatt providing the driving beat.

“And the magic’s still there,” adds Van Zant. “It’s an emotional high for us to keep ‘bringing it’ after all these years. That’s what you hear on the new live stuff, that sense of urgency and power.”

www.38Special.com

DARREN WARREN RELEASES DEBUT EP

NuCorp Entertainment artist Darren Warren had a dream come true this week, when his debut six-song Cowboy Up And Party Down EP was released digitally. The title cut single is gaining ground at country radio, and the music video hit the airwaves on The Country Network this week.

A cancer survivor who spent nearly three years being treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Darren has dedicated his life and music career to helping raise awareness and funds for the world-renowned hospital. A portion of the proceeds from virtually every aspect of Darren’s career and NuCorp Entertainment will be donated to St. Jude.

Darren Warren w/Randy Owen

Supergroup Alabama lead singer Randy Owen (l.) and Darren Warren (r.) in the recording studio.

Darren wrote or co-wrote four of the six songs on his EP. He’s as comfortable blowing the roof off with songs like “Cowboy,” “Southern Belle” and “Kentucky Friday Night” as he is slowing things down with “You’re My Angel” and the autobiographical “The Way God Made Me.”

Probably the most moving song on the EP is “Go Get My Angel,” a song he wrote about a little girl who lost her battle with cancer while he himself was receiving treatment at St. Jude. Alabama lead singer Randy Owen, who helped found Country Cares for St. Jude Kids in 1989, was so moved by the song and Darren’s own story, he came in to sing on the track. “It’s one of the most life changing songs I have ever written by far,” said Darren, “and I was so honored to have Randy come in to sing on it.”

Darren Warren St. Jude Dreamhome

Pictured at the opening of the St. Jude Dream Home in Bowling Green, KY are: (l. to r.) – Chris Allen, WBKO-TV; Tom Desmond, Regional Director, ALSAC Field Operations; Darren Warren; and Hollie Hayden, St. Jude Senior Event Marketing Rep.

On Friday, Darren was on hand to cut

the ribbon to officially open the St. Jude Dream Home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He purchased the first ticket for the giveaway and welcomed guests as they toured the beautiful home. The three bedroom/two bath home is valued at $325,000 and will be given away on September 18, 2011.

To listen to cuts from the Cowboy Up And Party Down EP, for tour dates or more information on Darren Warren, visit www.DarrenWarren.com.< /p>

SCOTTY McCREERY’S VIDEO FOR “I LOVE YOU THIS BIG” PREMIERES AUG. 9

FANS CAN SIGN UP NOW TO BE FIRST TO RECEIVE ALBUM NEWS

Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings/Interscope artist Scotty McCreery’s video for his debut hit, “I Love You This Big,” will premiere on Aug. 9.

CMT will air Scotty’s new video as part of an extended 15-minute special that includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from his video shoot.

CMT Premieres: Scotty McCreery ­ I Love You This Big will debut on Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT on CMT and CMT Pure.

GAC will air the video on Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 6:24 a.m. ET, 8:30 a.m. ET, 10:30 a.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. ET, and 11:54 p.m. ET. GAC cameras have been following Scotty since June in preparation for a new GAC special, Introducing: Scotty McCreery, which is set to premiere this fall.

As a way of saying thank you to the fans for helping him win Season Ten of American Idol, Scotty wants them to be the first to receive the exclusive details of his much-anticipated album release. To receive the breaking news about his debut country album, fans should register at his official Web site, www.scottymccreery-official.com.

“For this first album, we are definitely going to let the fans know first about all of the details coming out,” he says. “We want them to know just what’s happening with the album and when it’s coming out because they’re the ones who are going to buy the music and they’re the ones who have been following me through this Idol journey.

“I’m really excited to let people hear what we’ve been working on and putting so much effort and energy and time into. It’s something that I’m really proud of. I can’t wait for them to hear it! Hopefully they’ll feel what I was feeling in the studio

Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert kicked off The Revolution Continues tour this week by performing two sold out shows at the iconic Billy Bob’s Texas in Ft. Worth. Lambert is the first artist to ever sell out back-to-back shows in the history of the venue.

“We at Billy Bob’s Texas couldn’t be happier with Miranda Lambert. She was the only female artist to sell out our venue in 2010 and nearly 6000 fans per night came out last Friday and Saturday to give us the first back-to-back sellouts in our 30 year history,” said Robert Gallagher, Billy Bob’s Entertainment Director.

Gallagher acknowledged both shows sold out in a record breaking 30 minutes this past December and all those in attendance were not disappointed.

“Glowing reviews are coming in from all Fort Worth and Dallas media outlets praising her energetic, passionate and heartfelt performances,” said Gallagher. “Thanks to Miranda, band and staff for giving us these wonderful milestones, especially in our 30th anniversary year.”

During Friday night’s performance, Lambert emotionally dedicated “The House That Built Me” to her grandmother who had passed away less than a week before.

“Lambert is still right there, on the cusp of tremendous things,” praised Preston Jones of the Star Telegram. “Friday night demonstrated she can wrestle with her personal and professional lives simultaneously, one feeding the other, resulting in a superstar who’s eminently relatable. Too few of Nashville’s elite can say the same.”

Platinum-selling recording artist and Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert recently added seven ACM nominations to her ever-expanding list of accolades, including Entertainer of the Year, Top Female Vocalist of the Year, Single Record of the Year for “The House That Built Me,” Song of the Year for “The House That Built Me,” Video of the Year for “The House That Built Me,” and “Only Prettier,” Vocal Event of the Year for “Coal Miner’s Daughter” with Sheryl Crow and Loretta Lynn. In February, she scored her first Grammy award for “Best Female Country Vocal Performance” for “The House That Built Me” and performed the #1 hit on the show.

In 2010, she was nominated for a record-setting nine CMA awards and took home the trophies for three of those, including Album of the Year (Revolution), Female Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year for “The House That Built Me.” She received her first AMA nomination for Favorite Female Country Artist and won her first ever fan-voted CMT Award, for Female Video of the Year. Earlier in the year, she scored ACM wins for Album of the Year (Revolution), Female Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year (White Liar). Her second single from Revolution, “The House That Built Me,” held the Number 1 position for 4 straight weeks. It followed “White Liar” which was Miranda’s first career No.1 single. Miranda newest single is “Heart Like Mine.”

Miranda is currently headlining “The Revolution Continues” tour. For more information, visit www.MirandaLambert.com

LAUREN ALAINA’S VIDEO FOR “LIKE MY MOTHER DOES” PREMIERES AUG. 8

FANS CAN SIGN UP NOW TO BE FIRST TO RECEIVE ALBUM DETAILS

Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings/Interscope artist Lauren Alaina’s video for her debut single, “Like My Mother Does,” will premiere on Aug. 8.

CMT will air Lauren’s new video as part of an extended 15-minute special that includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from her video shoot. CMT Premieres: Lauren Alaina – Like My Mother Does debuts on Monday, Aug. 8 at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT on CMT, CMT Pure and CMT.com.

GAC will air the video on Monday, Aug. 8 at 6:24 a.m. ET, 8:24 a.m. ET, 12:30 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. ET, 11:30 p.m. ET and on Aug. 9 at 3:30 a.m. ET. GAC cameras have been following Lauren since June in preparation for a new GAC special, Introducing: Lauren Alaina, which is set to premiere this fall.

In addition, Lauren is offering her fans the chance to be the first to hear the exclusive details about her much-anticipated album release. Fans can register at Lauren’s official Web site (www.laurenalainaofficial.com) to receive the breaking news about her debut project.

“I cannot wait for my album to come out and I can’t wait for my fans to know when it’s coming,” she says. “The most-asked question I get is, ‘When is the album coming out?’ I can’t wait to actually get out there and share with them who I am as an artist.

“My fans have made everything happen for me. They voted and stood behind me through this whole experience.”

Starting today, Lauren’s site (www.laurenalainaofficial.com) is offering an exclusive album pre-order package that includes Lauren’s full-length debut album, an 8×10 photo, a personalized poster and an instant download of her single “Like My Mother Does,” as well as a chance to enter a sweepstakes for an ultimate CMA Awards experience that includes a meet-and-greet with Lauren.

Lauren is excited to reveal the video for her current hit, “Like My Mother Does,” which was shot by Nashville video director Shaun Silva in Altadena, Calif.

“The video is all about my mom and it has footage from my childhood and pictures of me and my family while I was growing up,” she says. “It’s all projected on this beautiful Southern-style house. It’s really great. It shows my life, so people will know more about me after they see it.

“I love that it shows who I am and how I became who I am. It shows my family and all about what I’ve done all through the years, and I love that.”

Lauren was the runner-up on Season 10 of American Idol, where her strong vocal performances earned comparisons to the genre’s premier vocalists of the last decade. A record-breaking 122.4 million votes were cast for Lauren and Idol winner Scotty McCreery for the finale. The final show garnered 29.3 million viewers and 38.6 million people tuned in to see the winner’s name announced.

Lauren is currently featured in the American Idols Live tour that runs through September. She will also perform on ABC’s Good Morning America on Aug. 12.

Lauren will perform with Martina McBride in the three-hour prime-time concert special, CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, which airs on ABC on Sunday, Aug. 14, 8-11 p.m. ET. The show will also reveal a day in the life of Lauren as she experiences her first CMA Music Festival.