Wednesday 2 August 2017

Country Bites News snippets July 24, 2017 – July 30, 2017

UK & Irish News, UK Chart News, Album Releases, Country News, Press Releases, Gossip, Birthdays, Links too Articles, & Videos.

SOURCES / LINKS shown

For the latest Billboard Country Charts Blog Post go HERE

UK & IRISH News

For a full listing of 2017 and beyond UK Tour dates PLEASE check out our Tour Dates Page

On the BBC Radio 2 Playlist for the week commencing Saturday 29th July 2017
A Playlist:
Shania Twain - Life's About To Get Good
B Playlist:
Glen Campbell - Just Like Always

UK CHART NEWS

Official UK Top 100 Singles Chart (Week Ending 3 August 2017)
28 July 2017 - 3 August 2017
Despacito overcame the fact that its streams only counted for half of those of its main chart rivals to deliver a knockout blow and return to No.1. Starting its third run atop the chart on combined sales of 52,387 copies - including 21,309 from sales-equivalent streams - the track spent its 10th week at No.1 in all for Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, cutting short the reign of Wild Thoughts (1-2, 44,810 sales) by DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller after just one week.

Official UK Top 100 Albums Chart (Week Ending 3 August 2017)
28 July 2017 - 3 August 2017

Trailing in second position all week, Lana Del Rey's LUST FOR LIFE pipped Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott's Crooked Calypso at the post to become the third No.1 album in four releases for the 32-year-old singer/songwriter from New York.
Featuring collaborations with A$AP Rocky, Stevie Nicks, Sean Lennon and The Weeknd, Lust For Life achieved pole position on sales of 24,972 copies, including 5,288 from streams. Although the title Lust For Life suggests the famously gloomy Del Rey is in a happier place, it doesn't halt the downward spiral in her first week sales. She hit the ground running when first album Born To Die debuted at number one on sales of 116,745 copies in February 2012, but that tally was more than halved to 48,028 when second album Ultraviolence debuted at No.1 in June 2014, and was almost halved again, when Honeymoon sold 28,391 copies debuting and peaking at number two in September 2015.
Co-vocalists of The Beautiful South between 1994 and 2000 - a period when the group topped the chart with studio albums Blue Is The Colour (1996) and Quench (1998) and compilation Carry On Up The Charts (1994) - Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott resumed as a duo in 2014 and can consider themselves unlucky not to top the chart this week with third collaboration, Crooked Calypso. Easily No.1 on paid-for sales of 23,309 copies, the album picked up only 239 sales-equivalent streams, for a grand total of 23,548 sales.

John Denver with THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION fell 5-8 with 6,836 sales.
Glen Campbell with ADIOS rose 28-27 with estimated sales of 3,000 (7-week total 57,300)

Official UK Country Album Top 20 (Week Ending 3 August 2017)
28 July 2017 - 3 August 2017
Glen Campbell with ADIOS held at #1 (7 weeks; #1 peak)
Lady Antebellum with HEART BREAK held at #2 (7 weeks; #2 peak)
The Shires with MY UNIVERSE rose 5-3 (23 weeks; #1 peak)
Nashville Cast with THE MUSIC OF NASHVILLE - SEASON 5 VOL 2 fell 3-4 (8 weeks; #3 peak)
Nashville Cast with THE MUSIC OF NASHVILLE - SEASON 5 VOL 1 fell 4-5 (17 weeks; #4 peak)
Steve Earle & The Dukes with SO YOU WANNABE AN OUTLAW held at #6 (6 weeks; #2 peak)
Chris Stapleton with FROM A ROOM Vol 1 rose 8-7 (12 weeks; #1 peak)
Nathan Carter with LIVIN' THE DREAM fell 7-8 (6 weeks; #3 peak)
Alison Krauss with WINDY CITY rose 10-9 (21 weeks; #1 peak)
Zac Brown Band with WELCOME HOME fell 9-10 (11 weeks; #1 peak)
Outside the top 10
Willie Nelson with GOD'S PROBLEM CHILD held at #11 (13 weeks; #2 peak)
Sara Evans with WORDS made a debut at #15

Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40 (Week Ending 3 August 2017)
28 July 2017 - 3 August 2017
This Week/ Last Week/ Title/ Artist
1 1 Adios Glen Campbell [Tagged Country] #27 Official Top 100 Albums
2 4 Life Love Flesh Blood Imelda May [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]
3 3 A/B Kaleo 
4 2 Crack-up Fleet Foxes [Tagged Alt]
5 NEW Barefoot In The Head Chris Robinson Brotherhood [Tagged Rock]
6 7 Cleopatra Lumineers [Tagged Alt] 
7 5 Something's Changing Lucy Rose
8 10 Pure Comedy Father John Misty [Tagged Alt]
9 9 The Nashville Sound Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit [Tagged Rock]
10 11 Semper Femina Laura Marling
Outside The Top 10
11 12 Waiting On A Song Dan Auerbach [Tagged Alt]
12 10 So You Wannabe An Outlaw Steve Earle & The Dukes [Tagged Country]
13 8 How The West Was Won Peter Perrett [Tagged Alt] # Official Top 100 Albums
15 6 A Short History Of Decay John Murry [Tagged Alt]

UK Country iTunes Chart July 30, 2017 11:00
Songs
1. John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads (#163 overall UK Singles chart)
2. Shania Twain - Life's About To Get Good (#186 overall UK Singles chart)
3. Nashville Cast - Saved (feat. Lennon Stella) (#256 overall UK Singles chart)
4. Johnny Cash - Hurt (#317 overall UK Singles chart)
5. Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers - Islands In The Stream (#468 overall UK Singles chart)
6. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now (#498 overall UK Singles chart)
7. John Denver - Annie's Song (#515 overall UK Singles chart)
8. Nashville Cast - Sauntuary (feat. Charles Esten & Lennon & Maisy) (#527 overall UK Singles chart)
9. Dolly Parton - Jolene (#558 overall UK Singles chart)
10. Lonestar - Amazed (#561 overall UK Singles chart)
Of Note:
13. Thomas Rhett - Unforgettable (#747 overall UK Singles chart)
45. Shania Twain - Poor Me | Debut #3 Fri 21 July

UK Country iTunes Chart July 30, 2017 11:00
Albums
1. Glen Campbell - Adios (#43 overall UK Albums chart)
2. John Denver - The Ultimate Collection (#99 overall UK Albums chart) 
3. The Shires - My Universe (#207 overall UK Albums chart)
4. Lady Antebellum - Heart Break (#253 overall UK Albums chart)
5. Various Artists - The Country Album (#317 overall UK Albums chart)
6. Shania Twain - Greatest Hits (#341 overall UK Albums chart)
7. Johnny Cash - The Legend of Johnny Cash (#373 overall UK Albums chart)
8. Margo Price - Weakness (EP) (#424 overall UK Albums chart)  | Fri July 28: Debut #5 (#358)
9. Nashville Cast - The Music Of Nashville Soundtrack Season 5, Vol 2 (#531 overall UK Albums chart)
10. Nathan Carter - Livin' the Dream (#548 overall UK Albums chart)
Of Note:
11. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou - The Complete Trio (#689 overall UK Albums chart)
12. Zac Brown Band - Welcome Home (#690 overall UK Albums chart)
13. Rhinestone Heroes - Strictly Country (#698 overall UK Albums chart)
34. Sara Evans - Words
40. Amie Knight - Take It from Here (EP) | Sat July 29: #22 UK debut
Debuts Fri July 28, 2017
Juanita Stein - America Debut #7 (#395 overall UK Albums chart)
Joe Nichols - Never Gets Old Debut #12 (#440 overall UK Albums chart)
Logan Mize - Come Back Road Debut: #57

UK COUNTRY ALBUM RELEASES

(27 July 2017) Margo Price - Weakness (EP; Third Man Records LLC.)
4 Tracks/ Time: 15:42 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
UK Country iTunes Album Debut #5 (#358 overall)

WEAKNESS, her surprise new EP, was recorded at the similarly historic Sam Phillips Recording studio just down the street from Sun, presumably without sacrificing jewelry or vehicles. On the title track Price refines her country-soul songcraft, savoring the clever wordplay and concise storytelling defined decades ago by Dolly, Loretta, and Haggard. Her backing band scuff their boots up with a streamlined rhythm held together by a two-stepping drumbeat and a jumpy piano theme, as Price presents herself as a woman divided into two warring selves. There’s the Margo who can live up to all the expectations we have of her (“Sometimes I’m Virginia Woolf”), and there’s the Margo who feels like she’s going to crash at any moment (“Sometimes I’m James Dean”). Eventually she admits that “sometimes my weakness is stronger than me,” but the determination in her voice, not to mention the gritty momentum of the music, makes it clear that she’s getting the upper hand on her demons. - Pitchfork.com
Margo Price Explains Her New EP, 'Weakness,' Track By Track - NPR.org

(28 July 2017) Juanita Stein - America (2017 Nude Music Ltd)
11 Tracks/ Time: 40:33 Americana/ Rock Amazon UK - UK iTunes
UK iTunes Country Album Debut #7 (#395)

(29 July 2017) Amie Knight - Take It from Here (EP; HP Music) UK
6 Tracks UK iTunes
Debut: #22 UK iTunes Country Album | Sun July 30: #40, #42 | Tues Aug 1: #70 | Weds Aug 2: off the top 200
EP Launch took place on Sat July 29th at The Barrington Theatre, Pennys Walk, Ferndown BH22 9TH
CONNECT with Amie - Facebook

(28 July 2017) Jillette Johnson - All I Ever See In You Is Me (Rounder Records)
11 Tracks/ Time: 37:10 Singer-songwriter/ Pop
Amazon UK CD/Vinyl (1 Sept) - UK iTunes - Amazon.com - Pledge Music
A ghostly connection in the woods was the catalyst for the Nashville singer’s new album...Last October, Johnson had just moved from Los Angeles to Nashville. A native of the Bay Area who spent her formative years growing up in Westchester, N.Y. (just outside of NYC), Johnson was overwhelmed with the culture shock of The South. She was struggling to adjust to everything from the size of her new city, its oppressive heat, its dating expectations and more, so she fled to Maine for a work retreat....Read More Round Hill Music

(28 July 2017) Jo Dee Messina - All-Time Greatest Hits (Curbs)
12 Tracks/ Time: 43:24 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

(28 July 2017) Joe Nichols - Never Gets Old (Red Bow Records)
12 Tracks/ Time: 40:02 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
UK iTunes Country Album Debut #12 (#440)

(28 July 2017) Logan Mize - Come Back Road (Big Yellow Dog)
12 Tracks/ Time: 39:31  Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: UK iTunes Country Album #57
Leading with first single “Ain’t Always Pretty,” written by Brett and Brad Warren, Chris Stevens and Lance Miller, Mize’s 12-track project also includes three co-writes and was produced by Dan Agee.

(28 July 2017) Mignon - Five (EP)
5 Tracks/ Time: 18:15 Amazon UKUK iTunesAmazon.com - CD Baby

(28 July 2017) Red Moon Joe - Time and Life (DBS) UK
10 tracks/ Time: 46:25 Amazon UK - UK iTunes
#75 UK iTunes Country Album Debut
CONNECT with Red Moon Joe: Facebook
I’ve got a lot of time for Red Moon Joe. They have actually been around since 1985 and released their first album in 1990. They only lasted a few years until Mark Wilkinson decided to hit the road as a session musician and folded the band… It sits fairly square in the apex of Americana, Bluegrass and country but considering that they are Brits, the music avoids the mawkish sentimentality of a lot of the genre and the playing is actually quite superb….. Read more (4 STAR Review Music News.com)
(Rating: 9/10) The songs are confiding, forceful sometimes. As it says in the first track, “Every page and chorus sweet refrain/ Filled with joy and some… filled with pain....This is a CD you should not be without. Awarded a high mark after careful and repeated listening. …Read more Americana-uk.com

(28 July 2017) Billy Droze – To Whom It May Concern (Rural Rhythm Records)
12 Tracks/ Time: 41:29 Bluegrass/ Acoustic Country / Americana Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

(30 July 2017) Jasmine Atkins - Key to My Heart (EP) AUS
6 Tracks/ Time: 21:50 Amazon UK - UK iTunes

BLUEGRASS NEWS
(26 July 2017) WITH EIGHT NOMINATIONS EACH, EARLS AND BALSAM RANGE LEAD FIELD
Nominees for the 2017 International Bluegrass Music Awards were announced at a press conference in Nashville, TN, with Balsam Range and the Earls of Leicester leading the pack with eight nominations each. Balsam Range received six nominations for the band and two for their individual members, while the Earls pulled in five nominations, plus three for individual members. Close behind are the Gibson Brothers, with 7 nominations (band and individuals), and Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper,  with five nominations (band and individuals). - ibma.org

NEWS
(23 July 2017) Scotty McCreery Cited for Trying to Bring Loaded Gun Through Airport Security - Taste Of Country
Scotty McCreery has issued a statement after he was cited for trying to bring a loaded handgun through airport security last week. The Raleigh News & Observer reported that the 23-year old American Idol Season 10 winner and country singer was stopped by police at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Raleigh, N.C., at 6PM on July 13 after a TSA scan of his backpack revealed a loaded handgun. Investigators found five 9 mm rounds in the magazine of the Smith & Wesson and two boxes of ammo containing 63 bullets in the backpack.

(25 July 2017) They Call It Football: Just ahead of Saturday's (July 29) English Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotpsur at Nashville's Nissan Stadium, Sony/Nashville artists Ryan Hurd, Seth Ennis and The Sisterhood performed at a label group-supported pre-game event at the George Jones Museum and Entertainment Complex.

TV
(25 July 2017) Valory Music Co.'s Delta Rae were set to make a cameo appearance in this week's episode of CMT-TV series, "Nashville," which aired on Thursday, July 27th at 8p (CT).
Delta Rae's Ian Holljes shared, “We were so happy to be a part of a show that combines two of our favorite things -- music and story-telling. After recording our own EP, it was fun to be able to go back into the studio and play a role on the show.” Group member Liz Hopkins added, “This is a dream come true! Britt [Holljes] and I have been watching 'Nashville' together for five years. We crush on Deacon, get thrown by the twists, and always appreciate the way it features songwriting and the highs and lows of musician life. We can't believe that we will be featured in this week's episode -- hope you will tune in with us! deltarae.com

PRESS RELEASES

(25 July 2017) Courtney Marie Andrews drops rodeo clown themed new video for “Irene” via NPR Limited Edition 7” with two new songs to be released in September. Meanwhile Courtney is returning to the UK in August/September this year for a highly anticipated UK and European tour, including two dates at Bush Hall on 4th and 5th September (Shepherd’s Bush, London).

(25 July 2017) Kelsea Ballerini announces November 3 release date for sophomore album, “Unapologetically”
“[Unapologetically] is about years 21 through 23,” says Kelsea to Nash Country Daily. It really is. It starts with a gross breakup that I had. It talks about the darkness of that

(25 July 2017) Craig Wayne Boyd adds another "Voice" to the Family, announces baby boy and new music: Craig Wayne Boyd, the powerful country vocalist who Billboard recently profiled as a ‘new country act to watch in 2017,’ announced he’s adding another ‘voice’ to his family with the addition of a baby boy on the way and a new album Top Shelf (available Oct. 27)....http://mailchi.mp/41d4066d580c/craigwayneboyd-announces-new-baby?e=18dc28c7a1

(28 July 2017) Denny Strickland is California Dreamin' on debut album, now available for pre-order

ARTICLES
(27 July 2017) Everything You Need to Know About Anderson East: Anderson East is taking the industry back in time with his classic Americana sound. The up-and-coming artist fuses rhythm and blues, gospel, and country elements of yesteryear with his soulful voice to create a sound that reveals a love affair with the raw music of the past./….Read more Billboard.com

REVIEWS
(24 July 2017) Ashley Campbell Nashville Meets London live review (Rating: 4/5) Entertainment Focus

(26 July 2017) Angaleena Presley Nashville Meets London live review (Rating: 4.5/5)
Overall I was seriously impressed with Angaleena’s performance – her vocals were excellent and I liked the mix of blues, Americana and Southern rock influences in her songs. She’s definitely one of my new favourite artists and I can’t wait to see what she does next. My only wish is that she’d been a bit higher up the bill! - Entertainment Focus

(26 July 2017) Sam Outlaw Nashville Meets London live review (Rating: 4.5/5): The only thing was I missed some of his more humorous songs which I think would have added a different element to the performance, but I also liked that he wasn’t afraid to vary the set compared to previous performances. Here’s hoping he comes back as a headliner next year! - Entertainment Focus

(26 July 2017) Lucie Silvas Nashville Meets London live review (Rating: 5/5) Last night’s show was nothing short of triumph for Silvas. She will be back in the UK in November for a headline tour with Charlie Worsham as her support, and I’m pretty sure she sold quite a few more tickets after her Nashville Meets London performance. Silvas is a wonderfully talented artist whose abilities are limitless and I’m so glad that she’s back on top, where she belongs. - Entertainment Focus

(27 July 2017) Keith Urban "was pretty close to perfection." – San Luis Obispo Tribune

(28 July 2017) Hunter Hayes' encore elevated "very good to great." – Allentown Morning Call: REVIEW: Hunter Hayes taps country and folk to move Musikfest Cafe show from good to great

(29 July 2017) Florida George Line are "blurring genre boundaries and creating new ones." – St. Paul Pioneer Press:  Florida Georgia Line brings fireworks, Backstreet Boys and Nelly to sold-out Target Field

WATCH
(25 July 2017) Ashley McBryde “A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega” (>> Official Video)

(26 July 2017) Shania Twain performing Life's About To Get Good. >> YouTube
Multi-platinum and multi-award winning Global superstar Shania Twain released the Matthew Cullen (Katy Perry, Kygo, Weezer, Beck) directed video for her single 'Life's About to Get Good'. The track is taken from 'Now', Shania's first album in fifteen years, out September 29, on Mercury, Nashville.

When writing "Life's About to Get Good," Shania explains, "I was at home looking out at the ocean and I said to myself, 'Here I am stuck in this past of negativity, but it's so beautiful out. I'm not in the mood to write a 'feeling-sorry-for-myself' song." 

The songwriter recognized that with all of the negative in life also comes the positive. "You can't have the good without the bad. And that's what the song ended up being about."

Shania is a five-time GRAMMY Award-winner and the reigning Queen of Country Pop.
With more than 90 million albums sold worldwide and U.S. sales topping 34.5 million, Shania remains the top-selling female country artist of all time.

(31 July 2017) A Trip to Maui...Brenda Burch share: Have you ever felt like your life is out of balance? Like work and taking care of everyone else has taken over your life? I've been guilty of burning the midnight oil too many midnights in a row. In fact, when the chance to visit Maui presented itself, I wasn't sure I'd even have the time to go. I'd never been to Hawaii before, and it was something I definitely wanted to do at some point, but with everything going on at the time, I knew it would be a real challenge to rearrange my schedule for the trip.

Then I remembered the importance of BALANCE. I had to remind myself that the only person who could schedule some relaxation time for myself was ME. So I took time for the trip, and boy, was it ever worth it. Maui is a beautiful island, and I loved shooting the music video for, "My World," while I was experiencing Hawaii for the first time.
I'm also incredibly excited that "My World" hit #7 on the Hotdisc Country Chart this week!
Published on June 19, 2017 Official Music Video for "My World" by Brenda Burch :

COUNTRY GOSSIP
(28 July 2017) Taylor Swift and her new boyfriend reportedly enjoyed a summer couple's retreat with Hollywood couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. The Blank Space star spent two days cosying up with her British actor beau Joe Alwyn at her Rhode Island mansion last week (end 21 July), and according to Us Weekly, the lovebirds met up with the actors for a double-date.
The mini-vacation came to an end on Saturday (22 July) when Taylor and Joe headed back to her New York City apartment, while trying to avoid the paparazzi.
Sources claim the couple has been going to extremes and wearing disguises when leaving the singer's Big Apple home in an attempt to keep their romance out of the headlines. “Taylor had her massive security team set up so it would look as though (she) was going to walk through the front door, but then a security car pulled to the back of the building and Taylor and Joe ran in wearing matching hoodies and covered by umbrellas," a source says.
The new couple reportedly started dating earlier this year following Taylor's break-up with another Brit, Tom Hiddleston.
“Taylor and Joe are the real deal, this is a very serious relationship," a source recently told U.K. newspaper The Sun, "but after what happened with Tom Hiddleston, they were determined to keep it quiet."

BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays in the week ahead
JULY
29 Martina McBride (1966)
30 Neal McCoy (1958)
AUGUST
Cindy Burch (Burch Sisters) - (1963), George Ducas (1966), Frankie Davies (Jersey)
Hank Cochran - (1935)
Mick Flavin - (1950), Randy Scruggs - (1953) 
Mark O'Connor - (1961), Vern Gosdin - (1934), Sammi Smith - (1943), Terri Clark - (1968), Carolynne Poole (UK; 1980)

R.I.P
(25 July 2017) Producer/guitarist/songwriter Billy Joe Walker, Jr. died Tuesday (July 25). His production credits include artists Bryan White, Travis Tritt, Billy Ray Cyrus, Pam Tillis, Tracy Byrd and Collin Raye. As a session guitarist, he worked with The Beach Boys, Mutt Lange, Ray Charles, Sir George Martin, Waylon Jennings, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Rodney Crowell and George Strait.

(25 July 2017) Singer-Songwriter Michael Johnson passed away in Minneapolis. He was 72.
Johnson first enjoyed success as a Pop artist in the late 70s, with "Bluer Than Blue," which hit #1 in 1978. Follow up hits included "Almost Like Being In Love," and "This Night Won't Last Forever." In 1985, JOHNSON segued to Nashville and had brief success at Country radio, with chart-toppers "Give Me Wings" (>> Audio) and "The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder" in 1986 and '87, respectively.



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