#EVENT - THE 2ND ANNUAL MOCKINGBIRD SONGWRITER'S FESTIVAL - LELAND, MISSISSIPPI APRIL 8 AND 9 - HOSTED BY STEVE AZAR - FEATURING ERIN ENDERLIN, CHRIS WALLIN JAMES HOUSE, ANTHONY SMITH, CLAY MILLS, BRIDGETTE TATUM AND MORE

The 2nd Annual Mockingbird Songwriters Music Festival is back for another round on April 8 and 9 in Leland, Mississippi and they're adding more hit songwriters this year and first class entertainment with many of your favorites making an appearance along with some new faces. You'll hear new music, the stories behind the songs and the songs told as only the songwriter can tell them.

The event is hosted by Steve Azar and will feature hit songwriters Jim “Moose” Brown, Erin Enderlin, JT Harding, James House, Phillip Lammonds, Clay Mills, Don Sampson, Anthony Smith, Bridgette Tatum, Wynn Varble, Tricia Walker, Chris Wallin and Matt Warren. Also performing are Americana favorites John Mohead, Tyler Tisdale and Rob Mortimer along with local favorites Trey Gardo, Jamey Shannon and closing out the night with full band jam on stage, Zach Day and Texas Horse Pirates!

LINEUP AND STAGE SCHEDULE COMING SOON!

ONLINE TICKET SALES END AT 4PM - FRIDAY, APRIL 8TH

TICKET PRICE AT GATE -$45

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE 

REVIEW: "DISCOVERING LUCY ANGEL" - PREMIERING ON AXS TV JANUARY 13

If you've never heard of the all female trio, Lucy Angel, you're gonna want to tune in to "Discovering Lucy Angel", a new docu-series beginning on AXS TV Tuesday, January 13, 2015 and see what all the Nashville buzz is about. If you have heard of them, congratulations, you're ahead of the game and know good music.  Lucy Angel isn't a new group by a long shot, quite the contrary actually. We first heard about the group a couple of years back from mega hit songwriter, Anthony Smith, who, as fate would have it, is in a relationship with Lindsay Anderton and father to their child, McCartney. With recommendation coming from someone like Anthony, you don't question, you pay attention.

The group is made up of sisters Lindsay, Emily and their mother, Kate Anderton. They've been pounding the streets of Nashville since 2003, playing every venue they could possibly get in to just to get their music heard. Lucy Angel hasn't limited their exposure to Music City, they've also toured internationally to country music fans in Japan, Switzerland, and China and they are honored to be the very first Western Hemisphere act to perform at the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square, Beijing in front of many Chinese government officials and more than 280 international dignitaries and ambassadors. Lucy Angel released 2 singles, "Only Woman Left" and "Serious" in 2011 in addition to an EP with "Serious" reaching #31 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout chart and #42 on the Billboard Indicator chart.

These girls are out to make a name for themselves and an audience for their music and it's paying off. Now you can tune in and see what it takes to make it in the industry, the high's, the low's, the happiness and disappointment, the patience and the "not so patient" times. This show takes you inside the daily lives of the Anderton family at home, including Lucy Angel, father and band manager G-Man, brother Fletch, the dogs and you'll get to meet Anthony Smith and McCartney as well.

We had the pleasure of being asked to review the premiere episode before it airs next week and we LOVED it. Having been a longtime fan of Lucy Angel as well as Anthony Smith, this is a great way to see, as a family, what makes them tick, what holds them together and the struggles they go through to follow their dream and eventually land among the stars of country music. This isn't just another reality show, this is their reality and the reality of trying to make it in the business. We think you're gonna like it.

"Discovering Lucy Angel" premieres on AXS TV on Tuesday, January 13 at 9pm ET. The show will continue to have a regular time slot of 9pm ET on Tuesday nights.

Follow Lucy Angel online -

Website - www.lucyangel.com

Twitter - @LucyAngelBand

Facebook - LucyAngelMusic

Instagram - Lucy_Angel

Youtube - LucyAngelMusic

You can purchase music from Lucy Angel on Spotify and iTunes.

Click here to find out if AXS TV is offered in your area

- Jennifer Smith

EVENT (MEMPHIS, TN): TUESDAY, JUNE 25 - DARRYL WORLEY'S HITMAKERS AND HARLEYS - DARRYL WORLEY, JIMMY WAYNE, ANTHONY SMITH AND MORE

Anthony Smith is "Bringing Back the Sunshine"

Man, I love some Anthony Smith! He is one of the best and most underrated songwriters in Nashville. Follow him on Twitter at @anthonysmithhq and check out his website at http://www.anthonysmith.com.

CD Review: "Bringin' Back the Sunshine" - Anthony Smith

CD: "Bringin' Back the Sunshine"

Artist: Anthony Smith

If you were to ask any Nashville local to name one country music's best, underrated songwriters, I would bet an antique Martin guitar that you'd hearthe name Anthony Smith come up on more than one occasion. Anthony's extensive list of writing credits is longer than my left and right arm combined, including hits such as George Strait's "Run" and "Cowboys Like Us", Trace Adkins' "Chrome" and "I'm Tryin", Rascal Flatts' "My Worst Fear", Tim McGraw's "Kill Myself" and "Kristofferson" and Montgomery Gentry's hit, "Whataya Think About That". The hit list rolls on from there and includes songs cut by Gretchen Wilson, Faith Hill, Van Zant and a plethora of the top names in country. What you might not realize is that Anthony is also an artist, having released a few cds of his own including his latest, "Bring Back the Sunshine". Now personally, I think his older releases were made of more substance than "Bringing Back the Sunshine", however that being said, this one ain't nothing to cast aside, nor is it country chump change. I personally think Anthony could perform the Chinese phone book and rock the pure hell out of it. His music is pure country, there's no disputing that and if you try, you're obviously not listening with both ears. His sound isn't like anything on radio today and I'm thankful for that since I really don't listen to radio. If he was on the radio, I might have missed out.

"Natural Disaster" by Anthony Smith

The title track, "Bringin' Back the Sunshine", while a good tune, doesn't really project that signature "Anthony Smith sound", it's actually got a little more pop to it than his other music. It's catchy in a "70's 8-track tape on a long ride in the El Camino" kinda way and easy to find yourself singing along to, but honestly, his voice just doesn't seem to match the song itself. "Natural Disaster", now that's a true traditional country style song complete with twang. You can almost visualize Anthony sitting at a bar, swigging on a glass of straight Jack and singing about his regret of lost love to the bartender, who's name is probably Otis or something. This one's what I'm talking about, good stuff. What I love about this cd is that Anthony's included a rocking instrumental, "Anaconda Cowboys", that almost sounds Allman Brothers-esque with it's southern rocking guitars and zero vocals. Love the addition of that, you don't get that kinda stuff anymore in today's country. I absolutely LOVE "Ride the Range". All I can say is HELL YEAH! Then there's "Hillbilly Romeos", a fantastic twang filled duet with the King of the Opry, the late great Porter Wagoner. What a country music gem that outshines most of the auto tuned, cross over songs out there now. There are several good tracks on this cd that will appeal to those who like real country music. All in all, I love the cd. I love Anthony's style, his voice, his way of telling a story with his music and the fact that he performs his songs the way HE wants. If you like good, honest, true to form country music with a southern edge, here's your choice.

I give it a shot of Jack and raise you a fifth! Here's to country music and here's to Anthony Smith for keeping it real.

You can find Anthony Smith online:

Anthony Smith Official Website

Anthony Smith Official Myspace Page

Anthony Smith Official Twitter Page

Anthony Smith Official Facebook Page

Anthony Smith on "iLike"

You can purchase Anthony's music on iTunes (This particular cd is not available yet on iTunes, however previous releases are.)