#COUNTRYREWIND - WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN PERFORMS ON TODAY SHOW

Photo ID: (L to R) Hoda Kotb, William Michael Morgan, Jenna Bush Hager

Photo Courtesy Warner Music Nashville

William Michael Morgan kicked off the new year with Hoda and Jenna on NBC’s TODAY, making his national TV debut on January 4 performing his No. 1 hit “I Met A Girl."  The poignant song, along with his newest single, “Missing,” are featured on his recently released critically acclaimed debut album VINYL. Click here to see performance - http://on.today.com/2hRo3TN

Morgan’s debut effort lands him on many year-end best albums lists, including Rolling Stone, iTunes, Saving Country Music, and top song of the year nods for “I Met A Girl” from Billboard and NPR.  The New York Times declares “…in the emergent field of gentleman country — an antidote to the bros of the last few years — William Michael Morgan stands tall.”  The praise continues, referring to “Vinyl” as a “sturdy, reflective debut album….  a throwback to the temperate wisdom of midcareer George Strait.”

The 23-year-old Vicksburg, MS native will join country music stars Lee Brice and Justin Moore on the “American Made” Tour with dates starting in January.  His breakout mega-hit “I Met A Girl,” which topped Country Radio charts and SiriusXM’s “The Highway” Top 45 Countdown chart, has garnered over half a billion audience impressions, including over 20 million on-demand streams. His critically acclaimed album VINYL debuted in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart.

For more information and tour dates, please visit www.williammichaelmorgan.com

CD REVIEW: "VINYL" - WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN

CD: "Vinyl"

Artist: William Michael Morgan

Release Date: 9/30/16

Reviewer: Jennifer Smith

Follow Jenn on Twitter at @Lovinlyrics

Times are changin' and so is the direction of country music thanks to artists like William Michael Morgan. His Sam Hunt penned debut single, "I Met A Girl", put the country music charts on a new tilt and went all the way to #1 after 49 weeks, setting a Mediabase chart record for longest climb to number one. It may have taken awhile to find it's way to the top of the charts, but it sure didn't take long to find it's way to the #1 place in the hearts of traditional country music fans, Now, with the release of his much anticipated debut album "Vinyl", fans have even more reason to be excited. It takes a special kind of artist to start a fire and William Michael Morgan seems to be just the spark that's needed.

Each track on the album reflects who William Michael Morgan is, honest and simple with a deep love for the style of country music that seems to have gotten lost somewhere along the way but that so many of us have held on, waiting for it to find it's way again. He isn't just looking the part with his cowboy hat and Wranglers, he IS the part. His voice is pure and smooth with a hint of Strait that will make your belt buckle. What a refreshing thing to hear when you turn on the radio. Yes, I said radio because even they've seen that what he has to give is much needed. Thank you to all of the stations who took a chance and added the single to their playlists. I promise you that your listeners appreciate it. Even today's younger demographic is pleased in two ways, "I Met a Girl" is a well written song by one of pop country's most popular artists, Sam Hunt, and a well sung song by one of country's hottest traditional newcomers, Morgan. It appeals across the dial.

This is a CD that should be purchased in it's entirety and not limited to the purchase of one or two individual tracks because every track delivers. With songs written by some of country's best writers including, in addition to Sam Hunt, Rhett Akins, Trent Tomlinson, Casey Beathard and Kevin Denney, you really can't go wrong. There is no wrong on this CD, nothing that honest critics can give a thumbs down to. There will be more hits on the way from this album, I'd bet the ranch on it. William Michael Morgan has proven he has more than just potential as a bonafide country artist, he's cemented his future in the genre.

Track Listing for Vinyl

1. People Like Me
2. Vinyl
3. Missing
4. I Met a Girl
5. Spend It All on You
6. Beer Drinker
7. I Know Who He Is
8. Cheap Cologne
9. Somethin' to Drink About
10. Lonesomeville
11. Back Seat Driver

"Vinyl" is available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and Walmart.

Connect with WMM online 

Website - www.williammichaelmorgan.com
Twitter - @WMMorgan
Facebook - WilliamMichaelMorgan
Instagram - wmmorganmusic
Youtube - wmmorganmusic

THIS WEEK'S #1 SONG BY WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN PROVES TRADITION IS VERY MUCH ALIVE AND BREATHING

Everywhere you look on social media these days, country music fans are posting the same thing - "What happened to country music?", "I want to hear something traditional" or "radio doesn't care about REAL country" ... today those questions were answered.

Traditional artist, Warner Bros. own William Michael Morgan took the #1 Mediabase position with his twang of a hit, "I Met a Girl" (ironically written by one of the least "real country" artists but amazing songwriters out there, Sam Hunt.) By passing by artists with current rising hits like Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, and Florida Georgia Line, William Michael Morgan proves that country music isn't dead, it was merely waiting for the right time and that time was today. It shows that there's room for more than one style of country and that tradition is still very much alive, even in radio. It doesn't get much more "real country" than William Michael Morgan.

Thank you to Warner Bros/WMN and the fans for believing in this song and making radio believe in it enough to give it the maximum spins needed to break though the 58 weeks of air play and the 49 weeks of sitting at various spots on the Mediabase charts. This makes "I Met a Girl" the longest chart run to #1 in history so three good things came out of this - a deep breath of country life on the charts, the first #1 hit for William Michael Morgan and the single set a new music history record!

Stetsons off to the Warner Bros/WMN team who stood behind this single and pushed it until it finally happened:

WMN SVP Radio & Streaming - Kristen Williams
WMN VP/Radio & Streaming - Chris Palmer
WMN VP/Original Content & Radio Marketing - Chad Schultz
Warner Bros./WMN National Director/Radio & Streaming - Katie Bright
Radio & Streaming Regional Mgrs - Mallory Opheim, Mark Niederhauser, Rick Young, Lou Ramirez
Coordinator/Radio & Streaming - Branden Bosler

Job well done and song well sung!

HUNTER HAYES ADDS TWO “WILD CARD” DATES TO UPCOMING TATTOO (YOUR NAME) TOUR

Tickets on sale now for October 28 stop in New York; tickets to go on sale October 10 for additional stop in Dallas

Photo Credit: Kristin Barlowe

PRESS RELEASE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 29, 2014) – Four-time GRAMMY nominee and multi-instrumentalist Hunter Hayes is announcing today the addition of two dates to his upcoming Tattoo (Your Name) Tour. Dubbed “Wild Card” shows after the same-titled song on Hayes’ chart-topping album Storyline, the additional shows are set for October 28 at New York City’s Best Buy Theatre and November 29 at the Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie in Dallas, Texas. Tickets for the New York date are currently on sale and tickets for the Dallas show will go on sale to the public Friday, Oct. 10 at 10:00 a.m. CST.

Each ticket purchased for Hayes’ Tattoo (Your Name) Tour also comes with a customized LED wristband by Glow Motion Technologies that will allow fans to be an integral part of the live show. The wristbands, featuring technology that has never been taken on a full tour before, will officially debut at the Oct. 28 show in New York.

Joining Hayes as a supporting act for that show will be up-and-coming country group The Railers, with hot new duo Dan + Shay joining Hayes as supporting acts for the “Wild Card” show in Dallas. Both Warner Music labelmates will appear on previously announced U.S. dates for the Tattoo (Your Name) Tour.

Dates for the Tattoo (Your Name) Tour are as follows:
Oct. 28, 2014 Best Buy Theatre | New York, N.Y.
Oct. 30, 2014 Bryce Jordan Center | University Park, Penn.
Oct. 31, 2014 Times Union Center | Albany, N.Y.
Nov. 1, 2014 Thomas M. Ryan Center | Providence, R.I.
Nov. 13, 2014 BMO Harris Bradley Center | Milwaukee, Wisc.
Nov. 14, 2014 iWireless Center | Moline, Ill.
Nov. 15, 2014 Sprint Center | Kansas City, Mo.
Nov. 20, 2014 Chaifetz Arena | St. Louis, Mo.
Nov. 21, 2014 Sears Centre Arena | Chicago, Ill.
Nov. 22, 2014 The Palace of Auburn Hills | Detroit, Mich.
Nov. 29, 2014 Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie | Dallas, Texas
Dec. 4, 2014 Lakefront Arena | New Orleans, La.
Dec. 5, 2014 Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena | Jacksonville, Fla.
Dec. 6, 2014 Arena at Gwinnett Center | Atlanta, Ga.
Dec. 11, 2014 Wolstein Center | Cleveland, Ohio
Dec. 12, 2014 Rogers K-Rock Centre | Kingston, ONT Canada
Dec. 13, 2014 Budweiser Gardens | London, ONT Canada

CD REVIEW: RANDY TRAVIS: "INFLUENCE VOL I - THE MAN I AM"

CD: "Influence Vol 1: The Man I Am"
Artist: Randy Travis
Release Date: 9/30/13
Label: Warner Bros.

When it comes to the kind of music that reminds you just how great it feels to be a true country music fan, you don't need to look any further than Randy Travis. Randy Travis is the epitome of what it means to be country, from his twang all the way to his traditional country heart. He takes from that tradition and pulls a selection of songs that mean the most to him, that represent who he is and he is the picture of country. "Influence Vol I: The Man I Am" reaches deep inside and, through his deep baritone voice, wailing steel and sometimes swinging, sometimes humble guitar, shines the light on the stuff country music is made of. You'll find no over-production, no straining vocals or overbearing electric guitar here but what you will find are the basics at their best, melodies and vocals that are understated yet impactful, and instrumentation that is simple yet complex.

The cd is barely 3 days released and already garnering positive reviews across the board. In a few years of set backs for Randy, I think he's finally gained positive traction with the release "Influence". It's time that the music took center stage again for Randy because like he said himself, "you've been too gone, for too long".

There truly isn't a track on this cd that isn't purely and wonderfully Randy. The songs themselves may not be Randy's originals, but they definitely Randy. One of the largest influences on the cd is the Okie from Muskogee, Merle Haggard, with the first four cuts being covers of his music. The slow, drawn melody and crying instrumentation of Merle's 1974 hit, "Someday We'll Look Back", immediately brings back memories of first hearing Randy on the radio in the late 80's with his first hit, "On the Other Hand". Man, what good music we had back then! The swingin' piano and fiddle in "Big Butter and Egg Man" get your toes tapping and your head doing the infamous country head bob. One of our favorites on the cd also happens to be one of Merle's best "non-hits", the reflective ballad "What Have You Got Planned Tonight, Diana?". Other artists that heavily influenced Travis that are represented on this project are Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizell and Waylon Jennings.

If we reviewed all of the songs on this cd, we'd go on and on and basically say the same thing, they're all pretty darned awesome and they're all the kind of music that put Randy Travis on the country music map. So we'll leave it at that, go buy yourself a copy of the cd and review them personally. You won't be disappointed. Randy's back, both in health and in song, and for that, we're thankful! We're also grateful for the artists that inspired this cd.

You can pick up "Influence Vol 1: The Man I Am" at most music retailers and online at iTunes and Amazon.

ONLINE EVENT (STAGEIT.COM) - APRIL 10: ASHLEY MONROE LIVE FROM MUSIC SQUARE

The Pistol Annies' Ashley Monroe will perform on Live from Music Square tomorrow, Wednesday, April 10. The live performance will be available online via StageIt and will be followed by a question and answer session.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO GET YOUR TICKET!

EVENT (STAGEIT LIVESTREAM): TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12 - BRETT ELDREDGE IS "LIVE FROM MUSIC SQUARE"

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ON FEBRUARY 12 AT 7:00PM CT

Brett Eldredge will be featured on Live From Music Square on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Eldredge is the first performer to participate in the live streaming concert, a new monthly series from Warner Music Nashville made available via StageIt.