VIRAL SENSATION KAREN WALDRUP CONNECTS WITH CAPACITY CROWDS "ACROSS THE POND" - SELLS OUT DEBUT EUROPEAN TOUR

Singer/songwriter Karen Waldrup has spent the last few years building a worldwide audience through her charismatic online video content. Last week, she traveled to Europe to connect with some of her international fans in person. The viral sensation, who’s had over 250 million online views, played sold-out debut shows in London, England, Schaan, Liechtenstein and Stockholm, Sweden. The shows drew fans from all over Europe including Scotland, France, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Estonia, Austria and Ireland. Her pre-show VIP experiences were also at capacity.

“I’m continuously blown away by the opportunities music gives me” says Waldrup. “I have been interacting with my UK and Europe fans for years and it was so amazing to be able to connect in person. The essence of humanity is connection and I’m so thankful that music really elevates our connections.”

In celebration of the success of Waldrup’s cover of “I Hope You Dance” and the opportunities it’s afforded her, Waldrup recorded a version of her rendition last week in Liechtenstein.  In the video, she expressed her gratitude to the power of that song which allows her to travel the world playing music. It was released as this week's “Waldrup Wednesday” on Country Rebel. Check it out here.

While in Europe, Waldrup also shot a music video in the Swiss Alps of Interlocken, Switzerland for “Colorado Kiss,” the sultry heartbreak ballad off her album Justified. Stay tuned for release date of the video. Waldrup’s new album Justified is available everywhere now.

Go to http://www.karenwaldrup.com and keep up with the latest news and music releases!

#TOURINGNEWS - KENNY CHESNEY CHOOSES EMERGING FEMALE ARTIST CAROLINE JONES FOR SONGS FOR THE SAINTS TOUR

For Kenny Chesney, the Songs for the Saints 2019 Tour is about going to the people, leaning in and creating music in a more intimate realm than his massive 1.3 million fan, 19-stadium summer tours contain. With a focus on arenas half the size he normally plays, it offers the songwriter from East Tennessee the opportunity to introduce an emerging country artist who’s done it outside the lines to No Shoes Nation.

“I met Caroline at the ‘Trying To Reason’ Hurricane Relief Benefit that Jimmy Buffett did last year, and she struck me as being so pure in her approach to the business and so pure in her intention as a songwriter,” Chesney says of his tourmate. “I wanted to help someone willing to work outside the system, to give them the opportunity to be heard and seen. Caroline is so fresh, so filled with life and so consumed by her music, she seemed like the perfect person because of everything No Shoes Nation is about.”

Wall Street Journal took notice this summer, writing “following her own impulses, [Jones is] taking an unconventional route to the country-music” of her ability to connect. Both Billboard and Rolling Stone put the Florida-based singer/songwriter on their respective “15 Country Artists to Watch” and “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know” lists. Bare Feet, her latest album, debuted at No. 15 on the iTunes Chart without the major label press.

An accomplished and tenacious multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar and piano, Jones learned mandolin, banjo, harmonica and Dobro slide guitar by practicing and watching YouTube videos. Jones, who largely plays all the instruments on her projects, has a fresh take on modern country; working in collaboration with noted producer Ric Wake, who’s produced Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Jennifer Lopez, Jones’ kind of country has already attracted notice from Zac Brown, who’s taken her on tour, and Buffett, who signed her to Mailboat Records.

“Kenny has shown genuine kindness and support to me and my vision for myself as an artist,” says Jones of her addition to the Songs for the Saints 2019 Tour.  “He is a songwriter, and a person of integrity and philanthropy, in addition to being one of the greatest live entertainers out there. I am really honored to be a part of his tour and be introduced to No Shoes Nation.”

“Our tours have always been about bringing different kinds of music to No Shoes Nation,” Chesney says. “We’ve taken Grace Potter out; Old Dominion who’s gone on to do great things; Drummie Zeb from the Wailers came out and played with us; Uncle Kracker for a couple summers. It’s about mixing things up, giving people all kinds of music. And this year with David Lee Murphy and Caroline Jones, we’ve got both ends of the spectrum, which I know No Shoes Nation is going to love.”

Tickets for the Songs for the Saints 2019 Tour go on-sale Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. local. Blue Chair Bay Rum returns as the presenting sponsor for Kenny Chesney’s tour.

CMT ARTIST DISCOVERY EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE OF HANNAH BETHEL'S VIDEO "TRAIN"

Critically Acclaimed Indie Artist Featured on CMT Music for Six Weeks, Online at CMT.com and across all CMT Social Platforms

'We are so excited to be supporting Hannah Bethel - she's a great storyteller. Take one listen to 'Train' and you will be singing it all day!" 

- Leslie Fram, SVP Music & Talent/CMT

Photo credit: Luke Rogers

Rising independent artist, Hannah Bethel's music video for her latest single, "Train," will air in an exclusive CMT Artist Discovery broadcast premiere on CMT Music and online at CMT.com on Tuesday, Dec. 4th.

CMT Music approximate air times for "Train" on 12/4 are slated between 6:50-7:50am, 12:45-12:55pm and 11:40-11;50pm. The video will Premiere at CMT.com at 12:00 Midnight at this link: www.cmt.com/video-clips/wxob8n. (All times listed are ET).

Bethel's "Train" video will air 3-times each day on CMT Music for 6 weeks and be eligible for extra spins on the CMT Music 12-Pack Countdown. The CMT Artist Discovery also includes CMT.com homepage promotion, and CMT social media and editorial platform promotion for Bethel and "Train."

The powerful and hauntingly beautiful music video was filmed and directed by Dawson Waters in the mountains and deserts of west Texas. "Train" was co-written by Bethel and sister, Wynter Bethel, and produced by Brad Hill and Lalo.

"I have always loved the art of music videos and telling the visual story of a song," states Bethel. "I've been watching CMT since I was a kid and I am so honored and so excited to be supported by them!"

Bethel's artistic vision and growing critical acclaim places her at the vanguard of the best and brightest rising recording artists in Nashville today. A tireless performer and songwriter since her teens, Bethel has spent the past decade releasing music independently and garnering accolades all along the way. Her well-developed and unique style influenced by the greats of Country and Seventies Rock has led her to receive high praise from such renowned music industry critics as Robert K. Oermann and Chuck Dauphin, major radio personalities including Bill Cody and Devon O'Day of WSM, and rave reviews from leading media outlets such as prestigious Billboard, MusicRow, and Maverick Magazine.

In another major step in her upward career trajectory, Bethel was recently welcomed to become a member of Nashville's prestigious Song Suffragettes, a trailblazing organization founded by Todd Cassetty and a leading member, independent artist, Kalie Shorr. Song Suffragettes is a collective of female singer-songwriters that performs every Monday night at The Listening Room Café in Nashville, TN. In just over four years, Song Suffragettes has showcased over 200 talented women out of over 1,300 who have submitted to play the showcase. With a mantra of #LetTheGirlsPlay, Song Suffragettes vocally combats wide-spread discrimination against women in the music industry by giving female talent a place to play, grow and evolve with fellow creatives.

Bethel currently maintains a busy performance schedule of solo acoustic shows and with her band Hannah Bethel and the Gypsy Queens. She has toured across America from Alaska to New Jersey and everywhere in between, and shared the stage with such artists as Joe Nichols, Rodney Atkins, Trisha Yearwood, Charlie Worsham, Buddy Jewell, Frankie Ballard, Canaan Smith and Nine Days, among others.

To learn more about Hannah Bethel, go to https://www.hannahbethel.com

Follow Hannah Bethel on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahbethel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannah.bethel.artist
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hannahbethel
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hannahbethelmusic

KELLEIGH BANNEN BREAKS BIG ON SIRIUSXM

First Artist to have THREE Songs Simultaneously Featured as a Highway Find:

 "John Who," "Happy Birthday" and "The Joneses"

Kelleigh Bannen’s news announcing a simultaneous three-song SiriusXM’s The Highway Finds music premiere did not go out in advance of her appearance yesterday on the Storme Warren Show as the Nashville native couldn’t believe it was all really happening.

“I guess part of me didn’t want to jinx it?,” says the female powerhouse AXS calls “Nashville’s most underrated singer-songwriter.” “When you’ve been at it for over a decade like I have been, it’s almost unheard of to get this kind of support as an unsigned female in Country… three songs and this much airplay out of the gate? It’s powerful.

"The pressure was really off when we wrote and recorded these songs,” Bannen reflects of her three singles, “John Who,” The Joneses” and “Happy Birthday” that are simultaneously spinning on the mainstream country channel. She continues, “After I was dropped from my major label deal, a fearlessness set in as I really didn’t have anything else to lose.”

SiriusXM’s The Highway Finds program was developed as a tool for not only new music discovery but also as a platform to champion and, in turn, help break new artists through early airplay on a national level.

"Going through Kelleigh's new music, it became clear almost immediately that picking a 'first single' was going to be really tough...so we decided since all of the music is this great, why not just go with all three songs? So that's exactly what we did" adds J.R. Schumann, Senior Director of Programming for SiriusXM.

Kelleigh Bannen’s The Joneses:

"John Who"

Writers: Kelleigh Bannen, Will Bowen and Christopher Rafetto

Producer: Jaren Johnston

"Happy Birthday”

Writers: Kelleigh Bannen, Clair Douglas and Dallas Wilson

Producer: Jaren Johnston

"The Joneses"

Writers: Kelleigh Bannen, Todd Clark and Travis Wood

Producer: Todd Clark

Bannen will make another debut next month as the musical guest on SiriusXM The Highway’s Music Row Happy Hour, starting at 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT on Friday, July 13. And you can always join in on The Highway by listening to Ch. 56.

All three songs are available now, listen here.

ALL-FEMALE SONGWRITER SHOWCASE, SONG SUFFRAGETTES, TO HOST 4TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Nashville’s weekly sold out singer-songwriter round, Song Suffragettes, will host its 4th Anniversary Party on Monday, June 11 at 6:30 P.M. at Analog at Hutton Hotel in Nashville. The party will consist of two performance rounds by some of Nashville’s best female singer-songwriters, and a special panel on the “State of Women in Country Music,” which will feature CMT’s Leslie Fram, Red Light’s Tracy Gershon and MTSU’s Beverly Keel. The panel will be moderated by Rolling Stone/Billboard’s Marissa Moss. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

”We started Song Suffragettes in 2014 simply to give underserved female singer-songwriters a place to play their music and hone their craft,” says music industry veteran Todd Cassetty. “To watch Song Suffragettes evolve from simply a talent showcase to a proud community of talented women has been highly rewarding. And on June 11, we’re excited to once again celebrate the diversity of female voices that we will continue to support until there’s more gender parity within the Nashville music community.”

Since Song Suffragettes first made their debut four years ago, they have grown to become the Listening Room Cafe’s largest weekly sold out show. Each show airs live on Periscope with as many as 28,000 viewers per week. The Song Suffragettes performances have featured guest appearances from Lauren Alaina, RaeLynn, Lindsay Ell, Kelsea Ballerini, Deana Carter, Jesse James Decker, Jamie O’Neal and more. Nine suffragettes, including Carly Pearce and Jillian Jacqueline, have received record deals and 37 women have received publishing deals, including Kalie Shorr and Abby Anderson. The group has been featured by the Washington Post, Billboard and USA Today, and has performed at Tin Pan South, Project Music and CMA Fest. You can keep up with Song Suffragettes on their website at www.songsuffragettes.com.

Song Suffragettes Anniversary Lineup

Round 1: Kelleigh Bannen, Candi Carpenter, Alys Ffion, Tegan Marie and Kalie Shorr

"State of Women in Country Music" Panel: Leslie Fram, Tracy Gershon, Beverly Keel
Moderator: Marissa Moss

Round 2: Nora Collins, Erin Enderlin, Madison Kozak, Hayley Orrantia and Tara Thompson

#WOMENOFCOUNTRY - MAREN MORRIS’ “MY CHURCH” VIDEO DEBUTS ON CMT

CMT WORLD PREMIERES THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FIRST-EVER MUSIC VIDEO BY THE TEXAS SINGER/SONGWRITER

Columbia Nashville singer/songwriter Maren Morris’ music video for her debut single “My Church” is available for fans to view now. Over the weekend CMT exclusively aired the world premiere of the first-ever music video from the artist NPR Music describes as having “the swagger and the style of a young Bonnie Raitt.” The Rachel McDonald directed video was shot on the outskirts of Austin in Morris’ home state of Texas.


Also over the weekend “My Church” shot to #1 on SiriusXM’s The Highway Hot 45 Countdown, which closed out a week that was already hard to top. Last week Morris’ “My Church” made Country radio history with a record breaking 107 first week Country radio chart reporting stations spinning the song that she co-wrote and co-produced with Busbee. As the No. 1 most added song at Country radio for last week, "My Church" sets the record for the most first week stations at the single impact date for the Billboard Country Airplay chart and Country Aircheck’s Mediabase Chart. The previous record for a debut single was 99.

“My Church,” the first single off the Texas singer/songwriter’s forthcoming album due later this year also appears on Morris’ self-titled EP, Maren Morris, which released in November and touts nearly 10 million combined streams of the five tracks.