Music continues to be the main attraction at the 2012 CMA Music Festival with a variety of artists from up-and-comers to legendary hitmakers performing on the new BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage as well as the very popular Bud Light Stage at the Bridgestone Plaza where fans can enjoy 40 hours of concerts for free.

“Live music is a hallmark of CMA Music Festival and we are excited to be able to add a new stage and even more performances this year,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

The BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage is a new addition to the Festival in 2012 with concerts and fun-in-the-sun activities starting at 11:00 AM/CT each day during the Festival, which runs Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10.

The Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, is always a fan favorite and a great place to check out some of Country’s hottest acts. Packed with music fans in 2011, the stage is bigger and better in 2012 with a diverse lineup of performers and the addition of the world-famous Clydesdale horses nearby.        

Randy Montana is currently scheduled to perform at the Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza on Saturday, June 9 from 1:15 PM- 1:40 PM

Nashville Scene has revealed its Best of Nashville 2011 line up in the magazine's latest issue, and Randy's debut album has been chosen as the 'Best Country Album.' à

Best Country Album: Randy Montana, Randy Montana

His father is a successful country songwriter, and now Randy Montana represents a generation of ambitious young performers making new hay from old verities. Montana’s self-titled debut benefits from Jay Joyce’s guitar-rich production: “1,000 Faces” is a natural hit, while Southern-rock-power-pop “It’s Gone” is a catchy wonder. “Goodbye Rain” subtly rewrites Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” and soars like great pop. Montana sings like a man searching for something heroic—this is it. Edd Hurt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RANDY MONTANA TO JOIN LADY ANTEBELLUM ON

OWN THE NIGHT 2011 TOUR

Montana’s self-titled debut getting EXCEPTIONAL reaction from the press

Nashville, TN – Mercury Nashville singer/songwriter Randy Montana will join Lady Antebellum for six dates on the highly anticipated Own The Night 2011 Tour. Montana continues to tour in support of his self-titled debut which was released to digital retailers on July 26. The response from the press has been great. Below is some of what the press had to say:

“Montana's self-titled new album shows his opening shot was no fluke. Over 11 songs, the singer-songwriter establishes that he has a strong, rough-edged voice and a distinct sound that comes across as experienced and confident for a 25-year-old newcomer.” – Associated Press

“His melodies are warm, his lyrics are rich, there’s a very slight (and very welcome) Tom Petty influence and a very lovely (and also very welcome) duet with Emmylou Harris.” - Washington Post

“The raspy-voiced Montana, a standout among his ‘I’m more country than you’ peers, breaks the genre’s mold but respects its heritage.” – Southern Living

It’s rare when a new artist’s debut CD leaves you immediately counting down the days to his next. That being said, Randy Montana’s self-titled first album already has me staring down my calendar. – Ladies Home Journal

“Aspiring country artists looking to find the right way to make their mark in the genre would do well to look toward Randy Montana's debut album as a model.” – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

RANDY MONTANA SUPPORTED DATES FOR OWN THE NIGHT 2011 TOUR
11/11 Knoxville, TN Knoxville Coliseum
11//12 Macon, GA Macon Centreplex
11/13 Pikeville, KY East Kentucky Expo Center
11/16 El Paso, TX El Paso County Coliseum
11/17 Phoenix, AZ Grand Canyon University
11/18 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at The Hard Rock

August 2, 2011

Randy Montana
Randy Montana
Mercury Records

Aspiring country artists looking to find the right way to make their mark in the genre would do well to look toward Randy Montana's debut album as a model.

From the outset of the opening "1,000 Faces," the earthy gravity of the singersongwriter's voice is warm and genuine as it blends with what seems like a simple acoustic guitar melody. With creative and heartfelt lyrics of romantic devotion, the song would be successful in just the first verse, but it soon swells into a lush, layered and striking country song - the kind of track artists spend years trying to make.

Elsewhere, Montana has crafted a cohesive country album that feels contemporary at times (the reflection on lost love of "Ain't Much Left of Lovin' You" has a thumping beat over dueling electric and steel guitars) and classic at others (Montana's vocals mix with Emmylou Harris' haunting voice on the stunning "Last Horse").

- Erik Ernst, special to the Journal Sentinel

Mercury Nashville artist Randy Montana is releasing his debut self-titled album today, July 26. Music is something that has always been a part of the 25-year-old’s life, as his father is hit songwriter Billy Montana (Garth Brooks‘ ‘More Than a Memory,’ Sara Evans‘ ‘Suds in the Bucket’ and Jo Dee Messina’s ‘Bring on the Rain’). Montana was fortunate enough to surround himself with some of music’s very best artists, songwriters and industry folks throughout his life, and the experience under his belt has set the bar high with the release of his own new music.

Of the album’s 11 tracks, Montana took part in writing nine, including his current single, ’1,000 Faces.’ Throughout the process of making the album, Montana was reminded of the feeling he had back in his younger years when he first discovered his love for the art. Taste of Country recently caught up with the hot newcomer to talk about his debut album and his steady rise to stardom.

Talk about the recording process of making your first album. Was it everything you had hoped it would be and more?
It was just a great all around experience. [My producer] Jay [Joyce] was awesome throughout the whole process. For a guy like me, I love the songwriting aspect of it and the singing, but when it really comes to making cool sounds and kind of making that magic happen in the studio, that’s what was so great about working with Jay. He is such a music guy when it comes to the notes. He was just great. He’s become a great buddy, but I also think of him as one of the most talented musical guys I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. He really does bring that magic to the studio, and that’s what made it so fun recording this album.

Sounds like it was a pretty comfortable atmosphere for you to be in.
It was extremely comfortable. Jay cuts in his basement, and we call it a “home studio,” but that’s really down playing it. The equipment he’s got down there and the stuff he’s done to get that certain sound is incredible. He works down there all the time. The cool part about having it in your home is you don’t have to schedule studio time. We would be working there late at night sometimes, and that is cool because it takes you back to when I was first in a band and we’d be at a house, being up late … getting noise complaints from the neighbors and having the cops show up at 12:30 because we were in there playing. So that’s what it felt like again making this record. We were down in the basement, you know? It felt like we were just down there, trying to make music. It’s like it was when I first fell in love with making music.

CLICK HERE to reach the rest of the interview at TasteOfCountry.com.

"I wanted to sing songs that I wrote and have people sing them back to me," Randy Montana tells The Boot of his self-titled debut album out today (July 26). "I was really fortunate in that when we were getting ready to record that album, the label thought that my songs were legit enough that we could build an entire project around them."

The finished project is an 11-song collection that features Randy as a co-writer on eight of the tracks. Highlighted by '1,000 Faces,' the singer-songwriter's current chart climber, the album also features Randy's 2010 Top 40 single, 'Ain't Much Left of Lovin' You.'

Out of all his self-penned tunes, the New York singer hopes his collaboration with music legend Emmylou Harris receives a proper radio release. "I would love 'Last Horse' to be a single. [But] all those songs feel like my babies in a way," says Randy.

Although the end result far exceeded his expectations, Randy admits the idea of including Emmylou on the song was a long shot.

"I really didn't think it was going to happen," he says. "She heard the song and emailed right back, 'I would love to do it.' Three days later, she was in the studio singing the song. She's one of the nicest people and was very complimentary of the song. She said at the end that mine and her 'vowels' sound good together. I took that has a compliment, and I'll always remember that."

After finishing up a string of shows on Taylor Swift's Speak Now world tour, the singer resumed his summer touring schedule with dates booked through October. Fans can click here find tour dates and ticket availability.


CLICK HERE to view the article on theboot.com

Randy Montana - Randy Montana
By: Matt Bjorke

As the son of Billy Montana, a well-known songwriter ("Bring On The Rain") who was once a recording artist himself, Randy Montana certainly knows what to expect as a recording artist and songwriter himself. The summer of 2010 saw "Ain’t Much Left of Lovin’ You" released and the song may not have been a barn-burnin’ chart hit but it did scrape the Top 40, setting Randy up for "1,000 Faces," a track I believed in more than perhaps any early 2011 single. That tune should’ve been his break-through but when a similar sounding song from Ronnie Dunn called "Bleed Red" came out, that really sank Randy’s chances of getting higher than the Top 40 with "1,000 Faces." Still, both marginal hits were enough for Randy to see his self-titled album to get released.

Produced by Jay Joyce, Randy Montana is as strong a debut album you’re likely to hear in 2011. The two lead singles showcase his songwriting ability but every song on the record is well-crafted. "Last Horse" impressed Emmylou Harris enough for her to lend some help on the song while "Assembly Line" feels like a long lost Tom Petty classic.

With a voice that certainly recalls UMG Nashville label mate Gary Allan, Randy rocks the mike on "Burn These Matches," a song about a dude who realizes that the temptation of a hot little thing – who left her number on a match book – and what bringing that matchbook home or calling the number could mean to the relationship he has with his woman at home. It’s a strong story arc and features a strong guitar solo from Jedd Hughes.

"Goodbye Rain" is one two tracks on this record not from Randy’s own pen("Like A Cowboy" is the other) but what strikes me most about the song (a Jonathan Singleton/Melissa Pierce/Dennis Matkosky co-write) is how well it fits in with Montana’s own compositions. It’s as strong lyrically as it is melodically and Randy really sells it. "Ain’t Hit Me Yet" may be the most ‘rocking’ song on the album but it once again draws parallels to the heartland rock of Tom Petty and Gary Allan.

Perhaps the best song on the record, "Back of My Heart" takes the old phrase "I had it in the back of my head" and turns it into the feeling surrounding the one that got away and how those memories are always gonna be there. The guy has moved on and is OK but those feelings will never leave.

With other artists releasing new albums that feature one to three good songs surrounded by filler tracks, Randy Montana bucks that trend with a supremely comprehensive album full of impressive songs. With Jay Joyce guiding Randy along, the record is also one of the most innovative sonically sounding records you’re likely to hear this year.

CLICK HERE to view the story on roughstock.com

What you should be listening to: Young Dro, Randy Montana, "Reggae Gold," Kate Bush, Alash
By Chris Richards

It’s the question most frequently asked of a music journalist: “What should I be listening to?” This new semi-regular column aims to answer just that.

Randy Montana, “Randy Montana” – His name sounds like it was surfaced in a Nashville focus group, but this 25-year-old is actually the son of Billy Montana, a songwriter who’s penned chart-toppers for Garth Brooks and Sara Evans. On Montana the Younger’s debut, the songcrafting smarts appear to be genetic. His melodies are warm, his lyrics are rich, there’s a very slight (and very welcome) Tom Petty influence and a very lovely (and also very welcome) duet with Emmylou Harris.


CLICK HERE to view the story on washingtonpost.com

Randy Montana Releases Debut Album
By Sarah Wyland
7/27/11

Randy Montana‘s self-titled debut album is now on store shelves. Randy co-wrote 9 of the 11 songs on the album, which includes his debut single “Ain’t Much Left of Lovin’ You” and his current single, “1,000 Faces.” “I am so excited to finally get this music out there,” Randy told GAC’s Nan Kelley on a recent visit to the GAC studio. “For people to finally hear the full length album is really exciting.”

After working to first write the songs then record and finish the album, Randy was anxious to get it to his fans. While the date was circled on his calendar, he had other career opportunities that made the waiting period go fast, like opening for Taylor Swift and playing shows across the country.

“It flew by,” Randy told Nan. “My schedule is so busy it’s like a date just kind of becomes a number, you know what I mean? You don’t really count the weeks off or anything like that. For this, I was so excited that I did count the weeks off, but I tell you what, there’s just so much going on that time just flies by.”

Of the songs Randy is credited as a songwriter on, he co-wrote four of them with his famous songwriter father, Billy Montana. Billy is credited with writing hit songs including Garth Brooks‘ “More Than A Memory,” Sara Evans‘ “Suds In The Bucket” and Jo Dee Messina‘s “Bring on the Rain.” Randy talked with Nan about working with his dad and what it was like growing up with a father in the music business.


CLICK HERE to view the article on gac.com

Randy Montana: Randy Montana
By Dave Heaton 27 July 2011


Randy Montana sings about leaving so much, it almost seems pathological. In doing so, he taps right into a throbbing vein of American restlessness, one tied in with idealistic dreams of success and freedom, of the open road, but also with a cynical, nothing-lasts-so-you-must-keep-moving mentality, like the protagonist of a hard-boiled detective novel. Of course, love is the main reason he’s leaving, or love itself is leaving. In his songs the man does a lot of leaving, but he gets left a lot, too. He runs from heartache, but also runs to keep moving, so memories and regret never reach him.

Love’s not the only reason the narrators of these songs leave. “It’s Gone” starts with the departure of his woman (“Mary”, like in “Born to Run”, an appropriate touch point), but then he leaves too, for work. Then the work leaves, so he moves again. There’s a lot of moving going on, chasing a sense of security that never comes. Then again, the character here seems pretty happy within his restlessness: “I’m just trying to make the most of what I have / It ain’t that pretty / But it ain’t half bad”. On “Goodbye Rain”, Montana sounds almost giddy with joy at a life of always moving on. It lifts heavy burdens off his chest. “Oh yeah,” he sings, “don’t it feel good to just run away?” It’s also a matter of running away from death. Time itself is always moving away—life is trying to outrun it.

On “It Ain’t Hit Me Yet” he’s leaving without moving from his bar stool, running headlong into a drunken oblivion. The song’s freight-train pace emulates the speed of her leaving; the impact of it on his heart; the speed at which the whiskey is doing its work on him and the spirit of the “lonesome song” the bartender is playing. The same sort of escapist imagery shows up in an opposite context on “Reckless”. Again, time is leaving, so they’re trying to keep up, but this time, by having a reckless love affair. They’re striving to “make this night an open road”. The song’s softness fits the tone, like the rock ‘n’ roll beefiness of “It Ain’t Hit Me Yet” fits. Actually, the whole album has sturdiness to it, whatever the tone. There’s more atmosphere in the sound of Randy Montana than with your average pickup-truckload of his modern-country peers.

There’s intensity, too, in his singing and the music. It manifests itself in revved-up rock numbers and moody ballads, but also in details that match the songs themselves. For example, the ghostly backing vocals of Emmylou Harris right after Montana sings “holding on and trying to keep her is watching roses disappear”, on “Last Horse”. There’s detail in the lyrics alone, too, like how “Burn These Matches” tells of temptation and the ramifications of choices through the image of a phone number written on a matchbook, or the descriptions during the litany of women that is the opening number, “1,000 Faces”. That song offers just a simple, “I love you more than anyone else” sentiment, but it’s cleverly delivered by presenting a sea of faces, the women he’s seen around him on city streets, and what he thinks of them. That song resembles an observational singer-songwriter like David Baerwald more than it does the majority of today’s Nashville songwriting crowd. At the same time, he’s taking a sentiment and a sound (‘80s rock/pop flavored country) that definitely fits into the genre today. He elevates it well.

The album ends with two songs that resolve the always-moving theme. In the first is a man coming to terms with his capacity for regret. Instead of running away from it, loading his life with more new memories to push out the painful old ones, he’s making a space in “Back of My Heart” to keep those memories intact without dwelling on them. Where that song’s protagonist could be the man from previous songs, just with a more grown-up attitude, the final track, “Assembly Line”, presents another perspective entirely. It’s a look at a humble worker with a “diligent heart” who doesn’t mind his factory job. It’s very matter of fact, a person’s story – not pandering or trying to stand in for a political point. Like the rest of the album, it’s also about time, the “manufactured time” of a workday. “Clocked out about 5 p.m. / Wake up in the morning / Do it all again”, he sings at the end. To end an album of running away from reality, it’s a song about knowing exactly what you’re doing and being OK with that. That’s a confidence that Randy Montana and Randy Montana share.

CLICK HERE to view the article on popmatter.com

By MICHAEL McCALL For The Associated Press
July 26, 2011 (AP)

Randy Montana, "Randy Montana" (Mercury)

Randy Montana has introduced himself to music fans with one of 2011's most engaging new singles, "1,000 Faces," which revealed a warm, expressive voice and an interesting message folded into a catchy pop-country arrangement.

Montana's self-titled new album shows his opening shot was no fluke. Over 11 songs, the singer-songwriter establishes that he has a strong, rough-edged voice and a distinct sound that comes across as experienced and confident for a 25-year-old newcomer.

Working with producer Jay Joyce, Montana creates melodic, roots-based rock that separates him from other young country singers. Instead of drawing on southern rock or hard rock, like most current country rockers, Montana infuses an organ and chiming guitars in a way that recalls Tom Petty or John Mellencamp more than Lynyrd Skynyrd or Nickelback.

When Montana matches those arrangements with an interesting lyric, as he does in the mid-tempo "Ain't Much Left Of Lovin' You" and the speedy stomper "It Ain't Hit Me Yet," he makes the most of his preternaturally mature voice and bright arrangements.

Unfortunately, the son of Nashville singer-songwriter Billy Montana occasionally slips into songwriting clichés, as in the hokey wordplay at the core of the songs "Last Horse" and "Burn Those Matches." There's plenty of promise on Montana's debut, just not quite enough consistency to suggest his songwriting is as evolved as his voice and his musical settings.

CHECK THIS SONG OUT: "It's Gone" kicks off like a classic Brooks & Dunn tune, with an opening guitar that grabs your attention and an infectious chorus that will have listeners singing along by the second chorus.

Blue-Collar Chroniclers Keep On Keepin' On

Eric Church and Randy Montana navigate life
By Chuck Eddy Wednesday, Jul 27 2011

Eric Church spends approximately half his new album—Chief (Capitol), his third—hungover. Generally he's been drinking while watching some gal's taillights disappear, maybe because she's deduced he's yearning to head down the highway himself. In one number, she gets a rock, so he's getting stoned. In another, he's been known to throw a few punches—hell, he just picked a fight with that cowboy hoggin' the filly he wanted to two-step with a few songs before—but Jack Daniel's kicks his ass.

So big deal, right? Scores of country singers have been addicted to their own alcoholism, and most lust for a good woman who'll overlook their wanderlust. "She believes in me like she believes her Bible," the 34-year-old North Carolinan swears in one of two Chief tracks with "Jesus" in their titles. Sinners Like Me, his 2006 debut was called; in the half-decade since, he's reached country's Top 20 seven times, which sounds impressive but still makes him a B-level Nashville commodity.

Chief, like Church's other work, walks the line between hard Southern boogie and softie singer-songster sap, but with plenty of chug. The opener, "Creepin'," really does creep—marsh-gas powerchords thickening as its almost robotic pulse propels, vocals simulating bells, an actual rhythmic breakdown introduced as such. "Keep On," the cowboy-brawl number, swings hard, with Eric channeling the great '70s honky-tonker Gary Stewart in his high register. To an earlier generation, guitars in both that one and "Country Music Jesus" would've passed for metal. And then there's "Homeboy," 2011's most ethically confused and probably best country hit, an incessantly clanking folk-to-noise droner wherein Church advises a Yelawolf-like younger brother to stop dressing hip-hop, and stay on the farm and out of jail. The implication is that an unadventurous life is the good life. Also, that rap is bad news.

Not bad news? "Springsteen," of course! That's a song title—Eric reminiscing Kenny Chesney–style on teen-romance glory days every time he hears "Born to Run." He never gets much Bruce into his music, though—or at least, not as much as seemingly nicer guy Randy Montana gets into the big-drummed Cadillac Ranch thump of "It's Gone" on his new self-titled debut (Mercury Nashville); by song's end, Randy's even lamenting his Shreveport job being outsourced to Mexico. Randy's album's finale, "Assembly Line," wears a bluer collar than Bruce has during the 25 years Randy's been alive, and doubles as a sneaky critique of Nashville's music biz: "building products made to sell, moving on a conveyor belt." Albany-born Randy's dad, Billy, see, was a Northeastern songwriter who moved to Tennessee to peddle hits, which gives Randy precisely the same pedigree as Robert Ellis Orrall's kids in current indie-hypester duo Jeff the Brotherhood. Hmmm.

He's also allegedly a former All-Tennessee quarterback who switched to soccer at football-free Trevecca Nazarene University, weird. And he opened a bunch of non-Southern Taylor Swift dates in June. Whatever ... I've already played Randy Montana more than any other new album in country-deficient 2011, partly for the two songs just named but also for 1) the vertigo verses and round-like layered rhyme scheme of No. 37 country hit "1,000 Faces"; 2) the California duskiness and perfume-induced memories Randy can't drink away in No. 36 country hit "Ain't Much Left of Lovin' You"; 3) the conflicted conscience and charred edges of transcendent temptation lesson "Burn These Matches"; and 4) the freight-train forward motion, Tom Petty 12-string jangle, and expansive instrumental bridges of the stretched-to-five-minutes "It Ain't Hit Me Yet." What hasn't hit Randy yet, naturally, is "her being gone and the alcohol." Hey, maybe he and Eric oughta share some whiskey.

By Rick Moore July 26th, 2011

Randy Montana
Randy Montana
(Mercury Nashville)
Rating: 4 Stars

There’s probably never been a tougher time for a new act to be breaking into the business in Nashville. Most country acts that put out a new album today will be busting their butts to get gigs at county fairs five years from now if they’re lucky.

Then there’s Randy Montana.

On his self-titled debut album, the 25-year-old Montana sings songs with familiar themes – mostly love won, love lost, and love longed for. The difference is that the songs, nearly all co-written by Montana and prominent Nashville hitmakers, are extremely well-crafted as opposed to so many throwaway cuts that artists co-write these days, and are performed by someone who, barring a serious misstep, could be one of the voices of country music for decades to come.

Every new artist has to be compared to somebody for the sake of reference, so in this case we’ll compare Montana to a young Gary Allan. He’s the real deal. When Montana (with guest Emmylou Harris) sings about a dying relationship in “Last Horse” (“I don’t wanna get stuck here/Waiting on a train that’s never coming back around/I don’t wanna be the last horse/Left in this one-horse town”), the first thought that comes to mind is that the guy can really be identified with, and not whether or not he can sing, the mark of a good vocalist. The album also contains Montana’s two singles thus far, “Ain’t Much Left of Lovin’ You” and the track that has everyone buzzing, “1,000 Faces,” one of the best country singles of the year. Had it been cut by a bigger name it would have hit number one.

The fact that Montana’s dad Billy is a well-known writer, with cuts by Garth Brooks, Sister Hazel and others, probably didn’t hurt the young Montana in terms of making contacts and learning the business. And dad even shows up to do some of the co-writing here, as do other industry vets like Tom Douglas (Miranda Lambert, Alabama) and Casey Beathard (Tracy Lawrence, Tracy Byrd). But this isn’t a record by another chip off the block; it’s a record by somebody who sounds determined to make his own way. His voice and approach are more traditional than some of the Nashville acts he opens for, such as Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum, and he’s bridging the gap between traditional country and the Nashville country-pop that so many purists scream about these days.

Producer Jay Joyce, whose guitar work and production stamp are all over Nashville and beyond, does an excellent job of making sure the tracks carry the excitement and enthusiasm of a young artist who has the goods. As a debut album Randy Montana only warrants four stars out of five. But this artist has a five-star album in him just waiting to get out.

CLICK HERE to view the article on americansongwriter.com

Randy Montana, 'Randy Montana'

Like Joe, this Montana was a star quarterback in high school, but he’s actually related to another famous Montana—his father Billy, a veteran Nashville songwriter who’s written for hits Garth Brooks and Sara Evans among many others. On this eclectic, likeable debut, the younger Montana shows a knack for both crossover pop anthems (“1,000 Faces”) and trad-country ballads (“Last Horse,” co-written by his father and featuring Emmylou Harris on harmony vocals). You’ll even hear echoes of one of his heroes, Steve Earle, on rowdy outlaw rockers like “It’s Gone” and “It Ain’t Hit Me Yet,” as well as the keenly observed working man’s anthem, “Assembly Line.” Montana’s diverse approach is sometimes his undoing—at times, it feels like the young singer-songwriter is trying on different personas instead of just being himself—but his talent throughout is undeniable.–AH

It’s rare when a new artist’s debut CD leaves you immediately counting down the days to his next. That being said, Randy Montana’s self-titled first album already has me staring down my calendar. You can pick out bits of his childhood influences (Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen) throughout his music, which definitely leans toward the rockier side of country. But it’s his sharper than average songwriting skills that really draw you in from the first track to the last. Take his methodically paced ode to the working class in "Assembly Line":

The footwear might differ from your own, but the workplace politics and the emotional drain of a daily routine make this song universal. On the equally powerful "Last Horse," on which he’s joined by Emmylou Harris, Montana exposes the fears of a man sizing up a relationship that’s headed south. He cowrote the song with his father, Billy Montana, an accomplished songwriter himself (Jo Dee Messina’s "Bring on the Rain", Garth Brooks’ "More Than a Memory"), and it’s definitely a standout number.

Born in Albany, New York, but raised in Nashville, music was as much a staple in Montana’s house as dinner on the table and he’s been feeding his musical hunger since the age of 10. Fifteen years later, his debut CD is hitting stores today. I chatted with Montana a few weeks ago about the album, what female country icon he recently blasted in his car, what he’s learned from former tour mate Taylor Swift, and his approach to songwriting and the music industry itself.

Your dad, Billy Montana, is an accomplished songwriter. In the nature vs. nurture argument, do you feel you were born with an ability to write great songs, or is it a skill you learned from studying him and other songwriters in the field?

I definitely feel it is passed down. And I’ve always felt like you either got it or you don’t, in a sense. But you never start off writing good songs. Somebody told me you gotta write 100 bad ones before you can write a good one, and I truly believe that. [laughs] So that goes against the whole genetic passing thing. I just grew up around it. [My dad] was always playing new songs, new demos. There was music around my house all the time and when you grow up like that, you take it for granted because it’s always there. It’s just your way of life.

What’s your favorite song of his?

He wrote one about our family called "House of a Thousand Dreams" [recorded by Martina McBride]. Yeah, that’s my favorite song of his that he’s ever written. It’s really about us and what’s cool about it is that each verse is from a different perspective. The first verse is from the perspective of the man. He’s like, "I’m just a man. I work with my hands, and lately no work has been around. I wish I could put more on the table and provide the life I’m sure my family dreams about." And then he just starts describing the house and he’s like, "There’s cracks on all the walls and all the windows, and the flies they find their way in through the screen. But I’ll keep praying, hope will go on living, in this house of a thousand dreams." And then it goes to the wife and she kind of has that same outlook. She looks at her husband and she’s saying, you know, he works hard and I know it’s tough, so I’m gonna do what I can. And then it comes to the kid, and the kid says he loves the way the wind blows through the screens. He loves it and he sees nothing wrong with it. And it’s just kind of how I grew up.

There was a piece recently on the Tennessean blog by Peter Cooper that kind of took a lot of male country artists to task for playing up the redneck / back-road themes a bit too much of late in their songs. What’s your whole take on all that?

I’m just as red as anybody. I hunt deer, I fish all year round, I love the outdoors. But for some reason I’ve never chosen to really sing about it. I can’t speak for anybody else. I will solely speak for myself. My take on country music is that it never has to be about the back road. It never has to be that. I get it, man. That’s life. There are many people’s lives that that applies to, but it doesn’t have to be [about that]. I feel like country music is all about feeling and connecting with people through a song. If it is about the party in the woods, more power to you. But if it’s also about living in your high-rise apartment downtown and the girl that you’ve been seeing for the last three months just told you she’s leaving you for your best friend down on 4th Avenue, it can be that, too. That’s what I love about country music. You could never, ever listen to a country lyric and not understand what the song is talking about. That’s country music for me.

Emmylou Harris sings with you on "Last Horse." Take me through how that went down.

Emmy is one of the sweetest people alive. We’d already finished the track—background vocal and everything. We sent it to her and asked her if she wanted to sing on it. First of all, I’m in awe because think of the list of people she’s sung with. That blew me away. I remember sitting on the couch, and we’d talked about not getting anybody down there with cameras for a photo op. It was literally me, Jay [Joyce], who produced it, Jason the engineer and her. We were down in the studio and she was phenomenal, man. I tried to take as many mental pictures as I could. I specifically sat there and told myself to burn this in my mind because this may never happen again. I can honestly say that’s probably the coolest thing as far as collaborations go that I’ve been a part of in my short career. And I think it’s my favorite [track] on there.

This being Ladies’ Home Journal and all, what other female artists have inspired you?

I love Sheryl Crow. Patty Griffin. I think she’s an unbelievable singer and songwriter. I can’t get enough of Janis Joplin’s singing. I gotta say Dolly Parton. I was just on vacation in Wyoming and there was an old country station playing "I Will Always Love You." I was sitting in the car all by myself and I just cranked it up. She just sounded amazing singing that song. Whitney Houston made it her own but I think a lot of people forget that no, no, no, no, no—it’s a Dolly Parton song.

You also played some opening spots on Taylor Swift’s current Speak Now world tour. What did you learn from that experience?

That was awesome. She does such an amazing job connecting with the person sitting in, you know, seat 334, row ZZZ. That’s what blew me away about watching her performances. I think the coolest one was in Foxboro. For my set it was dry and she came out and the skies just opened up. And nobody left. She does a great job of connecting with everybody in that audience.

Lastly, and tell the truth, have you ever gotten in trouble with your wife, or an ex, for writing something a little too personal in a song?

You always wonder! I mean, some of those stories might add up. But I’ve never gotten in trouble with my wife. What’s good is that finally, with her being around the music industry, I came home and played her a straight-up cheating song and she didn’t go, "Well, what’s this one about, Randy? Where’d you get the idea for this one?" I don’t know if any exes will ever listen to the record and go, "I wonder if that one’s about me?" I don’t know. I’ll be anxious. If I get that phone call, I’ll call you back.


CLICK HERE to view the article on ladieshomejournal.com

“Randy Montana” – The Album and The Artist Debut a Vocal, Lyrical and Musical Masterpiece

Randy Montana and Mercury Nashville release an artist, a sound and a self-titled debut album July 26, 2011 that might “cling to the rough edges of country’s musical highway” but holds on strong as a singer, a songwriter and a signature sound to scale the heights and hit the summit.

Born to famous songwriter Billy Montana, Albany, NY and music, Randy Montana’s been rockin’ around the Nashville sound since 1988 when his singer/songwriter dad signed a record deal and moved the family. Randy started playing guitar at age 10, writing songs at age 16 and made his first public performance at one of his dad’s songwriter’s nights at 17.

In hopes of one day landing a publishing deal, Randy worked odd jobs, wrote songs and strengthened his musical chops and understanding of how a crowd works during his college days playing frat parties and Middle Tennessee bars in a band called Homestead.

That’s Randy Montana behind the scenes. You might know him from his 2010 release from this debut album of Ain’t Much Left of Lovin’ You, a mid-tempo ballad so lyrically visual you can taste the memory, feel the loss and empathize with this guy’s pain.

But Randy’s been busy since that 2010 release completing this “little left of country’s center” debut album, touring with artists such as Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, Little Big Town and Taylor Swift and enjoying the success of his current single 1000 Faces.

1000 Faces is a tender ballad that seduces with the sensual admission that “love has a thousand faces but I see you.” It’s climbing the charts, connecting with concertgoers as “my favorite song of the night” and collecting accolades. Brian Mansfield of USA Today tweets “I’ve found my first favorite song of 2011.” Randy himself shares that “1000 Faces is fun to play live because you get this whole burst of energy yourself.” And Music Row calls it “a sonic masterpiece … the kind of single that makes a star.”

But don’t let the 1000 Faces of critical acclaim define either the artist or the album. Randy Montana co-wrote 9 out of the 11 songs on this Jay Joyce produced masterpiece. He’s previously penned the Montgomery Gentry recorded Can’t Feel the Pain. And he’s joined on this album by his songwriter father creating the story of a man clinging to a dying relationship in Last Horse – where the musical composition is enchanting, the lyric is flawless, the story is hopelessly painful and Emmylou Harris joining him in harmonies adds an artistic beauty that Randy shares “at the time, it’s kind of tough to realize the magnitude of what just went down. But then once it does sink in, it’s like, ‘This is going to be a tough thing to top.’ ”

This 11-track debut compilation is rock solid in lyric, vocals, influence and experience. It glides gently from powerful uptempos to tender Like a Cowboy melodies. There are no fillers and lots of could-be-singles.

But musical upbringing, influence and experience aside, Randy Montana is personally gifted with rich, raspy vocals and a young, tender heart and combines all that to deliver mature music, mature messages and a mature sound.

In a track layout with a delightful flow, he cautions himself to Burn These Matches advertising scribbles of temptation and explodes with a toe-tapping reminder that when It’s Gone, it’s gone. The contemplative melody and lyric in Reckless erupts into a high-powered chorus and desire to throw caution to the wind and live a little on the dangerous edge of life. And later finds himself tenderly filing the reminder of love lost in the Back of My Heart (one of my personal favorites). He pays tribute and honor to the timecard lifestyle of working on the Assembly Line where “it’s a job for the diligent heart and I’m just one of a thousdand parts.” But also doesn’t hesitate in Goodbye Rain to “take a fast train out of town … and get a little road between you and me.”

Now, I’m no musician or music historian but I know a hit when I hear it. My personal favorite, It Ain’t Hit Me Yet, combines the edginess of Cross Canadian Ragweed in the verses with the energetic sound of the Monkees in the chorus and bridge and delivers a ruckus bar-drinking realization that “one of thems gonna get me, the heartache or regret, and her bein’ gone or the alcohol, man it ain’t hit me yet.” It’s an infectious top pick and hopefully a single.

All told, if you enjoy indulging in rich, rockin’ composition cultivated in organic musical soil, lyrical depth and vocal strength that will pause you in your tracks and tune you in, then you will enjoy listening repeatedly to Randy Montana, the self-titled debut album available everywhere July 26, 2011. Be sure to add Randy Montana to your playlist and your concert list. Neither will disappoint.

http://countrymusicpride.com/randy-montana-the-album-and-the-artist-debut-a-vocal-lyrical-and-musical-masterpiece/

Randy Montana is gearing up to release his debut self-titled album, on Tuesday, July 26th. The new release features 11 fresh tracks, 9 of which the talented singer/songwriter co-wrote.

Randy serves up a new sound to country music that is Fresh, Memorable & Appealing. His current single "1,000 Faces" has already spoken volumes as do the remaining songs on this album. Randy rocks it on the upbeat tracks such as "It's Gone" and "It Ain't Hit Me Yet", while he presents a softer side on ballads such as "Like A Cowboy" and "Back of My Heart". "Burn These Matches" is another notable track with a strong message, as is "Last Horse" which includes vocals from country music icon Emmy Lou Harris. The blend of their voices is absolutely perfect as together they present a song about a love that is fading away, a time when you don't want to be the last one standing.

While he is the son of widely popular, award-winning songwriter Billy Montana, who also co-wrote 4 of the songs on this album, Randy is also making the "Montana" name well known in his own way. This may be a debut album, however, Randy presents himself as well as his music in a very seasoned manner. This album is definitely one of the Top Debut Albums for 2011. Keep your eyes peeled and ears tuned as Randy Montana is leaving his distinct mark on country music and this is just the beginning.

Be sure to pick up a copy of Randy Montana's self-titled debut album on Tuesday, July 26th at your favorite retail store, or you can order on iTunes now by clicking HERE. This is an album that you will enjoy from start to finish and then all over again.

http://www.countrymusicrocks.net/2011/07/countrymusicrocks-album-review-randy.html

Randy Montana's Debut Album Is a Family Affair

7/21/11
by Erin Duvall

Randy Montana has been raised in country music. His father, songwriter Billy Montana, has a laundry list of hits under his belt including three No. 1s: Garth Brooks' 'More Than a Memory,' Sara Evans' 'Suds in the Bucket' and Jo Dee Messina's 'Bring on the Rain.' Now the time has come for the younger Montana to find his own place in the business.

Beyoncé's "Best Thing I Never Had" Video, Plus Chatting With Gavin DeGraw, Randy Montana, and Chris Velan

A Conversation with Randy Montana:

Mike Ragogna: Thanks for the interview, Randy.

Randy Montana: Thanks for having me.

MR: First of all, how did you get signed?

RM: Well, you know, I'd been playing in a band in college and we were going around doing a lot of fraternity parties in the southeast. That's kind of where the bug really bit me to start writing my own songs. I wound up signing a publishing deal a couple years after that, and that led to getting introduced to some of the A&R folks over at Universal--Joe Fisher and Brian Wright. Shortly after that, I wound up signing a record deal and we were off to the races.

MR: Were you "developed" when you were working with them?

RM: Well, we never really put it as "artist development," you know? I think that things come at you and you're put in different situations all the time--I would consider that "development." It's who's able to kind of "roll with the punches," per se--who puts you out there. But I've been doing live shows and stuff like that, and if you're doing that, you're always getting better. That's development to me. I always try to beat my vocal performance from one night to the next, you know? It's kind of my own little game I play. But, yeah, you just kind of roll with the punches, I guess.

MR: Were you hooked up with your producer Jay Joyce for your self-titled debut album or did you already know him?

RM: You know, we were throwing around ideas about who should produce the record and Jay's name came up. We had never met before, but I went and hung out with him at his house one day. He kind of asked me what I'd want an album to sound like. I said that sonically--the way an album sounds--I'm a huge fan of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and that sound. But then I also brought up that I'm a huge fan of The Wallflowers too. I like the sound of that album. He looked at me and laughed and said, "Oh, cool. I played guitars on that album." So, it was like--bam!--you're the guy. We hit off, man. Jay's a great guy and I consider him a good friend.

MR: And, of course, his Cage The Elephant and Emmylou Harris productions are terrific too.

RM: Isn't that cool, man? That's the thing about him--he really latches on to who you are as an artist. So, he can make those rock records, but then he can also come back and make an Emmylou Harris album and do my album and Eric Church's. He's a very, very creative guy and that's what makes it so much fun working with him.

MR: Let's talk about that--Emmylou Harris is on one of the tracks on this project, "Last Horse."

RM: Yes, she is and she is amazing, first and foremost. Her vocals and the list of people she's worked with and performed with is unbelievable. We had finished that track, it was completely done and Jay and I were on the phone and I was like, "Man, I wonder if we can get a female to come in and do a duet on this one. It's kind of got that duet feel to it, in a way." Jay thought that was a really cool idea and we started throwing around names. The first one that he brought up was Emmylou Harris and I kind of laughed. I was just like, "Sure, man, I'll believe that when I see it." But he emailed the song and she listened to it, and three days later, she was in the studio laying down her vocal. That was one of the coolest moments for me in my career so far.

MR: Did you have a conversation with her?

RM: Yeah, and that's just it--she's so cool and so laid back. She and Jay are friends, so they sat around talking and hanging out and I was there hanging out and talking with them, and then it was like, "Alright. Let's do this!" She complimented the song before she got started and then after she was done, I remember she looked over at me and she goes, "Our vowels sound really good together." I took that as a big compliment from Emmylou.

MR: Now, you've toured with some great acts as well. Taylor Swift had you on one of her major tours, right?

RM: Yeah, I actually just wrapped that up. That was a great, great two weeks. Her crowd is a really good, welcoming crowd. Playing in front of that many people was great exposure for me. Her whole crew is awesome, and she's great--one of the sweetest people alive. They did an awesome job and made me feel welcome. I can't say enough about her fans and how great they were, showing up early. It's kind of intimidating going out there because I was just playing acoustic. It was definitely intimidating going out there with just a couple of players and trying to play to a stadium with two acoustic guitars. But it was great.

MR: You also went on tour with Lady Antebellum and Sugarland.

RM: They're all wonderful. Last Fall, I was out with Sugarland for, I think, six weeks. That was incredible--I got to play with a full band opening up those shows. Their crew was awesome, and their crowd was awesome too. It's fun to tour with these different acts and see the different crowds that they attract. It's just good to get out there in front of people, you know what I'm saying? It was another great experience and a learning experience.

MR: What's great is that already, with your debut album, you're already being praised. People Magazine says that you are a must hear artist, USA Today's Brian Mansfield tweeted about you. How do you react to stuff like this?

RM: It's very cool. You know, it's a great start, to get compliments from folks like that, when that's their job--to go through music and listen to music. It's nothing but a compliment. All I can do is really all I can I do, if that makes sense. I can just make music, music that I love. You've always got your fingers crossed that people will latch onto it. At the end of the day, I can just write songs I love and sing songs I love, and it's cool when other people agree with you. When you like something and you created it and other people agree with you and say it's good, that's the biggest compliment in the world.

MR: I have to ask, since you're the writer on this project too--what's the most revealing song about Randy Montana?

RM: I would have to say "Back Of My Heart." I always preface this because people ask all the time if these songs are biographical--if they're down to the "T" of exactly what happened. They're not exactly that way, but I definitely take from life's feelings. Everybody remembers the first time they lost somebody they loved and those relationships. You remember the sting of that. I've always taken that feeling and tried to mold it into something else--to broaden it so it's not just about me specifically. "Back Of My Heart" is that way, because it's a guy who's seeing a girl that he had been with for a while and she's got a new guy. He's saying to her, "You broke my heart, but the world kept spinning and I forgive you. Now you're living in the back of my heart." It's like putting something in the back of your head, but we used it as the back of your heart. I really latched on to that because there are all those "love lost" things. I don't know, I always tend to go that way and write that way.

MR: Let's go to "1,000 Faces." Can you talk about the topic?

RM: It's about when you're over it, you're past it, and you remember exactly how it felt to be with that person but you're ok now. You're fine. It doesn't kill you every time you think about it. It's as vivid as can be when you want to think about it, but you've moved on from that person and are looking forward.

MR: Good advice. Gotta remember that the next time my heart gets trashed.

RM: (laughs) I don't know if I'm the right one for advice, man. I think I can screw up anything.

MR: You're not the only one, pal. (laughs) Okay, let's talk about "Burn These Matches."

RM: I wrote that song with two of my favorite people to write with--Casey Beathard and Dale Dodson. One of my favorite things about this song is the way you get into it. I love how it starts out--all it says is "Call me sometime. 595-1768." It's a number on a book of matches from a girl that you met while out one night. The person in the song has somebody at home, someone they go home to every night. The hook of the song is "I better burn these matches in my pocket before they burn the hell out of me." It's that realization that "If I let these things hang around, they're gonna come back and bite me at some point in time." It's that struggle in your head, like "What do I do? What's the next step?" I love the way that song turned out because it's back to the whole relationship thing, it's something that happens every day, all over. That's why it's one of my favorite songs on this album.

MR: Okay, it's that time when we namedrop your dad and how you got into music.

RM: I grew up around music. My dad, Billy Montana, has been in the music industry since before I was born. He was in a band where he lived in upstate New York. He signed a record deal back in '86, I think, and we moved to Nashville when I was just a little kid. So, I've always been next to a stage watching my dad perform. I've always loved it, but it wasn't always my main focus. I started playing guitar when I was ten years old--I learned a few chords and just kind of went from there. But I can honestly say that I didn't really get serious about the writing side or the singing side until I was probably sixteen or seventeen years old. I remember being sixteen years old, sitting down and writing the first song from front to back that I was actually proud of. I can still play it to this day. I remember that night, and it just went on from there.

I met my guitar player, Trae Gunter, when I was seventeen and he was sixteen. We started playing guitars in his mom and dad's living room. A year later, he kind of said, "Hey man, let's put together a band." We put together a little four-piece band and learned a bunch of covers. He was still in high school and playing college fraternity parties. I'm sure his mom and dad were happy about that--that his buddy was already in college toting him around to go play fraternity parties and stuff like that. But, yeah, we would do it in the Southeast and it wasn't insanely busy, but we got that show down--how to play 3½ or 4 hours. We learned what songs worked, what songs didn't, and how to slide originals in there at some point in time--how to play our own songs. And that's really where I started to take it seriously and realized "I want to do this for the rest of my life." And I've been doing it ever since. I feel very fortunate.

MR: Since we're talking about how you started in music, what advice do you have for new artists?

RM: Just keep after it. The best advice I ever got--and this was a long time ago--was "put your blinders on." Have that tunnel vision. It's like I was saying earlier, you can only what you can do. You can only be yourself. Stay true to that and do what you do with your blinders on. Keep going forward because that's all you can do, you know?

MR: Randy, it's been a joy talking with you today. I wish you all the best, have a really great career.

RM: Thanks for having me today, Mike. I appreciate it.

MR: Anytime.

Newcomers come and go in the country music world today by the dozen’s, but every now and then one will come along that will stick and start their way down their career path with an incredible amount of buzz the way that Mercury’s Randy Montana has. The buzz began when he hit the music video channels with his debut single “Ain’t Much Left Of Loving You” and has continued with his current single “1,000 Faces” that is quickly climbing the charts. With the release of his self-titled debut, Montana shows off all of the sides to his music and will quickly have people taking notice. His raspy voice that has helped separate him from the pack pulls you through the album and grabs listeners instantly. Songs like “Goodbye Rain” present just one of the many times that Montana sings a very relatable lyric as he presents a heartache, but more importantly getting away from it by leaving the town and girl behind. The relationship theme seems to be a constant for Montana as he shows on songs like “Last Horse,” which was co-written with his father, songwriter Billy Montana, and features the legendary Emmylou Harris on guest vocals. Throughout the album there are the constant lyrical themes of love and relationships gone wrong, but musically Montana seems to stretch the edge of the country genre border lines more often than not and presents a collection of raw sounds, driven by guitar that lean as much on country music influences as it does those of roots rock music like Tom Petty and The Wallflowers. Though this isn’t necessarily like everything else on country radio now, the question is, is that a bad thing?

http://www.todayscountrymag.com/randymontanacd.htm

by Chuck Dauphin

The critics have spoken. Mercury recording artist Randy Montana has been called one of the top newcomers in Country Music by such media as USA TODAY’s Brian Mansfield and Southern Living. Critical acclaim is great, but so many times music that the “experts” believe is superior often requires ‘Cliff’s Notes’ to understand. Can Montana please both fans and writers alike?

I think the answer is pretty much a home run. A native New Yorker, Montana makes the most of his opportunity here and delivers one of the most eclectic Country major label albums of the year so far. Whether it be the brilliant “1,000 Faces,” which has garnered much praise as being one of the top singles of the year or the inviting “Ain’t Much Left Of Loving You,” where he melds Country and Blues together in winning fashion, Montana shows himself to be worth every inch of ink that has been written about him this year. The performance is also a tribute to the late Joshua Ragsdale, his co-writer, who passed away after a battle with cancer.

This album lives up to the hype when it comes to the quality of the songs as well. “Burn These Matches,” co-written with his ace songwriter father, Billy, is one of those haunting cuts that when you hear it, you know. With a little bit of exposure, this song could wind up being a classic. Ditto that for “Assembly Line,” which could very well be one of the more realistic songs to come out of Nashville this year. “Back of My Heart” is a showcase for his rich vocals, and if Randy Montana needed a stamp of approval, having Hall of Famer Emmylou Harris singing harmony on “Last Horse” is a coup. After all, Emmylou just doesn’t appear on anyone’s albums coming out of Nashville these days!

Montana is the real deal. Hopefully, his music will get a chance, as he could be the next artist to land in the Ricky Skaggs / Vince Gill territory. Those are big words, but Montana lives up to them, and then some!

http://www.musicnewsnashville.com/randy-montana-self-titled

CLICK HERE to download the “1,000 Faces” music video now.

Nashville, TN – Mercury Nashville singer/songwriter, Randy Montana, recently performed at NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson's Jimmie Jam in Charlotte, NC.  After his performance, Randy participated in a "Storytellers" moment on stage with both Jimmie Johnson and racing veteran, Kyle Petty.  The private fundraiser raised monies for The Jimmie Johnson Foundation, an organization dedicated to assisting children, families and communities in need throughout the United States.  

Country music fans can catch Randy Montana performing his current single “1,000 Faces” on June 10th at the Riverfront Stage during the 2011 CMA Music Festival in Nashville.

 
Photographer Credit: Harold Hinson

Appearing in photo (L to R) Jimmie Johnson, Randy Montana, Kyle Petty

Randy Montana: The Story Behind “1,000 Faces”
By Evan Schlansky
May 10, 2011

One of the cuts we can’t stop listening to on our new free sampler, CMT Presents The Country Way Digital Vol. 2, is Randy Montana’s “1,000 Faces.” Blame it on the clever rhyme scheme, or the song’s sentimental center. We talked to the country newcomer (and Taylor Swift tour mate) about “1,000 Faces’” origins, the killer video, his songwriting dad, and his admiration for Bruce Springsteen.

This is your big single, right?

Yeah, the second one we put out last year, but I feel like this one’s been connecting more when I’m out playing shows.

How long ago did you write it, and what inspired it?

It was January last year. I wrote it with Tom Douglas, and Tom sat down with that idea, he had that thought, “a thousand faces.” It was weird how the song came together, but the whole song’s just a list. We’re just listing all the kinds of girls there are. Different characteristics, what you wear, what you’re into. We tried writing out lists separately, talking about it and throwing ideas back and forth, then just cutting and pasting it together, almost.

It wasn’t like you saw one girl in particular, and thought that you had to write this song?

You know, I’m married, and I wish I could say that I sat down to write about my wife, but no. For me, it’s about her. I think for Tom, too, there’s his family in there. That’s the thing, it doesn’t really have to be about a significant other, it could be your kid, or whoever it is. I think that’s kind of the cool part about the song, it’s so broad. It could be about anything you love.

The video sort of reminds me of being in New York City, how you walk down the street and you’re surrounded by all these beautiful women. Even though this was filmed in Nashville, I was wondering if that was an inspiration for the song, walking down a crowded city street…

You’re exactly right. It’s that way at every show, there’s a thousand people out there–hopefully. Not all the time, but when there is, [that’s great]. I thought that street was a great way to represent it. I thought it was cool to go back and forth between different people and different walks and whatever they were doing that day. It kind of got that vibe across, of that city street. There’s a hundred thousand beautiful women out there, but you’ve got to see that one at the end of the day, that one that’s yours.

It’s kind of funny, because you don’t usually see that many people walking down the street in Nashville.

Shooting the video was cool in that it did have that New York City feel, and it looks cold. I thought they did a great job of masking that. I get asked “Where did you shoot that?” and when I say “On the corner of 4th and Church in Nashville,” they’re like, “Really?” It’s kind of surprising, because of how we set up with all of the extras walking through the shots and stuff like that.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the interview.

RANDY MONTANA PERFORMS ON THE GRAND OLE OPRY

On April 22, Mercury Nashville singer/songwriter Randy Montana made his second appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Montana performed his current single “1,000 Faces” and “Last Horse,” which features a harmony vocal by Emmylou Harris on the 3-song EP available now at iTunes http://bit.ly/1000FacesEP.

About being back at the Opry, Montana says, “This was the first time I'd been to the Opry House since it was renovated after the floods. It was great to see how good it looked, and it sounded awesome. Standing in that circle is an unbelievable feeling. I think that's what makes me the most nervous, but it's also my favorite part of playing the Opry.”

The people of Japan need your help. Support the American Red Cross (ARC) as they provide medical care and relief assistance to those who were effected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

To make a donation to the ARC, visit RedCross.org, their Facebook page, or call 1-800-RED CROSS. You may also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Great American Country (GAC) produced a series of public service announcements asking viewers to donate to the Red Cross to support relief efforts in Japan.
Randy, along with Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Chris Young, Josh Thompson, Phil Vassar, Randy Houser, Heidi Newfield and Katie Armiger, taped PSAs that will air on GAC.

VISIT ARC'S FACEBOOK PAGE >>

WATCH RANDY'S PSA NOW >>

TAYLOR SWIFT ANNOUNCES OPENING ACTS FOR
SPEAK NOW NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2011

Nashville, TN – March 3, 2011 – Taylor just wrapped the sold-out Asian leg of her TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011, and the European tour kicks off this week with a March 6 show in Brussels, Belgium. This year, she will play 90 shows in 19 countries spanning four continents, and she announced today that Frankie Ballard, Danny Gokey, Hunter Hayes, Josh Kelley, Randy Montana, James Wesley and Charlie Worsham will each open selected shows of the North American leg of the tour, which starts May 27^th in Omaha.

As previously announced, featured artist NEEDTOBREATHE will perform on all North American SPEAK NOW tour dates.

Two guest artists will perform on each of Taylor’s stadium dates, in addition to NEEDTOBREATHE.

Randy will open the following shows:

DATE CITY GUEST ARTIST

June 11 Detroit, Michigan (Frankie Ballard & Randy Montana)
June 14 & 15 St. Paul, Minnesota (Randy Montana)
June 18 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Randy Montana & Danny Gokey)
June 21 Buffalo, New York (Randy Montana)
June 22 Hartford, Connecticut (Randy Montana)
June 25 & 26 Foxboro, Massachusetts (James Wesley & Randy Montana)

The TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011 kicked off February 9^th in Singapore, and the European leg starts this weekend in Brussels, Belgium. The North American leg of the tour is sponsored by COVERGIRL®, and produced and promoted by The Messina Group (TMG). Ticket prices start at $25.

Log on to: www.taylorswift.com for a complete list of tour dates and up-to-date onsale information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 16, 2011

NASHVILLE, TN – Randy Montana has been added as a performer at this weekend’s Daytona 500, which serves as the kickoff to the NASCAR racing season. Montana will perform Sunday, February 20^th at 11am Eastern Time on the Coca-Cola Racing Family Stage as part of the pre-race festivities that take place in the midway outside the track, which is open to the public.

Montana is also tapped to entertain a mass crowd at the New Orleans Arena for the 2011 Bassmaster Classic this weekend. He’ll headline the free-to-the-public show Saturday at 3:30pm Central Time.

“Anytime you can play in front of that many people, it’s good exposure,” said Montana. “You just hope to bring home a few fans. We’ll hit it hard.”

Local Nashville fans can tune in Friday, February 25^th for Montana’s performance of his new hit single “1,000 Faces” on Fox’s Tennessee Mornings “Artists to Watch” segment, which will air in the 8:30am Central Time half-hour.

Randy Montana Sees His Future in '1,000 Faces'

Posted Jan 28th 2011
by Nancy Dunham

Randy Montana's new song '1,000 Faces' has put him on the path of following in the creative footsteps of his dad, songwriter Billy Montana. Although Billy has penned songs for some of country's top artists, including Garth Brooks, Sara Evans, and Jo Dee Messina, Randy says his dad has taken a supportive, yet hands-off approach to his son's work.

"Whenever I need advice, I can always go to my dad," Randy tells The Boot. "He's the voice of reason, who has been through all this stuff, and that helps me have an understanding of what all goes into this to make it happen."

Perhaps even more significantly than receiving radio airplay, '1,000 Faces,' which Randy co-wrote with Tom Douglas, was a hit with country music fans who heard Randy sing it while he was on tour with Sugarland and Little Big Town.

"It's incredible to play that song live," says Randy. "People come up and say, '1,000 Faces' was my favorite song of the night.' It's fun to play it live because you get this whole burst of energy yourself."

The audience weren't the only ones who enjoyed Randy's performances on the tour.

"It was quite a learning experience, being a part of something where they put 12,000 – 14,000 people in seats a night," he says of touring with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. "Kristian said one of the coolest things at the end of the tour. He said, 'Thanks for keeping the musical integrity of this tour.' That meant a lot coming from a guy like that."

To download '1,000 Faces' free now through Tuesday, February 1, click here.

http://www.theboot.com/2011/01/28/randy-montana-1000-faces-video/

Randy Montana spent much of last year on the road and from the 'Van Cam' webisodes it was already obvious he was not interested in being just your average everday new artist. New single '1000 Faces' confirms this with gusto.

Starting off slow and acoustic, '1000 Faces' explains there are many different kinds of people but the guy in the song only has eyes for one and always knew that was the type of person he would be with. Drums and guitars come in and the song finally opens up with a guitar ruccus after the second chorus only to quickly float back to sleepy piano. A long echo-y outro completes this ambitious tune.

Next to the intricate arrangement, the most interesting thing about this song is Randy's accomplished vocals. Somewhere between Tim McGraw and Charles Kelley, he both handles the quiet parts and is able to compete with the big production when it gets loud.

This country-influenced soft rock song is a good introduction to Randy Montana's music and is the title track of his new EP about which you can read more HERE.

http://www.urbancountryblog.com/2011/01/single-review-1000-faces-randy-montana.html

DISClaimer Single Reviews

By Robert K. Oermann
January 12, 2011

I am loving this format today.

I love its diversity, I love the quality of its song craftsmanship. I love its mix of youth and maturity. Country music rules.

In celebration, I am crowning three Disc of the Day winners. The Group prize goes to Rascal Flatts for its chesty vow of steadfastness. The Male winner is Randy Montana, who has a sonic masterpiece to offer. The Female prize, and the surprise of the day, is Ashton Shepherd. Every other gal in town is going to kick herself for not finding “Look It Up” first.

That’s not all. Be sure and lend your ears, also, to Reba McEntire, Joanna Smith, The Dirt Drifters and the new duo Curtis & Luckey. They add to this week’s tasty country goulash of musical diversity.

RANDY MONTANA/1,000 Faces

Writer: Randy Montana/Tom Douglas; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publisher: Sony/ATV/tomdouglasmusic, BMI; Mercury Nashville (CDX)

- I am a big fan of this guy, and this ultra-melodic outing is the kind of single that makes a star. It starts off quietly, but when the second verse kicks in, the production and his funky-raspy vocal take off like a stallion bolting from the barn. Hang on for the finale where his various vocal phrases are layered dazzlingly on top of one another. Go, boy, go.

Class of 2011: Country Music Artists to Watch
January 8th, 2011

Each year a new class of talent arrives to the country music scene, hoping to make a name for themselves. Last year, our picks were spot on for the men and women in country music. This year we expand that list to the top 10 to watch in 2011 in country music.

Randy Montana: What some Kentucky fans may not know, Randy Montana has performed several shows here in Kentucky over the last year just prior to opening for Sugarland's tour. Two notable shows included playing with Jonathan Singleton & the Grove at the Tin Roof in Lexington and playing at the Crockettsville Charity Concert this past fall. The singer-songwriter gained talent from his father, Billy Montana, who co-wrote Garth Brooks' "More Than a Memory." Randy Montana has made a name for himself by penning tunes such as "Can’t Feel the Pain," recorded by Kentucky natives, Montgomery Gentry. His latest single, "1000 Faces," has recently debut and will sure bit a hit. His unique vocal style with a rough edge makes him one to watch.

CLICK HERE to read the entire story at EXAMINER.COM.

http://www.examiner.com/country-music-in-lexington/class-of-2011-country-music-artists-to-watch

Randy Montana is kicking off the New Year in a big way, landing in Southern Living magazine's annual 'Best of the South' issue as one of the magazine's top five Southern artists to watch in 2011. The singer-songwriter also has a brand new single and video, '1000 Faces,' out this week and is releasing a special three-song EP.

The package features the single as well as 'Assembly Line' and 'Last Horse,' which was co-written by Randy, his dad Billy, and Rodney Clawson, and features harmonies by Emmylou Harris. Randy admits he's learned plenty about songwriting from watching his dad, a top writer whose credits include Garth Brooks' 'More Than A Memory,' Sara Evans' 'Suds In The Bucket' and Jo Dee Messina's 'Bring on the Rain' during his long, illustrious career.

"My mom and dad have both been great in just being really hands off and letting me try something," Randy tells The Boot. "If I want to do something, they're just like, 'go out and do it,' and never really looking over my shoulder or pushing me to do things. It was definitely my decision to pursue this business, and whenever I need advice, I can always go to my dad. He's the voice of reason, whose been through all this stuff, and that helps me have an understanding of what all goes into this to make it happen."

Randy got a front row seat to the challenges of the business growing up, since his dad had an artist deal himself back in the late '80s. "He had three little kids when he was trying to make it as an artist, and what a strain on a family and a relationship," Randy says. "To make a living writing songs, it's unbelievable that he's able to do that. And I really have learned so much from him. We started writing together when I got a publishing deal, and there are three or four songs on my album that we wrote together that I'm really proud of."

Posted Jan 6th 2011
by Lorie Hollabaugh

http://www.theboot.com/2011/01/06/randy-montana-1000-faces-video/

Got an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad? Head over to iTunes and download Randy's official mobile app for FREE. Stream Randy's music including his new single, "1,000 Faces," watch videos, check tour dates and stay up to speed with all the latest news.

CLICK HERE to download the mobile app on iTunes

CLICK HERE to download the new EP, including "1,000 FACES," on iTunes

CLICK HERE to download the new EP, including "1,000 FACES," on Amazon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 4, 2011

SOUTHERN LIVING NAMES RANDY MONTANA TO
BEST NEW ARTISTS LIST

SECOND SINGLE “1,000 FACES”, VIDEO &
3-SONG EP AVAILABLE NOW

NASHVILLE, TN – The January issue of Southern Living magazine boasts newcomer Randy Montana as one of five “Best New Artists” in their Best of the South feature on stands now.

“The raspy-voiced Montana, a standout among his ‘I’m more country than you’ peers, breaks the genre’s mold but respects its heritage,” the magazine claims of his full-length album due out later this year.

Additionally, there are several offerings from Montana to check out this week, including his second single “1,000 Faces,” which is one of the most added new singles at country radio. “Faces” is penned by Montana and Tom Douglas and debuts today. A 3-song EP of the same title, produced by Jay Joyce, is also available now. It consists of the new single, “Assembly Line,” written by Montana and Natalie Hemby and “Last Horse,” written by Montana, his dad Billy and Rodney Clawson, and features Emmylou Harris on harmonies. Visit iTunes at http://bit.ly/1000FacesEP to purchase the EP or individual tracks.

Also now available on iTunes is a free official Randy Montana mobile app where fans can listen to music, watch videos, get tour dates and interact with other fans directly on their iPhones.

Look for the premiere of the “1,000 Faces” music video at www.vevo.com and www.randymontana.com tomorrow.