Easton Corbin Loves Sad Country Songs

Posted Mar 16th 2010 11:40AM by Gayle Richardson

Easton Corbin, fresh off the release of his self-titled debut album, already boasts a Top 10 single with his hit, 'A Little More Country Than That.' But it's another song from the disc, 'Leaving a Lonely Town,' that is earning the Florida native a lot of attention.

"I got invited to go out to Colorado to write with Mark D. Sanders and Carson Chamberlain," Easton explains to CMT. "Great writers, very talented folks. That was the last song we wrote out there. I was just looking for a song that George Jones would sing. It's got that feeling. That's what I wanted to go for. That kind of country music has always moved me. The sadder the song, the better for me. I don't know why. My three big ones are Merle Haggard, Keith Whitley and George Jones. Their voices and the songs are phenomenal."

Signed to his record deal only last year, Easton is already being compared to one of country music's biggest legends -- George Strait -- which suits the country singer just fine. "I have heard that a little bit," he admits. "People ask me how I feel about it. It's a great honor. It's really a great honor to be compared to that guy. He's a legend in the business, but like I always tell them, there will never be another George Strait, just like there will never be another Haggard. I just get out there and sing songs the way I sing them and record the songs that move me and that I can relate to."

Busy with a whirlwind radio tour to promote his new album, Easton will fulfill a life long dream when he makes his Grand Ole Opry debut this weekend.

http://www.theboot.com/2010/03/16/easton-corbin-songs/

5 out of 5 stars

Easton Corbin, UMG (Easton Corbin)

It was just a matter of time until a vocalist picked up where George Strait has left off, to continue his traditional style most core Country listeners crave. The young up-and-coming Easton proves to Country radio that their audience still wants those who keep the genre true to its heart and soul. 'This Far From Memphis' resembles the Country icon so much so, you might wonder what will give Corbin his true artist identity. However, you will definitely want to watch this star in the making. Buy his album at Amazon.com & follow him on twitter.com/eastoncorbin

http://nashvillecountryclub.com/Reviews.php

Easton Corbin Introduces Himself With "A Little More Country Than That"
Florida Native Discusses Musical Heroes, Guitar Lessons and Moving to Nashville
March 15, 2010; Written by Craig Shelburne

Easton Corbin is a native of the Sunshine State, but that doesn't mean he's a beach bum.

"Most people think of Florida as palm trees and beaches and the whole Miami scene," he says. "Where I'm at in north central Florida, it's very rural. A lot of farmland and nothing like you would think. I live about a mile from the Suwannee River. It's a small-town, country atmosphere."

His raising in rural Gilchrist County is reflected in his first hit single, "A Little More Country Than That." Following a visit to Top 20 Countdown, Corbin stuck around to discuss musical heroes, guitar lessons and packing up his trailer for Nashville.

CMT: What was it about "A Little More Country Than That" that grabbed your attention?

Corbin: For me, it really described the way I was brought up, where I'm from and who I am. For a lot of songs, you just have to find that song that speaks to you, and it really did. The whole thing just really paints a picture.

What was on your mind the day you wrote "Leaving on a Lonely Town"?

I got invited to go out to Colorado to write with Mark D. Sanders and Carson Chamberlain. Great writers, very talented folks. That was the last song we wrote out there. I was just looking for a song that George Jones would sing. It's got that feeling. That's what I wanted to go for. That kind of country music has always moved me. The sadder the song, the better for me. I don't know why. My three big ones are Merle Haggard, Keith Whitley and George Jones. Their voices and the songs are phenomenal.

What's the experience like of going out on a radio tour?

We've been doing that for the past seven months or so. It's been a learning experience. When we first started, that was the first time I had done any real radio interviews. The first day on the first show we did, I actually hosted the morning show with the morning crew so that was a challenge. It was in Des Moines, Iowa, on the Hawk [KHKI-FM]. It was a lot of fun. It's one of those things -- you have to learn to relax and do what you do. It's a learning process. I think you get better at it the more you do it, as with anything else.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of this interview at CMT.com

Randy Montana's debut single on Mercury Records was released as an e-single today.

CLICK HERE to buy it at iTUNES

CLICK HERE to buy at AmazonMP3.com

Gary Allan, "Get Off on the Pain" (MCA Nashville)

Many modern Nashville artists cop the macho swagger of the outlaw movement of country music's past, but few remember how artists like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson balanced self-aggrandizement with sensitive self-examination.

Gary Allan, to his credit, is tough enough to show a tender side. On his eighth studio album, "Get Off on the Pain," Allan not only rocks with bluster; he also opens his tortured soul and searches for redemption.

A tattooed surfer from California, Allan shows brains as well as brawn on the title cut and on the rampaging "That Ain't Gonna Fly," in which he admits he should know by now that his medicine of choice — whiskey and women — doesn't cure heartaches. But that doesn't keep him from indulging.

However, it's on the ballads where Allan truly flies. "Along the Way" and "She Gets Me" both find a rowdy rambler acknowledging how much his lover sacrifices to keep him. On the musically stripped-down "No Regrets," Allan attunes his gruff-but-powerful voice to convey a hard-earned strength that's come in the five years since his wife Angela's suicide, while admitting, "I still miss her every day." That's the kind of searing honesty too often missing from country radio today.

Check out this track: Played like a hymn, complete with soulful waves of sustained organ notes, "When You Give Yourself Away" is about two selfless lovers who find glory in taking care of each other. Allan sings it with the caressing restraint of a classic R&B singer.

Laura Bell Bundy “Giddy On Up”

Review by Amy Blizzard

Laura Bell Bundy may be a new name to country music lovers, but Broadway fans will instantly recognize the Tony nominee. Before she pulled on a pair of boots to dance a jig in the debut music video that has become a CMT hit, she was donning a pair of dancing shoes in New York City as a Broadway darling with roles in Hairspray, Wicked and the title role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.

A bubbly blonde in her own right, Laura Bell Bundy is far from an actress simply trying to impersonate a country singer. Prior to her successful stint on the Broadway stage, she planted authentic country roots during

her childhood in Kentucky where she developed an ingrained love for a steel guitar and fiddle that led to the release of her little known country album 'Longing For a Place Already Gone'.

Now, after signing with the Nashville division of major label Mercury Records for her second album 'Achin'&Shakin', tentatively set to hit stores on April 13th, she is combining the best of both worlds in her lead-off single 'Giddy On Up'. Channeling the sassy attitude and penchant for storytelling that was perfected by Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, who also have Broadway connections, she pours out her demands to a lover who did her wrong in the upbeat tune in which she shares a writing credit alongside Jeff Cohen and Mike Shimshack.

Though inspired by subject matter that is a hallmark to the genre, 'Giddy On Up' does not fail to be effervescent. Over a lively tune sprinkled with a few sound effects that sound like they belong in an old-fashioned western her flashy music video mirrors, Bundy presents a vocal that is feisty, flirtatious and depleted of typical showtune stereotypes as she tells the man who cheated on her to 'giddy on up' and 'giddy on out' of her life.

While the lyrics are far from groundbreaking or poignant, it hardly seems to matter. Laura Bell Bundy has presented an addition to country radio that is a lighthearted bit of fun with an infectious charm and catchy chorus that is hard to resist.

http://www.thegeorgiajukebox.com/2010/03/12/laura-bell-bundy-giddy-on-up/

John Hiatt takes The Open Road to Pittsburgh (3/12)

By Matt Melis on March 15th, 2010

Veteran singer-songwriter John Hiatt’s latest studio effort, The Open Road, had been out in stores a mere 10 days when Hiatt and his band, The Combo, took the stage at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Library Music Hall on Friday evening. Part of Hiatt’s appeal is that he records nearly as rigorously as he tours, meaning almost every tour features new material for his loyal fan base. Anxious to hear both old favorites and brand-new songs in action, a mixed crowd of a thousand or so eagerly packed the historic music hall adjacent to Pittsburgh’s Waterfront.

Opening the evening with a brief but enjoyable acoustic set was Holly Williams, the granddaughter of country legend Hank Williams. While Williams’ strikingly good looks were, admittedly, what first caught this reviewer’s attention, she soon proved that she had inherited the Williams songwriting genes in full. Williams played a handful of thoughtful, autobiographical songs, the most stirring of which reflected upon her sister’s recovery from a near-fatal car accident in 2006. However, the highlight of her set was “Mama”, a painful thank you from Williams to her mother for keeping love in the family while working through a difficult divorce with Williams’ father, Hank Williams Jr. Incidentally, Friday was Williams’ 29th birthday, and the crowd, let on to the fact, closed the set for her with a surprisingly on-key “Happy Birthday to You”.

No two John Hiatt shows are ever quite alike, so while roadies readied the stage, the curious audience could be heard discussing just what type of show was likely to take place. Last time through Pittsburgh, Hiatt shared a stage with his good friend Lyle Lovett for an old-fashioned evening of swapping stories and trading songs on acoustic guitars. On Friday night, though, Hiatt and The Combo came out in country-garage-band form, playing a two-hour set that featured some of Hiatt’s best work backed by some serious guitar muscle.

Hiatt’s set drew from all corners of his vast catalog. “Master of Disaster”, one of Hiatt’s best songs of recent years, set the tone early on for a night of unabashed rock and roll and guitar-slinging fun. Steady rockers like “Drive South” and “Buffalo River Home” sounded as bright and refreshing as ever. With visible gusto, The Combo turned up the dial on “Memphis in the Meantime” and “Tennessee Plates”, making them into even wilder romps than usual. When Hiatt sensed that the crowd and band needed a moment to breath, he turned to more subtle songs like the gorgeous, acoustic “Crossing Muddy Waters” and the poignant ballad “Feels Like Rain”. But make no mistake, the night belonged to the songs that rocked the hardest. The grunge-like “Perfectly Good Guitar”, which Hiatt introduced as “a song about how we hurt the ones we love,” called out guitar smashers in a face-melting language they could understand. “Riding with the King”, the first song of Hiatt’s encore, turned into an extended jam that brought the entire hall to its feet. It really doesn’t get much better than Hiatt proclaiming, “I had a guitar hangin’ just about waist high/And I’m gonna play that thing ‘til the day I die.”

Surprisingly, only four songs from The Open Road made it into the show. The album’s title track, which Hiatt had played the night before on David Letterman, was absolutely blistering and added welcome bite to the recorded version. The other new song that shined live was “Like a Freight Train”. Hiatt turned the slow number into an epic blues jam that highlighted the abundant talents of his three bandmates.

But the music is only part of the John Hiatt experience. If there is an artist alive who has more fun on stage and appreciates his audience more than Hiatt, I have yet to come across him or her. Performing is pure joy for Hiatt, and his classic mannerisms—the bug-eyed eyebrow raise, the cringing guitar face, and the silly dances across stage—perfectly conveyed his infectious delight to the crowd. Between songs, Hiatt was happy to exchange words with the audience and entertain everyone with stories about toilet paper wars with his wife and his old habit of mixing peanuts with RC Cola. Hiatt didn’t even mind playing the role of jukebox for his fans. “Shout ‘em out. If we know ‘em, we’ll play ‘em,” Hiatt told the crowd. He ended up playing “Ethylene” and “Cry Love” upon request, two fan favorites that rounded out the set perfectly. After the show ended, Hiatt and The Combo even hung around for a meet and greet with fans.

The lucky folks in attendance Friday night witnessed one of America’s best songwriters and performers demonstrating that he can still “bring it” after all these years. As always, watching Hiatt run through his arsenal of ageless songs and showcase his unique brand of country rock was a true pleasure. But I’m sure if you asked Hiatt, he’d probably tell you the pleasure was all his.

http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/15/john-hiatt-takes-the-open-road-to-pittsburgh-312/

**Easton will be one of PE’s “Stagecoach Spotlight Artist’s” that will be included in a larger feature on April 23rd.

COACHes CORNER: Easton Corbin's debut

Thursday, March 11, 2010

By VANESSA FRANKO

The Press-Enterprise

Special Section: Coachella 2010

Special Section: Stagecoach 2010

Rising country star and Stagecoach Country Music Festival performer Easton Corbin released his self-titled debut album on March 2 and celebrated in his own way.

"The coolest thing is going to Walmart at 12 o'clock at night and seeing yourself on the racks," Corbin said in a recent telephone interview.

A music fan who loves George Jones and has been compared to George Strait, Corbin understands the importance of lawn chair etiquette at a country music festival.

A few years ago he attended a show and inadvertently bumped a fellow audience member's chair by a few inches and the gentleman was none too pleased.

"People get seriously rowdy if you even touch their chairs," Corbin explained. "I guess if I was out there at 5 o'clock in the morning, I'd be sensitive, too."

Corbin performs at Stagecoach on Saturday, April 24. Look for more with Corbin as the festival gets closer.

http://www.inlandsocal.com/iguide/music/content/news/stories/PE_News_Local_W_af0312_coaches.23e08c7.html

Easton Corbin: Easton Corbin

Country newcomer recalls Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson

The cover of newcomer Easton Corbin’s self-titled debut depicts a homespun image of the singer-songwriter strumming an acoustic while relaxing on a porch in a wicker rocking chair. It’s an apt picture. The album strips away much of Nashville’s contemporary bombast in favor of the relaxed country vibe of Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson. The comparison is particularly close in the sunny satisfaction and road trip escape of “Roll With it,” the forthright statement of home-spun roots “A Little More Country Than That,” and multiple mentions of good times and simple pleasures. Corbin and his co-writers have pulled together a collection of love songs, both warm and broken-hearted, and link Chesney with Tom T. Hall by drawing a blue line from Memphis to Key West in “This Far From Memphis.” There’s a moving lyric of imagined nostalgia in “Someday When I’m Old” and the second-chance glimpsed in “Let Alone You” is illustrated with sharply observed everyday details.

A few of the songs are a bit close to their inspirations for comfort. “Don’t Ask Me ‘Bout a Woman” rewrites the sentiment and mood of Brad Paisley’s “Waitin’ on a Woman,” and the sandy vacation of “A Lot to Learn About Livin’” is third-generation Jimmy Buffett by way of Kenny Chesney. Corbin’s vocals are lightly drawled and producer Carson Chamblerlain counts out a variety of tempos that allow is singer to show off his emotional prowess as both a balladeer and mid-tempo honky-tonker. The album closes with the thoughtful “Leavin’ a Lonely Town,” echoing the escapes and traps of Steve Earle’s “Guitar Town” and Chris Knight’s “Oil Patch Town.” The sound is Nashville clean, but it’s not slickly artificial; it’s sophisticated in the manner of George Strait and others able to hang on to their country roots even as they embrace modern studio production. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]

http://www.hyperbolium.com/2010/03/14/easton-corbin-easton-corbin/

Easton Corbin's CD a Hot Commodity in His Hometown

Mar 12th 2010
by Lorie Hollabaugh

Easton Corbin's family had a problem last week when the self-titled debut CD was released. But it was a good problem to have. According to the Citrus County Chronicle, when the family went to buy copies of Easton's album in their hometown Wal-mart in Chiefland, Fla., the 30 allocated to that store were gone by 7 a.m.

Easton's friends and family had to call around to stores in the Gainesville area to try and find the album, which sold 43,000 copies in its first week of release. His father Dan tells the Chronicle they've been inundated with calls from friends trying to get their hands on a copy of the hot debut.

"It's crazy ... everybody's been calling to say they can't even get it," says Dan. "They only had 30 go to Wal-Mart and a lot of stores only got five to 10. I went to iTunes and downloaded it and pre-ordered the CD through Wal-Mart and everybody's been calling because they can't get it and they're disappointed!"

Dan first started Easton on guitar lessons as a way to spend more time with his son, who was three when he and his wife divorced. The lessons obviously paid off. "I'd pick him up from school and he would take a lesson. After the first week I didn't think he was interested. So I told him, 'You don't need to be doing this just because I signed you up for it.' He said, 'Dad, I'll try another week,' and said, 'I think I'll like this,' and we just kept it going."

Dan says the family is definitely planning to be on hand when Easton plays the Grand Ole Opry later this month.

http://www.theboot.com/2010/03/12/easton-corbins-cd-a-hot-commodity-in-his-hometown/

Easton Corbin - 'Easton Corbin' review

Sacramento Country Music Examiner rates this: 4 STARS

Easton Corbin - Easton Corbin
© Mercury Nashville

Country newcomer Easton Corbin's self-titled debut is like a breath of traditional country on a landscape that is filled with more pop-leaning fare. The album's first single, the mid-tempo "A Little More Country Than That" sits at No. 4 this week on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, and is still moving up the charts.

Corbin has a likeable tenor, and his album is filled with a great collection of songs that to this writer, sound like they could all be hits on today's country radio.

I couldn't do a review of this album without mentioning how much Easton sounds like George Strait. His song choices are tunes that you could find on any George Strait or Alan Jackson album.

In "Roll With It," we have a song celebrating just living each day as it comes. The chorus exclaims: "Baby, we'll roll with it / won't think about it too much. / Baby, let's just go with it / and get out of this ordinary everyday rut." This is another song that could definitely be a good single. Perhaps for the summer?

"The Way Love Looks" really has the sound of an Alan Jackson tune. This is one of the four co-writes that Eason has on the disc, and this toe-tapper is a real winner, with plenty of steel guitar.

In "Don't Ask Me About a Woman," the character in the song is soaking up wisdom from his grandfather. His grandfather admits that he knows something about just about everything, but don't ask him about women. They're way too confusing. He sings: "Don't ask me about a woman. / All I know is boy they're something. / They're tender and they're tough, / can break it down and lift you up."

Easton adds a little island-flair to his "A Lot to Learn About Livin'." The song tells the story of a man that heads down to Mexico for a vacation, and finds out that things move a little more slowly down there. This is another fun tune that would make a great summer single. I actually can't think of a song on this album that wouldn't make a good single. There are really a lot of choice cuts here, and I think that Corbin will do well with any of them.

This man is definitely headed in the right direction, and I can see him having a career in country music for a long time to come.

I rate this album 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. Traditional fans will do well to give this a try. You'll be greatly pleased with the music that you'll find on Easton Corbin's debut album.

Easton Corbin Track List:

1. "Roll With It"
2. "A Little More Country Than That"
3. "This Far From Memphis"
4. "The Way Love Looks"
5. "Someday When I'm Old"
6. "Don't Ask Me About A Woman"
7. "I Can't Love You Back"
8. "A Lot To Learn About Livin'"
9. "Let Alone You"
10. "That'll Make You Wanna Drink"
11. "Leavin' A Lonely Town"

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-15710-Sacramento-Country-Music-Examiner~y2010m3d14-Easton-Corbin--Easton-Corbin-review

“A Little More Country Than That”

March 20, 2010

Easton Corbin

"A Little More Country Than That" could be read as a sly poke at the current state of country music, but Easton Corbin is no staunch traditionalist. The Florida native delivers original songwriting in a classic baritone drawl from the song's first line: "Imagine a dirt road full of potholes with a creek bank and some cane poles catching channel cat." One might not expect that to be the opening to a love song, yet Corbin's tune is about a man taking a chivalrous approach toward a woman. Playful guitars and a colorful fiddle complement an already inviting melody and vocal. With an equally strong debut album and an opener slot on Brad Paisley's summer tour, Corbin is poised to continue standing out in 2010. —Michael Menachem

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/magazine/reviews/singles/e3i474fda2d02866bfd3f7de5eb8b237391

Gary Allan

"Get Off on the Pain"

If all you knew was the title to this CD you could almost guess it was Gary Allan. Nobody does punch-you-in-the-gut Country better, partly because of his haunting voice and partly because you know he’s lived it. It seems his CDs are getting less gloomy, compared to, say, 2005’s “Tough All Over,” which I think makes them not as good, but it’s probably best for your mental health. Make sure to grab the Deluxe Edition for some good live stuff.

— Dylan

» www.cmt.com

David Nail will soon be hitting the road with Miranda Lambert. Miranda embarks on her “Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars” headlining tour next week and for all but a handful of dates, she’s enlisted some of the hottest male talents in country music like David Nail. James Otto, Randy Houser, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Eric Church, Jake Owen, Wade Bowen, Luke Bryan and Chris Young also join the bill. Each will join Miranda for select dates through out the tour.

“I like pink guitars and puppies so how scary can I be?” laughs Miranda. "Seriously, it’s going to be a lot of fun. I’ve been on tour with some great male headliners so I thought it’s only natural that I invite some talented guys on my first official headlining tour!”

3/25
Kennewick, WA
Toyota Center
David Nail

3/26
Medford, OR
Medford Armory
David Nail

3/28
Airway Heights, WA
Northern Quest Casino
David Nail

CD Reviews- Easton Corbin- Easton Corbin

Laura Bell Bundy’s major label debut gets an April release

By Patrick Luce Mar 10, 2010, 17:51 GMT

Country singer Laura Bell Bundy’s major label debut Achin’ And Shakin’ will arrive on April 13th on the Mercury Nashville label. Her first single from the album, “Giddy On Up” has continued to find success on the top radio markets.

Bundy’s music background includes a Tony-nominated performance on Broadway as Elle Woods for Legally Blonde: The Musical. The single has been described as “a breath of fresh air” and “nothing short of a new female anthem” amongst industry critics since the premiere of the music video (which was directed Shane Drake) by on January 18.

"Giddy On Up" debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at #60 for the chart week of February 20th and has received the support of several websites (including CMT.com) - which has aided “Giddy On Up” in reaching almost 1 million streams in a month. The song has also gone on to sell more than 30,000 digital singles

The track has also started taking the radio markets by storm with Bundy being added to more than 28 stations countrywide in just 3 weeks.

The song’s video is also in heavy rotation on CMT and other country music television networks.

Visit Laura Bell Bundy’s official website for more information on the singer and her new studio album.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/music/news/article_1540021.php/Laura-Bell-Bundy-s-major-label-debut-gets-an-April-release#ixzz0hndXW77f

Laura Bell Bundy’s Debut Album Release Date: April 13th

Posted by Big Papa
10-03-2010

Laura Bell Bundy and Mercury Nashville will be releasing “Achin’ and Shakin’” on April 13th. Bundy’s debut album will feature her lead single, “Giddy On Up”, which has garnered considerable acclaim since the video for the song premiered on January 18th. The single has moved steadily up the Billboard charts and is poised to crack the Top 40 in the next week or two.

With the support of massive websites such as CMT.com, Perezhilton.com, People.com, Usmagazine.com and Monstersandcritics.com “Giddy On Up” has received almost 1 million streams in a month and has sold over 30,000 digital singles. “Our gut said Laura Bell Bundy would be a big hit and it exceeded our expectations,” said Jay Frank, SVP Music Strategy, CMT. “#1 on CMT.com right out of the box and immediate sales from the first spin…she is a definite star in CMT’s future.”

Laura Lee Bundy is a crossover star from an unlikely genre. Bundy starred in the hit Broadway production of, “Legally Blonde”. The musical featured Laura as “Elle Woods”. From Broadway to Nashville, Bundy has taken industries and fans by storm. Keep an eye out for her album in April. Check out her video from “Giddy On Up” and see why she has received a lot of attention.

http://www.ourcountryroad.com/laura-bell-bundys-debut-album-release-date-april-13th/

Interview: Easton Corbin
By: Josefin O'Brien

Easton Corbin can list professional country/songwriter with the hit single “A Little More Country Than That” on his resume, but it wasn’t always that way. Growing up in rural Florida, he spent his days on the family farm dreaming of the day he would move to Nashville and reach success in the country music world. This rising star doesn’t have the free time he once did but when he’s not burning up the charts, he still loves to hunt and fish.

Q: How did you first get interested in hunting?
A: Coming from where I come from, the majority of people hunt. My dad and my grandpa weren’t too big on hunting but I think I first went with an uncle and a cousin, I was probably 9 or 10. We hunted deer.

Q: Do you still have time to plan hunting trips with your profession?
A: I don’t have any time any more! I think my most recent trip was with my father-in-law at Christmastime. It’s Florida, so we hunt deer. Bird hunting is also big. I love squirrel hunting too. But I really love to fish, that’s more down my line. I’ve done a lot of bass fishing, brim fish.

Q: What do you think about women coming along on hunting trips, one of your songs talks about you having to bait a girl’s fishing hook?
A: With my experience with my wife, when we were dating, I did more of the work and she got more of the fish! But there are women who really know how to fish, they’re better than I am—I know some women like that.
Down in Florida, there are gators and some of them will make noise, rippling water off their backs. My wife and I were fishing near some lily pads one time and when we heard the noise, my wife said, get me away from here! So we moved to the next row of lily pads but the gators started making the noise again and totally freaked her out. Those gators can get aggressive, you don’t want to go swimming in there.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to hunt?
A: Depends on what’s biting! I love to get out there on the river. I like to hunt when I get the chance but it’s easier to throw the boat in the water. The hunting season’s only about 3 months—that’s a lot of the reason we can’t hunt so much. The rest of the year, you fish.

Q: Tell us about your album, would it appeal to other hunting enthusiasts?
A: There are 11 songs on there, and as a record, it really sums up the type of music that I like listening to. These songs tell the story of who I am—they tap into the community I grew up in, how I was raised, who I am. With this record, these songs all have something I can relate to. I chose songs that were real to me and I think people can see that.

Q: Who are your country music heroes and influences?
A: Merle Haggard and George Jones.

Q: You say you are “unapologetically country” – what does that mean to you?
A: The music I love doing, that’s what I’ll always do—no matter how the tide changes, I’ll always be doing country music. It’s the only thing I know how to do. With my accent, I can’t do anything else!

Q: How different is your life now as a country star vs. how you grew up in Florida?
A: I’m a lot busier! I’ve got a career doing what I love. When I was living down there, I was always singing.

Q: Your dream of being a country singer came true—what advice would you give to people who’d like to follow their dreams?
A: Always be true to yourself. Be who you are. And if you do decide to come to Nashville, it’s not about how good you are, it’s about the connection you make—if you surround yourself with good people, you’ll be better off. Make sure people have your best interest at heart.

Easton Corbin’s self-titled album is in stores now.

http://huntingnet.com/articles/article_detail.aspx?articles_id=587

Laura Bell Bundy Is 'Achin' for Release of New Album

Laura Bell Bundy is a Tony Award-nominated actress who's moved from Broadway to get her country music career 'Giddy On Up' and going. Fans will get that catchy single and more when the album, 'Achin' and Shakin,' drops April 13.

'Giddy On Up,' an upbeat comeuppance directed toward a cheating lover, has already sold more than 30,000 singles and been streamed almost one million times in a month, according to Laura's label, Mercury Nashville.

The album itself is actually two concept discs with a single vision. 'Achin'' is a selection of slow and sultry country songs, while 'Shakin'' is filled with sassy, contemporary tunes. Think Loretta Lynn and Minnie Pearl meets Norah Jones and 'Sex and the City.' All of the tunes except one on 'Achin' and Shakin'' were penned by Laura.

"Two records, one woman is my motto," says the singer. "I have a crazy, wild, humorous, outspoken personality and then I have a depth that only opens up when I'm alone or with one other person, and that is captured with this album. I really couldn't do one without the other."

http://www.theboot.com/2010/03/09/laura-bell-bundy-new-album-2010/

JAMEY JOHNSON TO BE HONORED AT

ALABAMA MUSIC HALL OF FAME

Blind Boys of Alabama, Mac McAnally, Mac Davis to receive awards

TUSCUMBIA, Ala. – The Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board has announced the selection of seven people to be inducted during the 13th Induction Banquet and Awards Show to be held in the Convention Center in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, March 25, 2010.

David Johnson, executive director of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, said, “We are proud to be returning to Montgomery for this celebrated event honoring our state’s great music achievers and unmatched musical heritage. During this event, the audience will be entertained by some of the most successful and talented Alabamians in the music industry as well as witness seven achievers being awarded with our most prestigious honor – induction into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.”

The inductees and their categories are:

Performing artist/group category

The Blind Boys of Alabama and Eddie Levert, (the lead singer of the O’Jays.)

The Blind Boys of Alabama trace their heritage to 1939 at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Talladega. The Grammy-winning a capella vocalists continue to influence the music world. Just last fall, they released a duets album with several major acts including Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Bonnie Raitt and Solomon Burke and others. Clarence Fountain is the only original member still living, but he has retired from the road, while other members carry on the tradition. They went 58 years before winning their first Grammy, but then picked up the award every year between 2002 and 2005. They have been inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame.

Alabama’s Rising Star Award - Singer Jamey Johnson, of Enterprise.

Jamey Johnson, who was born in Enterprise and grew up in Montgomery, has been on a hot streak in recent years. He co-wrote the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music 2007 Song of the Year “Give It Away,” recorded by George Strait. The Grammy-nominated artist won the ACM’s and CMA's Song of the Year for his single “In Color.”

Jerry Wexler Award - Former Muscle Shoals recording artist Mac Davis, of Los Angeles, California.

Mac Davis is a songwriter who found success as a recording artist with Rick Hall as his producer at Fame in Muscle Shoals. Among their hits were “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked On Me,” “Stop And Smell The Roses,” Texas In My Rear View Mirror" and "Hooked on Music.” In 1974, Davis was named the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year.

Arthur Alexander songwriter’s award - Singer/songwriter Mac McAnally, of Sheffield.

Mac McAnally, a Red Bay native who grew up in Belmont, Mississippi, has won numerous awards for his songwriting. He writes and tours with Jimmy Buffett, whom he also produces. He will know January 31 if he wins a Grammy Award for the best country collaboration with vocals for his duet with Kenny Chesney on “Down The Road.”

If the honky tonk nation gathered and rejoiced publicly every time an artist came along with a sound steeped in the past — which is rarer in the 21st century than a two-headed dog — the cheers would have been deafening when Easton Corbin's "A Little More Country Than That" first hit the airwaves. The Top Ten single, from Corbin's 2010 self-titled album, is as old school as it gets. Producer Carson Chamberlain's new penny polish and Corbin's traditional twang balance each other out nicely. Corbin's debut is jam-packed with the sounds of yesterday. From the opening cut, the chugging "Roll with It," to the disc-closing "Leavin' a Lonely Town," a jangly number with stinging steel and forlorn fiddle, Corbin delivers a stone solid country collection. The latter could be a lost song from Steve Earle's groundbreaking Guitar Town sessions. The album's standout track, the cleverly titled "I Can't Love You Back," is a hardcore power ballad that aims straight for the heart. Corbin turns out a hanky-worthy vocal performance. Corbin's traditionally tinted voice isn't his only asset; the Florida native co-wrote four of the album's songs, including the funny-bone slam "That'll Make You Wanna Drink." Fans of George Strait will notice Corbin sounds a lot like "King George," which when you think about it, isn't really a bad thing at all. Now let's have a big cheer from the honky tonk nation.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:k9fyxz8sldfe

By MICHAEL McCALL, For The Associated Press

Gary Allan, "Get Off on the Pain" (MCA Nashville)

Many modern Nashville artists cop the macho swagger of the outlaw movement of country music's past, but few remember how artists like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson balanced self-aggrandizement with sensitive self-examination.

Gary Allan, to his credit, is tough enough to show a tender side. On his eighth studio album, "Get Off on the Pain," Allan not only rocks with bluster; he also opens his tortured soul and searches for redemption.

A tattooed surfer from California, Allan shows brains as well as brawn on the title cut and on the rampaging "That Ain't Gonna Fly," in which he admits he should know by now that his medicine of choice — whiskey and women — doesn't cure heartaches. But that doesn't keep him from indulging.

However, it's on the ballads where Allan truly flies. "Along the Way" and "She Gets Me" both find a rowdy rambler acknowledging how much his lover sacrifices to keep him. On the musically stripped-down "No Regrets," Allan attunes his gruff-but-powerful voice to convey a hard-earned strength that's come in the five years since his wife Angela's suicide, while admitting, "I still miss her every day." That's the kind of searing honesty too often missing from country radio today.

CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: Played like a hymn, complete with soulful waves of sustained organ notes, "When You Give Yourself Away" is about two selfless lovers who find glory in taking care of each other. Allan sings it with the caressing restraint of a classic R&B singer.

Gary Allan, Get Off on the Pain

* * * * HURTS SO GOOD

On the title track, Gary Allan sings that he doesn't "know why my life sounds like a heartbroke country song." So does his album. On an album that twangs like the guitars have motorcycle chains for strings, Allan sides with long shots, dark horses and lost causes more apt to revel in their misery than celebrate their good fortune. — Brian Mansfield

>Download:Today, That Ain't Gonna Fly,

Get Off on the Pain

Review: Gary Allan, "Get Off on the Pain" (MCA Nashville)

The Associated Press

March 9, 2010

Gary Allan, to his credit, is tough enough to show a tender side. On his eighth studio album, "Get Off on the Pain," Allan not only rocks with bluster; he also opens his tortured soul and searches for redemption.

A tattooed surfer from California, Allan shows brains as well as brawn on the title cut and on the rampaging "That Ain't Gonna Fly," in which he admits he should know by now that his medicine of choice whiskey and women doesn't cure heartaches. But that doesn't keep him from indulging.

However, it's on the ballads where Allan truly flies. "Along the Way" and "She Gets Me" both find a rowdy rambler acknowledging how much his lover sacrifices to keep him. On the musically stripped-down "No Regrets," Allan attunes his gruff-but-powerful voice to convey a hard-earned strength that's come in the five years since his wife Angela's suicide, while admitting, "I still miss her every day." That's the kind of searing honesty too often missing from country radio today.

Posted: March 9th, 2010
By: Alison Bonaguro

All the buzz about Easton Corbin (“A Little More Country Than That”) has been that he’s the new George Strait. And he really does sound a lot like Strait. His voice, the guitars and his songwriting all echo King George's style. But I just played this online shell game -- only with Corbin’s baseball caps -- and discovered there is way more to him. You just keep your eye on the caps and if you can click on the one he’s hiding under, you can unlock his songs. All 11 tracks, if you keep playing. And when you do, you’ll discover that not only does Corbin have the same kind of traditional country sound as his heroes like Keith Whitley and George Jones, but also some contemporary artists. I hear traces of Joe Nichols in “That’ll Make You Want to Drink” and Jimmy Buffett in “A Lot to Learn About Livin’.” Musical comparisons aside, though, Corbin’s his own man and his self-titled debut album is proof of that.

http://blog.cmt.com/2010-03-09/easton-corbin-hides-music-under-his-old-hats/

Make sure to CLICK HERE to see Coldwater Jane talk to Yallwire about their first CRS experience, their love of music and more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 9, 2010

LAURA BELL BUNDY’S MERCURY NASHVILLE DEBUT ACHIN’ AND SHAKIN’
SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 13 RELEASE

“GIDDY ON UP” REACHES CLOSE TO A MILLION STREAMS
AND GETS ADDED IN TOP RADIO MARKETS

NASHVILLE TN – Laura Bell Bundy’s major label debut album Achin’ And Shakin’ is slated for release April 13 on Mercury Nashville. The infectious lead single “Giddy On Up” has been described as “a breath of fresh air” and “nothing short of a new female anthem” amongst industry critics since the premiere of the music video on January 18.

With the support of massive websites such as CMT.com, Perezhilton.com, People.com, Usmagazine.com and Monstersandcritics.com “Giddy On Up” has received almost 1 million streams in a month and has sold over 30,000 digital singles.

“Our gut said Laura Bell Bundy would be a big hit and it exceeded our expectations,” said Jay Frank, SVP Music Strategy, CMT. “#1 on CMT.com right out of the box and immediate sales from the first spin…she is a definite star in CMT’s future.”

In addition to the astounding web buzz, numerous radio markets have jumped on board and added Bundy’s single to total over 28 stations countrywide in just 3 weeks.

“Giddy On Up” is the number one requested song at KILT, in Houston,” said Jeff Garrison, PD KILT, VP of Country Programming, CBS.

Other top stations such as San Antonio’s KAJA, Houston’s KKBQ, San Jose’s KRTY, Minneapolis’s KEEY, Chicago’s WUSN, Portland’s KWJJ and KUPL, Denver’s KYGO and both Phoenix station’s KNIX and KMLE are in full support of the single some spinning it over 30 times a week.

March 08, 2010

Easton Corbin

Easton Corbin is making a pretty convincing case that he should be the new standard-bearer for old-school country. His debut full-length album, Easton Corbin, is decked out head to toe in warm traditional country tones. The production is refreshingly free of thundering drums and heavy distorted guitars, but flush with fiddle and steel guitar.

Easton Corbin is also loaded with good-natured, easygoing songs. Corbin and producer Carson Chamberlain (he's worked with Billy Currington, Mark Wills and others) selected a great batch of material for the album. They even wrote a few themselves (Chamberlain's "Let Alone You" and "That'll Make You Wanna Drink" are among the album's highlights). This is an extremely welcome first album by a promising young star.

http://blog.napster.com/napster/2010/03/easton-corbin.html

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