NashvilleGab - Country music news and Nashville celebrity gossip

Big Machine & Outnumber Hunger Reach for Rewards..You CAN Help

I may be behind in my things to do; but the work to support and erase hunger never stops.  Since the inception in 2012 of the Outnumber Hunger program 6,825,375 meals have been secured, not too far from the goal of up to ten million that has been set. Can they meet and exceed such a large undertaking?  I believe they can.

In April of this year the first ever Outnumber Hunger LIve concert event took place in Las Vegas on Friday night, during the 2013 Academy of Country Music weekend.  The event brought awareness for the Outnumber Hunger Program in their quest to secure meals for its network of local food banks. This marks the second year that Big Machine Record Label is working alongside Feeding America, and General Mills to reach their goals.  There is also no shortage of support from the label's roster of artists which include The Band Perry, Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore, Florida Georgia Line, Cassadee Pope and Greg Bates who put on a wonderful night of music to kick off the 2013 campaign.  There will also be other support from artists such as Rascal Flatts, Reba, the Eli Young Band, Thomas Rhett, Raelynn, The Mavericks and Ella Mae Bowen throughout the campaign.

But after all the glitz and glamour the work still continues.  As part of the 42nd Annual CMA Fest taking place in Nashville June 6-9 country artist Thomas Rhett has invited fans to volunteer at the Second Harvest Food Bank for the 2nd consecutive year.  Volunteers will be participating in helping sort and pack food alongside Thomas to help hungry Middle Tennesseans . This event filled up very quickly and it will give those involved a chance to learn more about hunger issues throughout Middle and West Tennessee followed by sorting food for Second Harvest's Emergency Food Box Program.

There is a misconception that hunger only relates to the very poor. This has led people to think it could not possibly be someone they know like a neighbor or a family in their church or childrens school.  Yet it is true; it could be anyone you least expect. Please take the time to read these startling facts and dig deep into the ways you can help this program.  It is so easy and totally affordable. You purchase certain products with the Outnumber Hunger banner on the front; find the code in the back of the packaging; go to the website; enter your code; follow the instructions and you are done.  You will feel so good knowing you helped.  http://www.outnumberhunger.com/hunger-in-america

There are many programs to help fight hunger which are very easy to work into your life. You don't have to be a big star to help; the bottom line is: JUST HELP DO WHAT YOU CAN...The rewards outweigh the awards.

 

(Pictures by Deb Sixta)

 

Stagecoach Music Festival announces 2013 lineup

So many people look forward every year to Stagecoach, the annual three-day music extravaganza that takes place in Indio, California, so it's always fun when they finally release their full performer lineup.  

Next year's 7th annual Stagecoach Country Music Festival will take place April 26-28 with tickets going on sale Saturday, October 20th. 

Full ticket info can be found on the Stagecoach website. This list is accurate as of today, but there may be more artists added in the future. 

Friday, April 26th

• Toby Keith
• Hank Williams Jr.
• Trace Adkins
• Jeff Bridges & The Abiders
• Roger McGuinn
• Old Crow Medicine Show
• Joe Nichols
• Connie Smith
• Maggie Rose
• Hayes Carll
• Wylie And The Wild West 
• Commander Cody 
• The Steel Wheels
• Haunted Windchimes
• Alissa Griffith

Saturday, April 27th

• Lady Antebellum 
• Dierks Bentley
• Rodney Atkins
• Dwight Yoakam
• Phil Vassar
• Nick 13 
• John Anderson
• Marty Stuart
• Jana Kramer
• Justin Townes Earle
• Suzy Bogguss
• The Honkytonk Angels Band
• Sons and Brothers
• The Westbound Rangers
• Robert Ellis

Sunday, April 28th

• Zac Brown Band 
• Darius Rucker
• Thompson Square
• Lonestar
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Charley Pride
• Don Williams
• Tanya Tucker
• Blue Sky Riders
• John Reilly and Friends
• Riders In The Sky
• Waddie Mitchell
• Florida Georgia Line
• Brown Bird
• Becky Stark
• Gabriel Kelley

(Via KFROG)

Blake Shelton and Toby Keith perform at sold-out Big Valley Jamboree

 

Blake Shelton and Toby Keith took part Friday, August 3, at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. The weather wasn't the best, but that didn't stop everyone from having a great time, and for the first time in its 20-year-history, the festival was completely sold out. 

Thank you to Travel Alberta for the photos. 

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Jukebox Music Festival gets shut down early....Pam Tillis gets interrupted

Well this story just got a whole lot weirder. 

As I told you earlier, a promoter at this weekend's Jukebox Music Festival in Anderson, California unceremoniously told Alan Jackson this morning that he wasn't invited to perform any longer at the festival because apparently Jackson's rescheduled concert on Friday had messed up ticket sales for his performance tonight at the festival. 

At least that was the story Jackson's crew was given. 

But if that wasn't strange enough, the promoters of the festival actually shut the festival down hours early without giving other performers the chance to perform as scheduled tonight, leaving thousands of paying fans disappointed.  

And they had the gall -- GALL I say! -- to interrupt Ms. Pam Tillis when she was trying to perform for her fans. 

So, so strange. 

According to the Anderson Valley Post, the meltdown began at about 2:30 this afternoon shortly after Ricky Skaggs had done his sound check and Pam Tillis was about to take the stage to do the same. Suddenly one of the promoters took the stage and announced to the crowd that “we are shutting down the festival.”

No explanation at all. He then went on to say, “The venue is now closed. Please go home.” 

They then shut all the sound equipment down on the festival's two stages. Pam Tillis wasn't having it and announced to the crowd that she would stay as long as fans were willing to stay and started singing Amazing Grace with the crowd singing along with her.

That's when uniformed security guards took the stage and told everyone to get out. 

“I thought Pam Tillis was great and trying to do what she could for all her fans. I am very disappointed in the promoter. I think a better solution could have been found for Sunday's performance,” said Robbie Ennis of Cottonwood, who witnessed the event.

At 3 p.m., a statement was sent out stating: 

"We are very grateful for those of you who were able to join us on Friday and Saturday at the Jukebox Music Festival,” the statement read.

“Despite the hard work and dedication of countless volunteers, community supporters and generous sponsors, we are saddened to have to close the gates on our inaugural festival at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 22.

"We are very sorry to have not been able to fulfill our dream. We hope you all enjoyed the two-and-a-half-days of music, dancing and eating.

"For more information send us an email at jukeboxrefund@gmail.com. Please allow two weeks for response while we sort this out,” the statement continued.

Wow. Just wow. 

For a full account of what happened throughout the Sunday Jukebox mess, head over to the Anderson Valley Post. 

The iHeartRadio Music Festival will be very eclectic this year

This year's iHeartRadio Music Festival performers have just been announced, and it's quite the lineup.  

Performers include: Taylor Swift, Aerosmith, Rihanna, Usher, Bon Jovi, Lil Wayne, Green Day, Swedish House Mafia, No Doubt, Brad Paisley, Pitbull, Deadmau5, Miranda Lambert, Enrique Iglesias, Linkin Park, Jason Aldean, P!nk, Mary J. Blige, Calvin Harris, and Shakira.

With this diverse of a lineup, that could mean some pretty interesting mash-ups if some of the performers decide to take the stage together.

A Miranda Lambert and P!nk performance would definitely be awesome!

The iHeartRadio Music Festival will take place September 21 & 22 in Vegas.  Fans can find out more info including how to get tickets by visiting here.

Good news -- Coachella and Stagecoach to stay put after city councilman drops proposed tax

Well good news for Indio, California, they get to keep their huge music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach

As I told you a few days ago, Indio City Councilman Sam Torres was proposing a new ticket tax on events with capacities of over 2,500 that would have ended up costing the Coachella and Stagecoach promotion company, Goldenvoice, an extra $4 to $6 million in taxes. 

Not sure if that number was per festival or for both combined, but either way that's a huge amount in extra taxes that Goldenvoice wasn't willing to pass on to festival goers.

Goldenvoice president, Paul Tollett, put it in very clear terms that if the proposed tax passed and went into effect, he'd be taking his festivals and finding them a new home somewhere else in 2014.    

Well the threat appears to have worked because the city councilman has decided to drop the proposed tax, saying in a press release: "I don't take a threat from Paul Tollett lightly. I cannot in good conscience allow this to happen no matter how dire the city's circumstance. My sincere hope is that we can now move past this episode and I personally look forward to working to enhance relationships."

Hopefully the city will be able to find another way to help their dire circumstances. 

No more Coachella or Stagecoach in Indio, California?

Wow, how often does a massive music festival just up and change locations? I can't remember ever hearing of a time, although I'm sure it happens from time to time.  

The annual Coachella and and it's country counterpart Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California are two of those music festivals that people will make plans for and be excited for the entire year and plan their entire vacations around.  They're definitely big ones with literally everyone who's anyone in music stopping by to perform for the fans.

Well now it appears that due to a proposed admission tax that a city councilman in the city of Indio is trying to get on the November ballot, the company who puts on the festivals is threatening to uproot the shows and move them to another area. 

To Boise, Idaho!

Sorry, that was just a wishful joke.  

According to Rolling Stone, Goldenvoice, the promotion company that puts on the two festivals, is threatening to move, telling The Sun, "If the tax initiative of putting $4 million to $6 million onto Coachella gets on the ballot, we're going to take off [in] 2014; 2015 we'll be at a new facility outside of Indio.” 

From Rolling Stone:

The 5- to 10-percent tax on admissions for events of more than 2,500 people was initially proposed by City Councilman Sam Torres, who believes that the cost would add an average of $18 to each ticket. Torres belives this would generate $4 million for Indio, which recently had to cut almost $4 million from its budget through layoffs and leaves of absence. Tollett, however, estimated that the tax would make tickets approximately $36 more expensive, a cost he did not want to make festivalgoers pay; the tax, then, would cost Goldenvoice an extra $4 to $6 million. 

After his initial measure was turned down by the City Council, Torres is now leading a petition drive to get the measure on the ballot in November. Approximately 2,700 Indio residents would have to sign the petition for it to go forward.

Wow, seems like the city would lose a lot more money than it would gain through a tax considering the kind of money tourists bring in. Tough call for the citizens. 

On a more positive note, I would like to officially nominate Boise as the new home of Stagecoach (and Coachella if they have to come as a pair) if the tax passes.

:0) 

As always, there's a lot more to the story.  You can read the whole kit and kaboodle over on Rolling Stone.  

Scotty McCreery Has Headlining Status at Jukebox Music Festival

The "New Kid in Town", Scotty McCreery has made his mark on the country music world since his 2011 win on American Idol.  His debut album, "Clear As Day" brought us two smash hits.

The album’s debut single, “I Love You This Big,” became a Top 15 hit and enjoyed the highest-charting debut for a new artist since at least 1984, while the video for the song hit No. 1 in just a week after its release. He recorded his debut album while starring in the American Idols Live! Tour, which Pollstar ranked as one of the nation’s Top 15 tours.  He followed that up with "The Trouble With Girls."

(Photo Courtesy of Scotty McCreery Fan Club)

A new musicl festival has been added to the summer's never ending list of things to do.  The Inaugural "Juke Box Music Festival" will take place in Anderson, CA from July 20-22.  This event is sporting some big names other than Scotty's, who will headline on Friday night on the Headliner Stage.  Saturday on that same Headliner Stage is Joe Nichols & Sunday is Alan Jackson.

On the Grand Stand Stage there are some very impressive guest's.  Friday night is Mark Chestnut, Saturday Kellie Pickler and Sunday Ricky Skaggs & Pam Tillis.  Times are leveled so as not cross over to the Headliner stage performances.  I am very much liking the sound of this impressive good old country music line-up.  Tickets are on sale now and are going fast.  To learn more about the Juke Box Music Festival head on over to their site and get ready to kick up your heels.  http://jukeboxmusicfestival.com/

 

Stagecoach Music Festival Rolls Out "Guest List" for 2012 Adding Third Day

The announcement of this event line-up is almost like waiting for the joys of the upcoming Holidays. For the past five years the Stagecoach Music Festival held in Indio, CA at the Empire Polo Field has hosted some big name acts such as Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Reba, & The Judds to name a few. So after the "BIG" line up news today, either announced on local radio stations or learning of it on the website, the phone lines, internet, (Twitter & Facebook) & of course texting were all jammed with people sharing the news and making plans.  Some hotels were already sold out today, and some do not have many rooms left.  So to say this event is popular is an understatement.

Stagecoach returns for their sixth year taking it from the traditonal two day event to three beginning April 27th through April 29th.  With the stellar line up which includes names like: Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, Alabama , Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, and more the third day was a must to get it all in. 

There are some new faces this year like Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Alabama, Kenny Rogers, Chris Isaak, The Band Perry and more, as well as some return guests like Jason Aldean and Sara Evans who start it off on Friday, Miranda Lambert takes over the stage on Saturday & Brad Paisley closing out the three day run on Sunday.

With access to three different stages there is music for everyone from bluegrass to good old honky tonking.  As of today (10/20/11) here is the line up of all the artists:  Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Alabama, Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, Luke Bryan, The Mavericks, Sara Evans, The Band Perry, Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers, Chris Isaak, Justin Moore, The Jayhawks, Eli Young Band, The JaneDear Girls, The Del McCoury Band, Brett Eldredge, Aaron Lewis, Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys, Uncle Monk, JD Crowe & The New South, Sara Watkins, Sunny Sweeney, Dave Alvin and the Guilty Ones, The Unforgiven, Greensky Bluegrass, Split Lip Rayfield, Elizabeth Cook, JD Souther, Old Man Markley.

Tickets go on sale Friday October 28th at 10 AM PDT at: http://www.stagecoachfestival.com/

Three-day weekend passes start at $149 for a limited time to the first 5,000 passes and layaway options are available. The festival also offers, camping and RV packages. For a complete breakdown of available ticketing and onsite camping/RV options, please visit the website. Children 10 and under will be admitted for free. Premium reserved-seating passes will run $749-$999.  Like the old saying goes; "Be there or be square."

STAGECOACH is produced by Goldenvoice and The Messina Group.

Jack Ingram: Solid Stagecoach Music Fest Performance

When an artist has the task of following country legend Wanda Jackson, and performing before country music icons, The Gatlin Brothers it may seem like a great undertaking.  Texas native Jack Ingram was just the man to take this on.  He knew it was an honor to be put into this situation and he was proud to be a part of an amazing cast of characters.

From the moment Jack walked onto the Palamino stage on Sunday, May 1st, you knew you were in for the best of this artist.  He started out "Jonesin for Haggard", watching a "Mustang Burn", "Loving You" and more. He brought it all together by going "Barefoot & Crazy."  And he takes that literally, by stepping out of his boots, placing them on the mic stand & like the song says, goes "Crazy."   Jack is the first Stagecoach artist who has set a record for having the largest capacity crowd at the Palamino stage, and to no surprise. He had that crowd in his grip from song one till the end, which the crowd did not want to see.

 
(The farthest out bulding in the pic is the Palamino Stage)

(Waitin on Jack)

Many rumbled that Jack should have been on the "Mane Stage" this year, could not figure out why he wasn't.  For Jack, "Mane Stage", Palamino Stage, a small side stage makes no difference to him.  He is an artist with a great love for what he does and when you call, if he can, he will answer and show up to give you the best of who he is.  The crowd sure knew that Sunday night at Stagecoach.

I saw all the aritst on the Mane Stage, a few on the Palamino stage, but some of the biggest response's I got were; "That Jack Ingram should have been on the Mane Stage. He was the best show the entire weekend."  Maybe next time Stagecoach you can cash in on this young man from Texas.  He is Jack Ingram and he plays country music.