(l-r): Heather Morgan, Ashley Ray, Troy Olsen, Dave Pahanish, Cory Branan and Brad Tursi performed at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs, CO for a special 2010 Country Throwdown USO show. Photo by Beth Brinker.

The Country Throwdown Tour made a special stop at Ft. Carson military base in Colorado Springs, CO on Friday, June 11. Rather than just passing through town on the way, Country Throwdown producers teamed up with the USO to put on a free show for military families on the base, and even opened it up free to the public to give fans a preview of what to expect when the tour rolled into Denver the following Sunday.

The lineup included Bluebird Café artists Cory Branan, Heather Morgan, Troy Olsen, Dave Pahanish, Ashley Ray and Brad Tursi in addition to The Tyler Reeve Band.

While it was the first USO experience for some of the artists, a couple had previous experiences with the organization. Dave Pahanish told us all about his previous USO tours in South Korea and Afghanistan and Heather Morgan’s grandparents met at a USO show. No word yet on whether Heather may have met her future husband there, but you never know.

Salt Lake City, UT and Denver, CO were unique days on the Country Throwdown Tour – we were freezing! Despite the shock of it, we were all amazed at the beautiful mountains and awesome fans that stuck it out in the rain. Country music fans make plastic ponchos look good!

Our journey to Denver was an unexpected adventure. I live with the nine songbirds and Emily West on the Bluebird Café singer songwriter bus and we all woke up to realize we were broke down in Cheyenne, WY the morning of the show! Another bus came back to rescue us from the rain and a truck stop breakfast buffet that was as delicious as it sounds. The sassy ladies turned the back lounge into a dressing room and stepped off the bus and onstage without a hair out of place. We made it just in time!

Later that night a young couple got engaged during Eric Church’s set. Perhaps they can get married on the next stop in Little Big Town’s Little White Church!

We had a few days of travel and adventure on our days off.  In Grand Junction, CO, artist Cory Branan and a couple of us brave ladies decided to walk four miles from civilization back to our tour buses using only an iPhone and Cory’s inner compass. Surprisingly, we were not eaten by coyotes and sustained only minor injuries. A highlight of our journey was an impromptu photo shoot in front of a giant apple. Speaking of impromptu photo shoots, I also had the honor of photographing Heather Morgan as the sun was setting on the red rock cliffs in St. George, UT. Think Sara Evans‘ “Real Fine Place To Start” video. It was beautiful.

Click here to see my photos from the tour!

I’ve learned that some things can only happen on tour…like hanging out in Las Vegas by the pool with Montgomery Gentry. Somebody pinch me!

The Country Throwdown Tour is coming to an end next weekend with only three more shows in California. Fly, drive, or if you want to be like us, walk! It’s your last chance to see the unique dynamic of these talented folks on the first ever Country Throwdown tour. See you there?

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Eddie Montgomery (center) & Heidi Newfield (right) jam during some downtime on the Country Throwdown Tour. Photo by Beth Brinker.

As The Country Throwdown tour makes its way up the east coast, each stop continues to serve up memorable performances and behind the scenes action with country’s hottest stars.

North Carolina stops included Charlotte and Raleigh, where I got to hang with Little Big Town and hear all about how much fun they are having with their “Little White Church” Country Throwdown weddings. Getting to know these four and their adorable families, who are out on the road with them, has been a tour highlight!

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was a hot one! In between sets, artists could be found hitting golf balls into a lake behind the amphitheater. Nice swing, Little Big Towners!

My favorite stop of the week was Saratoga Springs, New York. Not only was the venue beautiful, the musical collaborations were epic. That’s a fancy word, but it was a fancy day at The Country Throwdown, people.

I always try to catch Jonathan Singleton & The Grove’s set because I need my daily dose of Mississippi soul….and because it is never the same! This particular day the band was joined by hit maker Dave Pahanish, an artist in the Bluebird Singer Songwriter tent and one of the most genuine and entertaining characters I know. The crowd was treated to Dave’s version of his hit song “American Ride,” recorded by Toby Keith. Rock n’ roll Throwdown, it was.

Another musician on the brink is Capitol recording artist, Walker Hayes. He keeps everyone laughing constantly, whether he’s serenading us with Disney songs or singing his own witty tunes like “Pants” or “Mama’s Hot.” So when I heard a familiar Heather Morgan tune with a beat-boxing twist, I had a pretty good idea who was behind the mic.

I’ve heard fans refer to him as “Country Music’s Jason Mraz, “ while his Bluebird Café busmates call him “Nashville’s Matthew McConaughey.” Either way, people can’t stop talking about Walker Hayes. Keep your ears open for “Wax Paper Cups” this summer!

Later that night our regular post-show BBQ was especially star-studded. The usual songbirds — Sarah Buxton, Emily West, Dave Pahanish, and Brad Tursi — entranced us with their vocal magic, along with Jedd Hughes, who always seems to appear out of nowhere with an electric guitar, perfectly timed and tuned.  Creepy, man.

That night we also had Tyler Reeve, Jonathan Singleton and Heidi Newfield grace the small stage, though Heidi didn’t crowd surf like she had earlier that day. Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry also gave us rare individual performances. Didn’t I say it was epic?

I remember shutting my eyes in the bunk and falling asleep to the sound of music still being played outside.

Our Memorial Day stop was in Gilford, New Hampshire. One of the many unique aspects of this tour is that most of the crew also works on punk/rock super tours like Warped Tour and Mayhem, also produced by Country Throwdown creator Kevin Lyman. Needless to say, this country music stuff has been new territory for those guys!

We are one big happy and diverse family. Unanimously, everyone’s favorite part of that family is our beloved caterers, Tada Catering, who don’t get to hear any of the performances because they are making the meals that keep everyone going. To show their appreciation, the nine Bluebird Café singer songwriters stormed their bus one night for a private acoustic show where they each sang one of their original songs. According to our meal-makers, this was an incredibly moving gesture that meant so much to them.  

That was a sweet way to begin our three days off!

I spent a lot of time with the lovely Emily West, who can often be seen sporting the t-shirts of other artists. We did some vintage shopping in Philly, where our cab driver said we looked like Scandinavian sisters. He was disappointed to find out that we lived in Nashville, until he remembered that the “King of Leon” [sic] is from there.

We also sampled cheesesteaks with Dave Pahanish and his wife Kristen Lee, who has joined him onstage at occasional Throwdown stops.

The next day Bluebird Café tent singer songwriters Troy Olsen, Brad Tursi and I visited Virginia Beach’s 97.3 The Eagle radio station for a show and interview.  Troy, an EMI Nashville recording artist, is promoting his song “Summer Thing,” which is currently climbing the Billboard chart. After getting to know each other on the tour, Troy asked Brad to play guitar and sing with him this summer and this was their first gig together.

The fun continues as we head into the second half of our Country Throwdown adventures. I can’t wait to see the collaborations that will unfold throughout the rest of the tour!

Stay tuned for exclusive photos and videos, only on GACTV.com!

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Pictured at the Country Throwdown Tour's kickoff party at the Nashville restaurant Cabana on May 25, 2010 (back row): BMI’s Jody Williams, 4Fini’s Sarah Baer, Bluebird Café’s Erika Wollam Nichols, and BMI’s Beth Mason; (front row) Bluebird Café Stage performers Troy Olsen, Ashley Ray, Cory Branan, Sarah Buxton, Dave Pahanish and Brad Tursi.

BMI hosted a Country Throwdown Tour launch party on May 25 at Cabana, a trendy hotspot in Nashville. The multi-act tour kicked off May 14 in Florida and concludes June 20 in California. The first of its kind, The Country Throwdown Tour features headliners Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson and Little Big Town. The tour also features the BMI-sponsored Bluebird Café Singer/Songwriter stage that provides fans with a unique and intimate setting to hear stripped down versions of hits songs performed by the writers who penned them and undoubtedly songs that they will hear on country radio in the future. The lineup includes some of Nashville’s up-and-coming and established songwriters like Sarah Buxton, Dave Pahanish, Troy Olsen, Brad Tursi, Ashley Ray and more.

Check out what the artists had to say about their favorite moments of the tour so far in the clip from the party!

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(l-r): Little Big Town's Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, Anne & Josh York, Statt with WUBE, and Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild & Jimi Westbrook.

We are now officially seven stops into The Country Throwdown Tour! As this traveling music circus makes its way across the country, everyone is finding their groove out here on the road and really get to know each other. This past week we hit Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and Indianapolis – rain or shine, The Country Throwdown was a party all day. What you may not know is that the party continues all night.

After the lights go down on the main stage, the grill is cranked up backstage thanks to Tyler Reeve. Affectionately called “The BBQ Band,” Tyler and his crew cook up a feast every night after the show, and the music starts up again. You never know who’s going to play together, what they will sing, or how many shakers Sarah Buxton will pass out (and whether or not the recipients have rhythm.) In Cleveland, Cory Branan sang an Irish song that had Emily West, Sarah Buxton and Country Throwdown creator Kevin Lyman doing a jig that earned him the nickname “Crazy Legs.”

In Cincinnati, I spent most of the day soaking wet and my Texas hair was getting curlier by the minute.  Some fans were covered in brown slime from head to toe after going down the mudslide. You could even catch members of The Eli Young Band out there throwing down with fans. This was the day that Mike Eli told me I had “Wal-Mart feet.” I hate to admit that my flip-flop feet were dirty from the weather, but c’mon Mike! What do you expect “when it rains”?

Fans didn’t let rain get in the way of their good time, or even their wedding! Little Big Town’s latest single, “Little White Church,” has inspired weddings at various stops along the tour. Anne Zimmerman and Josh York were the first couple married on The Country Throwdown Tour. The members of LBT even served as their wedding party. The second wedding, held Sunday in Indianapolis, IN, was a renewal ceremony for Maggie and Adam Clark.

Love must be in the air because in Chicago, I received a marriage proposal. His name was Kyle and he was a very articulate three-year-old. I told him I’d see him in 30 years.

Later that night, I caught a glimpse of Ryan Bingham and a few other artists dominating on a skateboard…or what a cooler person might call a “longboard.” All I’m saying is, protect your hands and face, fellas. Don’t hurt the moneymakers!

If you don’t see the big stars at the BBQ, you may want to check the Bluebird Café Singer/Songwriter bus. Jamey Johnson, Jack Ingram, Montgomery Gentry and Little Big Town have all spent some time hanging with these talented singer/songwriters, listening to their songs and even singing some of their own. Some lucky folks on that bus recently got to fall asleep to the sound of LBT’s Phillip Sweet singing “Bring It On Home.”

While the singer/songwriter bus is a party at night, it can be quite productive during the day. Just ask Dave Pahanish and Brad Tursi, who co-wrote the first song written on the Bluebird Café bus so far. I was able to hear the song right after it was born and let me tell ya, that baby is beautiful.  Come to a Country Throwdown show and I bet you’ll get to hear “Song About You” for yourself.

You’ll also get to hear one of my new favorite bands, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove. I can hear one song and it will be on repeat in my head for the rest of the day. That is impressive, considering my mind is usually like iTunes on shuffle. Jonathan and the boys perform songs from their latest EP and some hits they wrote, like Josh Turner’s “Why Don’t We Just Dance” and Billy Currington’s “Don’t.” With so many successful songwriters on this tour, it’s exciting to see the fans react to a hit song being performed by the writer.

This is not your ordinary country music tour and it’s not too late for you to get your tickets! Next stop Charlotte, North Carolina. Fingers crossed that Eric Church sings “Carolina.”

GAC is a proud sponsor of the Country Throwdown Tour.  For more information about the tour dates, tickets and merchandise visit www.countrythrowdown.com.

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Jamey Johnson on stage jammin' with Heidi Newfield, Emily West and more!

Beth Brinker here, your GAC Road Reports correspondent and your source for all things Country Throwdown!  Stay tuned for my on the road adventures and behind the scenes exclusives with the talented artists and singer/songwriters on one of this summer’s hottest tours! I finally get to be a gypsy with a traveling music circus and all my friends and favorites.  First stop – Florida!

If the first day of The Country Throwdown tour is any indicator of what lies ahead, I can only expect the unexpected. I knew collaborations were inevitable, but I was surprised to see so many so soon!

The highlight of the first show unfolded when Jamey Johnson was joined by Emily West, Heidi Newfield, and singer/songwriters Sarah Buxton, Jedd Hughes, Heather Morgan, Troy Olsen and Brad Tursi of The Bluebird Café Tent for an edgy rendition of the classic hymn I’ll Fly Away.

To top off the evening, Sarah Buxton and I were “kidnapped” by the Eli Young Band and Jack Ingram for a surprise show at the Dallas Bull in Tampa. The Eli Young Band covered The Beatles and even Jack Ingram, himself. They started playing Jack’s tune Barbie Doll and switched bands mid-song. Before long Jack and his band were getting barefoot and crazy, literally. Jack has nice feet, like all Texans.

We were safely returned to our buses and it was on to West Palm Beach, and then Jacksonville.

One of my favorite features of the tour so far is The Bluebird Café Singer/Songwriter Tent. The Bluebird Café is a legendary club in Nashville that celebrates the creative minds behind our favorite songs.  On any given night, you can sit down, eat, and enjoy current and future hit songs being sung by the people who write them. This summer, you can experience that on every stop of the tour. Not only can you catch them at the tent, they also sing in between the acts on the main stage every night. I’m not the only one who loves these nine singer/songwriters – Jack Ingram has been spotted listening at the Bluebird Café tent at every stop so far.

If you want to see what you’re in for when you come out for a Country Throwdown, check out this clip:

Stay tuned…my next post will offer up some highlights from our run through Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.  Here are the remaining dates for tour stops in May:

Sat-5/22           Chicago, IL                            First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Sun-5/23         Indianapolis, IN                      Verizon Wireless Music Center
Thu-5/27         Charlotte, NC                         Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri-5/28          Raleigh, NC                           Time Warner Cable Pavilion
Sat-5/29         Pittsburgh, PA                        Post Gazette Pavilion
Sun-5/30       Saratoga Springs, NY            SPAC Amphitheatre
Mon-5/31      Gilford, NH                             Meadowbrook US Cellular

GAC is a proud sponsor of the Country Throwdown Tour.  For more information about the tour dates, tickets and merchandise visit www.countrythrowdown.com.

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Montgomery Gentry photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

In light of the recent devastation in Nashville, the Country Throwdown Tour and its artists are lending a hand to the local residents in need.

Country Throwdown artists are coming forward to help in a collective way. As of today, main stage headliners Montgomery Gentry, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, Eli Young Band and Bluebird Café Tent singer-songwriters Sarah Buxton, Heather Morgan, Jedd Hughes, Ashley Ray, Troy Olsen, Brad Tursi, Cory Branan and Dave Pahanish will be donating the net proceeds from the sale of their merchandise at select shows throughout the U.S.

“We’re excited to be a part of the Throwdown Tour and through the course of the tour the artists get to participate in generating a lot of revenue for Nashville,” explains Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry. “Donating in one lump sum at the end of the tour gives us the opportunity to help any folks who may have fallen through the cracks, either through not having insurance or not being eligible for FEMA coverage. We’ll be able to place the money directly with the people who need it the most to rebuild.”

The Country Throwdown Tour will donate $.50 of every ticket to charity, a portion of which will go directly to Hands On Nashville (www.hon.org) to rebuild community infrastructure in Nashville. Meanwhile, at the end of the tour, the merchandise donations from the aforementioned tour artists will also benefit Hands On Nashville.

“After moving part of our company down to Nashville well over a year ago, we’ve all grown deeply connected to this town,” states tour founder Kevin Lyman. “In the wake of this flood, all of us with the Country Throwdown Tour are inspired to help rebuild the Nashville community for many months to come.”

The Country Throwdown Tour kicked off May 14 in Tampa, FL and wraps-up June 20 in Mountain View, CA. The outdoor amphitheater tour mixes top country music artists with up-and-coming singer-songwriters on four stages. 

Country Throwdown Tour headliners include: Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town and Jack Ingram. Other mainstage artists include: Eric Church, The Lost Trailers, the Eli Young Band, Heidi Newfield, Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove and Emily West. In addition, nine emerging singer-songwriters are featured in the Bluebird Café Tent: Ashley Ray, Brad Tursi, Cory Branan, Dave Pahanish, Jedd Hughes, Sarah Buxton, Troy Olsen, Heather Morgan and Walker Hayes. 

For more information, videos, free songs and tickets, visit the Country Throwdown Tour website.

Tour Dates:

DATE                         CITY                                       VENUE
Fri       5/14                Tampa, FL                             Ford Amphitheatre
Sat      5/15                W. Palm Beach, FL                Cruzan Amphitheatre
Sun     5/16                Jacksonville, FL                     Metropolitan Park
Thu     5/20                Cleveland, OH                       Blossom Music Center
Fri       5/21                Cincinnati, OH                       Riverbend Music Center
Sat      5/22                Chicago, IL                            First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Sun     5/23                Indianapolis, IN                      Verizon Wireless Music Center
Thu     5/27                Charlotte, NC                         Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri       5/28                Raleigh, NC                           Time Warner Cable Pavilion
Sat      5/29                Pittsburgh, PA                        Post Gazette Pavilion
Sun     5/30                Saratoga Springs, NY            SPAC Amphitheatre
Mon    5/31                Gilford, NH                             Meadowbrook US Cellular
Fri       6/4                  Virginia Beach, VA                Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sat      6/5                  Philadelphia, PA                    Susquehanna Amphitheatre
Sun     6/6                  Bristow, VA                            Jiffy Lube Live
Wed    6/9                  Houston, TX                           Sam Houston Racepark
Thu     6/10                Dallas, TX                              Superpages.com Center
Sat      6/12                Salt Lake City, UT                  USANA Amphitheatre
Sun     6/13                Denver, CO                            Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Wed    6/16                Bakersfield, CA                      Rabobank Arena
Thu     6/17                San Diego, CA                       Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri       6/18                Phoenix, AZ                            Cricket Wireless Pavilion
Sat      6/19                Irvine, CA                               Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sun     6/20                Mountain View, CA                 Shoreline Amphitheatre

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Montgomery Gentry photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

This morning, tickets went on sale for the 2010 Country Throwdown Tour, sponsored by GAC. The tour kicks off May 14 at the Ford Amphitheater in Tampa, Fla. and goes through June 20 in Mountain View, Calif. at the Shoreline Amphitheater.

The tour features Montgomery Gentry, Jack Ingram, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, Eric Church, Emily West, Eli Young Band, Heidi Newfield, The Lost Trailers, Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses and Jonathan Singleton and the Grove.

In addition to the artists above on the main stage, there will be a Bluebird Cafe Stage featuring Ashley Ray, Brad Tursi, Corey Branan, Dave Pahanish, Heather Morgan, Jedd Hughes, Sarah Buxton, Troy Olsen and Walker Hayes.

Get your tickets here!

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Montgomery Gentry photo courtesy of Sony Nashville.

Country Throwdown 2010, a multi-act outdoor tour produced by the same company that created rock’s annual Vans Warped Tour, has enlisted Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town and Jack Ingram among the initial acts for a five-week, GAC-sponsored series of concerts next spring. Specific markets and the entire lineup have yet to be revealed, though the Throwdown will feature 21 total acts on an itinerary from May 13-June 20.

“When Eddie [Montgomery] and I were approached about doing the Country Throwdown Tour we immediately said yes,” Montgomery Gentry’s Troy Gentry said. “We loved the idea of it being like a big festival, a big party. I mean, that’s what Montgomery Gentry is all about. We’re keeping the ticket prices low because we know it’s hard out there. Fans are going to get a lot of entertainment for their money. This tour is going to be a great experience for us, the other artists and especially the fans.”

The concerts will boast a trio of stages plus a Bluebird Café Tent that highlights nine singer-songwriters. The experience will be enhanced with lifestyle-appropriate attractions and merchandise. Among the other performers who’ve already signed up are the Eli Young Band, Ryan Bingham, Eric Church, the Lost Trailers, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove and Emily West. Other acts will be disclosed in the future.

“Being part of this tour is a very exciting prospect for us,” Eli Young Band vocalist Mike Eli notes. “It brings together a group of similar-minded artists. And the organizers have done some impressive things with other tours in the past, and from what we’ve seen…we’re excited about what they’re going to do with country music.”

The Vans Warped Tour has been a regular rock attraction for more than a dozen years. Among the previous Warped acts are the All-American Rejects, Paramore, Kid Rock, Katy Perry, AFI, Fall Out Boy and Blink-182.

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