Gene Watson photo courtesy of Tamara Saviano.

In celebration of 50 years in country music, Gene Watson has re-recorded 25 of his classic hits to sound like the originals. Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits will be released February 14 on Gene’s own record label, Fourteen Carat Music, and features legendary steel guitarist Sonny Garish along with a band of players that re-created the original arrangements.

“I wanted these to sound as close to the originals as could be done,” Gene said. “I had to work so hard to capture them the same way I did them originally. All of these songs are in the same keys. I just thank the good Lord above that He’s let me keep my voice intact. In fact, I can probably hit the notes better now than I could back then. Whenever there was a question when I was re-recording these, we went back and listened to the original recording.”

The Watson family, made up of seven children, grew up moving from shack to shack as their father took logging and crop-picking jobs to make ends meet. Home became a converted school bus and Gene dropped out of school in ninth grade to help his family. He settled in Houston, where he developed a local following on the club circuit. Capitol Records picked up “Love in the Hot Afternoon” for distribution after hearing him perform and it became the first of Gene’s two-dozen Top 10 hits in early 1975.

“Seems like my career just kind of happened accidentally,” Gene says. “It was purely unintentional. Music was just a sideline. I was going to be playing and singing no matter what line of work I was going to do. I never did really have any high expectations out of the music business. Even today, I never know what to expect from one day to the next.”

Gene Watson is a survivor. He quit drinking in 1980 and quit smoking in 1990. He underwent surgery and survived colon cancer in 2000-01. Through it all, he continued to record one critically applauded collection after another. He was inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame in 2002. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Trace Adkins photo by Russ Harrington, courtesy of Monarch Publicity.

Trace Adkins will headline the second annual NRA Country Jam, present by Bushnell and Folds of Honor. The concert will take place on April 13 at the Ferrara Theatre in St. Louis during the NRA Annual meetings. Over 70,000 NRA members are expected to be in attendance.

Trace, with the NRA Country and Bushnell, have designated a portion of the proceeds from the event to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation. Founded by Iraq veteran Major Dan Rooney, Folds of Honor provides post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of U.S. military service members killed or disabled in action.

“I can’t wait to take the stage at the NRA Country Jam 2,” Trace said. “It’s going to be a great show. Folds of Honor is an important cause and I’m happy to help give back to those who give so much for our freedom.” Continue Reading

ShareThis

Exile photo courtesy of Morris Public Relations.

Exile will perform at the 4th annual The Stars Go Blue benefit concert on March 6 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Trace Adkins will also make a special appearance during the show. All proceeds from the event benefit the Blue Note Fund, a Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) program designed to provide financial assistance to colon cancer patients in need.

The Stars Go Blue Concert was developed by GRAMMY-nominated producer, artist and musician Charlie Kelley (and husband of GAC host Nan Kelley), who was diagnosed with colon cancer after a routine screening at age 40. Just months after undergoing successful surgery and treatment, he began working to raise awareness about  the prevention and treatment of the disease by joining the board of CCA and creating the benefit concert.

“When you’re fighting cancer, the last thing you want to think about is a bill you can’t pay,” he said. “The Blue Note Fund is our way to help others who are going through tough emotional and financial times.”  To date, the fund has awarded $125,000 to 400 patients in need.

Charlie helped create GAC’s Hit Exchange, which paired Trace Adkins with Exile to re-record one of Exile’s signature hits, “Kiss You All Over.” He is looking forward to having them participate in The Stars Go Blue. Check Hit Exchange Airtimes >>

“It’s more than obvious that Trace and Exile have a mutual respect and chemistry and that certainly translates to the stage,” Charlie said. “I’m thrilled that Exile and Trace are generously giving their time and talents to our fourth concert event.”

Tickets for the concert at $100 per person and include the concert, a VIP cocktail reception, and an auction after the concert. For more information, visit www.bluenotefund.org.

ShareThis

Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Relativity Music Group will release the Act of Valor soundtrack on February 21, featuring original songs written and inspired by the Navy SEAL action-thriller. It will include “For You,” a song written by Keith Urban that is featured in the film’s end credits, as well as music from Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, Trace Adkins, Wynonna Judd, Montgomery Gentry, and more. In theaters February 24, Act of Valor stars a group of active-duty Navy Seals along with actors Roselyn Sanchez, Alex Veadov, Jason Cottle and Nestor Serrano.

Produced and directed by Mike “Mouse” McCoy and Scott Waugh and written by Kurt Johnstad, Act of Valor takes audiences into the secretive world of the most elite, highly-trained force in the modern world as the rescue of a kidnapped CIA operative leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the U.S. Inspired by true events, the film combines combat sequences, battlefield technology and heart-pounding emotion.

The track listing for the soundtrack includes Keith’s “For You,” “Guide You Home” (Sugarland), “I Was Here” (Lady Antebellum), “If the Sun Comes Up” (Trace Adkins), “Two Soldiers Coming Home” (Lori McKenna), “The Best I Can” (Jake Owen), “What It Takes”(Montgomery Gentry), “The Best of Me” (Josh Kelley), “Where We Left Off” (Hunter Hayes) and “Whatever Brings You Back” (Wynonna Judd). Continue Reading

ShareThis

Trace Adkins photo courtesy of Show Dog-Universal Music.

Trace Adkins has announced the Songs & Stories Tour, a series of intimate theater shows across the United States. Every night, Trace will share the stories, both humorous and meaningful, behind his hit songs. The tour kicks off March 8 in Des Moines, Iowa.

“I’ve had many narrow escapes and blessings in my life,” Trace said. “The right song at the right time has been my saving grace and that’s something I have in common with the audience. Sharing meaningful songs, stories and some laughs ‘around the campfire’ is the country music tradition and I’m looking forward to it.”

Fans are encouraged to share their own stories, questions and the songs that have inspired their lives on the Songs & Stories page of Trace’s website. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records. Photo credit Chapman Baehler.

Rascal Flatts will receive the CRS 2012 Artist Humanitarian Award during Country Radio Seminar on Wednesday, February 22 in Nashville following the event’s keynote address. The band was chosen to receive the honor based on their charitable contributions and humanitarian endeavors throughout their career.

Some of the band’s charitable work includes a donation of $3 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s Pediatric Surgery Center in 2010; and currently serving as celebrity spokespersons for the national suicide prevention organization and The Jason Foundation. They have been members of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet for the last seven years.

“The board is very pleased to honor Rascal Flatts with the CRS Artist Humanitarian Award,” CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne said. “They join a long, distinguished list of celebrities who have received this prestigious award since it was instated in 1990.” Continue Reading

ShareThis

Exile photo courtesy of Morris Public Relations.

After generating excitement surrounding their remake of “Kiss You All Over” with Trace Adkins, Exile is set to release their first new studio album in 15 years. People Get Ready, a five track EP, will hit stores January 31.

People Get Ready features four new songs written by the band and an a cappella version of “People Get Ready,” written by Curtis Mayfield. The EP will be released on Exile’s own Big Horse Records label and distributed in partnership with GMV Nashville. Fans will be able to download the new EP at most digital outlets.

Exile has also been added to the lineup for Keith Urban’s All For The Hall benefit concert on April 10 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Exile was joined by Trace not only for the remake of “Kiss You All Over” but also for a performance in Las Vegas. You can see their performance on Hit Exchange right here on GAC. Check Air Times >> Continue Reading

ShareThis

“Partnering with Billboard on this special country edition has allowed us to offer a great value proposition to the consumer,” Tony Bruno, ‘stache media’s SVP of Marketing, said. “Because of the brand’s prominence and the credibility of the magazine, we are able to expose the country music scene to an even wider audience.”

“From ‘The 615,’ Billboard.com’s new country music blog, to the Country charts, Billboard has a deep connection with the country music community, and we’re excited to partner with ‘stache media to expand the brand’s coverage of this genre through this new mini-magazine,” Lisa Ryan Howard, Publisher of Billboard, said. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Gene Watson photo courtesy of Tamara Saviano.

To celebrate his 50th anniversary in country music, Gene Watson will release Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits on his own Fourteen Carat Music label on February 14. He has re-recorded 25 of his classic hits to sound like the originals. Sonny Garish, legendary steel-guitar player, returns for the recordings and is joined by a group of players that recreate the original arrangements.

“My first recording ever was on a little ‘ol independent label that was started up just for this recording session, Sun Valley Records,” Gene said. “Maybe I thought I could sell them at my shows or something. I wrote the record, ‘If It Was That Easy.’ It was not any good, but, boy, I thought that was something. I had my own record.”

In the music business, a major-label artist usually pays for their recording sessions though the label owns the recording. Gene’s classics are owned by four different corporations and so by re-recording them to sound like the originals on his own label, he now ‘owns’ them all himself.

“I wanted these to sound as close to the originals as could be done,” he said. “I had to work so hard to capture them the same way I did them originally. All of these songs are in the same keys. I just thank the good Lord above that He’s let me keep my voice intact. In fact, I can probably hit the notes better now than I could back then. Whenever there was a question when I was re-recording these, we went back and listened to the original recording.

Gene’s performances of hits such as “Fourteen Carat Mind,” “Love in the Hot Afternoon,” “Farewell Party,” and “Memories to Burn” have earned him the reputation as a ‘Singer’s Singer.’ Joe Nichols, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack and Randy Travis all count him as one of their idols. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Trace Adkins photo courtesy of Show Dog-Universal Music.

Trace Adkins is definitely the man of the house. In the latest issue of Good Housekeeping, Trace tells the magazine a little bit about what it’s like to be the only man among five daughters, plus his wife, Rhonda. “I could not make boys,” Trace told the magazine. “After the last one I said ‘Okay, God, I get it.”  While he loves his daughters, being the only man isn’t easy. “It goes against who I am to be interested in ballet,” he said.

One of Trace’s favorite family traditions was started by his 10-year-old daughter when she was little. “During a family meal, we go around the table and everybody talks about the best and worst parts of their day,” Trace said. Talking with his children isn’t something that comes naturally to Trace though. “I didn’t grow up with that,” he said. “My old man was pretty quiet. I have to remind myself to ask them about their lives. It’s not something that comes naturally, but I do try!”

He loves his family, but sometimes, Trace just has to get away. When he needs to escape, he hops on his tractor and disappears. “It’s the most therapeutic machine ever invented,” he said. “Some men get the same benefit from riding a lawn mower, but for me, it’s the tractor.” Continue Reading

ShareThis