Nashville(hype)! | version 2.008

There is the whirlwind, and then there is the young woman at its center. The key to Carrie Underwood may lie in knowing that, three years down the road, the two remain separate. For all the awards, the record sales, the chart-topping hits, the non-stop schedule and the incessant media attention, Carrie remains firmly in [...]

“Good Time” is a honky-tonk jam that kicks off Alan Jackson’s new Arista Nashville album for a tremendously easygoing yet edgy five minutes-plus. It’s a Friday night country tune sung by a dog-tired guy who has worked straight through the week yet doesn’t want to sleep — not now; not when “all the conditions are [...]

Kix Brooks began performing and writing songs at age 12 in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. He performed in clubs and other venues throughout high school and college. Eventually he landed in Nashville, where he joined Tree Publishing Company and had songs cut by artists such as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Conlee, and [...]

Nearly a decade and a half after he first came to America from Australia, Keith Urban has arrived in a major way as a global musical force. This accomplished singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has slowly but surely established himself as one of the most consistent and exciting talents not simply in country music, but in our [...]

Every country artist once had a “day job” — that commonly used music business term for an occupation that pays the bills and fills the void between hopeful aspiration and bonafide success. However, never in the history of country music has someone taken a more celebrated path on the road to their country music dream [...]

“I consider it a privilege to be able to release a “Hits” record,” says Faith Hill. “As a young girl I found my passion in Star and I followed my heart to Nashville so that I could sing. And not a day goes by that I don’t realize just how fortunate I am to be [...]

Fans drawn in by Luke Bryan’s boyish, down-home charm soon discover what’s behind it: an intelligent wit, an off-the-wall sense of humor and a unique take on life shaped by experiences both joyful and tragic.
They also soon discern that this boy next door is a talented triple threat vocalist, songwriter and musician.
Even before his first [...]

In the summer of 2006, three gifted young adults walked into a house to create music, uncertain of where they were headed — and Lady Antebellum walked out.
During that time, Hillary Scott’s sultry alto, Charles Kelley’s gritty tenor and multi-instrumentalist/ harmony vocalist Dave Haywood’s musical overview ignited a unique blend of harmonies reminiscent of classic [...]

When Lee Ann Womack was a little girl in Texas, helping her mother clean house on Saturday as they listened to country music on the radio, she already knew what she wanted to do with her life. And not being able to do it right then broke her heart. “I was so sad to have [...]

Playing upwards of 200 dates a year, more than 3,000 shows in their career and selling more than 30,000 CDs independently, Zac Brown Band has only begun its ascent. The band’s aggressive touring has helped it develop a fanatical grassroots following by winning over believers one person at a time. Driven by awe-inspiring musicianship, skillful [...]

He is, quite simply, country music’s Alpha male, a towering presence in an era when larger-than-life personalities are a rarity. His instantly recognizable baritone has been cutting through the airwaves and energizing concert hall speakers for well over a decade as he has established himself as a major force in contemporary country. Now, with the [...]

Stepping off Music Row and into the small but stylish lobby of Big Machine Records, a visitor quickly realizes it’s not just the walls that reveal the story of Taylor Swift’s meteoric rise to stardom. Even the floors have a tale to tell. With much of the vertical real estate already claimed by industry awards, [...]

Without doubt Brandon Kinney’s “Smells Like Texas”  is the funniest, most irreverent cd that’s ever come across my desk.  It’s just a brilliant ride into the twisted world of bar-b-cue’s, porn on the internet (he swears he’s never seen any), drinking, and bodily functions.  This record is redneck! And just funny!

The first thing you have [...]

Granted, several of the links below are affiliate links, which means we make a nickle or so everytime someone goes over and signs up for the service, but don’t let that fact (called a disclosure) make you think that somehow it isn’t worth it.  The links below are actually great services that all bands, artist, [...]

The CMA Awards are here and they feature all the latest and greatest hit acts country music has to offer, right?  Who Cares?!?  What matters are the NashvilleHype! Awards which feature the best emerging artist - because it’s here on NashvilleHype! that it all begins.
The NashvilleHype! Awards are made of from the list of artist [...]

Four Christmases ! While on vacation with family we went, like many others, and saw one of the funniest movies released for this season yet so far. I have not paid enough attention to the previews that our very own talented Tim McGraw had a role in it! Is there not any part that fella can’t do? [...]

Well, over the weekend while on my trip to Arkansas I recieved a call from Paul. One that much to my surprise would allow me to understand that a “corner” could be a wonderful thing in my life! As a child I got my hand smacked for getting too close to the table, because should [...]

So as I promised you, I would let you know when I heard about Stella Parton’s new album. “Testimony” is set to be released on November 18th and set to debut on iTunes in mid December, many of us are really looking forward to this! The thing is though there are only going to be [...]