October 2, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Alliance Media RelationsFuneral details have been announced to celebrate the life of singer, songwriter and actor Mac Davis. The 78-year-old died on September 29 in Nashville after complications following heart surgery.

Davis will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony in Lubbock,Texas, which is where he was born. Though the burial is not open to the public, fans are welcome to pay their respects during the motorcade procession along Mac Davis Blvd and as the procession enters the cemetery.

The musical legend will be interred in the Lubbock City Cemetery. Davis’ burial is in accordance with his mid-’70s hit, “Texas in My Rear View Mirror, in which he sang, “When I die you can bury me in Lubbock, Texas in my jeans.”

The burial will take place on Monday, October 5 at 1 p.m. CT. Davis’ family has requested that in lieu of flowers, those wishing to express condolences can make donations to MusiCares.

A skilled studio guitarist who got his start in the ‘60s, Davis skyrocketed into the mainstream when he penned tunes for Elvis Presley including “In the Ghetto,” “Memories” and “Don’t Cry Daddy.”

Davis saw chart success as an artist in the ‘70s, both in the country genre and as a pop singer. He made his mark on country music, bringing home the title of Entertainer of the Year at the ACM Awards in 1974 and joining the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000, before his induction into the national Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. He also has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 2, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Columbia NashvilleMaren Morris spotlights real-life stories, struggles and tragedies in “Better Than We Found Out,” a new song that she debuted this week.

“When lines of tomorrow are drawn, can I live with the side that I chose to be on? Will we sit on our hands, do nothing about it?” she sings in the chorus. “Or will we leave this world better than we found it?”

The song’s music video, directed by Gabrielle Woodland, tells the stories of people from Maren’s Nashville community: We meet the family of Daniel Hambrick, a black man who was murdered by Nashville police in 2018, as well as a young man and his brother who grew up in America under the DREAM act and two young activists who organize Black Lives Matter protests.

Maren says that the song came to life fairly quickly, as it addresses exactly how she feels in the face of these tumultuous times.

“It’s a protest song — it’s the most American thing to protest and protest songs have been so embedded in American culture,” she reflects, adding that her position as a new mom to son Hayes further informs her decision to work towards positive change.

“I still have hope for this country and for the future of it,” she adds. “…I wanted to promise my son that I’m going to do everything in my power to leave this world better than the one I came into and the one I see right now.”

Maren’s “Better Than We Found It” video ends with the singer sitting on a picnic blanket with her son, whose face never appears on camera. She reads aloud a letter she wrote to him about her determination to help create a better world, saying, “I have to do better. I will do better for you.”

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 2, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Warner Music NashvileAt a time when many artists, including superstars like Blake Shelton, are embracing single tracks over full-length projects, there are still newcomers like Ingrid Andress who love the album format.

That’s why, just six months after releasing her debut, Lady Like, the “More Hearts Than Mine” hitmaker is giving her collection the Deluxe treatment.

“The chapter of Lady Like was not finished,” she explains, “because I had still been writing during quarantine and there are versions of songs that I made where I was like, ‘This is a part of that chapter. This is the same message that I want.’ And these songs are very much a part of the story that I’m telling of my emotional journey.”

That’s why Lady Like not only grows from eight to thirteen tracks, but also gets a new order.

“I was like, ‘I know it’s weird, but I kind of want to rearrange the track listing in order to match that progression of that time of my life,'” Ingrid says. “And that’s kind of where the inspiration came from, because I feel like the order in which you hear songs is just as important as the songs themselves.”

Even at 29, the double CMA Awards nominee is a bit of an old soul.

“I know that’s kind of an old-school concept, because who listens to albums anymore?” Ingrid asks. “But the way that I used to listen to albums was [from the] top down, if they were really good. I just love that.”

Out today, Lady Like‘s title track is also Ingrid’s new single, and boasts a version of “More Hearts” with Little Big Town‘s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, as well as Ingrid’s take on “Boys,” the pop hit she wrote for Charli XCX.

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 1, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Tim Mosenfelder/Getty ImagesLast month, Josh Turner played what is believed to be the first paid U.S. arena show since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic at The U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

According to Pollstar, the September 18 show scaled its end stage concert capacity down from 7,2000 to 1,000, providing socially-distanced grouped seating. The venue implemented a clear-bag policy to minimize contact between security staff and fans, and concessions were limited.

Mask-wearing was also mandatory for all attendees, although a photo of the crowd appears to suggest that not everyone watching the show was wearing a face covering, at least while they were seated.

Still, Pollstar data reveals that most attendees reported feeling safe in the facility, giving the event scores of 3.7 and 3.8 out of four total points. In fact, one concertgoer opined that the safety precautions even felt a little too restrictive.

“One guy wrote — in a comment I shared with the city — ‘At times, your ushers were just too proactive, ensuring that I wear a mask every time I went up to the bar, so I don’t know if I’ll be back,’” noted Mike Silva, executive director of the venue. “I’m fine with that. I’d rather our staff be proactive.”

The venue has two more performances planned for this Friday, one of which will be from Aaron Lewis, the singer-songwriter and guitarist from rock group Staind, who also has a solo career as a country artist.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 1, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LAJon Pardi announced his new, eight-episode digital variety show, Pardi Time, this week. The series will air on CMT beginning next Thursday, October 6.

A combination of music, day-to-day life and his signature, goofball brand of humor, Pardi Time will join Jon, his fiancée, Summer and their pals in quarantine for a lighthearted look into the singer’s life. Segments of the show include “Dear Jon,” an advice column segment; “Til Death Do Us Pardi,” a behind-the-scenes look into Jon and Summer’s wedding planning; and “Pardi Snacks,” the singer’s quirky spin on a cooking show.

“It’s produced by me, it’s directed by me, it’s casted [sic] by me and it’s Pardi time, all the time,” Jon announces in a special trailer for the series.

In music news, Jon is gearing up to drop the deluxe version of his Heartache Medication album on Friday, October 2. The expanded version of his hit 2019 record includes three bonus tracks. One of those, “Bar Downtown,” is premiering early today; you can head over to Rolling Stone to watch it.

The other bonus tracks on the deluxe Heartache Medication project will be a new song called “Beer Light,” as well as a Western Version remix of Jon’s single, “Ain’t Always the Cowboy.”

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.