7 July 2014

The third annual Watershed Music Festival has released the full schedule for the three-day music and camping event on Aug. 1, 2, and 3 at the Gorge Amphitheatre, Nashville. Additionally, a second stage will feature up and coming artists including Cody Beebe & The Crooks, Carrie Cunningham & The Six Shooters, Aaron Crawford, McKenna Faith, Massy Ferguson, Old Dominion, Austin Jenckes, Tayla Lynn, Jessica Lynne, Chance McKinney, Caitlyn Smith, Sweetkiss Momma, A Thousand Horses and Austin Webb. The full schedule is available now at watershedfest.com. Watershed Music Festival sold out within 10 minutes of going on sale to the public with over 25,000 three day passes claimed. The heavy hitting lineup features Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Jake Owen, along with Billy Currington, Eli Young Band, Joe Diffie, Randy Houser, Justin Moore, Kip Moore, Cassadee Pope, Brothers Osborne, The Cadillac Three, Chase Rice, Dallas Smith, Adam Craig, Kelleigh Bannen, Lindsay Ell, Lonestar and The Swon Brothers. In addition to the versatile lineup and late night sets, the festival will feature a “Drop Zone” thrill ride, 100 ft. vertigo swing, giant ferris wheel, the world’s largest inflatable water slide and a Foamalicious foam party. Watershed Music Festival is set at the picturesque Gorge Amphitheatre, undoubtedly one of the most scenic concert venues in the world offering sweeping views of the Columbia River Gorge.

Dolly, who played Glastonbury this month, is continuing to secure her place in the hearts of UK country music fans. The crowd at Glastonbury specifically watching Dolly’s performance reached over 150,000 people. The BBC has also reported that the largest viewing audience ever of Glastonbury tuned in to see Dolly take the stage during their live broadcast. But when Glastonbury ended and the music fans headed home, workers were shocked to find a fluffy white dog was left behind in one of the tents. Workers immediately named it Dolly and as the media became aware and asearch for the dogs’ home began, the dog was renamed Doggy Parton. Now Dolly Parton has stated that she plans to adopt the dog provided the original owners are not found: “I had my manager Danny Nozell call the Happy Landings Animal Shelter to make sure the dog is being treated and cared for properly,” says Dolly Parton. “At this time, nobody has claimed the dog and the dog is in great hands at the shelter. I will take the dog home to America if nobody claims her within a reasonable amount of time.” The legendary lady shows no signs of slowing down as her latest UK album release BLUE SMOKE – THE BEST OF BRINGS brings Dolly to her all-time highest chart position landing at number four in its fourth week of release. Dolly originally entered the chart at number 6, which at the time, was her highest ever album chart position.

Garth Brooks sold a record 400,000 tickets, 10% of the population, for the five-night event in Ireland as part of a most eagerly-awaited comeback tour. Now it seems that two of American country singer Garth Brooks five sold-out comeback concerts at Dublin’s Croke Park stadium this month will be cancelled after objections were raised by local residents. Brooks, is one of the biggest names in country but retired from recording new music and touring in 2001. He had choses Dublin for his five-night “comeback special event”, ahead of a wider tour later in 2014. Residents of the densely populated surrounding area of the stadium have objected to the holding of five successive shows and the local council has refused permission for the concerts scheduled for July 28 and July 29. “The cumulative effect on residents and on some businesses would lead to an unacceptable level of disruption to their lives and livelihoods,” Dublin city council said in a statement. Brooks, has sold more than 125m albums and is best known for hits such as ‘The Thunder Rolls’ and ‘Friends in Low Places,’ has played the occasional one-city run of shows and benefit concerts during his retirement but has never toured. No act, including Ireland’s U2, has ever played five shows in a row at Croke Park, the country’s largest venue, and concert promoters had said some 70,000 of the 400,000 tickets sold were bought by people living abroad. Ticket holders are using social media and the national airwaves to voice their disappointment. Garth Brooks has released a statement saying that for him the tour will feature “five shows or not at all” but he still has faith that “Dublin City Council will make the best decision for the people of Ireland” He added: “To choose which shows to do and which shows not to do, would be like asking to choose one child over another. However this plays out, Ireland has my heart and always will.” It remains uncertain as to how many, if any, shows Garth Brooks will play in Ireland, but we will keep our readers updated as soon as more information is available.

Country star Chase Rice is lighting up the airwaves with his RIAA Gold-certified, Top 25-and-climbing single “Ready Set Roll,” but the Columbia Nashville/Dack Janiels recording artist will take his career to new heights with the release of his new full-length album, Ignite the Night, on Tuesday, August 19. Produced by Chris DeStefano, Ignite the Night will hit shelves on a date that proves serendipitous for Rice, as August 19 also marks his late father’s birthday. “Words can’t really express how grateful I am to all the people that came together to make this album happen,” said Rice. “Starting with the fans, who come to my shows night after night and sing my songs back to me – I wouldn’t have a career without them, and I’m excited to get new music out so we can keep the party going. The fact that this album is coming out on my dad’s birthday makes it that much more meaningful. I hope I do him proud.” Ignite The Night Album Track Listing (* denotes release on physical edition only): Standard Edition: 1. “Ready Set Roll” (Rhett Akins, Chris DeStefano, Chase Rice) 2. “Do It Like This” (Dallas Davidson, Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley) 3. “Beach Town” (Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite, Chase Rice) 4. “MMM Girl” (Rodney Clawson, Lynn Hutton, Chase Rice) 5. “Beer With The Boys” (Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley, Chase Rice) 6. “Carolina Can” (Scooter Carusoe, Chase Rice) 7. “We Goin’ Out” (Chris DeStefano, Shane Minor, Chase Rice) 8. “Gonna Wanna Tonight” (Shane McAnally, Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins) 9. “Look At My Truck” (Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Colt Ford, Chase Rice) 10. “U Turn” (Zach Crowell, Shane Minor, Chase Rice) 11. “50 Shades Of Crazy” (Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite, Chase Rice) 12. “What’s Your Name” (Zach Crowell, Nicolle Galyon, Matt Jenkins) 13. “How She Rolls” (Brian Kelley, Chase Rice) 14. “Jack Daniels & Jesus” (Amanda Flynn, Brian Kelley, Chase Rice) 15. “Whoa” (Russell Dickerson, Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Jesse Rice, Chase Rice)(Produced by Scott Cooke)* iTunes Party Edition: 15. “Party Up” (Featuring Colt Ford) (Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Colt Ford, Chase Rice) 16. “Country In Ya” (Adam Sanders, Chase Rice) 17. “Best Beers Of Our Lives” (Chris DeStefano, Shane Minor, Chase Rice) 18. “Ride” (Joseph Somers-Morales, Cody Tarpley) To pre-order Ignite the Night now, visit http://smarturl.it/IgniteTheNight. Having received early support from SiriusXM’s “The Highway,” John Marks has long championed the star, saying: “Chase Rice is country music’s ‘Renaissance Man.’ His new single ‘Ready Set Roll’ [. . .] readily demonstrates his growth as an artist literally on the threshold of stardom.” Rice has been touring behind his 2013 Ready Set Roll EP release and the music has received a huge response from fans and tastemakers alike, with The Plain Dealer noting, “Rice is taking rollicking party-rock and late-model pop-country and blending it up for the Generation Y-Z set.” The artist has already achieved some incredible milestones in the months building up to the album release as well: He released his third EP, Ready Set Roll, in November 2013 (topping the iTunes Country charts and selling more than 41,000 units in the first week without a record label or mainstream radio); launched his first mainstream radio single (“Ready Set Roll”); made his Grand Ole Opry debut; inked a strategic partnership deal with Columbia Nashville and even launched his own apparel line, Head Down Eyes Up. Rice continues to sell out headlining dates across the country and is touring with Dierks Bentley on the Riser Tour. For more information and the latest updates, visit www.chaserice.com or connect directly with Rice on Twitter and Facebook @ChaseRiceMusic.