Cincinnati singer-songwriter, Arlo McKinley has announced his remarkable debut solo album ​Die Midwestern will be released on August 14 via John Prine’s independent Oh Boy Records. Deeply rooted in street soul, country, punk, and gospel, with lyrics stark and arresting in their honesty, ​Die Midwestern sees 40-year-old McKlinley poised for success, after he almost gave up on music altogether before he caught the attention of Prine. Living proof that great songs will eventually reach the right ears, mcKinley reflects, ​“I’m a little wiser in my ways and a 20 something me would’ve found a way to destroy the one dream that has stuck with me my entire life.” Arlo is the last artist John Prine and his son Jody signed together to their label Oh Boy Records. Jody stated, ​“John was reserved in his praise for songwriters. I played him a couple of Arlo’s songs and he heard Bag Of Pills and said, “that’s a good song” which for him, was very high praise. He loved Arlo’s voice, this big guy with a sweet, soulful, gospel voice. He loved the dichotomy of the hard life lived, presented through such beautiful songs and John was very excited about the promise of the album’s release.” McKinley added, ​“The feeling of knowing that a hero of mine took time out of his day to come see me perform is such an accomplishment in itself to me that if it all ended the next day and I found out music just wasn’t in the cards for me, I would’ve still considered everything I have done as a success” McKinley almost missed his big break, which came when he was offered an opening slot for Tyler Childers. His now manager was trying to reach him to offer him an opening slot and Arlo initially dodged the persistent unknown caller. Since, McKinley has been humbly sharing stages with kindred musical spirits John Moreland, Jason Isbell, Justin Townes Earle. Die Midwestern ​was recorded at Memphis’ legendary Sam Phillips Recording Service and was produced by GRAMMY award-winning Matt Ross-Spang along with an all-star Memphis band of Ken Coomer, David Smith, Will Sexton, Rick Steff, Jessie Munson and Reba Russell. McKinley recorded ten remarkable songs – some dating back fifteen years – all penned with a weight, honesty and gritty-hope that comes from living in Cincinnati, the rustbelt city where his songs were born. ‘Die Midwestern’ Tracklist  We Were Alright Die Midwestern She’s Always Around Bag of Pills The Hurtin’s Done Suicidal Saturday Night Once Again Whatever You Want Gone For Good Walking Shoes   Follow us on social media and share this post! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram See more news here.

“I Should Probably Go To Bed,” the brand new single from Dan + Shay, is available worldwide now (LISTEN HERE). The accompanying music video is filled with surrealist imagery and physics-defying action (WATCH HERE). Written earlier this year, the song was produced entirely by the group’s Dan Smyers; every instrument was performed and recorded by Smyers at his home studio in Nashville, TN. “I Should Probably Go To Bed” follows on the heels of the duo’s multi-week No. 1 hit “10,000 Hours” (with Justin Bieber), which became the biggest first-week streaming total in country music history and was the fastest country song to reach one million U.S. track equivalents in 2019, earning over 3.1 million U.S. track equivalents to date, and more than one billion global streams. “10,000 Hours” is the first song by a country duo or group ever to debut in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 5, and spent 21 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs (4th longest run in chart history). The worldwide smash has achieved 2x Platinum certification in Australia and Canada, Platinum certification in the Netherlands, and Gold certification in four other countries. With more than 5 billion career streams, Dan + Shay have garnered multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, American Music, and Billboard Music Award wins and nominations. The duo took home a second consecutive GRAMMY for Best Country Duo/Group Performance earlier this year (2020 – “Speechless,” 2019 – “Tequila”). Their Platinum-certified self-titled album included global hit “Tequila” (5x Platinum), multi-format hit “Speechless” (4x Platinum), and No.1 country song “All To Myself” (2x Platinum). In the seven years since they formed, Dan + Shay have accumulated 31 total RIAA certifications and achieved seven No. 1 singles at country radio.   Follow us on social media and share this post! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram See more news here.

UK-based Singer/Songwriter Zoee writes powerful song to try to unite the world during dark times. Australian singer writes song to uplift the people during Coronavirus, Lockdown, and the Aftermath Zoee is an Australian born/UK-based multi award winning Alt-Country/Americana singer/songwriter who is getting attention from media and audiences around the world. Last year, she captivated Nashville audiences with her CMA Fest performances, as well as her festival appearances around the UK, Ireland, and Sweden. This year, the Australian born artist has bounced back from being forced to cancel her 2020 U.K., European and US tour with her band following the effects of the Covid-19. Zoee has turned to the power of humanitarianism and unity to release an anthem called, “The Song We Sing,” to remind people of the power in standing together during the dark times. Zoee adds, “All across the news I see it everywhere; The World has taken a dive into sadness and depression following this Coronavirus. I wanted the spirit of this song to remind folks that music is about bringing people together and at the end of the day, all we have are the good and happy moments in life to take with us… so we should sing, and we should dance. We should try to make all the moments happy, regardless of the situations we may have encountered. Life is like the weather, we all have to go through our storms, but the sunshine will always come back again. I wanted to give people a reminder that we are all unique pieces of life and during these uncertain times we need to remember to find that balance inside ourselves… that’s The Song We should all Sing!” She goes on: “To me, music should be about the real moments in life…. the highs and the lows. The moments when we need a gentle nudge to keep climbing. The greatest music in history, in my experience, has united people of all walks of life” This song was released on Friday 31st July and is already being called an anthem by her audience and from the column-writers who are reviewing the song on blogs all across the internet, with Lyric Magazine declaring, “Big drums, driving beats and a huge chunk of 80’s Benatar. Loving the anthemic ‘woh ohs’ & the growls on the vocals too,” with Hope It’s Country adding “‘The Song We Sing’ is an absolute banger of a feel good anthem. Zoee has an absolutely stunning voice, and can still rock out with the best of them.” There is no doubt about it, the massive harmony-chanting “anthemic” choruses boasting unity and togetherness and foot stomping rhythms are sure to have any music lover wanting to sing and dance to this bright and rocky humanitarian song. On top of all this, Zoee has announced she will be hosting a competition to accompany the new song that will bag the winner with over £500 worth of prizes. Entrants will need to record a video of themselves showing what gets them excited about life, while performing with or playing the song. All entries will be judged by a panel of people before Christmas, 2020. The winner will also be featured on Zoee’s social media pages. The Song We Sing is available on ALL platforms now. Spotify: shorturl.at/xyA37 iTunes: shorturl.at/grRT2   Follow us on social media and share this post! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram See more news here.

Award-winning duo Ferris & Sylvester have released the brand new single ‘I Should Be On A Train’, the title track of their forthcoming EP out October 2nd via LAB Records. The song premiered on Bob Harris’ Radio 2 show who said, “I’m a big fan of Ferris & Sylvester [they have] dynamic and brilliant music,” this was followed by a video premiere with American Songwriter Magazine. Written, recorded and produced by Ferris & Sylvester, ‘I Should Be On A Train’ is an explosive blues ballad, which follows the musings of a woman planning her escape, but not having the courage to leave the one she loves. It was originally written in the back of a tour bus between Prague and Vienna in February, but the tune came to life and took on a new meaning in their studio this spring. The dreamy video has been captured on Super 8 film and pairs lockdown footage of Ferris & Sylvester in idyllic countryside, while also intertwining clips from their last headline show before the Covid-19 shutdown at Paradiso, Amsterdam. ‘I Should Be On A Train’ opens the band’s much anticipated EP of the same name, which will be out digitally as well as on limited edition 12″ vinyl, now available to pre-order here. About the recordings Ferris & Sylvester say, “The world is adapting to a new reality, and we’ve been determined to adapt with it and get creative. It can be difficult in isolation to know how to move forward. People are lonely, overwhelmed and yearning to connect. We were busy writing for future projects, trying to map out the next chapters. But we decided it was more important to give what we can now. All we know is we are happiest when sharing our music and we hope this brings joy to people.” Working in the face of adversity, Ferris & Sylvester have used the past months as inspiration for new music, learning new instruments and production techniques and building their online connection with fans. In May, the band released the beautiful ‘Everyone Is Home’, described by Clash Magazine as “the duo’s very own isolation anthem”, which also features on the I Should Be On A Train EP. The heartfelt lyrics recognise the loneliness in the uncertain times yet also celebrate the togetherness, bravery and resilience that has come with it. During lockdown, Ferris & Sylvester have hosted successful weekly live streams, and raised money to help local venues stay in business via the Music Venue Trust, of which they are patrons. The duo played a very special fundraiser for the Spiritual Bar in London, a legendary music space and very special to the pair, as it is where they first met and cut their teeth on stage together. The upcoming new five-track EP captures Ferris & Sylvester’s unique blend of blues, Americana and folk, whilst also seeing them expand on their sound. ‘Knock You Down’ features wistful psychedelic touches, while the groove-laden riffs of ‘Good Man’ are intertwined with Ravi Shankar influences. The EP closes with a cover The Beatles’ ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’, inspired by their lockdown livestreams where they shared a new cover every week with their fans. The I Should Be On A Train EP finds Ferris & Sylvester thriving in the world’s state of transition, taking the opportunity to explore new territories, spurred on by the success of the past and looking forward to the future. Ferris & Sylvester have made a distinct mark on the live scene both in the UK and across the Atlantic. This is set to continue in 2021 as they have announced their largest headline shows for next year. The band will tour the UK throughout February and March, with a London headline show at Lafayette on March 1st. The band will then head off for a six date tour across the US and Canada. Tickets are available here and full tour dates can be found below: UK HEADLINE TOUR DATES FEBRUARY 25th – Exeter, Cavern 26th – Nottingham, Metronome 28th – Brighton, Green Door Store MARCH 1st – London, Lafayette 3rd – Manchester, Night & Day 4th – Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club 6th – Glasgow US & CANADA HEADLINE TOUR DATES MARCH 25th – Los Angeles, Hotel Café 27th – Chicago, Martyr’s 30th – Nashville, High Watt APRIL 1st – Washington DC, Songbyrd 2nd – New York City, Rockwood Music Hall 3rd – Toronto, Drake Hotel I SHOULD BE ON A TRAIN EP TRACK LISTING I Should Be On A Train Knock You Down Everyone Is Home Good Man With A Little Help From My Friends   Follow us on social media and share this post! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram See more news here.

Ward Thomas are back with the first taste of brilliant new music from their infectious forthcoming studio album ‘Invitation’ – out October 2ndon WTW Music through eastwest. ‘Sweet Time’ arrives today and lays down an impressive marker. A graduation in sound and a newfound maturity makes for a profound step up. The track opens the album in style, injecting an exciting pace from the get go, with Haim-like guitar work and bursting with youthful energy. Listen to ‘Sweet Time’ HERE Largely produced by Jonathan Quarmby (Lewis Capaldi, Tom Walker, Finley Quaye), and mostly recorded in lockdown from their Hampshire cottage, ’Invitation’ is a coaxing doorway for all into an exciting new chapter as the fog of a global pandemic begins to lift. There’s palpable energy by the bucket load, and many of its songs benefit from a coming of age for sisters Catherine and Lizzy and a new found voice sees them diversify their sound. The girls say; “2020 has been a year full of learning, which we feel has changed our approach to this album. We recorded a lot of it from our cottage, and working remotely came with its share of challenges, but also new opportunities. Although recorded during uncertain times, the record feels like an invitation to a more positive time; to a more open and exciting new chapter. We named it after a lyric in the song ‘Open Your Mind’ because the album feels like an invitation – whether it be figuratively, an invitation to self-reflect, or physically, to a time when we can all party again.” ‘Meant To Be Me’ delivers a new twist on their country roots showcasing a wonderful pop sound mixed with clever use of mandolin, whilst ‘Dear Me’ briefly strips away the music, making for a stunning Imogen Heap-style near acapella performance. There’s also a strong James Bond-esque candidate in ‘My Favourite Poison’, and even their more traditional country-pop tracks have found a new level, with the brilliant ‘Wait Up’ and previously released ‘Hold Space’. Other highlights include the strikingly rhythmic ‘Don’t Be A Stranger’ and epic ‘Someday’. As bonus tracks the album also includes a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s iconic track ‘Landslide’, their feature with James Blunt on the brilliant ‘Halfway’ from his 2019-released Top 3 album ‘Once Upon A Mind’, and a jaw dropping live performance of The Killers’ ‘Human’ with Jack Savoretti at his huge Wembley Arena headline show last year. The girls will also embark on an intimate “Invitation” acoustic tour, which was rescheduled due to Covid-19, for April next year. The 16-date run will include two dates at London’s Union Chapel on the 26th & 27th. 2020 may have been a year of global ups and downs so far, but as one door closes, another opens. Enter an exciting new chapter for Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas. UK TOUR DATES (tickets on-sale HERE) April Fri 9th                           LIVERPOOL, Grand Theatre Sat 10th                        LINCOLN, Engine Shed Sun 11th                       BARROW, Forum Theatre Mon 12th                      LEEDS, City Varieties Tue 13th                       NORWICH, Epic Studios Thu 15th                       GLASGOW, Mackintosh Church Fri 16th                         EDINBURGH, Queen’s Hall Sun 18th                       LEAMINGTON SPA, Assembly Mon 19th                      BOURNEMOUTH, O2 Academy Tue 20th                       WOKING, New Victoria Theatre Wed 21st                      SOUTHEND, Palace Theatre Fri 23rd                         BRIGHTON, St George’s Sat 24th                        BATH, Forum Sun 25th                       MANCHESTER, RNCM Theatre Mon 26th                      LONDON, Union Chapel Tue 27th                       LONDON, Union Chapel ‘Invitation’ – Track Listing 1.         Sweet Time 2.         Don’t Be A Stranger 3.         Open Your Mind 4.         Someday 5.         Meant To Be Me 6.         Dear Me 7.         Hold Space 8.         Wait Up 9.         My Favourite Poison 10.       Painted Legacy 11.       If There Were Words 12.       Halfway(with James Blunt) 13.       Human(Live from Wembley Arena with Jack Savoretti) 14.       Landslide Pre-Order the album HERE.   Follow us on social media and share this post! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram See more news here.

Country Alt Americana Singer Songwriter Andy Penkow is living his musical dream with a wild heart, positive and free – like wildflowers. Andy’s new single ‘Wildflowers’ will brighten up anyone’s day. “I wrote this song a few years back, I was heading to Parkes NSW for a gig and I was blown away by the fields of wildflowers on the side of the road. So I wrote this song in a motel at Parkes. A few years later I wrote a song called Wild-Hearts… but I couldn’t quite get it right. Fast forward to now I pulled both songs apart and wildflowers was born”.… Andy Andy Penkow’s debut album ‘Sad Love Songs’ was released in December 2018. His debut single ‘Drowning in the Whiskey’, released early 2019, was embraced by the Australian country music scene peaking at #10 on the Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay Chart and reaching a respectable #20.  Andy’s new EP “Chasing the Sun” was produced by ARIA and Golden Guitar winning producer and artist Shane Nicholson, the first single “Chasing the Sun” peaked at #16 on the Australian country radio airplay charts and #13 on the official Tasmanian top 40 charts. This week CMT Australia have added Andy’s beautiful music video ‘Wildflowers’, which is  directed by Jay Seeney of Blacklist productions.   Follow us on social media and share this post! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram See more news here.

Country music trio, Lockeland has released their official video in support of the chart rising single, “Made for Mornings” with a worldwide television exclusive by The Heartland Network and an international premiere on Lyric Magazine in the UK. The energetic and fun nature of the trio is captured in the footage which was created by Center Street Recording Studios and the song was mixed by Robert Williams. Watch the live-in-studio official video on Lockeland’s YouTube channel here. “Filming this live, in-studio video for “Made For Mornings” was an incredible experience. The relaxed, yet professional atmosphere at Center Street Recording Studios enabled us to perform with ease. We are fortunate to work with some of Nashville’s best all-star musicians,” shared Lockeland. “These musicians are not just “hired guns” to us, but they’re also some of our closest friends. Which we believe added to the energy, joy and chemistry of the video.” The upbeat tune with passion and emotion that promises to get stuck in your head was recorded by on the rise Country music trio who have impeccable harmonies. Lockeland’s individual talents compliment each other instinctively resulting in a well polished, three-part harmony sound accompanied in the recording studio with Robert Williams (director/lead guitar), John Mason (bass), Kyle Pudenz (mandolin) and Eddy Dunlap (steel guitar.) “Made for Mornings” is the modern day love song. The ‘party type’ meets his ‘sunrise morning girl’ and his life changes for the better. It’s a song that we hope encourages people to expect the unexpected and to hold on to the idea that love is a powerful force of change. The music, written by Renn Anderson, Kyndon Oakes, Mark Vikingstad and Michael Boris, was the trio’s first single for 2020. “Made For Mornings” is available for streaming and downloads on all major digital music platforms here. Stay current with everything Lockeland on their website: lockelandband.com as well as follow and connect on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with videos available on their official YouTube channel. Lockeland music is available for streaming and download on all digital platforms Apple Music/Itunes, Spotify, Google Play, Pandora Music and Amazon Music.   Follow us on social media and share this post! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram See more news here.