Taylor Swift has joined the list of artists canceling or postponing upcoming shows. In fact, Swift has canceled ALL concerts and live appearances for the rest of 2020 amid the corona virus pandemic. This includes the debut of her “Love Fest” stadium-size traveling music festival supporting her 2019 album of the same name. Swift has also canceled all overseas shows that included Brazil, Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom.
- At least two financially-strapped long-time fans received gifts of $3,000 from Taylor Swift after she noticed social media posts from them mentioning their difficulties.
Livestreaming continues to be the best way for country artists to reach out to their fans and for fans to see their favorite artists who are playing from home. Among the upcoming Livestreams…
- Lindsay Ell hosts a virtual Facebook Live concert at 7:00pm MT on April 26, to benefit Colorado’s Tennyson Center for Children. Check her FB page: facebook.com/officiallindsayell
- Don’t forget the Grand Ole Opry Saturday night shows continue to broadcast live on SiriusXM and WSM-AM 650 and livestream from Facebook and YouTube.
- Third Man Records continue their series of Third Man Public Access From Home with longer-form perfomances from Third Man artists and friends. Go to YouTube and search: OfficialTMR.
- The Recording Academy’s Grammy Museum is scheduling an ongoing series of ‘Museum at Home’ shows with artists from all music genres featured. Details at https://grammymuseum.org/museum-at-home/
- Best bet: Google your favorite artists with the word “livestream” or “at home concert” or visit their Facebook pages.
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“I Know Country” Q&A from www.IKnowCountry.com
QUESTION: He was born on this day, April 22, 1936 in Vernon Texas but found fame in Memphis, Tenn. Although best known as a pop and rock n. roll act, he had country chart success with “You Got It” and covers of his songs became country hits for Linda Ronstadt, Don McLean and others. Can you name him?
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CJ Solar’s third EP, Coming My Way, is set for a May 1, 2020 release. Spotify listeners can pre-save the new music and will have access to all six songs as soon as the EP is available.
CJ continues to promote his new single, “Watered Down Whiskey,” and songs from his Get Away With It and Hard One To Turn Down EPs via live stream concerts from his home in Nashville. This week’s schedule includes:
- Wednesday, April 22, 7 p.m. CDT – CJ’s #WayBackWednesday on his Facebook and Instagram
- Thursday, April 24, 8 p.m. CDT – Facebook LIVE takeover for Dixie 105.7/WRSF – Nags Head, N.C.
CJ co-wrote all six cuts on Coming My Way. “Watered Down Whiskey” follows his first Top 10 hit, “Coming My Way,” which also peaked at #31 on the Billboard Indicator Chart. More about CJ and links to his music on all platforms at https://www.cjsolar.com
Billboard Country Airplay Top 5 for the week of April 25: (last week’s position in parentheses)
- (2) “I Hope” Gabby Barrett
- (3) “Nobody But You” Blake Shelton w/Gwen Stefani
- (4) “Chasin’ You” Morfan Wallen
- (5) “More Hearts Than Mine” Ingrid Andress
- (1) “Catch” Brett Young
- “I Hope” is Gabby Barrett’s debut single and her first No. 1.
- It is the first career-opening No. 1 from a female artist since Carly Pearce’s “Every Little Thing” in November 2017.
- On April 23,2018, Gabby Barrett sang “Little Red Wagon” on American Idol. Now, exactly two years later, Gabby is No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
Meanwhile… female acts dominate the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart…
Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of April 25: (last week’s position in parentheses)
- (1) “The Bones” Maren Morris
- (2) “I Hope” Gabby Barrett
- (3) “Nobody But You” Blake Shelton w/Gwen Stefani
- (4) “Chasin’ You” Morgan Wallen
- (8) “More Hearts Than Mine” Ingrid Andress
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“I Know Country” Q&A ANSWER: That’s Roy Orbison whose career took off after Johnny Cash suggested he should contact Sam Phillips at Sun Records. However, Phillips initially told Roy, “Johnny Cash doesn’t run my record company,” but eventually did record Roy – as part of the Teen Kings – on the song “Ooby Dooby.”
- Roy passed away Dec. 6, 1988. One month after he passed away, his recording of “You Got It” (co-written with Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty, fellow members of The Traveling Wilburys) became his fist song to reach the U.S. Top Ten in almost 25 years.
- He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987), Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1987), The Songwriters Hall of Fame (1989) and the Musicians Hall of Fame (2014).
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On this day in Country Music
April 22, 1998 The ACM Awards were held on April 22, 1998. Among the big winners: Top Male Vocalist: George Strait; Top Female Vocalist: Trisha Yearwood; Top Vocal Group or Duo: Brooks & Dunn; and Top New Male Vocalist: Kenny Chesney. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill won Song of the Year and Video of the Year Awards for “It’s Your Love.”
This week’s Country Music Birthdays
April 19 Bekka Bramlett (daughter of Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett) 1968
April 21 Glen Campbell, 1936 (died August 8, 2017)
April 24 Richard Sterban (the Oak Ridge Boys), 1943
Carly Pearce, 1990
April 25 Rory Feek (Joey + Rory), 1965 (Joey died March 4, 2016)
Preshias Harris is the author of “I Know Country” with 366 daily country music questions and answers. You can buy and instantly download your e-book copy at www.IKnowCountry.com.
Harris is also a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Visit www.collegeofsongology.com for more details. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
