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Axios
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Tyler Childers' new album revives question of what defines Americana music
Similar to Beyoncé's "Country Carter" a year ago, Tyler Childers' new album "Snipe Hunter" kicked up conversations about how we describe music. The intrigue: Both albums earned critical acclaim, while challenging critics how to categorize the music. Why it matters:"Snipe Hunter" creates a golden opportunity for a refresher on what defines Americana music, the umbrella genre that has its roots in the Nashville music industry. Driving the news: Steven Hyden, one of the preeminent rock music critics, propelled the discussion forward with his column in which he lauded "Snipe Hunter," while also expressing disdain for the use of the term "Americana" to categorize it. Hyden says Childers' latest release is good old-fashioned heartland rock. "On my list of pet peeves, it's up there with people who spell 'whoa' like 'whoah' and 'rock star' like 'rockstar,'" Hyden said of the term Americana. "I've conceded [defeat] on those other two fronts, but I continue to fight for heartland rock. It partly stems from my distaste for 'Americana,' which I always type out reluctantly because it's part of the common nomenclature, even though the 'sepia-toned old-timey small-town folk' connotations are corny and kind of gross." State of play: For a refresher on the term Americana, we went to the expert, Jed Hilly, who's executive director of the Americana Music Association. We asked Hilly to read Hyden's column and then called him up for a history lesson. Flashback: First, the history lesson from Hilly. On the heels of the unprecedented chart-topping domination of country artists like Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, Music Row record labels began to chase their successors, Hilly says. The search for country stars with pop appeal left artists like Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell somewhat on the outside looking in. At the same time, those artists felt out of place in country music, Hilly points out bands like Wilco, the Jayhawks and the Old 97s were making alt-country albums that bled into multiple genres. A group of music industry stakeholders met at the 1999 SXSW festival to discuss carving out a new trade association to give those artists a home. About 30 people, including Harris and Crowell, convened in Nashville that fall for three days to brainstorm ideas. Out of those meetings, the Americana Music Association was created. Zoom out: Advancing Americana music is a professional passion of Hilly. Over the last decade, Americana Fest has grown into one of Nashville's preeminent music festivals, and its awards show is consistently one of the best concerts all year in Music City. Hilly was instrumental in getting the definition "Americana music" added to Merriam-Webster's dictionary in 2011, and two years before that, the Recording Academy created a best Americana album Grammy Award category. What he's saying:"The truth is Americana is not a vertical genre, it's a horizontal genre," Hilly tells Axios. "It goes through gospel, rock, folk, blues, bluegrass." Zoom in: As a demonstration of how wide-reaching the genre is, over the years the Americana Music Awards have honored blues artist Buddy Guy, the Fisk Jubilee Singers and John Mellencamp (Hyden favorably compared Childers to Mellencamp in his column). More recently, Americana has expanded to include bands typically described as indie rock like Waxahatchee, Big Thief and Hurray for the Riff Raff. The bottom line: Over his discography, Childers ventured from squarely a country artist to a rock-leaning singer-songwriter in the mold of Mellencamp. For Hilly, it's all Americana music.
Axios
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Trisha Yearwood finds her voice as a songwriter on new album "The Mirror"
Trisha Yearwood was halfway through a new song at The Bluebird Cafe last February when she realized she was onto something special. As she ripped into the chorus of "Little Lady," an anthem of independence pulled from a real-life encounter she had in a grocery store parking lot, the crowd roared in approval. "We had to pause after the first chorus for the applause," Yearwood told Axios during a recent interview in her Music Row studio. "I'm like, 'OK, this is good. This is good.'" "That was the night that I knew." Why it matters: The song is part of Yearwood's career-redefining new album "The Mirror," out Friday, which finds her embracing songwriting for the first time. The 15-song collection is a revelation that explores Yearwood's insecurities, frustrations and joys in first person. The big picture: Yearwood has been hailed as one of the best voices in Nashville for decades. But this album, and the creative renaissance that fueled it, present an unexpected turning point for the established star. The intrigue:"Trisha is a full-on monster writer," says Erin Enderlin, who co-wrote with Yearwood on two tracks on "The Mirror." "She just reaches in, grabs the heart of the line and yanks it out." Chad Carlson, who co-produced the album with Yearwood and co-wrote some songs, agrees, calling "The Mirror" a "groundbreaking left turn" for Yearwood. "She has an amazing talent for writing," he tells Axios. "The only disappointing thing about any of this is that she waited this long to do it." State of play: Yearwood spent most of her career pulling material from Music Row's top talent. She wasn't a writer, she repeated often. Instead, she used her voice to elevate the beauty in other peoples' words. On the few occasions Yearwood did venture into songwriting, she says, it often felt like pulling teeth. What she's saying:"When you move to this town, there are so many incredible musicians, there are so many incredible songwriters. It's intimidating," Yearwood says. "The couple of times that I did write in those early days, I didn't have any confidence," she says. "I couldn't say it out loud. I was just scared." Yes, but: That all changed after a pivotal writing session in 2022. A "new portal" Songwriter Leslie Satcher had pushed Yearwood to collaborate for a while. Yearwood became an expert at canceling writing appointments: She faked an emergency trip to the dentist and an asthma attack, she says. When Yearwood finally showed up, she and Satcher worked with Steven Dorff to write "When October Settles In," a searing ballad about grief. By the numbers: That song was a gateway to a new creative outlet. Yearwood says she's written more than 60 songs since then — and she has no intention of stopping. Driving the news:"This whole new portal opened, and it's so exciting." "I'm 60 years old, and I felt like I was pretty sure and pretty set in who I am and what my life is," Yearwood says. "And then I started writing." "A lot of forgiveness and understanding" The songs on "The Mirror" delve into love, pain and empowerment with sophistication that matches the rest of Yearwood's catalogue. The difference now is that the details are pulled from her real life, and stray thoughts she's jotted down for years. "Even though I didn't know it, I was writing for this project all along," she says. "And the writers that wrote with me wanted to help me say what I wanted to say." "Fearless These Days," one of the standout tracks, embodies the album's central themes: It is a message to Yearwood's younger self. She remembers walking down the aisle for her first wedding: "I felt it in my bones. Drop the flowers, run back home. I wasn't strong enough to turn away, but I'm fearless these days." "You don't know until you know that it's OK to rock the boat," she sings. "It's so much easier to just be who you are." "I used to just pretend I'd never been married before because I was embarrassed," she says. "There's definitely a lot of forgiveness and understanding of my younger self that I think writing these songs helped me get to." Zoom in: In "Little Lady," Yearwood remembers a woman asking to see her ring after she got engaged to Garth Brooks. In the song, the woman tells her it's time to "settle down and quit that music thing." Yearwood lobs back a fireball: "I ain't nobody's little lady but my own." 💭 My thought bubble: I am a Trisha Yearwood superfan. Her decision to pursue songwriting is personally thrilling — and writing about it is a dream assignment. I'm happy to report that her new songs hold their own alongside the classics from the rest of her 34-year career. The devastating ballad "So Many Summers" is at home on a setlist with "Walkaway Joe." "Volume 2" could be coming Yearwood is still making time for her new passion. She recently collaborated with the writing supergroup the Love Junkies, which includes Liz Rose, Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey. Fans might not have to wait too long to hear what they worked on. What's next:"There may have to be a volume two," she says. How to get a signed copy Trisha Yearwood will sign copies of her new album at two only-in-Nashville events this weekend.
Axios
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Nashville fans flock to Bonnaroo weekend
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival kicked off another year down the road in Manchester, Tennessee, yesterday with performances from Music Row mainstay Luke Combs and the hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse. What's next: Other performers still to come this weekend include Olivia Rodrigo, Vampire Weekend and Avril Lavigne. Zoom in: Weather conditions in Manchester are expected to be steamy and stormy through Sunday.
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Country star Gavin Adcock, 26, arrested for reckless driving
Gavin Adcock can likely use a cigarette right about now. The rising country star, 26, was arrested in Tennessee for reckless driving and violation of open container laws on Wednesday, May 21, The Post confirmed. Adcock — known for hits like 'Deep End,' 'Ain't No Cure,' and 'A Cigarette' — was taken into custody by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in Oconee, Tenn., and booked at 11:15 p.m., the online jail record shows. Advertisement The singer's bond was set at $1,000 for the reckless driving charge, and he's already been released. 7 Gavin Adcock, 26, smiles in his mugshot after his reckless driving arrest. WILSON COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE 7 The star is considered one of country music's most unpredicted rising acts. Penske Media via Getty Images Advertisement Adcock spent roughly five hours in jail, with online records showing he was released from custody at 4:34 a.m. on Thursday, May 22. The star's mugshot obtained by The Post shows him cheesing it up with a huge smile despite the arrest. Adcock is currently on tour, with his next show set to take place on Saturday, May 24, at the Choctaw Casino in Grant, Oklahoma. 7 Hours before his arrest, Gavin Adcock posted a selfie from the gym. gavinadcockmusic/Instagram Advertisement His last stop on his 'Need to Tour' before his arrest was The Pinnacle in Nashville, where he performed two sold-out nights on Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18, per Music Row. No other details about his arrest were available. The Post reached out to Adcock and the Wilson County Sheriff's Office for comment but did not immediately hear back. 7 The singer was arrested for reckless driving and violation of open container laws on Wednesday in Tennessee. Getty Images Advertisement 7 The singer last performed in Nashville May 17 and May 18. His upcoming show on May 24 is set to take place in Oklahoma. Getty Images 7 Gavin Adcock was released from jail on Thursday morning. Getty Images The 'On One' singer has not addressed the arrest publicly, but hours before getting locked up, he posted a gym selfie on his Instagram Stories Wednesday afternoon. 'Back on my gym s–t sweatin out demons,' he wrote as the caption. This isn't the first time the Georgia native has had a run-in with law enforcement, reported country magazine Holler. 7 This reportedly isn't his first run-in with law enforcement. Getty Images for Churchill Downs Adcock was reportedly arrested for a suspended license at one point and discussed it on social media in June 2023. 'Went to jail one time because of a suspended license, sat in there for 10 hours and made friends with my cell mates,' the singer allegedly wrote on X. Advertisement Adcock is no doubt one of country music's most unpredictable rising acts, with his rowdy anthems like 'Actin' Up Again' and 'Past Actions' to his heartfelt singles like 'Sober' and 'My Dear My Darlin.' During his shows in Nashville, the hitmaker reportedly appeared on the stage with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand, according to Music Row, which also noted that cups of beer were flying through the air by excited fans. Adcock even brought out country star Tracy Lawrence as a surprise guest, and the two sang a duet of 'Time Marches On,' which allegedly sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Rising Star Neah McMeen Inks Exclusive Publicity Deal With Renowned PLA Media
'I first heard Neah sing on a demo her producer sent me. I was mesmerized by her vocal prowess. When I met her, I was enthralled by her beauty and laser focus for understanding and marketing her brand.' — Chuck Rhodes NASHVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2025 / / -- PLA Media is proud to welcome promising country music artist Neah McMeen to its top-notch client roster. Recently turning heads with her somewhat salty debut single, 'Bitter,' she stopped fans and music industry insiders in their tracks, leaving them hungry for her next release. The relatable tune is driven by an engaging, 'been there-done that' delivery that leaves no doubt she has lived those lyrics. McMeen's star-power is further proven by a recent TikTok video from her last Nashville photo/video shoot that, within 48 hours, gained viral status nearing 500,000 views. 'Music has the power to bring people together, to tell stories that matter, and to remind us where we come from,' says McMeen. 'I'm beyond excited to partner with PLA Media, a team that understands my journey and shares my passion for making meaningful connections through music.' 'Neah is the winning combo Music Row's in constant search for,' says PLA Media President/CEO Pam Lewis. 'She has a natural poise, that small-town, Midwest charm, raw talent, and a work ethic few can keep pace with.' Just 20 years old, Neah has already proven she is a musical force to be reckoned with. Her unforgettably powerful voice, glamourous appeal, and personality so warm it draws people in like an autumn campfire, have attracted the attention of some of Music Row's most iconic star makers, including legendary manager Chuck Rhodes and hit-generating songwriter/producer Buddy Hyatt, both of whom are now building and steering her budding career. Neah's all-important social media campaign is led by Addison Oaks. 'I first heard Neah sing on a demo her producer, Buddy Hyatt, had sent me. I was mesmerized by her vocal prowess,' Rhodes recalled. 'When I met her, I was enthralled by her beauty and laser focus for understanding and marketing her brand. I could not be more honored and humbled to be working with an artist that has such major potential in this business we call music.' Neah has opened for the likes of established country artists like Lucas Hoge. Her rousing, knock 'em dead performance of 'The Star Spangled Banner' at several NFL and MLB events has further endeared her to sports – and country music – lovers. Hailing from Webber, Kansas, her country soul is deeply rooted in America's heartland. When she's not performing, she's a full-time sophomore at The University of Kansas, where she is pursuing a degree in Health Sciences. Her engaging personality puts her front-and-center in most campus activities. She is also a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. For updates on McMeen and her upcoming projects, visit Krista Dykes +1 615-327-0100 TikTok Legal Disclaimer:
