State Champ Radio Country
Page: 153
Newcomer Zach Top’s name has been everywhere in Nashville over the past couple of years, as the singer-songwriter from Washington state with the undeniably ‘90s country-influenced sound and resonant voice has steadily amassed milestones within Music City circles.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Top, 26, became the flagship artist at new Nashville label Leo33 and signed with Major Bob Music for management and publishing. He’s already toured with Ashley McBryde and is set to open shows this year for Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and Brothers Osborne.
The singer-songwriter’s debut country radio single, “Sounds Like the Radio,” which he penned with Carson Chamberlain and Wyatt McCubbin, is No. 45 on the Country Airplay chart.
[embedded content]
Far from the accelerated TikTok-fueled rise of so many of today’s country upstarts, Top’s career follows a well-trod bluegrass-to-country path. He grew up listening to George Strait and Marty Robbins. An early guitar teacher’s affinity for bluegrass music inspired a seven-year-old Top to join his two older sisters and younger brother in forming bluegrass group Top String. Top played with the family group for a decade before spending four years with bluegrass outfit North Country, before joining Modern Tradition, which he met at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards show in Raleigh, North Carolina. The group won the International Band Contest at another prestigious bluegrass music conference, Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) in 2017.
“We had just been jamming, just having fun, and then we won the band contest and were like, ‘Well, we should probably put out some music,” Top recalls.
Having begun writing with Chamberlain, he moved to Nashville in 2021. In 2022, Top released a self-titled album, with Modern Tradition playing on the project; a song from the project, “Like It Ain’t No Thing,” topped the Bluegrass Today chart. But even then, his sights were already set on country music.
“I love bluegrass music so much and had a ball touring with bands. I’ll probably do more of that as my career goes on,” Top says. “But my heart has always been in country. My goal has always been to play the kind of country music that made me fall in love with the format — fiddles, steel guitars and telecasters twanging.”
With That, Top has progressed a legacy of artists, including Keith Whitley, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Vince Gill, Joe Diffie, Alison Krauss, and most recently Chris Stapleton, who have spun years playing in bluegrass circles into country gold. Thus, Top setting himself apart in the bluegrass scene serves as a harbinger for long-lasting country music impact.
Billboard spoke with Top, our February Country Rookie of the Month, about the success of “Sounds Like the Radio,” the rise of ‘90s country throwback sounds, his upcoming album and more.
[embedded content]
“Sounds Like the Radio” has received early support at country radio. How does that feel, in a crowded field of new artists?
It’s an old 4/4 shuffle; we ain’t seen one of those on the radio in a long time. The fact that radio seems to like it, I’m really honored by that. It felt like a big sigh of relief, and sort of a validation.
You signed with Leo33 last year. I’m sure you were looking at other labels, too. What stood out about what Leo33?
There were other labels for sure. It meant a good bit to me that [Leo33 label head] Katie Dean had worked on a bunch of records that had made me fall in love with country music. Meeting with the whole team, [Leo33 A&R exec] Natalie Osborne and everyone are such go-getters. To me, this felt like a partnership. The fact that they are all veterans in this industry and they are trying this new [label], it feels like they are at square one again just as much as I am and have everything to prove.
[embedded content]
Your debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, is out April 5. Carson Chamberlain is a producer on it and co-wrote every track. How did you two meet?
How we met was kind of hilarious. In late 2018, he emailed me and said he wanted to work with me. I had archived the email, and my girlfriend at the time—now my wife—called me a few weeks later and said, ‘Do you remember that email from this Chamberlain fellow? I’m sending you his Wikipedia link. I think we need to email him back.’ I did and met him in early 2019, started flying to Nashville every month to do co-writes with him and then he’d set me up on other co-writes. It was full circle because I love Keith Whitley and he was best buds with Keith [Chamberlain was Whitley’s bandleader and steel guitar player].
You also co-wrote every song on the album. What are some of your favorite songs from the project?
“Cold Beer and Country Music,” just felt like a great introduction to me as an artist. It’s a great honky-tonk type of song. “There’s the Sun” feels like a classic, and just comes at a love song from a different angle. That was the first Zoom write I ever did, in the middle of all the Covid mess. Then, “Cowboys Like Me Do” feels like it puts you in a Hallmark movie. The pictures are painted real well and it puts you in the middle of a story.
[embedded content]
You’ve written with a lot of big-name writers — Carson, Wyatt, Mark Nesler, Tim Nichols, Paul Overstreet. Did it make you nervous being in those writing rooms?
Big time. My first co-write when I came to Nashville, after I had gotten to know Carson, was with Mark Nesler. He wrote so many of my favorite songs and I don’t think I said a word the first two or three times I wrote with him. It’s a pleasure to get in the room with somebody like that and just learn everything you can, but it’ll make you shake in your boots a little bit. If you write a song by yourself, if it’s not good, nobody has to hear it. But co-writing, you’re laying your heart out there. I’m very thankful to all those guys for letting me sit in a room and learn from them.
With country music having a ‘90s sounds resurgence, as well as some interpolations of ‘90s classics, we’re seeing some songwriters benefit from that, too.
I love to see that — and some of those guys that were creating all those hits that I fell in love with, they’re still out here writing a ton of good songs, and there ain’t hardly anybody better at it than them. It feels like they’re a little revitalized, at least the guys that have been included on my project. It feels fun to be a part of that and to bring those guys back to the spotlight a little bit.
[embedded content]
You were on tour with Ashley McBryde last year. What did you learn from being part of that tour?
Well, I mean, I hope I can sing as perfect as she does every night and never miss a note. That would be nice. Her songwriting brings back things that I’ve missed in music — talking about real stuff that real people go through and doing it in a beautiful way that makes people feel understood. And she’s a great entertainer — I just can’t say much bad about Ms. Ashley.
You got to perform with Vince Gill at the Opry. How did that happen?
I knew he was going to be on the Opry lineup the night I played, so I was hoping to meet him. I played two or three songs and I got offstage. It’s kind of dark back there off to the side, and someone hollered to me out of the corner like, “Good show, buddy.” I said, “Thanks!” and then I took a second look and was like, “Oh, Lord, that’s Vince.” He heard me from the green room and came to watch my set. He was just so nice.
Then, when he closed out the show, he came up to me a bit before he went on and said, “Do you want to come up and do ‘One More Last Chance’ with me?” I just never expected that, and he had his folks holler out after the show saying he might like to write together, which was a huge compliment. We wrote a song called, “Love Ain’t No Love Song, Baby.” I loved getting to write with him, and he said I could call him back and write again, so I hope we get to do that.
Are there any artists that fans might be surprised to know you are a fan of?
I’m a big fan of Lake Street Dive. They have this raw, funky sound. It’s hard to put their music into a box. I love classic rock, so I’m a big fan of Greta Van Fleet, too.
There will be plenty of jokes, stunts and look-at-me celeb cameos in the commercials that air during Sunday’s (Feb. 11) Super Bowl LVIII. But one star-studded ad will also serve up a spoonful of hard-facts sugar with its A-list medicine courtesy of Grammy nominees Jelly Roll and Valerie June and this year’s best country album […]
Bud Light will sponsor Zach Bryan’s North American Quittin’ Time arena and stadium tour that kicks off March 6 at Chicago’s United Center.
The move builds on Bud Light’s partnership with Bryan that launches tonight (Feb. 9) as the singer/songwriter kicks off the second year of the Bud Light Backyard Tour with a concert at the Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas as part of the beer brand’s Super Bowl LVIII activities.
“I’ve been drinking Bud Light since I was old enough to drink and partnering with them now after all the songs I’ve written while swigging them is full circle for me,” said Bryan in a statement in November when the Super Bowl concert was announced. “When Bud Light asked if I would be involved, I didn’t hesitate after I learned the immense amount of support going into Folds of Honor, fallen service members, first responders’ families and loved ones. It is a privilege and honor to provide help in any way to veterans and all the people who make this country as great as it can possibly be.”
Bud Light launched its Backyard Tour concert series last summer with shows by Midland, One Republic and Dashboard Confessional, among others. “We wanted to go bigger in 2024 and I don’t think you can get any bigger in country music than Zach Bryan right now,” says Todd Allen, Bud Light’s vp of marketing.
Bryan was named Billboard’s Top New Artist of 2023, landing No. 1s on both the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart and Hot 100 songs survey. Bryan, who charts on both the rock and country charts, is the first country act to be the year’s Top New Artist since Billboard began compiling the Top New Artists category, combining performance on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100, in 1977.
As the exclusive beer partner for the 78-show Quittin’ Time tour, Bud Light will execute a number of tie-ins at concert dates, including sampling, ticket giveaways and experiential activations.
One of the primary elements of the partnership involves Folds of Honor, a non-profit that provides scholarships to the families of fallen and disabled service members and first responders. Bud Light’s parent, Anheuser-Busch, has worked with Folds of Honor for more than 14 years, donating more than $22 million to the organization. “Throughout the duration of the tour, we will be donating a portion of the proceeds from Bud Light sold to Folds of Honor,” Allen says. He adds that Bud Light is working through the details with Bryan, who served in the Navy for eight years, on his participation with Folds of Honor. “He’s been an incredible partner to help bring this to life,” he says.
“Music has been in Bud Light’s DNA for decades and we’ve always been at the center of delivered epic experiences. We’ve had amazing partnerships over the years across music, across sports, across culture. And then this just makes sense,” Allen says of the Bryan tie-in. “Zach has been a longtime Bud Light fan and drinker. Having him be part of our Bud Light Backyard Tour with the Super Bowl show on Friday night is incredible and we look forward to continuing to bring great experiences to our fans in partnership with the Quittin Time tour.”
The alliances with Bryan, one of country music’s biggest rising stars, comes at a time when Bud Light continues to recover from the backlash and sales hit the brand took starting last April after aligning with transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Kid Rock, John Rich and Travis Tritt condemned the brand (though Kid Rock was seen drinking a Bud Light in August). Other country acts, like Bryan, stood up for the transgender community, while superstar Garth Brooks declared in June that his Friends in Low Places bar in Nashville would sell Bud Light.
When asked how linking with Bryan could help Bud Light regain country fans it may have lost, Allen said, “We’re here for all 21+ Americans and we care deeply about all of our fans. Music, and country music in particular, allows us to connect with millions of people out there who enjoy Bud Light in stadiums, bars and venues across the country. Partnering with Zach Bryan, one of the hottest names in country music, is just a great opportunity for us to continue to connect with our fans across country music.”
Bud Light’s music activities for 2024 include tie ins with Stagecoach and Lollapalooza, as well as a country music program with Live Nation.
The ultimate power couple is back. Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton teamed up on Friday (Feb. 9) to release their newest duet, the retro-tinged “Purple Irises.” The song comes just two days after the couple announced the track with the 1970s-inspired cover art, in which Stefani is seen lounging on a couch in a denim […]
Brett Favre is recalling the days leading up to his longtime friend Toby Keith’s death. “I think in the end he was just tired,” the former NFL quarterback told TMZ Sports of Keith, who died on Monday (Feb. 5) of stomach cancer. “He did say that to me when we had our conversation, he said, […]
It’s been nearly two years since Beyoncé released Renaissance in June 2022, and fans have been buzzing on what’s next ever since. At the time of release, Beyoncé’s website and Instagram bio read “act i | Renaissance,” and an accompanying British Vogue spread and cover story teased “a thrilling abundance” of new music. The BeyHive is ready for […]
Perception is reality.
Not literally — reality is reality, and nobody’s perception of it is 100% accurate. But what people perceive sure feels like reality, and sales executives, politicians and lovers are prone to take advantage of that in the marketplace of ideas. Sorting through what’s real and what’s not is one of the trickiest aspects of life in the dating pool.
It’s also the foundation of Tigirlily Gold’s sophomore single, “I Tried a Ring On,” a gorgeously fragile account of a woman who recognizes the part she played in her own misperception of a relationship that didn’t pan out.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“I love this song because it is open-ended,” Tigirlily’s Krista Slaubaugh says. “Whatever happened in the relationship, it obviously ended for a reason. At one point, maybe they were really in love — this is kind of my take on it — but I think people can fall madly in love, and then sometimes one person falls out a bit, and there’s not really a reason for it. It’s just a sad reality.”
The song’s reality took some time to unfold when Krista and sister Kendra wrote “I Tried a Ring On” in late 2022 at Stone Jag, a studio in Nashville’s Berry Hill neighborhood owned by producer-songwriter Pete Good (“We Don’t Fight Anymore,” “Y’all Life”). They tossed around ideas for roughly 90 minutes that morning with songwriter Josh Jenkins (“Tucson Too Late,” “Fancy Like”) without lighting a spark. Finally, Good brought up “I Tried a Ring On,” a title that played out a little like a movie scene in his mind.
“Think about somebody who has been in a relationship, even maybe walking with their mom through the mall — or by themselves or walking with a friend or something — then swinging into the jewelry store because they’re just kind of letting their mind go down that road a little bit like, ‘Hey, this could become that kind of thing,’” says Good. “It’s like, ‘Oh, I feel so stupid. I tried a ring on it, let myself buy into this thought.’”
His co-writers certainly bought into the title — “I don’t think Pete knew what he had,” Jenkins says — and the two guys started building a moody atmosphere on guitar. One of the Slaughbaughs had a piece of descending melody that became the opening part of the chorus, and Jenkins married it to a lyric about a relationship that “flew to the sun” before it burned out. The singer is more circumspect than angry.
“When we hit the line ‘I ain’t even mad about that,’ it feels like this girl is on her therapist’s couch,” says Jenkins. “It felt so human.”
[embedded content]
“I Tried a Ring On” evolved into an unconventional song. The chorus held a wispy quality that contrasted with biting verses, a reversal of the typical structure where the chorus has the most energy. A one-line pre-chorus — “Don’t mean nothing now” — appeared at the end of the second verse instead of at the close of the usual first verse. They added a post-chorus the second time through, doubling the length of that stanza, and they used it again on the third chorus.
“To me, that’s the climax of the song,” Jenkins says. “I see the girl, I see her put the ring on, she hears the song, she sees the dress — she sees all of it. That was a decision we made that we wrestled with: Do we just do that once? It felt satisfying to do it twice.”
They spelled out some of the relationship’s details in the verses, particularly the opening frame, where the singer admits she “jumped the gun” on the coupling. The phrase became a stark part of that first section after Krista introduced it. “I ran track in high school, so I literally thought about starting a race,” she says. “But also, when you fall in love, there’s no time line for that. You just kind of fall headfirst. You can’t really help how you fall and how quickly you fall.”
They decided, however, that they had jumped the gun on the verse melody and ended up setting a second writing session to do some more work on that aspect of “I Tried a Ring On.” “It was a little more pop-focused and a little more wordy,” Kendra recalls. “It just did not fit the vibe of what the song needed to be.”
During the demo session, Good and Tigirlily developed a bridge that relied on melancholy harmonies rather than a solo to enhance the song’s mood. “It’s supposed to be more atmospheric, in a sense, and ethereal,” notes Good, who produced both the demo and the final master.
The demo set the tone for the master tracking session, held again at Stone Jag with a band that featured drummer Evan Hutchings, bassist Craig Young, keyboardist Alex Wright and guitarists Sol Philcox-Littlefield and Todd Lombardo, who developed a slightly syncopated acoustic riff to create a sense of motion. Hutchings’ drum part evolved as the track progressed, adopting an almost militaristic attitude that added drama to the sound. Steel guitarist Justin Schipper slid a bundle of leading tones into the mix during overdubs that knit the production together.
The Slaubaughs recorded their vocals individually, though they were both present through the whole process. They primarily created two-part harmonies; however, Krista slipped a third voice in at key moments. And Kendra had little trouble with the lead, singing “I just feel stupid” during the chorus in a manner that captured the frustration that would accompany a stiff encounter with a disappointing reality.
“We had been singing this song live for probably six months to a year before we ever even recorded it, so we were pretty comfortable with the vocal parts,” Kendra says. “Sometimes when I sing it live, I get a little angrier with it. But for the record, I wanted it to be more of a bittersweet, sad, kind of confused feeling. I probably did five to 10 different takes, and then Krista came in and put her vocals on top.”
Tigirlily Gold had several options for singles, but when the act polled fans, “I Tried a Ring On” was a clear-cut winner. Monument released it to country radio via PlayMPE on Jan. 5, and it was the highest-debuting single on the Country Airplay chart dated Feb. 10, arriving on the list at No. 55.
“We had been singing ‘Ring’ at every show that we had played for country radio, every show we played outside — fairs and festivals — and we were singing it in bars and loud places,” notes Krista. “Everywhere we went, it still packs a punch, which, to have a ballad that still gets through to people in loud environments, this is something special.”
They’re rightfully hopeful that perception lines up with reality.
“At the end of the day, it’s out of my hands what the song does,” Kendra says, “but I believe in it so much that I would have regretted it if it never had gotten the opportunity.”
Kelsea Ballerini has renewed her deal with her longtime label, Black River Entertainment. Ballerini first signed with Black River in 2013; over the ensuing decade, she has earned five No. 1 hits on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, including “Legends,” “Love Me Like You Mean It” and the Kenny Chesney collaboration “Half of My Hometown.” Variety […]
Jon Bon Jovi is the latest artist set to open a bar and restaurant concept in Nashville’s Lower Broadway.
The rocker, along with his band, will open JBJ’s Nashville in spring 2024 at 405 Broadway. The venue will launch in partnership with BPH Hospitality, a subsidiary of Nashville-based Big Plan Holdings. A release touts that the venue will be the tallest and second-largest bar by square footage on Lower Broadway.
The building’s design will align with the city of Nashville’s Broadway Historic Preservation Overlay, and will feature entrances on both Broadway and 4th Avenue, with two fifth-story outdoor rooftop decks.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“We’re looking forward to having a place in Nashville that we call home,” Jon Bon Jovi said in a statement. “When Big Plan Holdings and the team of Josh and Tara Joseph asked us if we were interested, it wasn’t because we were just another rock band, it was because we are a band with deep roots in Nashville. We have had wonderful times in Nashville recording several albums and working with some of the finest people in all the music business. I can’t wait to toast all of Broadway and get to know our neighbors!”
Of course, the new venue is far from the only celebrity-owned bar and restaurant to dot Nashville’s Lower Broadway, as the downtown Nashville area is home to venues emblazoned with country artists’ names including Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert, while Luke Combs and Eric Church also have bars set to open.
The news follows on the heels of last week’s celebration honoring Jon Bon Jovi as the MusiCares Person of the Year. As the band Bon Jovi celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, a new Bon Jovi documentary is set to release on Hulu in April.
Jon Bon Jovi is also no stranger to Nashville’s country music scene; in 2006, he earned a two-week No. 1 Country Airplay hit with a duet version of “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” featuring Jennifer Nettles. In 2020, the two teamed up again for “Do What You Can.” In 2007, he also collaborated with LeAnn Rimes on the song “‘Til We Ain’t Strangers Anymore,” and in 1998, the rocker collaborated with Chris LeDoux on a version of Bon Jovi’s “Bang a Drum,” which appeared on LeDoux’s One Road Man album.
The Late Show‘s Stephen Colbert paid emotional tribute to his longtime friend country singer Toby Keith on Tuesday night (Feb. 6), describing the long arc of their relationship and sharing a special memento he keeps in his office to remind him of the man he affectionately referred to as “Big Dog.”
“I was shocked and saddened when I saw the news this morning,” Colbert said of announcement that the 62-year-old “Red Solo Cup” singer had died following a two-year battle with stomach cancer. Colbert said he knew the singer had been fighting the disease, but he’d held out hope that they would see each other again and that Keith would return to touring as footage of the star’s previous performances on The Late Show played behind him.
“I was lucky enough to become friends with Toby over the years, as improbable as that seems,” said Colbert, whose laser-sharp daggers of commentary are often aimed at bloviating right wing politicians and media figures — as well as other know-nothings from any side — suggesting that viewers might not have expected him to befriend a singer whose often jingoistic, red meat patriotic anthems seemed at odds with the host’s more liberal-leaning point of view.
Colbert said they met back in 2006 when Keith appeared on Colbert’s funhouse mirror “conservative” Colbert Report Comedy Central late night series. “Back then there was a not-so helpful legend that I had knives out for some of my guests,” said Colbert, admitting that he sometimes did. He recalled having “some kind of plan” to skewer Keith in a bid to send up the singer’s “boot in your ass” line from one of his most famous songs, 2002’s flag-waving, “Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue (The Angry American).”
“Right before I went on stage I remember vividly looking down at my shoes and saying, ‘What are you doing? You’re a host. He’s your guest. Make him feel welcome, see who he is,’” Colbert said he chided himself at the time. “And what do you know? We hit it off like a house afire. I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed talking to Toby Keith.”
Colbert said it seemed like Keith enjoyed the chat as well, because after the appearance, as they passed each other in the hall and Toby was headed out the stage door, he turned to Colbert and said, “‘Hey man, you do a great job. Whatever the f–k it is you do.’ And I took that as the greatest compliment,” the host said. Such a high honor, in fact, that his then-head writer had the comment stitched onto a small pillow as a Christmas present, which Colbert keeps in his office until this day.
“That day, Toby taught me to not prejudge a guest,” Colbert said of the country singer whose politics and persona were complicated and, friends and colleagues said in remembering him, more nuanced than they appeared. “And to have my intention, but to keep my eyes open to the reality of who they are. And for that lesson, and for a lot of other things, I’m always going to be grateful.” Later in the segment, Colbert hinted at Keith’s hard-to-pin-down persona by showing footage of the country star giving President Obama a standing ovation at the former commander-in-chief’s Nobel Peace Prize speech in 2009.
Colbert paid homage to that complexity, calling Keith a great performer, unapologetically patriotic, as well as an “opinionated, brash, often controversial” figure who bonded with his many fans by “writing their lives in a very real and entertaining way.” The host then ran down tape of Keith’s many appearances on his show, including a 2015 spot where Toby handed over one of his acoustic guitars, which Colbert said his son plays to this day. The package also included tape of a cowboy hat-wearing Colbert inducting Keith into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2015, singing a “As Good As I Once Was,” a song Colbert said he used to listen to every night before going on stage.
“I think he enjoyed how unlikely a pair we seemed. I sure did,” Colbert said, comparing them to meme videos of horse and duck besties. “Toby taught me not to judge people too quickly. And with his passing, I gonna try to remember that again. It’s something we all need to remember.”
Colbert ended with a plea for patience and an attempt to understand each other during these highly divisive times, promising to meet anyone, no matter who they are, “at this place. I will meet you at being broken-hearted that Toby Keith is gone. Thank you Big Dog.”
Check out Colbert’s tribute to Keith below (begins at 1:00 mark).
[embedded content]
