Country
R.I.P. Martin Kahan, Music Video Director (KISS, Rush, Mötley Crüe) Dead at 74
Martin Kahan, a prolific music video director, has died at age 74. He passed away this past Sunday (July 18th) in Lakewood, New Jersey, following a battle with cancer. Kahan directed numerous videos for hard rock acts in the 1980s. If you watched MTV during that era, you surely caught Kahan’s work. Some of his best known clips include KISS sans-makeup (“Lick It Up”, “All Hell’s Breakin Loose”), Mötley Crüe (“Too Young to Fall in Love”), Scorpions (“I’m Leaving You”), and Bon Jovi (“In and Out of Love,” “She Don’t Know Me”). Videos for Ian Hunter (the VMA-nomiated “All of the Good Ones Are Taken”), Loverboy (“Queen of the Broken Hearts”), and Michael Bolton (“Fool’s Game”) also garnered rotation on MTV. Advertisement Related Video Kahan got a break early in his career when he shot three vid...
Jason Aldean Places ‘Blame’ Atop Country Airplay Chart, Earning His 23rd No. 1
Aldean, who first topped Country Airplay with “Why” in May 2006, boasts the seventh-most No. 1s since the chart began in January 1990. Kenny Chesney leads with 31, followed by Tim McGraw (29), Blake Shelton (28), Alan Jackson, George Strait (26 each) and Luke Bryan (24). NEW TOP 10s Kane Brown and blackbear’s “Memory” launches at No. 9 on the multi-metric Hot Country Songs chart. The team-up drew 8.5 million streams and sold 7,800 downloads in its first week, ending July 15, following its July 9 release. It enters Country Digital Song Sales at No. 4. “Memory” marks Brown’s ninth Hot Country Songs top 10. Songwriter-producer blackbear (real name Matthew Tyler Musto) makes his first visit, following two top 10s, among seven top 10s, on Billboar...
Guy Clark Documentary ‘Without Getting Killed Or Caught’ Finally Gets Theatrical Release Schedule
Now, as the pandemic recedes, the film, which examines Clark’s unparalleled songwriting, as well as his complicated relationship with his wife, Susanna, and fellow songwriter Townes Van Zandt, will finally play in front of live audiences, starting Friday (July 23) in Austin, with one-week engagements in more than a dozen cities planned throughout the summer and fall. For Saviano, it is gratifying to finally have people see and hear the movie in the way it was intended. “It’s been a long, long, road,” she tells Billboard. “My husband Paul and I started working on this film in 2014 when Guy was still alive. The most exciting thing to me is that I never have to make the film again. I’m thrilled that people are going to get to see Guy larger than life on the big screen and hear his music in hi...
4 Faster Horses Festivalgoers Found Dead During Michigan Country Concert
“This tragic incident is being investigated as a suspected carbon monoxide exposure from a generator located very near the travel trailer,” the sheriff’s office said on Twitter. Separately, state police reported the death of a 30-year-old woman, Melissa Havens of Croswell. The cause and manner was unknown, state police said, although investigators were looking for a suspect. “Detectives want the public to know there is no danger or threats to people attending” the music festival, state police said. The three-day festival is scheduled to conclude Sunday. Its headliners include Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Jason Aldean. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful pe...
Rockabye Baby Announces Dolly Parton Lullaby Album, Shares “Jolene”: Stream
For fans of Dolly Parton who’ve wanted to introduce their infants to her music in lullaby form, Rockabye Baby! has them covered. Today, the company announced Lullaby Renditions of Dolly Parton, an album of the country icon’s biggest hits due out July 30th. Spanning 13 tracks, the album includes covers of some of Parton’s most recognizable songs, including “9 to 5,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “Coat of Many Colors.” As a first preview, Rockabye Baby! has shared a glockenspiel-driven lullaby version of “Jolene.” In the animated music video, an adorable baby bear acts out their dreams of stardom on an abandoned stage, using nothing but a broom and their imagination. Watch it below. Advertisement Related Video At 75 years old, Parton has hardly slowed down. In October 2020, she released...
Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Bieber, Normani, Khalid & More of the Week’s Biggest Winners (July 16)
Take a look at Billboard‘s new weekly roundup and the “awards” it gave to this week’s headlines. Sweetest Music News: Cardi B & Offset throw Kulture a 3rd birthday party fit for a princess Cardi and Offset’s little princess got the royal treatment on Saturday (July 10) for her third birthday, which included a horse-drawn carriage to a greeting party of Disney princesses and a custom Eliantte diamond neck piece for even more razzle dazzle. But to all the haters who wanted to rain on Kulture’s parade, Cardi wasn’t having it. “Listen imma live my childhood dreams thru my kids,” she tweeted in defense of the lavish celebration and gift. See photos of the party here and extravagant gift here, read Cardi...
Dan + Shay Set ‘Good Things’ Album, Share Title Track: Listen
To get the ball rolling at full speed, the pair today shares the title track and its official music video, directed by frequent collaborator Patrick Tracy. With “10,000 Hours,” Good Things already has a place in the history books. The single logged 21 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, the fifth-longest stretch in the chart’s history, and its performance culminated in a Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, their historic third consecutive win in that category. Dan + Shay will build the buzz when they headline NBC’s Citi Music Series this morning (July 16) on TODAY, with performances locked in at 8:00 am and 9:00 am. Good Things is the followup to 2018’s Dan + Shay which bowed at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and confirmed the artists as ...
Carly Pearce Set to Host 2021 ACM Honors
As previously reported, Hillary Lindsey — known for penning “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” among many other major country hits — will be honored with the songwriter of the year award, whileJay Joyce will receive the award for producer of the year for the fifth time. “We look forward to having industry and fans join us as we recognize the significant accomplishments of our 55th and 56th studio recording awards, industry awards, songwriter of the year and special awards winners with a night of unforgettable performances,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the ACM. The 14th annual ACM Honors will be livestreamed for viewers on Circle network’s channels. Alternatively, tickets to the live show are available for purchase on&...
Amy Grant, Toby Keith & More Selected for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
This year’s inductees bring the total number of songwriters in the Hall to 218. Though country songwriters predominate, the body includes “writers from all genres of music,” according to a NaSHOF mission statement. The Nashville Hall dates to 1970 – the same year the Songwriters Hall of Fame launched. The announcement was made Tuesday (July 13) by Sarah Cates, chair of the organization’s board of directors, and Mark Ford, its executive director. Four of the five inductees have received Grammy nominations for best country song: Akins in 2018 for co-writing Blake Shelton’s “I Lived It,” Cannon in 2007 for co-writing George Strait’s “Give It Away,” Keith in 2003 for co-writing his own “Beer for My Horses” (a collab with Willie Nelson), and Grant in 2011 for co-writing Vince Gill’s “Threaten M...
Pistol Annies’ Ashley Monroe Reveals Rare Blood Cancer Diagnosis
Her fellow country artists rallied around the singer after her announcement. Ashley Monroe took to Instagram on Tuesday (July 13) to deliver the devastating news that she has been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. The Grammy-nominated country singer, who is also part of Pistol Annies with Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley, wrote that she had become anemic and her red blood count kept falling. Her doctor ordered a bone marrow biopsy, which revealed the cancer diagnosis of Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia. Her fellow country artists — including Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, Martina McBride, Lainey Wilson and Tenille Townes — quickly rallied around Monroe, posting words of support and heart emojis on her Instagram. You Deserve to Make Money Even...
AGF: Ohanaeze legal monitoring group on Nnamdi Kanu not necessary
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has said the legal team formed by the umbrella group for Igbo people, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to monitor proceedings of the trial of leader of the prescribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, was not necessary. He, however, welcomed the Ohanaeze team, saying it was in line with the doctrine of the right of fair hearing rooted in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution. Recall that the separatist leader was arrested in June 2021 outside the country. Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the court in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB. He had been granted bail in April 2017 but jumped bail. After his re-arrest in June 202...
2023: Kogi commissioner tackles Ohanaeze over zoning
Mr Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, has reacted to comments by Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Gov. Yahaya Bello’s assertion about rotation of Nigerian presidency among the different regions of the country. Bello had during a maiden edition of the ‘Governor Yahaya Bello seminar for political and crime correspondents’ in Abuja on Friday, described rotational Presidency as “unconstitutional.” The Governor, who has also declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2023 added that “Nigerians should be allowed to make their choices for the best candidate to emerge for the top post”. But reacting to the claim, Ohanaeze Ndigbo which has been at the vanguard of the clamour that a Nigerian of South-East origin should succeed President...