John Prine | Hometown Country Music

Interview with Jack Browning

admin — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:58:53 +0000

Artist Name: Jack Browning

Hometown: London, UK

What project(s) are you currently working on?

Right now, we’re getting ready to put out my debut record which is super exciting! We started recording it in October 2022 and we have a release date in September of this year. I’ve toured, recorded and played in bands all my life, but doing it under my own name and with my songs has been an experience I won’t soon forget! We put the first single out on June 30 and the reaction was better than I could have ever imagined, and the second one is coming on July 28th. It’s a time full of excitement, anxiety, and gratitude!

What inspired you to pursue a career in music and when did you know?

I was always into music as far back as I remember so pretty early I knew it would be important. I tried the guitar three times before I finally stuck with it, and it was after a few lessons with an amazing family friend that I remember proudly telling my parents that “I want to be a musician like Chris!” much to their worry!

I think it was the idea of writing songs and performing them, and hopefully giving people the same feeling I got sifting through my dad’s record collection and picking out these albums that have stuck with me since.

If you weren’t pursuing a career in music, what would you be doing for a living?

I’d probably be doing what I do when I’m not out touring or recording now which is visual art! I’m super lucky to be able to do it but I paint portraits, landscapes and other things and I’m fortunate enough to send them around the world. It’s actually a great combination with the music, and has allowed me to meet with some great people I may never have had the opportunity to otherwise.

What is your favorite downtime activity?

I’m a sucker for video games! That’s definitely a go-to when I have some downtime which seems to be less and less nowadays! That being said, I also love reading, walking my dog and hanging out with my better half.

Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

Dare I say it, Henry Cavill.

Who is your favorite sports team(s)?

I’m a lifelong West Ham fan over here in the UK, for my sins! I do enjoy American Football too, though, and tend to keep an eye on what the Chiefs are doing.

What is the last movie that you watched?

Haha it was actually the latest reincarnation of Texas Chainsaw Massacre which is so not my usual watch! Before that, it was an old favourite of mine: No Country For Old Men.

What is the last album you listened to?

I’ve been hooked on John Prine even more so than normal as of late, so it was his self-titled debut. For me, that’s a flawless record.

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Dang, this is a tough question. I think it would have to be Mule Variations by Tom Waits. That record is a masterclass in binding different genres with a thread right through every song.

What is the greatest country song of all time?

You’re on a roll with these tough ones! I think just for it’s sentimental value to me, Highwayman. That was the first song I ever remember being obsessed with as a littl’un.

What has been your favorite city/town that you’ve visited out on the road?

I’m a real big fan of Amsterdam – so much so that the Netherlands is where I met my fiancee and I spend a lot of time.

What is your favorite meal?

Chicken and Rice in literally any form! I swear I could be chick-eterian.

Who is your dream duet partner?

I’d love to record a song with one of those guys who came through recently, like Colter Wall or Charley Crockett. Sierra Ferrell would be cool too, I’m a big fan of all those.

Who would you like to go on tour with?

I’d be honoured to go on tour supporting Charley Crockett, who for me is the one of the best doing it today. That being said, it’d be scary to share a bill with him every night when him and his band are that good!

What is your ultimate career goal(s)?

I think if I can keep making records, touring and still pay rent and a couple other things I enjoy, I’ll be happy. Honestly though, a ranch and a proper art studio would be rad!

The post Interview with Jack Browning first appeared on Hometown Country Music.

Interview with Juna N Joey

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 22:50:01 +0000

Juna N Joey

Artist Name: Juna N Joey
Hometown: W Palm Beach, FL, and Nashville

What project(s) are you currently working on?

Juna: We are in the process of rolling out our first self-titled EP, and we’re always writing as well as going to school.

Joey: We are also making another body of work – we’re not sure if it will be all singles or another EP. We’re finishing up photoshoots and videos to support our first EP, as well. We are also always busy working on our anti-bullying campaign, and I go to college too.

What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and when did you know?

Juna: I saw the show “Little Rascals’ when I was four years old, and I heard the little girl sing “L.O.V.E.,” made famous by Frank Sinatra. I sang it for my parents, and they decided to sign me up for singing lessons.

Joey: Juna influenced me. She took lessons first and then I wanted to join her!

If you weren’t pursuing a career in music, what would you be doing for a living?

Juna: I would definitely be a chef or own a restaurant. I love to cook, and I am also Italian!

Joey: I love working out and health-related businesses, so I think I would maybe be into nutrition or a holistic doctor.

What is your favorite downtime activity?

Juna: I like to cook, go fishing, or watch Netflix.

Joey: Family game night is fun – we like Pictionary and Monopoly.

Who is your favorite sports team(s)?

Juna: I like the Jaguars, the Titans, and the Predators.

Joey: I like the Dolphins for football, the Predators for Hockey, and the Marlins for baseball.

What is the last movie that you watched?

Juna: I last watched “Gossip Girl,” “Stranger Things,” and “Two Hearts” – it was very sad!

Joey: I last watched the documentary on Bobby Brown and “The Conjuring 3”!

What is the last album you listened to?

Juna: The last album I listened to was Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous!

Joey: I also recently listened to Morgan Wallen.

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Juna: I would say Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Joey: I’d say anything by Stevie Wonder!

What is the greatest country song of all time?

Juna: I’d say “Angel From Montgomery” by John Prine or Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode To Billy Joe.”

Joey: I think some of the greatest songs include “Somebody’s Problem” by Morgan Wallen or anything by Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson.

What has been your favorite city/town that you’ve visited out on the road?

Juna: I’d have to go with New York!

Joey: I would also say New York.

What is your favorite meal?

Juna: I love Pizza and also acai bowls.

Joey: My favorite is salmon and rice.

Who is your dream duet partner?

Juna: Definitely Dan + Shay!

Joey: Dan + Shay for sure!

Who would you like to go on tour with?

Juna: I would love to tour with Dan + Shay

Joey: I’d say, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen.

What is your ultimate career goal(s)?

Juna: We want to keep performing and playing the biggest shows we can!

Joey: Yes, we want to keep performing as much as we can!

The post Interview with Juna N Joey first appeared on Hometown Country Music.

Interview with Harrow Fair

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 23:38:01 +0000

photo by Jen Squires

Artist Name: Harrow Fair (Miranda Mulholland and Andrew Penner)
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

What project(s) are you currently working on?

Miranda: Besides our new single, “Sins We Made (Acoustic),” Andrew and I are currently working on music for a theatre piece about The Great War that will premiere on Remembrance Day. I am very involved in artist advocacy and have been speaking all over the world at various forums like the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization (although currently on Zoom) about fair remuneration for creators and the importance of copyright.

Andrew: I’m producing a few albums for other people and am performing in a livestreamed concert around Halloween called “Ghost Quartet” that I’m also music directing.

What inspired you to pursue a career in music and when did you know?

Andrew: I sang in choirs and played in bands as a kid. Music has always been there, and when I started making a living from it, I felt (and still do) so lucky.

Miranda: I’m not sure it was ever a choice for me. I started singing before I could talk and playing violin at age 4, but I’ve switched genres for sure. When I was 16, I wanted to be on Broadway, then at 20 I wanted to sing at La Scala, but I think I’ve found a home in roots/Americana… for now anyway. It just has to feel authentic.

If you weren’t pursuing a career in music, what would you be doing for a living?

Andrew: Weatherman or shoeshiner

Miranda: Andrew is already a weatherman. I would be Governor General. There is still time!

What is your favorite downtime activity?

Andrew: Walking, cooking, tennis

Miranda: Cooking, reading, wine drinking, yoga

Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

Andrew: Tina Turner

Miranda: Domhnall Gleeson (swoon)

Who is your favorite sports team(s)?

Andrew: Detroit Tigers

Miranda: SPORTS!

What is the last movie that you watched?

Andrew: “A Hidden Life.”

Miranda: I’m not sure I’ve seen a full movie in a while, but I just finished the FANTASTIC French spy series, “Le Bureau.”

What is the last album you listened to?

Andrew: Sufjan Stevens “Ascension.”

Miranda: Ray LaMontagne “Monotone,” and Vikingur Olafson “Debussy-Rameau.”

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Andrew: I’m pretty sure no matter the album, that would be torture. (Stevie Wonder “Songs In The Key Of Life”)

Miranda: Emmylou Harris “Wrecking Ball”

What is the greatest country song of all time?

Andrew: Mississippi Sheiks’ “Sitting On Top Of The World” or Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”

Miranda: John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” or Iris Dement’s “Our Town”

What has been your favorite city/town that you’ve visited out on the road?

Andrew: Philadelphia and Belfast are up in the favourites for sure!

Miranda: Edinburgh and Istanbul

What is your favorite meal?

Andrew: cheese, some bread with butter, and an apple.

Miranda: steak tartare and frites with mayonnaise on the side and a good bottle of Cote du Rhone .

Who is your dream duet partner?

Andrew: Tina Turner (…and Miranda, of course) .

Miranda: Um… Andrew? Or also Ray LaMontagne

Who would you like to go on tour with?

Andrew: Mavis Staples, Shovels and Rope, Jack White, The Jayhawks, Tami Neilson.

Miranda: SAME! Calexico would be fun, too.

What is your ultimate career goal(s)?

Andrew: Same as it ever was. To keep excited about learning and creatively growing. Also, I want Harrow Fair to play Austin City Limits.

Miranda: I would like to always be able to feel challenged and stimulated creatively. I’d like for Harrow Fair to play the Tonder Festival in Denmark.

The post Interview with Harrow Fair first appeared on Hometown Country Music.

2020 ACM Awards Play-by-Play Thread

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 00:14:03 +0000

Normally held in Las Vegas in April, The 2020 ACM Awards were pushed back to tonight with performances across three iconic venues in Nashville – The Grand Ole Opry House, The Ryman Auditorium, and The Bluebird Cafe. The show kicked off with performances by the 5 Entertainer of the Year finalists. The performances were:

Luke Bryan performing “Rain Is a Good Thing” at the Grand Ole Opry
Eric Church performing “Drink In My Hand” at the Ryman Auditorium
Luke Combs performing “When It Rains It Pours” at the Bluebird Cafe
Thomas Rhett performing “It Goes Like This” at the Ryman Auditorium
Carrie Underwood performing “Before He Cheats” at the Grand Ole Opry

There will be 24 performances total tonight including a special tribute to the women of country music.

Keith Urban

Keith Urban is hosting the show and welcomes viewers from around the world, talks about how fans can’t be there due to COVID-19. He then sent well-wishes out to those fighting the wild fires out west and those dealing with Hurricane Sally. He then talked about we are dealing with two pandemics – COVID-19 and social injustice. No jokes in tonight’s opening monologue.

Jimmie Allen performed “Make Me Want To” at the Bluebird Cafe.

Old Dominion

Old Dominion performed a medley of “One Man Band,” “Song for Another Time,” “Hotel Key,” and “Make It Sweet” at the Ryman Auditorium.

Clint Black

Time for the first award of the night, presented by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black.

Duo of the Year

Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay – WINNER
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan is back to perform “One Margarita” at the Grand Ole Opry

Bobby Bones is out to give the next award.

Old Dominion

Song of the Year

“10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay w/ Justin Bieber
“Girl Going Nowhere” by Ashley McBryde
“God’s Country” by Blake Shelton
“One Man Band” by Old Dominion – WINNER
“Some Of It” by Eric Church

Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini was next on stage at the Ryman Auditorium to perform “Hole in the Bottle”

Runaway June was on stage next at the Grand Ole Opry to introduce a feature about the ACM Lifting Lives event that had to go virtual this year.

Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert performed an acoustic version of her hit “Bluebird” along with her co-writers of the song at the Bluebird Cafe.

Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert “video-chatted” briefly about how she won Musical Event earlier this week. This was Lambert’s 35th ACM Award!

Morgan Wallen performed his hit single “Whiskey Glasses”

Model Lily Aldridge came out to present the next award:

Old Dominion

Group of the Year

Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion – WINNER
The Highwomen

Thomas Rhett and Jon Pardi performed “Beer Can’t Fix”

Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani performed their new duet “Happy Anywhere” on a green screen somewhere outside of Nashville so they could make it look like they’re at the Bluebird Cafe. Might be in Los Angeles since they’re taping The Voice?

Carrie Underwood

Keith Urban introduced Carrie Underwood at the Opry who played a medley of hits to honor the Women of Country Music History. The songs included:

“Crazy” by Pasty Cline
“You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” by Loretta Lynn
“I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” by Barbara Mandrell
“Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That” by Dolly Parton
“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” by Reba McEntire
“Broken Wing” by Martina McBride

Luke Combs

Luke Combs did a feature for Ford where they gave out guitars for the Guitars for Vets program. He then played his new single “Better Together” in honor of his new wife.

Tenille Townes, who won Best New Female Artist of the Year Award earlier this week, performed her single “Somebody’s Daughter” at the Ryman Auditorium.

Gabby Barrett performed “I Hope” at the Ryman Auditorium.

Dan + Shay

Dan + Shay performed “I Should Probably Go To Bed” at the Grand Ole Opry.

Riley Green gave a brief acceptance speech for his ACM Best New Male Artist Award that he won earlier this week, before performing “I Wish Grandpa’s Never Died” at the Ryman Auditorium.

Kane Brown performed “Worldwide Beautiful” with a chorus of singers stationed around the seats of the Grand Ole Opry.

Cam

Cam came out to announce the next award:

Single of the Year

“God’s Country” by Blake Shelton – WINNER
“One Man Band” by Old Dominion
“Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves
“Rumor” by Lee Brice
“What If I Never Get Over You” by Lady A

Maren Morris performed her new single “To Hell and Back”

Taylor Swift made her first appearance on the ACM Awards in seven years to perform her song “Betty” at the Grand Ole Opry.

Darius Rucker came out to present the next award:

Luke Combs

Album of the Year

Center Point Road by Thomas Rhett
Girl by Maren Morris
Heartache Medication by Jon Pardi
What You See Is What You Get by Luke Combs – WINNER
Wildcard by Miranda Lambert

Keith Urban gave a “Get well soon” shout out to Blanco Brown due to his recent car accident before making the next introduction.

Eric Church

Eric Church came out to a recording of Johnny Cash’s “Ragged Old Flag” before performing his new single “Stick That In Your Country Song.”

Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw performed “I Called Mama” at the Bluebird Cafe.

Mickey Guyton and Keith Urban performed “What Are You Going to Tell Her” at the Grand Ole Opry.

Keith Urban

Miranda Lambert introduced Keith Urban and P!nk for their new duet “One Too Many” – Keith Urban was at the Grand Ole Opry, while Pink appeared to have been somewhere else on a green screen.

Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina was out next to present:

Luke Combs

Male Artist of the Year:

Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs – WINNER
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

Cece Wayans came out next to present:

Maren Morris

Female Artist of the Year

Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris – WINNER
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

Trisha Yearwood

Trisha Yearwood performed “I’ll Carry You Home” as a tribute for those lost in the country music world in the past year including:

Earl Thomas Conley
Harold Reid (Statler Brothers)
Bob Kingsley
John Prine
Jimmy Capps
Biff Adam
Paul English
Alex Harvey
Sonny Curtis
Bill Mack
Jan Howard
David Olney
Gary McSpadden
Joe Mansfield
Kenny Dixon
Dan Mitchell
busbee
Chuck & Jim Glaser
Russell Smith
Jay Frank
William Pursell
Joe Diffie
Charlie Daniels
Kenny Rogers

Florida Georgia Line

Florida Georgia performed a “I Love My Country”

The final award of the night, as given by Keith Urban, is a TIE!

Entertainer of the Year

Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett – CO-WINNER
Carrie Underwood – CO-WINNER

The show closed with a montage video of several of today’s up-and-coming artists performing “On the Road Again” with Willie Nelson about how they can’t wait to get back on the road again.

So what did you all think of tonight’s show? Leave your comments on our social media platforms!

The post 2020 ACM Awards Play-by-Play Thread first appeared on Hometown Country Music.

HCM Daily News – April 7th, 2020

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 02:31:46 +0000

Luke Bryan

Recent Country Music News Headlines

Recommended Viewing – Recent Country Music Videos

This Date in Country Music History

2020 – John Prine passed away due to complications from COVID-19
2015 – Kristian Bush of Sugarland released his debut solo album Southern Gravity
2013 – Luke Bryan released his single “Crash My Party”
2009 – Rascal Flatts released their album Unstoppable
2009 – Jason Aldean released his album Wide Open
2001 – Jessica Andrews topped the charts with “Who I Am”
1956 – Carl Perkins topped the charts with “Blue Suede Shoes”

Today’s Birthdays (See All Country Artist Birthdays)

Bobby Bare

Today’s New Albums (See All Album Release Dates)

None Today

Today’s New Singles (See All Single Release Dates)

Grateful – Jewel

Today’s Photo Flashback (See All Photos)

Contests

Win a trip to meet Old Dominion in Tampa, FL – ends 4/15/20
Win 2 Tickets and Meet & Greet Passes for Little Big Town – ends 4/24/20
Win an Autographed Luke Bryan Prize Pack – ends 4/24/20
Win 2 Tickets and Meet & Greet Passes for LANco – ends 5/1/20

This Week’s Events (See All Upcoming Events)

Date/Time Event

04/08/2020
3:30 pm Ariat Presents Ashley McBryde Streaming Live

Date/Time	Event
04/08/2020 3:30 pm	Ariat Presents Ashley McBryde Streaming Live

The post HCM Daily News – April 7th, 2020 first appeared on Hometown Country Music.