HCM Daily Country Music News – February 2nd, 2023

 Posted by at 9:01 pm on February 2, 2023
Feb 022023
 

Country Music News and Videos

This Date in Country Music History

Today’s Birthdays

Today’s New Albums

  • None Today

Today’s New Singles

  • None Today

Today’s Photo Flashback

This Week’s Notable Events

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HCM Daily Country Music News – February 1st, 2023

 Posted by at 10:12 pm on February 1, 2023
Feb 012023
 

Country Music News and Videos

This Date in Country Music History

Today’s Birthdays

Today’s New Albums

  • None Today

Today’s New Singles

  • Devil’s Been Breathing My Back – Danny Joines
  • I’m a Ramblin’ Man – Larry Stephenson Band

Today’s Photo Flashback

  • None Today

This Week’s Notable Events

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Michael Ray Announces 2023 Tour Dates

 Posted by at 10:10 pm on February 1, 2023
Feb 012023
 
Michael Ray

Michael Ray

As we dive headfirst into a new year and even look ahead to spring, Michael Ray sees a new season of music emerging while in the studio with producer Michael Knox. The Eustis, Florida native has spent the last two years reflecting on his journey since moving to Music City and what it means to find fulfillment in all aspects of life.

“My romance with the business of music was starting to take its toll on me,” says the singer who first moved to Nashville in 2013. “Things really come into focus when you take the time to live a little life. I feel like the music that we’ve been writing has real intention and is focused on the next chapter. I’ve discovered lately, especially in spending time with my family, that there’s a lot of life you miss when you’ve got your head down, doubling down on work. I think a lot of folks feel that way as all our lives changed, and so this idea of being present has moved beyond an idea…it’s how I’m living life these days.”

Ray used to think of “being busy” as being in the studio or on the road constantly, but now he’s embraced the time between tour dates. “Being busy living life is the goal. I find I give more in my live shows when I’m the same human off stage and on, versus only giving folks one side of me for 90 or 120 minutes when I’ve got a microphone in my hand.”

Kicking off February 18 in Los Fresnos, Texas, with additional shows to be announced, Ray’s 2023 tour dates are taking him back to some cities that first embraced him as he retraces his steps from the days in a 15-passenger van, zigzagging across the Southeast. “I want people to come out to see us and know that when they do, we’re gonna take great care of that time as it means more to us all now.”

“The main things that have kept me going this year is my family, friends, and these incredible fans that have become friends,” says Ray. “I think they’ll see a lot of life lived in these songs, and hopefully they’ll see themselves in it, too.”

Michael Ray 2023 Tour Dates

Feb. 18            Los Fresnos Rodeo                                                     Los Fresnos, TX
March 3           Dakota Event Center                                                  Aberdeen, SD
March 4           North Dakota Winter Show Concert                          Valley City, ND
March 11         Carnaval ME                                                               Portland, ME
March 17         The Foundry                                                               Greenville, SC
March 24         Shooting Star Casino Hotel & Event Center              Mahnomen, MN
April 22           The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa                               Sonora, TX
April 25           Von Braun Center Arena                                             Huntsville, AL
April 26           Temecula Stampede                                                    Temecula, CA
April 27           Stoney’s Rockin Country                                            Las Vegas, NV
April 28           Clovis Rodeo                                                              Clovis, CA
May 19            Grizzly Rose                                                               Denver, CO
May 20            365 Sports Complex                                                   Inman, KS
June 3              San Bernadino County Fairgrounds                           Victorville, CA
June 15            Barefoot Country Music Fest                                     Wildwood, NJ
Aug. 26           Country In The Burg                                                  Cedarburg, WI

Feb 012023
 

Music Health Alliance (MHA), the music industry’s critical non-profit healthcare resource, is marking major milestones in its mission to provide free healthcare advocacy and resources to music industry professionals. As the non-profit celebrates its first decade of providing free healthcare advocacy and support to a largely self-employed industry, MHA is uniquely positioned to continue to heal the music in the decades to come.

Music Health Alliance’s mission is to create a safe and confidential place for the music community to gain the very best healthcare and health insurance solutions through defined and transparent advocacy services, with an emphasis on the prevention of illness and overall wellness. Since 2013, MHA has:

  • Saved more than $100,000,000 in healthcare costs
  • Provided free advocacy and support to over 20,000 music industry clients in 50 states
  • Facilitated more than 3,200 counseling sessions through MHA’s Mental Health Fund
  • Saved nearly 2,500 families from bankruptcy due to medical bills
  • Provided life-saving diagnostic care to 57 clients through the Ben Eyestone Fund
  • Aided 31 individuals in securing life-saving heart, liver, kidney and lung transplants
  • Provided access to more than 1,000,000 meals during the COVID-19 pandemic

“In ten years MHA has gone from just an idea to a thriving organization that has served tens of thousands and saved over $100 million in healthcare costs to keep the music playing across this country,” says Tatum Allsep, Music Health Alliance Founder and CEO. “MHA’s success is possible because we have a fierce staff, dedicated Board of Directors and encouraging donors and community who sincerely believe in our mission to Heal The Music. Thank you all and cheers to 10 years!”

The 15 person team at MHA continue the non-profit’s mission to provide free healthcare advocacy, access and resources to the music industry, more than 75% of whom are self-employed. Songwriters, musicians, performers, producers, engineers, venue operators, artist managers, agents, publishers, business managers, and more have had access to critical medicine, mental health resources, diagnostic tests, lifesaving transplants, end of life care and many other necessary services.

Reggie is one of the many music industry professionals who have received free healthcare advocacy and support from MHA. The 41 year-old tour manager lost his right arm below the elbow when he was injured in a tragic accident witnessed by his wife and children. He was quickly referred to MHA as he had no health insurance. Music Health Alliance was able to secure affordable coverage and negotiate his more than $500,000 in medical bills down to zero. By helping Reggie navigate the healthcare process, MHA enabled him to secure a neurobionics prosthetic arm, allowing him to resume his music career, and arranged trauma counseling for the entire family. By providing access to health insurance, negotiating medical costs, and navigating the healthcare process, MHA was able to provide affordable solutions for an otherwise debilitating and career-ending healthcare crisis. “Music Health Alliance literally put my life and family back together when we thought all hope was lost,” said Reggie. “We thought we were going to lose our house and I thought I would never be able to work again. They saved us.”

During a kickoff event held at Nashville’s Gibson Garage yesterday, multi-platinum entertainer Dierks Bentley, a longtime supporter and client of MHA, joined the celebration as celebrity ambassador.

“Healthcare is the ultimate thing you can offer your team out there on the road,” shared Bentley. “Having 30 people on my team, it is tough to navigate insurance and healthcare and having MHA to help us figure it out and uncover benefits we didn’t even know were available. They’ve helped us save so much over 10 years and $100 MILLION industry wide…it’s just incredible!”

As MHA begins its tenth year of serving the music industry, it is honored to establish the Richard M. Bates SMILE Fund, named in memory of music enthusiast and the Walt Disney Company’s longtime SVP, Government Relations. The Richard M. Bates SMILE Fund is the music industry’s first dedicated fund for dental health. Through the generosity and vision of Richard Bates’s family and friends, and matching grants from The Walt Disney Company, music professionals of all ages will no longer need to forgo critical dental healthcare that is often costly and not covered by medical insurance.

“Our family is very grateful to support something so meaningful and lasting,” said his widow Mrs. Rose Bates. “Richard would have been quite touched by this honor while being thrilled that it will help so many musicians with their health-related concerns.”

Music makers of all genres who are in need of critical dental healthcare will now be able to access qualifying grants through the Fund, with applications accessible here. The Richard M. Bates SMILE Fund will not only bring smiles, but will also make a significant impact on MHA’s mission to heal the music.

Entirely funded through grants and individual and corporate donations, financial support from the music community is critical to continue Music Health Alliance’s advocacy and free services. 86% of all dollars donated go directly to MHA’s programs and services – for every $1 donation, MHA is able to provide $30 in life-saving healthcare resources to Heal The Music.

As the non-profit enters its tenth year of healing the music, MHA is launching The Visionary Circle, an annual giving society to recognize generous friends who are invested in the ongoing success and future vision of Music Health Alliance. The future of MHA lies in the belief that no member of our music industry family should ever have to face a healthcare crisis alone, and The Visionary Circle will make an immediate impact on the scope of MHA’s work and ensure it can continue to heal the music for generations to come. Find additional information here.

MHA fights so those in our industry never have to feel alone in a health crisis and removes obstacles so patients can receive lifesaving care. MHA continues to advocate on behalf of songwriters, producers, audio engineers, musicians, recording artists, publishers and more across the country. Thanks to the direct efforts of MHA, over 20,000 members of the music community across the country have gained access to lifesaving transplants, medicine, mental health resources, end of life care and many other necessary services. Its services are free to any person who has worked in the music industry for two or more years or who has credited contributions to 4 commercially released recordings or videos. Spouses, partners, and children of qualifying individuals may also receive access to the non-profit’s services from birth to end of life.

To learn more about Music Health Alliance’s free services and resources,

contact MHA at 615-200-6896 or info@musichealthalliance.com

Donate to Music Health Alliance at: MusicHealthAlliance.com/donate-to-heal

 Dierks Bentley  Comments Off on Music Health Alliance Celebrates Ten Years Of Helping To Heal The Music

HCM Daily Country Music News – January 31st, 2023

 Posted by at 5:43 pm on January 31, 2023
Jan 312023
 

Country Music News and Videos

This Date in Country Music History

Today’s Birthdays

Today’s New Albums

  • None Today

Today’s New Singles

  • Letter – Jason Callear

Today’s Photo Flashback

This Week’s Notable Events

Also check out…