Hometown Country Music –

Interview with Gary Pratt

Posted by admin at 3:28 pm on February 25, 2021

Feb 252021

Artist Name: Gary Pratt
Hometown: Slickville, PA

What project(s) are you currently working on?

Concentrating on Marketing the release of my new single, “A SONG YOU CAN DRINK A BEER TO” and album “SOMETHING WORTH REMEMBERING.” …(Trying to work on an hour radio program featuring New Country Music from Nashville and local artists from the Pittsburgh Area -but it’s all tentative)

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

I have loved music since I was a toddler. Dancing before I could talk and singing ever since I could talk. It was my to go place. It is in my blood. I guess you could say I’m “Country To The Bone.” When I was a kid, I use to produce shows with all my cousins and friends. Parents would make dinners and we would have Dinner Shows. Throughout my life it has been my therapy of sorts. A place to be creative. I have always known music was a part of me. When I was a child, my cousin, Floyd had a band and I said “When I grow up” I was going to be in a band too.

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

Went to College for Marketing and Business. I now have two jobs. One, of course, is music. I also own my own business. It is a fresh floral, chocolate and home accent shop. I have always wanted to own my own business and I never thought it would be this, however, it suits me. I sort of fell into it. It’s another way to be creative. My music studio is located in the same building.

What is your favorite downtime activity?

Even though I am very busy, I have a few. Family and Friends are very important to me. Spending quality time with them. Going to Florida to the beach. Walking when the weather is nice. Before the Pandemic, I loved going to the Gym – a place to not only workout but it was my quite time to meditate and think. Above all having is God in my life. Praying daily.

Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

Boy that’s a big question. I have a few. I think Dolly Parton. What an icon. She is always re-inventing herself. She has a way of making people feel comfortable. I also love Pam Tillis – met her and opened for her- had pizza with her and Lorrie Morgan what amazing individuals. However, now-a-days, I am loving Ashley McBride, Chris Young and Luke Combs

Who is your favorite sports team(s)?

Pittsburgh Steelers

What is the last movie that you watched?

I would say Hallmark Christmas Movie- Not really into movies much.

What is the last album you listened to?

Lauren Alaina

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

Luke Combs- This One’s For You Too (Deluxe Edition) I like how the flow of the album goes – His voice is awesome and style is Country..and I love how he can do different songs from up-tempo drinking country to a tender ballad

What is the greatest country song of all time?

The Dance

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

Pompano Beach, FL

What is your favorite meal?

Broiled or Grilled Seafood Meals

Who is your dream duet partner?

Carly Pearce

Who would you like to go on tour with?

Blake Shelton- I need to pitch him a song for Gwen and Him

What is your ultimate career goal(s)?

Continue growing as an artist and have a hit country song as an artist or a writer

Interview with Pamela Hopkins

Posted by admin at 5:07 pm on February 24, 2021

Feb 242021

Artist Name: Pamela Hopkins
Hometown: Little Rock, AR

What project(s) are you currently working on?

I just released “Little Things,” a co-written duet, with Matt Dame and Trafton Harvey, recorded by myself and Matt Dame. My next release will be “Givin’ a Damn (Don’t Go With My Outfit)” and we plan to release it near the end of April. After that I have 4-5 more songs to release in the next year. Once I have all 10 of my singles released, we will press a CD and release the songs as a full album. I write weekly with some different Nashville writers…so I’m working on more songs to record next year and will continue to write and create.

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

I just had a burning in my soul to get back into music. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this is what I needed to be doing. So I started playing my instruments again and singing again. I have always loved to sing and perform, even as a little girl. I gave it all up for a while to pursue other careers and raise a family. About 8.5 years ago, I made the decision to begin the musical journey again and this time, I’m not stopping.

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

I have already been in a few careers. I was a police officer for 13 years and decided to go back to graduate school and become a teacher. I taught middle school English for 3 years and 4th grade for 2 years (all subjects). I am currently a sales rep for Balfour during the day—helping my husband with our territory. We sell class rings, cap & gowns, announcements, and senior attire, etc… and I’ve been working for Balfour (first as a yearbook rep, now a graduate sales rep) since 2014. I am also a dueling piano player for Willy D’s in Little Rock, AR …so I perform there weekly. My band plays festivals and other venues as the gigs become available…Covid has stopped a lot of that kind of public playing.

What is your favorite downtime activity?

I don’t normally get a lot of downtime. There is always something that needs to be done. But, if I can take a day and do nothing, it’s usually when we have scheduled a vacation and my favorite thing to do on a vacation is park my rear-end in the sand on a Caribbean beach somewhere. I love to travel.

Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

Channing Tatum

Who is your favorite sports team(s)?

Collegiate would be the Arkansas Razorbacks

Professional would be the Seattle Mariners. I love going to live baseball games

What is the last movie that you watched?

I Care A Lot on Netflix (pretty good movie)

What is the last album you listened to?

Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits (on Vinyl)

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

“Purple Rain” Prince and the Revolution

What is the greatest country song of all time?

Garth Brooks “The Dance”

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

Rota, Spain

What is your favorite meal?

Sushi

Who is your dream duet partner?

I just picked Matt Dame to write and record “Little Things” with and he is a pretty great duet partner. But if we are talking about well-known, famous singers, I’d have to say Vince Gill or Chris Stapleton

Who would you like to go on tour with?

Ashley McBryde, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert or Carrie Underwood

What is your ultimate career goal(s)?

My ultimate goal is to travel the world singing my songs for people who feel moved by my music. I want to keep writing and putting out new songs as long as I can.

Interview with Michael Coleman

Posted by admin at 5:56 pm on February 23, 2021

Feb 232021

Artist Name: Michael Coleman of See Your Shadow Songwriting
Hometown: Columbus, OH…now based in Phoenix, AZ

What project(s) are you currently working on?

Our current project is the female empowerment anthem, “I Know My Worth” in anticipation of International Women’s Day. After that, I am not sure what will be coming down the turnpike. We may release another song from our current body of work, but one of the things that we will for sure begin working on is the screenplay based on our song, “Christmas on Cellblock 9”.

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

I do a lot of things in the arts and I probably knew from early on, but my life took me in a different direction, and it was not until I had a milestone birthday that I purposely set out on a deliberate path for a career in music and music has always been the flagship of the creative empire no matter what kind of projects I do.

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

Oh my goodness. I have been fortunate to have held the jobs that I have wanted to hold in my lifetime, but two things that are left on my list of things that I may want to do is (1) be a mayor of a small town and (2) a character actor.

What is your favorite downtime activity?

I love to travel although I have not been able to do any for the last year and am in desperate need of a trip someplace, but of course that will have to wait, so for now what I do is soak in the hot tub with a nice glass of wine.

Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

I love Octavia Spencer. I just feel a good spirit from her whenever I see her, and she is immensely talented. There are some people you know are just good people, Dolly Parton is like that so I would add her to the list as well. I was a model many years ago and I learned that true beauty comes from the inside out and that is usually what gets me crushing on someone, it could be anyone. I’ve even had some man crushes for the same reason.

Who is your favorite sports team(s)?

I don’t follow sports too much, but I do watch and sometimes go to Ohio State Football games and I love professional wrestling especially the lower leagues, the non WWE.

What is the last movie that you watched?

The last movie I watched was Wonder Woman 1984 and I am so looking forward to King Kong v. Godzilla.

What is the last album you listened to?

The last album I listened to was Rick James’ Greatest Hits. Love listening to him especially on a road trip.

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

This is a hard one. If I had to choose, it probably would be the original Broadway cast album to Jesus Christ Superstar. That album had such an influence on me when I was growing up and is just phenomenal from start to finish.

What is the greatest country song of all time?

“I Hope You Dance”. It’s a song I wish I would have written myself, it is such a piece of art. If you were to just look at the lyrics on a piece of paper and read them, you can’t help but be touched. I just love that piece.

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

You have some real diehard country fans in Indiana in places like Muncie and other smaller towns in that region near Indianapolis.

What is your favorite meal?

I love soul food and I could eat fried chicken everyday and I love my homemade habanero macaroni and cheese.

Who is your dream duet partner?

Are you kidding, without a doubt Willie Nelson. Willie is everybody’s quintessential duet partner. He’s like a country music duet God.

Who would you like to go on tour with?

I wouldn’t mind taking the See Your Shadow Network of Stars on the road with Garth Brooks.

What is your ultimate career goal(s)?

When I started on this journey, my main goal was to become successful enough for a mention in Entertainment Weekly or Variety when I die. There used to be a small column where people’s names were mentioned. That is still a goal, but I would love to write the first country and western opera.

Country Music Chart Recap – February 22nd, 2021

Posted by admin at 9:44 pm on February 22, 2021

Feb 222021

Here you will find this week’s Top 5 for the various country charts that are released each week!

Let us know that you like this feature by Liking the post on Facebook and clicking the heart on our Tweet so we know if we should continue to put this together each week!

About the Charts

Airplay Charts – are based on the number of “spins” a song gets from a group of radio stations that agree to report their data to the particular chart. Typically, Country Aircheck and Billboard each have a mix of the biggest stations in the country, while charts like Music Row and the various Texas charts are compiled from smaller local stations with more freedom to pick their playlists that usually aren’t part of a big national conglomerate.

Most Added Charts – are based on the number of reporting stations that “added” the song to their regular rotation.

Spin Increase Charts – based on an increase of spins from current week over the previous week.

Songwriter/Producer Charts – Based on the combined chart performance of any songs they have a hand in writing/producing that are currently charting. Some have several songs on the charts at once!

Most Increased Audience Charts – Based on # of listeners hearing the song. This is why getting “Added” to a major market station is a big deal for new artists.

Recurrent Songs – Recent releases that have already peaked on the chart and fallen back down. These are the top songs NOT considered “current releases”

Billboard Hot Country Songs – Blended chart taking into account radio airplay, downloads, streams, sales etc.

Country Aircheck Top 5 Country Airplay Chart