Friday, December 01, 2017

Sights and Sounds: Buddy Holly, The Dixie Dregs, Chris Stapleton, First Aid Kit

Lots of exciting music news to share today...


RAVE ON: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

TO BE RELEASED VIA EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT 
ON DIGITAL FORMATS ONLY
~DECEMBER 1, 2017~
New York, NY (December 1, 2017)—One of the most influential Rock and Roll artists of all time, Buddy Holly embossed the music world with an incredible body of music in his all-too-brief career, before his untimely death at the age of 22. Rave On: The Buddy Holly Story, which will be released via Digital Formats by Eagle Rock Entertainment on December 1, traces and celebrates his legacy.
Rave On: The Buddy Holly Story, produced by 1515 Productions, explores Holly’s life and story via interviews with those who knew and worked with him, as well as prominent music fans who were influenced by his work. The film presents contributions from Jerry Allison (original member of The Crickets), DionBrian May (Queen), Don McLeanPaul AnkaEdna Gundersen (USA Today), Larry and Travis Holley (Buddy’s brothers), and Holly’s widow, Maria Elena Holly, as well as others.
Hailing from Lubbock, TX, Buddy Holly introduced a revolutionary take on melodies and rhythms that stretched beyond the traditional blues roots of Rock and Roll. In the 1950s age of solo stars, Holly led his pop group The Crickets with a songwriting approach that pushed pop music to new creative heights, as evidenced by his breakthrough hit “That’ll Be The Day”, “Peggy Sue”, “Everyday”, and his other classics. With his thick-rimmed glasses, lanky stature and “hiccupping” vocalizations, Holly presented a new, unique image and sound that cemented his status as an icon.
Buddy Holly’s life was tragically cut short in a plane crash in February 1959. However, the musical imprint he left in the mere 18 months after the release of “That’ll Be The Day” rendered him immortal. His story deserves to be told again for a new generation, which Rave On: The Buddy Holly Story proudly delivers.

THE DIXIE DREGS
GEAR UP FOR THE NATIONAL
"DAWN OF THE DREGS" U.S. TOUR STARTING FEBRUARY 28

RECENTLY REUNITED ORIGINAL LINEUP TO PERFORM TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS

SIX-TIME GRAMMY®-NOMINATED BAND TO MAKE STOPS IN
ATLANTA, NEW YORK, BOSTON, PITTSBURGH, CLEVELAND, CHICAGO, PHOENIX, AND DALLAS, AMONG MANY OTHERS

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Critically acclaimed and six-time GRAMMY®-Award nominated musical virtuosos, THE DIXIE DREGS (a.k.a The Dregs), are gearing up for a national U.S. tour starting February 28. The performances will mark the first time in 40 years the original band--Steve Morse (guitar), Andy West (bass), Allen Sloan (violin), Steve Davidowski (keyboards) and Rod Morgenstein(drums)--will share the stage. Tickets are on sale now.
 
The "DAWN OF THE DREGS" 25-date tour--with additional dates to be announced soon--will take the band across the country starting on February 28 in Clearwater, FL and make stops in Atlanta, Charleston, Washington D.C., New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boulder and Phoenix, among many others,before wrapping April 25 inDallas, TX. For more information about the "DAWN OF THE DREGS" tour and to purchase tickets, visit:http://dixiedregs.com/.
 
 
"This tour is the result of the overwhelming requests we've received from a loyal audience of diehard Dregheads, and new fans who have never seen us perform live, but discovered the band for the first time through Steve's membership in Deep Purple, or Rod as the drummer for Winger," said Dreg'sbassist, Andy West. "We can't wait to playfor them all," adds West.
 
For guitar aficionados, Steve Morse needs no introduction, and his place in the pantheon of guitar greats is certain. But in fact, his career started with the DIXIE DREGS. The band traces its true beginnings to the band Dixie Grit, which started in a Georgia high school with Steve on guitar and Andy West on bass. Dixie Grit morphed into the DIXIE DREGS at the University of Miami School of Music, where Allen Sloan (violin) and Rod Morgenstein (drums) joined up with Steve and Andy, who were the "dregs" of Dixie Grit.
 
The members of the DIXIE DREGS remained committed to attending the University of Miami School of Music, which hosted a lively and talented musical community during their tenure, including future greats Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, T Lavitz, and Bruce Hornsby, among manyothers. In 1975, the group's demo album, The Great Spectacular, was recorded at the University of Miami and then re-released on CD in 1997.
 
After graduation, the band moved back to Augusta where Steve Davidowski(keyboards) completed the band. The band paid its dues and honed its skills playing in bars and venues throughout the South in the mid-70's. They established themselves in the firmament of American instrumental music, seamlessly fusing rock with progressive and jazz elements to create a uniquely instrumental-driven style that has stood the test of time.
 
Based on a short demo and a tip from former Allman Brothers keyboardist Chuck Leavell along with legendary Allman/Dregs tour manager Twiggs Lyndon, Capricorn Records signed the DIXIE DREGS to record Free Fall(1977). The success and critical acclaim of Free Fall announced the DIXIE DREGS to the world, and after its release, they would become a cult-favorite band that would have a lasting influence on much of modern rock.
 
Catch DIXIE DREGS on the road in the following cities with more to be announced:
 
DATE                         CITY                                       VENUE
Wed    2/28                Clearwater, FL                      Capitol Theatre
Thu     3/1                   Ponte Vedra Beach, FL      Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
Fri       3/2                   Augusta, GA                         Bell Auditorium
Sat      3/3                   Atlanta, GA                            Center Stage
Mon    3/5                   Charleston, SC                    Charleston Music Hall
Tue     3/6                   Durham, NC                         Carolina Theater
Wed    3/7                   Washington, DC                  Lincoln Theater
Thu     3/8                   Wilmington, DE                    The Grand Opera House
Fri       3/9                   Collingswood, NJ                Scottish Rite Auditorium
Sat      3/10                Newton, NJ                           Newton Theater
Wed    3/14                Ridgefield, CT                      Ridgefield Playhouse
Thu     3/15                Huntington, NY                    The Paramount
Fri       3/16                New York, NY                       Town Hall
Sat      3/17                Woodstock, NY                     Bearsville Theater
Mon    3/19                Boston, MA                           Wilbur Theater
Wed    3/21                Albany, NY                            The Egg
Thu     3/22                Pittsburgh, PA                      Carnegie Music Hall
Fri       3/23                Cleveland, OH                      Kent Stage
Sat      3/24                Chicago, IL                            The Vic Theater
Wed    4/11                Milwaukee, WI                      Pabst Theater
Sat      4/14                Boulder, CO                          Boulder Theatre
Fri       4/20                San Juan Capistrano, CA  The Coach House
Sat      4/21                Agoura Hills, CA                  The Canyon Club
Sun    4/22                Phoenix, AZ                          Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Wed    4/25                Dallas, TX                              House of Blues
 
For more information on THE DIXIE DREGS, visit:

CHRIS STAPLETON’S FROM A ROOM: VOLUME 2 OUT TODAY 
“SUNDAY TODAY WITH WILLIE GEIST,” “JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!” AND “THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW” CONFIRMED
NOMINATED FOR THREE GRAMMY AWARDS
Chris Stapleton’s From A Room: Volume 2 is out today on Mercury Records Nashville (purchase digitally and with exclusive limited-edition bundles). Already receiving widespread acclaim, NPR Music praises, “…folding these songs into his repertoire lends greater emotional weight to his entire body of work…It’s no wonder so many fans have come to count him as a musical hero.” 
In celebration of the release, Stapleton will appear on this Sunday’s “Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist” and will perform on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” next Monday, December 4 and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Wednesday, December 6.
The release of From A Room: Volume 2 follows the May 1 release of From A Room: Volume 1, which remains the #1 best-selling country album of 2017 (Stapleton’s 2015 double-platinum solo debut, Traveller, is currently the #2 best-selling country album of the year). Released to overwhelming acclaim, Rolling Stone recently named Volume 1 one of their “50 Best Albums of 2017” declaring, “…the supremely talented singer doesn't rest on old laurels. These performances crackle and pop with new energy.” Additionally, Stapleton recently won Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 1) and Male Vocalist of the Year at The 51st Annual CMA Awards and is nominated for three awards at the 60th GRAMMY Awards—Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1), Best Country Song (“Broken Halos”) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Either Way”).
Both Volume 1 and Volume 2 take their name from Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (the capital “A” in “From A Room”) where they were recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb. Along with Stapleton on vocals and guitar and Cobb on acoustic guitar, the album features Morgane Stapleton on harmony vocals as well as longtime band-members J.T. Cure on bass and Derek Mixon on drums. See below for complete track list.

FROM A ROOM: VOLUME 2 TRACK LIST:
1. Millionaire (Kevin Welch)
2. Hard Livin’ (Chris Stapleton, Kendell Marvel)
3. Scarecrow In The Garden (Chris Stapleton, Brice Long, Matt Fleener)
4. Nobody’s Lonely Tonight (Chris Stapleton, Mike Henderson)
5. Tryin’ To Untangle My Mind (Chris Stapleton, Jaron Boyer, Kendell Marvel)
6. A Simple Song (Chris Stapleton, Darrell Hayes)
7. Midnight Train To Memphis (Chris Stapleton, Mike Henderson)
8. Drunkard’s Prayer (Chris Stapleton, Jameson Clark)
9. Friendship (Homer Banks, Lester Snell)
CHRIS STAPLETON 2018 CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
March 17—Durant, OK—Choctaw Grand Theater
March 24—Laughlin, NV—Laughlin Event Center
March 25—Tempe, AZ—Innings Festival
May 26—Daytona, FLCountry 500
May 27—New Orleans, LA—Bayou Country Superfest
June 23Arlington, TXAT&T Stadium* (SOLD OUT)
*supporting The Eagles


First Aid Kit shares new song  “FIREWORKS”
 
DUO’S FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM RUINS TO BE RELEASED JANUARY 19, AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW
 
2018 HEADLINE TOUR KICKS OFF JANUARY 24, TICKETS ON SALE HERE

Today First Aid Kit released “Fireworks,” the latest track from their forthcoming album Ruins – listen here. First Aid Kit says: "We're so excited to finally share ‘Fireworks.’ It's a track that we put a lot of emotions into. We love the arrangement we created for it with our producer Tucker Martine, borrowing from classic 50's ballads and mixing it with Twin Peaks-guitars and synths. It's a song about the ideals you set for yourself in life and how they can break you down, leaving you all alone at the end. "
 
“Fireworks” Lyric Video Embed:

First Aid Kit will release Ruins, their fourth studio album, on January 19 via Columbia Records. Produced by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Laura Veirs), the album was recorded in Portland, OR where the duo collaborated with amazing musicians — REM’s Peter Buck, Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, and Midlake’s McKenzie Smith. Ruins is available for pre-order now and includes lead single “It’s A Shame” as well as “Postcard” and “Fireworks.” See full tracklisting below.

First Aid Kit will embark on a 2018 North American headline tour, kicking off January 24 at the Fox Theatre in Oakland and continuing through a final night at New York City’s Beacon Theatre, with Van William supporting. Tickets are on sale now, visit http://www.firstaidkitband.com/ for more information. The band toured the U.S. this fall, having performed at both Austin City Limits and San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festivals, check out their performance of “It’s A Shame” at ACL HERE. First Aid Kit also played additional shows in Los Angeles and Austin before ending their US trip with a sold-out show at New York City’s Town Hall.

Ruins follows the 2014 release of Stay Gold, a lush and ambitious 10-song collection that beautifully captures the duo's vivid storytelling, landing First Aid Kit countless “Best of 2014” accolades. Earlier this spring, First Aid Kit also released a stand-alone single on International Women’s Day entitled "You Are The Problem Here."  It is an empowered, passionate, and angry song that confronts the rape culture epidemic, with a portion of proceeds donated to Women for Women International.

RUINS TRACKLISTING:
  1. Rebel Heart
  2. It's a Shame
  3. Fireworks
  4. Postcard
  5. To Live a Life
  6. My Wild Sweet Love
  7. Distant Star
  8. Ruins
  9. Hem of Her Dress
  10. Nothing Has to Be True

FIRST AID KIT ON TOUR: 
01/24   Oakland, CA               Fox Theater
01/26   Portland, OR               Roseland Theater*
01/27   Vancouver, BC           Vogue Theatre*
01/28   Seattle, WA                 Moore Theatre*
01/30   Minneapolis, MN         Palace Theatre*
02/01   Nashville, TN              Ryman Auditorium*
02/02   Chicago, IL                  Riviera Theatre*
02/03   Detroit, MI                   Saint Andrew’s Hall*
02/05   Toronto, ON                Danforth Music Hall*
02/06   Montreal, QC              Metropolis Concert Hall*
02/07   Boston, MA                 House of Blues*
02/09   Washington, DC          Lincoln Theatre*
02/10   Philadelphia, PA          Union Transfer*
02/13   New York, NY             Beacon Theatre*
*Van William Supporting

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