2011
With three diverse # 1 singles from his critically acclaimed Hemingway’s Whiskey, Kenny Chesney continues to showcase the album’s depth with the release of “You And Tequila,” which will ship to radio later this month. Written by Matraca Berg and Deana Carter, Chesney features singer-songwriter Grace Potter on the recording which the New York Times declares, “it’s one of the finest songs of Mr. Chesney’s career, a sudden bolt of darkness disrupting a blissful summer sky.”
Of the tune Chesney says, “I’ve always loved the song “You and Tequila.” I’ve had that song for years and lived with Matraca’s demo for a long time. After the tour in 2007, I rented a house in Malibu, California right on the cliff of the ocean and I would drive up the Pacific Coast Highway right at sunset. I remember I’d roll down the windows and I would just listen to music. I would listen to Tom Petty, The Eagles, I would listen to so many songs that would kind of fit that moment. It was therapeutic.”
“When we were putting together Hemingway’s Whiskey,” Chesney recalls, “somebody brought up ‘You And Tequila’ and when I listened to the demo again, it was just like I was driving up the Pacific Coast Highway at sunset with the window down and that’s why I recorded the song.”
“I was looking for somebody to record it with me and I thought of Grace Potter because I love her singing and love her records,” Chesney continues. “I didn’t know her, but I got in touch with her, played her the song and literally three days later she was in Nashville, and we cut it. Still, every time I hear the song, I go straight to driving up the PCH at sunset- got the windows down. I love that feeling.”
Chesney returned to Malibu last week to shoot the music video with Grace Potter. Shot in multiple locations, the video will be released next month. Chesney currently resides at #1 on the singles chart with his 22nd chart topping song, “Live A Little.”
Dierks Bentley checks in from the Jagermeister Country Tour in Episode 2 of Jager Country TV. Check it out:
The Jagermeister Country Tour runs through May 12. Click HERE for a full list of tour dates.
ACM Top New Solo Vocalist Eric Church recently filmed a brand new video for his latest single, “Homeboy.” Portions of the video were shot earlier this month at an old state prison in Tennessee, the spot where Eric filmed his video for “Lightning” back in 2007. Church says the video is “really cool” and tells us that it’s not like anything he’s done in the past.
“The performance is very neat,” Church tells CountryMusicIsLove. “We actually have a lot of acting. We act out the arrest part [with] the guy who plays my brother. [There's] some pretty cool ‘CSI’ looking stuff going on in it, you know, camera wise.”
In addition to showing off his acting skills, Eric also gets up close and personal with the camera.
“And then there’s some real intimate things with me too where the hat and sunglasses come off,” he says. “It’s a direct appeal to the camera, so it’s neat. It’s shot different than anything we’ve ever done.”
We can’t wait to see the finished product! In the meantime, you can pick up a copy of “Homeboy” on iTunes.
Eric is currently on the road with Jason Aldean. Later this summer, fans can catch him on Toby Keith‘s Locked & Loaded Tour. Click HERE for a full list of tour dates.
CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley moves up the release of his 9th studio album, This Is Country Music, to May 23. This week the album’s second single, “Old Alabama” (featuring Alabama), races into the Top 10 on both the Billboard and Country Aircheck airplay charts in only 7 weeks. This Is Country Music marks Paisley’s first all-new studio album since 2009’s American Saturday Night.
A 15-track collection, with 12 co-written by Paisley, This Is Country Music once again teams Paisley with longtime producer and collaborator Frank Rogers. The diverse and star-studded project sports an array of special guests, including Carrie Underwood (who duets on the recapturing-love tale of “Remind Me”). Don Henley joins Paisley for “Love Her Like She’s Leavin’,” while Blake Shelton is in on the fun of “Don’t Drink the Water,” and Marty Stuart, Sheryl Crow, and Carl Jackson come together to continue a Paisley tradition of including a gospel song on his albums with “Life’s Railway to Heaven.”
Paisley is also ready to make our day with the spirited Western instrumental of “Eastwood,” featuring none other than Clint Eastwood.
Click the MORE button to view the complete ‘This Is Country Music’ track listing…
Nineteen-year-old Atlantic Records’ multi-talented performer, musician, writer and producer Hunter Hayes was recently named CMT’s “Next Big Thing.” He just released a brand new video for his new single “Storm Warning” and he’s gearing up to hit the road with Taylor Swift later this year. Watch the video below to learn more about Hunter…he’s a very talented guy!
Joe & Jackie with Luke Bryan