Artists That Begin With R

Randy Rogers Band

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:30:00 GMT

From an early age, music was an important part of Randy Rogers' life. Raised in Cleburne, TX, his great-grandmother taught him how to play the piano at age six, and by 11 he was writing his own songs and learning chords on the guitar. After some time spent in a backing band, Rogers decided that he wanted to front his own group, and soon he and some friends from college formed the Randy Rogers Band, releasing their debut album, Live at Cheatham St. Warehouse, recorded at the bar of the same name in San Marcos, TX, shortly after their first practice. In 2002, their first studio album, Like It Used to Be, came out, followed by 2004's Rollercoaster, which featured the by now solidified lineup of Geoffrey Hill on guitar, Jon Richardson on bass, Brady Black on fiddle, and Les Lawless on drums. The next year they released Live at Billy Bob's Texas and also signed to major label Mercury Nashville, which issued Just a Matter of Time in 2006, followed by the Radney Foster-produced The Randy Rogers Band in 2008.

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Kid Rock

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:12:00 GMT

One of the unlikeliest success stories in rock at the turn of the millennium, Detroit rap-rocker Kid Rock shot to superstardom with his fourth full-length album, 1998's Devil Without a Cause. What made it so shocking was that Rock had recorded his first demo a full decade before, been booted off major label Jive following his Beastie Boys-ish 1990 debut, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, and toiled for most of the decade in obscurity, releasing albums to a small, devoted, mostly local fan base while earning his fair share of ridicule around his home state. Nevertheless, Rock persevered, and by the time rap-metal had begun to attract a substantial audience, he had perfected the outlandish, over-the-top white-trash persona that gave Devil Without a Cause such a distinctive personality and made it such an infectious party record.

Bob "Kid Rock" Ritchie (born Robert James Ritchie, January 17, 1971) grew up in Romeo, MI, a small rural town north of the Detroit metro area. Finding small-town life stiflingly dull, Ritchie immersed himself in rap music, learned to breakdance, and began making the talent-show rounds in Detroit. Inspired by the Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill -- white performers fusing rap and hard guitar rock -- Kid Rock recorded his first demos in 1988, and eventually scored an opening slot at a Boogie Down Productions gig. That performance, in turn, led to a contract with Jive Records, which issued Kid Rock's debut album, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, in 1990. Produced by Kid Rock, Too Short, and D-Nice, the album was heavily derivative of Licensed to Ill. Rock briefly became notorious when a New York college radio station aired the album's profanity-laced ode to oral sex, "Yodelin' in the Valley," and was fined over 20,000 (a judgment later rescinded). However, despite a tour with Too Short and Ice Cube, Jive didn't see much of a future for Kid Rock and dropped him from their roster.

Moving to Brooklyn, Rock hooked up with the small Continuum label, and moved his brand of rap further into hard rock with The Polyfuze Method, released in 1993. Reviews were mixed, with some critics praising the record's humor and eclecticism while others dismissed it as awkward and forced. The EP Fire It Up followed in 1994, appearing on Rock's own Top Dog imprint (which was still distributed by Continuum). Rock eventually returned to the Detroit area and began work on another album; recorded on a shoestring budget, Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp was released in 1996. Although sometimes forced to sell bootleg dubs of his own records to pay the rent, Rock set about forming a full-fledged backing band, which he dubbed Twisted Brown Trucker. While its membership fluctuated early on, rapper Joe C. (born Joseph Calleja) was one of the first to join; a longtime fan and frequent concert attendee, Calleja caught Rock's eye in 1994, partly because of his diminutive stature (due to a digestive condition known as celiac disease, which required both dialysis and extensive medication) and partly because of his encyclopedic knowledge of Rock's song lyrics. The rest of the lineup settled around mostly Detroit-area musicians: guitarists Kenny Olson and Jason Krause, keyboardist Jimmy Bones (born Jimmy Trombly, he handles the basslines himself), drummer Stefanie Eulinberg, DJ/turntablist Uncle Kracker (born Matt Shafer, who had been with Rock since the early '90s), and backing vocalists Misty Love and Shirley Hayden.

As rap-metal acts like Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Rage Against the Machine began to dominate the hard rock landscape, Atlantic Records decided to take a chance on signing Rock. Devil Without a Cause didn't do much upon its initial release in August 1998, but a big promotional push from the label and MTV helped make the album's second single and video, "Bawitdaba," a nationwide smash. The follow-up, "Cowboy," achieved similar success, and suddenly, after a decade of trying, Kid Rock was a superstar with a Top Five, seven-times-platinum album and a gig at Woodstock '99. While pondering how to follow up Devil, Rock acquired the rights to his indie label recordings and remixed or re-recorded the best material for The History of Rock, which was released in the summer of 2000 and featured some new songs as well. Sadly, after being forced to take a break from touring a year earlier by his medical difficulties, Joe C. passed away in his sleep on November 16, 2000.

Even with a tragedy like this in his life, Rock continued work on his follow-up to Devil Without a Cause. The media focused more on his relationship with actress Pamela Anderson than his musical career, which many magazines were beginning to ridicule. His DJ, Uncle Kracker, had a successful solo career during the spring and summer of 2001, leaving Rock without one of his most frequent collaborators. Still, by the winter of that year he had completed work on Cocky and had released "Forever" to success on rock radio. In fall 2003, Kid Rock returned with a self-titled effort. A cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love" marked the first single. The cover art to his 2006 live album, Live Trucker, paid tribute to Bob Seger's Live Bullet. Just a year later the studio record Rock N Roll Jesus came out.

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Leann Rimes

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:13:00 GMT

LeAnn Rimes has sold more than 37 million albums, won two Grammy® Awards, three Academy of Country Music Awards and 12 Billboard Music Awards. Rimes is the youngest recipient of a Grammy® Award, and was also the first country recording artist to win in the “Best New Artist” category. Rimes has placed 42 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, 13 of which are top-10 hits, and has scored numerous hit singles in her career, including “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” which went #1 in 11 countries, and “How Do I Live,” which is the second longest charting song ever on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Rimes is as an accomplished actress and author, including writing two children’s books Jag and Jag’s New Friend, as well as the novel, Holiday in Your Heart and the inspirational book What I Cannot Change.

LeAnn has long-supported a variety of charity organizations including advocating for the National Psoriasis Foundation, The Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes and Children’s Miracle Network.

LeAnn recently released two songs from her forthcoming album, Lady & Gentlemen, where she reinterprets classic country songs by men, including the Grammy® nominated song “Swingin’” and the original new song, “Crazy Women.”

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John Rich

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:05:00 GMT

With the leadoff single to his first solo project, John Rich has captured the tenor of a troubled age. "Shuttin' Detroit Down," a populist anthem that gives voice to millions of hard-working Americans who have watched an economic elite benefit while the nation's economy collapses, has quickly swept the nation. Its premiere airing on Detroit country radio stations galvanized the working class in the beleaguered blue-collar city, and the universality of its sentiment lit up phone lines across the country and made it the fastest-rising single of Rich's storied career.

The song is a fitting kickoff to Son of a Preacher Man, an album that finds country music's Renaissance Everyman giving full rein to his own creative voice in a project as personal as it is musically arresting. With its release, one of modern music's most prolific and creative spirits opens yet another chapter, stepping into the front ranks of solo performers amid a career in musical partnerships and as someone whose songwriting and producing skills have helped shape the talents of others.

"Shuttin' Detroit Down" is as powerful an entree into a solo career as an artist could hope for.

"It's a humbling experience," he says. "This song is bigger than me. It's bigger than my career. It's one of those divine experiences you have once in your lifetime, if you're lucky, as a songwriter."

And it came to him, as so often happens with art of this import, quickly and unexpectedly. He had been watching news reports involving yet another company whose top brass were buying frills after bailouts from U.S. taxpayers.

"I felt so disrespected as an American taxpayer," he says. "I felt like these guys were laughing at me and laughing at the American people in general, like they're getting away with something, and guess what--they are. I figured I had a choice. I could sit at home and be mad, or I could do what a country songwriter does--pick up a blank sheet of paper, a pencil and a guitar, and write a song about it. And that's what I did."

He played the song live at stations he was visiting as part of a radio tour, and the reaction was so strong he rerouted the tour into Nashville on a Friday night, recorded the song on Saturday, and hit the road again with the CD. Two weeks after he wrote it, it was part of the Son of a Preacher Man album, which to that point had been considered finished.

For those familiar with Rich's wide-ranging creativity, the lessons of "Shuttin' Detroit Down"—Rich’s finger on the pulse of America, his unbridled creativity and penchant for connecting with his audiences--are nothing new. Few people in Nashville history have had the wide-ranging success that Rich, an entertainer who can truly do it all, has had. He is a three-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year with 13 top ten hits, including Faith Hill’s “Mississippi Girl,” Faith and Tim McGraw’s “Like We Never Loved At All,” Jason Aldean’s “Hicktown” and Taylor Swift’s “The Way I Loved You”; a sought-after producer who has worked with legends like Randy Owen and John Anderson, pop stars like Jewel and a host of new artists; a TV star, host and ringmaster who has shepherded CMT’s Gone Country from interesting idea to well-established franchise; a proven talent scout who helped Gretchen Wilson move from singing bartender to cultural phenomenon; and an accomplished performer who was an integral part of the early Lonestar sound, then half of Big & Rich, whose bigger-than-life personas spearheaded the Muzik Mafia and launched a bona fide country movement. He is also that rarest of commodities--a true character, a walking brand with one of country music's most identifiable faces and voices.

Son of a Preacher Man grew out of a combination of factors that has so often worked magic for him--a creative window and sheer talent. A prolific songwriter--he has written more than 1300--John had a number of songs that were outside the scope of Big & Rich.

"Songs need to fit a certain slot for us," he says, "and I'd written a lot that would never wind up on a Big & Rich record." Then, in late 2007, Big Kenny announced that he wanted to take time off of the road as he dealt with rehabilitation for a pre-existing neck injury and, John says, "I looked at that as a window to go record."

During the holidays in 2007 he laid down the first half of the album, then wrote and finished it during the coming year.

"I wasn't honestly thinking the record label was going to put it out or follow up on it," he says. "I just wanted to go record them."

Still, he knew they needed to be heard.

"I think I've got some of the best lyrics I've ever written," he says, "and they're definitely the most personal. At this point in my life I think this is an important record for me to make. It's really the way I think and really what I feel about certain issues."

The record is a wide-ranging work, with songs ranging from the upbeat, riff-laden "Trucker Man" to "The Good Lord & The Man" and "Preacher Man," poignant and personal looks at his grandfather and father, respectively; from the aching "Another You" and "I Don't Want To Lose Your Love" to "Everybody Wants To Be Me," a honky-tonk rocker fans will recognize as vintage Rich. Capping it all off is "Drive Myself To Drink," a big band extravaganza that rates as pure musical adventure and which was recorded live.

Overall, the CD is a window into the creative approach of a unique musical stylist, a country music original whose high-profile celebrity status belies his humble origins and reflects his desire to pack everything into the life he lives and the art he creates.

"I'm trying to give people everything I can," he says. "I'm a guy who grew up in West Texas in a trailer, and I remember going to the food bank, and fifteen dollars for a CD is a lot of money when you don't have money. You've really got to appreciate people who will go out and buy one, and the level of respect that shows for me as an artist."

That upbringing shaped his appreciation for country fans by molding him into a fan of the genre. Listening to KMML-FM in Amarillo, Texas, he dreamed as a youngster of being on country radio and playing the Grand Ole Opry. He followed the dream to Nashville, where he got a job at a show at the Opryland theme park. There he met part of the core of the band Lonestar, which he helped launch, writing some of their early hits. After parting ways from the group, he had a short-lived solo deal, then teamed up with friends for a Tuesday night jam that spawned the Muzik Mafia, the most eclectic collection of entertainers and artists ever to hit the city. Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Cowboy Troy, James Otto, Two-Foot Fred and painter Rachel Kice were among those who emerged from that incredible scene, and their influence is still being felt across the musical and artistic landscape.

One of the industry's hardest workers, John carved niches for himself in a variety of creative endeavors. He co-produced Big & Rich's Horse Of A Different Color, Wilson's first two albums, Cowboy Troy and James Otto, whose song, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” was nominated for a Grammy. His songwriting output includes Wilson's "Redneck Woman," "Here For The Party" and "When I Think About Cheating," and songs recorded by Martina McBride, Clay Walker and Aaron Tippin, among many others. At bottom was a pure love for the art.

"The only thing I ever cared to do with my life, from the time I was 5 or 6 years old, is make country music," he says. "That's why I write as much as I do. It's why I'm constantly looking for new artists to work with. I'm constantly producing new records. I'm always on tour. It's all I care to do. Country music is not a hobby for me. It's my DNA."

One of the biggest thrills is bringing new talent to the table.

"I get a huge buzz out of knowing that I get to be a part of somebody else's career, to help get it up off the ground," he says. "I guess I got hooked on that when the whole Gretchen Wilson thing happened. To watch her go from a bartender to this iconic status, you know, in country music. That's one thing I'll do beyond being an artist is going to be to discover new talent and help develop it."

The offshoot for him, though, both inside and outside the industry, is a kind of celebrity few ever attain.

"I'm a fan of the era when country music singers had their own TV shows," he says. "Johnny Cash had a show. Glen Campbell had a show. The Statler Brothers, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, on and on and on. I think that was a great time in country music. I would hope to be considered one of those artists who has enough identifiable character about me that you could have your own TV show. I'll never be the greatest singer or the greatest at anything, but there ain't no doubt I'm a character, and unapologetically so sometimes."

That is perhaps nowhere better displayed than in CMT’s "Gone Country," which, he says, "sounded like a fun thing to do" and became the highest-rated show in the history of the network.

"Now," he says, referring to the third season, "I find myself running around downtown Nashville with George Clinton, the godfather of funk, and introducing country music to people that are icons in their world, and who respect Nashville and country music so much they're willing to come here on a completely remedial basic level and just go, 'Tell me everything. Show me everything. I just want to absorb Nashville and country music.' I'm the perfect guy to be that teacher--if you will, a honky-tonk teacher. Lord knows I've had them teach me a lot down there, so I'm just passing along the information."

Woven through all of it is a personality focused like a diamond on furthering country music, bringing fans and artists together like few have ever done and attracting newcomers to the genre.

"One reason for my success is people know what they're getting when they get me," he says. "I've never B.S.'d anybody about anything when it comes to music or how I approach the fans or what's important to me. They know. That's why people let me have my own TV shows and it's why hopefully I'll be able to have a solo career. I'll be able to make records with my friend Big Kenny and go tour with him like we’re doing this summer, and when I have songs that don't fit those records, hopefully I'll be able to have success on my own, as well as continue to produce records on all kinds of people and write songs and be an impact in Nashville."

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Darius Rucker

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:18:00 GMT

"This time, I really wanted to do something different," says Darius Rucker. "I went straight from my first album into my second, and it really just picked up where the other one left off. So when we went into the studio on this one, we really wanted to take our time and not even start worrying about a record until we had songs that we felt were the right ones. And when I heard what would become the lead single, 'True Believers,' played back, I thought, 'Wow, I've never done anything like that before!'"

“True Believers,” also the name of his 2013 headlining tour, is a triumphant reflection of the rewards and challenges of sustaining a marriage - was the first song recorded for this project and became the first single and title track for Rucker's third and most ambitious country studio album. While his previous two albums, Learn To Live and Charleston, SC 1966 both topped the Billboard Country Album chart and produced five Number One singles, on True Believers he opted to dig deeper, work with new collaborators, and create something more resonant both musically and emotionally.

"I just started with a list of guys I wanted to write with," says Rucker. "The process doesn't really change - you go off in a corner and write - but I really wanted to try not to write 'Alright' again. And I'm very happy with what we got. I love the song choices, the sound is brighter, and even though I'm not big on listening to myself, I'm really proud of the vocals on this record."

Rucker, who first attained multi-platinum status as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Hootie & the Blowfish, wrote ten of the twelve tracks on True Believers - ranging from the feel-good sing-along "Radio" to the sophisticated narrative of "Shine." He expresses special pride in the raw and realistic sentiments of songs like "Miss You" and "I Will Love You Still," a duet with young powerhouse vocalist Mallary Hope. ("I don't write a lot of break-up songs," he says, "but on that one, I think there's a whole new freshness to the pain in my voice.")

The two songs Rucker didn't have a hand in writing are both major events of their own. "Love Without You" features Sheryl Crow, with whom Rucker had wanted to record ever since they sang together at a VH1 function almost twenty years ago. For his version of the popular Old Crow Medicine Show song "Wagon Wheel," initially based on a sketch by Bob Dylan, Rucker, never expecting them to say yes, invited his tour partners and Capitol Records labelmates Lady Antebellum into the studio. With the latter serving as his current single, Rucker says, "they took the whole song three steps up."

The singer is quick to give credit where it's due for the fact that all of these elements hang together so cohesively on True Believers. For the third time, Frank Rogers served as producer for a Darius Rucker album, along with co-writing three songs. "Frank's the guy," says Rucker. "He just gets what I want to do. He's my George Martin - not to compare myself to the Beatles, but I want him to do everything I do."

Since re-introducing himself to the world as a country artist, Rucker has had a truly remarkable few years. In 2008, he released Learn to Live; the album's first single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," made him the first African American with a Number One country song since Charley Pride in 1983. It was followed by two more singles that topped the chart - "It Won't Be Like This For Long" and "Alright" - and earned him the New Artist award from the Country Music Association. His 2010 follow-up, Charleston, SC 1966, included two more Number Ones, "Come Back Song" and "This." Recently, Rucker was nominated for the CMA's Musical Event of the Year award for his performance of “Stuck on You” with Lionel Richie, and in October, he achieved a childhood dream when he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

Asked if he can believe the unprecedented success of his second career, Rucker just laughs. "From where I was five years ago to the CMA’s and the Grand Ole Opry, why would I believe that?," he says. "I didn't even know if country radio was going to play my song, but you can’t think about things like that.”

With the twelve songs on True Believers, Darius Rucker takes his accomplishments to impressive new heights. Staying true to the real-life stories that define country music, he has crafted an album that is consistent and complex, full of joy, pain, and passion. Now Rucker is looking forward to the next chapter - bringing these new songs to the stage.

"When I cut a record, I really think about what it will be like to play live," he says. "We're already doing some of these - 'Radio,' 'Shine,' 'Wagon Wheel' - and I can't wait to start playing a song like 'Heartbreak Road.' These songs were all fun to play in the studio, even just as a jam session, and that's what it's all about. If I don't have fun, I know that the audience won't. So when I make a record, I look for songs that I'll want to play for the rest of my life."

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Collin Raye

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:54:00 GMT

One of the true hitmakers of the 1990"s, Collin Raye still continues to crank out soulful, heartfelt material with the honesty and richness that is signature to his vocals on his newly formed label StarPointe Records.

His new "Selected Hits" CD that is now exclusively at Walmart contains 2 new songs, "A Soldier"s Prayer" and "Quitters". "A Soldier"s Prayer" rides that prevalent theme during wartime, but rather than beating a dead horse, this song takes a slightly different approach and states a truth to all of us, not just those in uniform, but that hope is alive and is strong and is Our Heavenly Father.

"Quitters" is just flat out inspirational delivered in fine vocal form and the hook is catchy. A solid song with a fantastic message. Collin says, "I"m a big fan of live material...and as a matter of fact, I"d like to see more live music released by country artists. These tracks featured the Salt Lake Symphony, an 80 piece orchestra, along with 4 more of my previous hits: "That"s My Story ", "Little Rock," "I Think About You," and "Love Me." and it made me wonder how they"d mock up the arrangement. It"s really a flawless presentation of the originals, but with a high energy exciting feel to the uptempo songs and an intimacy in the slower songs."

And if that is not enough, Collin recently contributed to the Newly Released Album, "Songs 4 Worship: Country" that was released on Oct. 2. This wonderful collection of songs from other artists besides Collin was co-produced by Teddy Gentry and Michael Curtis. Collin"s song on the album is "Get Up In Jesus Name" which is not only inspirational but will have you toe tapping and hand clapping to the music.
"TWENTY YEARS AND CHANGE" - RELEASED NATIONWIDE 10/25/05

For the past four years, Collin Raye has heard the same question everywhere he goes.

At every sold-out concert, at every radio-station visit, the mega hit maker gets asked by fans and industry professionals alike, "Hey, man, when are you going to put out a new record?"

"My recording career isn"t done by a long shot," Collin promises them. "I didn"t go away into hibernation. I tour all the time, so I know there"s a demand for a new album. I wouldn"t put out records again unless I thought that people really wanted them. And they do."

Actually, he"s been working on his new Twenty Years and Change collection all along. In between the constant concert appearances, he began traveling to Nashville three years ago. During each visit, he would record a song or two.

"One of the great things about making this album was having the freedom of going into the studio with no one looking over my shoulder," comments Collin. "I didn"t feel like I was on some kind of treadmill. I didn"t set out any timetable. I didn"t think, "Let"s make a hit single, right now." I said, "Let"s just make this as good as it can be, to where it sounds good to us. Then we"ll step back and look at the whole thing."

"In the end, we wound up with 23 songs. And these 12 are the best of those 23."

Those 12 include some instant classics, as well as some bona fide classics. In the latter category are Collin Raye"s island-flavored reinterpretation of The Bellamy Brothers chestnut "Let Your Love Flow," a heartfelt "It"s Only Make Believe" tribute to the late Conway Twitty, a powerful reworking of the 1985 Survivor hit "The Search Is Over" and a remake of Don Henley"s "You"re Not Drinkin" Enough" that takes the tune straight into a honky-tonk.

Always a masterful ballad singer, Collin pours emotion into the wistful "Forgotten," the reassuring "We"ll Be Alright" and the lovely romantic "All I Can Do Is Love You." "Hurricane Jane," on the other hand, is a good-time rocker. "Heart" has a lusciously melodic, mid-tempo groove.

"I Know That"s Right," the collection"s first single, has a stirring message lyric. Two other standouts are story songs. "Josephine" tells the tale of a frightened Civil War soldier writing a letter home. "Twenty Years and Change", written by the artist, is the portrait of a man who has replaced his youthful ideals with a resigned acceptance of his older, more satisfying reality.

Working with a variety of co-producers, Collin Raye is behind every note of music that"s heard on Twenty Years and Change. That, he says, is a first for him. He is proud of his five prior Platinum albums, 25 Top Ten hits, 15 No. 1 smashes and 12 chart-topping videos. But maintaining his high standards wasn"t always easy.

"The last record I made for Sony, I"ll never forget the meeting where they said, "We took a poll around the building and 70% voted for this song as your single." I said, "You took a vote around the building? I thought it was between the executive, the producer, the radio-promotion department and me. The receptionist has a vote? The art department?" It seemed that everybody was getting a say-so about song selection. You can"t make records that way.

Collin Raye is nothing if not passionate. His fiery delivery has made country standards of such searing ballads as "Love, Me," "In This Life," "Not That Different" and "Little Rock." Always an electrifying showman, he has also blazed through such vivid rockers as "My Kind of Girl," "That"s My Story," "I Can Still Feel You" and "I Want You Bad."

His commitment to music has been life-long. Collin has been singing professionally since he was a teenager. He has never held any other job.

"I grew up steeped in traditional country music," Collin reports. "I knew every song on Johnny Horton"s Greatest Hits by heart. To this day, I can sing them to you. I think that"s where I got my love of story songs.

"We never missed a country package show when one came through Little Rock. I remember seeing Porter Wagoner & The Wagonmasters with Dolly Parton, George Jones & The Jones Boys, Merle Haggard, Charley Pride and Conway Twitty, all on the same bill! Ray Price, Buck Owens, I loved them all."

His mother, Lois Wray, was a country singer, and he was on stage with her by the age of 7. The family moved from Arkansas to Texas when he was young, and at age 13 he and his older brother Scott formed The Wray Brothers band to entertain in the Lone Star State.

The brothers migrated to lucrative casino work in Reno, Nevada. Billed as "Bubba Wray," Collin became a master of stagecraft and a "human jukebox" whose repertoire included thousands of songs from across the American musical landscape. The Wrays first attracted Nashville"s attention with a string of independent-label singles recorded in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s. Mercury Records signed them and issued a couple of singles in 1986-87.

But Scott tired of the road, and the band broke up. Collin had married in 1980 and fathered daughter Brittany in 1983 and son Jacob in 1985. Like his brother, he also considered giving up music. That all changed when he began making solo records in 1990. Scott, by the way, is now bandleader for new Nashville star Miranda Lambert.

Collin shot to fame with "Love, Me" in 1991. Listeners were so touched that they used its lyrics at funerals and memorial services. That set the cornerstone for a career built on meaningful songs. "Little Rock" was an anthem for the recovery community. "Not That Different" pleaded for tolerance. "In This Life" became a wedding favorite. He won awards for the child-advocacy video "I Think About You."

Five times nominated as country music"s Male Vocalist of the Year, Collin Raye has consistently used his stardom to advance social causes. Among the organizations he has supported are Boys Town, First Steps, Al-Anon, Special Olympics, Country Cares About AIDS, Catholic Relief Services, Parade of Pennies, Vanderbilt Children"s Hospital, The Tennessee Task Force Against Domestic Violence, The Emily Harrison Foundation, Childhelp USA, Silent Witness National Initiative, Easter Seals and Make a Difference Day. At the 2001 Country Radio Seminar, Clint Black presented Collin Raye with the organization"s Humanitarian of the Year award in recognition of Collin"s issue-oriented music and his tireless charity work.

But when the album he released later that year wasn"t successfully promoted, Collin asked for his release from Sony. Contractual roadblocks didn"t allow Collin to seek a new record deal for a period of time. Eventually he was able to aggressively try to get back in the record business.

Thus, Collin Raye began looking for a home for Twenty Years and Change. He turned down major-label overtures to sign with Infinity Records in 2004, but that company folded, further delaying his return to disc. The Navarre-distributed Aspirion picked up his recording contract in August 2005.

The man who has topped the charts with such great songs as "On the Verge," "One Boy, One Girl," "What the Heart Wants," "Every Second" and "That Was a River" is finally ready for another round of successes.

"I believe in Providence," says Collin Raye. "I believe there"s a reason things happen the way they do. I also believe that if you"ve treated people right and you continue to work hard at your craft, things will happen. I want to keep going. I want hit records. I want to make music."

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Thomas Rhett

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:36:00 GMT

Thomas Rhett, 21, hails from Valdosta, GA where music became a part of his life from the very beginning. Having grown up in a musical family watching his father Rhett Akins have hit after hit, he began playing guitar and writing songs in high school where he and some friends started a band. While still a student at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Thomas Rhett signed his first publishing deal with EMI in 2010 and shortly thereafter landed his first cut on Jason Aldean’s platinum album, My Kinda Party, with his song “I Ain’t Ready To Quit”. A year later, he signed his first record deal with Scott Borchetta and the Big Machine Label Group. He has recently opened up for artist such as ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blake Shelton, Pat Green, David Nail, and The Dirt Drifters and is currently working on his debut album for the Big Machine Label Group. Thomas Rhett is driven by his faith, his passion for music, and the support of his family and friends. “Everything that I want to accomplish in the music business will be pointed towards God and what He wants for me. I have no idea what will happen tomorrow, next week, or next year, but I have complete faith that wherever it may be will be the right spot. This is such an exciting time in my life, and I can’t wait to see what happens.”

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Maggie Rose

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:14:00 GMT

Music is a powerful means of expression and rarely has a young performer displayed better command of the vehicle than Maggie Rose. Possessing a strong, warm voice that is alternately playful or poignant as the subject matter dictates, Maggie has a gift for penning insightful songs and delivering them with emotional punch. Working with legendary producer James Stroud, Maggie has crafted a debut album filled with potent songs, each one anchored by her riveting vocals. With one listen to her impressive voice, it’s obvious Maggie could have chosen any musical genre and found success, but country seemed like home. “I did have a lot of influences,” the Maryland native says recalling her childhood. “My mom exposed me to great female artists like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt and Trisha Yearwood, really powerful female voices.”

Always passionate about music, she embraced a variety of different artists and styles, but felt a particular kinship with country artists, especially those with the ability to share compelling stories in their songs. “The first concert I ever went to was a Shania Twain show,” she says. “While I also admired many of the pop singers that were so popular when I was younger, when it got down to my becoming an artist, country always spoke to me. I connected with country music more than any other genre.” By the time she was 16, she was performing regularly with a Bruce Springsteen cover band called the B Street Band. “I would do my own little introductory set and then they’d play the Bruce Springsteen cover songs,” she recalls. “They were such a good band, so it was a great experience to be backed by great musicians.” While majoring in vocal performance at Clemson University, Maggie got a phone call that changed her life. A friend had sent some of her demos to music mogul Tommy Mottola, well-known for launching Celine Dion, Destiny’s Child and Mariah Carey, among others. “I remember getting the call from Tommy’s assistant as I was walking with my friend to economics class,” Maggie recalls. “She said, ‘Tommy wants you to come to his office and sing some original songs for him.’ It was so surreal. I didn’t go to class that day. I went back to my dorm room and tried to process everything.”

When Mottola learned of Maggie’s desire to pursue a country music career, he helped her connect with James Stroud and his wife Laura, a successful Music Row publisher, who Maggie describes as her “Nashville Mom.” Laura introduced Maggie to some of the community’s top songwriters who became friends and collaborators. James was so impressed with the demos he began hearing, he took Maggie in the studio to begin work on her debut. “I’m so much more sure of the artist I want to be today than I was when I first moved here,” Maggie says, “Moving to town, I became aware of the reality that there are so many talented people here. It gives me so much perspective. One of the reasons people move here is to be around other creative people.” Maggie first gained a national audience with the engaging single “Maybe Tonight,” which was accompanied by a charming video that spotlighted her performance skills. Previously known as Margaret Durante, the young artist felt she really wanted fans to know her as Maggie Rose, the name all her family and friends call her. She felt it was time to hit the reset button. “Sharing the name that I’ve been called by my family and friends with my fans is just another way to open up a part of me to them that they haven’t seen yet,” she says. “I was not being untrue to myself going by Margaret Durante, but I’m giving my experiences and my stories to my fans and I wanted them to call me by my nickname. I think it’s just a nice way to honor where I’ve been and where I’m going.”

Becoming more confident in her musical gift ignited a particularly creative period for Maggie that fueled the songs on her debut album. Co-writing with some of Nashville’s most noted tunesmiths, Maggie delivers a diverse collection that examines the intricacies of life. “I feel like this music is unapologetic,” she says. “I want women to hear this and be like, ‘Yeah! Right On!’ It gives women empowerment definitely, but also I want people to be entertained by it. A lot of the music, for me, is very coming-of-age. It’s about finding out who I am, not just as an artist, but as a young woman growing up, being on my own in Nashville.” Maggie is thoughtful, articulate and intelligent yet has a playful streak that is endearing and a dry sense of humor that will sneak up on you. Her songs have the ability to move an audience with their depth and intensity, yet she’s equally capable of delivering a light-hearted romp that will make audiences want to get up and dance. “‘Fall Madly In Love’ is just a catchy, infectious, flirty, confident song,” Maggie says. “There’s something about that song. I couldn’t stop singing it once I heard it once and it just came alive. When we recorded it in the studio with James, it just took on a life of its own. It’s an undeniable song with lots of energy and confidence, which is what I feel like my music is about right now, just being confident and sassy and having fun.” “Preacher’s Daughter” spotlights Maggie’s ability to pen a great story song. Co-written with Connie Harrington, the eerie lyric recounts the murder of two young lovers. “We had a blast writing it,” Maggie says. “We wanted it to be sultry and a little dark, but also have a deep South, funky country sound like Bonnie Raitt.

I love how she has that cool vibe about her. We were trying to channel that for ‘Preacher’s Daughter.’ I love singing it. Every time I perform it I can’t help but just to come alive because it’s a great story.” “Better” is a compelling song that finds Maggie channeling the pain of a past break up. “I was telling James Stroud and Stephony Smith the story of this person who had just broken my heart,” she recalls. “They said, ‘Boy, have we got a song for you!’ They played me ‘Better’ and I was so moved by it. I was right there in the trenches of everything that was going on in the song in my own life. Even now when I sing ‘Better,’ it just takes me back to that feeling that I had emotionally when I first heard the song. It’s really powerful and totally honest. We didn’t compromise anything on that song.” Uncompromising, unapologetic and unexpected--these are just a few of the words that come to mind in describing Maggie Rose. Whether she’s opening for Jason Aldean or Lady Antebellum in a large arena or performing an intimate set in a local club, Maggie has the ability to transport the listener through her music. “I love connecting with people,” she says. “There’s no feeling like it. When I go to a concert, I won’t know the person sitting next to me, but if someone puts on a great show, by the end of the night I feel connected to complete strangers because the person on stage has made us all relate to what they are saying. We all feel that common ground that we’ve bonded on. It’s incredible and magical for me. As an artist and songwriter, that’s the thrill--to be connecting with a group of people by sharing your stories. It’s pretty remarkable.”

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