Mayor Karl Dean, the Cash family and friends and founders Bill and Shannon Miller welcomed press and industry executives to the future home of The Johnny Cash Museum on Tuesday, February 14, 2012. Located at 119 Third Avenue South between Demonbreun and Broadway, the museum will be en route between the tourist circulated Broadway strip and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

Columbia/ Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT will be releasing BOOTLEG VOL. IV: THE SOUL OF TRUTH at all physical and digital retail outlets starting April 3rd.  The project is a 2-CD, 51-track collection which compiles gospel and spiritual recordings (both released and previously unreleased) made by Cash in the 1970s and ’80s.

Seesaw reunites force-of-nature blues-rock vocalist Beth Hart and guitar hero Joe Bonamassa for a second album of choice covers from various musical eras. As with their first outing, Don’t Explain, the project is in collaboration with producer Kevin Shirley (Joe Bonamassa, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Black Crowes). Each of the three principals suggested and selected tracks for the 11-song set list, which mines soulful classics previously made famous by Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Billie Holiday, Donnie Hathaway, Lucinda Williams, Buddy Miles, Tina Turner, Slackwax, Melody Gardot, and Nina Simone.The one-two punch of Hart’s powerhouse vocals and Bonamassa’s scorching solos both honors and reinvents the original recordings. They are backed by the same world class band that kept the grooves going on Don’t Explain: Anton Fig (drums, percussion), Carmine Rojas (bass), Blondie Chaplin (rhythm guitar, backing vocals and percussion), Arlan Schierbaum (organ, piano). This time out, their mighty sound is augmented by a horn section, with Lee Thornburg on trumpets and trombones, and Ron Dziubla on saxophones.“Seesaw is one of those rare collaborations between two artists that transcends each of their established styles and creates something otherworldly.  Beth Hart's soulful voice and Joe Bonamassa's guitar mastery come together here to forge something special.  You may know them separately, but together here on Seesaw, Beth and Joe weave an artistic musical tapestry sure to leave many listeners wanting more.”  

Whether it’s her soaring power vocals, gut-wrenching songwriting style or take-no-prisoners live show, Laura McCormick proved this past year that she has the fierce set of pipes necessary to compete in today’s southern rock scene. With a voice comparable to that of Bonnie Raitt, Ann Wilson of Heart, and Linda Ronstadt, Laura mixes her dynamic vocals with genuine songwriting, blending her folk and country roots with her classic rock upbringing. “She has a throaty, smoky delivery that’s full of tension, emotion and technique…” writes Music Row Magazine about Laura’s vocal style. “Extremely Promising.”

“I always knew in my heart that music was what I was going to end up doing,” says Laura. Whether it was living room concerts for her parents in elementary school or participating in nation-wide show choir competitions as a teenager, the Tullahoma, Tennessee native is hard- pressed to recall a time that performing wasn’t an important part of her life. When it came time for college, however, Laura pursued another passion of hers – medicine – and earned her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Middle Tennessee State University.

“I worked as an ICU nurse for six years but would write songs and perform in classic rock cover bands at local bars in any bit of spare time I had.” Hailing from a family tree of ancestors who played fiddle, steel guitar and banjo with country greats, it’s no surprise that after a few years, the passion pulsing through her musical veins eventually became too intense to ignore.

Laura officially traded Band-Aids for band rehearsals in April of 2014 and headed into the studio to record her debut album Box Full of Trouble. This album garnered rave reviews from fans and critics alike and led to country-wide radio airplay of her single “Feel the Fire,” live television performances and appearances at both 2015’s CMA Fest and Country Radio Seminar. Now, after a year of relentlessly honing her songwriting craft and gracing stages all around the south with her fearless personality, the red-lipped spitfire has released her highly-anticipated sophomore project Too Wild to Tame.

“I’ve spent the last year writing songs and teaming up with a lot of amazing musicians who continuously inspire me to stay true to myself,” says Laura, who now resides in Nashville. “Too Wild to Tame recalls a lot of my rock n’ roll influences and is a true reflection of where I am as an artist right now.” This EP, a product of collaboration with industry veterans Rick Rowell and Rodney Ingle, features six emotion-packed tracks. From vulnerable organic love songs (“Stand By Me”) to raspy rock numbers packed with attention-demanding guitar solos (“I Wish I Didn’t” and “Man With a Gun”), this collection evokes the very best of Laura’s influences, which include The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty.

“When I’m on stage singing, it is one of the only times I feel completely whole and content,” notes Laura. “Through good times and bad, music has always been there for me and my goal as an artist is to make a lasting connection with people through my songs.” With a stage presence as captivating as her vibrant green eyes, seriously striking vocals and determination second to none, it is clear that Laura McCormick is ready to emerge as one of southern rock’s leading ladies.

The celebrated singer/songwriter Matthew Mayfield has released the music video for his song “Indigo” from his latest LP RECOIL. “Indigo” reflects the personal struggle of losing a loved one and maintaining hope for seeing them again in the next life. The infectious melody and poignant lyrics of this anthem of hope make for another landmark release for Mayfield.

“Went to a funeral and a baptism on the same day. Felt that God was real in both the good and the bad ways. Then, I started to think of you again,” sings Mayfield as he searches his feelings for a sense of release and connection with his long-time friend who has passed on.

RECOIL is a sonic and lyrical departure from Mayfield’s previous release, Wild Eyes. Wild Eyes was a collection of songs created over time that reflected different periods in Matthew’s life. RECOIL, by contrast, was born quickly and violently, the fruit of an intense effort by Mayfield to depict the good, the bad, and the ugly in the present world he inhabits. According to Mayfield, “making RECOIL was extremely hard—I had to drag the songs out of me and stick with them until they said exactly what I needed them to say.”

Kimberley Dahme, the world-renowned bassist that captured the iconic hits of BOSTON for over a decade both on tour and in the studio, premieres a country and rock fused tune Lucy Lu raising awareness for “Adopt-A-Dog” Month. Mixed by the four-time Grammy-Award Winning Mark Capps and produced by Justin Peters, Lucy Lu is available via Platinum Planet Records on iTunes and all major online retailers.

"It's a sweet song about a very loving dog our family was blessed to have in her senior years,” says Kimberley.  “I believe all animal lovers have had a 'Lucy Lu' at one time in their lives. I hope you enjoy it and consider bringing a shelter pet into your home.  There are so many worthy animals just waiting for a home at your local shelter.”

Justin Peters, President of Platinum Planet Records, proudly stated, "Platinum Planet Records is thrilled to be releasing this Kimberely Dahme single.  As the producer of this track, I really believe we created a meaningful, cool and commercial radio smash. She's a world class talent. She is also a huge advocate for animals, especially dogs. This song is for animal lovers anywhere and everywhere."

This song was penned by eight writers, Kimberley Dahme, Justin Peters, Victoria Jackson (from Saturday Night Live), Carolyn Cogswell, Jeremy Duff, Omar Lagudali, Laura Moore and Steven Rupe, that collaborated at the Oak Island Songwriting Camp which is hosted by Songs for the Planet. Lucy Lu’s release coincides with the acknowledgement from both the ASPCA and American Humane Society that October would be recognized as “Adopt-A-Dog” and “Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog” Month. According to the American Humane Society, there are over three million animals annually that are waiting for homes across the U.S. Kimberley hopes this song will encourage listeners to take action to find their own Lucy Lu

Spafford has already announced 17 dates for their headlining 2018 winter tour, ‘For Amusement Only,’ and today, the band shares 12 additional dates, this time across the West Coast.

The tour picks up again on February 28th, 2018 at Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA, hitting Santa Barbara, CA, Crystal Bay, NV and San Rafael, CA before heading to the Pacific Northwest. The band will then play Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend, OR and the Shakedown in Bellingham, WA. After that, Spafford will head inland for dates in Missoula, MT,  Boise, ID, and Salt Lake City, UT before concluding this stint with three nights in Colorado; those performances include plays at the Belly Up in Aspen, Barkley Ballroom in Frisco and Ullrs Tavern in Winter Park. A full list of 2018 dates can be found below.

Spafford is quickly becoming one of the music scene’s most-buzzed-about live bands. The Arizona-based quartet — composed of Brian Moss (guitar/vocals), Jordan Fairless (bass/vocals), Andrew “Red” Johnson (keys/vocals) and Cameron Laforest (drums/percussion/vocals) — has become known for their brilliant improvisation, genre-bending sound, and energetic live performances. With this past fall’s release of Abaculus: An Improvisational Experience, Spafford once again redefined what it means to make music in the digital age, delivering a studio effort improvised much like a live show. They followed up the release of Abaculus with a stunning hour-long improvisation during their Echo Session, which can be viewed here.

Though Spafford first toured outside the Southwest at the tail end of 2016, the group has quickly transformed into a nationally touring powerhouse over the past year. Throughout 2017, Spafford has been consistently selling out venues across the country, and during this past festival season, the band made appearances at high-profile events like Summer Camp, Electric Forest, Peach Music Festival, North Coast, and most recently, Suwannee Hulaween.

Tickets for the newly announced dates go on sale Friday, December 1st at 10 am PST/1 pm EST. For more information on specific dates, please visit the band’s website.

SPAFFORD
‘For Amusement Only’ Tour Dates

1/11 - Minneapolis, MN -  7th Street Entry
1/12 - Milwaukee, WI - Miramar Theatre
1/13 - Detroit, MI - El Club
1/14 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop
1/17 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Café
1/18 - Buffalo, NY - Iron Works
1/19 - Syracuse, NY - Westcott Theater
1/20 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club 
1/23 - Pawtucket, RI - The Met
1/24 - Asbury Park, NJ - Wonder Bar
1/25 - Washington, D.C. - Union Stage
1/26 - Raleigh, NC - The Pour House Music Hall -
1/27 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
1/31 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
2/1 - Tampa, FL - The Crowbar
2/2 - Orlando, FL - The Social
2/3 - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits 
2/28 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
3/1 - Santa Barbara, CA - Soho
3/2 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino
3/3 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads    
3/7 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Theatre Pub
3/8 - Bellingham, WA - The Shakedown
3/9 - Missoula, MT - Top Hat Lounge
3/10 - Boise, ID - The Olympic
3/11- Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room    
3/14 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen    
3/16 - Frisco, CO - Barkley Ballroom
3/17 - Winter Park, CO - Ullrs Tavern

On Saturday, May 11, 2019, the Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil returns to Bluff Park in Natchez for its second southern celebration of Natchez, music and food. The event will feature a full roster of live music, an endless supply of crawfish by C&M Crawfish, delicious food and beverages and a family-friendly atmosphere along the Mississippi River. The BGCB line up includes Bishop Gunn, Tyler Childers, Black Stone Cherry, Southern Avenue and Magnolia Bayou. Tickets can be purchased here.

The BGCB ’19 coincides with the annual Natchez Festival of Music, a celebration of diverse musical events planned throughout the city during the month of May. “We see the BGCB as a perfect accompaniment to the musical events we have planned throughout the month” stated Jay Dean, artistic director of the festival, “in fact, it really rounds out the performances that are available during that weekend.”