Just Say the Words

More than almost anything, I love going to concerts. Concerts with huge, big name bands, concerts with small, little known artists, all of the above, I am always in for a good concert. Something about the energy of the performer and the way the music seems to take over your thoughts and mind just pleases my soul. I am lucky to be able to go to two concerts this week. Dave Barnes/Matt Wertz featuring Gabe Dixon Band in Birmingham, AL and Josh Kelley here in Nashville. Barnes and Wertz (and Gab Dixon) are on their "Two Birds/One Stone" tour. Gabe Dixon is known for his amazing piano skills and incredible lyrics. Barnes and Wertz are two crazy guys who kill the guitar. They have been friends for many years and decided to collaborate their talents and hit the road. They play in Nashville December 1. That is a show you do not want to miss. Josh Kelley, who is engaged to Kathrine Heigl(Gray's Anatomy), has been in the acoustic rock scene for some time now. His new album "Just say the word" is a final goodbye to his past lover reassuring they will always have love and friendship between them but it is time to move forward. He is playing at Exit/In this Saturday (10th) opening up for

Nothing Left to Lose

Here are some of my favorite songs in very different genres.

Sugarland "Settlin'"

The hits keep coming from country duo Sugarland. Jennifer Nettles delivers another signature performance with the follow-up to the country smash "Want To." Channeling the right amount of twang and honesty with her vocal she makes you believe she is reaching for the top. She says to "raise the bar high" and we have no reason to doubt her after 3 minutes and 27 seconds of country gold.

Gwen Stefani w/ Akon "The Sweet Escape"

Gwen gets back to the business of making fun and memorable music that made her first album a smash. The quirky sound of this single is the closest she has come to paying homage to her No Doubt days. However, Akon's high pitched chanting throughout the song may prove to be the scene stealer.

Mat Kearney "Nothing Left to Lose"

Nashville based Mat Kearney makes a strong debut on the pop scene with his single from the album of the same name. Taking you on a journey with his lyrics you can appreciate his song writing ability and talent. His gamble payed off with a solid song that stands out among the guy and his guitar genre.

Industry Bummer

With CD's sales falling faster than the stock market the record industry is counting on some huge names to bring them home during the last half of 2007. And the stars are lined up to deliver, as we should see releases from Carrie Underwood, 50 Cent, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, and more during the fall. While these stars may not be able to offset the 15% drop in sales this year they may be able to soften the blow. Here are some lead singles from some newly released albums.

Carrie Underwood "So Small"

Carrie's new single from her sophomore set barely reached programmers hands before it was blasting over the airwaves. What else would you expect from this American Idol who became country's reigning queen in a span of just over a year. And the song is no disappointment. Her voice sounds even stronger and more mature than it did on her first release. As she takes you to new heights singing "Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand / What you've been out there searching for forever is in your hands" its clear that Carrie is here to stay.

Kanye West "Stronger"

Its a good thing for Kanye that his music backs up his mouth. Rap's number one egotist returns after taking a short break. This time sampling Daft Punk, Kanye delivers strong lyrics, clearly taking aim at his critics in saying "That that don't kill me can only make me stronger." But he also drops some pop culture gold in saying "You know how long I've been on ya / Since Prince was on Apollonia / Since OJ had Isotoners." 50 Cent has proclaimed that he will retire if Kanye's album outsells his album with the same ominous release date of September 11th. Team Kanye.

Backstreet Boys "Inconsolable"

With the departure of Kevin Richardson, America's oldest "boys" will try to make it a go as a foursome. Opening with Nick Carter's signature voice this mid-tempo ballad goes pretty much where you would expect it to in talking about missing someone when they are gone. Their experience as a group is evident in the fact that they sound at ease with each other and blend nicely. But while delivering a solid single and expanding on their more mature sound that they showed on their last album it will be interesting to see if there is still room to be found for them on pop radio.

Updates!!

I feel it is time to give updates on the artists I have highlighted in this blog. To start us off, Andy Davis has just released his 2nd full album "Let the Woman." He paired up with Barnes and Noble Booksellers to release this album and is now available to pick up today! He will be performing at Exit/In on Nov. 16 at 8 pm for his CD release show. Colbie Caillat is still hitting it hard with shows across the world. She is performing everywhere from Nevada, California, Massachusetts, Vermont, Washington DC, Maryland, and North Carolina then traveling across the ocean to Berlin, Hamburg, London, and Munich. She will be playing in a private event here in Nashville on Nov 30. Charla is trying to move up the musical ladder slowly but surely. Her musical showcase is Thursday, Oct. 26. Come out and support a wonderful local artist. There will be quite a few labels at this showcase so, wish her luck and enjoy the show!

The Nashville Sound

The best thing about Nashville is, of course, music. While driving down Broadway at night you hear so many different types of music. Everything from twangy, old school country to up-beat hip-hop pouring from the different venues that line the street. A particular favorite of mine, in the country scene, is Charla. She is the host of Karaoke-Dokey on CMT as well as co-hosts of different shows (as needed). Hailing from Tx, Charla moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a country music singer. She has great energy and stage presents as well as an amazing voice. She is playing her first Showcase at 12th and Porter Oct. 25 at 6 pm. Come out and enjoy great songs about life, love and loss.

I'm the Next American Idol!!!

Every spring, my family and I huddle around the television to see who will be the next American Idol. We watch the show from start to finish, of course including the beginning with all the awful singers. Questions have been raised about whether this show really does find "American Idols" and if the talent is really as good as they think (meaning, more talent is in the world than just on the show). Kelly Clarson was the winner of the very first season. Since then, she has released two albums with the first selling six million copies in the United States and 11 million worldwide. Jennifer Hudson was a top 12 contestant on season 3. She won an Academy Award for her role in the movie "Dream Girls." Carrie Underwood won season 4 beating Bo Bice for the title. She hit the country music scene by storm and her album "Some Hearts" is the biggest-selling American Idol album to date. She has won two Grammys and many other awards from the AMA, ACM, CMA, People's Choice and Billboard, among many others. Taylor Hicks won season 5, and although we have heard a little from him and runner-up Katherine McPhee, Chris Daughtry and his band "Daughtry" have been blasting all over the radio. Their dabute album went double-platinum, have been in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200 Albums since its release, and spent nine weeks among the Top 3 Albums. With Season 6 just under our belt, I know I look forward to hearing great things from winner Jordin Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis. I have high expectations for other season 6 stars such as Melinda Doolittle and Chris Sligh. Auditions for Season 7 are coming up soon! So, if you think you have what it takes to be the "Next American Idol" look up audition dates, and we'll see ya then!

Oh, Capri. She's beauty.

I have two brothers and a sister. My oldest brother has a little girl and a little boy, the most beautiful children in the world. My sister is now pregnant with her first child, which will be a boy named Owen. I'm sure he will be just as beautiful as my other niece and nephew. I am really close to my niece, Chloe, and am growing closer to my nephew, Zach (he is only 6 weeks old). And although I love my niece and nephew I am very excited about little Owen that will grace us with his presence at the end of January. My sister is my best friend and I know she is going to be such a good mommy. One of my newest album purchases is "Coco" by Colbie Caillat. Her light and ever changing song selections make the entire album easy to listen to. (I've always said if you can sit and listen to an entire album, you know the artist has true talent.) One song on her album is called "Capri" and is about a lady who is pregnant and how careful she is so that her baby will grow strong and healthy. As soon as I heard this song I automatically thought of my sister, even though "Capri" is a girl and Owen is a boy. Try to find an album that you can relate to. Music is about relationships. Whether it is a relationship with a loved one, a family member, a close friend, or even yourself, music tells it all and everyone can relate.