EP REVIEW: Happy Man by Bucky Covington

He's back and he's better than ever. 
If you've been a fan of country music for a few years now, you were probably one of the millions of people who fell in love with a song called, "A Different World". Not ringing any bells? Well it was composed of lyrics like: "Rode bikes with no helmets and still here we are. We got daddy's belt when we misbehaved. Had three TV channels you got up to change."
Remember the song we are talking about now? Of course you do. In 2007, Bucky Covington was a name everyone knew and everyone loved. After taking a backseat to country music for the past few years, Bucky overcame major career hurdles and has released new music for the first time in three years. 
Bucky is back with a new single, "I Feel Ya" and a six song EP featuring the laid-back southern drawl we've been longing to hear again. 
Bucky fans, thanks for being patient. This EP was worth the wait. 

TRACK-BY-TRACK

1. “I Feel Ya” (Eric Mallon, Ruben Estevez, Jason Afable)

Two words come to mind when we listen to the first single off 'Happy Man': DANCE + PARTY. This song is sure to get your head bobbing and your toes tapping. Here's to hoping all our favorite local honky-tonks decide to spin this track on a regular basis. Throw on your boots and get your dance on. Can't get this song out of your head? We feel, we feel, we feel, we feel, we feel ya…

2. “Girl You Get To Me” (Dale Oliver, Serg Salinas, Michael Harter)

THIS is the Bucky Covington the world has been needing. If you can listen to this track and not get the feels then you might want to see your doctor because there's no way you are human. Smooth, sultry, and most importantly, country; this song should be his next single if you ask us.

3. “I’m Saying Something” (Matt Warren)

If you're yearning for BC to slow it down a little bit, then "I'm Saying Something" is the song for you. With a sound similar to an old school Mark Chesnut or Clay Walker, we simply can't get enough. Someone get this on the radio ASAP.

4. “Somewhere Looking Beautiful” (Bucky Covington, Dale Oliver, Dan Couch)

Yes. Just yes. This song is penned to be a "classic country" love/breakup song. Listed as a co-writer, Bucky should take pride in knowing the lyrics are something truly amazing. So all you gals looking for a breakup song to listen to on repeat, LOOK NO FURTHER.

5. “Buzzin” (Brad Hull)

Add in some banjo and you have our attention. The perfect song for summer, "Buzzin" brings us back to the long days out on the lake. Turn it up loud, throw on your swimsuits, and dance around in your cutoffs to this upbeat tune all summer long.

6. “Happy Man” (Shannon Lawson)

"Happy Man" is quite possibly going to be the song that shoots Bucky Covington back up to the top of the charts. This is the type of song that only someone like Bucky can pull off. It's witty and it's tongue-in-cheek. Let's face it, anyone who uses lines like "all that silly stuff just sounds the same" in a song deserves to have his voice heard.

So think Chris Janson and Buy Me A Boat. THAT'S where we see Bucky Covington going with "Happy Man".

Pick up your copy on iTunes today. 

Trust us, you'll be a "happy man" or women. You get the idea.

EAR CANDY: Dibs On The Country Dudes

Who’s Got Dibs?

From their dashing good looks & charming personalities to their incredible musical talent & country souls, it’s no surprise these ten men are making a name for themselves in country music. 

Ladies & Gents, be prepared to fall in love.

Don’t You Wanna Fall – Frankie Ballard

Bring You Back – Brett Eldredge

Take You Home – Thomas Rhett

Little Bit of You – Chase Bryant

Don’t Tell Me – Joel Crouse

Vandalizer – Sam Hunt

Girls Look Hot in Trucks – Love & Theft

50 Shades of Crazy – Chase Rice

I N H A L E   T H E   E A R   C A N D Y 

xox Christy

EAR CANDY: FREE SPIRITED JAMS

Free Spirited Jams

Lately I’ve been obsessing over songs about letting go of your daily worries, being young, and living a free spirited life!

You’re probably wondering why is Kenny Chesney on this playlist? He’s been heard time after time, however I think he is one soul who will never get old, he’s had hit after hit and I think this is his next jam. It is basically my theme song.

xoxoxox
Carly

 

EAR CANDY: The Cassette Collection // Throwbacks

Throwback Thursday? Throwback a cold one and listen to some of these 90s tunes to get you jamming.

So come on’ and Getcha Some --- of these jams.

{{ Things You Listen To On Cassette }}

Small Town Saturday Night // Hal Ketchum 

Don’t Be Stupid // Shania Twain 

Getcha Some // Toby Keith 

South of Santa Fe // Brooks & Dunn 

Kick a Little // Little Texas 

Sold [Grundy County Auction] // John Michael Montgomery 

Then What? // Clay Walker 

I Try To Think About Elvis // Patty Loveless

xox
Megan

cassette photo courtesy of Canva

edits made by The Tennessee Life

ARTIST INTERVIEW: KASEY LANSDALE

Singing has taken me all over the world and introduced me to some amazing people, and I feel lucky every day when I wake up because I get to do what I love. I’m just so happy no one has given me a good shake and told me to get a real job yet!”

Full Name: 
Kasey Lansdale

Age: 
The age where you start replying with a lady never tells.

Hometown/currently live: 
Nacogdoches, TX. Citizen of the world

What made you want to start writing songs and singing? 
I’ve always known I wanted to sing and write. It wasn’t a conscious decision, it was in the blood.

Do you play any instruments? 
I play both guitar and piano enough to write songs.

Did you teach yourself? 
Guitar I took lessons in college, and piano is a self-learning discovery process. I do have a friend showing me a few things which has helped immensely.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations? 
I was always a fan of Reba, especially her early work. The Motown singers of the 50’s and 60’s, Patsy, Loretta. 

Where do you get inspiration to write your songs? 
Sometimes I’ll just hear a hook that sounds good, and I think how I can build a story over that. Sometimes it’s a personal experience, or something I’ve heard someone else go through. Not every song has to be profound, sometimes it’s just whatever is on your mind that day.

Favorite songs you have written/co-written? 
I am always partial to Crossroads written with Julie Gibb. It’s probably the most raw, and personal song I’ve ever been a part of. We have great writing chemistry because we are good friends. I wasn’t afraid to expose that side during our collaborations. I also really like Sorry Ain’t Enough, the single from the Restless album. I didn’t know it while we were writing it, but it’s a source of inner power for me. Every time I sing it, I feel strong, physically and more important, mentally.

What moment in your music career is your favorite so far? 
I’ve been really blessed and had many experiences that when in the moment I felt if I died now, I could be content, but most recently was probably in Cannes, France, at the film festival. The biggest in the world, and I am there listening to my music in a movie surrounded by so many amazing people.

Finish this sentence…if I could write a song for or with anyone I would choose.. Reba. There’s never anyone who can replace your idol as a child. Even if styles grow and change, there’s always that soft spot for the people who shaped you, better or worse.

Finish this sentence…if I could sing a song with anyone I would choose.. Otis Redding. To be honest it changes depending on my mood, what I am listening to at that time, but he’s someone I am in awe of every time he opened his mouth.

Where do you see yourself in a year? 5 years?   
This is always a question I hate to answer to tell you the truth. I don’t want to set any sort of limit on myself, or decide this has to be done at this point etc. I think so long as I still love what I do, and it’s making sense for me as an artist, a person, I carry on, and try to remember what brought me to country music in the first place. Remembering the passion I have for the singers and the stories, and the genre itself.      

If I wasn't a singer/songwriter I would be… 
I would do this one way or another, but I would also write more fiction. (Which I do in my downtown) and probably teach yoga, or travel abroad and teach English. (Though I speak Texan, which could prove a problem.)

I'm afraid of… 
random acts of violence. Those that aren’t rooted in anything but hate.

I never get tired of watching… 
Friends. It makes me laugh every time, even though I have seen that show a million times.

Okay, I always ask people to tell me one thing about themselves that is random or strange that most people don’t know! 
This is another one of those that I find hard to answer. I am pretty open, and last time I was asked this I said that I speak basic Italian might surprise some people, but now cat’s out of the bag. I suppose with February around the corner I could mention that my family has a long standing tradition of watching the Puppy Bowl. It’s become a thing. Not sure if I should be ashamed of that or not, but it’s puppies, what’s not to love.

C O N N E C T
TWITTER || FB || INSTA || WEB

I N H A L E   T H E   E A R   C A N D Y

Concert Review: John King

“Everybody knows tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, is gonna be, the best night of our lives.” Well, when you go to a John King show, you will definitely be feeling that way very early on.  

On January 10, I headed about 20 miles east to the Grant Street Music Room in Clarkesville, GA, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Situated in a multiplex venue that included a restaurant and bowling alley already hopping with activity, in the back ballroom was a corner stage anticipating the arrival of a hometown boy from Northeast GA. One who is solidly carving out a place on the country music landscape – Mr. John King.

Affectionately dubbed a #hometownthrowdown, this show was truly that. As soon as you walked in the venue, you could feel the audience swelling with the pride of the locals, and the anticipation for a sampling of what Demorest’s hometown boy has been wowing concert goers all over the nation with. And John did not disappoint.

Taking the stage at about 9:30, John was a full on burst of energy and electric from the first note to blast from the speakers. Jumping right in, the pace of the show was set to full throttle to the delight of those occupying every inch of space by the stage and dance floor, to the very last person sitting in the back corner. John launched into songs from his current EP, Something In The Water, and those already familiar with his work were singing every line, while those not so familiar with the album, were still having blast, fully engaged, fist pumping along, wishing they knew the words too. As I watched the show I had a thought that kept recurring – “This guy needs a bigger stage!” John is a fireball, with an energy and presence so big that I’m sure it would be felt all the way to the back corner of any amphitheater, or the highest seat in any arena. He is so engaging that nothing exists outside of a big ol’ soiree with yourself, John, and couple hundred of your closest friends for a few hours, which is exactly what a show should do – provide an escape and place for fun. Check. Complete. Mark it off the list of awesomeness for the night.

Not only was John giving his all for his performance, so was his band. They were a very cohesive unit, with each of them wanting to give the audience a memorable and fun experience, even leaving the stage and taking to the seats to include those folks in the action. You could plainly see their individuality, but you could also see the bond between John and his band. It’s not the John King show, no matter what the headline says. It’s The John King Band show. I felt they were more like brothers having a Saturday night jam sesh; not John King and accompaniment, which is perfect in it’s irony seeing as John’s drummer, Andrew, actually IS his brother! But that aside, it is easy to see it was a collective effort to give the fans the best show possible. At one point, John even gave a personal shoulder ride for one of his guitarists into the crowd to while he slayed his solo. That’s trust right there! It also just added to an already wowing performance. 

After listening to the music, you see why John is making such an impression on country radio and is playing some of the hottest venues around.  It’s infectious. The songs are creatively constructed, both melodically and lyrically, and just plain out fun. They are what one might call #earcandy – songs you cant get out of your head, and songs you don’t want to get out of your head. If he’s belting out the song he is probably most known for, his current single, “Tonight, Tonight”, or giving you a sneak peek at songs coming soon to radio, such as “On Your Lips”, or even relating his affinity for “Hooker Shoes” and making you giggle just a little bit, you can tell that John enjoys performing them, just as much as his fans love hearing them and singing them back. I believe in music, there are songs, and then there are SONGS. These definitely fall into that second category. Songs you will hear all around you and may even like for the moment. SONGS you don’t forget.

Of all my experiences that night, the most profound to me is my last observation and possibly most important one. John loves his fans. No. He LOVES them. Genuinely. You see that he wants them to have a good time. You see that he wants them fired up. And you see that he really cares and wants them to know how much he appreciates them and their support of his dream and career of being an artist. You get the impression he wants to make his fans feel like a million bucks. Whether it’s going around and giving everyone, and I mean everyone, a slap on the hand during his song, “High Five”, or a smile or a nod from the mic stand, or maybe just simply looking you in the eye and really connecting with you for a moment, you feel like he wants you to know he is glad you are there. But the best part is, you can really feel that he means it. There is a reciprocity about the relationship between John and his fans. What he gives to the fans in his music and performance, and his connectedness, the fans give back to him in their adulation and love. I made a point to look around at the faces of those standing there with me. It was plain to see the absolute joy exuding from every person in that room. To put it simply, it was a party, and everyone felt welcomed to be there.

Trust me when I tell you I am a seasoned concert-goer. I’ve seen the bad, the good, and the out of this world as far as shows go. This show was definitely the latter by miles. I couldn’t stop thinking of enough superlatives for John. For his band. For the music. For the overall performance. It was all top notch, and even better than some of the bigger and more well known acts I have seen, even with all their production. I came back and could not stop talking about such an amazing experience as I had. I stopped everyone I could get to listen to me, and told them they just had to check out John for themselves, set on getting as many converts as I could. It’s just when you meet and see someone as special as John, you want everyone to see what you do, and to experience that magic for themselves. It is certain that John has cemented himself on my list of artists I am super proud of and proud to support and plan to do so as much as I can. The sky is truly the limit for this guy, and I want to be a part of that ride and watch it unfold. It’s so fun to watch people’s dreams come true, but it’s even better when seeing theirs, inspire your own. While this one  performance blew me away, I have a feeling I haven’t seen anything yet. Buckle your seat belts, y’all. Liftoff in 3…2…1…

xox

Amber

EAR CANDY: muh fave fellas

WHAT YOUR EARS ARE LUSTING OVER

I get it. Y'all like Cole. And Blake. And some guy named Luke.

Guess what, I like them too.

HOWEVER...

THESE are the guys who get me dancin' on a Saturday night.

MEET THESE COUNTRY FELLAS...

>>inhale the ear candy<<

Can’t Get Away From A Good Time || Logan Mize

Already High || JT Hodges

Nothin To Do But Drink || Adam Sanders

Get It On || Joey Hyde

Catch Me If You Can || Dylan Scott

Why God Made Love Songs || Joel Crouse

Cheap Seats || Dallas Smith

Good Ole Boys Like Us || JJ Lawhorn

SecondHand Smoke || Roger Jackson

Tonight Tonight || John King

ARTIST INTERVIEW: JILL & JULIA

Full Name:

Jill Christine and Julia Kathleen Tirinnanzi

Age:

Jill (18) Julia (23)

Hometown || Currently Live:

Indianapolis, IN || Las Vegas, NV

What made you want to start writing songs and singing?

I don’t think there was ever a certain moment or day where we just began writing songs and singing. Music was something that was an integral part of our upbringing. Our parents were always listening to iconic artists like Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Elvis in the house and around age 7 or so, we were both enrolled in piano lessons, joined our school choir, and shortly thereafter (and probably prematurely) starting to perform.  

Do you play any instruments? 

Yes! We both play piano and guitar.

Did you teach yourself?

Piano: No, we started taking lessons at a young age.

Guitar: Initially yes, however we eventually started taking lessons from professionals to further our abilities.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

We definitely look up to The Civil Wars, Kacey Musgraves and Eric Church as musical inspirations.

Where do you get inspiration to write your songs?

Different things inspire us! We generally write about specific experiences we have had or observations of situations.

Favorite songs you have written/co-written?

Jill and I only write with each other.  The originals that are on our album entitled, “Cursed,” are our favorites, to date.

What moment in your music career is your favorite so far?

Playing the Route 91 Harvest Festival here in Las Vegas was definitely an incredible experience for us. It was so surreal to see our names on the lineup alongside so many artists we admire and respect like Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean to name a few.

But we also loved playing the American Bucking Bull World Finals last year at the Southpoint Casino, because this was our first arena show and it was so amazing to get to perform for so many people at one time.  

  

Finish this sentence…if I could write a song for or with anyone I would choose______.

John Paul White!

Finish this sentence…if I could sing a song with anyone I would choose______.

Kacey Musgraves!

Where do you see yourself in a year?           5 years?

In one year hopefully, we will be working on writing and recording a new album. In five years, we will making a decent living on making music for our fans!  

If I wasn't a singer/songwriter I would be… 

We would definitely still be working somewhere within the music industry.

  

I'm afraid of ______.

That our critical acclaim will come post-humously…and that's a long time from now!!

I never get tired of_______.

Writing and performing music!

  

Okay, I always ask people to tell me one thing about themselves that is random or strange that most people don’t know! 

We both competed in beauty pageants as teenagers because it was another opportunity to gain more experience to perform on stage.

C O N N E C T

TWITTER || FACEBOOK || WEB

EAR CANDY: the new gals

<<WHAT YOUR EARS ARE LUSTING OVER//

So a while back on the CMA Awards, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley brought up a disease that half of the world population has been struck with….PPTSD [Post Partum Taylor Swift Disorder]. Well if you happen to be one of the many facing this, I’ve got just the playlist for you.

Meet the gals who will have you asking, “Taylor Swift who?”

>>inhale the ear candy<<

Get Drunk & Cry || Ruthie Collins

Better Than You Left Me || Mickey Guyton

Lovin’ You Ain’t Right || Laurel Wright

Looking At Stars || Kelsea Ballerini

Sierra || Maddie & Tae

Smoke When I Drink || Kelleigh Bannen

Roll All Night || Whitney Duncan

While The Streetlights Shine || Marla Morris

Scars || Logan Brill

Kissin Frogs || RaeLynn

 

EAR CANDY: duos /&/ groups

WHAT YOUR EARS ARE LUSTING OVER

What’s better than one voice? Two. Or maybe even three.

Once Alabama stopped recording, Brooks & Dunn broke up, and Sugarland when solo, country music lost a little bit of it’s duo/group categories. Of course we now jam to some big names like Little Big Town, Lady A, and The Band Perry, but what about the next generation?

Meet the duos /&/ groups ready to take over.

>>inhale the ear candy<<

DUOS /&/ GROUPS Playlist

Moonlight Crush || Outshyne

Until I Met You || Sunday Best

Dirt On A Road || Old Dominion

Rum || Brother’s Osborne

Keep In Mind || LoCash Cowboys

Party Girl || Dan + Shay

Night That You’ll Never Forget || Love & Theft

Smack Dab || Chasin’ Crazy

Ruby || The Black Lillies

Good On You || Native Run