DAVE'S DIARY - 27/11/2017 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 1 - SERIES 34
BLAKE SHELTON WEDDING CANINES HEADLINE NU COUNTRY TV
Oklahoma country star Blake Shelton headlines our Nu Country TV summer Series #34 premiere Saturday December 2 at 9 pm on Channel 31/Digital 44 with a humorous canine fuelled wedding video.
Tennessean troubadour Chris Young also returns in the series dedicated to his late Australian tour promoter and altruistic Nu Country benefactor Rob Potts who died at 65 on October 27.
Five time Grammy winner Marty Stuart also revisits the show, hosted by Mid Pacific Bob Olson, with his evocative tribute to the Lakota Indians.
Rowville singer-songwriter Rick Hart uses an Emmylou Harris metaphor in his latest video on the program filmed and edited by Laith Graham.
And northern NSW Golden Guitarists Kirsty Lee Akers and Aleyce Simmonds showcase their latest videos.
Nu Country TV is a highlight of C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.
Just follow this link on your computer or mobile phone - http://www.c31.org.au/series/487
Viewers can access Nu Country TV shows at the same link.
BLAKE NAMES THE DOGS IN TEXOMA WEDDING
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Blake Shelton proves his divorce from canine rescue queen and Texan chart topper Miranda Lambert has not doused his humour. Shelton , now 41, recruited tame terriers to walk the aisle at a seniors wedding in his new video for I'll Name The Dogs from 13th album Texoma Shore. But the veteran Voice coach and mentor was discreet enough to ensure the pooches did not double up as ring bearers. Lake Texoma is a reservoir formed by Denison Dam on the Red River at the border of Oklahoma and Texas - due south of both Tishomingo, Oklahoma , where Shelton lives, and his hometown Ada. Ben Hayslip, Matt Dragstrem and Josh Thompson wrote the canine celebration. Shelton co-wrote Turning Me On that references his singer girlfriend, Gwen Stefani. |
The song, written by Shelton , Jessi Alexander and Josh Osborne, includes the lyric "she's Revlon red in the blackest night," a reference to Stefani's work with Revlon cosmetics and penchant for red lip colour.
I was on my bus alone, and I had my guitar, started playing a little melody that I was hearing in my head, and next thing you know, I started writing a song, Shelton confessed.
I wrote a verse, then I wrote a chorus, then I realised it was going somewhere, and I felt good about it. I'm super proud of it - and it's not hard to figure out who this song is about.
Ironically, Blake's Oklahoma home was struck by a truck while he was doing an interview to promote his album.
"So, I'm talking about Texoma Shore , and I made the album at my lake house," Blake revealed.
"There is a studio at my lake house in Oklahoma , and I just got a phone call. Somebody drove their truck through the front of my lake house, so if this album doesn't hit, then that's bad luck.
"It was an accident. I'm trying to figure it out, too. There's a truck sticking out of the front of my freaking house out there. I gotta sell some records now for sure! It's one of them things. That's what you have insurance for. I'm not too worried about it."
CLICK HERE for a Blake Shelton CD feature in The Diary on May 27, 2016.
CHRIS YOUNG ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL
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Tennessean Chris Young toured here twice for our late TV show benefactor Rob Potts and fellow Tasmanian born promoter Michael Chugg.
This week Young, 32, returns with his Losing Sleep video filmed at the Omni Hotel, Nashville.
He wrote the title track of his chart topping seventh album with Josh Hoge and Chris DeStefano.
Young co-wrote all 10 songs and was co-producer with Corey Crowder.
Vince Gill hosted Young's surprise induction to the Grand Ole Opry on October 17.
I did not see my grandad, which would've been the one thing that tipped me off that something was up, Young confessed.
I did not see him or my grandmother and they hid them very well. My sister was here, which also should have tipped me off, because she doesn't come to shows a lot, but that's easy to say in retrospect.
Young and Gill performed Sober Saturday Night - a heartbreak ballad he wrote with Brad and Brett Warren - for previous album I'm Coming Over .
The singer also donated $100,000 to victims of Hurricane Harvey .
"I have family and friends there and I'm fairly positive my house down there may have to be torn down as it was in one of the hardest hit areas by wind and flooding," Young revealed.
"But that's the least of my concern. I'm worried about the people there. Like I said, my friends, family, neighbors and I want to help."
CLICK HERE for a Chris Young CD feature in The Diary on June 11, 2016.
MARTY STUART HONOURS THE LAKOTA
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Celebrated singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marty Stuart revisits an ancestral Indian home in his video for Time Don't Wait.
Choctaw descendant Marty visited Pine Ridge - home of the Lakota in the black hills of South Dakota.
His vision included Wounded Knee - grave of the famous Lakota warrior Red Cloud.
The results are absolutely exquisite, Stuart revealed.
I invite the viewer to come along with me and the Superlatives to Pine Ridge. By way of Reid Long's camera, we'll take you deep inside of a world filled with wonderful people, that most people don't even know exist.
Marty first met the Lakota with Johnny Cash's band when married to Johnny's daughter Cindy.
Stuart toured Australia with the Cashes and the late Cowboy Jack Clement in 1981.
Marty, 59, split with Cindy and became the fourth husband of fellow country singer Connie Smith, now 76.
They celebrated their nuptials on Pine Ridge Reservation in 1997.
In 2005 Marty released a concept record based on the struggle of Native Americans called Badlands : Ballad of the Lakota.
Marty wrote all songs except Big Foot by Cash who first honoured Native Americans on his 1964 album Bitter Tears .
After Stuart witnessed both poverty and indomitable spirit of the Lakota people it began a friendship with the tribe that still exists.
Marty is known to the Lakota as O Yate' o Chee Ya'ka Hopsila or the man who helps the people.
Time Don't Wait is on Stuart's 18 th album Way Out West recorded with his Fabulous Superlatives band and released in March.
Marty and Connie live in the former Hendersonville home of the late Roy Orbison and widow Barbara.
The Philadelphia born former child prodigy made his professional debut at 13 with Carl and Pearl Butler before performing with gospel group The Sullivans.
His Grand Ole Opry debut at 14 began an eight-year stint with Lester Flatt and The Nashville Grass.
When Flatt died in 1979 Stuart stayed in Nashville , worked sessions and toured with Vassar Clements, Doc and Merle Watson and Bob Dylan before joining Cash's band in 1980.
CLICK HERE for a Marty feature in The Diary on July 5, 2005.
RICK'S HEART YEARNS FOR EMMYLOU
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Rick Hart masters metaphors for a heroine at home in his video for Sweet Emmylou from debut album Let Me In , released in October. Rick's lament about the road and missing loved ones left at home was filmed in locales diverse as Warburton and Drouin - birthplace of former Geelong star Gary Ablett Sr. Gary Ablett Jr returns to his family home for the 2018 football season. Hart turned his album into a family celebration with a song penned with Evan - one of his three sons - and duets with wife Vanessa and niece Elysia Gomez.
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Sweet Emmylou follows recent videos filmed in Victoria for To The Grave, Driver Alone and Levon Helm.
I am stoked to have signed a global publishing deal with Kobalt Music Publishing/Checked Label Services , Hart revealed.
My entire catalogue including the new album will be represented globally by them and to say I'm excited would be an understatement.
I have also signed a global distribution deal with Checked Label Services for the Let Me In album.
CLICK HERE for a Rick Hart CD feature in The Diary.
KIRSTY LEE AKERS AGES IN VIDEO
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Hunter Valley born Kirsty Lee Akers aged dramatically in her video for Take Me Back - sixth single off her fourth album Burn, Baby, Burn.
It took the 29-year-old five hours to apply her ageing make up to illustrate a haunting family story.
Kirsty's mum gave birth to her in her teens.
But her parents' divorce led to her being a role model to younger siblings as a teenager
The video depicted Kirsty in an elderly version of herself as she recalls milestones and life experiences that fate dealt her and the question what if?
Akers returned to the 2017 Americana festival in Nashville and continues her Nashville to the Top End tour until June 2018.
Kirsty toured Victoria in 2012 with Texan troubadour Hayes Carll.
Her album also includes I Will written for husband Jesse Anderson whom she wed at Pokolbin near the former CMC Rocks The Hunter festival site in the winery belt on April 4, 2014.
I never wrote a song about him before even though we've been together 11 years, Akers revealed of her love ballad about her husband whom she met two decades ago in kindergarten and dated from high school.
I thought it was about time.
Kirsty and Jesse commute between Nashville - where she writes and performs with diverse peers - and their Hunter Valley home.
Jesse has been with me through it all and he fits right in in Nashville , Akers confessed.
He's very down to earth and he doesn't like the spotlight, which is great for me because he keeps me grounded. I don't think I could be with another musician.
Jesse has been with Akers since she released her first EP at 16, debut album The Little Things in 2007 and became only act to win the trifecta - Toyota Star Maker, Telstra Road to Discovery and a Golden Guitar .
CLICK HERE for a Kirsty Lee feature in The Diary on June 4, 2016.
ALEYCE SIMMONDS VENDOR TERMS
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Port Macquarie born singer-songwriter Aleyce Simmonds returns with a strident song about love and other bruises.
Aleyce performs Only On My Terms from her third album More Than Meets The Eye.
She bid adios to her male lead by returning his guitar and suitcase.
Simmonds, winner of two 2017 Southern Stars Australian Independent Music Festival awards in Mildura in September, says More Than Meets The Eye delved into a personal story of hurt, joy and sadness.
"This album is quite a journey because, to be honest, Aleyce revealed.
I went from a place of darkness and I found someone who changed my life, I moved into the light, we went through the ups and downs of the relationship and spat out the other side when we broke up and into the darkness again - and then finding my way back to Tamworth .
Aleyce also appeared on Nu Country when she honoured her brother, who died 24 years ago as a baby, in her evocative video for Joshua from second album Believe in 2015
She also graced Nu Country with Anchor and Defeated penned with Wollongong singer-songwriter Jeremy Edwards.
Aleyce co-wrote former Nu Country TV host and Starmaker finalist Cameron Cusack's debut single Dreams Are Not That Far Away.
Further info - www.aleycesimmonds.com
HOW TO KEEP NU COUNTRY ON AIR
We need your support as we celebrate Nu Country TV's 34th series with Australian record companies and artists teaming to ensure our survival.
We have Kasey Chambers 11th CD Dragonfly and Blake Shelton's 12th CD If I'm Honest from Karen Black and Tony Midolo at Warner Music.
We also have other CDS by major artists you can win by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing membership.
They include singing actor Tim McGraw, Ashley Monroe, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and more.
CLICK HERE for our Membership Page for full details.