DAVE'S DIARY - 4 JUNE 2018 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 26 - SERIES 34
CARRIE UNDERWOOD HEADLINES NU COUNTRY TV
Oklahoma born singing actor Carrie Underwood headlines Nu Country TV on Saturday June 9 at 9 pm on Channel 31/ Digital 44.
Veteran bluegrass singers Rhonda Vincent and Claire Lynch also perform live in our Behind Bars segment of the show repeated on Monday at 3 pm and filmed and edited by Laith Graham.
Fellow bluegrass singer Alison Krauss joins Levi Hummon on his debut on the program.
Queensland duo Busby Marou and truck driver's daughter Jayne Denham return with their latest video clips.
Nu Country TV is a highlight of C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.
Further info - https://www.c31.org.au/
CARRIE BOOMERANGS AS A CHAMPION
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Seven time Grammy winner Carrie Underwood has made a triumphant recovery after breaking her wrist and having 50 stitches in facial wounds after a fall at her Nashville home in November.
Carrie recovered at home with ice hockey star husband Mike Fisher but teamed with rapper Ludacris on her video for The Champion that exploits sporting and civil rights metaphors to drive equality messages.
The Champion was used in the opening for Super Bowl LII and Winter Olympics later in February.
Underwood wrote the song in 2017 with Brett James, Chris DeStefano and Ludacris.
"When we were writing The Champion our main focus was to celebrate athletes at the top of their game, but we also wanted the song to resonate with people in their everyday lives,” Underwood revealed.
“We hope the lyrics will inspire people to push themselves beyond their limits to conquer anything they are trying to accomplish or overcome. There's a champion in every single one of us!”
Carrie, 35, won her 14th Academy Of Country Music award in April for best vocal duet with expatriate Australasian superstar Keith for their hit The Fighter .
They combined for two concerts at Rod Laver Arena in December, 2015.
Carrie has recorded sixth album Cry Pretty to be released on September 14 - the title track and lead single were released on April 11.
Carrie wrote it with Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose ( The Love Junkies ) and produced her album with fellow writer/producer David Garcia.
"At this point in my career, I feel stronger and more creative than ever,” Carrie revealed.
“I think you can hear that in this new album. It's emotional, it's soulful, it's real, and we also have some fun on there too. I hope everyone loves it as much as I have loved making it."
Underwood spent much of 2016 on tour and took most of 2017 off before co-hosting the CMA Awards in November with Brad Paisley.
She acted in 2011 movie Soul Surfer after marrying Nashville Predators hockey star Mike Fisher in 2010.
They have a son Isaiah, born in 2015.
CLICK HERE for a Carrie feature in The Diary on November 2, 2015.
CLICK HERE to win Carrie's fifth album Storyteller on our Membership Page.
ALISON KRAUSS PROVES LOVE HEALS WITH LEVI HUMMON
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Levi Hummon honours his mother on his Nu Country debut with bluegrass multi-instrumentalist singer Alison Krauss, now 46, who has won 27 Grammys.
They pay homage to matriarch Becca Steven's philanthropic organisation Thistle Farms on Love Heals - first single from his debut EP.
Levi, 26, wrote his song with prolific Grammy winning hit writer dad Marcus Hummon and Tom Douglas.
Hummon studied painting in college in St. Petersburg , Florida , and exploited his musical talents - singing and songwriting.
After a major relationship ended he explored songwriting as solace.
Levi developed his sound with his father's tutelage and fellow hit writers Shane McAnally, Andrew Dorff, Josh Osborne, Jimmy Robbins, Jonathan Singleton, Nathan Barlowe, Brandy Clark and Trevor Rosen.
His song Make it Love was featured in director Desmond Child's 2013 film Two: The Story of Roman & Nyro.
Levi also co-wrote Steven Tyler's single Red, White and You that hit #1 in Italy .
“You're letting someone into your world which is really vulnerable,” Levi says of his writing.
“I write from a reflective and personal place. Most of the time I couldn't see anyone else singing these songs because they reflect my life.”
Levi has toured with Kelsea Ballerini, Billy Currington, Hunter Hayes, Sam Hunt, Kip Moore and Eli Young Band.
Krauss last appeared on Nu Country with Losing You - a 1963 hit for rockabilly legend Brenda Lee, still performing live at 72.
Losing You - recorded by Brenda for her vinyl disc Let Me Sing - is on Alison's 17th album Windy City , released in February, 2017.
Krauss's career started at 14 and included Down From The Mountain movie.
CLICK HERE for a Krauss review in The Diary on August 29, 2007.
Further info - http://levihummon.com/
CLAIRE LYNCH BLACK FLOWERS
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Alabama singer Claire Lynch performs an evocative funeral tribute to fallen coal miners in her Grammy nominated song Black Flowers from her 11th album North By South .
Black Flowers was penned by Canadian singer-songwriter Lynn Miles.
North By South is Lynch's celebration of Canadian songwriters that stemmed from a conversation with her husband before they married.
Like many Canadian artists he felt American performers gave scant attention to music north of the border.
Claire agreed and used the Black Flowers video as an illustration.
Lynch matched the dark mood of the song that tells of pain of mining communities wracked by death with visuals from actual coal mining experiences provided by fans.
She asked them to submit still images their families collected to help her tell the story.
The stark, black & white photos are set against video of a carefree young girl dancing through a bleak cemetery.
Claire, now 64, was born in New York and moved south to Huntsville , Alabama at 12, and grew up in a musical family.
Lynch's mother played piano, her father sang and Claire joined two sisters in a trio at church.
In high school she wrote and recorded songs before fronting Hickory Wind who became the Front Porch String Band .
Further info - http://www.clairelynch.com/
RHONDA VINCENT MIDNIGHT ANGEL
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Fellow Grammy winner Rhonda Vincent and her band The Rage return to Behind Bars with their live video for Midnight Angel . It follows their Nu Country appearance with Kentucky Borderline - also on their new double DVD-CD All The Rage - Volume 1. Rhonda won her 1st Grammy this year at 55 after releasing 18 solo albums. She also released two duet discs with the late Daryle Singletary and veteran Texan honky tonk hero Gene Watson after debuting at five in her family gospel group - Sally Mountain Show. Singletary and Shotgun Willie Nelson, 85, also guest on Rhonda's two-disc set Only Me. |
Rhonda recorded with her brother Darrin and Jamie Dailey as Dailey & Vincent on the title track of her 14th album Taken.
She featured on Nu Country with vocal and video cameos by singing actor Dolly Parton in Heartbreaker's Alibi from 12th album All American Bluegrass Girl.
The banjo-playing mother of two harmonized on three songs on Georgian superstar Alan Jackson's 18th album Freight Train including It's Just That Way.
It's one of three Top 5 hits co-written by expat Port Douglas singer-songwriter and Starmaker winner Kylie Sackley.
CLICK HERE for a Rhonda Vincent feature from the Diary on April 20, 2004.
CALAMITY JAYNE
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Art imitated life for Central NSW coast chanteuse Jayne Denham as she swapped a truck for a Harley in her new video for Calamity - title track and second single from her fourth album.
Storms of love became storms of life for the bike riding duo in the fiery tune.
Jayne launched it at the CMC Rocks Queensland festival at Ipswich in March and Mid-America Trucking Show in late March on the same stage as Texan legend Tanya Tucker.
“It was really great to be invited to perform again at the Mid-American Trucking Show again, this time with my full band,” she said.
“Performing on the same stage as Tanya Tucker this year and getting to meet her sure was a highlight.”
Denham recorded her seven track album at Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus' studio in Nashville with Jay playing bass.
“I love the album and feel it's great for where I am at and what I am doing,” Denham revealed.
“I think people don't know I am from Australia , but they sure do when I speak. The trucking community sure do love my trucking songs, especially being from Down Under.”
Denham moved from a farmlet at Hartley, west of Katoomba, to the NSW Central Coast where she lives with husband Dave whom she wed on October 20, 2017.
She filmed her previous video for Stacks that she wrote with Phil Barton and producer Brian White, in Maitland, Sydney and Texas .
Stacks - one of her 14 video clips - was directed by Phil Taylor.
“While writing for my next record in Nashville , my producer, Brian White and I were brainstorming ideas about trucking songs,” Jayne explained.
“He mentioned the title Stacks which immediately took me back to my childhood. I remember as a kid going to truck races and seeing all those blinged up rigs screaming around the track. One of my favourite parts of the day was when the drivers would put the pedal to the metal and you would hear this loud roar and smoke come from those 11 feet of galvanized Chrome Stacks.”
CLICK HERE for a Jayne Denham CD review in The Diary on April 30, 2018.
BUSBY MAROU LIVE ON GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND
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Rockhampton raised duo Busby Marou perform their new video Got Your Back live at the Shellhouse on Great Keppel Island.
They boomeranged after Jeremy Marou suffered a heart attack at just 34 in May last year.
Marou and former lawyer-marine biologist Tom Busby started Busby Marou in 2007 on the banks of the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.
Got Your Back is on their third album Post Cards From The Shellhouse.
They recorded it at Shellhouse on Great Keppel Island and The Stables in Gisborne, north of Melbourne.
Busby Marou also promoted their home state on return to Victoria on their national tour in May.
They provided music and appear in Tourism and Events Queensland campaign Beautiful One Day, Perfect The Next for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April .
“Thomas Busby and Jeremy Marou are not only two of Australia 's most popular musicians, they are authentic Queenslanders who perfectly symbolise our enviable way of life," Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones revealed.
“This was so much fun and an experience we're so proud to be a part of. We love being Queenslanders and love sharing its beauty so for us, this is the easiest job the world,” Busby added.
Busby Marou previously released their Paint This Land video directed by Wayne Blair and Kate Halpin at Mt Tambourine in the Gold Coast hinterland.
It featured Wayne 's father, Bob Blair - a Vietnam War veteran and first Aboriginal Regimental Sergeant Major in Australia - and actor Tony Barry.
Paint This Land acknowledged all soldiers who fought side by side with attention to Indigenous soldiers who were sadly never recognised until much later.
It celebrates Australia 's rich history through themes of solidarity, reconciliation and hope and paid homage to the past and future with a united respectful vision.
Further info - http://www.busbymarou.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.
You can win Kip Moore's third album Slowheart , thanks to EMI promotions chief Dave Parker, 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 Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and late larrikin legend A.P. Johnson.
CLICK HERE for our Membership Page for full details.