THE GEORGIA
MUSIC CHANNEL
PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA MUSIC ARTISTS
JASON ALDEAN SUGARLAND ALLMAN BROTHERS Luke bryan
COLT FORD LYNYRD SKYNYRD CHUCK LEAVELL MOTHERS FINEST
ZAC BROWN BAND lady antebelluM
Preserving the history and musical heritage of Georgia music artists, songwriters, musicians and producers
with a wide range of genres - country music, rock music, southern rock music, soul music, gospel and more.
Our radio station features music exclusively by Georgia artists, songwriters, musicians or producers.
Singer - songwriter and recording artist, Crickett Allen, has released a new single for Tillandsia Records entitled "Born in Georgia", a bluesy Georgia anthem celebrating heritage and family. "Born in Georgia” is not only an anthem for all Georgia sports fans, but it also carries a universal theme of family and heritage.
Tillandsia records co-founder Bob Herrin captured the cover photo of a Georgia live oak moss lined lane and the cover was designed by Kelly Clague, a creative director whose credits include Tim McGraw.
"Born In Georgia" purposely represents the sounds of the south. The musicians capture the deep blues influence of what makes southern country rock unique. "Crickett's vocals are the real deal - powerful and soulful," says Rory Knapton, co-founder of Tillandsia Records. We are proud to make 'Born In Georgia' our premiere release from Tillandsia." The song reached the Indy Best seller list last summer and recently became a Top Pick on the Shag Music top 40. It's being streamed throughout the world thousands of times every week.
The Georgia Heat Band is currently recording a 20 song double album of originals written by Crickett Allen. The album will soon be released, entitled "Born in Georgia" and features Southern Rock and Blues with Funk/ Jazz influences melded with blue grass and country strains, all with excellent vocal harmonies. This synergy along with Crickett`s powerful lyrics create stories that produce a soulful sound totally unique to the band. One of the new songs has been selected as the title song in an upcoming movie. In her career Crickett has opened large concerts for Maynard Ferguson, Dolly Parton, Lee Greenwood and Barbara Mandrell along many other top acts of different musical genres. "Born in Georgia" is true Americana with All-American musical roots. The album will be available soon on itunes, Amazon and CD Baby and will be featured on The Georgia Music Channel upon its release.
The band consists of DRUMS: Rory Knapton, Dane Clark/ Vocals; KEYBOARDS/ Vocals: Keith Claghorn; SAX/ Vocals: Michael Hulett; BASS: Steve Dokken; GUITAR: Lead, Rhythm: Tom Padgett; Lead, Rhythm, Slide/ Vocals: Ren Halverson; PEDAL STEEL/ Banjo, Dobro, Acoustic Guitar/ Vocals: Tim Wright; PIANO/Keyboards/ Vocals: Crickett Allen
Crickett Allen has been writing and performing music for over 40 years throughout the U.S. and Europe. Known for her unique alto voice and stride piano style, Crickett has entertained to capacity crowds, with bands and solo piano performances in Las Vegas, Majestic Cruise lines and in Music City, Nashville. Crickett has also spent 10 years traveling and living in Germany, using her talents as a teacher and music director to create a curriculum of musical performance to bring growth and healing for mentally and developmentally challenged adults.
Born in Georgia" can be purchased through iTunes, amazon, cdbaby, and cdnow. For more updates on Crickett Allen, check out Crickett Allen Music on Facebook.
Joey Stuckey's Latest Single " Blind Man Drivin' "Released
Photo Credit: Joey Stuckey
Introduced to music at an early age, Joey's mother listened to opera and his father enjoyed country music. Years ago Joey would listen to the radio show "After Space". Rob Thomas hosted the show and it was his and other shows that let Joey know that music was what he wanted to do with his life.
We caught up with Joey to talk about that single, another new release and to discuss his upcoming UK Tour.
From Waycross, GA
By: Ron Holland - The Georgia Music Channel
Waycross, GA - "It's one thing to have amazing musical talent as an individual, but when artists
are able to double that talent as a duo, it's even more amazing. That's exactly what BEAU + LUCI
have done. As sisters, the two bring music to another level with their fantastic songwriting skills
and harmonious vocals," says Ron Holland of The Georgia Music Channel.
BEAU (16) + LUCI (19) grew up in Waycross, GA and have been harmoniously blending the
Organic Rock, Indie-Pop, and Modern Country Music genres with their own unique style since
their first EP release in 2013. Their "Momager," Allison, jokes about the girls being twins born
two-and-a-half years apart, specifically referring to the way the girls finish each other’s sentences
with an almost “sixth sense” of secret communication. However, Allison says, "Don't let that fool
you into thinking they're two-of-a-kind. BEAU + LUCI are as different as night and day. Through
their diversity, they complement each other, making them even more interesting and
unpredictable."
BEAU + LUCI 's Website
BEAU + LUCI 's OneHeart Project
The Peach Pickers
Georgia native songwriters Dallas
Davidson, Ben Hayslip and Rhett
Akins have written hundreds of
songs together, not counting the
songs written without collaborat-
ing with each other that have hit
the charts by major country music
recording stars. The trio is known
as "The Peach Pickers".
Seventeen years ago Rhett Akins
charted several hits including,
"That Ain't My Truck", "Don't Get
Me Started" and "She Said Yes".
His son, Thomas Rhett, is now
following his dad's footsteps. He
has a #1 song on the charts, "It
Goes Like This". His father was
the co-writer of this song. Read
more on Rhett here
Dallas Davidson was honored
recently with the 2013 ACM
Songwriter of the Year Award.
Outside of writing as a Peach
Picker, he's written and co-written
numerous #1 hits - "Runnin'
Outta Moonlight" (Randy Houser),
"That's My Kind Of Night" (Luke
Bryan), "Boys Round Here"
(Blake Shelton) and the list goes
on and on. Amazing for a fellow
that had $700 in his pocket and a
dream heading to Nashville in an
old pickup truck to write country
songs several years ago. Read
more on Dallas here
Ben Hayslip played baseball in
college but he always dreamed of
writing songs in Nashville. His
dream came true and a host of
artists have recorded his songs -
Brooks and Dunn, Joe Nichols,
Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, Luke
Bryan and the list continues.
Read more on Ben here
The threesome together as The
Peach Pickers have a long list of
hits. To mention a few - "I Don't
Want This Night To End" (Luke
Bryan), "All Over Me" (Josh
Turner), "All About Tonight"
(Blake Shelton), "Gimme That
Girl" (Joe Nichols) and "Put A
Girl In It" (Brooks and Dunn) and
then there's over six top tens and
over nine top 40's. It's hard to
keep count of their hits as they
continue to produce so many.
They've also received a long list
of major awards for their achieve-
ments.
The Black Crowes
2010 Inductees
Steve Hinson -
Nashville's Go-To
Guitar Man
Born in Macon, GA, Steve Hinson
is a natural born guitar man. Re-
gardless if it's a steel guitar, an
electric, acoustic, slide, dobro, ukelele or whatever, Steve can
hammer down on it. Of course,
his favorite and what you hear in
many songs that he's recorded
or played on stage with countless
artists is the steel guitar.
When he moved to Nashville in
1977, he began his career as a
studio musician and performer.
The credits for his work on
albums and tours with artists are
incredible. Just to mention a few-
Luke Bryan, Josh Turner, Randy
Travis, Dolly Partin, Darryl Worley
Kenny Chesney and more...
View A List Of Credits
When artists and studios want it
done right.......they call Steve.
Percy Sledge Performs
To Large Crowd At
Washington Park In
Macon
Oct 13, 2013 Macon, GA (GMC)
Ron Holland
The Georgia Music Channel
VIEW PHOTOS
The fans kept pouring in until
Washington Park in Macon was
packed to the brim to see the
legendary Percy Sledge.
Percy, born in Leighton, AL, was
an orderly for a hospital near
Muscle Shoals, AL. when he met
Alan Walden, co-founder of
Capricorn Records, publisher,
producer and artists manager, at
the hospital who told him, "Percy
you're going to be a star!" It was
shortly thereafter in 1966 that
Walden made good on his word
and helped Percy score one of
the greatest hit songs of all times
and a #1 hit on the Billboard R &
B charts - "When A Man Loves A
Woman". The song peaked at #4
in Europe on the charts and was
featured in a Levi Jeans commer-
cial. It's been covered by Michael
Bolton, Bette Midler Barbara
Mandrell, Jerry Butler, Art Gar-
funkel and others. The hit was
shown as #54 on The Rolling
Stones 500 Greatest Songs of all
times list. Percy went on to score
several other hits throughout his
career.
READ MORE
Channel Wants To Help
End Hunger
Did you know one out of every six
people in America struggle with hunger?
Help end hunger in Georgia by supporting Outnumber Hunger. Visit
Outnumber Hunger for details on how
you can help.
View The Video Featuring Georgia
country music artists Thomas Rhett &
Florida Georgia Line & other artists
supporting Outnumber Hunger.
Florida-Georgia Line Breaks Record For Longest Running #1
Song. "Cruise"
The song "Cruise" by Florida-
Georgia Line has broken a 69
year record for the longest
running #1 song on the Billboard
Country Songs chart. Also, the
five time platinum selling single is
the third best selling digiital
song.
Viewed In Classic View
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Jason Aldean breaks George
Straits' attendance record with
Night Train Tour at Cheyenne's
Frontier Days July 26th, with
24,000 tickets sold.
This Macon, Georgia native just
keeps rockin' the fans.
Find Out More About Jason
Kip Moore Scores Third
Consecutive #1 Hit With
"Hey Pretty Girl"
the woods on fire with his single
"Hey Pretty Girl". His two other #1
hits, in just over a year, are
"Something Bout' A Truck" and
"Beer Money". He wanted to have
a video that most related to the
song, "Hey Pretty Girl", in an
innocent way.....a couple holding
hands, grandma and grandpa
sitting together on the front
porch, well you get the drift. He
captures that moment in this
video.
Find Out More About Kip
Country Music
Rock Music
Pop Music
Southern Rock
Soul Music
Gospel Music
Songwriters
Producers
We cover all the genres.....
Learn More
Jason Aldean Wet Willie
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
LUKE BRYAN Chuck Leavell
.38 Special Colt Ford
Patti Loveless B-52's
BRANTLEY GILBERT
Gov't Mule James Brown
Otis Redding USHER
BLACK CROWES R.E.M.
Little Richard Sugarland
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Mothers Lady
Finest Antebellum
Percy Sledge The Tams
Chips Moman Mac Davis
Zac Brown Band
Atlanta Rhythm
Mike Section Travis
Curb The Tams Tritt
Blackberry Smoke
Trisha Yearwood
Johnny Mercer Bill Lowery
and hundreds of
other Georgia artists
"When A Man Loves A Womans"
Percy, born in Leighton, AL, was working for a hospital near Muscle Shoals, AL. in the 1960's when he met Alan Walden, co-founder of Capricorn Records, publisher, producer and artists manager, who told him, "Percy you're going to be a star!" It was shortly thereafter in 1966 that Walden made good on his word and helped Percy score one of the greatest hit songs of all times and a #1 hit on the Billboard R & B & Hot 100 charts - "When A Man Loves A Woman". Many other major recording artists would later cover Percy's
song, which allowed new generations to become familiar with it. The song was listed 53rd in the list of Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 greatest songs of all time.
Percy would continue to have Hot 100 hits until the late 60's,
touring and make appearances throughout the USA and overseas. In 2013, he performed at Washington Park in Macon, GA. Bob & Ron with The Georgia Music Channel was there to greet him as he arrived at the park to perform.
Percy Sledge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. He is survived by his wife and children.
Craig Campbell Signs With Red Bow Records
December 2014
With the release of Garth Brook's album in November, "Man Against Machine" which includes one of Craig's songs, "All American Kid", it seems like Santa Claus arrived early for the Lyons, Ga native.
Last October we met up with Craig Campbell at Party On The Farm in Covington, GA. " Outta My Head ", from his Never Regret album, was really going strong, peaking at #15 on the Billboard Country Airplay charts and spending 54 weeks on the charts, nearly surpassing Lee Brice's " Love Like Crazy " run of 56 weeks. " Out Of My Head' " was written by Michael Carter, Brandon Kinney and Georgia's Cole Swindell.
After talking with Craig and Jamie Michael last October, Craig's guitarist, I felt that " Keep Them Kisses Comin' " would be the next single to be released from the album. We'd already been playing it on our radio station for several weeks, since it's such a great song. We felt this would be Craig's next big hit and sure enough it was released December 2013 and April 2014 became his highest charting single peaking at #9 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and reaching #15 on Billboard's Country Songs chart. " Keep Them Kisses Comin' " was written by Georgia songwriters - two of The Peach Pickers, Ben Hayslip and Dallas Davidson. During all this great success, Craig's label, Bigger Picture, closed its doors a month later, but Craig kept charging ahead reaching new goals, scoring his highest charting single and constantly touring the country performing his songs. He attributes that success to his fans, telling us, " I have the best fans in the world. They are the reason I get to do what I love and I love seeing their faces at the shows. I am here to stay and I hope they are too."
Craig hasn't forgotten his roots growing up in rural Lyons, GA and was able to make it back home recently for the annual Real Squeal to perform where his mother made his introduction and sang with him on stage and his daughter, Preslee, performed the National Anthem at his high school's football game.
Prior to the announcement of Craig's new record label deal, Ron Holland with The Georgia Music Channel caught up with him to talk about the Real Squeal concert, his last two recent hits, "Outta My Head" and " Keep Them Kisses Comin' " and to discuss what's new.
View My Interview With Craig
Named 2014 Georgia Country Male Artists Of The Year & Overall Artist Of the Year
The Thomas Fountain Band Members
Thomas Fountain - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Gaylon Mathews - steel pedal/dobro
Drew Lawson - electric & upright bass
Blake Mincey - drums
Grant Reynolds - lead guitar
Alan Sanders - lead guitar
Simply put, Thomas Fountain is a rising star in a state known for producing huge country artists. Born and raised in the mountains of North Georgia, this Ball Ground native has seen his career take off in 2014. He was awarded Georgia Country Male Artist of the Year and Overall Artist of the Year in 2014.
Thomas has been entertaining audiences for several years but decided in 2013 to take a different direction with his music. He wanted to write, record, and perform his own material. The response to that life altering decision was astounding. In just his first year as a solo artist, Thomas was a Finalist for 2013 Georgia Country Artist of the year (1 of 6), toured 6 states, recorded his first EP, performed live on television, and his songs hit large market radio, among many other accomplishments. He is quickly gaining recognition as both an entertainer and songwriter.
Music Visionary Frank Fenter Inducted Into The Georgia Music Hall Of Fame
By Ron Holland – The Georgia Music Channel
Contributions & Photos: Rob Duner-Fenter
Frank Fenter was a man of strength, conviction and vision.
He proved that when he left South Africa when he was only
22 years old arriving in England broke, but not broken. In the
early 60's, he began booking bands such as The Rolling
Stones, The Animals and others well before they became
popular and had recording deals. In 1964 he would head up
Chappell Music Publishing, Liberty-Imperial Records, Chess
Music and became head of Atlantic Records in the UK. Only
six months later he became Managing Director of Atlantic
Records for all of Europe, implementing his keen vision
promoting British music, and helping make Atlantic Records
the most important American label in promoting British Rock
N Roll music, according to the late Ahmet Ertegun,
co-founder and Chairman of Atlantic Records and the Rock
N Roll Hall of Fame.
While at Atlantic, Fenter was instrumental in helping sign
Led Zeppelin, Yes and King Crimson in his capacity as
Managing Director of European operations and had a
yearning and distinct love for R & B music, bringing the "Hit
The Road Stax" tour to Europe which included artists Sam &
Dave, Otis Redding and Booker T and the MGs. People still
talk about the legendary performance by Otis Redding in
London. The shows were so popular that not only the fans
were scrambling for tickets, but The Beatles sent a limo to
pick up the Stax crew after the shows. There's rumor that
Paul McCartney kissed the ring of Steve Cropper, Booker T
and the MGs guitarist, amazed by his incredible guitar
performances. As a result of the insight and vision by by
Fenter, the tour was recorded and Stax Records, a division
of Atlantic, album sales soared. Seven of the eleven albums
went to gold certification.
Other inductees include Lady Antebellum, Wet Willie,
Francine Reed, Ed Roland, Danny Beard, Jeff
Foxworthy, Sean Costello, Wally Fowler, Eddie Horst
and Bobby Byrd.
Joel Mathis, singer/songwriter from Valdosta, GA, played the local scene for several years before hitting the Nashville recording studios and charting some songs on the Billboard country charts. He later toured Chicago and various cities, but always remembered his Valdosta, GA roots and the fans that helped him make it to Nashville. Learn more about Joel and his contributions to Georgia music.
R.E.M. Remasters Entire Catalog Of Tunes
R.E.M.'s complete catalog of studio albums and rarities, a massive collection, have been remastered for iTunes. The release will ensure that the listeners will have increased audio fidelity that reproduces what the artists, recording engineers and the producers intended. The fans have the ability to obtain the release by albums or individual tracks or in four special bundles: Complete I.R.S. Studio Albums, Complete Rarities - I.R.S. 1982 - 1987, Complete Warner Bros. Studio Albums Vol. I and Complete Rarities - Warner Bros. 1988 - 2011.
View The Songs In The Collections & Read More
Riley Biederer Signs Publishing Deal
With Sony / ATV
By Ron Holland
The Georgia Music Channel
Photo Credit: David Duong / Pixelslick Designs
Riley Biederer has signed a publishing agreement with the
world's largest publishing company, Sony/ATV. Biederer,
the recipient of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Horizon
Award in 2012 and signed by Elton John's Rocket Music,
has over 200 songs she has written or co-written that was
included in the deal with Sony/ATV. Making it super
special, the signing came on her 18th birthday. She said,
"it was so amazing and I also just got a new car because
of that, so it was super amazing. I've been waiting to buy a
car for about two years, so I finally got to." Signing with
Sony/ATV is an amazing accomplishment for a young artist
that's never released music commercially or had a publish-
ing deal in the past.
Riley has co-written songs with several Nashville chart buster
songwriters such as Bob Dipiero, Liz Rose and numerous
other major songwriters. She told me, "I'd actually written
with Bob a few times, the first time I did it I wrote with just
me and him, and he's super and nice and really funny, the
experience was really like easy and yea, that was the first
time we did a couple of songs together and they were really
great songs. The second time I wrote with him and Liz Rose
who's close friends and mentor to Taylor Swift and did a lot
of the work on her "Fearless" album so that was really awe-
some because I've always wanted to write with her. It was
really fun, it was super honoring to write with them and they
are really amazing at what they do and it was kind of inspiri-
ng."
Riley continues to perform live at various venues having
appeared in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and
several other cities.
We salute and congratulate Riley on her recent signing with
Sony/ATV. Click on the audio above to listen to my full inter-
view with Riley.
Find Out More About Riley Here
Visit Riley's Website
Country's Not So Countrywide: Why
South Georgia Is Country's New Epicenter
By Billy Dukes
Our apologies to Brantley Gilbert, but today’s country music is not as country wide as he claims. It’s actually limited to about 18 states, a half-dozen of which really dominate what we hear on country radio. Put a pin on an American map for the city of origin of every artist with a song on this week’s Top 50 airplay chart and you’ll find that — to borrow the title from an awful Lindsey Lohan movie — Georgia rules!
Specifically, southern Georgia rules. Six artists grew up between Macon, Ga. and the Florida border, including recent CMA Entertainer of the Year nominees Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean, plus promising newcomers Kip Moore and Thomas Rhett (by extension, this also includes super hot songwriter Rhett Akins, his father). Head north toward Atlanta, and you’ll find the hometowns of two-thirds of Lady Antebellum (Augusta), Zac Brown, Tyler Hubbard from Florida Georgia Line and Gilbert (Jefferson, Ga.).
Read More: Country's Not So Country Wide After All
Corey Smith releases his new single, "Aint Going Out
Tonight". Corey connected with famed producer Keith Stegall (Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band, George Jones) to work with on his ninth album.
Georgia country music artist Corey Smith was born and
raised in Jefferson, GA. He's sold over a million digital
singles and over 250,000 records independently.
After playing many nights in bars and grills, Corey graduated
college, got married and settled down and started teaching
high school. He would play songs for his students and to
his surprise they loved it. Corey says his initial fan base
following came from playing for the students.
His first album, " Undertones", included the single "Twenty
One" which charted on the Billboard Country Songs chart in
2011 when he included it on the album "Broken Record".
The album hit the number 17 position on the country albums
chart.
This was the start of the career that Corey really wanted -
songwriting and singing. His first moment of getting that
special "tingling" feeling was at a performance at a bar in
Dahlonega, GA that he'd never performed at before. He had
sold about 100 copies of his first album that originally had
Twenty One on it and it was spreading through various
college towns where he'd played. He thought there might be
15 - 20 people at the bar and since he'd not played that bar
he thought the crowd would want him to play his standard
cover songs, which he was doing at the time. To his
surprise, there were over 200 people. He opened the show
with his first song and everybody started singing it. It floored
him that everybody knew his music and sent chills down his
spine with joy.
In 2005 he headlined The Georgia Theater in Athens (The
Zac Brown Band opened the show.) Everywhere he played
the crowds were swelling and his shows were selling out. He
states that in the last five years, he's played over 700 shows
throughout the USA, sold over 700,000 tickets and grossed
over $9 million in revenue. He's done all of that without a
record label and bypassed Nashville all together. He relates
his success to writing songs that have genuine, truthful
meaning to people and just being himself. And of course a
lot of hard work.
Corey now tours throughout the country. He'll be appearing
with Brett Eldridge, Toby Keith, Eli Young Band, Darryl
Worley, Hunter Hayes, The Band Perry, Justin Moore,
Darrius Rucker, Love & Theft and others this year.
Find out more about Corey
View The "Twenty One" Video
Jacob Poole Competes In Elimination Duet
With Matthew Schuler On NBC's The Voice -
Who Did Christina Choose?
READ MORE
Party On The Farm Georgia Artists Rock
Covington, GA
Music Channel
about Georgia music artists and those having a connection
to Georgia. We cover a wide spectrum of genres - Country
music, Rock music, Pop music, R & B / Soul Music and so
many other genres. We've begun also listing non-perform-
ing artists to the Georgia Music Artists page- like producers,
managers, etc. and have opened a page for up-and-coming
musicians. We are constantly adding artists that have made
a contribution to GA music to the Georgia Music Artists
page. The list will never be complete, as we're fortunate
to have an abundance of music artists from Georgia. Feel
free to make recommendations for artists you'd like to
see listed by contacting us @ The Georgia Music Channel.
Remember, we include music artists that have a connection
to Georgia. For example, you may see a video or hear a
song by an artist like Elvis, who apparently never lived in
Georgia. However in this case, if the video or song is "In
The Ghetto" or "Don't Cry Daddy", these are relevant
because Mac Davis (a Georgia music artist) wrote those
songs. Therefore, it's Mac Davis and his work that we're
recognizing. This is an example of the depth of the work
by music artists from Georgia and how we honor and
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