Jon Pardi Bringing Country Music Back To Its Roots With 'California Sunrise'

In time where auto-tune & rap have found their way into country airwaves, where it's become more important for lyrics to be simplistic, making you want to drink more & think less, Jon Pardi is doing his part to bring country music back to its roots.  He's here to prove that we "don't need to find a new way to say we don't go out of style."

Pardi's sophomore studio album, 'California Sunrise,' does just that.  I was listening to the album one day while I was in the kitchen cooking with my mom, when she suddenly got a smile on her face.  "This reminds me of the music my dad listened to.  It's too bad he's not still around because you two have the same taste in music."  That comment alone speaks volumes to the direction in which Jon Pardi is taking country music.

'California Sunrise' will make you want to dance around your living room & hit the town one moment and reminisce about your ex the next.

Check It Out & Turn It Up 7/26

This week we're bringing you music by Bobby Wills, Brandon Jenkins, Craig Morgan & many more!

Shows To Catch This Week 7/25-7/31

Tuesday July 26

American Aquarium - Rockford, Illinois (Anderson Japanese Gardens)

Dolly Parton - Orem, Utah (UCCU Center)

Jason Eady - Conroe, Texas (Doesey Doe Music Cafe)

Willie Nelson - Boise, Idaho (Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden)

Wednesday July 27

American Aquarium - Minneapolis, Minnesota (Fine Line Music Cafe)

Cody Canada & The Departed - Fort Worth, Texas (Capital Bar)

Dolly Parton - Morrison, Colorado (Red Rocks Amphitheatre)

Jamey Johnson - Mescalero, New Mexico (Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino)

Keith Urban - Stateline, Nevada (Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys)

Reckless Kelly - Jackson, Wyoming (Teton County Fairgrounds)

Thursday July 28

Aaron Watson - Beatrice, Nebraska (Gage County Fair)

American Aquarium - Papillon, Nebraska (Sumtur Amphitheater)

Cody Canada & The Departed - Belton, Texas (Shoepf's Backyard)

Hayes Carll - Lander, Wyoming (Lander LIVE)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers - Greeley, Colorado (Moxi Theater)

Keith Urban - Mountain View, California (Shoreline Amphiteatre)

Kevin Fowler - Fort Smith, Arkansas (Electric Cowboy)

Miranda Lambert - Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Blossom Music Center)

Reckless Kelly - Salt Lake City, Utah (The Depot)

Travis Tritt - Deadwood, South Dakota (Deadwood Mountain Grand)

Turnpike Troubadours - Papillion, Nebraska (Sumtur Amphitheater)

Willie Nelson - Salt Lake City, Utah (Red Butte Garden)

Friday July 29

Aaron Watson - Cheyenne, Wyoming (Cheyenne Frontier Das)

American Aquarium - Fort Smith, Arkansas (Peacemaker Music & Arts Festival)

Brandon Rhyder - Fort Worth, Texas (The Live Oak)

Charlie Robison - Bertram, Texas (Globe Theater)

Chris Stapleton - Sioux City, Iowa (Battery Park)

Clay Walker - Deadwood, South Dakota (Deadwood Mountain Grand)

Cody Canada & The Departed - Midland, Texas (The Lone Star Bar)

Dolly Parton - Kansas City, Missouri (Sprint Center)

Garth Brooks - Bossier City, Louisiana

Hayes Carll - White Sulphur Springs, Montana (Red Ants Pants Festival)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers - Salt Lake City, Utah (In The Venue)

Keith Urban - Stateline, Nevada (Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena)

Kevin Fowler - Little Rock, Arkansas (Electric Cowboy)

Miranda Lambert - Trinity Park, Illinois (Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre)

Pat Green - Salado, Texas (Johnny's BBQ)

Reckless Kelly - Lubbock, Texas (The Office Grill & Sports Bar)

Shane Smith & The Saints - Houston, Texas (Firehouse Saloon)

Stoney LaRue - Albuquerque, New Mexico (The Dirty Bourbon Dance Hall Saloon)

The Damn Quails - Denton, Texas (Rockin Rodeo)

Turnpike Troubadours - Fort Smith, Arkansas (Peacemaker Music & Arts Festival)

William Clark Green - Concan, Texas (House Pasture Cattle Company)

Saturday July 30

Aaron Watson - Salt Lake City, Utah (In The Venue)

American Aquarium - Kansas City, Missouri (Uptown Theater)

Charlie Daniels Band - Robinsonville, Mississippi (Fitz Casino Tunica)

Cody Canada & The Departed - El Paso, Texas (Tricky Falls)

Dolly Parton - St. Louis, Missouri (Scottrade Center)

Garth Brooks - Bossier City, Louisiana (CenturyLink Center)

Hayes Carll - Missoula, Montana (Top Hat Lounge)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers - Big Sky, Montana (Big Sky Town Center)

Jason Eady - Belleville, Illinois (Eckerts)

Jon Pardi - Spokane, Washington (Knitting Factory Concert House)

Kevin Fowler - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Jake Jam)

Miranda Lambert - Omaha, Nebraska (CenturyLink Center)

Pay Green - New Braunfels, Texas (Whitewater Amphitheater)

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Billings, Montana (The Pup Station)

Reckless Kelly - Lubbock, Texas (Cattle Barrons Ball at V-8 Ranch)

Stoney LaRue - Alto, New Mexico (Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts)

The Damn Quails - Waco, Texas (The Backyard)

Turnpike Troubadours - Kansas City, Missouri (Uptown Theater)

William Clark Green - New Braunfels, Texas (River Road Icehouse)

Sunday July 31

Aaron Watson - George, Washington (Watershed Festival)

Jason Eady - Omaha, Nebraska (The Waiting Room)

Lanco - Chicago, Illinois (Bub City)

Ray Wylie Hubbard - White Sulphur Springs, Montana (Red Ants Pants Music Festival)

The Damn Quails - Fort Worth, Texas (TX Red Dirt Roads w/Justin Frazell)

Why Chris Janson’s 'Holdin’ Her; is the Love Song Country Music Has Been Waiting For

Every now and then, in the midst of modern country music, you find a true gem. A song that provides such strong imagery, gives you goose bumps, and brings you to tears is a rarity these days, but Holdin’ Her by Chris Janson accomplishes just that. Holdin’ Her is a song that will make you want to fall in love, not just for a night, not just for the summer, but for a lifetime.   

This is the story of meeting a girl, falling in love, getting married, and having a family.  In fact it is a personal story that Jason co-wrote with James Otto about his own wife and family.   If the song alone doesn’t bring you to tears, the waterworks are sure to roll down your cheek when you watch the music video and hear Janson describe what the song means to him while images of him and his family roll on in the background.  

This is real.  This is raw.  This is what country music should be. 

Artist of the Week - Maren Morris

Born & raised in Texas, Maren Morris began singing & performing at an early age.  At 20 she decided to stop performing, leave Texas, & move to Nashville to focus on her songwriting.  She has helped write songs for other artists including Tim McGraw, Kelly Clarkson, & Brothers Osborne.  

After writing My Church, Morris decided it was time for her to get back into performing & recording her own music.  Her hit single reached #5 on the US Hot Country chart, & her current single, 80s Mercedes, is climbing the charts.   Her album Hero, which was released back in June, debuted at #1.

Hero is a solid album from start to finish.  I have not stopped listening to it since it came out.  Consisting of songs about bad relationships that you can't help but sing at the top of your lungs, & more soulful, heartfelt tracks, there's a song on there for every mood.

Rich

Check It Out & Turn It Up 7/19

This week we're bring you tunes by Blackjack Billy, Justin Adams, Logan Mize, & more!

Shows To Catch This Week 7/18-7/24

Monday July 18

Old Crow Medicine Show - Chicago, Illinois (Thalia Hall)

Stoney LaRue - Stillwater, Oklahoma (Eskimo Joe's)

Tuesday July 19

Dolly Parton - Cedar Rapids, Iowa (US Cellular Center)

Wednesday July 20

David Allan Coe - Deadwood, South Dakota (Deadwood Mountain Grand)

Dolly Parton - Hinckley, Minnesota (Grand Casino Hinckley Amphitheater)

Hayes Carll - San Francisco, California (Great American Music Hall)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers - Fort Worth, Texas (Capiral Bar)

Jason Eady - El Paso, Texas (State Line BBQ)

Reckless Kelly - Phoenix, Arizona (MIM Music Theater)

Thursday July 21

Aaron Lewis - Lincoln, Nebraska (Bourbon Theatre)

Aaron Watson - Dallas, Texas (The Rustic)

Brandon Rhyder - Belton, Texas (Schoepf's BBQ)

Chris Stapleton - Canandaigua, New York (Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center)

Hayes Carll - Los Angeles, California (Teragram Ballroom)

Jason Eady - San Antonio, Texas (The County Line Barbecue)

Keith Urban - West Valley City, Utah (USANA Amphitheatre)

Reckless Kelly - Solana Beach, California (Belly Up Tavern)

Friday July 22

Aaron Watson - Austin, Texas (Nutty Brown Cafe & Amphitheatre)

Charlie Robison - Decatur, Texas (Bonos Saloon)

Chris Stapleton - Gilford, New Hampshire (Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook)

Cody Canada & The Departed - Paris, Texas (Heritage Hall)

Cody Johnson - Denver, Colorado (Grizzly Rose)

Cory Morrow - Dallas, Texas (Granada Theater)

Dierks Bentley - Raleigh, North Carolina (Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek)

Dolly Parton - Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Denny Sanford PREMIER Center)

Garth Brooks - San Antonio, Texas (ATT Center)

Jack Ingram - Austin, Texas (Nutty Brown Cafe & Amphitheatre)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers - Pawhuska, Oklahoma (Cavalcade Rodeo/Osage County Fairgrounds)

Kevin Fowler - Alice, Texas (Jim Wells County Fairgrounds)

Kip Moore - Las Vegas, Nevada (Mandalay Bay)

Randy Rogers Band - Beaumont, Texas (Jerry Nelson's Hill Country & The Backyard Music Hall)

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Conroe, Texas (Dosey Doe Music Cafe)

Reckless Kelly - Los Angeles, California (El Ray)

Stoney LaRue - Katy, Texas (Mo's Place)

The Damn Quails - New Braunfels, Texas (River Road Ice House)

Turnpike Troubadours - Houston, Texas (House of Blues)

William Clark Green - Amarillo, Texas (Hoot's Pub)

Saturday July 23

Aaron Watson - Longview, Texas (Great Texas Balloon Race)

Bart Crow Band - Birmingham, Alabama (Zydeco)

Charlie Robison - Spring, Texas (Bareback Bar & Icehouse)

Dierks Bentley - Bristow, Virgina (Jiffy Lube Live)

Dolly Parton - Deadwood, South Dakota (Deadwood Mountain Grand)

Dwight Yoakam - Laughlin, Nevada (Edgewater E Center)

Garth Brooks - San Antonio, Texas (AT&T Center)

Gary Allan - Primm, Nevada (Star of the Desert Arena)

Jack Ingram - Lake Charles, Louisiana (Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Myriad Botanical Gardens)

Jason Eady - New Braunfels, Texas (River Road Icehouse)

Kevin Fowler - Concan, Texas (Houst Pasture Cattle Co)

Keith Urban - Albuquerque, New Mexico (Isleta Amphitheater)

Randy Rogers BAnd - Austin, Texas (Nutty Brown Cafe & Amphitheatre)

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Stafford, Texas (Redneck Country Club)

Reckless Kelly - Paso Robles, California (California Mid-State Fair)

Stoney LaRue - Burnet, Texas (Haley Nelson Park Amphitheater)

The Damn Quails - Humble, Texas (Cash County Line)

Tim McGraw - Stateline, Nevada (Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena)

Turnpike Troubadours - New Braunfels, Texas (White Water Amphitheater)

William Clark Green - Abilene, Texas (The Patio At Nueva Luna)

Sunday July 24

American Aquarium - Atlanta, Georgia (Park Tavern)

Dierks Bentley - Virginia Beach, Virginia (Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater)

Garth Brooks - San Antonio, Texas (AT&T Center)

Hayes Carll - Newport, Rhode Island (Newport Folk Festival)

Jason Eady - Austin, Texas (Strange Brew)

Reckless Kelly - Petaluma, California (Mystic Theatre)