Calgary Stampede - Coca-Cola Stage - July 7, 2018 - Photo HighlightsPHOTOS BY BARBARA BRANDER Broken Social Scene and opener Yukon Blonde at the Coca-Cola Stage at the Calgary Stampede.
Yukon Blonde - Jeff Innes
Yukon Blonde
Broken Social Scene
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ *For performances, schedules and information, go to CALGARY STAMPEDE 2018 - July 6-15, 2018.
Calgary Stampede - Coca-Cola Stage - July 6, 2018 - Photo HighlightsPHOTOS BY BARBARA BRANDER Elle King headlining the Coca-Cola Stage at the Calgary Stampede last night Friday July 6th, 2018. Also performances by Banners and Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine.
Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine
Banners
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ *For performances, schedules and Information, go to Calgary Stampede 2018 - July 6 - 15, 2018.
STAGECOACH MUSIC FESTIVAL ADVANCE SALE INFOLove Country Music and California? Stagecoach Music Festival 2019 Advance Sale - FRIDAY, JUNE 15 at 11:00AM PDT ADVANCE SALE INFO @STAGECOACH
Brown & Gray - New Sounds of Country - Upcoming Release 'Salt in the Coffee' June 8th - 2018Article/photos by Barbara Brander With the upcoming EP release of 'Salt in the Coffee' debuting June 8th, things are looking sweet for duo Kaci Brown and Sam Gray. I wanted to get a little insight in this unique pairing who's recent hit song Top Down released 2017, is the perfect song introduction for whats to come. *Kaci Brown's career took off at the age of 10 when she won "Little Miss Texas Overall Grand Talent". Her family moved from Texas to Nashville to further embark in the country scene. She also ventured into pop and toured with The Backstreet Boys. She has written and collaborated for several artists and albums. *Sam Gray is a singer, songwriter and producer from England and has composed multiple songs for various artists. Among several musical accomplishments, Sam has also toured with artists The Overtones, East 17, Westlife, David Ford, Charlie Simpson and Peter Andre.
Texas and England, how did you both get together to collaborate? Sam: I wrote a song called Top Down in England. I didn't expect to write a country song really, it just kind of came out and it ended up making its way over to Los Angeles. I sent the song over and they really loved it. They (Notting Hill Management) said "Hey, you know what, this is a 'cool song' but we feel like it could be a duet." So you two had never met prior to that? Sam: Never, that was the first time we met, for the song. Kaci: I was managed by Notting Hill at the time and it's published by Notting Hill. It's a small, kind of in-house boutique, independent label, managers, and publishing house. They really believed in Sam and everything he is capable of and they believed in me. They had this idea and lets just see what they sound like together. They didn't know what would come out of this at all, and it turned into being a pretty cool thing. So the first time you sang, you sensed the chemistry? Sam: Oh yes! Kaci: When we heard it back, we definitely heard that it was great and that we sound really good together! Sam: I think we sound great together but also we get on so well. We just have fun and that brought out the best with Kaci's voice, the session and best out of the song. I believe in the magic of the situation and the song. That day we met and every day since, has been like that. Kaci: If you watch the music video for Top Down, we are just hanging out in a convertable driving all around. Where was that filmed? Kaci: All in California. The last scene was in Zuma, but we started northeast and drove to the ocean. Started early and we just drove. Sam: We just drove and drove, it was great! So when you wrote Top Down, what did you have in mind writing this? Did the video concept come to mind? Sam: The video just comes with the whole thing. Just imagine staying in London and it's raining. This is what I find interesting is it's the complete opposite. Fun summer song! Kaci: This whole thing is interesting for all of us! Breaking new ground just from your different backgrounds coming together. Country with a pop vibe. Sam: Yes. Kaci: I'm Country and Sam is Pop and now we are just in it. Sam: Everything we've done and now it's about good songs! Kaci: We've written a whole album. We've been working on these songs for a whole year now and we are very, very happy. We didn't release anything yet because we are really picky. We don't want to just release content for the sake of releasing content. If we are putting our names on it, together, we want it to be good sonically and production wise. We want it to represent how great we believe and feel the songs are. Sam: Now that we are playing more and more live now with the band, the songs came into their own. We were able to go back into production and get to where we know it sounds great. Kaci: Also, playing live responding to the live band and reaction, slower, faster, tempo, order, organically what comes together. What the people respond to, the fans, and telling us. Us and the music, and the album now. Really excited! What about your solo careers? Kaci: You know what's cool about this? I'm so creatively and professionally fulfilled doing this. Sam: Yes, exactly. Kaci: I love the work, I love Sam, I love the whole process, that if the day comes, it comes, but at this point, it really is on the back burner. If it is even on a back burner, because we love this so much! Sam: This is what we are basically about now. *Brown & Gray performed at Stagecoach Music Festival 2018 in Indio, California.
Was this the first time for either one of you at Stage Coach? Kaci: This is my first time even here, and we're playing. Kaci/Sam: It's amazing! Sam: We've been hanging out, and seeing people like Kacey Musgraves, it's awesome. Kaci: I'm from Sulpher Springs, Texas and Kacey Musgraves is from Mineola, Texas. I went to school with a girl named Elena Tatum. Elena Tatum and Kacey Musgraves were in a yodelling duo called the 'Texas Two Bits'. So we all played the Texas Opry circuit, so I grew up singing at the same places. I have a picture of Kacey and I with cowboy hats, chaps, boots and all that and we were like eleven. I got a big gap between my front teeth and I WILL NEVER SHOW THAT PICTURE TO ANYONE! (Laughter) Sam: YES YOU WILL! YOU WILL! Kaci: IT IS NOT HAPPENING! Sam: YES YOU WILL! Kaci: NOPE! Sam: OH YEAH! Kaci: NOPE! Kaci: So it was awesome you know, just seeing her and I thought how crazy is life? We were on the same stages 20 years ago essentially, and now we're both here at the same place. Life is so bizarre. Kaci: Life is really bizarre. Sam: And I love this place. The California lifestyle. Also you get the wafts of BBQ going around. It feels so in the country. I love it too being from Canada. Sam: Oh cool! Have you been to Canada? Kaci: I have! I actually toured with The Backstreet Boys in 2006. I was the opening act. I did the entire Canadian run. It was beautiful. I didn't get to spend a lot of time in each city, because you are on a bus and you know you go from place to place and you are always by the venue. But I remember going to the Eaton's Center, and I remember trying 'poutane'. 'Poutine'? Sam: 'Poutine'. Kaci: 'POUTINE'. (Laughs) Sam: I've never tried that, man. How popular is country music becoming in the UK? Sam: It's a lot more mainstream these days. It's a lot more internationally accepted now. I've always been into it. Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers and Shania Twain. The music/songs are so good. Good songwriting. What are some of your early influences? Sam: Shania for one. Classic songwriters like The Beatles, Paul Simon and Coldplay. Kaci: I grew up listening to what my mom listened to. I was in a very small town in Texas where they only had one FM station and a western swing AM station and my family left it on the western swing Am station with a DJ by the name of Enola Gay. Interesting name. Sam: Yeah. Kaci: So a lot of western swing and then random, and I mean random as in the genre wasn't consistent with my mom. So we would go from Celine Dion to Gloria Estefan to Kenny G. Like she would play that all of the time. Very eclectic. Kaci: For country music, it was like the early nineties, so like Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, and The Dixie Chicks. I was really influenced by all the early nineties. Also I sang covers of Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline and all of those records and so when they are playing today, I know all these songs! I didn't listen to any pop music. I really didn't know even Michael Jackson's music until I went and watched the documentary, and then I really fell in love with the making of him and all the things I didn't know. It just wasn't part of the culture from where I was from. So going into pop music, I loved studying voice and figuring out how to make different sounds and hitting notes in a different area. I'm still hanging with Sam, still trying to learn how to do runs. Sam: Oh, you got it down. You learn from each other. Sam: Yes! I love Kaci's professionalism as well as her energy. I just get so much from her energy. Also, her song concepts. She's got it. Kaci: It all pulls from life though. Sam: Yes it does.
***** "Salt in the Coffee" EP Home Good Night This Is the Stuff Outta My System Top Down _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Brown & Gray *Notting Hill Music SUNSETPALMS.COM Shania Twain Hits Her Stride in Now TourARTICLE/PHOTOS BY BARBARA BRANDER Not going to sidetrack the fact that I have been an admirer of Shania Twain for decades. Whether she was at the 'top of her game' or not, I have always kept a conscious thought on 'what's going on' with Shania. The ups, downs and the in-betweens have come together in this momentous time. Reason for momentous is Shania is doing what Shania should be doing. It's what she knows best. The 'Now Tour' is another chapter of her life. Not just music, not just a concert and tour, but a recognition of her strength in living life her way. It's a journey. Her new songs from 'Now' released September of 2017, are part of what works in this current tour, which kicked off in Tacoma, Washington May 3, 2018.
Opening with a walk-through the audience, with Elijah Wood's pulsating drumbeat to new song 'Life's About to Get Good' , life did just that. Ideal entrance for getting the whole arena, fans ranging in all ages, plenty excited. With 21 songs on the current tour setlist, it's a whole new production of her classic hits and cleverly placed new songs.
Seamless transition of several set and costume changes that reflect not just the country version of Shania, but her influence from several music genres. It's highly entertaining, personal and a great time. Her new material is less country sounding but that's the paradox that makes the tour, extremely enjoyable. It's refreshing.
Musicians Cory Churko, Joshua Ray Gooch, Elijah Wood are back, as well as violinist/keyboardist alumni Allison Cornell. Highly accomplished dancers/backup singers along with stunning visuals that are moving parts throughout, as well as a secondary stage. It's not overtaken by production because Twain knows when to bring it down. She relates and genuinely enjoys her audience. The interaction is part of what makes it extra special.
Man, I feel like this is Shania at her best! New music, another tour, there are a few things that always feel like home. One is Shania Twain.
SET LIST Life's About To Get Good Come On Over Up! Poor Me Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You) That Don't Impress Me Much Let's Kiss and Make Up Any Man of Mine Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? Honey, I'm Home I'm Alright Soldier You're Still The One More Fun From This Moment On I'm Gonna Gotcha Good! Party For Two Swingin' With My Eyes Closed (If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here! Man! I Feel Like a Woman! Rock This Country!
Shania's Now Tour continues throughout the summer in Canada and the U.S. with final show in Las Vegas, Nevada, August 4th. Then it's off to Brazil, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. *Shania Twain is also hosting the 2018 Canadian Country Music Awards in Hamilton, Ontario, September 9th. *Shania Twain Now Tour
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