Eric Paslay - Emerging Artist - Proven Songwriter

Quite by accident, on a music-infused night, I stumbled to meet and hear an unannounced Eric Paslay at the Saxon Pub in Austin. 



It was only one song he sang - but that little ditty captured my interest. 



Sitting in with Texas music stalwart, Walt Wilkins and his band The Mystiqueros, Eric offered us a slice of "Country Side Of Heaven." 









Obviously the video (below) was taken with a phone, the sound quality somehow questionable, but the only video I  could find of that song. Additionally Paslay will be playing the Grand Ole Opry on 5/24/13 - check him out if you have a chance.



Eric Paslay - "Country Side Of Heaven" - +Grand Ole Opry





Checking him out on his website and on facebook I quickly learned that the 30-year old Texan (born in Abilene) is one of the emerging artists, signed to EMI since 2011 and as a proven songwriter, could already celebrate three #1 hits he co-penned: "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" for Jake Owen, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" for the +Eli Young Band  and "Angel Eyes" for +Love and Theft 



"Even If It Breaks Your Heart" is a co-write with hit-writer +Will Hoge and was recorded by Hoge on his own album "The Wreckage." Both writers were nominated for a Grammy (Best Country Song) and Academy Of Country Music Award (Song of the Year). In the following acoustic video you are able to see Paslay doing "Less Than Whole" and him and Will Hoge singing their hit composition.



Eric Paslay - "Less Than Whole"

Eric Paslay/Will Hoge - "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" +3rd & Lindsley





Jake Owen - "Barefoot Blue Jean Night"





After his first single "Never Really Wanted" barely cracked the charts and peaked at #48 in 2011, Paslay and his record company EMI, tried to come up with a similiar feel good song, as the Jake Owen #1 hit (a co-wrote with Dylan Altman and Terry Sawchuk). Altman, a co-writer with the same publishing company Cal IV, was also his co-writer on that second single "If The Fish Don't Bite." 

The single, which was considered the possible breakthrough record for Eric by several critics, was released in March of 2012 and stalled at #58 - too bad, the song really sounds like a fun summer hit, but listen by yourself. 









Maybe single number three, may do the charm, his newest single, "Friday Night," a co-write with +Rose Falcon  and Rob Crosby is now available on itunes and currently (May 2013) moving up the Country Airplay Charts, sitting at #47.

The song was previously recorded as an album track by +Lady Antebellum for their album "Own The Night."



I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride

Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight

I wanna be your jackpot hot spot

Wide open road in a candy apple rag top

I wanna set you free

I wanna take you high

I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night



Eric Paslay - "Friday Night" - acoustic





I'm not sure, if "Friday Night" will be the one song that will establish Eric Paslay as the newest artist, giving him mainstream radio-airplay. After three single releases going nowhere he may be dropped by EMI. 

But I don't worry about his success as a songwriter, with over 150 songs penned, I'm sure his name will show up in the charts again. 

A recent collaboration with Sheryl Crow and Amy Grant on her just released (May 2013) album "How Mercy Looks From Here" on his self-written song "Deep As It Is Wide" may just do this and help him further to gain the needed attention of radio programmers. 



Amy Grant, Sheryl Crow & Eric Paslay - "Deep As It Is Wide" +Ryman Auditorium









Sources: www.ericpaslay.com - www.facebook.com/ericpaslay - Cal IV - youtube - wikipedia - billboard.com -

Eric Paslay - Emerging Artist - Proven Songwriter

Quite by accident, on a music-infused night, I stumbled to meet and hear an unannounced Eric Paslay at the Saxon Pub in Austin. 

It was only one song, he sang - but that little ditty captured my interest. Sitting in with Texas music stalwart, Walt Wilkins and his band The Mystiqueros, Eric offered us a slice of "Country Side Of Heaven." Obviously the video was taken with a phone, the sound quality somehow questionable, but the only video I  could find of that song. Additionally Paslay will be playing the Grand Ole Opry on 5/24/13 - check him out if you have a chance.

Eric Paslay - "Country Side Of Heaven" - +Grand Ole Opry


Checking him out on his website and on facebook I quickly learned that the 30-year old Texan (born in Abilene) is one of the emerging artists, signed to EMI since 2011 and as a proven songwriter, could already celebrate three #1 hits he co-penned: "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" for Jake Owen, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" for the +Eli Young Band  and "Angel Eyes" for +Love and Theft 

"Even If It Breaks Your Heart" is a co-write with hit-writer +Will Hoge and was recorded by Hoge on his own album "The Wreckage." Both writers were nominated for a Grammy (Best Country Song) and Academy Of Country Music Award (Song of the Year). In the following acoustic video you are able to see Paslay doing "Less Than Whole" and him and Will Hoge singing their hit composition.

Eric Paslay - "Less Than Whole"
Eric Paslay/Will Hoge - "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" +3rd & Lindsley


Jake Owen - "Barefoot Blue Jean Night"


After his first single as an artist, "Never Really Wanted" barely cracked the charts and peaked at #48 in 2011, Paslay and his record company EMI, tried to come up with a similiar feel good song, as the Jake Owen #1 hit (a co-wrote with Dylan Altman and Terry Sawchuk). Altman, a co-writer with the same publishing company Cal IV, was also his co-writer on that second single "If The Fish Don't Bite." 
The single, which was considered the possible breakthrough record for Eric by several critics, was released in March of 2012 and stalled at #58 - too bad, the song really sounds like a fun summer hit, but listen by yourself. 




Maybe single number three, may do the charm, his newest single, "Friday Night," a co-write with +Rose Falcon  and Rob Crosby is now available on itunes and currently (May 2013) moving up the Country Airplay Charts, sitting at #47.
The song was previously recorded as an album track by +Lady Antebellum for their album "Own The Night."

I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride
Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight
I wanna be your jackpot hot spot
Wide open road in a candy apple rag top
I wanna set you free
I wanna take you high
I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night

Eric Paslay - "Friday Night" - acoustic


I'm not sure, if "Friday Night" will be the one song that will establish Eric Paslay as the newest artist, giving him mainstream radio-airplay. After three single releases going nowhere he may be dropped by EMI. 
But I don't worry about his success as a songwriter, with over 150 songs penned, I'm sure his name will show up in the charts again. 
A recent collaboration with Sheryl Crow and Amy Grant on her just released (May 2013) album "How Mercy Looks From Here" on his self-written song "Deep As It Is Wide" may just do this and help him further to gain the needed attention of radio programmers. 

Amy Grant, Sheryl Crow & Eric Paslay - "Deep As It Is Wide" +Ryman Auditorium



Sources: www.ericpaslay.com - www.facebook.com/ericpaslay - Cal IV - youtube - wikipedia - billboard.com -

People Are Crazy - Billy Currington Out

Photo: Savannah-Chatham Police

Billy Currington was ousted as a pre-race artist for the May, 18th Sprint All-Star Race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway (NC), after his recent arrest on charges of making "terroristic threats and abuse of an elderly person." He will be replaced by "Long Black Train" singer, Josh Turner. "Due to Currington's recent indictment, we elected to change our act for the Nascar Sprint All-Star Race," track president and general manager Marcus Smith said in a news release.

Currington turned himself into the Savannah-Chatham Police and was booked into Chatham county jail on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest a day earlier. He was released after posting $27'700 bond. He could face upto 10 years in prison for the two felony charges against him.



The charges against Currington were filed after an April, 15th incident, after he allegedly chased a 70-year-old tour boat captain along a coastal Georgia creek of Tybee island and threated to "finish him off" in a tirade filled with profanities, according to court documents.



The boat captain, Charles Harvey Ferrelle, and his two passengers told police Currington was holding a camera when he became outraged. The police seized four digital video files, 27 photos and a memory card at Currington's home, after obtaining a search warrant.

In an affidavit, Savannah-Chatham County Police detective Alycia Smith wrote: "They were in fear of this man and a possible attack against Mr. Ferrelle, and possibly everyone there, as his behaviour was 'out of control' as described by all three persons."



Currington who denied "each and every allegation" from Ferrelle, tweeted two days after the incident to his over 200'000 followers on Twitter.

Currington's tweet

He also thanked his fans for their support but refused to comment because of the ongoing legal investigation. Inhabitants of Currington's estate have called the police before because of invasion of their privacy stemming from incidents where boats were driving to close to their boat dock, according to several newspaper reports.



Entertainment journalist Jimmy Carter tweeted that the charges against Currington were way out of proportion and "outrageous"...

According to a 2007 article in The Tennessean the singer admitted then, that he sometimes struggled to control his anger as a result of suffering childhood abuse while growing up in Rincon, north of Savannah. "When he comes out, he comes out very quickly and it goes away very quickly," the 39-year old singer told the newspaper. "And in those instances, that rage can destroy relationships, whether it's with a girlfriend or a business partner or a fan. It doesn't  take long to screw it all up."

Ft Walton Beach show 4/27 - Source Twitter

The show cancellation by the Charlotte Motor Speedway may be described as premature, as the fans are sticking with Currington and he was able to enjoy sold-out shows in Louisiana and Fort Walton Beach. He documented the last one in a Twitter picture, he posted earlier this morning (4/28).



Billy Currington is best known for the 2009, Bobby Braddock/Troy Jones penned number-one-hit "People Are Crazy."







Sources: wire reports, AP, savannahnow.com, @billycurrington @askjimmycarter