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[Music Ally] Secondary ticketing is currently under intense scrutiny in the US, with politicians taking a long, hard and often contradictory look at how the ticketing market works. The latest organisation providing some data to fuel those debates is NITO, the National Independent Talent Organization, whose membership comprises independent music managers and booking agencies. It has studied tickets sold and resold for 65 shows by those members in venues ranging in capacity from 1,500 to 20,000, to see what patterns it could spot. Among the claims: the average face value ticket price was $67.47, but the average resale price was $129.22. NITO also says that resellers collectively generated an average gross profit per show of $41k, based on selling an average of 543 tickets. The study also suggested that some concertgoers were paying the higher prices for secondary tickets even though primary face-value tickets were still available. Why? NITO said that confusion when secondary resellers ranked higher than primary sources in search results was one reason, while fans paying for secondary tickets because the seats were better than those still available on the primary market was another. “While many consumer and ‘fan first’ groups claim that the resale market benefits consumers, NITO’s data shows otherwise,” claimed the organisation. “Fan-to-fan face-value ticket exchanges clearly work and allow fans to buy tickets at the price the artist intended. But too often, State laws limit their effectiveness, preventing fans across the country from benefiting equally.” “Most tickets sold on the secondary market are sold by predatory ticketing professionals with access to technology that often assures that they can buy the best tickets before fans. The secondary ticket sites use their excessive profits to push their ticket listings to the top of search results, confusing fans and stifling official ticket sales.” These conclusions should not come as a surprise, as NITO is part of the wider music-industry Fix The Tix coalition, which recently unveiled its proposals for reform of the ticketing industry. Needless to say, the secondary ticketing firms will have different views on all this: American politicians will be responsible for navigating their way through the competing opinions to decide what, if any, new legislation is the best way to improve the market. [https://musically.com/2023/07/11/nito-study-slams-predatory-ticket-resellers-in-the-us/]

[IVPR] Steep Canyon Rangers Welcome Latest Member Aaron Burdett With A Fitting New Single, “Deep End” Latest single from upcoming Darrell Scott-produced album, Morning Shift—out September 8th; Next show July 13th at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival; Shows with Steve Martin & Martin Short begin September 14 July 11, 2023 - Asheville, NC - “I’m the guy that jumps in the deep end / Find out quick if I’m sinking or swimming,” sings the Steep Canyon Rangers’ newest member Aaron Burdett on their new single “Deep End.” The song, a toe-tapping romp featuring the Rangers’ signature bluegrass-forward sound, sounds like a good-time ode to being carefree, but its origins come from a very specific, real place. “There were only three weeks between my very first conversation with [Rangers bassist] Barrett [Smith] about auditioning to sing with the Rangers and my finding myself in California on stage at the Hollywood Bowl,” remembers Burdett. “I was there with all the Rangers and Steve Martin and Martin Short, with the LA Philharmonic backing us up as I sang a bluegrass song in front of about 18,000 people. It was quite an initiation.” After their first three shows with Burdett over July 4th weekend, the band went to a cookout at one of the musician’s houses on Sunday afternoon. “I walked up and knocked on the door and when his wife answered the door I said ‘Hello, I'm Aaron. I'm here for the cookout.’ And she said ‘Oh, you're the guy who jumps in the deep end!’” Burdett started thinking about the song right then and there. “Deep End” is the latest single from Steep Canyon Rangers’ upcoming album, Morning Shift—due out September 8th on Yep Roc Records. Produced by the distinguished Darrell Scott and engineered by the legendary Dave Sinko, Morning Shift found the Rangers recording their 14th studio album in Bat Cave, North Carolina, at the Inn Bat Cave, a historical refuge settled near a long-forgotten crossroads of Southern Appalachia. This was the perfect space to feel confident in expanding upon that Carolina sound, the perfect runway to let their well-oiled machine do what it does best- craft stories from the ground up, as a unit. “It was like going to recording camp,” said Scott, “We ate together, we stayed at the Inn together the whole time, and we recorded. Going about it that way made for a very organic record. We had a great engineer with Dave Sinko, who could in essence create a studio space in a rustic, historic home.” Morning Shift also marks the band’s first album with new band member Burdett on guitar and vocals, bringing a soul-stirring element to the Rangers’ mastery of mountain music. Burdett is an award-winning singer-songwriter and a student of folk tradition providing a fresh, emotional context to the Rangers’ songbook. Fans can check out the premiere on Garden & Gun here, watch the “Deep End” music video today at this link, check out the Rangers’ previously-released single “Hominy Valley” here, and pre-order or pre-save Morning Shift ahead of its September 8th release right here. Steep Canyon Rangers are on tour throughout the summer with a string of dates with longtime collaborators Steve Martin & Martin Short beginning in September.

The Pink stones new album, You Know Who, is out now via New West Records. The band's sophomore album features Nikki Lane, Teddy and the Rough Riders, John James Tourville of the Deslondes, and Annie Leeth. “This record was me trying to take everything I love as a listener and a player and shove it all into one thing without it sounding random,” says Hunter Pinkston, former punk turned cosmic country auteur, describing You Know Who, the boisterous, ambitious sophomore album by his band The Pink Stones. Ostensibly they play country music, yet all the pedal steel sobs, the two-steppin’ rhythms, twangy harmonies, and lyrics about broken hearts and long days on the road are launchpads for wild experiments and unexpected stylistic forays. “There’s obviously a lot of country and rock in our music, but there’s a lot of gospel and soul and psych and dub. I really wanted to get all of those things living peacefully together in one record. Listen to the album here. Purchase the album here.

"Maggie Moore(s)," a new crime comedy directed by John Slattery was scored by cellist and songwriter, Ben Sollee. The movie will be released in theatres September 16, 2023.

Watch The Pink Stones new music video for their single, "Baby, I'm Still Right Here (With You)," featuring Nikki Lane. [Brooklyn Vegan] Athens, GA's The Pink Stones are back with a new album, You Know Who, which will be out June 30 via Normaltown / New West. The album was co-produced by frontman Hunter Pinkston and Henry Barbe, and features guest appearances from Nikki Lane, Teddy and the Rough Riders, John James Tourville of The Deslondes, and Annie Leeth. “This record was me trying to take everything I love as a listener and a player and shove it all into one thing without it sounding random," says Pinkston. We're premiering "Baby, I’m Still Right Here (With You)," which is a duet with Nikki Lane in the tradition of George & Tammy, Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton, and Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn. “‘Baby, I’m Still Right Here (With You)’ was me trying to show the influence George and Tammy have had on me," says Pinkston. "I figured my friend Nikki would be the perfect Honky Tonk Queen to sing it with me. John Neff plays an excellent Dobro vs. Pedal Steel solo and the phasers are full blast. Listen to "Baby, I'm Still Right Here (With You)," and two other singles from the upcoming album here.

Rodney Crowell’s latest album, Chicago Sessions, is once again holding down the #1 spot on the Americana Charts this week. Band of Heathens, after 6 weeks at number one and two weeks at number two are in the number 3 position, a solid testament to the popularity of their latest offering as well!

[Michael J. Media Group] DALLAS, TEXAS (June 12, 2023) – Even the hardest working road warriors, the relentless fiddles-to-the-grindstone performers need a break. That includes neo-traditionalist western swing trio The Quebe Sisters – siblings Grace, Sophia, and Hulda. After 23 years of touring North America, Europe, and Russia, these modern-day beacons of country and western swing are taking a hiatus. The trio’s current tour, dubbed “Bye, For Now,” wraps up at the end of 2023. After that? Well, as Sophia says, it is, “much-needed R&R and time off the road. For now, we are taking an undetermined hiatus. This isn’t retirement for us, just a nice break.” It is certainly a well-earned respite. The Dallas-based Quebe Sisters have steadfastly, completely free of frivolous fanfare, elevated the country and western swing genres for more than two decades. The talented sisters merge three-part harmony and triple fiddles to put a youthful, jubilant spin on Bob Wills’ classic sound. In their own unassuming yet musically turbo-powered way, The Quebe Sisters stretched the boundaries of an old-timey style and made it newly relevant for fans of all generations. Along the way, The Quebe Sisters recorded four acclaimed studio albums – 2003’s Texas Fiddlers, 2007’s Timeless, 2014’s Every Which-A-Way, and 2019’s The Quebe Sisters – that serve as sonic proof that these ladies are fearless interpreters and innovators. “Bob Wills was all about experimentation – melding just about every style he heard,” says Grace. “He hired the best musicians playing regionally traditional instruments, as well as players interested in experimenting on what were the cutting-edge instruments of the day. This spirit formed what we today call western swing, and it needs to be an ingredient in current iterations of western swing to keep the style fresh and vibrant for the present and future. So, for us it’s authentic to the style to introduce our own originals.” There is still plenty of time to bask in those Quebe originals onstage. Grace, Sophia, and Hulda have dates in the books through October 2023. More dates will be announced soon. For a detailed list of concert performances, check out their website. Do these ladies wish fans would come out in droves to catch them onstage before they take a little downtime? Hulda doesn’t hesitate to answer: “Yes! We hope our fans will have a chance to come out and see us as we wrap up our touring through the end of 2023.” The “Bye, For Now” tour already includes a handful of Texas dates, which is no surprise since the Quebe siblings grew up in Texas surrounded by fiddles, bows, microphones, stages, and western swing tunes. Texas is the very reason Grace, Sophia, and Hulda ended up playing triple fiddle, Grace says. But in true trailblazing fashion, Texas couldn’t contain such immense talent and dedication. The Quebe Sisters took their sound beyond the boundaries of the Lone Star state and into the rest of this country and other countries as well. That makes their farewell (for now) message more resonant. Collectively, The Quebe Sisters express their sincere gratitude: “We want to thank our family, friends, and our behind-the-scenes team that have supported us for so many years. Most of all, we want to thank you, our extremely loyal, diehard fans for following us and coming to our shows. Y’all are truly one of a kind and we appreciate you so, so much.” Modern, creative, and talented women that stretch the boundaries of country and western swing music become beacons. But even bright lights need a recharge. For The Quebe Sisters, it’s time to pause the relentless pace of those triple fiddles-to-the-grindstone. But rest assured that we haven’t heard the last of these powerhouse women. Connect with The Quebe Sisters on social media: Like the trio’s Facebook page, follow their Instagram and Twitter pages, and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Also, check out The Quebe Sisters website for pics, tour info, and merch on Grace, Sophia, and Hulda.

Rodney Crowell's latest release, Chicago Sessions, remains at #1 on the chart for the second week in a row. Roster-mate, The Band of Heathens, continue to sit at the #2 spot with Simple Things. Congrats!

[IVPR] June 6, 2023 - Asheville, NC - “Apparently, my neighborhood is cursed,” says Graham Sharp, Steep Canyon Rangers’ banjoist and co-writer of their brand new single, “Hominy Valley.” A pulsating romp through the hills and valleys of which the Rangers sing, “Hominy Valley” dives into the backstory of Sharp’s cursed neighborhood: the story of General Rutherford’s campaign against the Cherokee during the Revolutionary war. “The story is that the army got wind they were being followed by two Cherokee scouts and poisoned a creek that one of them drank from,” recalls Sharp. “His friend buried him sitting upright on the hill, under what is now a huge old oak tree, looking over the valley to keep watch.” Sharp had been trying to write “Hominy Valley” for years and never got it across the finish line until one random night, sitting with his song idea after dinner. “I sat down and the whole thing was there,” he remembers. “The story never felt right until it connected with the current construction of apartments going on at the very spot right now.” Along with his co-writers and bandmates, Aaron Burdett and Barrett Smith, Sharp tied together the centuries-spanning effect of outside influencers taking North Carolina’s land for their own and the band shaped the song in only the way the Steep Canyon Rangers could; a moving story about the layers of human history in Sharp’s West Asheville neighborhood. “It’s not just a shared history, but a living history. Nothing is stamped and finished,” he says. “Hominy Valley” is the opening track and first single from Steep Canyon Rangers’ upcoming album, Morning Shift—due out September 8th. Produced by the distinguished Darrell Scott and engineered by the legendary Dave Sinko, Morning Shift found the Rangers recording their 14th studio album in Bat Cave, North Carolina, at the Inn Bat Cave, a historical refuge settled near a long-forgotten crossroads of Southern Appalachia. This was the perfect space to feel confident in expanding upon that Carolina sound, the perfect runway to let their well-oiled machine do what it does best- craft stories from the ground up, as a unit. “It was like going to recording camp,” said Scott, “We ate together, we stayed at the Inn together the whole time, and we recorded. Going about it that way made for a very organic record. We had a great engineer with Dave Sinko, who could in essence create a studio space in a rustic, historic home.” Morning Shift also marks the band’s first album with new band member Burdett on guitar and vocals, bringing a soul-stirring element to the Rangers’ mastery of mountain music. Burdett is an award-winning singer-songwriter and a student of folk tradition providing a fresh, emotional context to the Rangers’ songbook. Today, Folk Alley premiered the track writing, "'Hominy Valley' perfectly kicks off the anticipation of another excellent new album from the Steep Canyon Rangers." Fans can listen to “Hominy Valley” now and pre-order or pre-save Morning Shift ahead of its September 8th release right here. Steep Canyon Rangers are on tour throughout the summer with a string of dates with longtime collaborators Steve Martin & Martin Short beginning in September

Last week, Band of Heathens topped the AMA Chart for a 6th week in a row, while “roster mate” Rodney Crowell anchored down the second position. This week, Rodney jumps to the Numero Uno position, while Band of Heathens occupy the second position. Congratulations to both artists on their accomplishments.

The Band of Heathens release, Simple Things, remains #1 on the AMA chart while Rodney Crowell's, Chicago Sessions, climbs to #2! Listen to Simple Things here. Listen to Chicago Sessions here.

The Band of Heathens 2023 release, Simple Things, remains at number one on the AMA chart for the fourth week in a row. Watch Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist perform their single, "Don't Let the Darkness," live below.