Soul/Funk/R&B Band Playing Twice During SXSW

Austin, TX — T Bird and the Breaks, whose funky, soulful, hip-hop-influenced rhythm and blues will rock South By Southwest Music Festival for a third time, has released the fourth in its series of singles: two deliciously naughty love songs that make the most of the 10-piece band’s sound and style.

No doubt the two new songs — "Monkey in the Trees," featuring the raw power of songwriter and front man Tim "T Bird" Crane’s lead vocal (a boy obsessed by a bad girl) punctuated by dashing horns, echoing backup singers and burping guitar; and "Shackles and Chains," with its simple lyric about love and the devil and gangster horns and guitar that escalate the funk — will be part of the shows slated during SXSW.

Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban Among the Artists Featured in New CD Collection

Nashville, TN – Themes of family and faith run deep in country music, as evidenced by the explosion of inspiring hits topping the mainstream radio and sales charts.

New Haven Records in partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum will release the CD Sunday in the Country: 12 Inspiring Hits From Today’s Top Country Artists this month. The project is set for a March launch at Christian retail through Provident-Integrity Distribution, and will be released to mainstream outlets through SONY Distribution.

The landmark new release includes a virtual "Who’s Who" of Grammy, Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music award-winning artists. Artists featured include Trace Adkins, Alabama, Diamond Rio, Vince Gill, Tracy Lawrence, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Steve Wariner and Lee Ann Womack.

Ken Harding, president of New Haven Records, comments, "For more than 20 years, our company has focused on the uniquely American genres of country, southern gospel, and black gospel music. Sunday in the Country, the third project in our outstanding partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, has the potential to be our most successful release in the series."

Nashville, Tenn. - The adventure is still unfolding and nowhere near complete, but if the story of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver were a novel, it would be hailed as a masterpiece. The iconic Lawson has been a stalwart and legendary contributor to the bluegrass genre for over 45 years. His latest Rounder release, Lonely Street, celebrates 30 years of recording with Quicksilver and marks his 34th release with the band. The album, due on May 5, was produced by Lawson and features the trademark vocal harmonies and stellar musicianship that powered the band to an unprecedented seven-straight International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Best Vocal Group Awards.

Lawson is the one constant in a band that has featured 39 different musicians over the years. The band has been a training academy for bluegrass players - initiating, training and then sending out into the world, some of the genre's most respected musicians. The musicians featured on Lonely Street are comprised of Lawson (mandolin, vocals), Darren Beachley (guitar, vocals), Carl White (bass, vocals), Joey Cox (banjo), Josh Swift (resophonic guitar, Weisenborn guitar and percussion), and Brandon Godman and David Johnson (fiddle).

Produced by Will Johnson (Centro-Matic)

 " ….a godsend for those craving the golden alt-country days of Slobberbone and Uncle Tupelo." -Dallas Observer

Singer/Songwriter/Musician Austin Collins and his band The Rainbirds, are set to release their highly anticipated record Wrong Control March 2nd, on Eight Dollar Music Records.

The band returned to the studio with producer Will Johnson (Centro-matic) to record this past October.  The end result--10 tracks--seven of which were written by Collins--the others by fellow band members Dylan McDougall (lead guitarist), and Craig Bagby drummer, who supply the record's driving rhythm section.

 Collins says that producer Johnson, who’s been moonlighting as the drummer for the Monsters Of Folk tour, “brings the grit and pop of a Centro record to our Americana leanings.”  “We’re obviously proud and very pleased with the album.”