#capitol records nashville

[bananaofswifts]

Whether she's breaking records or breaking Ticketmaster, Taylor Swift has proven time and again that she's one of the most powerful figures in modern music — and the Eras Tour is a manifestation of that.

By TAYLOR WEATHERBY

But after witnessing it in person, it's clear that Swift is not just delivering the tour of the year — it's the tour of her generation.

Sure, Beyoncé fans can't wait for her tour this summer; Harry Styles is about to embark on the final leg of his highly successful Love On Tour trek; BLACKPINK sold out stadiums around the country too. Yet, it's hard to imagine that any other tour this year will have a cultural impact as big as the Eras Tour — something that's wildly apparent whether or not you were there.

Even before Swift hit the stage for her first night at Nashville's Nissan Stadium on May 5, her influence was felt. Practically every fan of the 70,000 in attendance (a record for the venue — more on that later) was wearing some sort of reference to their favorite Swift era: a beloved lyric, or an iconic performance or music video look. While that's not necessarily a new trend in the Swiftie world, seeing all 10 of her eras represented throughout a stadium-sized crowd was equal parts meaningful and remarkable.

As someone who has been to hundreds of tours and most of Swift's — including the Reputation Tour, which I naively referred to as "the peak of her career" — I didn't think this one would feel much different than a typical stadium show. But even when Swift was just a few songs in of her impressive three-and-a-half hour set, a feeling came over me like I wasn't just watching one of music's greats — I was part of music history.

Below, here are five reasons why the Eras Tour will go down as one of the most iconic of Swift's generation.

It's Treated Like A Holiday

In the week leading up to the shows and over the weekend, Nashville was abundant with special events in Swift's honor. From Taylor-themed trivia nights to pre- and post-show dance parties to wine lists transformed into "eras," practically every place you went was commemorating her return (she last performed in Nashville in 2018).

While it's unclear whether this kind of takeover is happening in every city — after all, she does consider Nashville a hometown, as she said on stage — it's rare to see an artist have such a ripple effect by simply just coming to town.

During her May 5 show, Swift added to the excitement by sharing the highly anticipated news that Speak Now (Taylor's Version) was coming on July 7. Upon the announcement, three of Nashville's monuments — the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, the Tennessee State Capitol and the Alliance Bernstein building downtown — were illuminated in purple, the album's color.

It's Breaking Records Left And Right

Though Swift is no stranger to breaking records, she continues to do so with the Eras Tour. After setting the all-time attendance record at Nissan Stadium on night one of her Nashville run, Swift topped herself (something has become accustomed to on the charts as well) with another attendance record on night two.

And despite the controversial ticketing frenzy the tour caused, Swift also broke a Ticketmaster record with more than 2.4 million tickets sold — the most by an artist in a single day — in the presale alone. If Swift announces an international leg of the tour, Pollstar projects that the Eras Tour could surpass $1 billion, which would add yet another first to her ever-growing list.

It's Spawned Parking Lot Parties

As if history-making attendance and record-breaking ticket sales aren't indication enough of Swift's power, the Eras Tour is so highly in-demand that fans are sitting outside of the venue to still be part of the show. Fans crowded barricades and camped out in the parking lot of Nissan Stadium, ready to watch (and sing along) Swift on the big screen — something that has seemingly been happening in every city.

It Can't Be Stopped By The Elements

Adding to the magnitude of the Eras Tour, Swift performs 45 songs across three and a half hours. And to make her last night in Nashville even more momentous, she did almost all of that in pouring rain.

Swift didn't get to take the stage until after 10 p.m. on May 7 because of storms in the area (she normally goes on around 7:50 local time), but that didn't mean she'd be shortening her set. Carrying on until after 1:30 a.m. — even through the "element of slippiness happening," as she joked — Swift made it clear that she's determined to give each show her all regardless of the weather.

It's Simply A Feel-Good Celebration

Perhaps it was the five-year gap between the last time she toured. Perhaps it was the four new albums of material. Perhaps it was the celebratory nature of the show. Whatever inspired the vibe of the Eras Tour, I've never seen Taylor Swift or her fans so alive. The passion was tangible, the energy was magnetic.

Though Swift has always been known as an artist with a very loyal following, it was still mind-blowing to hear 70,000 people belt out every word for three hours straight. There aren't many artists whose catalogs are as equally beloved as they are extensive, especially one who hasn't even seen her 34th birthday. No matter how many albums and tours are in Swift's future, the Eras Tour captures a special moment in time — and celebrates a legend in her prime.

[cantsayidont]

Six songs for the "I hate country, it's all right-wing dudes who drive pickup trucks!" crowd, in chronological order:

k.d. lang, "Lock, Stock and Teardrops" (SHADOWLAND/Sire Records/1988): The apotheosis of k.d. lang's youthful obsession with Patsy Cline, an old Roger Miller song lushly produced in Nashville by famed country producer Owen Bradley.

Emmylou Harris, "Waltz Across Texas Tonight" (WRECKING BALL/Elektra/Asylum Records, 1995): '70s country star Emmylou Harris co-wrote this song with Rodney Crowell as the intensely wistful climax of her mind-altering 1995 album with producer Danny Lanois.

Neko Case, "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood" (FOX CONFESSOR BRINGS THE FLOOD, ANTI-, 2006): Apocalyptic title track of alt country heroine Neko Case's best album to date. "It's not for you to know / But for you to weep and wonder / When the death of your civilization proceeds you"

Rosanne Cash, "Black Cadillac" (BLACK CADILLAC, Capitol Records, 2006): Cash's valedictory for her late father Johnny Cash, the title track of an album about wrestling with the loss of her father, her mother, and her stepmother in the early '00s. Devastating.

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, "Dwight Yoakam" (SIDELONG, Bloodshot Records, 2015): NB country singer River Shook's twangy drinkin' and depressin' ballad about drowning their sorrows after their girlfriend left them for a guy she met at a country bar.

Karen & The Sorrows: "Guaranteed Broken Heart" (GUARANTEED BROKEN HEART, Ocean Born Mary, 2019): Title track of queer Jewish country queen Karen Pittelman's 2019 album wouldn't be out of place on a Dolly Parton album of the '70s except that the gay content isn't just subtext.

[countryhixes]

Leon Payne - Rolling Stone

Bullet 671. Leon Roget Payne was born in Wood County, Texas - a small town named Alba. His sight was impaired at an early age and when he was seven years old, he attended a school for the blind. He developed an early love and enjoyed singing. Then he learned to play the guitar. He continued to learn and began entertaining friends, too. He graduated from high school when he was 18 and started then to strive for a life in the music business. Leon was quoted in one magazine article in 1951 of his start: "My first job was with a small carnival. It wasn't the best paying job in the world, but it was a start." But his talent was such that his first job led to others and more offers. In fact, he got offers to appear on radio stations in St. Louis, Dallas, Houston and other cities. He had some aims as an entertainer - one was said to play the Palace as most 'vaudeville' entertainers wanted to in New York. Another was to appear on WSM's Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Leon became a songwriter of note. One of the all time country music classics was his tune, "I Love You Because". By 1951, he was playing and entertaining folks in the Houston, Texas area with his band, the Lone Star Buddies. Leon got married along the way - married his childhood sweetheart - whom he first met when he was in grammar school. One of Leon's aims was to make enough money from his songwriting to eventually retire from live performing and have his wife read a good book to him once in a while. He recorded for the Bullet, Capitol and Decca record labels that we know of along the way. --Hillbilly-Music.com

[yeats-infection]

do you maybe have a post somewhere that is a quick rundown on history of the band? (THE band) wanted to fully appreciate your new story, but have no idea where to get some coherent lore 🤍

ok thank you anon, this is a very reasonable question which i also find quite intimidating lol. i will TRY to attempt the history up to the point of the story in a way that's not just recapitulating the wikipedia page...

so the reason they were called the band was that they were the backing band for a number of different artists before they started recording their original songs. all five members (the drummer levon helm who was from rural arkansas, and the guitarist robbie robertson the bassist rick danko the organist garth hudson the pianist richard manuel who were all from various parts of ontario) came together between 1958 and 1960 as the backing band for a rockabilly guy named ronnie hawkins, an arkansas native who was huge in toronto for some reason. there are some "my mom sold me to ronnie hawkins" elements of the narrative (according to levon's memoir robbie's mom was like "my son can play guitar and write songs... i'm worried he's gonna end up in jail... can't he play with you or something..." he was fifteen years old). so they toured as ronnie's backing band throughout ontario and then throughout the south. this went on for several years during which they all became very strong players.

in late 1963 they had broader musical horizons and had had enough of ronnie telling them they couldn't smoke weed so they decided to go it on their own as levon and the hawks, because levon had the longest tenure in the band. they honestly struggled on their own at first to the extent that they were stealing food from supermarkets but eventually found their footing RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME that bob dylan was looking for an electric band to back him after the notorious newport folk festival 1965. bob went to see the hawks in toronto and asked levon and robbie to join his band; they did for a couple shows and then said they didn't want to do any more without the rest of their band and bob agreed and hired the rest of the hawks too. people were NOT FANS of dylan's new electric direction and they were booed during most of their sets. after about a month of this levon couldn't take it anymore and left in the middle of the night with the rough idea to work on an oil rig in the gulf of mexico. he only told robbie he was leaving and they each describe this moment fairly differently in their respective memoirs ...

so the rest of the band continued backing bob on a world tour in 1966 and some of them went to nashville with him to record blonde on blonde. in summer 1966 bob has a motorcycle accident and holes himself up in the town of woodstock, on the edge of the catskills in ulster county in the hudson valley in new york state, where he owns a house and so does his manager albert grossman. the band continues backing various other artists and session playing etc. but in february 1967 bob invited them to come up to woodstock. they took him up on the offer and three of them (rick, richard, and garth) moved into the house called big pink in west saugerties. for months robbie and bob came over every day and they recorded the basement tapes. around this time albert grossman managed to get the band a deal with capitol records. with this news they convinced levon to come back from the gulf...

so THAT is the simplified history up to the point of the story. the relevant history AFTER the point of the story which of course motivates how we now look at this moment in time is that levon completely excoriates robbie in his memoir (published in the 90s) for 1) being authoritarian over the direction of the band starting in the woodstock era, including the decision to end the band in 1976, and 2) taking sole songwriting credit and therefore making the most money for most of the music when levon contends a lot of the songs especially on the first two albums were written collaboratively. my perspective is that robbie can be forgiven for #1, because the rest of the band were increasingly using heroin, everybody was getting into numerous debilitating car accidents from constantly driving drunk, and other bad behavior abounded. and i think #2 is interesting, because 1) this is a larger conversation over who owns what and who gets paid for making art, and 2) i can also understand why, if nobody else could get their shit together to do anything, you would be like, well, i should reap all the fruits of my labors. but 3) i can also understand why you would be especially upset by this if you were the voice behind all these songs and had once been the bandleader! levon's memoir is really interesting (full disclosure i actually haven't read robbie's) because it is at times like a heartbreaking sketch of willful male emotional blindness. he admits many times "well, probably we should have talked about this" but they never did...

there's a lot more painful stuff we can dig into but here's their first album music from big pink and their second album the band. TO NOTE: levon, richard, and rick did almost all the singing, they each have quite distinctive lovely voices. something really excruciating and tantalizing to me i guess is captured in the idea of a person from toronto writing these beautiful americana songs about simple country mountain life for his friend who had actually lived that simple country mountain life to sing, like this gesture of genuine admiration and love for your friend's story, which is then haunted by the question of ownership of those songs for all time. you can believe robbie wrote those songs for levon to sing out of genuine friendship and then what happened is really heartbreaking.... or you can believe he was a sort of pretender after levon's story and purposefully never gave him credit... which is also a deeply poetic narrative... or it could be a little bit of both... or first one and then the other growing out of bitterness... we will never know. as always when we will never know there is lots of room to ruminate :)

lastly, here is a clip of them in 1976 from the film of the band's last concert (the last waltz) in which levon takes his own cigarette out of his mouth to light robbie's first

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

A Christian pastor who supports Donald Trump recently delivered a sermon urging Christians to strengthen their passion and suggested they should be willing to die for their faith.

Regeneration Nashville Pastor Kent Christmas has often spoken favorably of Trump, who is running his third presidential campaign and is the clear front-runner among a crowded field of GOP candidates. In last Sunday's sermon at his Pentecostal church in Tennessee, Christmas said the Muslim faith has become so successful because its followers are "willing to die for their beliefs."

The video was first reported by watchdog group Right Wing Watch, which tweeted the clip on Tuesday.

In it, Christmas is seen preaching vehemently as he paces the stage.

"You want to know why the Muslim faith has had its advancements? It's because the Muslims were willing to die for their beliefs. They were willing to strap bombs to their chest," he said.

Christmas then asked God to give the Christian faith some men and women with passion in their spirit who are willing to "lay down [their] life for the Gospel."

Newsweek reached out to Regeneration Nashville by email for comment.

Pro-Trump pastors have delivered thunderous sermons for years, often following the former president's rhetoric and preaching that the nation has been seized by "witchcraft." Trump often asserts on his Truth Social platform that the federal government is conducting a witch hunt against him, particularly after the Justice Department launched investigations into his handling of classified documents and his actions leading up to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

The first case recently brought an indictment that charges Trump with 37 felony counts. He is accused of mishandling sensitive presidential records by taking them after leaving office and then obstructing the government's efforts to get them back. Trump is the first former president to face federal charges, which he pleaded not guilty to during his arraignment this week.

Recently, Christmas doubled down on a purported prophecy that he said showed Trump is the rightful president despite President Joe Biden's election victory in 2020.

"In the eyes of God, the president of the United States right now in the courts of justice in Heaven is not Joe Biden but it's Donald Trump," Christmas said in a May 15 clip on Twitter shared by Right Wing Watch.

Right Wing Watch's report about last Sunday's sermon said that Christmas was infuriated over what he falsely said was legislation approved in Vermont that makes it legal to "kill a baby" up to 21 days after a full-term birth.

"I am at war with evil," Christmas said in his sermon. "This is one preacher that is not backing down. I can tell you this: I will give my life for the Gospel."

He then asked God to provide other Christians who are willing to do the same.

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss Announces New Holiday Tour Dates Across the U.S. & Canada

Darren Criss is celebrating "Crissmas" this year with a brand-new lineup of holiday tour dates!

Criss will be playing The Town Hall in New York City on December 5 and will also be stopping in Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Detroit, Toronto, Indianapolis, Nashville, and more. Check out the complete list of tour dates below!

"Summer is coming to an end (well, not in [Australia]) … which means it’s time to think about cold weather (in [the U.S.]!) Announcing a TON of NEW Holiday Show dates to warm up your November and December," Criss captioned his Instagram post announcing the dates.

Pre-sale will begin this Wednesday, September 13 at 10:00 am local time. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 15 at 10:00 am local. Click Here for more information on how to buy tickets.

Criss released his first-ever holiday album entitled “A Very Darren Crissmas” on Decca Records in 2021. In it, he brought his radiant imagination and encyclopedic musical knowledge to a wildly eclectic collection of songs: big-band standards and novelty tunes, mid-century musical numbers and modern-day folk-pop ballads.

Criss’ original track “Drunk on Christmas” featuring country chart-topper Lainey Wilson, showcased his effortless ingenuity as a songwriter. The result is an essential new entry into the holiday-music canon, both thrillingly unpredictable and touched with a timeless sense of Christmas magic.

Made with Ron Fair, multi-Grammy® nominee and producer of numerous GRAMMY-winning hits, “A Very Darren Crissmas” also featured special guest appearances by Adam Lambert and Evan Rachel Wood. “A Very Darren Crissmas” was only the latest evidence of Criss’ singular gifts as a song interpreter. 

Darren Criss Holiday Tour Dates November 21 - Atlanta Symphony Hall - Atlanta, GA November 22 - Knight Theatre - Charlotte, NC November 24 - Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC November 25 - Bilheimer Capitol Theatre - Clearwater, FL November 27 - Barbara B Mann Performance Arts Hall - Fort Myers, FL November 28 - Lillian S. Wells Hall at The Parker - Ft Lauderdale, FL November 29 - Steinmetz Music Hall at Dr. Phillips Center - Orlando, FL December 1 - Carolina Theatre - Durham, NC December 2 - The Barns at Wolf Trap - Vienna, VA December 3 - The Barns at Wolf Trap - Vienna, VA December 4 - Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center for the Arts - Red Bank, NJ December 5 - The Town Hall - New York, NY December 6 - The Ridgefield Playhouse - Ridgefield, CT December 7 - Emerson Colonial Theatre - Boston, MA December 9 - Elgin Theatre - Toronto, ON December 10 - Fisher Theatre - Detroit, MI December 11 - Atenaeum Theater - Chicago, IL December 12 - Barrymore Theatre - Madison, WI December 13 - The Commons at Nugent-Custer Performance Hall - Columbus, IN December 15 - Center Stage At Mgm Northfield Park - Northfield, OH December 16 - The Cabaret - Indianapolis, IN December 17 - The Cabaret - Indianapolis, IN December 19 - Lexington Opera House At Lexington Center - Lexington, KY December 28 - Cma Theatre At The Country Music Hall Of Fame - Nashville, TN

[ridenwithbiden]

5 YEARS

Eric Munchel, the Nashville man known as "zip-tie guy," has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Judge Royce C. Lamberth sentenced Munchel and his mother and codefendant Lisa Eisenhart at the U.S. District Court in Washington on Friday.

Lamberth sentenced Munchel to 57 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release, said U.S. District Court Judicial Clerk Jason Onyediri. Lamberth gave Eisenhart, from Woodstock, Georgia, a lesser sentence of 30 months of incarceration with the same three years of supervised release, her attorney Greg Smith of Washington said. Smith said both Munchel and Eisenhart were also ordered to pay $2,000 each in restitution.

Munchel's sentence is among the longest of more than 1,000 Jan. 6 defendants. He received the maximum sentence prosecutors calculated under federal guidelines.

Prosecutors say on Jan. 4, 2021, Munchel and Eisenhart drove from Nashville, where Munchel worked as a bartender, to Washington to participate in election protest rallies scheduled for Jan. 5-6.

They arrived at the Capitol on Jan. 6 wearing tactical vests, while Munchel also wore a Taser holstered at his hip and his cell phone mounted on his chest. Munchel’s cell phone recorded a 50-minute video that captured most of their approach and entry to the Capitol building, which prosecutors used as evidence in their case against the pair.

Once inside the Capitol, Munchel and Eisenhart found zip ties that they carried around, which prosecutors argued they planned to use to restrain members of Congress. An infamous photograph captured Munchel holding the zip ties as he climbed over a railing in the gallery of the Senate chambers, where 30 minutes before Congress was meeting to certify the results of the 2020 election.

Originally charged mainly with trespassing charges, the charges against Munchel and Eisenhart expanded in October to include obstruction, conspiracy, disorderly conduct and unauthorized entry. Munchel was found guilty of additional charges for carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon on Capitol grounds for arming himself with a Taser.

Lamberth found the mother and son guilty of all 10 charges against them at a bench trial in April after they forewent their right to a jury trial.

Prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum on Aug. 31 that they hoped the sentences deter the defendants and others from behaving similarly in the future.

"With the 2024 presidential election approaching, a rematch on the horizon, and many loud voices in the media and online continuing to sow discord and distrust, the potential for a repeat of January 6 looms ominously," prosecutors wrote. "The Court must sentence Munchel and Eisenhart in a manner sufficient to deter them specifically, and others generally, from going down that road again."

Several other Tennesseans have been sentenced for their roles in the attack at the U.S. Capitol. You can read about their sentences here.

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Eric Munchel, Nashville 'zip-tie guy', sentenced in January 6 riot

[radiomaxmusic]

Friday, January 12, 2024 12pm ET: Feature Artist - Trace Adkins

Tracy Darrell Adkins (born January 13, 1962) is an American country singer and actor. Adkins made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin’ Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released ten more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations. In addition, he has charted more than 20 singles on the Billboard country music charts, including the Number One hits…

[joshuaboakley]

Angel Of The Morning

https://www.youtube.com/watch/fN5YZb6X8to Angel Of The Morning Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Angel Of The Morning · Juice Newton Juice ℗ A Capitol Records Nashville Release; ℗ 1981 Capitol Records, LLC Released on: 1981-01-01 Producer: Richard Landis Associated Performer, Recording Arranger: Charles Calello Composer Lyricist: Chip Taylor Auto-generated by YouTube. via YouTube…

[itunestopalbums]

HIGH - Keith Urban

HIGH Keith Urban Genre: Country Price: $9.99 Release Date: September 20, 2024 © A Hit Red Records/Capitol Records Nashville Release; ℗ 2024 Hit Red Records, under exclusive license to UMG Recordings, Inc. http://dlvr.it/TDVgjy

[rithebard]

On Sunday; #ChattingWithSherri welcomes #Countryartist and #songwriter #AnthonyBonnette at 7pm pt;  http://tobtr.com/12356646 #interview

[newsper]

T. Graham Brown, a Nashville legend, has made a lasting impact on country music. With Grammy nominations and chart-topping hits, Brown’s career spans over four decades. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Brown’s musical journey began early, influenced by his singer mother. Moving to Nashville, he signed with Capitol Records in 1984, releasing hits like “Drowning in […]

[nel-world]

Perry briefly had vocal lessons with Agatha Danoff at facilities rented from the Music Academy of the West.

Her singing caught the attention of rock artists Steve Thomas and Jennifer Knapp from Nashville, Tennessee, who brought her there to improve her writing skills.

In Nashville, she started recording demos and learned how to write songs and play guitar.

Perry signed with Red Hill Records and recorded her debut album, a contemporary Christian record titled Katy Hudson, which was released on March 6, 2001.

She toured that year as part of Phil Joel's Strangely Normal Tour and embarked on other performances in the United States.

Katy Hudson received mixed reviews from critics and was commercially unsuccessful, selling an estimated 200 copies before the label ceased operations in December.

Transitioning from gospel music to secular music, Perry started working with producer Glen Ballard and moved to Los Angeles at age 17.

She opted to work with Ballard due to his past work with Alanis Morissette, one of her major inspirations.

In 2003, she briefly performed as Katheryn Perry to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson and later adopted the stage name "Katy Perry", using her mother's maiden name.

In 2010, she recalled that "Thinking of You" was one of the first songs she wrote after moving to Los Angeles.

Perry would also perform at the Hotel Café, performing new music while she was between record labels.

In 2004, she signed to Ballard's label, Java Records, affiliated with The Island Def Jam Music Group. Perry began work on a solo record due for release in March 2005, but it was shelved after Java was dropped.

Ballard introduced her to Tim Devine, an A&R executive at Columbia Records, and she was signed as a solo artist.

By November 2006, Perry had finished writing and recording material for her Columbia debut titled Fingerprints (with some material later appearing on One of the Boys), planned for release in 2007.

Some songs from Fingerprints that did not make it onto One of the Boys were given to other artists, such as "I Do Not Hook Up" and "Long Shot" to Kelly Clarkson, and "Rock God" to Selena Gomez & the Scene.

Perry worked with songwriters including Desmond Child, Greg Wells, Butch Walker, Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, the Matrix, Kara DioGuardi, Max Martin, and Dr. Luke.

After Devine suggested that songwriting team the Matrix become a "real group", she recorded an album, The Matrix, with them.

The Matrix was planned for release in 2004 but was cancelled due to creative differences and was released in 2009 after One of the Boys.

Perry was dropped from Columbia in 2006 as Fingerprints neared completion.

After being dropped, she worked at an independent A&R company, Taxi Music.

Perry had minor success prior to her breakthrough. One of the songs she recorded with Ballard, "Simple", was featured on the soundtrack to the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Perry provided backing vocals on Mick Jagger's song "Old Habits Die Hard", included on the soundtrack to the 2004 film Alfie.

In September 2004, Blender named her "The Next Big Thing".

She recorded background vocals on P.O.D.'s single "Goodbye for Now", featured at the end of its music video in 2006, and performed it with them on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

In 2006, Perry appeared in the music video for "Learn to Fly" by Carbon Leaf, and played the love interest of her then-boyfriend, Gym Class Heroes lead singer Travie McCoy, in the band's music video for "Cupid's Chokehold".

2007–2009: Breakthrough with One of the Boys

After Columbia dropped Perry, Angelica Cob-Baehler, then a publicity executive at the label, brought Perry's demos to Virgin Records chairman Jason Flom. Convinced she could be a breakthrough star, she was signed to Capitol Records in April 2007.

The label arranged for her to work with Dr. Luke to add an "undeniable smash" to her existing material.

Perry and Dr. Luke co-wrote the songs "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold" for her second album One of the Boys.

A campaign started with the November 2007 release of the video to "Ur So Gay", a song aimed at introducing her to the music market.

A digital EP of the same name was also released that month.

Madonna helped publicize the song by praising it on the JohnJay & Rich radio show in April 2008, stating "Ur So Gay" was her "favorite song" at the time.

In March 2008, Perry made a cameo appearance as a club singer in the Wildfire episode "Life's Too Short" and appeared as herself during a photo shoot that June on The Young and the Restless for the show's magazine Restless Style.

[lboogie1906]

Mickey Guyton (born June 17, 1983) lyric contralto and songwriter was born in Arlington, Texas to Michael Eugene Guyton and Phyllis Ann Roddy. Her name at birth was Candace Mycale Guyton, and she was the second child of four children. She sang in the Mount Olive Baptist Church Choir. She moved to Los Angeles to attend Santa Monica College. She first became interested in country music in Texas and continued that exploration in California.

She is one of a few Black female country music artists, who includes activism in her art as her songs challenge racial and gender inequality. She was discouraged from pursuing a career in that genre because of her racial background.

She moved to Nashville and signed a contract with Capitol Records Nashville after auditioning with a song by Patty Loveless. She performed at the White House in an all-star concert captured by PBS. She has been seen on This Morning with Gayle King, Good Morning America, and Today, and stories about her have appeared in People magazine, American Voices, and Billboard Magazine as one of country music’s “female game-changers.” Entertainment Weekly called her one of the “new queens of country music.”

Her recording “Better Than You Left Me” made it to the top 40 of the Country chart. It was the single highest rank for a debut single. She was nominated for her first Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Vocalist and performed during Country Music Television’s “Next Women of Country”. She married Grant Savoy (2017) an attorney, and they are the parents of one child.

She performed during the Country Music Association’s Songwriters Series. She sang at the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry and performed for the live-streamed 45th Gracie Awards. During the 63rd annual Grammy Awards, her song “Black Like Me” was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance of the Year.

She became the first African American woman to host the Academy of Country Music Awards. Her “Black Like Me” single was officially released and became her top-selling hit when she performed it at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Tennessee House Republicans on Monday initiated the process of expelling three Democratic lawmakers who joined protesters in demanding stricter gun laws following the Nashville mass shooting that left three young children and three adults dead.

Days after last week's shooting, thousands of demonstrators flooded the Tennessee state Capitol to decry GOP lawmakers' inaction in the face of deadly gun violence. Inside the House chamber, Democratic Reps. Justin Jones, Gloria Johnson, and Justin Pearson took to the podium with a bullhorn and led demonstrators in chants supporting gun control legislation.

As The Tennessean reported, Tennessee House Republicans cast the trio's actions as an "insurrection" and, at the end of Monday's session, "introduced three expulsion resolutions" claiming that the three Democrats "did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions."

A vote on the resolutions is expected on Thursday. "Democrats will have little power to block expulsions," The Tennessean noted.

The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators said in a statement that "this political retribution is unconstitutional and, in this moment, morally bankrupt."

"The people who elected us are calling for meaningful action to end gun violence and the people have a right to be heard through their duly elected representatives," the statement added.

While the House moved to schedule the vote, demonstrators inside the chamber chanted "Fascists!"—to which Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton responded by ordering the galleries cleared and calling on state troopers to remove protesters.

"Media forced out at as well," tweeted Jones, who—along with Johnson—has already been stripped of his committee assignments. Jones said a Republican lawmaker shoved him and grabbed his phone as he was recording a video of demonstrations inside the chamber on Monday.

"This is a sad day for Tennessee," he wrote.

The GOP-controlled Legislature's expulsion efforts came after thousands of Nashville students walked out of their classrooms earlier Monday to demand action on gun violence, which is now the leading cause of death for children in the United States—a country with more guns than people.

Far from backing gun control legislation, Tennessee Republicans have sought to make firearms even more readily accessible in recent years. The New York Times reported last week that Tennessee lawmakers "have passed a series of measures that have weakened regulations, eliminating some permit requirements and allowing most residents to carry loaded guns in public, open or concealed, without a permit, training, or special background checks."

Facing expulsion, the Democratic trio in Tennessee has continued to voice solidarity with those rallying for change in the streets and at the state Capitol.

Pearson, one of Tennessee's youngest lawmakers, told a local media outlet that "the thousands of children and adults who marched outside of the People's House are not insurrectionists."

"My walk, my colleagues' walk to the House floor was in a peaceful and civil manner, and it was not an insurrection,” Pearson said, pushing back on the state GOP's characterization of the protests.

Jones, who like Pearson took office earlier this year, vowed Monday that "we'll not be intimidated."

"THE PEOPLE are demanding we act to stop kids from being murdered in school," Jones wrote on Twitter.

[tallmantall]

James Donaldson on Mental Health - Suicides are at an all-time high in America. One of the best ways to reduce them is gun control

Gun control laws not only help prevent mass shootings, they also reduce suicides, experts explain By MATTHEW ROZSA Staff Writer Anti-gun demonstrators protest at the Tennessee Capitol for stricter gun laws in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 3, 2023. Editors’ Note: This article discusses suicide and contains details about mental health crises. If you are having thoughts of suicide, or are concerned that someone you know may be, resources are available at https://www.speakingofsuicide.com/resources/ If you are in need of help, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Hours of operation are 24/7 and it's confidential. The ongoing mental health crisis in America is coupled with an escalating suicide crisis that reached record highs in 2022, with nearly 50,000 deaths. Almost 55% of these deaths involved firearms. While gun control is usually discussed in terms of ending mass shootings, it will also stop a lot of self-inflicted violence. One of the best strategies for addressing this issue can saves lives, though it has an intimidating name: lethal means counseling. "The link between gun control policies and firearms is strikingly clear — less gun control correlates almost perfectly with higher state firearm deaths overall." Lethal means counseling is when — for the safety of a person in acute distress — firearms and dangerous medications are voluntarily and temporarily stored in secure areas. Many people undergoing mental health crises are at risk of hurting themselves, whether suicidally or unintentionally. Dr. Kurt Michael, the senior clinical director at The Jed Foundation, has seen many cases in which "a person’s access to lethal means is often a primary contributing factor as to whether death is the outcome of a suicide attempt," he said. Perhaps the best way to illustrate lethal means counseling is through two morbid scenarios: In the first, a 20-year-old person in distress went to their father’s gun cabinet, removed a loaded firearm and shot himself in the head, dying within seconds. In the second scenario, he went to the gun cabinet and couldn't find any weapons. So he used a razor to open up his wrists and was found an hour later, rushed to the hospital and survived, agreeing to seek help. While this trolley problem is indeed dark, it's a choice many people face every day. Lethal means counseling is a way to make the worst outcomes less likely. While it is voluntary at first, lethal means counseling still requires a person to lose some of their immediate personal agency. Nevertheless, lethal means counseling seems justifiable because the temporary loss of freedom has the consequence of prolonging their lives. A similar argument can thus be made for mandatory waiting periods, which have been linked by the nonprofit think tank the Rand Corporation with lowered suicide rates as well as lowered violent crime rates. If a person wishes to shoot themselves but cannot easily obtain a gun, it is reasonable to assume they will have more time to reconsider that terrible decision. Dr. Jacob Smith, an assistant professor of political science at Fordham University who has studied how gun control and mental health policies correspond to firearm fatalities, suggests this does indeed happen quite often. "In our paper, we mostly looked at overall gun control policies and access to mental health rather than specific policies," Smith said, explaining that most states which implement gun control laws do so more with more than one, making it difficult to assess which laws have caused what specific effect. Despite this challenge, Smith and his team still found a definite pattern in terms of how gun control laws impacted suicide rates. "What we do find in our research is that states with more gun control laws have fewer gun deaths (including those who die by suicide from guns) and for non-suicides (homicides and accidental discharge together), a combination of more access to mental health services and an overall stricter climate for gun control laws correlates with a particularly lower rate of gun deaths," Smith said. Specifically, the team found that more access to mental health care did not correlate with lower rates of suicide by gun; stricter gun control laws, however, had that desired impact. "This relationship is perhaps due to the fact that many mental health treatments take time to have an effect, while the effect of removing a gun (or preventing one from having it in the first place) is immediate," Smith said, adding that more access to mental health care is still good for other reasons. "It is also very difficult under existing law to remove a gun due to mental illness, but having stricter gun control laws generally can either prevent (assault weapons ban) or delay (through background checks) when one has access to a gun." The suicide crisis has hit young people especially hard, with suicide rates increasing most among children between the ages of 12 and 17. Magic Wade — an associate professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield whose 2023 study for the journal Homicide Studies found small cities have higher rates of gun violence than large ones — says that this is one reason to consider expanding child access prevention laws and increasing purchasing age requirements. "These also enjoy broad-based support," Wade said. "According to a recent study by Crifasi et al. examining gun policy opinions of Americans from surveys conducted in 2017 and 2019, over 70% of respondents of any ethnicity (white, Black and Hispanics were compared in the study) support, 'Requiring by law that a person lock up the guns in their home when not in use to prevent handling by children or teenagers without adult supervision.'" "I have observed that many clinicians are hesitant or fearful to talk with their patients about firearms." In fact, the data suggests that even purchasing a gun can be risky if one is predisposed to suicidality. Wade cited a 2020 study in the New England Journal of Medicine that studies gun owners in California over three decades. It revealed that new gun owners are at an increased risk of suicide first in the initial month and then for a full year after they acquire a firearm. One popular solution among policymakers is to implement an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) for people experiencing mental health crises. An ERPO allows law enforcement to remove firearms and ammunition from the home of an individual in that situation. "21 states and the District of Columbia had enacted ERPOs, mostly since 2019," Wade said. "Such policies are still in the implementation phase where they need to be studied and potentially retooled or bolstered to maximize their intended effect. Notably, they are also typically geared toward preventing mass shootings, not suicides, although the latter is a welcome and logical byproduct." She added that RAND conducted a systematic review of the research which found that ERPOs have “uncertain” effects on suicides and violent crime, although there is currently not enough time to accumulate evidence on their effectiveness. Despite this, Wade pointed out that as of 2023 "over 49 grants totaling roughly $200 million had been allocated for 'the creation and implementation of extreme risk protection order programs, state crisis intervention court proceedings, and related gun violence reduction initiatives'" While the effectiveness of ERPOs is an open question, experts are more decisive about the effectiveness of other well-established gun control policies. "If you look at overall gun deaths the link between gun control policies and firearms is strikingly clear — less gun control correlates almost perfectly with higher state firearm deaths overall," said Dr. John J. Donohue, a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research who has done extensive research into gun control policy. "Part of that is gun control itself, part is that states with no gun control tend to have lots of guns in general, and part is poorer states tend to have less gun control." He added, "Waiting period laws clearly reduce suicide and red flag laws can help if they are used. Beefing up background check systems and moving to universal background checks should also help. Safe storage laws have also been found to work. Not adopting right-to-carry laws also restrains violent crime as RAND has confirmed." Yet gun control policies alone will not be enough to stop the rising tide of death. As Michael observed, mandatory waiting periods are most effective for first time gun owners. In many states the average household has seven to ten firearms, and therefore mandatory waiting periods cannot realistically prevent people in crisis from obtaining weapons. "That is why as a first step, I urge individuals (or parents/guardians of minors) who have firearms to secure all of their firearms voluntarily with family or friends (or trusted others who are not legally prohibited from accepting a transfer of firearms) until the suicide crisis has subsided, especially for those deemed at imminent risk," Michael said. "If out of the home storage is not feasible or preferred, especially for firearms designated in the family’s self-defense plan, a work firearm, or for veterans who are very familiar and comfortable with firearms, I consistently recommend that families store those guns in a locked device, such as a small, push button safe to prevent access from unauthorized users." Simply put, one does not have to be anti-gun to support policies that save lives. Michael described himself as "both a gun owner and a suicidologist" and as such "comfortable talking about both issues as they are inextricably linked." He says that as long as conversations about firearms are conducted in an apolitical, culturally respectful way, people can be saved on an individual level without government policy. That is where practices like lethal means counseling come into the picture. "I have observed that many clinicians are hesitant or fearful to talk with their patients about firearms," Michael said. "They either don’t think that they have the qualifications to bring it up or believe that bringing it up will not make any difference in that person’s life. But in reality, culturally-affirming, honest, and empathy-based conversations that are respectful of an individual’s way of life can be life-saving." The goal for health care providers is not to confiscate the patient's guns, but to make sure they will not be used to harm themselves or someone else. In a compassionate system, this should be done in a way that consistently respects the patient's dignity. "The focus is first on voluntary and temporary secure storage of firearms and respecting the family’s agency and right to self-determination in the matter," said Michael. #James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy Link for 40 Habits Signupbit.ly/40HabitsofMentalHealth If you'd like to follow and receive my daily blog in to your inbox, just click on it with Follow It. Here's the link https://follow.it/james-donaldson-s-standing-above-the-crowd-s-blog-a-view-from-above-on-things-that-make-the-world-go-round?action=followPub Read the full article