With a role on the CW Television Network series “Hart of Dixie” and a new country music album in release, actress and singer Claudia Lee has always seemed more “down home” than hip. That could be about to change, thanks to her latest single, “3 Leaf Clover,” a country-rap hybrid that blends urban with rural in a way that just might have fans from down on the farm to the big city cranking up their car stereos and hitting the dance floor.

With spoken lyrics that morph into playful twang, the cutting-edge song is a no-nonsense lesson in love, sung from the perspective of a young woman who demands to be treated with respect: “You better read my lips, I won’t say this twice / You need to step it up, you need to play it nice / I’m not gonna waste a minute of my life / On someone who can blend in with a pack of fools / Just a hammer hanging in the box of tools.”

“When my producer, Max Di Carlo, introduced this song to me, I fell in love with it,” Lee said. “It’s cool the way it starts out as a rap song and becomes country, then goes back to rap.”

Although unusual, it is not unheard of for country music artists to dabble in hip-hop. Perhaps the best known artists in that genre, the multi-platinum-selling Nappy Roots, have been doing it since 1995. Neal McCoy, Bellamy Brothers, Mikel Knight and others have also experimented with rap. Recently, Taylor Swift recorded “Both of Us,” a duet with rapper B.o.B., although she leaves the actual rapping to him.

At age 15, Claudia Lee is likely one of, if not the youngest country artist to incorporate rap into her music. Although “3 Leaf Clover” was just recently released to radio stations as a single, some were already playing it.

“After I played it about the fourth or fifth time, I started getting requests,” said John Mansell, program director and air personality at WSLV Radio in Ardmore, Tennessee. “What was amazing was the demographics on the requests were 12 to 22. You‘ve got elementary kids all the way up to college kids listening to it.”

“3 Leaf Clover” is one of 12 songs on Lee’s debut album, “Here Right Now,” which also features the singles “Hollywood Sunset” and “It Gets Better.” Claudia Lee’s music is available at iTunes and Amazon. “3 Leaf Clover” can be heard at https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaLeeLive/app_195720580528281

Information about Claudia Lee is available at www.ClaudiaLeeLive.com.

Watch the videos for “Hollywood Sunset” and “It Gets Better” below

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

HSN, the leading multi-channel retailer, announced recently that multi-platinum country superstar Josh Turner will debut his latest Universal Music Nashville release Punching Bag and perform live during HSN LIVE on May 25 at 9 p.m. (EST). Part of HSN’s annual Americana event, the multi-platform concert will be available live on HSN, HSN.com, HSN Mobile and through HSN’s Facebook page.

During the event Turner will perform tracks from the new record, including his latest hit “Time Is Love,” and other chart-toppers from his nearly decade-long career like “Why Don’t We Just Dance” and “Your Man.”  “It’s always exciting for me to share new music early with my fans, so I can’t wait to perform live on HSN during the HSN LIVE concert series. I love experiencing their reactions to the new songs,” said Turner. Following his HSN premiere, Turner will interact with fans during a live post-concert chat on the network’s Facebook.

Customers will also have the opportunity to pre-order an exclusive 2-disc bundle ($19.95, free S&H) on HSN.com that includes Josh’s new Punching Bag release and the ICON Series: The Best of Josh Turner, which includes 11 of his number one hits, such as “Long Black Train” and “Would You Go With Me”.

With four platinum record certifications, four #1 singles, two Grammy Award nominations and multiple other accolades under his belt, Turner delivers yet again on Punching Bag, his fifth album due out June 12th. Single “Time is Love” is climbing country radio charts, while the video clip has received nearly 1 million views since its debut this Spring. For the latest information on the new record and his upcoming events, visit JoshTurner.com.

For more information on Josh Turner go to:

http://www.joshturner.com

http://www.facebook.com/joshturner

http://www.twitter.com/joshturnermusic

http://www.youtube.com/joshturner

PHOTO (L TO R): RACHEL JOHNSON, BRETT ELDREDGE, JERAD YENNI

Brett’s performance, and the couple’s date, will air on The Warner Sound (Warner Music’s premium YouTube Channel) -  Youtube.com/TheWarnerSound.

Brett is currently in the studio working on new music.

For more information about Brett Eldredge, please visit www.BrettEldredge.com.

www.facebook.com/bretteldredge/ Follow @bretteldredge

In celebration of its 50^th Anniversary, the United Farm Workers (UFW) announce the Kris Kristofferson & Friends Concert Series June 15 thru June 22 in cities across California.  The Concert Series will join singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson with renowned Latin artists in the various markets to raise money in advancing the work of the UFW.

Joining Kristofferson in donating their respective performances are: Los Lobos, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Mariachi Divas, Nydia Rojas with Trio Ellas, and Los Tex-Maniacs featuring Mingo Saldivar.

Concert Series tickets are on sale now through each venue’s box office. A select number of VIP Artist’s Circle seats will be available. The Artist’s Circle seats include premium seating within the first eight rows, a limited edition commemorative concert poster, and a meet and greet opportunity with Kris Kristofferson & Friends after the show.

The Concert Series is produced by LatinPointe and Road Work Entertainment and is sponsored by Southwest Airlines.  The California Concert Series artist line-up and scheduled concert stops include:

Friday, June 15 – San Diego, CA – Spreckels Theatre, 8:00 pm

Kris Kristofferson &  Mariachi Divas

Saturday, June 16 – Fresno, CA – Warnors Center for the Performing Arts, 8:00 pm

Kris Kristofferson & Nydia Rojas with Trio Ellas

Monday, June 18 – Stockton, CA – The Bob Hope Theatre, 7:30 pm

Kris Kristofferson & TBD

Tuesday, June 19 – Bakersfield, CA – The Fox Theater, 8:00 pm

Kris Kristofferson & Los Lobos

Thursday, June 21 – Oxnard, CA – Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center, 7:30 pm

Kris Kristofferson & Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano

Friday, June 22 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Civic, 8:00 pm

Kris Kristofferson & Los Tex-Maniacs featuring Mingo Saldiva

Kristofferson achieved remarkable success as a country songwriter at the start of the 1970s. His songs “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” and “For the Good Times,” all chart-topping hits, helped redefine country songwriting. By 1987, it was estimated that more than 450 artists had recorded Kristofferson’s compositions.

His renown as a songwriter triggered Kristofferson’s successful career as a performer and that, in turn, brought him to the attention of Hollywood, leading to his flourishing career as a film actor. Kristofferson has acted in more than 70 films.  In 1977 He won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in “A Star Is Born.”  He’s appeared in cult favorites including the “Blade” trilogy, “Lone Star,” “A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries,” “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Blume In Love,” “Cisco Pike,” and “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.” Recent films include “Fast Food Nation,”  “Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story,” “The Jacket,” “Silver City,” “He’s Just Not That In To You,” and “Dolphin Tale.”

Heralded as an artist’s artist, the three-time GRAMMY winner has recorded 27 albums, including three with pals Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings as part of the Highwaymen. Kristofferson has spent three decades performing concerts all over the world, in most recent years in a solo acoustic setting.

Kristofferson is an outspoken political and social activism.  “It’s an honor for me to share my talent with an organization such as the UFW and its cause of advancing the lives of thousands of workers that put food on all of our tables,” said Kristofferson.  “Joining forces with renowned Latino performers through these special performances offer fans great music with a great cause.”

The UFW is the oldest Latino organization to come out of the 1960’s civil rights movement and the largest farm worker organization in America.  The group continues to be at the forefront of protecting America’s farm workers, ensuring a safe and just food supply and a safe working environment, free from intimidation and threats to achieve a higher standard of living for them and their families.

Other scheduled UFW 50^th Anniversary events include the UFW Awards (May 17^th) and the UFW 50^th Anniversary convention (May 18-20).  Both events will be held in Bakersfield, CA.  A distinguished group of entertainers, public officials, dignitaries and Hispanic national leaders lead by Helen Chavez, wife of founder Cesar Chavez, is co-chairing the 50^th Anniversary celebration.

Source: thecountrypaparazzi.blogspot.com via The Country on Pinterest

Source: mediagallery.usatoday.com via The Country on Pinterest

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“I’m a huge fan of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette,” said Gloriana band member Rachel Reinert. “I watched Emily when she was a contestant on The Bachelor and I was an instant fan of hers, so hearing that she is a fan of our band was a wonderful surprise! I’m excited to watch the new season, and I’m even more excited that we got to be a part of it.”

“(Kissed You) Good Night,” written by band member Tom Gossin and Nashville songwriter Josh Kear, has quickly become a fan favorite out on the road and the accompanying video has been voted by fans onto the GAC Top 20 Countdown for six weeks straight and can also be seen on CMT.  Gloriana recently put the finishing touches on their much anticipated second studio album on Emblem Music Group/Warner Bros. Records, A Thousand Miles Left Behind, with Grammy Award winning producer and Emblem Music Group label owner Matt Serletic (Willie Nelson, Rob Thomas, and Aerosmith). Gloriana released their debut self-titled album in 2009 and quickly became the best-selling debut country act, winning the 2009 fan-voted American Music Award for Breakthrough Artist and the 2010 Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Vocal Group.

ABOUT THE BACHELORETTE: The new season of The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8/7 Central on ABC. For more information on The Bachelorette, visit http://abc.go.com/shows/the-bachelorette. On ABC’s hit primetime romance reality series The Bachelorette, one lucky woman gets the opportunity to find the man of her dreams — and hopefully her groom-to-be — in this reality series. This single, very eligible bachelorette — a confident, successful and sensitive woman who is ready to find love — will embark on a romantic journey as she meets 25 handsome and intelligent men. As the Bachelorette gets to know each one, she’ll continue to narrow the field. They will travel to exotic locations and spend time getting to know each other; she will introduce them to her family and friends and meet some of theirs. At the end of her romantic voyage, if she has found Mr. Right, will there be a proposal, from whom – and will she say yes? Hosted by Chris Harrison, The Bachelorette is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.

For more information on Gloriana please visit: www.gloriana.com.

Produced by Garth Fundis and solely penned by Due West member Brad Hull, “Things You Can’t Do In A Car,” the lead single from the upcoming release due later this year on Black River Entertainment.

Fans of Due West can learn more about “Things You Can’t Do In A Car” by visiting www.CountryWeekly.com for the exclusive premiere of the trio’s lyric video for the single.

ABOUT DUE WEST:

Tim Gates, Brad Hull and Matt Lopez make up the dynamic vocal trio, Due West.  The group formed following their first meeting at a Nashville party where after singing together for the first time, their harmonies created an undeniable chemistry.  Each a songwriter in their own right, Brad Hull solely penned the group’s lead single “Things You Can’t Do In A Car.”  Due West is currently in the studio with legendary producer Garth Fundis, (Keith Whitley, Trisha Yearwood and Sugarland) working on their upcoming album to be released later this year on Black River Entertainment.  For more information on Due West please visit  www.duewest.com or  facebook.com/DueWestMusic