ACL Festival Welcome Sign

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Welcome To Austin: Preparing For 2017 ACL Music Festival

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The Recording Academy is on-site at Austin City Limits 2017, prepping for a weekend of exclusive coverage of the festival's hippest happenings and some of its most interesting artists
Brian Haack
GRAMMYs
Oct 6, 2017 - 11:48 am

Looking across a skyline of high-rises, it seems strange to say that Austin still feels like a small town.

Even with a metro area of population of more than 2 million, and recent data pointing to it being one of the fastest growing cities in the country, Austin has managed to maintain the vibe of a vibrant close-knit community.

In downtown Austin, 6th Street has a reputation that well precedes it. It's been called "Dirty 6th" and "the Bourbon St. of Texas," but last night was surpassingly tame. Walking down 6th the night before the first day of the 2017 Austin City Limits Music Festival, I was struck by the number of venue names I recognized. There's Stubbs, the Lizard Lounge, Maggie Mae's.

After years of reading coverage from ACL and South by Southwest and booking dinners and after-parties in my previous life working for record labels, I feel like I know these places — even though I am seeing them for the first time.

The streets are closed off, and pedestrians meander from venue to venue, perhaps drawn inside by a jangling guitar and an earnest singer, or maybe ushered inside by one of the energetic doormen who jump in front of you from time to time to make sure you know you that this is where the drinks are cheapest and coldest, and the music will be the loudest. 

Pick a bar or restaurant at random, and you might find a full rock band slinging out jams for a packed floor, or a solitary player with an acoustic guitar who's somehow found a way to work covers of Gnarls Barkley, Bruno Mars, *NSYNC, and Amy Winehouse into a coherent and strangely enjoyable set. Austin is a place where you can walk the streets without a plan, and wind up with a night full of stories.

This morning, the city seems oddly calm for a large metropolitan area that’s about to host a major three-day, two-weekend music festival. But then again, this is old hat for Austin. This is the live music capital of the world. Stopping in a coffee shop, I overhear a trio of police officers calmly swapping crowd control stories from after last call the night before — nothing crazy, just another night in the city.

Our team arrives at ACL early, excited to walk the grounds and set up our press tent for a day full of interviews with the amazing artists booked to rock the festival stages over the course of the weekend.

At the Miller stage near the media center where we’ve camped out, the first band tunes up and starts playing, The Wild Now. It's not even noon yet, but there’s already a packed crowd gathered and ready to rock. I find myself as excited as the crowd of early-risers to see what ACL has in store for us this year.

We've got a full weekend of coverage — and maybe a surprise or two — all planned, so make sure to check back on Saturday and Sunday and get your fill of the Recording Academy's unique take on this year's ACL Music Festival.

More Music Festivals: Go Inside Lollapalooza 2017

A collage of can't-miss artists for summer 2017

The summer 2017 music festival circuit promises a host of amazing headliners

Photos: Getty Images/WireImage.com

List

17 Must-Attend Music Festivals In 2017

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Our favorite festivals for this summer season, and what to expect from each
Brian Haack
GRAMMYs
May 16, 2017 - 5:25 pm

(Looking for 2018 festivals? View our list of must-attend 2018 festivals.)

What music festivals are you planning a road trip for?

 

The 2017 editions of Coachella, Stagecoach, Ultra, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival are all officially in the rearview. We've got so many amazing memories from each festival (and we're sure you do too!), but the fact is that the summer festival season has just begun.

With so many opportunities to follow your favorite artists as they play unforgettable sets in iconic venues, urban city centers and beautiful outdoor locations, it can be tough to plan out where and when it's all happening. Allow us to lend a helping hand, and take a look at our 17 best-bet festivals for making all of your "I was there" memories this summer.

Sasquatch!
Date: May 26 – May 28
Location: George, Wash.
Lineup Includes: LCD Soundsystem, Bonobo, Sleigh Bells, Foxygen, Twenty One Pilots, Bleachers, Chance The Rapper, the Shins, Kiiara, and Mount Kimbie
The Scene: The spectacular views offered by the Gorge Amphitheater alone is well worth the price of admission, and the diverse multigenre lineup is sure to catch the vibe of even the most discerning music fan.
Connect: @Sasquatch

BottleRock Napa Valley
Date: May 26 – May 28
Location: Napa Valley, Calif.
Lineup Includes: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Foo Fighters, Maroon 5, Modest Mouse, the Naked & Famous, Andra Day, the Strumbellas, AlunaGeorge, Warren G, and Bob Moses
The Scene: With a combination of top-tier legacy acts and tour-proven indie rock scenester sounds, BottleRock Napa Valley always delivers a thrilling experience. Expect good music, great food and a massive selection of offerings from local wineries.
Connect: @BottleRockNapa

Movement
Date: May 27 – May 29
Location:  Detroit
Lineup Includes: Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox, Adam Beyer, Barclay Crenshaw, Ben Klock, Danny Brown, DJ Harvey, the Gaslamp Killer, Kerri Chandler, Juicy J, Larry Heard, and Seth Troxler
The Scene: This massive multistage techno festival nestled in the birthplace of the genre makes for a yearly pilgrimage for house heads and techno purists from around the world, but the increasing popularity and awareness of the festival has attracted a wider and more diverse audience in recent years. The festival is family friendly, and even includes free yoga classes on two days of the festival.
Connect: @MovementDetroit

Governor's Ball
Date: June 2 – June 4
Location: New York City
Lineup Includes: Lorde, Flume, Beach House, Danny Brown, Phoenix, Kehlani, Cage The Elephant, Air, Wu-Tang Clan, the Avalanches, and Rae Sremmurd
The Scene: Launched in 2011 as a stopgap for a city without a modern major music festival to call its own, Governor's Ball has grown into its own and earned the title of "a festival with a New York heart" from the New York Times. And in case the music isn't enough, this festival also features "mini golf, silent discos, interactive photo booths, life-size board games, and unique outdoor activations."
Connect: @GovBallNYC

The Roots Picnic
Date: June 3
Location: Philadelphia
Lineup Includes: Pharrell X The Roots, Lil Wayne, Solange, Jeezy, 21 Savage, Kimbra, Thundercat, and James Vincent McMorrow
The Scene: As this single-day festival with its annual lineup curated entirely by the Roots celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, it continues to offer an amazing mix of great music, philanthropic events and panel discussions featuring fashion, lifestyle and cultural influencers down by the water at Penn's Landing.
Connect: @RootsPicnic

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Date: June 8 – June 11
Location: Manchester, Tenn.
Lineup Includes: U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Weeknd, Chance The Rapper, Major Lazer, Lorde, The XX, Travis Scott, Future Islands, and Royal Blood
The Scene: This long-standing multigenre festival has a reputation for fostering a dedicated fan base who return year-in, year-out. The positively massive lineup for 2017 makes it easy to predict there will be many new faces joining the festival's cult of devotees. Bonus points: the festival is adding an all-night stage specializing in hip hop and electronic tunes this year.
Connect: @Bonnaroo

Firefly Music Festival
Date: June 15 – June 18
Location: Dover, Del.
Lineup Includes: Glass Animals, Kaleo, O.A.R., Twenty One Pilots, Flume, The Weeknd, Weezer, Miike Snow, Bob Dylan, Muse, the Shins, Thirty Seconds To Mars, and Phantogram
The Scene: With more than 140 bands to choose from, the four-day campout festival brings a unique vibe, and prides itself on being the birthplace of life-long friendships for its attendees. This festival is family friendly, and takes place at The Woodlands at the Dover International Speedway.
Connect: @LiveAtFirefly

Vans Warped Tour
Date: June 16–Aug. 6
Location: Various
Lineup Includes: CKY, Goldfinger, Plain White T's, GWAR, Anti-Flag, Bowling For Soup, Beartooth, American Authors, the Acacia Strain, and Hawthorne Heights
The Scene: The 23rd edition of this venerable traveling skate punk, hard rock and hardcore festival proves that Warped Tour still brings together one of the best combinations of both on-the-cusp and legacy acts you'll find anywhere in the U.S. Check the festival dates on their official website to see if there's a tour stop near you.
Connect: @VansWarpedTour

Get psyched for Warped Tour with past Recording Academy artist interviews

Monterey International Pop Festival 2017
Date: June 16 – June 18
Location: Monterey, Calif.
Lineup Includes: Eric Burdon And The Animals, Father John Misty, Leon Bridges, Regina Spektor, Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, Gary Clark Jr., the Head And The Heart, Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band,  and Booker T's Stax Revue
The Scene: Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1967 multiday festival that brought together  then-mostly unknown talents like Eric Burdon And The Animals, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and the Grateful Dead, the 2017 edition of the Monterey International Pop Festival promises to be a celebration of life and a continuation of the music culture that helped spawn the Summer Of Love.
Connect: @MontereyPop50

Don't miss the GRAMMY Museum's Monterey Pop showcase: Music, Love And Flowers, 1967

Electric Daisy Carnival
Date: June 16 – June 18
Location: Las Vegas, Nev.
Lineup Includes: Afrojack, Audien B2B 3lau, Bro Safari, Desert Hearts, GTA, Hardwell, Alison Wonderland, RL Grime, NGHTMRE, Above & Beyond, Dirtyphonics, Kygo, Oliver Heldens, Adam Beyer, DJ Khaled, and Markus Schulz
The Scene: Insomniac Events' flagship dance festival has grown into one of the largest electronic music events in the world. With three nights of music from sunset to sunrise, EDC is an event that must be experienced to be understood.
Connect: @EDC_LasVegas

Bust a move: Watch our artist interviews from EDC 2016 and relive the experience

Essence Festival
Date: June 29 – July 2
Location: New Orleans
Lineup Includes: Diana Ross, John Legend, India.Arie, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott, Ari Lennox, Chance The Rapper, Master P, Mystikal, Solange, and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
The Scene: Now in its 23rd year, New Orleans' 'party with a purpose' continues its mission of showcasing amazing musical talents in an environment of individual empowerment and community activism. Festival visitors can also check out the convention center, which will provide motivational seminars, enriching experiences and more enhancements to your experience.
Connect: @EssenceFest

Common, Andra Day, Cyril Neville, and more: Check out our favorite interviews from Essence 2016

Pitchfork Music Festival
Date: July 14 – July 16
Location: Chicago
Lineup Includes: LCD Soundsystem, Dirty Projectors, Danny Brown, Vince Staples, A Tribe Called Quest, PJ Harvey, Solange, Nicholas Jaar, the Avalanches, and American Football
The Scene: Hosted by Pitchfork Media, home to the famous/infamous music tastemaking blog Pitchfork, the Pitchfork Music Festival consistently brings an eclectically relevant and sonically forward-thinking lineup of can't-miss and must-know acts.
Connect: @Pitchfork

Newport Folk Festival
Date: July 28 – July 30
Location: Newport, R.I.
Lineup Includes: Fleet Foxes, Wilco, John Prine, the Head And The Heart, the Avett Brothers, Jim James, and Ben Gibbard
The Scene: The Newport Folk Festival is a veritable guardian of the flame for the earnest, heartfelt sounds of yesteryear's proto-indie crooners and giants of songwriting alike. Expect wonderful sounds showcased in calm and inviting surroundings, complete with excellent cuisine and local artwork.
Connect: @NewportFolkFest

Lollapalooza
Date: Aug. 3 – Aug. 6
Location: Chicago
Lineup Includes: Chance The Rapper, the Killers, Muse, Arcade Fire, Blink-182, DJ Snake, Justice, Wiz Khalifa, Migos, Glass Animals, Tove Lo, Tegan And Sara, and Little Dragon
The Scene: Nestled in Grant Park in the heart of Chicago, Lollapalooza offers attendees the chance to vibe to their favorite tunes all day, then retreat into the city to discover its eclectic mix of food and countless music venues offering night shows. Lolla has come a long way from its alternative rock touring days in the '90s to taking place in six countries in 2017, and it is still not to be missed.
Connect: @Lollapalooza

Outside Lands
Date: Aug. 11 – Aug. 13
Location: San Francisco
Lineup Includes: Metallica, the Who, Gorillaz, A Tribe Called Quest, Empire Of The Sun, Queens Of The Stone Age, Schoolboy Q, Rebelution, Future Islands, Vance Joy, and Kaytranada
The Scene: Summer dates notwithstanding, it is advised to bring a jacket to this Golden Gate Park-based festival, as San Francisco's trademark cool and foggy weather tends to roll in starting mid-August. The good news is this year's 10th anniversary lineup is full of headliners whose sound will warm you right up.
Connect: @SFOutsideLands 

Kaaboo
Date: Sept. 15 – Sept. 17
Location: Del Mar, Calif.
Lineup Includes: Red Hot Chili Peppers, P!nk, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jane's Addiction, Ice Cube, Alanis Morissette, Logic, X Ambassadors, T-Pain, Machine Gun Kelly, Weezer, and David Guetta
The Scene: Billing itself as "everything a typical music festival is not," Kaaboo promises to be a curated escape from the norm, complete with comfortable surroundings, great food, contemporary artwork, craft cocktails, world-class music, and live comedy.
Connect: @KaabooDelMar

Austin City Limits
Date: Oct. 6 – Oct. 8 & Oct. 13 – Oct. 15
Location: Austin, Tex.
Lineup Includes: Jay-Z, the Killers, Chance The Rapper, The XX, Ryan Adams, Spoon, Solange, the Head And The Heart, Gorillaz, Run The Jewels, Tove Lo, and Foster The People
The Scene: Once primarily an alternative rock, country and indie folk festival, ACL has nearly finished transitioning into a mainstream multigenre festival with aims of competing with the Coachellas, Bonnaroos and Saquatches of the world. Combining two weekend editions of three days each, plus countless evening after-shows and club gigs around the city of Austin, ACL certainly steps up to the plate.
Connect: @ACLFestival

More summer music picks: Must-see summer tours for 2017

Vance Joy at Austin City Limits Festival 2017

Vance Joy

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Interview

Vance Joy Talks “Lay It On Me,” Jimmy Kimmel, “Riptide”

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The “Riptide” singer opens up about his new single, his favorite crowd experiences, and what he really does on his few days off
Brian Haack
GRAMMYs
Oct 8, 2017 - 6:26 pm

Australian-born singer/songwriter Vance Joy (real name James Keogh) exploded onto the scene in 2014 with his smash-hit debut single “Riptide,” which bested Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” record for most weeks atop the ARIA Singles Top 100 chart, with 120 weeks at No. 1. The song also won Keogh the grand prize at the 2014 International Songwriting Awards. “Riptide” was soon followed up by another successful single, “Mess Is Mine,” both of which are featured on his debut full-length album Dream Your Life Away.

Vance Joy: Writing “Lay It On Me”

Keogh is now wrapping up a very successful 2017, with his latest single “Lay It On Me” having climbed the charts to No.1 on U.S. AA radio and No. 5 on Alternative.

He sat down with the Recording Academy backstage at Austin City Limits 2017 to share the story behind his newest single, how he spends his days off on tour, and how life has been treating him since we were first introduced to “Riptide.”

How many ukeleles do you think you’ve signed since “Riptide” first came out?

It’d be over a hundred. The more the better — I know there are a lot of ukeleles out in the world, but the more instruments out there the better, because they're an easy, fun instrument to play. I heard they George Harrison had a car with a boot [trunk] full of ukeleles and he’d just give them out to people - I want to be able to do that.

You’re going to premiere your new single “Lay It On Me” on Jimmy Kimmel this week. Tell us a bit about the song — can you share a bit about the writing or inspiration? Should we expect any other surprises from your Kimmel appearance?

It was great to be able to play it on television, I’m a fan of Jimmy Kimmel’s show. It’s a fun song to play, it’s got a horn section, it’s kind of upbeat. I wrote it in Malibu. I worked with a guy called Dave Basset, who’s a really great songwriter and a really great guy. I went into the songwriting session with a bunch of notes. There was a lyric that I really wanted to use, “everything starts at your skin.” I found a place for it in this song, and I feel like that lyric is the lyric I’m most proud of in that song. Then the guitar riff, which is the basis of the song, is a riff I’d had since 2012, and I like the riff, but I could just never write a song with it. I remember being here in Austin in 2013 and trying repeatedly to write a song with this riff, and I just couldn’t find a home for it, which is frustrating. So I gave up on the riff. But when I went into this songwriting session with Dave Basset, he sang a melody over this riff, and I had this other idea for a chorus and we glued it all together. I feel like I never could have gotten to a place where I could use that riff had I not done a collaboration with Dave. We just had a really good two days — we wrote two songs in two days. It doesn’t always work like that, you do a bunch of songwriting sessions and you might get a song, but these two songs I felt really great about. It’s fun to play a new song that’s upbeat, especially when you’re playing festivals. The crowds have been recognizing the song, and I’m enjoying playing it. I’ll play it today.

“Riptide” was the song that introduced you to the world, and obviously it has that instantly recognizable ukelele sound. I thought “Mess Is Mine” was a great follow-up single to that; one because it’s a great song, but also because it made it clear that you had a wide breadth of writing talent. The way alt radio was going at the time made it easy for people to write off what they thought were on-hit wonders, and you clearly were not that. Do you feel at all as though you’ve had to compete with the success of that first single, and did that play any conscious role in your writing process as you set out to prepare some new music?

Thank you. I think you don’t have too much control when it comes naturally, in terms of what ideas just come to you. With “Mess Is Mine,” it just came along, this riff, and it felt like “oh, this is something — this feels like it could be something.”  And I just recorded it in my phone. I think, with a lot of the songs that I’m most proud of, it just kind of comes along naturally in its own way, and you follow it. You get like a little thread, and you pull it until you get a whole song. You follow your intuition as a songwriter.

I saw you a few years back at the Fonda in LA, and you got a really awesome welcome from the crowd there — was that level of popularity unexpected or difficult to take in? Can you name a place where you’ve seen the most surprising crowd reaction so far in your career?

I remember that show. I played there again recently, and it was just really great energy. I think there’s just all different types of audiences, even if it’s like a quiet theater show. Sometimes you can just have a really great connection. I was surpassed the first time I played festivals over here — Bonnaroo festival, then Lollapalooza in 2014, and also [Austin City Limits] in 2015 — the crowds have been enthusiastic and they know more songs than I’m expecting them to. They sing deep songs, songs that don’t expect people to know. When they do that you know, it’s like, “alright, this is good.”

What’s your favorite thing to do when you have a day-off on tour?

I’ve got a skateboard in my suitcase, so I like to go for a skate every now and again, but I’m pretty average. I saw people on the river today, kayaking. I like to see people doing activities, then imagine myself doing those activities, and then I think about doing those activities and then I think, “I’m too tired to actually — I’m not actually going to go kayaking tomorrow, I’m just imagining doing it. I think I’ll just go and get a massage.”

So a lot of vicarious enjoyment, it sounds like?

A lot of vicarious enjoyment, a lot of hotel rooms, watching movies. Yeah, my life is just a ball of fire. (laughing)

See All Of Our Coverage Of Austin City Limits 2017

Devin Dawson photographed at the 2017 ACL Music Festival

Devin Dawson

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

News

Devin Dawson Talks Debut Album, John Fogerty, Johnny Cash & John Mayer

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The Nashville-based singer songwriter give the inside scoop on his new album, 'Dark Horse,' and his biggest musical influences
Brian Haack
GRAMMYs
Oct 8, 2017 - 5:10 pm

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Devin Dawson popped onto the music scene earlier this year with his debut single, "All On Me." Soon after, he hit the road with GRAMMY winner Maren Morris, earning enough acclaim to be selected as the opening act for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's joint summer tour.

Devin Dawson Talks "Dark Horse" Origins

Dawson sat down with the Recording Academy at Austin City Limits 2017 to talk about his biggest musical influences, his debut single, and the title track from his forthcoming 2018 debut album, Dark Horse — a song which almost didn't get written.

I noticed this morning that "All On Me" currently has something like 26 million plays on Spotify. Let's rewind to sitting down to write or jumping in the studio to record that song. Where was your head at, what went into the song, and did you have any idea that this is where you'd be by October of 2017?
I wrote "All On Me" with my guitar player and one of my good friends Austin. Taylor Smith. We had this every Sunday [songwriting] ritual going, which was kinda crazy because I used to write every day, all day during the week. My publishers liked me to take a break on the weekends, but I write everyday — it's like my obsession, it's my addiction. There's something different about Sundays. You just wake up whenever you want and get your coffee, and there's no rush or pressure to get anything done or write anything. 

So, because the pressure was off, we always wrote really good songs on Sundays. I went to my local coffee shop, and I have a bunch of titles in my phone that I’m kind of inspired by. I kinda just did a little Russian roulette through my phone, and I landed on "All On Me," and I was like, "Man, that feels good today." I brought it to Austin, and we [worked on] it, and wrote a little poem for the chorus before we had a melody. The melody just kinda made itself known, and the rest of it wrote itself. It was one of those songs where I don't remember who did what, it just kinda fell out. I think I knew when we wrote it that it was something that I wanted to sing, rather than giving it to somebody else as a songwriter. 

I didn't know that it know that it would have 26 million plays to this day and we'd be playing it at ACL Fest, but I definitely did know that I wanted it to be a contender for my first offering as an artist, you know? And now it's on the radio, and it has a life of its own, and that's what you dream about for a song. It's cool to look back and remember. I still feel every time I go into that song live, I remember that same feeling of the day I wrote it. It doesn't get old. Hopefully I can keep feeling it for 50 years. 

I've read that you credit "three Johns" as some of your biggest musical influences: Mayer, Cash and Fogerty. Can you share a bit about how each has inspired you, and what's your favorite song by each?
First, John Fogerty — I'm from Northern California and CCR [Creedence Clearwater Revival] has this kinda Northern California rootsy rock-country-soul thing going on. My favorite song by them is this album cut called "Long As I Can See The Light." I remember the first time my mom showed me that song and I just fell in love with it. 

Next, Johnny Cash — I actually grew up 3 minutes from Folsom Prison. Orangevale [California] is my hometown, and it's right next door. I'm kind of subconsciously inspired by him and his artistry. Nobody was like him before and nobody has been like him since. I love wearing all black, and maybe that's where it came from. I mean, I love "A Boy Named Sue," but a song that actually he didn't write is one of my favorites — "Hurt," which is a Nine Inch Nails/Trent Reznor song. It just has so much raw emotion to it, which is what I try to feed off of. 

And lastly, John Mayer is huge influence of mine. I think I was maybe 16 or 17, and my mom showed me "Neon" for the first time. She's kind of dictated my love for music and influence from country, rock ,soul, and R&B. It's really hard to choose a favorite of his, but I think "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" is one of my favorites because of the images and the emotion. It just all fits together really well, and it sounds good when you sing it.

You did a huge radio tour last spring and you hit the road with Maren Morris. Next up, you opened for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill — so basically you've had a pretty boring summer, am I right? What's been your favorite or most memorable moment of the past 6 months?
(laughs) Right, yeah, we haven’t done anything. We started a radio tour in February. Usually, you do about 15 weeks, but ours ended up being like 20-plus weeks, because I was on the road with Maren Morris for a month. I'm a huge fan of her artistry, and her trajectory in the last year has been really inspiring for me. Her fans are are the people who I want to sing to, so that was really cool for her to take us under her wing before we even had any music out. That was an amazing experience, a lot of learning. Then I got to go on tour with Tim and Faith this summer, and I got to play my hometown. I think playing to a sold-out arena in your hometown — that is by far one of the biggest bucket-list checks that I've had. It's been a year full of a lot of firsts, and they all mean a lot, but that one is definitely up at the top of the list for sure.

Coming off a big summer, you just opened day three of ACL 2017. What's next for Devin Dawson?
I'm literally about to board a flight to London. I'm about to play some showcases over there, and spread the Devin Dawson word, plant some seeds and shake some hands. I want to be able to have a base over there, and spread my music across the world. After that, we're on tour with Michael Ray, on the Get To You tour, which is his new single. He's one of my good buddies, we're both on the same label and we all live in Nashville. We're one week into that and it's just been a brotherhood. That's the kind of tour I love to be on. So we'll be doing that until mid-December, then a new record coming out at the beginning of the year and we'll be hitting it hard next year too. So we're non-stop — hopefully for the rest of my life.

What's your favorite song that you’ve written — released or unreleased — and can you tell us a bit about the story or inspiration behind it?
It's hard to pick. Certain ones are favorites to perform, certain ones are a favorite to record, certain ones a are favorite just because of the lyrics. They're all my babies, and how do you choose your favorite child? But, in the next few days we're going to release a song called "Dark Horse," which is also the title track to my record coming out early next year. 

The story of that song is interesting because it actually came about after the record was done. It's really this song that, as a new artist, tells people who I am, what I believe in, and what I'm about. When you're trying to write that song — I feel like I'd tried to force it for so long that I just kinda had to give up and let it come to me. And it came to me after the record was done. Luckily, I have an awesome team around me that believes in me enough to let me slip that on at the last minute, and it became the title track. It's one of my favorite songs form this record, and I can't wait for the world to hear it.

Austin City Limits 2017: Full Coverage

Austin City Limits Festival

Austin City Limits Festival

Photo: Gary Miller/Getty Images

News

ACL, Ultra Address Music Festival Security In Wake Of Las Vegas Shooting

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ACL's organizers work year-round to ensure safety is always top priority, and Miami Police reassess safety concerns for Ultra 2018
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Oct 4, 2017 - 12:34 pm

Music festivals are the ultimate celebration of both artists and audiences. But for festival organizers, safety is always the number one concern. However, the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas at the Route 91 Harvest Festival has certainly raised new safety concerns and considerations.

Upcoming festivals, including Austin City Limits Festival and Miami's 2018 Ultra Music Festival, are addressing these concerns to assure festival goers that every necessary safety precaution is being taken.

With ACL slated for to take place at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, over the next two weekends, the festival's producers, C3, have issued a statement to reassure fans and artists alike that safety comes first.

"Safety has always been our top priority," C3 said in a statement. "Over the years, tighter security measures have been implemented at ACL Fest, including a layered security plan that includes elements that are seen and unseen, as well as pat downs, bag searches and size limits, and an enhanced security and law enforcement presence inside and outside the festival."

Miami's Ultra Music Festival is known for being one of North America's biggest and best dance music festivals. Part of the appeal of the festival is the downtown location of Bayfront Park, with its massive stages and impressive light shows set with the backdrop of the Miami skyline.

Ultra's organizers work hand-in-hand with local police to monitor the festival. CBS Miami spoke with acting Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina about the increased safety concerns arising from the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting.

"Like Las Vegas, we have a lot of outside venues with the weather and people want to be outside," Colina said. "We train and go over scenarios, active shooter scenarios where the policemen are reminded to get wherever the shooter is."

And with Ultra returning to Bayfront Park in March 2018, additional conversations and arrangements are still in the works. Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez also urges citizens to report any suspicious activity.

"We live at a time where you have to be on guard at all times," Perez said. "If you see something, say something, and with this slogan we are asking people to come forward and we depend on people to call the cops and Homeland Security."

With music festivals playing such a prominent role in the music industry, future festivals provide an opportunity for artists and fans to come together as a community and stand in support of the victims of the tragedy in Las Vegas.

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