Will recently filmed an episode of CMT’s web show Concrete Country! Watch the clip below and click here to see the rest of the webisode. Make sure your tell your friends and comment to let CMT know what you think about Will! more!
CMT.com has launched Concrete Country, a new online performance series featuring gritty performances by alt-country and roots music favorites such as the Farewell Drifters and Lydia Loveless. Captured within earshot of Nashville’s honky-tonks, Concrete Country will highlight independent singer-songwriters and bands performing their original songs on a downtown sidewalk. CMT is also preparing the launch of CMT Edge, a blog dedicated to music discovery and highlighting roots musicians. CMT Edge, curated by CMT.com writer-producer Craig Shelburne, is expected to launch in summer 2012. Other Concrete Country performances scheduled to debut this spring will feature Caitlin Rose, Jason Boland, Will Hoge and Robert Ellis. The series is the latest in several recent digital music franchise launches for CMT.com, including Listen Up and Live @ CMT. more!
For more than a decade, Will Hoge has stood as one of Nashville’s most reliable rock ‘n’ rollers. Yet, as a native, he couldn’t escape the country music influence — not that he wanted to.
“I think that artists can really live in Nashville and flourish in Nashville. And everybody supports each other,” says Hoge, who just released his seventh album, appropriately titled Number Seven. “There’s that sense of community, that sense of still being somewhat a small town. People try to take care of one another. It’s one of the things I hope we never lose.”
Getting a turn on the Grand Ole Opry stage, playing with Vince Gill on your new album, having your new music video enter rotation on CMT — they’d be sweet feats for any musician, but they’re even sweeter for Nashville independent rock/soul vet Will Hoge, who got to this point in his career on his own terms.
“I feel like Nashville has opened its arms even more to me,” he says. “And I certainly hope that I’ve opened my arms even more to it.”
It’s appropriate that all this good fortune comes Hoge’s way as he’s just released his seventh album, Seven — his second since a serious motor scooter accident in 2008 took him off the stage for nearly a year. Since then, Hoge has adopted a slightly slower pace from his days of playing up to 250 shows in a year, and recording in a rush. The time at home with his wife and kids has paid off in more ways than one.
Nashville roots-rocker Will Hoge has a knack for illustrating tales of sorrow, joy and triumph in his music. His latest album,Number Seven, is no exception. A follow up to 2009’s powerful The Wreckage, Number Seven examines the human conditions of love, loss, betrayal and grief. It seems seven just may be Will’s lucky number. Named in honor of his seventh studio album, the first single is garnering interest on a national stage. The debut single, “When I Get My Wings”, was inspired by an obituary Will stumbled across detailing a beautiful fifty year marriage. The heart wrenching Memphis-soul inspired video is receiving regular rotation on CMT. Will was excited to discuss his latest project with Atlanta Music Guide.
We began a week back playing in Nashville at Live On The Green. Fun show. Growing up there there used to be these big free concerts every week. Dancin In The District was downtown on the river. Then Uptown Mix was, well, uptown. I saw so many great shows. So it’s cool that they’re bringing free music back to the city. Things got a wee bit wonky because the symphony can’t play if it’s below 65 degrees. Haha. Insert whatever joke you’d like. Besides being moved into the ‘happy hour’ portion of the afternoon it was fun. Great crowd. Our old pal Jefferson even came out and joined us for the show closer of ‘Pocketful Of Change.’ Fun times. Great getting to rock with him again.
Then we spent a bit at home getting stuff together to begin the ‘When I Get My Wings 2011 Tour’. Very excited. Got to play the Grand Ole Opry for the second time which I must admit that even without Vince Gill in our band it was STILL an amazing experience. Got to see Ricky Skaggs and his band. Saw Jean Shepard sing ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels’!! Seriously! All gals that THINK you wanna be a country singer and don’t know her….you shouldn’t be allowed to be a country singer. Trust me. Fantastic. Also got to hear/see Bobby Osborne. Can’t really explain how awesome that was. Just do yourselves a favor and seek these folks out before they’re all gone. You will thank me for it. In fact it was such a special night I even treated mama and daddy to Waffle House afterwards. Yep, that’s how kick ass a son I am.
Last night we did the Music City Roots show back home at the Loveless and that was fun too. Saw some great new bands. Really liked Yarn and also Hymn For Her. Hope to share stage time with both again in the future. Drove overnight to Greenville SC for a solo show tonight and then full band tomorrow outside the Peace Center. Should be fun. Getting to reunite with our old touring mate/friend Edwin McCain. I laugh my ass off every single time we are together. Should be lots of fun.
The ‘When I Get My Wings’ video has debuted and we are tickled to death with the great response it’s getting thus far. I must admit it’s been very cool to see it on CMT right between all the big stars of the day. Plus my wife and kids think that’s KILLER! Points for the old man, thank you. I appreciate the folks at CMT taking a chance on us. It means alot.
So that’s really it for now. Getting VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY excited(yes…..7 x’s very, get it?) for the new album Number Seven to come out on Tuesday. Preorders have been signed and shipped. I hope you guys are as proud of it as we are. Please spread the word about it and drag a few new folks out to see us on the road. We’ll hope to see you soon. Thanks as always for the love and support. We couldn’t do this without you.
Nashville singer/songwriter Will Hoge premieres his video for “When I Get My Wings,” the first single off his upcoming album, today on CMT. Hoge’s seventh studio album, NUMBER SEVEN, will be released on Sept. 27 on Ryko.
For the song, Hoge found inspiration in an obituary he read about a 50-plus-year marriage. The video illustrates the love story from its infancy to the present-day heartache of losing the love of your life. The song highlights Hoge’s full-throated
Otis Redding-style vocal, backed by a heavenly host of Memphis-inspired horns.
“The song started life as a bluegrass song, but it just wasn’t working,” says Hoge. “On the last day of recording, I wasn’t willing to give up on it. I sat in the studio and rethought the whole song and that led me to the Stax sound. After that, the song took on a whole new life. It’s really cool that CMT wants to get behind this video, I’m so appreciative of their support.”
“Will won us over the first time we heard this song and watched this video,” said Stephen Linn, Sr. Director, Music Programming and Promotion, CMT. “We’re really introducing him to our audience with this video, and I know it’s one they will embrace and enjoy.”
Hoge kicks off his headlining WHEN I GET MY WINGS 2011 TOUR on Sept. 24 in Athens, GA. Joining Hoge for several dates on the 30 city tour will be indie pop rockers Locksley, with Jaron and the Long Road to Love, James Dunn, Brighton, Nic Cowan and Aunt Martha all confirmed for opening slots on various tour stops.
For more information and a full list of tour dates, visit: www.willhoge.com.
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