30A Life Record's Bradley Gaskin Joins TKO for Booking

Duck Springs, Ala native, Bradley Gaskin, has signed with The Kirby Organization (TKO) for global booking representation. TKO, one of the industries premier boutique booking agencies, boasts a diverse roster with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and a Nashville office with veteran booking agent, Michael Kelley.

Kelley says, "As soon as I heard this record, saw the 'live' show and met the team behind Bradley, I knew we had to be involved." He adds, "We are looking forward to being an instrumental part of this project's development."

The flagship artist for upstart 30A Life Records released his Keith Stegall–produced new album, aptly titled Unfinished Business, last week on all platforms [Listen HERE]. In celebration, Gaskin performed the entire album to a full house at AJ's Good Time Bar. The lead single, “Accidentally Drunk”—an anthem for all the barstool fools shedding tears in their tequila—is "top 10 most added" to country radio.

"I've got a great team supporting my music with my label, 30A Life Records, along with Dreamlined Entertainment and 16Camino" shares Gaskin. "Adding Michael with his experience to help my music come to life on stage is an exciting addition to my team's circle."

Music lovers can see Gaskin in the Nashville area at the upcoming in the rounds: Grindstone Cowboy in Eagleville, April 12; Bluebird Cafe, May 1; The Listening Room, May 28.

For more information, check out his socials: TikTok | Instagram |  Facebook | YouTube.

Traditionalist Bradley Gaskin performed his entire new album Unfinished Business

on 4/3 at AJ's Good Time Bar in Nashville

Pictured l to r: Ryan Barnstead (16Camino), Jack Cole (30A Life Records),

Josh Weddington (30A Life Records), Gaskin, Keith Stegall (producer),

John Ettinger (16Camino), and Michael Kelley (TKO)

PHOTO: Provided by MPR

About Bradley Gaskin

When Bradley Gaskin finally picked up his Gibson J45 after a decade of self-doubt, he was responding to an inexorable pull he could no longer resist. Gaskin had left Nashville behind but couldn’t quite shake the feeling there was something there for him. Upon garnering the attention of a Music Row exec in 2008 after posting a rough demo of a self-penned song, Gaskin quickly signed a publishing deal, then a record deal. Poised to release his debut album in 2011 once his first single became a Top 40 country hit, everything came to a halt when his label deemed him too traditional. After Gaskin was released from his contract, he packed away his guitar, picked up his toolbox and headed back to Duck Springs, AL, to resume real life—which is where Jack Cole, a seasoned businessman and longtime fan, eventually found him. Offered the deal of a lifetime, Gaskin jumped at the chance to get back in the studio with the promise of recording the kind of music he wanted to write. True to his word, Cole started 30A Life Records, signing Gaskin as his first artist and brokering a deal with legendary producer Keith Stegall to produce Gaskin’s new album.

Traditionalist Bradley Gaskin's UNFINISHED BUSINESS Drops April 4 at Midnight

You could call Bradley Gaskin’s path to country music stardom unconventional, but this singer/songwriter is ready to prove himself worthy. The flagship artist for upstart 30A Life Records will release his Keith Stegall–produced new album, aptly titled Unfinished Business, Friday on all platforms [Listen HERE], while the lead single, “Accidentally Drunk”—an anthem for all the barstool fools shedding tears in their tequila—was "top 10 most added" yesterday.

A Duck Springs, Ala., native, Gaskin got his first break in Music City in 2008, after posting a rough demo of a song he’d written and recorded. Two weeks later, a country music executive heard it and invited Gaskin to enter a talent contest he was organizing. Gaskin won and was quickly signed to a publishing company, where his success as a writer ultimately lead to a major record deal. Despite landing in the Top 40 with his first single, Gaskin’s album was shelved in 2011 due to a label shakeup. A disheartened Gaskin headed home, where he hung drywall, worked at a sawmill and served as a janitor at his daughter’s school to provide for his young family.

But the desire was still there. “As a kid, I remember my granddad (LeBo) Hammac getting blistered on Budweiser and playing Haggard and Jones,” says Gaskin. “He had this crappy old guitar that he probably knew two chords on, yet he would try his very best to sing anything George did. I didn’t really know what he was singing about, but it made me want to dive into everything George Jones recorded.” Apparently, that feeling never really goes away.

Now, thanks to 30A Life Records co-founder Jack Cole—a fan and successful businessman turned independent label exec—Gaskin is back with a new album, including songs written by Grammy Award–winning songwriter Ashley McBryde (“Never Wanted to Be that Girl,” McBryde/Pearce) and hitmakers Ashley Gorley (“You Proof,” Morgan Wallen), Terry McBride (“Cowgirls Don’t Cry,” Brooks & Dunn) and Bill Luther (“My Best Friend,” Tim McGraw).

A 10-song mix of co-writes and expertly crafted outside cuts, each track of Unfinished Business reveals a bit more of Gaskin’s temperament as an artist, from the plaintive cries of the steel, electric and acoustic guitars creating a rich backdrop for Gaskin’s soaring vocals in “Without Her” (All my pain and emotion, like a storm on the ocean, drowns me out; I ain’t out of touch, with reality; Without her… I just ain’t me) to the rowdy, near-confident conviction of a man on a mission in “’Bout Damn Did” (’Bout damn stopped you from drivin’ tailightin’ into the night … ‘Bout damn talked you in to coming back to me … It ain’t the things I’ve done … It’s what I didn’t do). In between, Gaskin and Stegall interlace playful odes to the hard-working man and woman (“Bad Day To Be a Beer” and “Bumpin’ Buckles”) to the spiritual “Pray For God” (Gorley, Wade Kirby and Luther) revealing faith in God like only a child could have (When she says a little prayer for God… I know it takes a lot of love ... Taking care of all of us) with psalms of love and hope that lean autobiographical, particularly in the Gaskin co-write (with Stegall and Cole) “Stronger Than You Think.”

“When Keith told me he believed in me the same way he believed in Alan Jackson and Randy Travis,” Gaskin explains, “that’s when I knew I was finally getting somewhere.” Stegall adds: “Singers are a dime a dozen, but exceptional artists like Bradley are true music makers.”

Looking back, Gaskin muses, “I’m stronger because of what I went through; it makes you tougher. But there’s more to my story, which is why we’re calling the new album Unfinished Business.”

Gaskin will hold an album release party at AJ’s Good Time Bar in Nashville Thursday at 4 p.m. and is currently finalizing his fall tour. For more information, check out his socials: TikTok | Instagram |  Facebook | YouTube.

About Bradley Gaskin

When Bradley Gaskin finally picked up his Gibson J45 after a decade of self-doubt, he was responding to an inexorable pull he could no longer resist. Gaskin had left Nashville behind but couldn’t quite shake the feeling there was something there for him. Upon garnering the attention of a Music Row exec in 2008 after posting a rough demo of a self-penned song, Gaskin quickly signed a publishing deal, then a record deal. Poised to release his debut album in 2011 once his first single became a Top 40 country hit, everything came to a halt when his label deemed him too traditional. After Gaskin was released from his contract, he packed away his guitar, picked up his toolbox and headed back to Duck Springs, AL, to resume real life—which is where Jack Cole, a seasoned businessman and longtime fan, eventually found him. Offered the deal of a lifetime, Gaskin jumped at the chance to get back in the studio with the promise of recording the kind of music he wanted to write. True to his word, Cole started 30A Life Records, signing Gaskin as his first artist and brokering a deal with legendary producer Keith Stegall to produce Gaskin’s new album.

"Accidentally Drunk," New Single from Traditionalist Bradley Gaskin, Available Now

Bradley Gaskin has some unfinished business. As the flagship artist for upstart independent 30A Life Records, the former major label artist’s soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics, as featured in his lead single, “Accidentally Drunk,” will convince you his first new music in over a decade is well worth a listen. “Accidentally Drunk” [LISTEN HERE]—off Gaskin’s forthcoming Keith Stegall–produced album, Unfinished Business—is available now on all platforms and officially goes for radio adds Monday, March 31.

The Duck Springs, Ala., native got his first break in 2011 after Gaskin’s wife encouraged him to post a rough demo of “Mr. Bartender,” a song he’d written and recorded. Two weeks later, John Rich called and invited Gaskin to enter a talent contest he was organizing. Gaskin won, and the next thing he knew, he was center stage in the iconic circle at the Grand Ole Opry.

Gaskin’s first deal with a major record label took shape soon after with a self-titled EP and “Mr. Bartender” as the lead single. Unfortunately, Gaskin was deemed a bit too traditional, and his album was shelved in a management shakeup at the label. That disheartening event sent Gaskin back to Duck Springs where he hung drywall, worked at a sawmill and served as a janitor at his daughter’s school.

Now, thanks to 30A Life Records co-founder Jack Cole, a fan and successful businessman turned independent label exec, Gaskin is back in the game. “Accidentally Drunk” is a beautiful, bittersweet ballad about a broken-hearted barstool fool shedding tequila tears—I was tired of waking up to another hangover/Trying to get high, ending up a little lower/Swearing it’s the last time, like every other Friday night—and continually losing his battle with sobriety:

PHOTO: Amick Cutler

Written by Grammy Award–winning songwriter Ashley McBryde (“Never Wanted to Be that Girl,” McBryde/Pearce), artist Dan Smalley (The State of Country Music) and Justin Ebach (“Here Tonight,” Brett Young) “Accidentally Drunk” is performed by top Nashville musicians, with Brent Mason and Joel Key on guitar; Scotty Sanders on steel; bassist Glenn Worf; Mike Rojas on keys; drummer Tommy Harden and Stuart Duncan on fiddle.

“Keith and I were in his studio where I saw Grammy, CMA and ACM Awards,” Gaskin says, “so I asked him point blank, ‘You’ve worked with all these people and wrote all these songs. Why does a guy like you want to work with somebody like me?’ And he told me that the same way he believed in Alan Jackson and Randy Travis, he believed in me,” Gaskin relates, “and that’s when I felt a huge weight leave me.” 

“Singers are a dime a dozen,” Stegall explains, “but exceptional artists aren’t. Make no mistake—Bradley Gaskin is an artist.”

Looking back, Gaskin says, “I’m stronger because of what I went through. Everything I loved, which was music, was killing me. It seemed like nobody wanted my stuff. I couldn’t get one of the biggest labels in the world to put out my record.” When you go through that, he muses, “It makes you tougher. There’s more to my story that we haven’t gotten to tell, and there’s a lot of unfinished business to take care of.”

Gaskin will hold an album release party at AJ’s Good Time Bar in Nashville, Thursday, April 3 at 4 p.m. with the album officially out at Midnight, April 4. For more information, check out his socials: TikTok | Instagram |  Facebook.

Hawaiian Country Act MAOLI Releases New Collaboration With Brett Young "Broke Heart Break"

South Pacific Country music is coming to the mainland. Hawaiian Country artist Maoli (Mah-oh-lee, meaning “native”) has a new single, "Broke Heart Break" [LISTEN below]––a collaboration with multi-platinum singer/songwriter Brett Young––available now on all platforms with ONErpm and Huff Co., who entered into a joint venture last year.

“I want people in the Country community and the world to know how special we are as a people and the connection we have with Country music,” says Maoli. “Country music isn’t just a pair of boots I’m trying on. It’s the boots I wear every day, there’s just a little sand in them.”

Maoli was raised by cowboys and has lived in the Hawaiian countryside his entire life. His lifestyle has guided his music, perhaps best described as island-influenced country. He’s amassed a dedicated fan base throughout the Pacific Rim and Caribbean and is already popular on the West Coast. Now he’s ready to share his brand of Country music with the rest of the mainland.

Maoli was already a big fan of Brett Young’s music, so it’s only fitting his new release is a collaboration with Young. “I covered the song ‘In Case You Didn’t Know,’ and it was a big hit in the South Pacific,” he explains. After Maoli covered several more of Young’s songs, Young reached out on Instagram. As they talked back and forth, Maoli discovered Young’s fondness for Hawaii. The next time Young visited Maui, the two met for dinner and agreed they should do a song together. “And that’s how the collaboration came about,” Maoli says. 

Young, whose No.1 hits include “In Case You Didn’t Know” and “Mercy,” says, “The day Jesse [Frasure] and I wrote this song, I knew it belonged with a special artist. I had been a HUGE Maoli fan for some time, but it wasn’t until I met him for dinner last year in the islands that I realized he was the perfect fit.” Young continues, “The fact Maoli wanted me to be a part of it with him was an absolute honor, and I think this song is going to be a big ole hit!”

Now, Maoli is introducing “Broke Heart Break” as the lead single off his new album, slated for release next summer. “Broke Heart Break” is a bittersweet country collaboration featuring island vibes and instrumentation: 

About Maoli(Mah-oh-lee) 

Maoli has developed a huge following at live concerts and online, including fans in the Pacific Rim, Caribbean and on the West Coast. Follow along:

·      YouTube Channel Views 239M

·      Spotify Monthly Listeners 857K

·      Pandora Streams 119M

·      Tik Tok Followers 665K and Likes 5.7M

·      Instagram Followers 496K

·      Facebook Followers 435K

For more information on Maoli, visit maolimusic.com

About ONErpm 

ONErpm is a leading next-generation music company and record label operating globally in 43 locations powered by a staff of 600. At its core, ONErpm offers label services to artists seeking to elevate their careers and operates one of the world’s largest music distribution platforms and YouTube Multi-Channel Networks. Offering a full suite of services that includes marketing support, supply chain tools, SAAS, business intelligence, publishing, accounting and global payment solutions, ONErpm provides the infrastructure needed to help creators and content owners succeed. As a trusted partner, ONErpm emphasizes transparency in everything it does, from executing a marketing campaign to making payments.

Porter Howell of Little Texas To Release Debut Singer/Songwriter Album THIS TOWN WAS Nov. 11

“An ode to the ever-changing ways of Nashville … [Howell’s] weathered voice [is] a perfect foil for the song’s nostalgic lyrics.' -Billboard

'Sung in a yearning voice of nostalgia and regret, this is essential listening.' —MusicRow

Porter Howell, frontman, lead guitarist, principal songwriter and a founding member of multi-Grammy-nominated ’90s country vocal band, Little Texas, is announcing the release of his debut side project as a singer-songwriter, This Town Was, available Nov. 11. Pre-order is available now via ONErpm HERE. Howell will perform at an album release party at 6pm CT Tuesday, Nov. 15 at The Local in Nashville.

After 30 years in the business, it took a pandemic and the ensuing forced downtime from touring to compel Howell to compile this 10-track album of mostly self-penned songs. The title track and accompanying music video were released in April and garnered favorable reviews from Billboard and MusicRow.

“This album was recorded in my basement studio as honestly as possible,” Howell says. “No production tricks necessary—guitars, steel guitar, bass, drums and keys were all tracked with players in the room, the old school way.”

So maybe it’s no surprise that one of the more (humorously) self-reflective album tracks is fittingly titled “Old School”: So, say that I’m old school/Nothin’ but an old fool/That I’m behind the times, afraid to change/Cause in all honesty/I came about it honestly/A pretty cool old fool made me this way.” 

In contrast, an ode to that “old fool,” the mesmeric “I Thought About You Today,” will bring more than a tear to your eye as Howell sings about his father: “I thought about you today/It’s funny how that happens/Think of some old thing we’d say/And I swear I hear you laughing/And I fight back a tear cause life without you here/Is still a little strange.” “I only wish I’d finished this project before he passed away, as I believe it would have been his favorite,” Howell says wistfully, noting that the album reflects his dad’s influence on his musical tastes. 

Similarly nostalgic, anyone who knows Nashville’s history will be drawn to the authenticity of Howell’s heartfelt lyrics on the title track as he soulfully sings about how the town he grew up in professionally has changed so much. “This Town was/Two one-way streets where dreams could find a way to fly…If you look real close, you can almost see a vague outline…It’s where lonely voices dared to bare their hearts and souls/And if you listen close enough, you’ll hear the ghosts ….”

Other songs on the album metaphorically reflect the unpredictability of life (“Church of the Uncertain” and “Lucky to Be Alive”) and love (“Kinda Gone by Then,” “The Way You Were Back Then,” “Who Might Disagree”).

“It’s almost strange to feel this vulnerable by putting something out in the world that is so personal. I just hope everyone enjoys listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it.”

Photo and cover art by ESQ Artist Management

This Town Was Album Players

Mike Borque (pedal steel guitar), Becca Bradley (cello), Karli Chayne (background vocals), Mike Clairborne (bass guitar), Rachel Crick (fiddle), Porter Howell (acoustic guitar, lead guitar, baritone guitar, 6-string banjo, 12-string guitar, resonator guitar, slide guitar), Reed Pittman (keys), John Riffe (drums, percussions, background vocals), Paul Jefferson (background vocals)

About Porter Howell

Porter Howell has helped distinguish country music through his lyrics and trademark guitar work for more than 30 years. As a founding member, lead guitarist and songwriter of the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated vocal band Little Texas, he developed a signature slide guitar style that defined the sound of a band that carved its niche by writing and performing its own music. For the past 17 years, Howell has been both guitarist and lead vocalist, splitting his time between the road and the writing room. Recognized among Nashville’s elite songwriters, Howell co-wrote several of the band’s biggest hits, including “Kick a Little,” First Time for Everything,” “My Love,” "What Might Have Been" and “God Blessed Texas.” As a result, he received the CMA Triple Play Award, which honors country music’s greatest storytellers, for penning three No. 1 singles in a 12-month period.

Rockland Road Releases "Mountains Up Ahead" Co-written by GRAMMY® Winner Marcus Hummon

Vocal group Rockland Road came across a song a few years ago that they instantly felt passionate about, though they could hardly have imagined how meaningful it would be coming out of a worldwide pandemic. “Mountains Up Ahead” not only speaks to the peaks and valleys we’ve all experienced in the last two years, but also carries a message of resiliency. The new single and video will be available today, Friday, Feb. 25, through all streaming platforms and digital retailers HERE. Watch the video below.

Co-written by Grammy Award–winning singer/songwriter Marcus Hummon (“One of These Days”/Tim McGraw, “Bless the Broken Road”/Rascal Flatts), “Mountains Up Ahead” doesn’t pull any punches—people everywhere have found themselves “too afraid to whisper” and “too angry to shout." But as the chorus explains, there is a path to putting our troubles behind us:

Keep the mountains up ahead

Keep close to the river

Turn where the river bends

Leave all your valleys in the rearview mirror

The dust will rise and they will disappear

March Martin’s soulful lead vocal is perfectly accompanied by the texture-rich harmonies provided by his dad, Paul, a Grammy Award-winning artist who has played with Marty Stuart and the Oak Ridge Boys and is the former lead singer of country/pop supergroup Exile; his mom, Jamie Allen Martin, daughter of Oak Ridge Boys’ lead singer Duane Allen and his wife, Opry singer Norah Lee; and siblings Kell, Texas and Tallant—all six are talented vocalists who play an incredible 23 different instruments.

“We immediately felt connected to this song and knew we had to record it, but had no idea just how relevant the message would become once the world seemed to change overnight,” Jamie says. “Now that it appears things are opening up again, we are thrilled to release this song and get back to playing live music!”

Rockland Road has performed everywhere from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry to the U.S. Library of Congress and the White House. The group already has several dates scheduled for this spring before hitting the summer fair festival trail.

For more information on Rockland Road, visit the band’s website and follow them on social media: