Hootie & the Blowfish Celebrate RIAA Double-Diamond Certification at Bridgestone Arena

July 29, 2024

With the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour marking the first full outing in five years for generation-defining band Hootie & the Blowfish, the Nashville stop at Bridgestone Arena this Saturday, July 27, was cause for extra celebration. Having recently been presented with a plaque celebrating 22x Platinum certification during their appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America," band members Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber and Jim "Soni" Sonefeld were joined by the Recording Industry Association of America's Chief Policy Officer Morna Willens ahead of this weekend's show for a special presentation of the RIAA's prestigious Double Diamond trophies. The honor solidifies the band's debut album, Cracked Rear View, among the top 10 best-selling albums in all of music history.

The celebration continued as the band took the stage later in the evening, with Forbes describing the show that followed as "a high energy celebration of a band whose music has remained timeless," raving, "the music has never been better. Rucker’s voice is even richer now than ever (if that’s possible) and the musicianship with each and every band member is top notch. And they’re all still having fun with Mark Bryan, guitar-in-hand, singing, jumping, criss-crossing the stage, Soni jamming on the drums, and Felber better than ever on the bass."

"Hootie & the Blowfish's live set could've been Cracked Rear View, front to back, and nobody would've minded it. Instead, they, as they have often since playing more significantly together again for the past five years, endeavored to deliver more," added the Tennessean. "The band, less tethered than ever to genre delineations — partly inspired by their lead singer's 10 country chart-toppers and Grand Ole Opry membership — has a musical freedom amidst them now that adds immeasurably to their live experience."

The Summer Camp with Trucks Tour runs through the fall with special guests Collective Soul and Edwin McCain, visiting arenas, amphitheaters and select stadiums along the way, including a homecoming to Columbia, S.C.’s Colonial Life Arena for the Gamecock alumni. The band will also headline Rucker’s own Riverfront Revival Music Festival in Charleston, S.C. this October. Tickets to all shows are on sale now via Hootie.com.

This year also saw the release of new music from Hootie & the Blowfish, with their rendition of “For What It's Worth,” the timeless anthem originally penned by Stephen Stills in 1966. The chart-topping band’s version of this iconic protest song, recorded in 2017 during their studio sessions for Imperfect Circle, is available HERE.

For more information, visit www.Hootie.com and follow on Facebook @hootieandtheblowfish, Instagram @hootieoffcial and Twitter/X @hootietweets.

Hootie & the Blowfish band members (L to R) Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Mark Bryan and Jim "Soni" Sonefeld were presented with RIAA Double Diamond trophies by Chief Policy Officer Morna Willens (middle) ahead of their Summer Camp with Trucks Tour performance at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, July 27. | Photo Credit: Jeff Johnson

About Hootie & the Blowfish
With the rich, bluesy vocals of Darius Rucker and gleeful harmonies of guitarist Mark Bryan, bassist Dean Felber and drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, Hootie & the Blowfish have sold over 25 million records worldwide to date after their infectious melodies hit the airwaves in 1994 with hits such as “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry” and “Only Wanna Be With You.” The quartet met at the University of South Carolina where endless gigs at frat houses and local bars built a major local buzz. Their blend of pop, folk, blues, soul and rock made them hard to pigeonhole, but easily accessible to anyone who loved good music.

Atlantic Records, impressed by their regional draw, signed them and released Cracked Rear View in 1994. The album had been out for six months before the band played on the Late Show with David Letterman which sent sales skyrocketing, eventually landing at No. 1 on the Billboard chart the following spring. Cracked Rear View and the band went on to win two GRAMMY Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, a Billboard Music Award and multiple People's Choice Awards. Cracked Rear View also earned the band Billboard's Band of the Year Award in 1996 and the RIAA's Diamond Award for sales in excess of 10 million units. At 21x Platinum, Cracked Rear View remains among the Top 10 best-selling studio albums in music history.

The band remained a top draw nationwide following their debut and released five more albums for Atlantic: Fairweather Johnson, Musical Chairs, Scattered, Smothered & Covered, Hootie & the Blowfish and The Best of Hootie & the Blowfish, as well as Looking For Lucky on their own Sneaky Long Records and LIVE in Charleston, The Homegrown Concert Event DVD and CD. The band took a break from full-time touring in 2007, reuniting annually for a variety of philanthropic events while also pursuing solo projects. 2019 marked the band's first full-time touring year in over a decade as they embarked on the sold-out Group Therapy Tour in support of Imperfect Circle, released in late 2019 under a new record deal with Universal Music Group’s Capitol Nashville, and 2024 sees them on the road once again for the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour.

Dalton Dover Releases 'Take Me Home: Covers' + Video for "Go Rest High On That Mountain"

February 9, 2024

Rising country artist Dalton Dover releases Take Me Home: Covers via UMG Nashville/Mercury Records, a musical journey that pays homage to his roots while honoring some of the songs that laid the groundwork for the artist and songwriter he is today. Listen HERE. Also out today is the official music video for “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” shot in Georgia, near Dover’s childhood home.

“My grandfather is the person that introduced me to country music. He’d play his records, and I remember thinking, ‘I want to do that. I want to tell stories and write songs that are relatable to everyone,’” shares Dover. “The songs we chose are timeless, so I wanted to stay faithful to the spirit of each one, but I loved getting to put some of my own style into it too.”

The project includes Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain” with backing vocals from the 22x GRAMMY winner himself and a rousing performance of Alabama’s “Mountain Music.” The Georgia native introduced the collection with John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” with MusicRow praising, “Think again, if you think you’ve heard this oldie often enough. Dover’s slowed-down, gentle, caressing, thoughtful reading of the lyric brings a whole new dimension to the song,” as Wide Open Country observes, “By singing one we all know, Dover drew attention to his smooth twang and his innate ability to make us feel the emotions packed in every line.”

After honing his live show with festival dates and supporting acts such as Luke Combs, Tyler Hubbard, Sam Hunt, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore and Chase Rice, Dover will join Larry Fleet on The Earned It Tour later this month ahead of his headlining Never Giving Up On That Tour kicking off in April. Tickets are on sale now at DaltonDoverOfficial.com.

Dover is signed with United Talent Agency for worldwide booking representation in all areas, along with Sony Music Publishing Nashville in partnership with Droptine Music Publishing. For more information, visit DaltonDoverOfficial.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

Dalton Dover Tour Dates

Feb. 13 // Grand Ole Opry // Nashville, TN
Feb. 15 // ETSU Martin Center for the Arts* // Johnson City, TN
Feb. 16 // The Ritz* // Raleigh, NC
Feb. 17 // Tabernacle* // Atlanta, GA
Feb. 29 // Iron City Bham* // Birmingham, AL
March 1 // The Fillmore Charlotte* // Charlotte, NC
March 2 // The National* // Richmond, VA
March 7 // KUZZ Class of 2024 Show at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace // Bakersfield, CA
March 14 // Jannus Live* // St. Petersburg, FL
March 15 // The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon* // Fort Myers, FL
March 16 // Clewiston Sugar Festival // Clewiston, FL
March 26 // Breland & Friends 2024 at Ryman Auditorium // Nashville, TN
April 5 // House of Blues – Bronze Peacock // Houston, TX
April 6 // The Lot // Mansfield, TX
April 11 // 40 Watt Club // Athens, GA
April 12 // The Barrelhouse Ballroom // Chattanooga, TN
April 13 // The Open Chord // Knoxville, TN
April 20 // Coast City Country // Vancouver, Canada
April 26 // Terminal South // Tifton, GA
April 27 // Capitol Theatre // Macon, GA
June 20-22 // Country Jam // Mack, CO
June 28 // Country Fest 2024 // Cadott, WI
July 4 // I-105 Country Freedom Fest // Quarryville, PA
Aug. 17 // Lasso Festival // Montreal, Quebec

*Supporting Larry Fleet

About Dalton Dover
Lauded by MusicRow as a “master country talent,” Dalton Dover’s latest release Take Me Home: Covers showcases his roots and influences growing up in Georgia. His debut radio single “Giving Up On That” via UMG Nashville/Mercury Records was the most-added track at Country Radio upon its debut with 60 first week adds and can be found on his latest EP Never Giving Up On That, featuring eight tracks including “Night To Go,” “Baby I Am,” “Hear About A Girl,” and more. Named a 2024 Tidal Artist to Watch, Pandora 2023 Artist to Watch, an Amazon Music 2023 Breakthrough Artist to Watch: Country Class and a member of CMT’s LISTEN UP 2023 Class, he will embark on his headlining Never Giving Up On That Tour in early 2024. Dover made his Grand Ole Opry debut in December 2022, followed by his international debut in 2023 at C2C: Country to Country Festival’s CMA Songwriters Series before joining Chase Rice on the Way Down Yonder Tour. This summer, Dover performed across four stages at CMA Fest, including the Nissan Stadium Platform stage and played Luke Combs’ Whiskey Jam Bootleggers Tailgate Party at Gillette Stadium in July. By the age of 16, Dover had picked up a guitar and started teaching himself to play, yet it was his grandfather who turned him on to country music and artists such as Keith Whitley, Rhett Akins, Joe Diffie and Steve Wariner. Performances at local bars soon followed along with sharing covers of some of his favorite songs on TikTok. It was there he caught the ear of producer Matt McV and A&R veteran and founder of Droptine, Jim Catino, who quickly signed Dover. His debut track “You Got a Small Town,” produced by McV, quickly garnered critical acclaim from Billboard, MusicRow, Country Now and Wide Open Country. With his debut and his follow-up “Baby I Am” earning notable playlisting, Dover was named a Spotify Hot Country 2022 Artist to Watch along with a spotlight as Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month and a nod for MusicRow’s 2022 Discovery Artist of the Year. For more information, visit DaltonDoverOfficial.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

Bryce Leatherwood Releases "Neon Does" as He Hits the Studio for Debut Project

February 2, 2024

Republic Records / Universal Music Group Nashville recording artist Bryce Leatherwood is starting the new year with new music: the neotraditional, line dance ready “Neon Does,” out now. Listen HERE.

“Y’all I am so excited to share my song ‘Neon Does,’” shares Leatherwood. “This is the first song I’ve written to be released to the public and I am amped up to hear what y’all think! God bless country music and let the neon do what the neon does."

Written by Leatherwood along with Matt McKinney and Alex Maxwell and produced by Will Bundy, the track finds the Woodstock, Georgia native waxing poetic about the intoxicating effects of neon lights on the dance floor. It’s the first taste of new music to come in 2024, as the rising star hits the studio with Bundy to begin recording his debut full-length project.

On the inspiration for the song, Leatherwood recalls, “The write happened pretty quickly. I was wanting to write something fun and upbeat that people would love to dance to. Someone threw out the line ‘Neon Does’ and it immediately sparked thoughts of Brooks and Dunn’s ‘Neon Moon’ and Chris Young's ‘Neon.’ Once that idea was shared, the song just came out...I think we had it written in less than 90 minutes!”

A Georgia Southern University alum, Leatherwood began honing his craft in college, playing local venues and fostering his country music repertoire. At Georgia Southern, he formed his band in late 2021 and began playing all around the Southeast.

After graduating college, he competed on the NBC hit television show The Voice and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December of 2022. Following his success on The Voice, Leatherwood began pursuing a full-time music career, signing with Republic Records and Universal Music Group Nashville in October 2023.

Leatherwood is currently recording and will be releasing new music throughout 2024. For the latest news and upcoming tour dates, visit bryceleatherwood.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.

About Bryce Leatherwood:
Bryce Leatherwood is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter who aims to carry the torch of country music and continue the legacy of legends prior. Bryce was born and raised in Woodstock, GA, and his passion for music began at an early age. Working on his grandfather’s farm every summer, Bryce was exposed to the classic country hits of George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty. Soon thereafter, Bryce began picking up guitars and playing the traditional country music that still inspires him today. Bryce’s music career began to blossom in Statesboro, GA, where he attended Georgia Southern University. During his time in Statesboro, Bryce played college venues and continued to hone his stage presence and his country music repertoire. In late 2021 while still enrolled in college, Bryce formed his band and began playing all around the Southeast. Bryce’s goal was to take the stage and play the best of country music to all ages and audiences. After graduating college, Bryce set his mind on a new task. In 2022, he competed on the NBC hit television show The Voice and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December of 2022. Following his success on “The Voice,” Bryce signed with Republic Records / Universal Music Group Nashville and is currently hard at work on new music.

Bryce Leatherwood’s Major-Label Debut “The Finger” Receives Video Treatment

December 17, 2023

Praised by coach Blake Shelton as “the real deal” during his season-winning run on The Voice, Woodstock, GA native Bryce Leatherwood arrives in Nashville with sights set high. With his recently-filled team in stow, the Republic Records / Universal Music Group Nashville recording artist debuts the performance music video to compliment his first major label single, “The Finger,” today. Watch below.

“I’ve had a blast playing ‘The Finger’ live all summer long and I’m excited for fans who haven’t had the opportunity to see one of my shows in person to experience what my show is all about through this music video,” shares Leatherwood.

The music video highlights Leatherwood’s natural charisma on-stage and in the studio, alternating between b-roll as the singer performs the witty, tongue-in-cheek breakup song. Offering “an authentic look at Leatherwood’s deep-rooted love for country music,” as noted by Country Now, the song spotlights his standout “Georgia-bred baritone vocals” as its narrator combines spite and humor to cope with the fact that his ex-lover found new romance, while all he got was the finger.

Leatherwood will return to The Voice to perform “The Finger” this Monday, Dec. 18 at 8/7c on NBC.

A Georgia Southern University alum, Leatherwood began honing his craft in college, playing local venues and fostering his country music repertoire. At Georgia Southern, he formed his band in late 2021 and began playing all around the Southeast. Leatherwood’s goal was to take the stage and play the best of country music to all ages and audiences.

After graduating college, he competed on the NBC hit television show The Voice and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December of 2022. Following his success on The Voice, Leatherwood began pursuing a full-time music career, signing with Republic Records and Universal Music Group Nashville in October. Leatherwood is currently hard at work on new music.

About Bryce Leatherwood:
Bryce Leatherwood is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter who aims to carry the torch of country music and continue the legacy of legends prior. Bryce was born and raised in Woodstock, GA, and his passion for music began at an early age. Working on his grandfather’s farm every summer, Bryce was exposed to the classic country hits of George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty. Soon thereafter, Bryce began picking up guitars and playing the traditional country music that still inspires him today. Bryce’s music career began to blossom in Statesboro, GA, where he attended Georgia Southern University. During his time in Statesboro, Bryce played college venues and continued to hone his stage presence and his country music repertoire. In late 2021 while still enrolled in college, Bryce formed his band and began playing all around the Southeast. Bryce’s goal was to take the stage and play the best of country music to all ages and audiences. After graduating college, Bryce set his mind on a new task. In 2022, he competed on the NBC hit television show The Voice and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December of 2022. Following his success on “The Voice,” Bryce signed with Republic Records / Universal Music Group Nashville and is currently hard at work on new music.

Dalton Dover Signs with Universal Music Group Nashville

October 31, 2022

Country newcomer Dalton Dover signs with Universal Music Group Nashville. Dover, who has earned praise as a “master country talent,” will release his highly anticipated new music via Mercury Nashville.

“All of us at UMG have been fans of Dalton for a long time,” says Mike Dungan, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville. “For months our staff has filled the rooms at almost every one of his live performances in Nashville. As we worked our way through the legal process, our four label promotion teams were fighting over which label he would go to and who got to work with him. We are thrilled that he chose to be a member of our family and anxious to release the first taste of music with the Mercury logo on it.”

“I’m so excited to join the Mercury and UMG Nashville family,” shares Dover. “I wouldn’t be here without the support from my wonderful wife and family, my team, and the fans who have listened to and shared the songs we’ve released so far. This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on!"

Dover first achieved prominence after appearing on Season 16 of “The Voice,” where he earned a chair turn from legendary country artist Blake Shelton. Two years later, Dover has continued to build his fan base on TikTok, garnering millions of views with his popular #CatchMeOffGuard series of cover song mashups. The series has earned the praise of country artists including Jimmie Allen, Luke Combs, Kidd G and Kameron Marlowe. Dover’s songs “You Got A Small Town” and “Baby I Am” helped the 23-year-old earn a place on Spotify’s Hot Country 2022 Artists to Watch, along with a spotlight as Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month and a nod for MusicRow’s 2022 Discovery Artist of the Year. His TikTok track “Baby I Am” had nearly 500k streams and 1.1k downloads in its first week.

About Dalton Dover
Lauded by MusicRow as a “master country talent,” twenty-three-year-old Dalton Dover first started singing at church as a kid, winning his fifth-grade school talent show performing Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” In that moment Dover’s love of performing was born. By the age of 16 he had picked up a guitar and started teaching himself to play, yet it was his grandfather who turned him on to country music and artists such as Keith Whitley, Rhett Akins, Joe Diffie and Steve Wariner. Enamored with the honesty and storytelling found in country music, Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” was the first song Dover taught himself to play on guitar. Performances at local bars soon followed along with sharing covers of some of his favorite songs on TikTok. It was there he caught the ear of producer Matt McV and A&R veteran and founder of Droptine Recordings, Jim Catino, who quickly signed Dover.

Dover is married to his high school sweetheart, Faith, and the two have lived in the same small rural Georgia town, population 1,200, all their lives. The Dovers hope to give their two young children, Taylor and Alyiah, the same idyllic childhood they had growing up — the life one finds in a small town. And it is that pace and familiarity he enjoys so much that he sings about on his debut track “You Got a Small Town.” Produced by McV, “You Got A Small Town” quickly garnered critical acclaim from Billboard, MusicRow, Country Now and Wide Open Country.With his debut and his follow-up “Baby I Am” earning notable playlisting, Dover was named a Spotify Hot Country 2022 Artist to Watch. Dover’s latest single “Damn Good Life” is available now.

After opening for Luke Comb’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium show in Atlanta, Ga. this summer, Dover set out on a seven-date run of his own headlining shows, performing across multiple locations of Blake Shelton’s Ole Red. Dover is currently on the road with his captivating live set on Priscilla Block’s Welcome to the Block Party Tour which runs through the fall. For the latest follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.