By: Tony Manfetano
Nashville is a town rich with artists but lacking in canvas. In most cases it’s amazing to even find a spot let alone be noticed amongst the deluge of creativity. Granted, some songs should remain unsung. Coincidentally most of the songs you know and love are penned by heroes who, outside the salacious confines of music row, remain unsung. Yet even the noteworthy artist lives in unrelenting fear of being painted over. Or in this case, recorded over.
That is why, as 2014 begins it’s final descent, we congratulate Luke Bryan on rising above and being thus far the only country artist to release three No.1 songs this year. That is right my friends. Just last week “Roller Coaster”, written by Michael Carter and Cole Swindell, kissed the top of the charts making it the count’em 1, 2, 3, 4, 5th consecutive No.1 off of the “Crash My Party” album released last year.
Rounding out the remainders are, “That’s My Kind Of Night”, “Crash My Party”, “Drink A Beer”, and personal favorite, “Play It Again”, which exemplifies once more the songwriting prowess of Dallas Davidson in spite of his bar room antics. But alas, the accolades for Luke don’t stop with that. Also in 2014 Bryan made history by having “Play It Again”, and “This is How We Roll”, a song recorded by Florida Georgia Line of which Bryan co-wrote, in the number one and two spot on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart. This made him the first to hold the top dyad since that charts inception way back in 1990.
On top of already being the recipient of an ACM entertainer of the year award the auspicious country singer is nominated for the 48th Annual CMA Awards male vocalist and entertainer of the year. Bryan will also be performing at the aforementioned awards show scheduled for November 5th. To scores of screaming young men and women some of which are sure to cry and faint from excitement. There’s not enough crying and fainting at concerts, a la BeatleMania, these days I think.
Luke Bryan takes his share of criticism from country music traditionalists regarding the recent surge in “bro” country. But with 2014 marking the sixth year of his spring break concert and titular EP release Luke has never made any bones about his love for that demographic. Still, assuming the writer turned artist only sings ephemeral pop would be an exercise is ignorance. He’s one of the good ones fella’s. Give him a chance and don’t believe the hype.
Check Luke out at www.LukeBryan.com and follow him via @LukeBryanOnline because we have yet to see him honored for his most prestigious and well deserved award // fitting into Lil Wayne’s pants.
