Collin Raye, a nationally known country music star, will be the headliner band. He has received many awards in the music industry and has had numerous hits such as “Little Rock”, One Boy, One Girl and “That’s My Story”!

One of the true hitmakers of the 1990″s, Collin Raye still continues to crank out soulful, heartfelt material with the honesty and richness that is signature to his vocals on his newly formed label StarPointe Records.

His new “Selected Hits” CD that is now exclusively at Walmart contains 2 new songs, “A Soldier”s Prayer” and “Quitters”. “A Soldier”s Prayer” rides that prevalent theme during wartime, but rather than beating a dead horse, this song takes a slightly different approach and states a truth to all of us, not just those in uniform, but that hope is alive and is strong and is Our Heavenly Father.

“Quitters” is just flat out inspirational delivered in fine vocal form and the hook is catchy. A solid song with a fantastic message. Collin says, “I”m a big fan of live material…and as a matter of fact, I”d like to see more live music released by country artists. These tracks featured the Salt Lake Symphony, an 80 piece orchestra, along with 4 more of my previous hits: “That”s My Story “, “Little Rock,” “I Think About You,” and “Love Me.” and it made me wonder how they”d mock up the arrangement. It”s really a flawless presentation of the originals, but with a high energy exciting feel to the uptempo songs and an intimacy in the slower songs.”

And if that is not enough, Collin recently contributed to the Newly Released Album, “Songs 4 Worship: Country” that was released on Oct. 2. This wonderful collection of songs from other artists besides Collin was co-produced by Teddy Gentry and Michael Curtis. Collin”s song on the album is “Get Up In Jesus Name” which is not only inspirational but will have you toe tapping and hand clapping to the music.

“TWENTY YEARS AND CHANGE” – RELEASED NATIONWIDE 10/25/05

For the past four years, Collin Raye has heard the same question everywhere he goes.

At every sold-out concert, at every radio-station visit, the mega hit maker gets asked by fans and industry professionals alike, “Hey, man, when are you going to put out a new record?”

“My recording career isn”t done by a long shot,” Collin promises them. “I didn”t go away into hibernation. I tour all the time, so I know there”s a demand for a new album. I wouldn”t put out records again unless I thought that people really wanted them. And they do.”

Actually, he”s been working on his new Twenty Years and Change collection all along. In between the constant concert appearances, he began traveling to Nashville three years ago. During each visit, he would record a song or two.

“One of the great things about making this album was having the freedom of going into the studio with no one looking over my shoulder,” comments Collin. “I didn”t feel like I was on some kind of treadmill. I didn”t set out any timetable. I didn”t think, “Let”s make a hit single, right now.” I said, “Let”s just make this as good as it can be, to where it sounds good to us. Then we”ll step back and look at the whole thing.”

“In the end, we wound up with 23 songs. And these 12 are the best of those 23.”

Those 12 include some instant classics, as well as some bona fide classics. In the latter category are Collin Raye”s island-flavored reinterpretation of The Bellamy Brothers chestnut “Let Your Love Flow,” a heartfelt “It”s Only Make Believe” tribute to the late Conway Twitty, a powerful reworking of the 1985 Survivor hit “The Search Is Over” and a remake of Don Henley”s “You”re Not Drinkin” Enough” that takes the tune straight into a honky-tonk.

Always a masterful ballad singer, Collin pours emotion into the wistful “Forgotten,” the reassuring “We”ll Be Alright” and the lovely romantic “All I Can Do Is Love You.” “Hurricane Jane,” on the other hand, is a good-time rocker. “Heart” has a lusciously melodic, mid-tempo groove.

“I Know That”s Right,” the collection”s first single, has a stirring message lyric. Two other standouts are story songs. “Josephine” tells the tale of a frightened Civil War soldier writing a letter home. “Twenty Years and Change”, written by the artist, is the portrait of a man who has replaced his youthful ideals with a resigned acceptance of his older, more satisfying reality.

Working with a variety of co-producers, Collin Raye is behind every note of music that”s heard on Twenty Years and Change. That, he says, is a first for him. He is proud of his five prior Platinum albums, 25 Top Ten hits, 15 No. 1 smashes and 12 chart-topping videos. But maintaining his high standards wasn”t always easy.

“The last record I made for Sony, I”ll never forget the meeting where they said, “We took a poll around the building and 70% voted for this song as your single.” I said, “You took a vote around the building? I thought it was between the executive, the producer, the radio-promotion department and me. The receptionist has a vote? The art department?” It seemed that everybody was getting a say-so about song selection. You can”t make records that way.

Collin Raye is nothing if not passionate. His fiery delivery has made country standards of such searing ballads as “Love, Me,” “In This Life,” “Not That Different” and “Little Rock.” Always an electrifying showman, he has also blazed through such vivid rockers as “My Kind of Girl,” “That”s My Story,” “I Can Still Feel You” and “I Want You Bad.”

His commitment to music has been life-long. Collin has been singing professionally since he was a teenager. He has never held any other job.

“I grew up steeped in traditional country music,” Collin reports. “I knew every song on Johnny Horton”s Greatest Hits by heart. To this day, I can sing them to you. I think that”s where I got my love of story songs.

“We never missed a country package show when one came through Little Rock. I remember seeing Porter Wagoner & The Wagonmasters with Dolly Parton, George Jones & The Jones Boys, Merle Haggard, Charley Pride and Conway Twitty, all on the same bill! Ray Price, Buck Owens, I loved them all.”

His mother, Lois Wray, was a country singer, and he was on stage with her by the age of 7. The family moved from Arkansas to Texas when he was young, and at age 13 he and his older brother Scott formed The Wray Brothers band to entertain in the Lone Star State.

The brothers migrated to lucrative casino work in Reno, Nevada. Billed as “Bubba Wray,” Collin became a master of stagecraft and a “human jukebox” whose repertoire included thousands of songs from across the American musical landscape. The Wrays first attracted Nashville”s attention with a string of independent-label singles recorded in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s. Mercury Records signed them and issued a couple of singles in 1986-87.

But Scott tired of the road, and the band broke up. Collin had married in 1980 and fathered daughter Brittany in 1983 and son Jacob in 1985. Like his brother, he also considered giving up music. That all changed when he began making solo records in 1990. Scott, by the way, is now bandleader for new Nashville star Miranda Lambert.

Collin shot to fame with “Love, Me” in 1991. Listeners were so touched that they used its lyrics at funerals and memorial services. That set the cornerstone for a career built on meaningful songs. “Little Rock” was an anthem for the recovery community. “Not That Different” pleaded for tolerance. “In This Life” became a wedding favorite. He won awards for the child-advocacy video “I Think About You.”

Five times nominated as country music”s Male Vocalist of the Year, Collin Raye has consistently used his stardom to advance social causes. Among the organizations he has supported are Boys Town, First Steps, Al-Anon, Special Olympics, Country Cares About AIDS, Catholic Relief Services, Parade of Pennies, Vanderbilt Children”s Hospital, The Tennessee Task Force Against Domestic Violence, The Emily Harrison Foundation, Childhelp USA, Silent Witness National Initiative, Easter Seals and Make a Difference Day. At the 2001 Country Radio Seminar, Clint Black presented Collin Raye with the organization”s Humanitarian of the Year award in recognition of Collin”s issue-oriented music and his tireless charity work.

But when the album he released later that year wasn”t successfully promoted, Collin asked for his release from Sony. Contractual roadblocks didn”t allow Collin to seek a new record deal for a period of time. Eventually he was able to aggressively try to get back in the record business.

Thus, Collin Raye began looking for a home for Twenty Years and Change. He turned down major-label overtures to sign with Infinity Records in 2004, but that company folded, further delaying his return to disc. The Navarre-distributed Aspirion picked up his recording contract in August 2005.

The man who has topped the charts with such great songs as “On the Verge,” “One Boy, One Girl,” “What the Heart Wants,” “Every Second” and “That Was a River” is finally ready for another round of successes.

“I believe in Providence,” says Collin Raye. “I believe there”s a reason things happen the way they do. I also believe that if you”ve treated people right and you continue to work hard at your craft, things will happen. I want to keep going. I want hit records. I want to make music.”

It has been stated that whenever the planets and stars align something of cataclysmic proportion happens in this Universe. On August 16, 1989 within the cinematic circle of Miami Beach, IMAJ was born. Today, standing 5’4″ and 99.8 lbs. soaking wet, what she lacks in weight and height…her voice, artistic sensitivity and intellectual prowess makes up in depth.

Imaj began recording her singing at 5-years-old, writing books and constructing visual artwork at 6-years-old, was labeled a child prodigy by nine and at seventeen had her self-portrait displayed at the Dallas Museum of Art.

With a vocal range that capers between E3 and F6 (Yes, what you thought were strings in her latest single “Blush” is actually her voice, one of the highest notes demanded in opera by the likes of Mozart) she’s a cross over artist who spans several genres including pop, opera and soul. Not only is IMAJ a gifted vocalist and songwriter, but she sings in multiple languages—all self- taught!—including Spanish, Japanese, Italian opera and German. However, in spite of all of her artistic talent, she will tell you her heart is in Country music!

Imaj has called Frisco, Texas her home for more than 6 years and has been singing locally as well as nationally. Some of her most recent performances have taken her to: The Conga Room (Los Angeles), Teddy Atlas Celebrity Charity Dinner (New York), Okeechobee Veteran’s Day Event (Florida) and Gilley’s (Dallas) for the Green Bay Packer’s Hall of Fame Celebration during Super Bowl weekend as well as the national anthem and half-time show for NBA D-League’s Texas Legends (Frisco, TX).

Find her full touring schedule on: http://www.facebook.com/imajofficial

After humble beginnings in Texas driving up and down I-35 (Dallas, Waco, Austin then repeat) the Dallas based band Sleeperstar began what they thought would be a slow and steady growing process. 200 clubs and 40 college shows later (22 states & 70,000 miles in just 18 months on the tour van affectionately named “The Washington”) Sleeperstar’s music recently went viral and made its way across the pond. From Dallas, TX to the far corners of the world, literally!

On November 4, 2010 the CW’s hit TV show “The Vampire Diaries” used Sleeperstar’s song “I Was Wrong” off their new album “Just Another Ghost” (now available on iTunes). This platform propelled their music to top 40 charts in Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Belgium, Israel and 26 other countries! They were also selected to headline the Dallas 2011 “Big D NYE”New years party at Victory Plaza and were featured on live television as well as perform for a crowd of over 30,000!  Currently, they are touring nationally again and “Rockin On The Docks” is one of their favorite stops!   

Sleeperstar’s music seeks to inspire and to make the listener feel the pleading vocals, the “U2-meets-Third Eye Blind” guitar-work, and sentimental arrangements of every song. Their music will surely tap at your heart until you let them in, and once they are in… you won’t want them to leave!

Although Stars Go Dim found a loyal and growing fan base and garnered a stack of awards for the songs on its introductory EP, the five cuts within barely scratched the surface of what the band has to offer.

Growing organically from the sessions that produced the band’s initial trio of songs, which also garnered the group a number of songwriting awards, Stars Go Dim now returns with its full length debut, Love Gone Mad, to be released August 4, 2009. In the course of ten tracks, the band explores the range of emotions when love does just that.

“Even before we had and album title, I knew I wanted to write a song called ‘Love Gone Mad’,” guitarist and principal songwriter Joey Avalos revealed, “because there’s so many things that could mean.”

In the end, it became the title cut for the album, as all the songs within explore love from different points of view: from the infatuation of a new love in “Incredible” and “Crazy” to the struggles of maintaining a relationship in “Where Has Our Love Gone” to realizing it’s over, breaking things off, moving on and starting over in “Letting Go,” “Walk On” and “Get Over it.”

Serendipitously, the band never set out to create an album with such a broad and over arching theme – it all came naturally.

“It’s not like we set out to create a concept record,” Avalos explained. “We were just writing a bunch of songs. When we came together, we didn’t even know what kind of band we were.”

Avalos and bassist Michael Wittig, who had worked together previously in more hard-rock based outfit, met with vocalist Chris Cleveland in late 2007 and laid the groundwork for what would become a band with no preconceptions or boundaries. Leaning into their pop and R&B influences, the group produced an initial three song demo that quickly grabbed the attention of music fans and industry alike, garnering the band a host of songwriting and fan-voted awards.

“After the first three song demo came together,” Avalos shared, “I basically wrote the rest of the album in two weeks. The theme just came together organically – it’s not like I was thinking about it. I probably wrote 20 songs in roughly two weeks and this is what came out of it.”

Delving deeper into the album, Avalos reveals “‘Love Gone Mad’ is definitely one of my prouder efforts, because I think it really captures that moment where you’re losing someone and it’s so believable. On that one and ‘Hoping For Tomorrow’ you can really hear and feel the words through Chris’ vocals.”

“I don’t claim to be a great vocalist,” Avalos explains, “so I try to keep it simple. I’m more concerned with is the song memorable, is it clear, does it tell a story?”

“‘Walk On’ is about a guy who got screwed over so many times and ‘Letting Go’ is about talking the talk and trying to stand strong. All the songs are tied together, some in hilarious and sad ways,” says Avalos.

“Actually, Chris (our singer) laughs that we’re writing his life story,” he chuckles, “but he’s got the gift of being able to make it believable. There’s only so much I can do as a writer – the rest is on him.”

That authenticity is exactly what allows listeners to connect so strongly with the ten song cycle; a rollercoaster ride through the whirlwind of emotions that encompasses falling in and out of love.

“These songs are my three to four minutes of time to write a book,” Avalos explains of his creative approach. “It may not all be based off of true life events, but it’s certainly taken from things I’ve observed. For me, it’s like painting: I like to take a moment in time, a snapshot, and try to bring it alive in three minutes.”

“I think we succeed in that with ‘Catch Me If You Can’,” he continues. “It really encompasses that whole magical moment, hoping tomorrow is the day she’ll come back. That’s my biggest challenge – to capture those moments.”

Even though Avalos is the principal songwriter, it’s the chemistry within Stars Go Dim that truly makes it all work. Avalos readily acknowledges this, stating “By myself, I’m just catching moments in time and turning them into still pictures in black and white. When I bring it to Mike and Chris, that’s when the band really brings it to life in full color.”

Stars Go Dim has a vision that extends beyond simply writing songs and creating an album, however. Once the songs were written and the theme emerged, the band proceeded in its creative process, developing what continues to unfold in the story of Love Gone Mad.

A precursor to the ongoing narrative, which will include additional media and culminate in a book, can be found on the band’s website, www.starsgodim.com. The project is a tale of two young lovers with broken and guarded hearts who learn about themselves when they find the love letters of another couple from decades earlier and try to hunt down the rest of the story.

Surely, it’s an ambitious undertaking, but one that came naturally for the band. Avalos and bassist Michael Wittig are in concert when agreeing that, “Once we had this theme, we thought ‘How can we make it more interactive – outside the normal scope of a CD?’” Influenced by their love of storytelling and movies, the group continued to think outside the box and develop the story in a manner that would allow fans to become even more involved and connected with the band and its songs.

That relationship with the audience is a primary focus for Stars Go Dim, which has continually provided an open window to the creative process and band members’ daily lives with a strong online presence and ongoing written and video blogs. The response has been overwhelming and garnered the band a number of fan-voted honors including the CMT Listener’s Choice Songwriter’s Award and a slot on the Ernie Ball sponsored Mayercrise 2009, opening for acts such as John Mayer, O.A.R. and Guster.

While the accolades and rewards have been nice, Wittig make one thing clear: “We’re doing this because of the people. We’ve gone the extra mile and given a lot of our lives and time to this project and we’ve done it for the love of the music, but it’s also because we genuinely care about people. I was that kid that followed the bands and couldn’t wait to see what they did next and I genuinely like meeting the fans and making that connection.”

That bond continues to grow as Stars Go Dim not only captures a series of moments in the cycle of love and brings them to life with its songs, but delves even deeper with the ongoing story of Love Gone Mad.

 

Chris Rivers, is a bright  country star, rising out of the Lone Star State. He is destined to become a country standard, not a passing trend. Chris Rivers and his band were the former house band at  Gilleys Dallas. 

With a live recording, “CONFESSIONS OF A FOOL” completed, Chris has already released the first two tracks for radio and are getting outstanding reviews from radio personalities. These first two songs, “I’m to Blame” (Rivers),and “Trail of Broken Hearts” (Rivers and Clay Blaker), have got such life and energy to them they will definitely capture the heart of all those who hear them. Both songs made the “Top 10″ in European Country Music Charts in 2009. The full CD shipped to European Radio in May of 2010.

Based out of Dallas, Texas, Rivers has been touring non-stop with his band, Rivers and his band Highway 69, now CHRIS RIVERS BAND, for the past twelve years performing in excess of 250 dates per year while building a loyal, grassroots following in countless clubs, honky tonks, fairs and festivals throughout Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

In 2003, Rivers won “songwriter of the year” for “She Draws Them Together”, which he co-wrote with Johnny Huffman. Chris Rivers also won “Dallas Band of the Year” in the fall of 2003. The regional hit single “Trail of Broken Hearts” helped move Chris Rivers CD over 1,000 units, and also was a gratis feature on a CDX compilation which featured hit singles by George Strait, Brooks and Dunn, Reba, and Tim McGraw, and was nationally distributed to radio, retail, and key buyers and venues. The single received rave reviews and opened many doors for Chris Rivers, particularly in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. In 1996, Chris Rivers was named “Artist of the Year” which followed up his 1995 garnering as “Entertainer of the Year” at the Terry Awards.

“I started singing in church back in Louisiana when I was 6 years old, and began singing professionally at age 8 in musicals and weddings. But even though I had some great vocal scholarships in college and was classically trained in opera at LSU and UTA, I still continued to sing in clubs – I just love to sing live for an audience.” “It’s an amazing feeling to look out into an audience and see the crowd singing the words of your songs with you, what a great blessing.”