DAVE'S DIARY - 24/10/2016 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 6 - SERIES 31

RANDY ROGERS NOT ALONE IN SAN ANTONE ON NU COUNTRY TV

Fort Worth troubadour Randy Rogers motors south to San Antone as he headlines N u Country TV on Channel 31/Digital 44 on Saturday October 29 at 9.30 p.m.

Georgian Charles Kelley, who toured here with Lady Antebellum , returns to the show hosted by Mid Pacific Bob Olson and repeated on Monday at 2.30 a.m.

Michigan singer Frankie Ballard and Oklahoma young gun Parker Millsap appear in Behind Bars in the program filmed and edited by Laith Graham.

Californian Jon Pardi returns with Texan born singing actress MiKayla Gunn in a boots double shot.

Nu Country TV is a highlight of C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.

Just follow this link on your computer or mobile phone - http://www.c31.org.au/series/487

RANDY VISITS WORLD'S STRAWBERRY CAPITAL EN ROUTE TO SAN ANTONE

Randy Rogers follows his smashing role in the Kevin Fowler video for Sellout Song with his nostalgia trip to south Texas in his video for San Antone from his seventh album Nothing Shines Like Neon.

En route Rogers discovers Poteet - strawberry capital of the world and birth place of superstar George Strait and Tex-Mex legend David Lee Garza.

In James Michener's classic, Centennial , cattleman R. J. Poteet led the drive of a large herd of longhorns north from Texas to Colorado.

On arrival in Frio Street, Randy and his band remember Davy Crockett and the Alamo - the southern city's famous river walk and San Antonio Spurs sporting heroes.

Rogers and Waco born troubadour Wade Bowen previously appeared on Nu Country in their video for Standards - a parody of critics who claimed they sold out when they left Texas for Nashville.

They rejected record company pressure to cut clichéd hits about dirt roads.

It's on their joint album Hold My Beer, Volume 1.

Rogers, born in Cleburne, Texas, also showcased his previous video Interstate from fifth album Burning The Day.

His band recorded debut album, Live at Cheatham Street Warehouse - a famed music hall in San Marcos, Texas - and in 2002 released Like It Used to Be on indie label Downtime .

Sixth album Trouble in 2013 was followed by Home Made Tamales Live at Floore's Store in April, 2014.

Further info - http://www.randyrogersband.com/

CHARLES KELLEY NOT LEAVING NASHVILLE

Georgian star Charles Kelley, 35, proved his love for Music City in his live acoustic video for Leaving Nashville from his debut solo album The Driver, released in September 2015 .

Texan Eric Paslay and Arizona singing pilot Dierks Bentley sing harmony on the album that features a co-write with Charles elder brother Josh.

Josh's wife Katherine Heigl features in movies diverse as The Nut Job, Knocked Up, The Big Wedding and TV show Grey's Anatomy.

Charles graduated from University of Georgia in Athens in 2004 with a degree in finance before following Josh to Nashville in 2005 and co-founding Lady Antebellum in 2006.

The trio - Kelley, Hilary Scott and Dave Haywood - released six big selling CDS, won eight Grammys, two Billboard awards and 33 country music honours before taking a hiatus in 2015.

Charles was a prolific writer for Lady Antebellum who first toured here with expat Kiwi superstar Keith Urban in April 2011 before returning with Sugarland co-founder Kristian Bush and Maddie & Tae in March, 2015.

CLICK HERE for a Lady Antebellum CD review in The Diary on March 2, 2015.

FRANKIE BALLARD DRIVES FROM CEREAL CAPITAL IN EL CAMINO

Frankie Ballard, 33, is upstaged as he drives his El Camino from the concrete jungle and heartbreak with his beloved dog as co-pilot.

The smart canine shared snacks and decamped as his master hooned but returned when the coast was clear in the video for the title track of his third album El Camino.

Ballard's hit was penned by prolific Grammy winner and huge selling Kentucky coal-miner's son Chris Stapleton and Lee Thomas Miller.

Stapleton, Johnston and Kip Moore also wrote Cigarette and Chris Janson, Ben Hayslip and Craig Wiseman wrote Little Bit of Both on El Camino .

Frankie debuted on Nu Country with Tell Me You Get Lonely from his self-titled debut album on July 30, 2011.

We also featured his previous video for It All Started With a Beer - penned by Jeremy Stover and Cadillac Three singers Jaren Johnston and Neil Mason.

Ballard is proud of his hometown Battle Creek.

"It's the cereal capital of the world," Frankie revealed.

"Kellogg's and Post are both there. Downtown smells like cornflakes. It's blue-collar, man. It's blue-collar. It's very laidback with a lot of hard-working people. My parents still live in the same house I was raised in. It's very down-home."

Further info - www.frankieballard.com

PARKER MILLSAP SAILS AND SPEEDS

Oklahoma singer-songwriter Parker Millsap sails, rides a motor bike and plays guitar at the wheel of a sports car in his video for Pining from third album The Very Last Day.

Purcell born Pentecostal Parker finds safety and solace when he follows his muse in a forest and small town near Oklahoma City where he lives with journalist wife Meg.

Millsap, now 23, dreamed of a house, wife and children on his live version of song Homeless that featured on Nu Country in February 2015.

He performed it with some mates in Norman - hometown of Vince Gill.

“Both sides of my family have been here for five generations,” revealed Millsap.

“100 years ago, when my ancestors got to Oklahoma, it wasn't much more than some hard dirt, a few railroad stops, and a bunch of cattle. It's still about the same except you can add oil rigs in there too. The folks who moved here and survived had to be rugged, and they had to rely on each other, because the landscape sure as hell wasn't doing them any favours. I could go on about my Okie theories for days, but I think that there remains a sort of pioneer spirit here.”

Millsap performs an eclectic hybrid of roots music.

“To me, gospel singing and blues singing are the same thing, just one's about Jesus and the other is about women or the devil or something,” added Millsap who returned to the Grand Ole Opry on November 18, 2015.

“I did listen to a bunch of blues growing up, too. As far as developing a sound, I just try to sing like the people that I like hearing. My vocal idols are Tom Waits, Howlin' Wolf, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and Freddie Mercury.”

Millsap included his tunes Hades Pleads and a revamp of the Louvin Brothers' Great Atomic Power as the title track.

"My dad heard that song and said, 'I think it's funny,'" Millsap says of The Very Last Day .

"So that works for me. I grew up with gospel, and singing the way I do is something I can't help. I never really intend to sing like that, but it's just how it always comes out.”

Further info - http://parkermillsap.com/

JON PARDI HEAD OVER BOOTS

Jon Pardi shows what to do if your pick-up truck breaks down in his video for Head Over Boots from his second album California Sunrise - his sequel to debut disc Write You A Song.

He finds a lass who knows her way around an old dance floor and picnic rug.

Pardi proves he is a true traditionalist as he recreates nostalgia and pays homage to the past and then reverts to the present with panache.

The singer, now 31, continued the footwear theme in another new song Dirt On My Boots .

Pardi reined a horse theme with help from his dog, fillies and music mates in his previous video for Back On The Back Roads.

He also visited the Whiskey Bent Saloon in Nashville to film another video for What I Can't Put Down.

Pardi grew up in Dixon but ignited his career at Butte Junior College in Chico where he started Northern Comfort and moved to Nashville on February 23, 2008, with his dog, PA system and $7,000 savings.

He used a credit card to pay for lifeguard training to earn money until he landed a publishing deal 18 months later.

Two early collaborations Write You a Song and Fighting The Fool landed him his contract.

Further info - http://www.jonpardi.com/welcome.html

MIKAYLA GUNN BOOTS MEN INTO ACTION

Mikayla Gunn proves how to keep men on the run, chopping wood and busy in her kitchen in her video for second single Boots from her debut EP released in September.

The Texan born singing actress lives in St Louis and was in 2014 movie East Plains, Get Out.

“I am a country artist/ songwriter from St. Louis,” Gunn revealed recently.

“I enjoy playing the guitar and piano. I have collaborated with some of the most talented writers, crew, producers, agents, managers, and more in the industry. I was fortunate enough to hold titles like Miss St Louis County Teen USA, Miss O'Fallon Teen USA and Miss St. Charles County Teen USA. I am also in the acting business and have done TV pilots, short films, and commercials.”

Further info - http://www.mikaylagunn.com/

HOW TO KEEP NU COUNTRY ON AIR

We need your support as we celebrate Nu Country TV's 31st series with Australian record companies and artists teaming to ensure our survival.

Warner Brothers promo wizard Tony Midolo has given us Blake Shelton's 12 TH CD If I'm Honest and Sony has donated the latest CD and DVD by Georgian star Jason Aldean.

We also have Angels And Alcohol - 20th album by fellow Georgian superstar Alan Jackson.

Also CDS by major artists you can win by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing membership.

They include singing actors Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw and Toby Keith, Ashley Monroe, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Charley Pride and more.

CLICK HERE for our Membership Page for full details.

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