As always, this show, sponsored by the Billy Yates International Fan Club, will offer an incredible lineup of some of Nashville's most talented artists and songwriters. Also, the show will feature a couple of Europe and the UK's brightest stars.

This year's artists include GENE WATSON, DOUG STONE, COLLIN RAYE, BUDDY JEWELL, JEFF BATES, JIMMY FORTUNE, ANDY GRIGGS, BILL ANDERSON, LULU ROMAN, GEORGETTE JONES, WYATT McCUBBIN, BILLY DROZE, DAVID KROLL, EMILY BROOKE and more!

Be sure to make plans to attend this incredible show at the Texas Troubadour Theater in Nashville. The show starts at 6 PM. Order your tickets now... there's not many left!!!

BILLY YATES HITS THE TOP AT LAST (via www.hotdisc.net)

It's taken four weeks but Billy Yates has finally climbed to the top of the Hotdisc chart this week after nibbling away at the lead of T Paul Matson, and this week he rises from runner-up position to claim his sixth Hotdisc number 1 since January 2007, and confirming his status as (arguably) the most successful independent country music act in the world.

Toby Keith also jumps over the top of T Paul to reclaim the number 2 position he held for his first two weeks on release with "Somewhere Else."  T Paul Matson has slipped to number 3 but on the way up at 4 is Irish act Daniel James Ward, who continues his climb up the Hotdisc Top 10 with "Smith & Wesson". Lawrence John Project (5), LiveWire (6), Clive John (8) and Nick Gillis (9) also enjoy movement for their current singles in the right direction.

Just Be You by Billy Yates 

The “countriest of country” singer, Billy Yates, has a brand new album out, Just Be You, and true to his life’s journey, it is pure traditional country music. Yates’ music ranks right up there with the likes of Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins and George Jones. This new album, Just Be You is a fine example of how Billy is a flame, keeping the traditional country music alive.  

Yates not only is a fabulous traditional country music artist but also a strong songwriter in the Nashville music scene. Some of Billy’s first cuts were recorded by the legendary George Jones, “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair” which went on to win the 1993 Country Music Association’s Vocal Event of the Year. Later, “Choices” made it into the Top 30 on the country charts; co-written with Mike Curtis, won them a Grammy nomination. Yates’ songwriting credits read like a Who’s Who in country music. He has had cuts from everyone from George Jones, Chris Young, Oak Ridge Boys, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols and Tracy Lawrence to Travis Tritt, Kenny Chesney, Adam Gregory, Gary Allan, Gene Watson and Sammy Kershaw to name just a few! 

On the powerful new album, Just Be You, Billy wrote all the songs and rolls through with everything from slow, melodic tunes to the rocking upbeat tunes.  I love when Billy talks of about “MFC (Mama’s Fried Chicken)”, a wonderful dish his Mama use to cook often and tells “My Daddy Was A Chevy Man”. Billy has always been a family man and knows “What Goes Around” in “Our House Of Love”, is what makes life beautiful and relates “She’s A Country Girl” when talking about his wife.  I think he is “Drunk On Love” “Till Someone Gets Hurt” but I told him to “Just Be You”, love will take care of everything. Billy’s son, Grayson, is an up and coming artist in his own right and joins his Dad on this album telling about “A Mother’s Love”. Billy has a huge international following and right after performing and signing at the 2011 CMA Festival in Nashville, he let his European fans know I’m “On My Way (The Norway Song)” and left for concerts overseas.  

If you are into traditional country music, you need this album for your collection. Keep up the good work Billy Yates!

Stay Tuned for more great news regarding "ON MY WAY (The Norway Song)"!

About five or six years ago, singer-songwriter Billy Yates and I sat in his Nashville office talking about all things music and songwriting related.

Yates was just finishing up a new album at the time, and the discussion turned to co-writing. For the uninitiated, Nashville is all about co-writing, and Yates was, at the time, deeply entrenched in the co-writing machine.

Yates shared the story of a music critic who recently called him out for always co-writing the songs that appeared on his albums. While not upset by the jab, Yates did admit at the time that he rarely penned songs solo anymore. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do, it’s just not the way things were (and are) done in Nashville. While in Rome.

Fast forward a few years, and Yates’ has just released another studio album, Just Be You, his seventh for his own company M.O.D. (My Own Damn) Record Label. And guess what? Yates penned all ten songs on the new disc. I’m sure the ten solo writes had nothing to do with the critic who years ago took a swipe at Yates, but one can’t help but think the singer-songwriter is secretly having the last laugh.

So can Yates write as well by himself as he does with others? Hell yeah. Songs like the fast-footed “What Goes Around,” the tear-stained and heart-tugging “Our House Of Love” and the emotionally charged “A Mother’s Love,” are among some of the best compositions of Yates’ career. And that’s saying alot considering Yates has had songs cut by such artists as George Strait, Kenny Chesney and George Jones.

Speaking of Jones, the Possum’s influence is stamped all over Just Be You. “MFC (Mama’s Fried Chicken)” is a fiddle stoked celebration of finger lickin’ southern fried cooking that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Jones record. Same thing can be said for “My Daddy Was A Chevy Man,” a steel and fiddle soaked cut that echos the traditional sounds of yesteryear.

Yates is country through and through – and I’m not talking teeny bopper, warmed over ’70s rock masquerading as modern country, but the real thing. Just Be You is as country as it gets.

Todd Sterling - MUSICFIXX.COM

His "Countriest of the Country" show was more than sold out this year with over 500 in attendance at the Texas Troubadour Theater. This event has raised well over $35,000.00 for Billy's favorite charity, Christmas for the Children.

A special thanks goes to all of the artists that participated in the show this year and also a big thanks to WSM AM 650 for helping to promote the show and for allowing Billy to come on Bill Cody's morning show to talk up the event.

In addition to the performances and the signing in the booths, Billy also met with a number of European groups for private events at various hotels around Nashville before boarding a plane on Friday where he flew to Germany for a Sunday show in Magdeburg.

As you can imagine, Billy is busy as ever with a full schedule of performances and appearances! Here is the complete schedule:

(Please note that a few of the events can be heard online, including his performance at the GRAND OLE OPRY this coming Saturday night!)

Also note that the times listed are Central Standard Time.

Friday, June 3

7:15 AM – Bill Cody Show – WSM 650 AM debut new CD and talk up events. Listen online at www.wsmonline.com

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Saturday, June 4

7:00 PM – Grand Ole Opry – w/Rascal Flatts, Jimmy Wayne, Riders In The Sky, Jimmy C. Newman, & more www.opry.com or listen online at www.wsmonline.com

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Monday, June 6 - 7:30 PM – Dan McGuinness writers night w/host Terri Jo Box (featured writer)

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Tuesday, June 7 - 10:30 AM – Joe Fish Tours – Private event.

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Wednesday, June 8 - 6:00 PM – Countriest of the Country show (this is Billy's fan club party... He'll have several special guests appearing, including: Darryl Worley, Jeff Bates, Jeannie Seely, The Whites, Jimmy Fortune, Julie Roberts, Tammy Cochran, Buddy Jewell, Trent Tomlinson, Adam Gregory, Deborah Allen, and more!) Tickets at: www.countriestofthecountry.ticketleap.com or just click on the link on this site!

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Thursday, June 9

2:00 PM – Roughstock booth (autograph signing) at Fan Fair Hall (Convention Center)

3:30 PM – Durango Acoustic Corner at Fan Fair Hall (w/the Grand Ole Opry Band). This show will also air live on WSM AM 650 (www.wsmonline.com)

4:00 PM – WSM Booth (autograph signing) at Fan Fair Hall

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Friday, June 10

8:30 AM – Maya Travel – Private event.

Then in the afternoon on Friday, the 10th, Billy will be boarding a plane and heading to Germany for a show on Sunday, June 12th in Magdeburg!

If you are in Nashville during FAN FAIR (or a few days prior to the actual event), be sure to catch one of Billy's many shows and/or appearances!

This year’s show will once again feature "hit songwriters in the round" with NSAI Hall Of Famer, Jerry Foster ("Someone To Give My Love To” - Johnny Paycheck and Tracy Byrd; “The Easy Part’s Over” - Charley Pride; “Thirty Nine And Holding” - Jerry Lee Lewis; “I’ll Think Of Something” - Mark Chesnutt, plus more), along with singing/songwriting sensation, Deborah Allen (“Baby I Lied” and “I‘ve Been Wrong Before“ - Deborah Allen; plus the Janie Frickie smash, “Let’s Stop Talkin’ About It” and more), also one of Nashville's hottest singer/songwriters, Byron Hill ("Pickin' Up Strangers" - Johnny Lee; "Fool Hearted Memory" - George Strait; "Born Country" - Alabama; "Politics, Religion and Her" - Sammy Kershaw; "Nothing On But The Radio" - Gary Allan, plus more).

The annual event which is sponsored by the Billy Yates International Fan Club and hosted by Nashville singer/songwriter, Billy Yates began eight years ago and has now evolved into what is considered by many to be the best Country Music show during the CMA Music Festival. With so many guests, it is by far one of the best entertainment values in Nashville that week. Artists will offer merchandise for sale during the show and a meet and greet with the artists will follow the evening’s entertainment.

To order your $25.00 ticket(s) online go to: www.countriestofthecountry.ticketleap.com

Doors open at 5:30pm and the show starts at 6:00pm. Proceeds go to Christmas for the Children, a non-profit organization based in White House, Tennessee that raises money throughout the year to take underprivileged children from middle Tennessee Christmas shopping each December.

"I wanted a simple and honest video that featured the amazing landscape found in Norway", said Yates who eagerly awaits another trip to the beautiful Scandinavian Country in July where he'll headline the Norsk Country Treff festival in Breim. "Out of all of the places I've been, I do have to say that Norway is one of the most beautiful places in the world and I just felt like a tip of the hat to them and their way of life was something that I should do. I just hope the rest of the world appreciates it the way I do".

Feel free to share the video with your friends!