Proud Kentucky rockers, Black Stone Cherry, emerge from a challenging few years triumphantly with a behemoth of an album, Screamin’ At The Sky (Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group), out now. The four-piece band’s eighth album explodes with urgently-emotive pop-rock hooks; heartfelt, redemptive lyrics; headbanging riffs; powerful dynamics; thunderous drums; and its most thrilling musicianship yet. The 12-song collection is also BSC’s biggest and best sounding album. The self-produced studio record was tracked at a classic Kentucky theater, and it sounds like the guys are smashing down the hammer of the gods.  “The thesis of this record is adapting and moving on. In the last few years, a lot of what I knew from childhood went away. I lost my father, and now I am the oldest living man in my family,” says vocalist/guitarist Chris Robertson. He continues: “There is a lot of darkness on this album—I bared my soul—but it always foreshadows light at the end of the tunnel.” Adds guitarist/backing vocalist Ben Wells: “We see something beautiful letting pain out—you come out a better person.” In the past two decades, Black Stone Cherry has set a new standard for Southern rock, revitalizing the tradition with its burly riffs and stirring rock hooks. Since its formation in 2001, the four-piece brotherhood has remained Chris Robertson, vocals/guitar; Ben Wells, guitar/vocals; and John Fred Young, drums. Today, the band welcomes its dear friend Steve Jewell Jr. on bass/backing vocals. Steve is formerly of the blues-rock band OTIS who has opened for BSC many times. “I grew up around this music. Every time we play ‘Lonely Train,’ I remember driving with my dad and hearing it on the radio. I get emotional thinking about it,” Steve says. John Fred chimes in: “Steve is the young kid in the band—he doesn’t have as many wrinkles! He’s a monster player, and we have this insane chemistry with him.”  BSC’s last album, The Human Condition, released on October 30th, 2020 through Mascot Records, was their sixth consecutive No. 1 debut on the UK Rock Albums chart. The album's lead single, "Again," was the band's biggest single in over 10 years in America, peaking at #15, and it was BSC’s highest charting record ever in Canada, also landing in the Top 15. The album racked-up 50 million streams worldwide, and “Again” amassed 20 million streams total.  Over the years, BSC has both headlined and rocked 12,000-cap arena shows and shared the stage with a diverse roster of superstars, including Alter Bridge, Theory of a Deadman, Def Leppard, Gov’t Mule, Nickelback, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bad Company, Mötorhead, Halestorm, Stone Temple Pilots, The Darkness, and ZZ Top. In 2018, BSC performed in front of 100,000 people at the Download Festival as main support to Guns N’ Roses. In 2021, the band played the UK's venerated Royal Albert Hall, immortalized on 2022’s live DVD Live From The Royal Albert Hall…Y’All.  Screamin’ At The Sky features all-new material written collaboratively while on tour. When it came time to record, BSC decided to try something it’s always dreamed of doing: tracking an album at The Plaza Theater in Glasgow, Kentucky, a legendary 1020-seat venue built in 1934 that boasts meticulous acoustics. “Every time we played the Plaza we wondered what it would sound like to record drums there. We finally decided to put all our eggs in one basket,” Chris says. In June of 2022, the band rented the theater and brought its trusty engineer, Jordan Westfall, and all its recording equipment into the theater, setting up the basement as the control room and the stage as the live drum room. John Fred tore through his drum tracks like a beast, and they ended up sounding mountainous. Chris and Ben had time to record guitars in the theater before heading out on tour. Those tracks also sounded richly dynamic, and the rest of Screamin’ At The Sky was finished post-tour at the theater and at John Fred’s makeshift home studio.  Time between recording sessions, and incredible room ambience have resulted in a career high watermark for BSC. Screamin’ At The Sky bursts open with the title track which kicks off with the feral roar of dimed amps in a big open space. Then a bruising riff cycles through punctuated by what can be best described as John Bonham-sized drums in a sleek modern rock context. For the chorus, Chris delivers one of his finest performances, managing to be raw-nerved emotional but also smoothly melodic. “My idea for the chorus is a bunch of friends around a campfire screaming their pain away,” Chris says.  He is courageously autobiographical on the anthemic, “Nervous,” which opens with the lyrics: Memory lane, it’s ‘85, a baby boy with big blue eyes/And promises just waiting to be broken. The song balances slamming hard rock riffage with moody clean-guitar verses, reflective singing, and meticulously-crafted vocal melodies that gracefully rise until climaxing into an urgently-melodic chorus.  The barnburners continue with “When The Pain Comes,” an uplifting modern rock statement on confronting life’s challenges without succumbing to the pain. “That’s about digging your heels in the dirt and staying strong,” John Fred says. The single, “Out Of Pocket,” became something of an instant classic when the guys debuted it on their UK tour last summer. It epitomizes the band’s prowess at mixing sweetly weary verses with incendiary choruses. BSC lighten things up with “Smile, World,” a brawny sing-along about not taking life too seriously.  Screamin’ At The Sky has been a catharsis for Black Stone Cherry, and the quartet is savoring the calm after the storm. “A lot of bands would have thrown in the towel, but we came out the other side with some of the best music we’ve ever made,” Ben enthuses. Chris concludes: “ We’re in a great space—this band is as much as a family as it’s ever been.” 

Born and raised in the Bama clay, these boys are as authentic as they come. Taught how to bend a string and break a heart by Skynyrd and Hank, brothers James and Frank Ford along with their hometown friends Andrew Davis and Ben Crain formed the southern rock band known as Them Dirty Roses. Piling into an RV with their belongings and instruments they made their way from Gadsden, AL to Nashville, TN. All living all under one roof, Them Dirty Roses are a living example of the quintessential rock and roll American Dream. If you've had the pleasure of experiencing a Them Dirty Roses live show, then you know firsthand just how impressive and energetic they can be. These Southern rockers know how to bring the heat, and their high-energy performances are a testament to their talent and passion for music. One of the standout qualities of a Them Dirty Roses live performance is their ability to engage with the audience. From the moment they take the stage, lead vocalist and guitarist James Ford commands the attention of the crowd with his powerful voice and infectious stage presence. The band's dynamic stage presence and interaction with the audience keeps the energy high throughout the entire show. In addition to their stage presence, Them Dirty Roses also impress with their musical prowess. Each member of the band is a seasoned musician and it shows in their performances. The band's classic rock, blues, and southern rock influences are on full display in their live shows, and their tight musicianship is a testament to the hours they've spent honing their craft. Them Dirty Roses have a dedicated fan base and have garnered a reputation as a rising force in the Southern Rock scene. With their catchy riffs, powerful vocals, and energetic live shows, they are sure to continue making a mark in the world of Rock music for years to come.

Few if any have done as much in 21st century rock-and-roll than Seattle-born solo artist Ayron Jones, who already boasts two No. 1 rock hits on the U.S. Billboard charts in just three years. In total, Jones, who also has chart-toppers in countries like France and Germany, has released seven top-40 hits, including the passionate track, “Take Me Away,” the weeping, “Mercy,” and vulnerable rocker, “Blood in the Water.” “I wasn’t born into this,” says Jones, who grew up forging his own path in Seattle. “I didn’t have the luxury of having a legacy to follow.” So, he created his own, one riff at a time. In a way, it’s all happened so quickly. In another, it’s a lifetime that’s manifested his success. From Seattle clubs to shoulder-to-shoulder with rock’s elite, the iHeart Radio Award-nominated Jones has toured with bands like Shinedown and Staind, played shows with Duff McKagan and members of Pearl Jam. Stars aligned both literally and figuratively for Jones, constellations of songs gave way to more. “Sheer will and determination has gotten us here,” he says. That and a little hometown love. Over the years, Seattle has helped raise Jones. “The Hendrix family is the reason I’m here,” he says of those related to the “Purple Haze” rocker. For it was Jimi’s kin who worked with Jones over the years, recruiting him for shows and collaborating with him onstage. The city’s iconic rap artist Sir Mix a Lot produced his debut 2013 record, Dream. Grunge icons Jack Endino and Barrett Martin (of Screaming Trees and Mad Season) produced his 2017 sophomore LP, Audio Paint Job. Those led Jones to sign with the vaunted record label, Big Machine, where he released his two major label albums, Child of the State in 2021 and Chronicles of the Kid in 2023. “I didn’t dream this dream to blend into the crowd,” Jones says. “I came out here to make a statement. That’s what a rock star is.” And that’s exactly what he’s accomplished. Jones and his band have opened for big name groups, including The Rolling Stones on two occasions. First in Detroit and then, upon request from Mick Jagger, in Paris. Other notable bands include Guns N Roses, Shinedown, Koe Wetzel, Halestorm & Daughtry. For Jones, who came up known as “the Kid,” playing in every local music club the Pacific Northwest had to offer, this is the American Dream personified. Now, it’s time for the next step in Jones’ prominent evolution. Supported by his wife Amy and five children, Jones is helping to light the way forward for rock and roll music, working on new music with Seattle stars like Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron and Guns N’ Roses’ McKagan. In a world where many have pronounced the death of the genre, Jones is Lazarus, rising up. Along with the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Prince and Hendrix, Jones is part of a lineage of songwriters and performers who are taking the origins of rock music and making it something new again. “I’m a Black American playing rock-and-roll for people who come from a different side of life,” he says. Indeed, Jones is one of the few Black rock-and-roll solo artists to ever top the Billboard charts. Persevering in adversity. Remaining grounded in success. That is Ayron Jones.