Courtesy of Wiscnews.com

Every couple in America has probably danced to the song “Amazed” at one time in their lives. The song was one of those few ballads that was No. 1 on both country and pop charts in the late 1990s, and is still played everywhere — from wedding receptions to proms.

While “Amazed” propelled the band Lonestar to new heights in the country music world, the song and album “Lonely Grill” created success that’s hard to repeat. The album yielded three more hits: “Smile,” “Tell Her” and “What About Now.”

After a four-year solo career, lead singer Richie McDonald has returned to Lonestar and the group is ready to re-create that success with a new tour and a single, along with an album due out in the fall. I caught up with McDonald on Wednesday to talk about the new project and Lonestar’s concert coming up at Ho-Chunk Casino in Wisconsin Dells on Saturday.

He spoke about the band turning 20, his return and former band member John Rich, who left in 1998 and became a star with Big and Rich and appeared on “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Read more: Q&A with LONESTAR: Richie McDonald talks about coming back and a new album

Courtesy of Examiner.com

 

On July 3, Richie McDonald, the lead singer of the country band Lonestar, spoke prior to his concert at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury, Long Island.

Regarding their new single “The Countdown,” Richie remarked, “This is the countdown for our twentieth year anniversary. I left the band five years ago, but now I am back in and it made sense for us to get back together to record an anniversary album.”

“We produced the new album ourselves and we wrote all but two songs on there. It sounds like Lonestar more than it ever has, since we had a lot of creative control on it. We are better together than we ever were apart. I feel like I am back with my brothers. This record was a lot of fun to make and a true labor of love. We feel that it’s the best album that we have ever made. We want to continue touching people with our music,” he added.

Recently, Richie had recorded a duet with country singer Joanna Mosca entitled “Where Does Good Love Go.” “Joanna is a sweet lady and she’s such a great singer,” he acknowledged. “We recorded the song at Bryan White’s studio and he produced her entire album.”

“I would love to sing with Kelly Clarkson someday, since she sings with a lot of passion and from the heart. I would like to sing with Don Henley as well,” he said.

“The fans will not be disappointed in this new album. It will make them laugh and it will make them cry. There is a balance of tempos, mid-tempos and ballads on there. We would love to get a single on country radio and we hope they will embrace us again. We will be doing a new video for ‘The Countdown’ and we hope the fans will call their radio stations and request this new song,” the Lonestar frontman concluded.

For more information on Lonestar and their new music, check out their official website.

 

Courtesy GACTV.com

Lonestar is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and will continue the party by releasing a new single. “The Countdown” will be released July 17 and will be included on a new album, expected to be released on their own 4 Star Records label in October.

The recently reunited quartet – Michael Britt, Richie McDonald, Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams – kicked off 2012 with a European tour on a bill that included Reba and Ricky Skaggs. The band recently performed at CMA Music Festival on the Chevy Riverfront Stage and had a sold out fan club party at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. They debuted “The Countdown” at the party and played a few other new songs as well.

“It was a blast” Dean Sams said. “Fans were singing along to the new single by the second verse.”  Richie McDonald agreed. “What a way to start the summer: in the heat, outside, with thousands of fans singing along,” he said. “Back on the bus!”

Lonestar resumed their touring schedule this week with a show in Del Mar, California. The group has shows booked through October with stops in Westbury, New York, Los Angeles and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Richie recently had a role in the upcoming movie "Cowgirls and Angels."  Here is the current list of theaters that will be showing the film on May 25th. More are being booked everyday and will be added to the list!  For more information check the website www.cowgirls-n-angels

COLORADO
Chapel Hills 15 (Colorado Springs)
Tinseltown 20 (Colorado Springs)
Tinseltown 14 (Pueblo)

KANSAS
Town Center 20 (Leawood)
Studio 30 (Olathe)
Palazzo 16 Theatre (Overland Park)
Cinemark 20 (Merriam)
Westglen 18 (Shawnee)

 

IOWA
Star Cinema - Council Bluffs 16 (Council Bluffs)

MISSOURI
Barrywoods 24 (Kansas City)
Independence Commons 20 (Independence)
Eastglen 16 (Lee's Summit)
Northglen 14 (Kansas City)

NEBRASKA
Oak View 24 (Omaha)
Great Escape Stadium 16 (Omaha)

OKLAHOMA
Quail Springs 24 (Oklahoma City)
Tinseltown 20 (Oklahoma City)
Bricktown 16 (Oklahoma City)
Movies 6 (Shawnee)
Spotlight 14 (Norman)
Southroads 20 (Tulsa)
Starwoods 20 (Tulsa)
Carmike 10 (Stillwater)
Owasso 12 (Owasso)

TENNESSEE
Wynnsong 10 (Madison)
Hollywood 27 (Nashville)
Opry Mills 20 (Nashville)
Thoroughbred 20 (Franklin)
Great Escape 16 (Clarksville)
Wynnsong 16 (Murfeesboro)

UTAH
Century 16 (Salt Lake City)
Megaplex 20 (South Jordan)
Carmike 12 (West Jordan)
Cinemark 24 (West Jordan)
Megaplex 17 @ Jordan Commons (Sandy)
Century Union Heights 16 (Sandy)
Tinseltown 17 (Layton)
Tinseltown 14 (Ogden)
Megaplex 13 at The Junction (Ogden)
Cinemark 16 (Provo)
Wynnsong 12 (Provo)
Thanksgiving Point Stadium 17 (Lehi)
Stadium Cinemas (Payson)

A ten-year anniversary is reason to celebrate, and this year’s Cattle Barons’ Ball Committee is ready to take their theme “Hats Off to Fighting Cancer” to a whole new level by roping in the multi-platinum country music quarter, Lonestar, as the entertainment for their western-themed gala. “We’re thrilled to have Lonestar perform at our Ball,” said event chair Kay Fulp. “They have been so generous in giving their time – especially this year when they are celebrating their twenty year anniversary. What could be more fitting – great entertainment for a great cause?” Lonestar is marking their career milestone in more ways than one. The quartet is working hard on a new album and embarking on an extensive anniversary tour, with over 90 dates scheduled in North America alone. Known for merging their country roots with strong melodies and rich vocals, Lonestar has amassed RIAA-certified sales in excess of ten million album units since their national launch in 1995 and achieved ten #1 country hits including "No News," "Come Crying To Me," and their crossover smash "Amazed" . The band's awards include a 1999 ACM Single of The Year for “Amazed” and the 2001 CMA Vocal Group of the Year. For all their record and ticket sales, the biggest accomplishment of the band's storied career has been witnessing the impact of Lonestar songs in the lives of others. "Music is a very powerful tool and can help people going through both good and bad times," observes lead vocal Richie McDonald. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the group's performances for U.S. armed forces stationed overseas in Iraq and Kuwait, where classics like "I'm Already There" have elicited powerful emotional displays from men and women who've put their lives on the line defending America. "When you can truly say that what you do can make a difference, that it really can impact somebody's life in a positive way, that's the greatest thing," admits keyboard player and songwriter Dean Sams. “That’s why we are so pleased to be able to perform for the American Cancer Society – we want to make a difference in every way we can.” The Cattle Barons’ Ball will be held at Falcon Field on Saturday, November 10. Over the past nine years, the Ball has raised over $1.1 million for the American Cancer Society. The Steering Committee is now accepting sponsorships and donations for the event. For more information, please call our local ACS office at 770-631-0625 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Full information will be available on the Ball’s new website, www.cattlebaronsballga.org, which will launch in May.

Country band Lonestar is excited to announce the reunion with their original lead singer Richie McDonald who left five years ago. Although the band members tried others avenues but came to the conclusion that the band is something meant to be. To celebrate this they will start recording a new album next year. The band will also be touring next year and have already announced four dates overseas in Europe. Naturally more dates will be announced in the US as well.

The buzz about LONESTAR began when the band sent a Tweet which read: “Big news for Lonestar fans coming tomorrow! 2012 marks our 20th anniversary. What would you like to see and hear from us?” The Texas-bred band, known for merging their country roots with strong melodies and rich vocals, has amassed RIAA-certified sales in excess of 10 million album units since their national launch in 1995 and achieved 10 #1 country hits including “No News,” “Come Crying To Me” and “Amazed.” The band’s awards include a 1999 ACM Single of The Year for “Amazed” (the song also won the Song of the Year award) and the 2001 CMA Vocal Group of the Year. After McDonald left the band for a solo career in 2007, LONESTAR toured and released their 10th album in 2010, Party Heard Around The World, with lead vocalist Cody Collins. The band wishes Cody the best in his future musical endeavors. Here’s what the band has to say: Richie McDonald: “Well, five years has come and gone since I left Lonestar. We've all tried other avenues and the fact remains that some things were just meant to be. With the Lonestar 20 year reunion approaching, Dean, Michael, Keech and I got together and have decided we have some unfinished business to take care of. I miss those crazy nights running around on stage making music with my band of brothers. Looking forward to a new chapter in the book of Lonestar and reliving some old memories and also making some new ones for the fans that have been loyal to us through thick and thin. See ya soon, God Bless, Richie.”

Dean Sams: "With 2012 in the near future, we all began thinking of what that meant to us as a band. 2012 is a huge landmark for us, marking 20 years of great music and friendship. It was seeing this milestone that began conversations about the legacy of Lonestar. The music we've created over the years, along with all of the fans we have made along the way, is something we have never taken for granted. We have so much more music to offer the country music fans, and truly feel they want us back on the radio and out on the road performing live for them. After a lot of soul searching and long conversations between all of us involved, we are energized and excited to be writing and recording new music together again!"

Keech Rainwater: “I think fans ultimately wondered if this was ever going to happen again and it always seemed like the original Lonestar as a whole was better than the sum of its parts. With Richie back in the band, fans can enjoy new music and again experience the sound they are used to hearing at our shows. Lonestar has always been very serious about the music we put out. I am excited to see and hear what comes out of this reunion and upcoming album. I think that having a break for a while, will have sparked new ideas and great music, both live and in the studio. Lonestar music seems to strike a chord with fans from all around. More specifically, ‘Amazed’ and ‘I'm Already There’ seemed to have changed people’s lives in one way or another. The thought of continuing that tradition and moving forward is very exciting.”

Michael Britt: “I’m very proud of everything we've achieved in our career so far, doing things that not many bands have been able to do. But even after all that we've done, I think we still have a powerful drive to keep making music and doing new things. In this case, doing a new thing is going to be getting back to where we started and hopefully taking Lonestar someplace new while giving our longtime fans and friends the familiar sound they know as Lonestar. I'm excited about the opportunity to celebrate our 20 years together this way and hope there are many more to come.” 2/26 London, England Wembley Arena 2/29 Belfast, Ireland Odyssey Arena 3/2 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion 3/4 Mannheim, Germany SAP Arena

USNavySeals

Oct. 24, 2011

Sailors aboard the USS George H.W. Bush were treated to performance by the country music singing group The Frontmen on Oct. 19.

The Frontmen member Richie McDonald said “We’re here to lift spirits… Our job is to come out, let everybody have a good time and hopefully put a smile on (the Sailors’) faces.”

The frontmen is composed of Richie McDonald, former lead singer of the country band Lonestar; Tim Rushlow, formerly of the band Little Texas; and Larry Stewart, of the band Restless Heart. This is the first time that they are going on tour as a group, and they chose to make the USS George H.W. Bush as one of the stops in their tour, in order to be able to perfrorm for the sailors.

Aside from performing, the group members also spent time with the Sailors. They had lunch with the crew members and were given a tour of the ship. They also paid a visit to the flight deck, where they watched a barricade drill, as well as the radio studio of the ship.

The group’s performance was held at the ship’s hangar bay, where the ship’s Sailors gathered to watch the first live musical performance during their deployment. Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Chelsea R. Taufaasau shared: “I can’t think of a cooler place to have a concert than on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean.”

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Katie L. Heilmann, on the other hand, expressed gratitude to the group for making an effort to perform for them.

The Sailors sang along to such favorite tunes as “Amazed,” “The Bluest Eyes in Texas,” and “God Blessed Texas,” and were essentially given an opportunity to unwind and take a break from the routine of life at sea.

 

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Richie McDonald, the former lead vocalist of the group Lonestar, released his Slow Down album on December 1, 2010, via his independent record label, Loremoma Music.

It features twelve ballads, all of which were written or co-written by McDonald; moreover, he co-produced the record along with Tommy Lee James, who is also featured on backing vocals.