http://www.rollingstone.com/country/pictures/10-new-country-artists-you-need-to-know-october-2017-w508112/denny-strickland-w508121

Denny Strickland Sounds Like: Arena-sized country with a not-so-guilty pleasure for poptimism 
For Fans of: Big & Rich, Thomas Rhett, Kid Rock on Tennessee mountaintops
Why You Should Pay Attention: Raised in Arkansas with family on the West Coast, Strickland was a competitive horse rider in his youth, where he learned the discipline and self-assurance of performing in front of crowds. It was at one such equestrian event that he met Johnny Cash's longtime bassist Marshall Grant, who took him under his wing after listening to a demo and indulged Strickland's interest in everything from classic country to Black Eyed Peas. While Grant passed away in 2011, Strickland, who ha released a handful of singles over the years, joined forces with Big & Rich producer Sean Giovanni for his first LP, California Dreamin, released in August. Now based in Nashville, he writes party-friendly anthems and doesn't try to hide his affinity for Lana del Rey and Timbaland on songs that bear heavy pop and electronic influences.
He Says: "I'm very open-minded. Anytime someone wants to talk about the old school or the new school, I'm very intrigued, especially when I'm talking to other artists. I want to know what they're passionate about, what drives them. Because I know what drives me," Strickland says about his pop leanings, which he says result from a desire to be "bold" rather than "cookie cutter." "There are so many interesting things out there with technology and the studio. [But] I love to tell stories. Country is known for that – that's one genre where you can tell a story. And of course ballads are fun, too."
Hear for Yourself: "We Don't Sleep," California Dreamin's lead single, is a country power ballad about an insomnia-inducing romance, complete with Top 40 synths. J.G.

​http://centerstagemag.com/article/1873/Press-Release-Denny-Strickland-spends-three-weeks-at-No-1-on-CMTs-12-Pack-Countdown

READ HERE
​http://www.countryschatter.com/2017/08/denny-stricklands-video-for-we-dont-sleep-spends-3-weeks-on-top-of-cmt-12-pack-countdown/

Broadwayworld.com writes:
- https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Denny-Stricklands-We-Dont-Sleep-Video-Spends-3-Weeks-On-Top-of-CMT-12-Pack-Countdown-20170822
​
Hot country newcomer Denny Strickland spends three weeks at No. 1 on CMT's 12 Pack Countdown. "We Don't Sleep" is the first single off Strickland's debut album CaliforniaDreamin, released earlier this summer. Fans of Strickland can now purchase a deluxe version of his album through digital retailers, featuring new deluxe adaptations of several original songs.
Watch Strickland's video for "We Don't Sleep" here.

CMT Music's 12 Pack Countdown is a fan-voted video countdown, highlighting country's biggest names like Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley and Lady Antebellum. CMT Music directly connects hard-core country fans with the music they crave most. The channel delivers the sound and images of country music in its most essential form, performed by the genres most authentic voices. The top 12 videos on CMT Music's 12 Pack Countdown are revealed Fridays at 8 p.m. CST.

California Dreamin and California Dreamin (Deluxe Edition) were produced by Strickland and Sean Giovanni(Big&Rich, Brett Michaels, Randy Houser) in Giovanni's Nashville studio, The Record Shop. The albums are a collection of 11 tracks that draw inspiration not just from Strickland's country influences but also from pop, rap, rock and even acts such as Lana del Rey and Timbaland. Strickland also had a hand in writing seven of the songs from the project.

I know all the fans want to see Denny on CMT! His Video for "We Don't sleep" was launched by CMT's 12 pack countdown and now its up to you!

VOTE NOW!http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/denny-strickland/index.html

CMT WATCH: http://www.cmt.com/videos/denny-strickland/1677795/we-dont-sleep.jhtml

CMT grabbed Denny Strickland's newest single release once "we Don't Sleep" available everywhere to download!
CMT is launching the hot new video on their broadcast network during the 12 pack countdown 2 times a day so be sure to check it out! 
So far the video has been running for more than 8 weeks with no sign of letting up. be sure to vote for the video to see it in CMT's big round up of the top videos coming soon

​TUNE IN TO CMT

VOTE HERE
http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/denny-strickland/index.html

WATCH ONLINE AS WELL
http://www.cmt.com/videos/denny-strickland/1677795/we-dont-sleep.jhtml

Excited to see Denny Strickland featured once again on VEVO, the trusted major outlet for the best music videos world wide. "We Don't Sleep" Denny's hot new single dropped on CMT June 1st and VEVO grabbed it moments later placing it on their features site!

​check it out now!

VEVO OFFICIAL PAGE
https://www.vevo.com/watch/.../we-dont-sleep.../QMGR31740066

Country music pride clearly loves Denny Strickland. After being featured on country music pride for Denny's last 2 major releases with "Get a Grip" and "Swerve On", we were especially excited to hear that they picked up the latest video release and our best yet! "We Don't Sleep". check out their great article here http://countrymusicpride.com/denny-strickland-we-dont-sleep-has-exclusive-world-premiere-on-cmt-music/

SITE EXCERPT:
Hot country newcomer Denny Strickland’s video for his latest single, “We Don’t Sleep,” exclusively premiered on CMT. Fans of Strickland can now vote for his video in CMT’s 12-Pack Countdown.
Click HERE to vote for “We Don’t Sleep”!
The video for “We Don’t Sleep” came out even better than I ever imagined. I’m really proud of this single and knew the video had to really capture the emotion behind it. Brian and I talked a lot about what we needed to get the right mood and I think he nailed it! I’m really excited to share this project with the fans,” Strickland said.
The video, shot and directed by Brian Harstine (Dolly Parton, Ke$ha), perfectly brings to life the emotional and steamy track, which is the first released song from his upcoming album, “CALIFORNIA DREAMIN”. The video was shot locally in various locations in Nashville, including the popular Urban Cowboy Bed & Breakfast in East Nashville.
The expressive single was co-produced by Sean Giovanni and written by the successful Tommy Cecil, Jaida Dreyer, Jody Stevens and Cole Tyler. The sultry song displays Strickland’s widespread influences that provide listeners with a “structured depth of a Pop/Country record along with the emotional impact of a live band feel,” according to Giovanni.
continue reading on their site.

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Al Higgins

​It's another Wednesday, and time for another One To Watch! This time we're featuring Arkansas native Denny Strickland, who was horsing around.. on the horse show circuit, that is.. until 2012, when he decided to dedicate his time to his music career. His latest effort is called "We Don't Sleep".
​
http://www.whdg.com/twa2a/2017/01/25/the-one-to-watch-for-wednesday-january-25th/print

​http://countrymusicpride.com/country-has-a-new-star-in-denny-strickland-get-to-know-him-here/ 

Country music’s new up-and-coming star…Denny Strickland has made quite a splash…and the industry has taken notice. Strickland recently did it again with the release of his new video for “Get A Grip”. We had the opportunity to sit down with Denny and got all the details on the new single and more! See what he had to say here:
Country Music Pride: The video for your popular single “Get A Grip” has made quite a splash in the Country Music industry…give us a glimpse of what goes into planning your videos and the inspiration behind your music.
Denny Strickland: It all starts with a song being the first focus and the rest is all secondary. I get inspired by all things in life music, people, and places. Personal experiences is a big one for me that I reflect in my videos. “Get A Grip” I started writing a rough draft of my ideas of how I experienced a night out in the club. I wanted to portray every aspect including the bad and the good including the partying and the aftermath of being sick that normally follow. Brian Harstine the “director” (Ke$ha, Dolly Parton) captured every moment and made my vision come to life in “Get A Grip. We would not have got this done without Brian. He was a pleasure to work with and I look forward to many more.
Country Music Pride: You recently paid tribute to country music icon Kris Kristofferson with an acoustic performance of “Loving Her Was Easier” for ‘Cellar Sessions’…who has had the biggest influence on your music?
Denny Strickland: Kris Kristofferson changed my life. I had the opportunity to work with Kris through my late manager Marshall Grant (former bassist and Tennessee Two of Johnny Cash). We were playing a show in Jonesboro, Arkansas at the college. I was going to school there at the time and it was the first concert of many after to raise money for the Johnny Cash Foundation. My manager Marshall had fallen ill the night before the concert and Kris took me under his wing throughout the remainder of the show and I recently got to thank Kris back in Nashville for all of his help during that tough time.
I saw a recording of him performing “Loving Her Was Easier” back about a year prior to the show we had done together. It was him performing on the Johnny Cash Show back when it was originally aired in Nashville and I immediately fell in love with the song.
Country Music Pride: You were discovered by Marshall Grant, an original member of Johnny Cash’s band and longtime manager for The Statler Brothers….what has that experience like and what has it meant to you for your career in Country music?
Denny Strickland: Yes I was…Marshall will always be in the back of mind from the first day we met to the last day I saw him when we were working at our last show together. Our first big show we had was playing for the Recording Academy in Memphis Tennessee for the Grammy 365 chapter at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. I had the opportunity of performing with Marshall along with playing the original guitar and him on the original bass that they first recorded on at Sun Studio’s which are now on display at the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville Tennessee. Me and Marshall were recording some new music at the time of his death and we partners on a new upright bass which he recorded on and autographed. I loaned that bass along with a few other items Marshall left me including the strings off Johnny Cash’s Guitar that I performed on at the recording academy event which are at the Johnny Cash Museum. My career would not have been the same without Marshall Grant.
Country Music Pride: You released your debut single, “Swerve On” which quickly rose on the country radio charts…what would really excite you and encourage you that could be done by our readers and fans of yours that would help bring the single to the top of America’s Country radio?
Denny Strickland: I love the feedback from my fans and readers. For them to get on all my social Medias Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Doing that is more than enough for me and I’ll see you down the road.
Country Music Pride:  What are some of the “dues” you’ve had to pay for “paying your dues” as up and comers? Have any almost pushed you far enough to almost quit?
Denny Strickland: Everyone pays their dues and it sucks but if you stick with it you’ll win a little and lose little a lot like gambling. One thing about this business is it’s all about a song and who you surround yourself with. Team work is the key and that is what helped me.
Country Music Pride: Have you received any accolades from any groups or persons that you highly value?
Denny Strickland: “Nashville, TN (October 13, 2016) – Denny Strickland’s latest music video, “Get A Grip,” premiered on VEVO while the cast, crew, industry elite and media attended a private Nashville screening party at The Cellar @ The Sutler Saloon.  VEVO, the world’s leading music video and entertainment platform, boasts viewership numbers exceeding 18 BILLION per month.   The “Get A Grip” video can be seen now on VEVO and on Denny’s VEVO YouTube channel.”
This is one of one of my most memorable accomplishment to date.
Country Music Pride: What can your fans expect from Denny Strickland next?
Denny Strickland: New music is what I’m working on at the moment in hopes of finishing a full album. I’m loving every minute of it.
Country Music Pride: I always like to ask one fun fact about you guys or experience that your fans may not know about you?
Denny Strickland: They will just have to follow me online and see for themselves. Tell next time…
Strickland’s debut single “Swerve On” climbed onto the Top 40 on MusicRow and Top 20 on Power Source Charts as well as his single “How Far You Wanna Go” peaking at #28 on MusicRow &#4 on European Chart. His Country Classic, “I’d Love To Lay You Down” was also #1 for four weeks on European Chart.
Denny has shared the stage with other talented artists such as the Kentucky Headhunters, 3 Doors Down, Kris Kristofferson, Rosanne Cash and George Jones just to name a few.
His music is available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes.
For more information on Denny Strickland, visit his website and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Fans can check out the video for “Get A Grip” here:

Denny Released his new video for the hit song "Get a Grip". Today we have seen more than 115,000 views and climbing, The song hit #1 on Hot Disc Chart and is being picked up on VEVO, AXS TV and tons of publications nationwide! The video is being played in more than 3000 brick and mortar stores, gyms and Salons nationwide
Here are a few photos from the private event thrown at the Sutler Saloons Cellar
Check out the video and Download his new song today!

Nashville Gab  3/9/14
Denny Strickland opens up on surviving a tornado, his new single ‘Honky Tonk Highway’ and more–EXCLUSIVE
​
Don't forget to grab your copy of "Honky Tonk Highway" on iTunes now!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsMyVndwoE4&feature=player_embedded

Jason Scott March 9, 2014 Gab exclusive, New country artists

With a background steeped in horses and competitions, Arkansas-native Denny Strickland makes a bold career move with his debut single "Honky Tonk Highway," lifted from an EP of the same name. With a jam-packed touring schedule, the singer has high hopes for 2014, with his sights set on a possible full-length album. The diverse six-song EP contains signifcant rock and traditional influences, stemming from his early onstage collaborations with Kris Kristofferson and John Carter Cash.

"This project is evolving," he tells NashvilleGab, exclusively, of the EP. "We feel like there’s more songs to add, of course, to make the full album. We’re looking forward to positive direction."

"Honky Tonk Highway," co-written by Phil O'Donnell and Bernie Nelson, is filled with promise. "My first thoughts were, ‘it’s uptempo. It’s rocking, fun,’" he shares of the song, adding: "I found out about it simply by word-of-mouth." 

While his career is in its infancy, Strickland doesn't find any part of it extremely daunting. "If your mind is set on it and you’re well organized and have all your aces in the hole, you’re ready to go!" he says.
One of the more interesting songs on his EP is "A Cowboy And A Dancer," a sensitive, western-swing inspired ballad. "That song definitely fits my background in the horse industry, growing up with that at an early age."

His family's farm certainly inspires Strickland, especially as he makes the transition to music. "When we were getting ready for the World Show, everyday we’d ride right after school. It’s great," he recounts. "Now that I’m out working on my music career, going back and riding is a good way to escape."

Strickland credits his performance experience to his horses, something he never takes for granted. "I was in band all through school along with football and track," he shares. "I started piano lessons in 1996. I was about six years old. Then, I joined band in fifth grade. Even the horse stuff was about performance. It wasn’t music, but it was with a horse. It was performing in front of crowds, as far as pushing the horse through the different tasks they asked. In a sense, I’ve been doing it all my life."

"When I was doing some work with Marshall Grant, who was the guitarist for Johnny Cash, his escape was the horses, too. We connected on our love of horses," he reveals.

On working with Marshall Grant, he admits that he "heard more stories of Johnny and them on the road. A lot of people don’t know how funny Marshal was. He used to build bombs on the road, when they were on those long hauls. He’d number them one to six on how powerful they were."

"One time, they were doing a show with Marty Robbins, and Johnny had clogged up the commode in the little opry house they were in," Strickland says. "Johnny asked Marshal, ‘got anything to open it up?’ He said, ‘yes, what do you think it needs?’ Johnny then said, ‘I think it needs a number six.’ Well, they flushed that bomb down the toilet. It didn’t go off right away. It waited and sucked up the pipes a little ways and went to where the women’s bathroom was."

He continues, "Then, it went off. During Marty’s performance, all these women were running out with their underwear in their hand and screaming and shouting. It was such an explosion that it ruined Marty’s performance. Everybody evacuated the building, and Marty said, ‘where’s that damn Grant!’ The fire department showed up, and they got out of dodge."

Strickland details his relationship with Grant and their last performance together: "Marshal was a one-of-a-kind guy. I actually made some donations to the Johnny Cash Museum here in Nashville. I donated the last bass Marshal ever played. We did a show down in Jonesboro, Arkansas at the Johnny Cash Music Festival. He passed away after that, and we were putting special stuff together. He managed me a little bit in my early stages. That was our last performance together. He was so awesome. He gave me the best advice from anybody that I hold dearly to my heart and use everyday. He discovered me and tried to get my foot in the door."

With years of live shows, Strickland confesses that while he has never forgotten words to a song, he has reworked some of the lyrics. "We get in that routine of performing. You improvise," he advises. "I see more improvisation than anything. I might not miss a word, but I might say something differently, especially if you get in your zone."
 
He adds, "Everybody sings things a little different when they get comfortable on stage. I’ve heard stories of Kenny Rogers getting used to singing a certain way, and he went and played a live show and the audience knew his stuff better than he did. [laughs] He did it differently in the sense, maybe they had a shortened version for radio or something."

As important as trucks are to country music, they are just as crucial to Strickland. "I’m a Chevrolet guy, and it seems to be the sponsor for country music," he chuckles. "It seems a lot of country artists are driving those. That’s all my family drove. I do have a heart for Ford. I definitely like their cars. I’m a hot-rod enthusiast. If I’m not [around] the horses or doing music, I’m working on my ‘68 Camaro. You learn really quick that nobody takes care of your stuff better than you do. You better learn how to work on it, or you’re gonna get taking advantage of. If you come to Nashville, you’ll probably see me on the side of the road [checking stuff] on it."

"We actually got in a bit of a drag race recently. A guy from up North came down, and he thought he would would put it on us old southern boys. He had ‘66 Cobra, and he had a big block in it. I mean, I’ve done a lot of stuff to mine. He came out of the Broadway Hard Rock, and he was looking over at us. He’s nagging at me a little bit. We then light him up. I end up beating him, and it made him so upset. [laughs] He was coming unglued."
 
Nearly two years ago, Strickland was involved with a life-threatening tornado storm following a show in Branson, Missouri. "We were thrown across the Wal-Mart parking lot," Strickland says of the terrifying event. "Another fellow and I were driving on the road. We pulled out for the night. We were doing a show with Gilley’s Band. We had hired him to fill in some stuff for a gig we had. We got hit with a tornado. We had no idea."

"Originally, we were supposed to park in Gilley’s lot but he was having it repaved. If we would’ve stayed at his place, we would have been fine. That was the only place that didn’t get hit," he notes.
"We pulled in next to the Taco Bell there. It was about midnight, and I had fallen asleep," he recalls, vividly. "I woke up about a minute before the storm, and I had a funny feeling in my gut, ‘something’s not right.’ So, I started going to the front of the bus, and as I went, the shutters on the bus were rocking. Right when I was reaching for the door, that’s when it hit. It sucked me backwards. We spun, and I was suspended basically. I just remember saying my prayers, ‘Lord, please help me get through this.’ I really didn’t even know what I was going through. I didn’t really feel a thing. When we stopped spinning, I was sitting there. I wiggled my toes to make sure I could feel. My adrenaline was pumping so much. I then stood up and smelled the diesel. The gas and septic was everywhere. I had no shoes on and luckily I had my jeans. I actually had my Johnny Cash T-shirt on from the show we did. It was all ripped up. I didn’t realize how bad I was until I took shelter later. My wet socks kept my feet from getting cut up as bad as they could have. I didn’t have any cuts on my feet." 

His horrifying tale continues, "The refrigerator had fallen. There was an itty bitty gap underneath. I see my friend. Instead of sticking his head through, he sticks his feet through. I grab his ankles and pull him through. I said, ‘you okay?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I told him, ‘these girls outside said we’re about to get hit with another one. We gotta get out of here.’"

We ran down the street of Branson and took shelter in a Taco Bell. It was a one of a kind experience, that’s for sure. Every time we have a storm I make sure I have my shoes on," he jokes.
"Every time I went to sleep after that, I had the wildest dreams."

On the rest of this year, he promises big things, "We’ve got a lot of things in the mix. We’ve got a lot of surprises coming up and things we’re working on. With our live show, you never know what’s gonna happen. I’m wanting to incorporate some things into the show. When I start getting my career going, I might ride a horse in, who knows."

1/29/15

Denny Strickland has spent a good deal of his life horsin' around. He's spent so much time horsin' around, in fact, that he's really good at it. Strickland, whose attention these days is focused on his budding career as a country music artist, has an impressive entry on his resume: American Quarter Horse champion.

Preview and purchase "Serve On" here
Watch the "Swerve On" video here.
And learn more about Denny here.
​
Fittingly enough, it was a horse show that gave Strickland an entry point into a life as a professional musician. After a horse show in Tunica, Mississippi Strickland ran into the late Marshall Grant, formerly of Johnny Cash's band and manager of the Statler Brothers, and handed over a demo. It wasn't long before Grant became Strickland's manager and things started progressing nicely. Strickland went into a bit of a funk when Grant passed away in 2011, but now he's back in a big way.

Strickland's latest single is called "Swerve On" and it is perfectly crafted to achieve major airplay at modern country radio and get plenty of exposure at country night clubs. In the song Strickland portrays a guy who's out on the town to party hard, knocking back the drinks and keeping his eyes on the available honeys, a sentiment that a good deal of the male populace can relate to. Interestingly, Strickland's good time guy doesn't do any bragging; he's just chronicling the fun he's having. He's even responsible enough through it all to state that he won't be driving home.

"Swerve On" is fun and catchy enough that fans will no doubt quickly demand more from Strickland. For now the singer is mum on when a full-length might drop but fans can rest assured it won't be long; clearly he's not just horsin' around.