Not surprisingly, Nashville has musical talent out the wazoo. While the city boasts the title “Country Music Capital,” the repertoire of artists here reaches far beyond the twang of country. From bluegrass, to hip hop, to pop, to soul, Nashville’s artists represent just about any musical genre you could think of.
For many artists, social media is the medium they turn to to share their music and gain new fans. Here are five Nashville-based artists who have caught our ears with their music and our eyes with their social media presence.
- Alison Krauss: Known for her angelic voice, bluegrass/country/gospel singer Alison Krauss can make a room go silent when she sings, but she keeps her social media pages abuzz with latest news, appearances and music. Alison uses her Facebook and Twitter handles to not only promote her own endeavors, but also those of her band, Union Station. Her Facebook page features a tab dedicated to upcoming events, making it easy for fans to locate her, and liking her page allows fans to stream her newest music for free. And when a new video is released, her YouTube page is the first to feature it.
- Nikki Lane: Country/Americana artist Nikki Lane does a great job of keeping her social media pages personal and conversational. Rather than just talking to fans and followers, she talks with them, posting random thoughts and asking for responses on her Facebook and Twitter profiles, all while offering followers access to her music and her whereabouts.
- Blake Shelton: Blake isn’t just a country music singer. He’s also one of the judges on NBC’s The Voice, and if you’re a follower of his social media profiles, you might think he’s a comedian. Blake’s Facebook and Twitter posts are splashed with his hilariously colorful (and sometimes crude) sense of humor. To promote his latest album, Red River Blue, last summer, Blake even created a humorous YouTube playlist of videos declaring him “The Most Interesting Man in Country Music,” playing off of Dos Equis beer’s “The Most Interesting Man in the World” commercials.
- Steven Clawson: Runner-up of CMT’s Next Superstar competition, Steven is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter who regularly uses social media to let fans hear his latest music and even for contests. Steven will often post a “Secret Phrase” prior to his shows on Facebook and Twitter. The first person who says the secret phrase to him will get a free CD at the concert. Don’t forget his YouTube page, which is full of acoustic performances of his latest songs.
- Vince Gill: One of the many benefits of social media is that it is in real time, and Vince is using that to his advantage. Rather than just posting before a show on Facebook and Twitter, Vince and his team post highlights and photos during his performances and, when possible, post videos afterward.
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Nashville is a thriving creative hub of local pride and talented businesses. As marketers by trade and Nashville enthusiasts by choice, Parthenon wants to celebrate organizations employing creative marketing, advertising and social media efforts in our hometown!
This post is the third in a series that highlights excellent Facebook pages, Twitter handles, YouTube videos and Pinterest boards that show Nashvillians contribute much more than honky tonks, hot chicken and country music. Check back to see who you should be following in Parthenon’s Socially Savvy 5 to Follow.
