Ever find yourself reading through the crime section of prominent media outlets like People? There are some eye opening stories there that really make you question the ethics of individuals. While many cases are relatively low in the number of casualties, there’s one case that sticks out so much it is now going to be a major feature film. The DuPont C8 Lawsuit
The movie, titled “Dark Waters” is set to release on Nov. 22, 2019 and stars Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway. It’s about communities along the Ohio River Valley in West Virginia who were exposed to harmful chemicals in their drinking water at the hand of powerhouse company, DuPont, that has caused cancer, deaths and dangerous pregnancy conditions. Ruffalo stars as the attorney who initially took on the case while Gary Douglas became the lead trial counsel attorney, costing DuPont more than $700 million in punitive damages. Douglas was also inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame earlier this year. Douglas is portrayed towards the end of the movie.
“Law is about fighting for people who have been exploited or taken advantage of. People who have been harmed and hurt by the powerful elites in our society. Music is just a different medium to get to the same result. These songs, they’re about the same people, their struggles and their lives. Both things, it’s about giving voice to the voiceless.” – Gary Douglas
“DEEP IN THE WATER” MUSIC VIDEO
Press Release:
Produced by Anthony (AJAX) Resta, “Deep in the Water” reflects Gary Douglas’ battle against one of the world largest chemical companies DuPont for illegally dumping dangerous chemicals in the Ohio River.
Douglas continues to explore the social and emotional effects of politics and power on human beings- not only lyrically but also visually. The “Deep in the Water” music video was filmed in an old country home in the backwoods of the South. A funeral is being held for yet another family that has lost a child from the contaminated waters. David McClister directed the music video and brilliantly portrays the dismal truth of Gary’s message.
“Deep in the Water” will support the upcoming feature film Dark Waters (starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway) releasing November 2019. Dark Waters was inspired by the true story of attorney Robert Bilott (Ruffalo) who investigated DuPont’s cover up of their illegal dumping and disseminating of toxic chemicals to Ohio’s surrounding communities of 70,000 people. Bilott quickly brought Gary Douglas’ firm on to defeat DuPont and their corruption.
Robert Bilott’s recently released his new book entitled Exposure, which describes the twenty-year battle against the chemical giant and the exposé of one of the worst cases of environmental contamination in modern history. The book details Gary’s involvement in the DuPont case and his role as lead trial counsel.
Three and a half years ago, Variety Beat had the honor of interviewing up and coming artist, Lindsay Ell during CMA Fest. We have been fans of Ell before this and requested an interview be set up during the biggest Country Music Festival! The perfect opportunity to tell other country music listeners about one of our favorite acts!
Ell has many unique talents that set her apart from other women in the music industry. Not only does she play guitar (which many females also do), but she shreds guitars! Her guitar skills have been praised by others in the music industry including Brad Paisley (who has also taken her out on the road for several dates), Keith Urban and more! Hailing from Canada, Ell has been the reciepient of some awards from her home country and that has finally started to trickle over to the USA. Ell had her first ACM nomination in 2019 and she has now scored her first #1 song with “What Happens in a Small Town” along with Brantley Gilbert.
Y’all. This is a moment I have been waiting for since I was a little girl. So many nights I have gone to sleep praying to be able to celebrate a #1 song like this….. Thank you @brantleygilbert & COUNTRY RADIO. 🙏🏼💙 pic.twitter.com/hqtW33l2ht
The single was released in December 2018 and it has at last made it’s way to its rightful place of #1. Gilbert has four previous #1 songs, “Town” marks his first return since 2014. While this is Ell’s first time to reach a #1 in the US, she scored her first #1 song in Canada back in 2018 with her own song “Criminal.” It was the first time a Canadian solo female artist reached #1 since 2008! No small feat.
Ell released her first full length album with Stoney Creek Records “The Project” in 2017 where it debuted at #4 on the US Country chart. She has been songwriting since she was ten-years-old and has two previous albums released in Canada before her country music debut.
Ell has taken the time to hone in on her craft and discover herself at the urging of mentor and Sugarland member, Kristian Bush. She recorded and released a cover album of her favorite John Mayer album, (The Continuum) called The Continuum Project. Ell will be ending up her touring for the year in California with a string of shows! We are excited to see her perform!
Ell took to Facebook live to talk about getting her first U.S. #1 and also talk about her new single “I Don’t Love You” the first song off her next album that she is working on! It’s available now!!! Take a listen below!!
Editors note: if you don’t like reading long reviews about every song on an album, just go listen to the album and form your own opinions! If you want to know more about the inspiration behind the songs, keep reading!
It’s finally here! Country artist Kelleigh Bannen has released her debut album Favorite Colors after much anticipation! Usually when people say that phrase, the anticipation has maybe been building for a year or two, but for fans of Bannen, who first released her debut single “Sorry on the Rocks” in 2012, it has been a seven year anticipation!
Thankfully, Bannen has been able to release some EPs on top of her singles over the years, which has curbed the hunger for a full length album. However, fans have finally had that hunger satisfied with the release of Favorite Colors. There are fourteen ear-worm worthy tracks on the album that were all co-written by Bannen.
The album dropped on 10/11/19 and required several listens before a proper review could be written. The thing with anticipated albums, and any album really by an artist who means so much to the listener, is that the reader who is unfamiliar with the work really needs an honest review. That requires reflection and not just an article that gets whipped up to be one of the first reviews. It took seven years for Bannen to put out an album, the least I could do is take the proper time to consume the music, reflect and offer up as much of an unbiased opinion as possible.
A personal favorite track off the album is track 11 “Haters.” When Bannen revealed it was written during the beginning of her career when she released, “Famous,” it made sense. For some reason I feel like I knew this song existed and now it has finally been able to be brought to light. “Famous” is also a favorite previous release of Bannen’s, so I’m truly thankful this song found a home on this album. It’s lyrics still ring true today. I know in the beginning of her career, Bannen had trouble reading some of the comments people would leave on social media, especially on YouTube. She has since decided to not check her YouTube comments, but you can still find some witty replies on other social channels like Instagram.
Did you really take the time out of your day To rant about some things somebody didn’t even say I guess you’re really not that busy anyway yeah You’re pretty good at throwing little sticks and stones And yeah you got the guts when you hide behind your phone L-O-L it doesn’t make you less alone yeah, yeah
Do me a favor Sign it off Yeah see you later Ain’t you got something better to do Than sitting on your hashtags Stalking talking trash yeah What’d I ever do to you All you haters
Those lyrics can be true to anyone, which makes the song universal and timeless.
The album opens with “Damn, I Still Love You,” which only briefly mentions the subject as looking good in a suit and tie. The rest of the lyrics can fit either gender and those feelings of wanting to move on but somehow not being able to.
Hey old friend how ya been Almost didn’t recognize ya Dressed up in that suit and tie yeah Guess you’re all grown up Me I’m still chasing down a dream Keeps running away from me Yeah some things never change
Damn I still love you Even though I don’t want to Wish I could help myself But I can’t
“Deluxe” came with its own music video ahead of the album’s release and talks about love that’s a little extra. There’s a previous article about “Deluxe you can read below but to recap what was said then:
“Deluxe” has versatile melodies that can be played during a night out, to a lover, while getting ready, or even on repeat in the car if you can’t get enough. It’s everything a love song should be without feeling overdone. Share this one with a friend or listen while you’re missing that special someone.
“I just loved the idea for this song, about being a love with a little extra, and still being very relatable to so many people. I had the title for a while and finally was able to write and record it. I’m excited to be able to share it with my fans.”
“Boys Don’t Cry” is a unique take on how males react to a breakup. The premise is basically stop checking your phone and wondering if a guy is crying over you because that’s not how (most) men process things. Instead of sitting at home, eating a pint of ice cream, “boys don’t cry, they just get high.” It’s definitely a catchy song that will have you feeling slightly better about how your last relationship ended. Some things are beyond your control and instead of obsessing over them, it’s best to realize that men are men, they process things differently, they think differently and that’s probably why you broke up in the first place.
There’s a previous article that goes along with this song too!
“Boys Don’t Cry” is a cross between a breakup anthem and a letter to my younger self. At a certain point, you just have to decide to move on. If he’s not spending his time thinking about you, don’t waste another second of your life thinking about him. This song is about that, and it’s a lighthearted way to encourage your friends to get up, get it and start moving on,”
“Diamonds” comes next and was the final song released before the album dropped. The music video was a little steamy and featured Bannen’s first real on-screen romance. A line plays off The Beatle’s hit “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” In it Bannen casts off the need for drugs and insists that diamonds are the way she gets stoned (way up, like Lucy in the sky). It’s definitely a fun and catchy song, which helps keep the record light-hearted and playful.
“Your Favorite Colors” is a track that is already hitting close to home for some fans. A recent encounter had fan Amanda be reminded of a friend who passed two days after she saw Bannen performing this song. She asked Bannen to play the song during a Facebook live session and remembered it being about not knowing where love goes when it’s gone.
In the track, Bannen is reminded of a significant person in her life and with each memory a color is linked, be it the coffee black, the jeans blue, or the baseball diamond green. She shared with The Boot:
“The song is about a long goodbye, essentially, and realizing that you knew everything about somebody, and the only thing you didn’t know about them is why your relationship didn’t work and where it’ll end. So that’s heavy, but it’s one of my favorite songs on the record.”
The wonderful part about this song is that even though it was reminiscent of a seemingly romantic relationship, it’s also vague enough to be applied to any kind of relationship, whether it be a friendship, a family member. It doesn’t have to be about a break up, but just losing a person, the way it sparked memories for Amanda and the loss of a friend.
“The Joneses” is an upbeat and quirky song about the famous line “keeping up with the Joneses.” In it she sings about how they (The Joneses) keep their doors locked, but she keeps her fridge stocked with Blue Ribbon and good living! Sorry folks, she’s “too busy living in the moment, to keep up with The Joneses.”
“The Joneses” was previously released as a three song EP and made history to be played simultaneously on SIRIUS-XM
“Suit” is a song about that glow of a new relationship and instantly imagining your future with them. Singing about marriage can be special, endearing, heartbreaking and emotional. “Suit” takes a different approach with it’s witty lyrics about only being “official a few weeks.”
You could ask my daddy’s permission Or we could just ask for forgiveness I’ll get the get dress baby you get the witness But let’s not wait another minute
“Faith in You” is a very meaningful song to Bannen, as she has discovered the people in her life who lift her up when she’s struggling. It also serves as a love letter to fans in the sense that she wants them to know someone has faith in them. In a recent campaign that coincided with the album release, a limited amount of fans received hand written lyrics for this song.
“It’s (“Faith in You”) is really about the people you put your faith in when you’re in the middle of life’s uncertainty. When the things you turn to let you down, who do you believe in? Especially in the music business, there are so many dead ends — so many times when you wonder, ‘Is this when we call it?’ or ‘Is it over?’ You try to keep trying to fight for the thing you set out to do, but it’s the people that make the difference. Who you’re doing it with, and who’s waiting for you when you get home, who can pick you up when you feel defeated. It’s about the people you love. It’s also about the journey (life, a dream, whatever) and how that journey is really sacred when you’re doing it with the people you love.”
There are some more haunting songs on the album that add to the depth and many “colors” of the album. We’ll refer to these emotions as blue. “Sleeping Alone” definitely hits those heartbreaking tones, despite Bannen asking you not to shed a tear for her. It also has a strength in it’s haunting versus as she sings about realizing that despite the recent end of the relationship, it had really been over for a long time.
I got used to you not being in my head Just like I got used to you not being in my bed So Don’t shed a tear for me I’ll be alright I finally woke up and opened my eyes Even on the nights you were there by my side I’ve been sleeping alone for a long long time
“John Who” was one of the three previously released tracks on The Joneses EP and is an interesting song because of it’s complexity. During the repeating phrase “John Who” the listener feels empowered as they sing along, but it also has a sort of melancholy to it. Bannen sings about wanting a man that no longer makes her think of her ex.
I need a don’t look back kiss that stops me in my tracks Someone that makes me say, anytime I hear your name
John who, John who, John who
“Time Machine” was recently performed as part of Bannen’s TV debut on The Today Show where she shared “I guess I’ve just been thinking a lot about how our stories don’t unfold the way we think they are going to, or on the timeline. Sometimes, that just makes you that much more thankful for the opportunity.” The song, in a sense, parallels with “Your Favorite Colors,” only instead of talking about the colors that represent memories, the memories themselves are remembered. That happens so often when we go to a place that takes us back to a date we had there, or how certain smells can remind us of different people. As Bannen says “there’s all kinds of time machines.”
The third and final song of the trio of songs released in the earlier EP is “Happy Birthday.” While the song title suggests happier times, the song reflects on more somber moments of remembering someone on their birthday, even though they are no longer a part of your life. Wondering things like whether or not they got to sleep in or their grandmother sent them a card with $20 in it. Despite the relationship moving on, you can’t seem to forget that person and the memories you shared. It has definitely been a song many have related to over the years. Birthdays aren’t always happy occasions. They can also be a reminder of those we have lost, which makes this songs melancholy tone all too relatable.
The final song on the album, “Long Shadow” is another blue color moment. It not only has a haunting melody, but lyrics to go along with it. When you just can’t seem to outrun the memory of someone, no matter how far you get from them. You could be in different countries, but somehow they show up in your thoughts. Bannen has a way of evoking emotions through her voice and her song writing.
You cast a long shadow Even the highway can’t outrun Somehow you’re always standing Between me and the sun No matter how far You follow my heart
TRACKLISTING
1. “Damn, I Still Love You” (Kelleigh Bannen, Will Bowen, Scott Stepakoff)
2. “Deluxe” (Bannen and Danielle Blakey
3. “Boys Don’t Cry” (Bannen, Todd Clark, Jason Saenz)
4. “Diamonds” (Bannen, Stepakoff)
5 “Your Favorite Colors” (Bannen, Bowen)
6 “The Joneses” (Bannen, Clark, Travis Wood)
7 “Suit” (Bannen, Claire Douglas, Dallas Wilson)
8 “Faith In You” (Bannen, Clark, Sean Van Vleet)
9“Sleeping Alone” (Bannen, Bowen)
10 “John Who” (Bannen, Bowen, Christopher Rafetto)
There are many amazing artists out there who have accomplished many things in a short amount of time, but none that have been able to achieve what Taylor Swift has been able to conquer. With 10 GRAMMYs, 1 Emmy and 284 other awards, Swift is running out of space to put them! She also ties Michael Jackson for the most American Music Awards (AMAs) wins (24). A record she will undoubtedly hold by herself after the awards air later this month.
Swift has been confirmed to be presented with the prestigious Artist of the Decade award which has previously only been an honor to a male artist.
Via Billboard: The AMAs didn’t announce an artist of the decade for the ’00s, but at the January 2000 AMA show, Garth Brooks was announced as the artist of the decade for the just-ended ’90s. That same show included announcements of fan-voted awards for the artists of the decade for the ’50s (Elvis Presley), the ’60s (the Beatles), the ’70s (Stevie Wonder) and the ’80s (Michael Jackson).
Mark Bracco, executive vice president of programming & development at Dick Clark Productions said in a press statement.
“Taylor’s impact on music this decade is undeniable and her performances on the American Music Awards have been truly spectacular. We’re thrilled to honor her as our Artist of the Decade and can’t wait for her to blow everyone away with an epic, career-spanning performance unlike any other!”
Regular readers of Variety Beat know that country artist and singer/songwriter Kelleigh Bannen is one of our favorite acts. We are still soaking up her debut album Favorite Colors that was released last month and will process its magnificence ASAP. A Nashville native, Bannen has been working towards her dreams of sharing her music with the world. This week, she had the opportunity to make her television debut on The Today Show with hosts Hoda Kotb and Willie Geist.
“Time Machine” was not a single Bannen put out ahead of the album release, but the song has a special meaning to her.
“I guess I’ve just been thinking a lot about how our stories don’t unfold the way we think they are going to, or on the timeline. Sometimes, that just makes you that much more thankful for the opportunity.”
Those words couldn’t be more true, as Bannen has been in the industry for the last decade working towards her dreams. Her TV debut comes much later than she originally thought it would, but that’s what made this moment so much sweeter. She doesn’t take anything for granted. She shared with People Now on their podcast how she used to think she would be the exception. When her label would tell her that it’s hard to get women played on the radio, she thought ‘that’s ok, I’ll be the exception.’
Bannen no longer thinks it’s ok to be the exception. “I don’t want my friends to be the exception, I don’t want Maren Morris to be the exception” she explained. She went on to say some progress has been made and that talking about it helps others realize there is a stigma. As for changes that can be made, Bannen explains that it doesn’t just boil down to one person or one thing, but it’s so ingrained in the system that it’s going to take time before change is truly evident.
Bannen hosted a facebook live on Thursday, 10/31 where she spoke about performing on the show and admitted she was so nervous. She also admitted that anyone looks good on tv because of the crew that puts them together. She even had people giving her a spray tan! Part of her appeal is her authenticity and honesty. She wasn’t afraid to reveal her true self as she often shares stories make up free (by the way, she’s still beautiful).
What a fantastic staff and site! Very artist friendly and full of great content!What a fantastic staff and site! Very artist friendly and full of great content! -Lauren Davidson, Singer/Songwriter
Journalistic integrity to the max! Wonderful staff who displays a passion for not only music, but all the people behind the scenes. A must-add to your daily read list. – Anthony Langone, Publicity Manager at Marbaloo Marketing
