| Pat Green Pat Green commands a position in the music world uniquely his own. He sells out stadiums like the Houston Astrodome and Dallas? Smirnoff Center as well as the Nokia Theater in New York City as a headliner, yet he also gets the opportunity to tour with major artists like Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and the Dave Matthews Band. That dichotomy underscores one point: As hugely popular as Pat Green is, as rabid as his loyal fan base is, there?s still an enormous audience getting their first exposure to his one-of-a-kind music and performances. With his first album since signing with BNA Records, the three-time Grammy nominee looks to take his music to the masses. Cannonball, his explosive new album, captures Green?s joyous, provocative songwriting style with new sharpness and swagger. Working for the first time with a powerhouse Nashville label, Green and his supporters expect Cannonball to transform him from massive cult star to emerging country superstar. ?I feel like this album is a home run,? Green says with characteristic aw-shucks honesty. ?I wanted to take our brand of independent music and give it a fresh shot at making a bigger impact. That?s exactly what I think we?ve accomplished when I hear these songs.? Indeed, Green has always lived on the border of both worlds. His unique lyrics present a distinct vision of the world that reaches outsiders and fans of off-the-beaten-path music. At the same time, the carefree, slice-of-the-good-life, sing-along-with-me nature of his work has built-in mass appeal. He?s already proven he can build an enthusiastic, youthful following through the time-tested virtues of hard work, live performance and word-of-mouth buzz. Now it?s time to add fuel to the fire with the kind of exposure radio and a committed, well-oiled record label can provide. After becoming a Texas hero through self-generated independent albums, Green chose to take his music to a national audience through a side door. ?We signed our first major label deal out of New York so we could maintain an independent status,? he says. ?We found out that it gave us more artistic leeway, but it also gave us less access to industry insiders.? By now, his independence is established; no one?s going to try and tell Green to change his distinctive musical vision or songwriting style, not after earning Grammy nominations and earning a Top 3 hit with ?Wave on Wave.? ?We never fit in with the cookie-cutter stuff, and for a while that was what dominated the airwaves,? he says. ?Now it seems that radio is more excited than ever about breaking new acts and bringing new blood into the fold. I think they want material that fits the format but doesn?t sound like everything else. And that?s right where we?re at.? At the same time, Green?s music will come out through one of Nashville?s most successful and progressive record labels. ?Working with BNA and Joe Galante, we?re stepping up to the plate with all the necessary tools to get the job done for the first time,? he says. ?I think we?re getting a real chance at having a big impact. I couldn?t feel better about where we?re at right now.?
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