Old Dominion Rocks Into 2017

As 2016 wraps up and we prepare to ring in 2017 with new music and new tours it’s that time of year to reflect on the artists that made 2016 one for the books. The superlative for hardest working band of 2016 goes to Old Dominion. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Matthew Ramsey, Brad Tursi, Trevor Rosen, Geoff Sprung, and Whitt Sellers are here for the long haul. They released their debut album November 6th, 2015 and just set out on their first headlining tour this year. Prior to that if you followed them from the beginning they hit every intimate club, venue, and festival across the country with the 5 songs off their self titled EP featuring Shut Me Up, Break Up With Him, Nowhere Fast, Beer Can in a Truck Bed, Wrong Turns, and Dirt on a Road.

They always filled an unforgettable high energy set with their versions of the songs they wrote for other artists. The list goes on and on - from Craig Morgan’s Wake Up Loving You, Dierks Bentley Say You Do, Tyler Farr Guy Walks into a Bar, Blake Shelton Sangria, to 2016's #1 chart toppers Sam Hunt's Make You Miss Me and William Michael Morgan’s I Met a Girl. So if you have been reading so far and thought you didn’t know these guys before I am sure you do now.

Wake Up Loving You @ Joe's Pub & We Are Old Dominion intros credit: rockinroxpromo-->

The first song all 5 of the guys wrote together made # 1 in 2015. However, we are recapping 2016 not 2015. That song Break Up With Him did go Platinum in 2016 and their full album Meat and Candy became RIAA Certified Gold. 2016 was quite the ride for OD. Getting nominations left and right: CMA nominations for Vocal Group & New Artist of the Year, Best Duo or Vocal Group Nominee at the American Music Awards. Recipients of Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 28th Annual Music Row Awards and Best New Vocal Group 2016 ACMs.

Kenny Chesney took the band out on his stadium Spread the Love Tour. These were OD’s first stadium shows. A high point for the band was when they were brought back out on stage night after night to sing their song Save it For a Rainy Day, cut by Kenny himself. Old Dominion has worked so hard to continuously build their following, and so successfully that by the time they announced their first headlining tour for Fall 2016 they sold out PlayStation Theater in NYC (VIP and GA) very quickly!

2016 also brought Old Dominion their second #1 Song For Another Time. They blew up in 2016, but for followers that have traveled countless miles, started the lines in extreme temperatures, knew the lyrics of the new songs before they hit the radio this is a long time coming, been waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. See the # 1 single close out the NYC show 10/22/16 credit: rockinroxpromo -->

They started recording their second album back in September and have been writing and trying out new songs on the road all year long. At the NYC show Matthew commented that it is amazing to hear crowds sing along to songs that haven’t been released to radio or were never singles. Then he continued to play Til It’s Over and Half Empty.

That is the loyalty and love Old Dominion will be taking with them into 2017.

Can't Get You not yet recorded but most high energy song ft. the Matthew Wiggle! credit: rockinroxpromo

Personally I already have my hopes for the songs I’ve heard live that will be on the next album. They have a lot to choose from! Whether they will be opening up for Miranda Lambert on the Highway Vegabond tour or playing an acoustic songwriters round at a bookstore you know Old Dominion fans will follow. I recommend getting into this band, but really getting into them, not just singing along to the #1’s on the radio. There is so much more to discover from them than what reaches radio. Uncover all the songs and feel the energy of a live Old Dominion show for yourself and trust me you will get bit by the contagious Old Dominion love bug for 2017 and every year to follow, because Old Dominion is the real deal. Here's to what’s to come!