Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011 ( www.countrythrowdown.com) will make a highly anticipated stop in Philadelphia on May 27^th  when eight top country acts and six emerging singer/songwriters take the stage at The Mann for a one-of-a-kind-festival experience. The only tour of its kind in the world of country music, Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011 features eight headliners, including Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert, Craig Campbell, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. Recently added to the tour, Drake White, is sure to entertain with his signature freestyle twist on original songs, ad-libs and audience participation antics.  In its second year, Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour 2011 also is known for putting up-and-coming singer/songwriters in the limelight all across the country as they are spotlighted on the specially designed Bluebird Café stage and also perform during the main stage set changes. Adam Hood, Caitlyn Smith, Austin Lucas, Brent Cobb, Dani Flowers, and Erin Enderlin were specially selected to join the tour and treat fans to the opportunity to hear some of Nashville’s best in the unique and intimate “in-the-round”-style sets made famous at Nashville’s Bluebird Café.  

For tickets & info for Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour live at The Mann May 27^th, Ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000, AEGLive.com, MannCenter.org or The Mann Box Office.

More About the Bluebird Café Performers

Adam Hood has already built a strong following by touring nearly 300 days a year, most recently opening for the legendary Leon Russell. He also has opened shows for such artists as Pat Green, Todd Snider, Delbert McClinton, Dave Alvin, Ian Moore and Shelby Lynne, among many others. The title track off his first full studio album and new CD, “Different Grove,” reached No. 17 on the Texas Music Chart.

Official Site: http://www.adamhood.com/

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/adamhood

Brent Cobb

A singer-songwriter from Ellaville, Georgia, Brent Cobb recently moved to Nashville after recording his debut album, “No Place Left To Leave in Los Angeles,” recorded with Shooter Jennings and his band The 357s. He has quickly established a name for himself as a country/folk songwriter with songs whose wisdom belies his years; he may be young on paper, but the life experience he brings into his songs would suggest quite the opposite.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/brentcobb

Caitlyn Smith is one of Music City’s hottest up-and-coming songwriters. She started singing at the age of 7, began playing guitar and writing original songs by the age of 11, and by 20, Smith had released three independent records.  In 2010, Smith signed on as a staff songwriter with Brett James’ Cornman Music/Stage Three Music Inc. Her songs have been featured on TV shows such as MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” “The Real World” and “One Tree Hill.”

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/caitlynsmithmusic

Erin Enderlin has had songs recorded by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Terri Clark, Lee Ann Womack, Adam Brand, and Luke Bryan. These include Jackson’s top 5 hit “Monday Morning Church,” which won an NSAI award as one of the ten “Songs I Wish I’d Written” honored in 2005, and Lee Ann Womack’s single “Last Call,” which won the same award in 2009.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/erinenderlinmusic

Austin Lucas

Following the release of his solo debut, “The Common Cold,” in 2006, Austin Lucas has steadily built upon his recorded output, releasing “Putting the Hammer Down” in 2007 and “Somebody Loves You,” which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart, in 2009. He also found time to record a collaborative record and a number of limited-run vinyl singles, including a stripped-down rendition of Dolly Parton’s “To Daddy.” His fourth album, “A New Home in the Old World,” was released this year.

Official Site: http://www.austinlucasmusic.com/

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/austinlucas1

Dani Flowers

Dani Flowers began singing at age three and at six; she began piano lessons and made her first public appearance at a county fair. By 17, she was playing fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin.  Her soon-to-be-released debut album is a collection of songs that’s the perfect blend of the traditional country that shaped her artistry and a fresh, young sound shaped by her personal perspective. She wrote every song on the album, which includes her first song, “Someone Else’s Heartache,” co-penned with Lee Ann Womack and Dale Dodson.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/daniflowersmusic