Van Preston's debut CD is available now at i-tunes, amazon.com, msn music, yahoo music, cd baby, VanPreston.com and all Live Events!
For Van Preston's Press Kit, show booking, radio interviews or more information:
contact Van at: van@vanpreston.com or Phone 615-506-5019.
***November 25, 2008: Van's current radio single, 'Everything I've Never Seen' is at 2 on the US Country charts. (www.newmusicweekly.com) Released August 4, 2008, and written by Nashville Artist/Writer Jen Foster (myspace.com/jenfoster), Hit Writer Greg Crowe (myspace.com/gregcrowemusic), and Nashville Guitarist Danny Torroll, the song continues to climb the charts. And, Van's song "Forever Ago", was at 5 in Spain as of November 1, 2008.---------------------------
Van Preston is a Singer-Songwriter on the rise. Her music can best be described as rootsy, with strong influences of Americana, Blues Rock, and Country. Arriving in Nashville in July 2004, she has had five top-20 hits in Europe since mid-2006, and three Top 40 songs that have charted on U.S. Country radio in the same period, including a Top Ten for her self-written song "Forever Ago" in March 2008. (www.newmusicweekly.com) and received airplay for the song in major radio markets including Houston, St. Louis, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Tulsa, Rochester,NY; etc. Her single "Tougher Than That" went to 25 on the US Country chart in October of 2007, earning it a spot in the Top 100 Country Hits of 2007 chart, with almost 18,000 radio spins in major U.S. markets.
Van's self-titled debut album, produced by Nashville hit writer Greg Crowe, was nominated for 2007 Country Album of the Year in Europe by the European CMA. Her song, 'Bought Myself A Toy' has sold over 30,000 units on Universal Records-Europe as of June 2008. Van has two additional songs signed and licensed to a second European Record label, Scandinavia's Mr. Music Records, where she is receiving significant radio play and recognition.
Van has opened or will open for James Taylor, Melissa Ferrick, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride, Jack Ingram, and others during 2008; and has played and headlined many venues and festivals, including touring Europe and Australia, and has played legendary clubs including the now-defunct CBGB's in New York.
A songwriter as much as an artist, Van has scored several songwriting competition wins, including having two songs among the top nine Country songs in the prestigious 2007 John Lennon Songwriting Competition, placing in both the 2005 and 2006 Nashville Songwriting Association Annual Song Contest, and placing in the UK Songwriting Contest. In 2006, Van's song "What Goes Around" that placed in the top 15 in the 2006 CMT/NSAI Song Contest was featured on cmt.com during March and April of that year.
Van Preston grew up in a small Arkansas town, discovering her love and talent for songwriting at the age of nine. The valedictorian of her high school class, Preston earned a marketing and management Bachelor's degree in Minnesota before heading to Music City.
Van has been accepted into the Armed Forces Entertainment Roster of Bands and will be doing a one month tour of Military Bases during 2009.
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"Radio Stats:
"Bought Myself A Toy", went to 19 in Europe AND 71 in the US.
"HeartBroke For The Last Time" went to 4 in Europe.
"What Goes Around, Comes Around" went to 16 in Europe.
"Forever Ago" went to 10 in the US and went to 21 in Europe,
"Tougher Than That" went to 9 in Europe and 25 in the US.
" Everything I've Never Seen" went to 20 in Europe and is set to be released to the US in July 2008.
PRESS REVIEWS
"VAN PRESTON: Making It on Her Own";
By PHIL SWEETLAND, New York Times Nashville Correspondent, Music and Radio
NASHVILLE – The lovely lady from Arkansas proudly describes herself as “unsigned and unrepresented.” But Van Preston left out several adjectives in that
description of her music, words that apply perfectly, such as “powerful,” “catchy,” “personal,” “commercial,” and “important.” Just how important is her work? Just ask the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, which in 2007
recognized Van’s original songs not once but twice. “Toy” and “Someone Who Ain’t Me” were both cited by the prestigious Lennon panel.
Radio has also jumped on Preston’s music. Van has found other media to get her music heard. MySpace, for instance, has become one of the fastest-growing sources of music in the wired world, and Preston has become a MySpace favorite. (Last year, she was) rated the Top Unsigned Americana Music on MySpace. European fans, so often ahead of their American brethren on groundbreaking music, have fallen in love with Van: She’s the No. 4 indy artist over there and has racked up four Top 20 hits in Europe in the last 18 months.
Preston is a quiet person at first, but still waters run deep. She happily is making a lot of noise on the road and at Radio with a sound that is both hauntingly familiar and utterly new.
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"Performing Songwriter"
Reviewed by Mare Wakefield.
Every so often you'll hear a singer with so much unbridled joy in her voice, you can't help but smile. Van Preston will hit you this way with well-crafted lyrics to match her sassy soprano. Preston's self-titled release has a decidedly classic country flavor along the lines of Dwight Yoakum or Loretta Lynn. Sweet fiddle and pedal steel add just enough sparkle without detracting from the lyrics.Highlights include "What Goes Around Comes Around" and the fast-paced "HeartBroke for The Last Time". But the cherry on top of this musical sundae is "Bought Myself A Toy." "When I'm missing you, I just snap that baby right out of the case and it gets rid of my blues," Preston sings over electric guitar and raucous drumming."
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MUSIC ROW, Robert Oerrman, on Track One of Van Preston Debut CD, "Tougher Than That", "Vans a feisty gal on the kick-off rocker of her album. The bright, male harmonies on the choruses are quite effective, as are the electric guitar work and organ notes."
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""Van Preston's 'Absolutely Broken' is catching on each week with our listeners. I think we'll be hearing a lot more from her." Dennis Voy, KMAQ-FM/AM, Maquoketa, IA
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"You're obviously very talented and I wouldn't be surprised if I flipped on CMT one day to see you in a video or something. Your style of country music is exactly what my listeners and myself prefer." Mark Bownds, KGAS Radio
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"Van Preston has developed a style that is both distinctive and radio friendly. Her debut video is dynamic and exciting, and if there's any justice she'll end the year as one of Nashville's premier new talents."
American Music Channel
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On Van's Debut Single, "Absolutely Broken",
"She has a lot of verve in her voice, and the song is quite catchy..."Robert Oerrman, Music Row
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"Thanks for the new promo of Van Preston's CD. You sure caught my attention! "What Goes Around" is excellent! Van has a voice that makes it hard to push the eject button; you've just got to finish the song..." John Roths,KEOS Radio, College Station, TX
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SEVEN OUT OF SEVEN STARS! Reviewed by Brad Fischer,
for Nashville Music Guide
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"Van Preston is among our listeners favorite artist and for good reason. Country/Americana that really lets loose. A combination of great songs, strong muscianship and lyrically direct. This highly charged cd has a collection of songs that everyone can relate to. Vocally powerful in a Rocker sense, Van holds true to her chosen genre and has created excitement and entertainment in each track on this fabulous self-titled cd. This is definitely another win for Country/Americana and for our broadcasts"- Bert Gagnon Musictogousa Songwriter's Network.
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