Casey James Announces New Single, Joins Taylor Swift ‘Red’ Tour! (UPDATED With Dates)

By On 02/27/2013 · 67 Comments · In American Idol, Casey James

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Big news for Casey James! As teased by a Columbia Nashville ad in Monday’s Country Aircheck, the Season 9 3rd place finisher and rising country act is releasing a new single to country radio, a follow up to his t20 Mediabase debut single “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night” and his t15 Billboard and Mediabase hit “Crying On A Suitcase.” News out of this week’s Country Radio Seminar is that CaseyJ’s next single will be…”The Good Life,” which CaseyJ cowrote with Scooter Carusoe. The upbeat tune hits radio on 4/1.

But wait, that’s not all! CaseyJ is also set to join the soon-to-begin Taylor Swift Red tour for several dates according to Country Aircheck, which reports:

Taylor Swift has chosen Joel Crouse, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line and Casey James for guest slots on The Red Tour, which opens March 13 in Omaha. Crouse is slated for 11 shows, Eldredge for 14, FGL for seven and James for 14. Ed Sheeran was previously announced for all tour stops, and Austin Mahone joins the bill in stadiums. The tour will include 58 shows in 45 cities, including nine stadium dates.

CaseyJ will be the secondary opener at each of his dates, which we will add to this post as soon as they become available. Ed Sheeran, as the primary opener, will directly precede Taylor’s headlining set.

UPDATE: CaseyJ will join the closing portion of the “Red” tour, including a stadium date in Chicago, all 4 Los Angeles arena dates, and all 3 Nashville arena dates! He’s actually playing 19 dates on the “Red” tour in 14 cities. Via ABC News Radio Online

8/6 — INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas: Casey James
8/7 — BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma: Casey James
8/10 — Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois: Austin Mahone and Casey James
8/15 — Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, California: Casey James
8/19 & 20 — Staples Center, Los Angeles, California: Casey James
8/23 & 24 — Staples Center, Los Angeles, California: Casey James
8/27 — Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, California: Casey James
8/30 — Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon: Casey James
8/31 — Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Washington: Casey James
9/6 — Fargodome, Fargo, North Dakota: Casey James
9/7 & 8 — Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota: Casey James
9/12 — Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina: Casey James
9/13 — PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina: Casey James
9/14 — John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Virginia: Casey James
9/19, 20 & 21 — Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee: Casey James

Previously, Kellie Pickler was Swift’s primary opener for her whole Fearless tour in 2009, and Danny Gokey was a secondary opener for 10 of Swift’s Speak Now dates in 2011.

Historically, the opening gig on Taylor’s tour hasn’t done a whole lot for the sales and airplay of country acts. However the exposure isn’t going to hurt and this represents a great media opportunity as CaseyJ promotes his 3rd single. CaseyJ’s self-titled debut album (which he co-produced) has sold 71k since its March 2012. “Crying On A Suitcase” has sold 317k downloads as of last week, an improvement over “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night”‘s last known sales of 106k as of April 2012.

Good luck, CaseyJ! Be careful around Swifty, she doesn’t take jokes well and she seems to be on a constant hunt for new material ;) But seriously, congratulations!

CaseyJ rehearses “The Good Life” via VEVO:

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  • albean99

    I’ll join the club of not being a TS fan but happy for Casey. It may not help a lot but it’s a gig and it can’t hurt.  

  • http://twitter.com/Sassycatz Sassycatz

    I don’t know whether Casey has a girlfriend or not, but all I’ve got to say to him is, stay away from the Swifster, unless you want some less than complimentary song written about you.

  • http://twitter.com/CountryFeedbk Country Feedback

     Second opener is a bit confusing; it means he goes first, before Ed Sheeran the first opener.  So I’m not sure how packed the stands will be for him.  It seems odd that two years after being the second opener for Sugarland he’s still in the same position.  Brett Eldredge doesn’t even have an album out yet and Crouse is pretty new too. 

  • http://twitter.com/CountryFeedbk Country Feedback

     He’s been with the same girl for three years now, I think he’ll be fine!  But a fling with TayTay would give him some needed exposure!

  • http://twitter.com/CountryFeedbk Country Feedback

     When it’s 3 openers, who goes first, who’s second (I’m assuming Ed is third?

  • Indigobunting

    Lol, Taylor Swift and Sugarland must have the ‘open slot’ for an Idol every tour. Sugarland has had Danny Gokey, CJ and Lauren.  And Taylor has had Kellie Pickler, Gokey and CJ-although Kellie scored the primary opening spot.

    I have no idea how it will work this year of course; but my experience for anyone considering going:
    Tickets sell out very quickly so buy them right away or prepare for resale.

    I attended Danny Gokey’s Taylor Stadium show in Pittsburgh her last tour.  As a first opener he had four (I think?) songs-all acoustic. And I agree with Tess -there is no doubt about it-the crowd is there for Taylor.  And I have never seen so many preteens in one place (with parents generally).  There were a few drunk college guys behind us yelling obscene things at Taylor though :/  But not a country music audience.  More of a girls/mommies day out with girls begging Mom to buy Taylor’s latest concert swag outing.

    There was about 1/3 to 1/2 the stadium there for Danny’s set as I recall. More filtered in for her primary opener, but the crowd although polite, was really interested in Taylor.
    Her show was entertaining.  Not one of my favorite musical shows, but she sure gives her all with tons of costume and scenery changes-almost like a play (for little girl’s short attention spans?  IDK…..)

    I probably will not go to see CJ at one of these types of gigs; I’ll wait until he has another solo show when he will have full band since it will be way cheaper, a full concert vs a handful of songs and not acoustic. And I will feel less like I am babysitting ;)
    I would not worry about Taylor being predatory, I get the feeling she is pretty professional. 

  • Axxxel

    Wow ! Not a Taylor or Casey fan, but I liked his voice ! Congrats Casey !!

  • Caro3278sweet

    As for the single, why this song instead of “Drive”?

    Yeah, that’s the question for his fans too. Sigh.

    My take is that TGL “sounds” like COAS, isn’t going to turn anyone off, and is a good fit for a happy summer song. It’s got the same groove, same tone, smooth and non-offensive.

    Drive is grittier, more outlier. I believe it is more Casey – but heck, I get why the label went with TGL. They are building his brand, and it fits nicely into the COAS, LDCIAN feel. So be it.

    I really, really hope that CJ has enough success that he can break out and be the bluesy, gritty, rocky country guy he is in concert – on radio. That’s my dream as a fan.

  • Caro3278sweet

    He’s been with the same girl for three years now

    Really??? Well he’s a sly one. Haven’t heard a peep about this. 

    I’m a woman. What the hell. 

    Details. Please.

  • Caro3278sweet

    As a first opener he had four (I think?) songs-all acoustic.

    Hm. Okay. So maybe CJ doesn’t have a full band. But he’s just as good acoustic with his drummer, so all is good. 1/2 a Swifty audience is still a big crowd.

    And I agree with Tess -there is no doubt about it-the crowd is there for Taylor.

    Of course. CJ and his management know this. And he’s got the whole Sugarland experience behind him. But that’s one of the reasons he’s focused on small gigs for the past year. 

    I would say that it’s interesting that Swift has picked up CJ now. He’s almost four years of AI. It’s not like he’s going to bring in a big AI audience. It would be really interesting if he wrote with her as he did with Kristian Bush.

  • mchcat

    Good for Casey J – he is coming here (San Antonio) for the Texas Independence Weekend show at a huge nightclub called Cowboys.  The radio has been advertising this for a week and Casey called them the other morning.  I am very excited for him.

  • roarpen

    This is great exposure for Casey J. And, Taylor can write her next song about him – so double exposure – lol!

  • LVD

    My take is that TGL “sounds” like COAS, isn’t going to turn anyone off, and is a good fit for a happy summer song. It’s got the same groove, same tone, smooth and non-offensive.Drive is grittier, more outlier. I believe it is more Casey – but heck, I get why the label went with TGL. They are building his brand, and it fits nicely into the COAS, LDCIAN feel. So be it.

    I would have liked Drive for single, I think everyone was hoping for Drive. But I think TGL is a decent choice, I ve always thought it might be a good single. But this is the 3rd single from the album so it properly wouldn’t do that well in any case. 

    I dont think TGL is like COAS or LDCIAN, it more of an upbeat song. But I think TGL might be a bit more similar to the new music Casey has been playing so it could be a good continuation. 

  • patriciajames

    A great gig for Casey. I’m sure he’ll be doing his smaller venues throughout the summer as well.  I was hoping for Drive as well, but love TGL, but I love Working On It even more and would have chosen that track if not Drive.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/OSOOTOBRL4XGHQNICOXCCN5IXQ lisa

    I think the good life is perfect.I love the way it sticks in your head.I would also like to hear more about his 3 yr relationship,just curious!  

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/U5G77QID75XLZ7MPSFWGOCJY6E RICHARD

    thrilled for Casey, already have tickets for Taylor Swift concert this is a huge thing for casey.  He is our favorite, also Taylor and James Durbin.  Could you imagine the children Casey and Taylor would have, tall, Thin and gorgeous blond curly hair, and blue eyes and so much talent.  Casey is so not star struck. But probably has a girlfriend.

  • http://twitter.com/lucy__luz rodavlaS eaM zuL

    Case, be careful! We might hear a Taylor song about you in the near future! haha! peace!

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