Country
Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Randy Travis Get Inspirational at ‘CMT Artists of the Year’
The show featured a heartfelt mix of music and stories of hope, as the artists shared (via video segments) how they weathered the pandemic and made the most of being off the road. Honoree Combs started off the evening with a rendition of “Forever After All,” followed by Lady A’s Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, who took the stage to welcome viewers. Meanwhile, Eric Church feted Combs via a video tribute, saying, “By any definition, his music has made him a bonafide superstar.” “Everybody in this room pushes me to be better,” Combs said in accepting his CMT artist of the year honor, before addressing fellow honoree Travis. “Randy, I watched you play in this building a few years ago and was blown away. To be in the same room with you and the same place and have jus...
Kacey Musgraves’ star-crossed Barred from Grammys Country Album Category
Country music’s ongoing identity crisis and the Recording Academy’s unceasing incompetence have joined together for one head-scratching decision. As Billboard reports, two-time Best Country Album Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves won’t be going for a threepeat in 2022, as her new studio set, star-crossed, has been declared ineligible for the country music categories. Musgraves has previously taken home top honors in the category for 2014’s Same Trailer, Different Park and 2018’s Golden Hour, which also won Album of the Year. On paper, star-crossed looks like a strong contender. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and six singles have placed on the Hot Country Songs chart: “justified,” “simple times,” “breadwinner,” star-crossed...
Tim McGraw Jumps Off Stage and Confronts Hecklers After Forgetting Lyrics, Getting Booed: Watch
“Just to See You Smile” reigned atop the country charts for 42 weeks between 1997 and 1998, and Tim McGraw has performed it hundreds of times. It’s one of the 54-year-old’s signature songs, but on Saturday night at the Nugget Event Center in Reno, Nevada, McGraw forgot about half the words. Footage obtained by TMZ reveals the pause-filled performance, as well as scattered booing. McGraw responded by jumping into the crowd to confront some of the jeering fans. “Why are you doing that?” McGraw demands in one of the videos. The response is inaudible, but McGraw quickly says, “Then leave!” to laughs and applause. Later, McGraw explained to the audience that he was struggling with exhaustion. “I don’t know how many of y’all know this, but we’re shooting a film, [Yellowstone prequel] 1...
Alan Jackson Puts Songs & Memories Center Stage at Nashville Concert: 5 Standout Moments
And that’s just what he did, from the opening number of “Gone Country” and straight through the night. During the nostalgic “Drive (For Daddy Gene),” men across the arena had raised hands and held up beers in solidarity by the time the entertainer even reached the first chorus, singing, “I was king of the ocean/ When daddy let me drive.” Couples hugged and swayed along for the sweetly romantic “Remember When,” and instantly went into party mode during such classics as “I Don’t Even Know Your Name,” “Country Boy” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.” As “a singer of simple songs,” Jackson’s voice was as warm and limber as ever, the perfect vehicle for putting across his relatable tales of love, loss and life. Pa...
Eric Church Sets 2 Solo Shows After Bandmates Test Positive for COVID-19
Church launched the aptly named tour Sept. 17 at Lexington, Ky.’s Rupp Arena. The tour is slated to run through May 20, 2022, culminating with a show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Church’s Gather Again Tour has been a joyous reunion for the artist and his fans alike, marking his return to the road after the pandemic forced the postponement of both Church’s Heart & Soul triple album and his 2020 tour. It also marks the first time Church has used an in-the-round stage for his tour. For a Billboard cover story earlier this year, Church received his COVID-19 vaccination during his Billboard photo shoot. “It became very clear to me that the only way to really get back to normal is through vaccinations,” he told Billboard at the time. “You’ve got to get needles...
Gary LeVox Opens Up About the End of Rascal Flatts: ‘I Wasn’t Happy That Joe Don Quit’
“It kind of came out of nowhere,” LeVox said. “It was like, ‘Let me try to wrap my head around this.’ And then I certainly wasn’t okay with the pandemic, which canceled everything. I hate the way that it ended. I hate that we didn’t get to do this farewell tour. I can’t stand the fact that it just feels there’s no closure with something that we’ve been so blessed with. That will always be in my heart.” As the group’s 2020 tour dates were already on hold due to the pandemic, the group disbanded quietly, with LeVox pursuing a solo career and releasing the recent Christian album One on One. Meanwhile, DeMarcus released a tribute to his late father with “Music Man,” and also runs the CCM label Red Street Record...
Dolly Parton and Businesses Raise $700K For Tennessee Flood Relief
Dolly Parton and her Smoky Mountain businesses have raised $700,000 to help residents impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Middle Tennessee. According to a Wednesday (Oct. 6) news release, Parton chose United Way of Humphreys County to receive and distribute the donation at the suggestion of her friend and fellow country music legend Loretta Lynn. A foreman at Lynn’s ranch was among those who died in the flood. Parton says she was compelled to help out after the support the Smokies received following the 2016 Sevier County wildfires. “After the Sevier County wildfires in 2016, Loretta was one of the first who reached out to offer anything she could,” Parton said in a statement. “It meant so much to me that Loretta — and so many folks — were ready to give in any way they could. This was...
Kacey Musgraves Becomes First Artist to Perform Naked on SNL
This past weekend, Kacey Musgraves served as the musical guest for Saturday Night Live’s Season 47 premiere. For her first performance of the evening, she played “justified” armed with an acoustic guitar and nothing else. It turns out she wasn’t just faking being nude, as many actors do to abide by FCC regulations, but rather she was completely naked and strategically positioned her body to get away with it — making her the first artist to ever do so on SNL. First of all, it’s important to clarify that Musgraves wasn’t ditching her outfit for no reason to promote Star-Crossed. While she was fully clothed for her rendition of “camera roll” on SNL, she opted to strip down for “justified” as a reference to the infamous Forrest Gump scene in which Jenny (played by Robin Wright) takes the stage...
Michelle Tigard Kammerer Named Amazon Music’s Head of Country Music
Kammerer launched her career at Creative Artists Agency, before joining Country Radio Broadcasters as senior director of brand marketing and strategic partnerships. In 2014, she helped re-launch Dot Records under Big Machine Label Group and was named national director of marketing and promotion. In 2017, Kammerer transitioned to the label group’s BMLG Records as senior national director of marketing and promotion, where she worked with artists including Florida Georgia Line, Brett Young and Lady A. She has also served on the board of directors for the Women’s Music Business Association, Society of Leaders in Development, Women Rock for the Cure and on the Country Radio Seminar Agenda Committee. Amazon Music recently shared that its Country Heat brand, which includes the Country...
Jason Aldean Reacts to COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate in California Schools: ‘People Should Be Outraged’
Aldean was reacting to an Oct. 1 announcement from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said that once the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approves the coronavirus vaccine for younger age groups, it would be added to the list of inoculations that are required for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Right now, the FDA has fully approved Pfizer’s vaccine for those that are 16 and older, while the vaccine is available for ages 12 to 15 under emergency use authorization. Newsom expects that the requirement would apply to grades seven and up starting in July 2022. “We want to end this pandemic,” said the governor, as the COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. surpassed 700,000. “We are all exhausted by it.” Aldean, whose “If I Didn’t Love You”...
Kacey Musgraves Delivers Gorgeous ‘Star-Crossed’ Songs on ‘SNL’ Season Premiere
Later during the Owen Wilson-hosted episode of SNL, Musgraves wore a yellow plaid shirt with blue jeans for the bittersweet “Camera Roll,” one of her new album’s more literal songs about the memories associated with looking back on past photos in your cell phone. “I don’t wanna see ’em/ But I can’t delete ’em/ It just doesn’t feel right yet,” she emotionally sang. Musgraves’ fifth studio effort, star-crossed, dropped on Sept. 10 and launched at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums and Top Album Sales charts. The singer made her SNL debut in 2018 around the release of her highly acclaimed release Golden Hour. Kim Kardashian will host the following weekend of SNL on Oct. 9, accompanied by musical guest Halsey, who performed ...
Kacey Musgraves Channels Her Inner Jenny Gump During SNL Season Premiere: Watch
Kacey Musgraves helped kick off Saturday Night Live’s 47th season with a performance referencing the infamous Forest Gump scene in which Jenny takes the stage in the nude. The Nashville singer-songwriter performed “justified” with only a large acoustic guitar and boots visible to the camera. Many fans were quick to point out the similarities to Robin Wright’s portrayal of Jenny Gump in Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 blockbuster. Musgraves seemingly confirmed the inspiration in a tweet posted following the performance. Musgraves’ SNL appearance came in support of her latest album, Star-Crossed, and also featured a performance the song “camera roll.” Replay both performances below. Advertisement Related Video Staring in January, Musgraves will embark on a US tour in support of Star-Crossed, featuring...
