Country
Kelsea Ballerini Covers Taylor Swift’s ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’ on Jonas Brothers Tour: Watch
In fan-filmed videos from the show, Ballerini seemed delighted to return to the stage as tours begin to resume, with safety precautions, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Following CDC guidance and Nevada state requirements, events at the Park Theater on the grounds of the Park MGM require masks for all attendees, regardless of vaccination status. “Is this anyone else’s first show back?” Ballerini asked the crowd. “Well how about this: How about I promise for the next 15 minutes I will give you 110% of everything have if you’ll do it back for me?” The week before the first show, a masked up and ready Ballerini tweeted, “I’m thankful to be back at it.” Before the concert began on Friday, she posted a series of rehearsal photos on Instagram, wr...
Kacey Musgraves ‘Sets the Scene’ for New Song With Some Heartbreaking Lyrics
The words described the heartache of a relationship that’s ended, perhaps alluding to her own divorce from Ruston Kelly. Put together, her posts read: “Let me set the scene/ Two lovers ripped right at the seams/ They woke up from the perfect dream/ And then the darkness came/ I signed the papers yesterday/ You came and took your things away/ Moved out of the home we made/ And gave you back your name/ What have we done? / Did we fly too high?/ Just to get burned by the sun?/ No one’s to blame/ ‘Cause we called all the angels to save us/ But I guess they got lost…” Comments ranged from sad faces to announcements about being “all in” and “ready” for the new tune. “They see me as this starry-eyed, rose-colored glasses kinda girl...
Yola Belts Out “Diamond Studded Shoes” on Kimmel: Watch
Yola has one of the best voices in modern country right now, in part because of the undeniable soul she brings to the genre. Last night, she got to reintroduce her show-stopping voice on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with a rousing rendition of “Diamond Studded Shoes.” Watch a replay of her performance below. For the occasion, Yola broke out the Stand For Myself track in a cozy room back home in Nashville, Tennessee. What starts out with the warm vibe of a local band at a bar quickly turns into a powerhouse country-pop song worth dancing along to. Yola shows off her voice with subdued verses and effortless trills, but it’s her massive belted notes towards the end that steal the show. All told, it’s a goosebump-raising live version of “Diamond Studded Shoes” that further drives home the song’s an...
Tom T. Hall, ‘Storyteller’ Country Singer & Songwriter, Dies at 85
“Few could tell a story like Tom T. Hall,” Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern said in a statement following his death. “As a singer, songwriter and instrumentalist, he was one of those triple threat artists who continued to make an impact on the next generation. I’ll always remember growing up listening to Tom T.’s music with my father, who was a huge bluegrass and Country fan.” Hall was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1971, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1978, the Kentucky Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008. He received the poet’s award from the Academy of Country Music in 2010. “Tom T. Hall’s masterworks vary in plot, tone, and tempo, but they are bound by his ceaseless and unyielding empathy for th...
Travis Tritt Quotes MLK in Explaining Why Vaccine Mandates are Discriminatory
With each passing day, more and more artists and promoters are asking for proof of vaccination as a requirement to attend in-person events. In response to this growing trend, the multi-platinum country musician Travis Tritt felt compelled “to make a statement” against such mandates, likening them to a form of discrimination. “In light of recently announced policies and mandates from some entertainment companies, promoters and local municipalities which would discriminate against specific concert attendees who are not vaccinated, I feel compelled to make a statement,” Tritt said. “I have always been a huge defender of basic human rights and liberty for all. No government, employer or private entity should ever be allowed to infringe on those rights and liberties. I’m also very much against ...
Morgan Wallen’s ‘Sand in My Boots’ Officially Heads to Country Radio: Is Seven-Month Ban Over?
“Sand in My Boots” marks the first country radio release for Wallen since his music was temporarily banned from country radio stations, after TMZ posted a video Feb. 2 of Wallen uttering a racial slur outside his home in Nashville. Country radio station conglomerates, including iHeartMedia, Cumulus, Cox Media and Beasley, yanked Wallen’s music from the airwaves shortly after the video surfaced. Several country stations quietly added some of Wallen’s hits back this summer, including “Whiskey Glasses,” and then began playing “Boots” several weeks ago, prior to its official release. “Boots” stands at No. 39 in its seventh week on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart dated Aug. 21 and gained 6% over the previous week, reaching 2.3 million audience impressions, according to MRC Data. Currently, 29...
Sturgill Simpson Shares Concept Album The Ballad of Dood and Juanita: Stream
The latest album from Sturgill Simpson is here. The Ballad of Dood and Juanita, the outlaw country revivalist’s third album just 12 months, is out today digitally and on CD, with vinyl copies coming December 3rd. The Ballad of Dood and Juanita is a concept album that Simpson wrote and recorded in just one week. Clocking in at 10 tracks, it features the same cast of musicians with whom he recorded last year’s LPs, Cuttin’ Grass, and also boasts a guest spot from none other than Willie Nelson. “I just wanted to write a story — not a collection of songs that tell a story, but an actual story, front to back,” Simpson said in a statement, going on to describe the album as “a simple tale of either redemption or revenge” and a “rollercoaster ride through all the styles of traditional country and ...
Academy of Country Music Sets New COVID-19 Protocols for ACM Honors & Party for a Cause
Carly Pearce is set to host this year’s ACM Honors, which will feature performances from Lauren Alaina, Chris Janson, Jamey Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Pearce herself, Keith Urban, Lee Ann Womack and more. This year’s Special Awards recipients will include Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary, producer RAC Clark, Luke Combs, Ross Copperman, Dan + Shay, Rascal Flatts, Joe Galante, Toby Keith, Lady A, Loretta Lynn, Gretchen Peters and the late Curly Putman. The ACM Honors ceremony will also celebrate the 55th ACM Awards Industry and Studio Recording Award winners, alongside the newly announced winners of the studio recording awards for the 56th ACM Awards, as well as songwriter of the year winner Hillary Lindsey. This year’s Party for a Cause performers include Lee Brice, Brett Eldredge, M...
9 Memorable Covers of Billie Eilish Songs
In August 2019, the 15-time Grammy champ offered her stripped-down take on Eilish’s debut song. In a video shared on Instagram, Keys sings emotionally while playing the piano, giving “Ocean Eyes” a soulful feel. A few months later, she covered the tune once more, this time recording it for Spotify’s Single Series. Vitamin String Quartet, “Bad Guy” There have been several notable covers of this Billboard Hot 100 hit, which spent 49 weeks on the chart. But one of the most memorable is VSQ’s take, which soundtracked a scene in the third episode of Bridgerton‘s steamy debut season. The quartet may have made the song suitable for a ballroom scene in a period romance series, but it also added to the fun with its bouncy strings, even sans vocals. Le...
The Judds Are Just the 4th Act to Go From Winning CMA Horizon Award to Country Music Hall of Fame
Garth Brooks: The superstar who took country to a whole new level won the horizon award in 1990 and was voted into the Hall in 2012—just 22 years later. It really can’t be done much faster than that. He beat Alan Jackson, Kentucky Headhunters, Lorrie Morgan and Travis Tritt for the horizon award. (Tritt nabbed the horizon award the following year. CMA rules allow artists two tries at the award.) Randy Travis: The country and gospel singer won the horizon award in 1986 and was voted into the Hall in 2016—30 years later. He beat the Forester Sisters, Kathy Mattea, Dan Seals and Dwight Yoakam for the horizon award. Ricky Skaggs: The country and bluegrass musician won the horizon award in 1982 and was voted into the Hall in 2018—36 years later. He beat John Anderson, Rosanne Cash, David Frizze...
Maren Morris, Luke Combs and Dan + Shay Nominated for CMA International Awards
Nominees were also revealed in categories including the Jo Walker-Meador international award (which honors outstanding achievement by an individual supporting country music’s marketing development outside of the U.S.); the Wesley Rose international media achievement award; the international country broadcaster award; and the Jeff Walker global country artist award. This year, the CMA introduced a new category, the Rob Potts international live music advancement award, which recognizes an individual’s significant contributions to the live music industry through helping to build live audiences for country music outside the United States. The award is named after the late Australian manager, promoter and CMA Board member Potts, whose career spanned more than 30 years, paving the way for Austra...
Garth Brooks Cancels Remaining 2021 Tour Dates Due to COVID-19
Garth Brooks thought his 2021 would be more “Learning to Live Again” and less “The Fever,” but COVID-19 had other ideas. Amid surging case numbers, the country music legend has cancelled the remaining five dates on his stadium tour. The news affects concerts scheduled in Cincinnati, OH, Charlotte, NC, Boston, MA, and Baltimore, MD. Additionally, a July show in Nashville, TN that had been rained out will not be rescheduled for this year. Tickets purchased through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded. “In July, I sincerely thought the pandemic was falling behind us,” Brooks said in a statement. “Now, watching this new wave, I realize we are still in the fight and I must do my part. I have asked the wonderful cities of Cincinnati and Charlotte to wait too long and I don’t want to now d...
