Country
Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Bieber, Normani, Khalid & More of the Week’s Biggest Winners (July 16)
Take a look at Billboard‘s new weekly roundup and the “awards” it gave to this week’s headlines. Sweetest Music News: Cardi B & Offset throw Kulture a 3rd birthday party fit for a princess Cardi and Offset’s little princess got the royal treatment on Saturday (July 10) for her third birthday, which included a horse-drawn carriage to a greeting party of Disney princesses and a custom Eliantte diamond neck piece for even more razzle dazzle. But to all the haters who wanted to rain on Kulture’s parade, Cardi wasn’t having it. “Listen imma live my childhood dreams thru my kids,” she tweeted in defense of the lavish celebration and gift. See photos of the party here and extravagant gift here, read Cardi...
Dan + Shay Set ‘Good Things’ Album, Share Title Track: Listen
To get the ball rolling at full speed, the pair today shares the title track and its official music video, directed by frequent collaborator Patrick Tracy. With “10,000 Hours,” Good Things already has a place in the history books. The single logged 21 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, the fifth-longest stretch in the chart’s history, and its performance culminated in a Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, their historic third consecutive win in that category. Dan + Shay will build the buzz when they headline NBC’s Citi Music Series this morning (July 16) on TODAY, with performances locked in at 8:00 am and 9:00 am. Good Things is the followup to 2018’s Dan + Shay which bowed at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and confirmed the artists as ...
Carly Pearce Set to Host 2021 ACM Honors
As previously reported, Hillary Lindsey — known for penning “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” among many other major country hits — will be honored with the songwriter of the year award, whileJay Joyce will receive the award for producer of the year for the fifth time. “We look forward to having industry and fans join us as we recognize the significant accomplishments of our 55th and 56th studio recording awards, industry awards, songwriter of the year and special awards winners with a night of unforgettable performances,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the ACM. The 14th annual ACM Honors will be livestreamed for viewers on Circle network’s channels. Alternatively, tickets to the live show are available for purchase on&...
Amy Grant, Toby Keith & More Selected for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
This year’s inductees bring the total number of songwriters in the Hall to 218. Though country songwriters predominate, the body includes “writers from all genres of music,” according to a NaSHOF mission statement. The Nashville Hall dates to 1970 – the same year the Songwriters Hall of Fame launched. The announcement was made Tuesday (July 13) by Sarah Cates, chair of the organization’s board of directors, and Mark Ford, its executive director. Four of the five inductees have received Grammy nominations for best country song: Akins in 2018 for co-writing Blake Shelton’s “I Lived It,” Cannon in 2007 for co-writing George Strait’s “Give It Away,” Keith in 2003 for co-writing his own “Beer for My Horses” (a collab with Willie Nelson), and Grant in 2011 for co-writing Vince Gill’s “Threaten M...
Pistol Annies’ Ashley Monroe Reveals Rare Blood Cancer Diagnosis
Her fellow country artists rallied around the singer after her announcement. Ashley Monroe took to Instagram on Tuesday (July 13) to deliver the devastating news that she has been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. The Grammy-nominated country singer, who is also part of Pistol Annies with Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley, wrote that she had become anemic and her red blood count kept falling. Her doctor ordered a bone marrow biopsy, which revealed the cancer diagnosis of Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia. Her fellow country artists — including Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, Martina McBride, Lainey Wilson and Tenille Townes — quickly rallied around Monroe, posting words of support and heart emojis on her Instagram. You Deserve to Make Money Even...
AGF: Ohanaeze legal monitoring group on Nnamdi Kanu not necessary
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has said the legal team formed by the umbrella group for Igbo people, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to monitor proceedings of the trial of leader of the prescribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, was not necessary. He, however, welcomed the Ohanaeze team, saying it was in line with the doctrine of the right of fair hearing rooted in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution. Recall that the separatist leader was arrested in June 2021 outside the country. Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the court in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB. He had been granted bail in April 2017 but jumped bail. After his re-arrest in June 202...
Cuba blames unrest on U.S. interference as Joe Biden backs protests
Cuba blamed historic protests that took place over the weekend on U.S. “economic asphyxiation” and social media campaigns by a minority of U.S.-financed counter-revolutionaries, while U.S. President Joe Biden said he stood with the Cuban people. The streets of Havana were quiet on Monday, although there was a heavy police presence. Outages in mobile internet – the only way many Cubans have of accessing the web – were frequent. Chanting “freedom” and calling for President Miguel Diaz-Canel to step down, thousands of Cubans joined street protests here from Havana to Santiago on Sunday in the biggest anti-government demonstrations on the Communist-run island in decades. At least 80 protesters, activists, and independent journalists had been detained nationwide since Sunday, according to exile...
White House does not rule out Haiti request for U.S. troops
The United States is still reviewing a request for troops made by Haiti’s interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph to help secure key infrastructure after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Monday. Psaki said Haiti’s political leadership remains unclear and that it was vital for the country’s leaders to come together to chart a united path forward. Moise was shot dead early on Wednesday at his Port-au-Prince home by what Haitian authorities describe as a unit of assassins formed of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans. Haitian police said on Sunday they had arrested another key suspect. The death of the president has plunged the troubled country into deeper turmoil, and U.S. officials traveled there on Sunday to assess the situation and ...
Stadium Concerts Are Back: Inside Garth Brooks’ Huge Show at Las Vegas’ ‘Death Star’
Brooks took great pride in being a post-pandemic trailblazer, embracing the challenge of delivering a pivotal show for both fans and the industry. “To every musician out there, all I can say is get back in the game because it’s the greatest feeling in the world,” Brooks said during the concert, at one point getting on his hands and knees to thank the audience. The 28-song set, which is a continuation of what fans saw on his derailed 2020 tour, had Brooks and the crowd in a perpetual two-hour state of elation. He banged through all his hits and a few monumental covers including Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” Bonnie Tyler’s “Mom” and George Strait...
PDP governors celebrate Akwa Ibom governor at 55
The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF), has congratulated the Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-lbom, as he celebrates his 55th birthday anniversary. The Forum in a statement issued by its Director-General, C.I.D Maduabum, congratulated Emmanuel on his accomplishment. Maduabum said that the forum, under the chairmanship of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, of Sokoto State, was proud to associate with Emmanuel. “The Forum is particularly enamoured by your numerous accomplishments and milestones since you assumed office as governor in 2015, Ibom Air company has continuously raised the bar in aviation successes and standard, growing to become one of the most resilient airline in the country in terms of safety and passenger comfort. “Your prudence in the management of state resources has been unco...
Dangote Cement acquires 2,000 new vehicles to enhance transportation
Dangote Cement Plc has acquired 20,000 additional vehicles to enhance the distribution of the company’s cement products in the country. The company’s Spokesman, Tony Chiejine, said in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Lokoja that the new vehicles, made up of trucks, trailers and tippers, were acquired at a cost of $150 million US dollars. According to him, the company had recently taken delivery of another set of trucks, trailers, bulk tankers, tippers, cargo trucks and bulk cement tankers. “These assets would meet the expected increase in demand for transportation of cement to every part of the country and create employment for over 4,000 people in Nigeria,” he said. “We have acquired the new trucks in line with our new expansion capacity in Obajana, Ibese, Gboko and the ...
2023: Kogi commissioner tackles Ohanaeze over zoning
Mr Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, has reacted to comments by Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Gov. Yahaya Bello’s assertion about rotation of Nigerian presidency among the different regions of the country. Bello had during a maiden edition of the ‘Governor Yahaya Bello seminar for political and crime correspondents’ in Abuja on Friday, described rotational Presidency as “unconstitutional.” The Governor, who has also declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2023 added that “Nigerians should be allowed to make their choices for the best candidate to emerge for the top post”. But reacting to the claim, Ohanaeze Ndigbo which has been at the vanguard of the clamour that a Nigerian of South-East origin should succeed President...