• NEWS AND NOTES: Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Hubbard, Carrie Underwood

    Kacey Musgraves will perform her song “The Architect” on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday night (March 14th). The song is from her new album, Deeper Well, which will be released on Friday (March 15th).

    Chris Stapleton will be the musical guest on NBC’s Saturday Night Live April 13th. Actor Ryan Gosling (Barbie,  The Gray Man, The Fall Guy, La La Land, Crazy Stupid Love) will host.

    Tyler Hubbard, who is climbing towards the country charts with his latest hit “Back Then Right Now,” has a new song coming out on Friday (March 15th). “Vegas” is from his upcoming album, Strong, available April 12th.

    Carrie Underwood is pretty “dicey” lately. Check out this portrait of the superstar made from 6,400 dice. It was inspired by her REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World Las Vegas.

     

     

  • CMT MUSIC AWARDS 2024:

    The nominations for the 2024 CMT Music Awards have been announced, and Universal Music Group Nashville is represented in nearly every category with nods for Anne Wilson, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Kacey Musgraves, Luke Bryan, Mickey Guyton, Priscilla Block, Reba McEntire and The War And Treaty (check out the complete list of nominees below).

    The fan-voted award show, hosted by Kelsea Ballerini, will air live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 7th at 7pm CT on CBS, and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. Performers, presenters and additional details about the show will be announced soon.

    2024 CMT Music Awards Nominees:

    VIDEO OF THE YEAR
    Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top six nominees from the first round of voting, will be announced on April 1. The final three nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day (April 7). Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.
    Ashley McBryde – “Light On In The Kitchen”
    Brandy Clark feat. Brandi Carlile – “Dear Insecurity”
    Brothers Osborne – “Nobody’s Nobody”
    Cody Johnson – “The Painter”
    Darius Rucker – “Fires Don’t Start Themselves”
    Hardy – “Truck Bed”
    Jason Aldean – “Let Your Boys Be Country”
    Jelly Roll – “Need A Favor”
    Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”
    Kacey Musgraves – “Deeper Well”
    Kelsea Ballerini – “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)”
    Lainey Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”
    Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Compares To You”
    Parmalee – “Gonna Love You”
    Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
    Zach Bryan – “Nine Ball”

    FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
    Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist.
    Ashley McBryde – “Light On In The Kitchen”
    Gabby Barrett – “Glory Days”
    Kacey Musgraves – “Deeper Well”
    Kelsea Ballerini – “Penthouse”
    Lainey Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”
    Megan Moroney – “I’m Not Pretty”
    Reba McEntire – “Seven Minutes In Heaven”

    MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
    Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist.
    Bailey Zimmerman – “Religiously”
    Cody Johnson – “The Painter”
    Hardy – “Truck Bed”
    Jelly Roll – “Need A Favor”
    Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”
    Luke Combs – “Fast Car (Official Live Video)”
    Morgan Wallen “Last Night (One Record At A Time Sessions)”

    DUO/GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
    Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists.
    Brothers Osborne – “Nobody’s Nobody”
    Dan + Shay – “Save Me The Trouble”
    Old Dominion – “Memory Lane”
    Parmalee – “Girl In Mine”
    The War And Treaty – “Have You A Heart”
    Tigirlily Gold – “Shoot Tequila”

    COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
    Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists.
    Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton – “We Don’t Fight Anymore”
    Ella Langley feat. Koe Wetzel – “That’s Why We Fight”
    Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan – “Cowboys and Plowboys”
    Justin Moore & Priscilla Block – “You, Me, And Whiskey”
    Lukas Nelson + Promise of the Real (POTR) feat. Lainey Wilson – “More Than Friends”
    Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Compares To You”
    Old Dominion & Megan Moroney – “Can’t Break Up Now”

    BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Walt Disney World
    Best video from a female artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
    Anne Wilson – “Rain In The Rearview”
    Ashley Cooke – “Your Place”
    Brittney Spencer – “Bigger Than The Song”
    Tigirlily Gold – “Shoot Tequila”

    BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Walt Disney World
    Best video from a male artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
    Chayce Beckham – “23”
    Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
    Warren Zeiders – “Pretty Little Poison”
    Zach Bryan – “Oklahoma Smokeshow”

    CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
    Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
    Amber Riley – “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” (from CMT Smashing Glass)
    Bret Michaels & Chris Janson – “Nothing But A Good Time” (from CMT Crossroads)
    Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
    Cody Johnson – “Human” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
    Dierks Bentley – “Drunk On A Plane” (from CMT Storytellers)
    Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter – “Thinking ‘Bout You” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
    Hozier & Maren Morris – “Take Me To Church” (from CMT Crossroads)
    Jelly Roll – “Need A Favor” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
    Kelsea Ballerini – “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
    The War And Treaty – “On My Own” (from CMT Smashing Glass)

    CMT DIGITAL-FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
    Musical performance from a production, series or livestream created for CMT digital / social channels; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
    Chase Rice – “Goodnight Nancy” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
    Dylan Scott – “Don’t Close Your Eyes (Keith Whitley Cover)” (from “CMT Digital Campfire Sessions”)
    Megan Moroney – “I’m Not Pretty” (from “CMT Digital Campfire Sessions”)
    Nate Smith – “Whiskey On You” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
    Scotty McCreery – “It Matters To Her” (from CMT Stages)
    Stephen Wilson Jr. – “Year to Be Young 1994” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
    The Castellows – “I Know It Will Never End” (from CMT Studio Sessions)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about the video for "Fires Don't Start Themselves," in which he plays a detective hot on the trail of a young couple whose passionate love is setting their town ablaze, both literally and figuratively.

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    Darius Rucker (Fires Don’t Start Themselves video) OC: …happy about that. :46
    “I love acting. I love… It’s a lot of fun. And the actors you get to act with are so giving and make it so easy for you and fun and everything. But that video, when they told me I wasn’t going to do any performance, I was so happy, because that’s so the cliché (for) the video. You have other people acting and then you do the performance. But when they told me I was going to play a detective, I put on my inner Stabler, because I’m such a Law and Order and CSI fan, so I put on my inner Stabler and went out and did it. And the girl I worked with, she was so fun; she was so funny. And you know that donut scene, when I see it, there’s no words and it still makes me laugh every time I see it. But yeah, that was a lot of fun and I’d love to do a lot more of that, but, you know, we’ll see if it comes. If it comes, I’ll take it. If not, I’ll keep doing this music thing. I’ll be happy about that.”

    Audio / REBA MCENTIRE TALKS ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR "SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN."

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    Reba McEntire (music video for Seven Minutes In Heaven) OC: …it still hurts. 1:08
    “I picked out the lady to play mama, Eleanor. She did a great job. And she was a sweetheart to get to work with. That is exactly what I thought it would look like if I went to heaven and it was, you know, with the smoke coming in and out, made it look really heavenly. And I thought it would be something familiar, something that you’d feel comfortable with. God thinks of everything. And so, to walk up to the booth, and the next time I walk up and mama’s there and I put my arms on her shoulders, Eleanor’s hands were very similar to mama’s when she was young. So that got me to, they kept saying, ‘Okay, let’s do it again. I said, ‘Okay, let’s take a little break here. Get in here to redo my makeup. Because I would, I just bawled. And Eleanor was sitting across from me at the booth, and she’d see me crying. She’d try to reach for a napkin out of the napkin dispenser on the table. And I’d say, ‘Eleanor, that’s okay. It’s part of the video.’ ‘You don’t want to wipe?’ I said, ‘I’m good. I’m good.’ But she was just like a mother, you know, and they’re trying to make sure everything was all right. It was healing. It was healing for me to do that video and kind of like get it out because it still hurts.”

    Audio / JORDAN DAVIS TALKS ABOUT WRITING HIS TWO-WEEK NO. 1 SMASH, "NEXT THING YOU KNOW."

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    Jordan Davis (writing Next Thing You Know) OC: …song is today. :59
    “There’s a saying that says ‘raising kids – the days are long, the years are short,’ and that’s what this song is to me. I kind of came in wanting to write something like that, you know kind of a slow down time song, and Greylan had this idea. The idea initially was about going to a bar or going somewhere and meeting somebody and then just the progression of a relationship. I kind of hijacked the title and said, ‘Hey man. I love that title, but we’re going to write it in the sense of having kids, watching ‘em grow up and hopefully becoming a grandparent, you know? Chase McGill and Josh Osborne both have kiddos, and I think they kind of grabbed on it. Greylan, hats off to him. He’s the single kid of the group, so he was like, ‘Man, I’ll go there. I don’t know how much input I can be able to say in this, but I’ll go there with you.’ I mean, he’s a great writer, and it was fun to kind of see the title that he threw out evolve into what the song is today.”

    Audio / ON THE SET OF THE FILMING OF HER NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR "RAIN IN THE REARVIEW," ANNE WILSON EXPLAINS THE CONCEPT BEHIND IT.

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    Anne Wilson (BTS RITR video) 2 OC: …in this video. :37
    “So, I love this music video so much. We were working through the idea and concept behind it. It was really about portraying three different versions of myself – the happy version, which is the healed version; the driver, which is kind of plowing through everything and then the one that is sad and kind of looking on the past and reflecting what has come before. And I love the reminder in this music video and getting to work with T.K. McKamy on this treatment of how can we take this song and dive deeper into what it means? And I think in life we all go through different seasons where we’re either fully healed, we’re still looking back and struggling with depression and anxiety from the past or we’re driving in the seat and we’re going ahead for what’s to come. So, I love that we got to portray all three of those in this video.”

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  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD CELEBRATES HER BIRTHDAY WEEKEND WITH SPECIAL SURPRISES DURING REFLECTION: THE LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY AT RESORTS WORLD THEATRE, MARCH 9th.

    Over the weekend, Resorts World Theatre headliner and 8-time GRAMMY® Award winner and country music superstar, Carrie Underwood, celebrated her birthday with special on-stage moments during her March 9, 2024, REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency show. During her performance of fan-favorite “All-American Girl,” audience members surprised Underwood as the room became illuminated by (color) light-up wristbands that blinked with the song. Following the conclusion of the song, Underwood beamed as the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” during a special on-stage birthday cake presentation for the star. Underwood’s official birthday was yesterday, March 10, 2024.

    Before the show that evening, members of AEG Presents Las Vegas presented Underwood with a custom dice portrait featuring 6,400 dice created by artists Ben Hoblyn and Ross Montgomery.

    Throughout the weekend, guests were seen taking part in a multitude of specials, deals, and packages available property-wide throughout March at Resorts World Las Vegas in celebration of Underwood’s birthday, including snapping photos in a roaming photo booth positioned in front of Resorts World Theatre during Saturday night’s performance and sharing birthday messages for the global superstar.

    Underwood will return to the Resorts World Theatre stage with three additional shows this month (March 13, 15, 16, 2024) and 18 shows remaining throughout 2024, giving fans additional opportunities to watch her only-in-Vegas production. The remaining March show dates on sale now include:

    • March 2024: 13, 15-16

    Additional 2024 show dates on sale now include:

    • May 2024: 22, 25, 26, 29, 31
    • June 2024: 1
    • August 2024: 14, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24
    • October 2024: 16, 18, 19, 23, 25, 26

    Tickets for all performances are available for purchase at AXS.com/carrieinvegas. To learn more about the property activations happening this March around REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency, visit www.rwlasvegas.com/experiences/celebrate-carrie-underwoods-birthday/

  • INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

    While we are currently celebrating Woman’s Month, Friday (March 8th) is International Women’s Day, which is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women’s Day has been observed since the early 1900’s.

    Many of your favorite female country artists are also celebrating this day in honor of women everywhere and of their influences and inspirations.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood talks about her amazing professional influences.

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    Carrie Underwood (Musical influences) OC: …do it too. :54
    “I think my biggest influences musically, or career-wise, would have to be women like Reba, like Dolly, like Faith Hill, like Martina McBride. You see all of these women just juggle everything masterfully and many of them are moms and they’re superstars and they’re talented, and you know, I know how hard they work because I’m in their shoes somewhat and doing the same juggling. You know, you have the kids and the career and you’re just trying to crush everything you do and being pulled in a million different directions. And to see women like that who are just beautiful and smart and strong and talented, knowing that they have come first and they’re still getting to do what they love and they’re still getting to be the mom and the wife and all the things – that’s just such an inspiration to me and just lets me know that I can do it too.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood talks about her biggest female influence – her Mom.

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    Carrie Underwood (biggest female influence) OC: …ever had. :25
    “I would say my biggest female influence would have to be my Mom. She was the first person that I was around that really taught me what it was like to be a woman, to be a Mom, to be a wife, to be a daughter and a sister. And just watching her and how she did everything with grace and integrity and she’s so strong. I mean, she was just the best role model anybody could have ever had.”

    Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (IWD)

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    “Hey, this is Carrie Underwood, and today is International Women’s Day. Let’s celebrate and encourage the achievements of women and girls around the world today and every day.”

    Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (NWM)

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    “Hi, this is Carrie Underwood, and March is National Women’s month. Celebrate and encourage the achievements of women and girls everywhere today and every day.”

    Audio / LINER Catie Offerman (International Women's Day)

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    “Hey y’all, this is Catie Offerman. Happy International Women’s Day. This is such a special chance for all of us to celebrate each other and all the women around the globe and all their amazing accomplishments. We love you!”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack talks about her professional inspirations, including Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and more.

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    Caylee Hammack (Loretta Lynn and professional inspirations) OC: …look up to. :31
    “My first concert ever was Loretta Lynn. I was 13 years old and I got to see her in Columbus, Georgia. I begged my Dad to bring me, and I just remembered sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what she’d sing or say next. Loretta Lynn has been such an inspiration to me and all of the women who came before me – Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, all the way to Miranda Lambert and the legends of today. It’s unreal how many amazing women I have been given in this world to look up to.”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack talks about seeing Loretta Lynn in concert when she was 13 years old.

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    Caylee Hammack (Loretta Lynn) OC: …should listen. :28
    “My female idol growing up was Loretta Lynn. I was 13 when I got to see her live in-concert for the very first time. It was my first concert ever, and I will always remember sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to just see what she was gonna sing or say next. The power she had on stage is something you don’t see much; there’s a magic there. I think that when a woman tells her story – a woman like Loretta Lynn – everyone should listen.”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack talks about the women in country music who have become her friends and supportive country music family.

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    Caylee Hammack (Miranda, Ashley, Tenille) OC: …more grateful. :46
    “I could on and on about Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette and Reba and Dolly, but I want to actually mention a few friends that I’ve recently made in this year of quarantine and that’s Miranda Lambert and Ashley McBryde and Tenille Townes, these women that I’ve really gotten to connect with over this time in random group messages and such. I‘m just so very grateful that not only do I have women that have paved the way for us coming up in the country music industry, but I also have amazing women around me that I get to celebrate every single time that they put a new song out or win an award. I feel like I’ve found a family in country music, in the women of country music and I just couldn’t be more grateful.”

    Audio / During a backstage press conference at the CMA Awards a few years ago, Kacey Musgraves talked about being inspired by two of her idols, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, and hoped she could carry that inspiration on in her own music.

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    Kacey Musgraves (women in Country Music) OC: …of it all. :37
    “I look at people like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, songwriters who were sassy and intelligent and beautiful and also intelligent and humorous. They inspired me, and if I can be at all any part of that in carrying that on, then I feel like,  that’s just the icing on the cake for me, and I feel like I’ve done my job.”

    Audio / Kacey Musgraves talks about meeting the legendary Loretta Lynn.

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    Kacey Musgraves (Loretta Lynn) OC: …was amazing. :26
    “I’ll never forget getting to meet her and open for her. It was just something I’ll never forget. I was so excited to meet Loretta. I mean, what can you say to her that no one else has said? You can’t, so I just shook her hand and held her hand and said, ‘You can’t understand how much you inspire me. Thank you.’ It was crazy. She was sitting there in her ballgown looking all like a country barbie doll. It was amazing.”

    Audio / LINER Kylie Morgan (IWD)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Kylie Morgan. Happy International Women’s Day, which is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Celebrate yourself and others on this special day. Let’s Go Girls!”

    Audio / Kylie Morgan explains what International Women’s Day means to her.

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    Kylie Morgan (International Women’s Day) OC: …so young. :21
    “For me, International Women’s Day is not only about women supporting women but also looking up to other women. And the very first tiny woman, actually, I ever looked up to was Shirley Temple. Not only was she a child star, but she never let her age hold her back. And I feel like I continue to grow up with that mentality and why I started my career so young.”

    Audio / Prior to the Grammy Awards a few years ago, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild talked about their nominated song, “The Daughters,” and its message.

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    LBT (Grammys 2020) OC: …speaking about. 1:28
    “We put it out as a moment to kind of kick off the record Nightfall, and we just love the song so much and we’ve had so many opportunities to share it on television and lots of radio opportunities. For it to just get nominated for Country Song of the Year by a Duo or Group, that’s an incredible category to be in because that’s any collaboration that’s been done on any country record plus by any duo or group. It encompasses so many incredible performances, that it really, it’s an absolute honor for that song to have gone all the way to the Grammys. Just so cool. It speaks to the message too. It speaks to how important that message is. We’re still talking about it all the time – equal play, equal play. We’re talking about it in just the way women are treated, and we need the champions out there for the daughters and that’s the heart of the song. Luckily, we’re in a band with two guys that believe in that, but there’s a lot of people out there that need that reminder that it’s not an equal playing field. It still isn’t. It’s time for us to change it so that the next generation doesn’t know what we’re speaking about.”

    Audio / The late Loretta Lynn talks about two of her songs that had a big impact.

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    Loretta Lynn (which songs had most impact) OC: …double hits. :10
    “‘You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)’ and ‘Fist City’ is another one. They both hit women, you know? I wrote them about other women at the time and myself too, so I think that’s why they were double hits.”

    Audio / Maddie & Tae talk about some of the women they most admire.

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    Maddie & Tae (women most admire) OC: (Maddie) …everybody! :43
    “I definitely can’t pick just one inspiring woman in my life, because I’ve been blessed by many. (TAE INTERRUPTS) Yeah, I was gonna say Tae is definitely one that inspires me always for many different reasons. You are really good at living in the moment, I feel like; very good at being present and I always pick that up from you every time we hang out. (TAE SAYS, “Your joy inspires me.”) My mom, she is just a baddie and amazing. I would say our manager Haley. She is just so great at balancing work life and family life, and I really admire that. And I would say, I don’t know. All the women in my life – my sister, my sister-in-laws, my mother-in-law. I love ‘em all. My grandma…everybody!”

    Audio / Maddie Font of Maddie & Tae talks about her admiration for Carrie Underwood.

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    Maddie & Tae (Carrie Underwood) OC: …her friendship. :23
    “I really, really love and admire Carrie Underwood. I love that she balances family and her work life so well, and she really, really took us under her wing on her Cry Pretty Tour back in 2019 and just really gave us once-in-a-lifetime moments. So, I will always be grateful for her and her friendship.”

    Audio / Mickey Guyton talks about the female country artists she admired growing up.

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    Mickey Guyton (on pursuing a career as a singer) OC: …all those people. :50
    “It wasn’t like something where I was like, ‘Dad, I want to be a professional singer.’ It wasn’t until I was older when I finally admitted it. When you say something like that, it’s pretty crazy. What are we normally supposed to be? We’re supposed to be a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, go to school and for me to even say that was just kind of crazy. So, I took an interest in singing. I started doing solos in the church choir or the school had a talent show. I’d bring my boom box, and I’d sing ‘I Will Always Love You.’ I was just mesmerized by big-voiced women, so from LeAnn, I started listening to Dolly and Patsy Cline and Patty Loveless and Reba McEntire and Faith Hill and Martina McBride, all those people.”

    Audio / Priscilla Block talks about Dolly Parton.

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    Priscilla Block (Dolly Parton) OC: …me some Dolly. :19

    “Hey-this is Priscilla Block, and I would say one female country legend that I look up to would be Dolly Parton. I love how honest she is, and she’s always just embraced who she is as a woman, and I love that so much, you know. Big hair, big hoops and you know what’s next. I love me some Dolly.”

    Audio / Priscilla Block says she is inspired by her mother.

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    Priscilla Block (Mom) OC: …in the butt. :25
    “I would honestly say one of the most inspiring women in my life is my mom because she raised five kids, and honestly had no clue what she was doing, but kind of always just made life so fun. She was there when we needed to laugh and when we needed to cry, and she was also there when we needed a little kick in the butt.”

    Audio / REBA MCENTIRE TALKS ABOUT THE VERY FIRST TIME SHE MET LORETTA LYNN.

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    Reba McEntire (on loving Loretta Lynn) OC: …I love Loretta Lynn. :22
    “Well, see what they would do, they’d play the rodeo. They would pull a trailer out and then the country music star for the night would come out and perform for the audience and then they would go over to the dance hall and put on a dance. That’s the first time I actually met her. I whipped off my belt for her to sign and man, I wish I still had that belt. I love Loretta Lynn.”

    Audio / A FEW YEARS AGO, TAYLOR SWIFT SAID REBA MCENTIRE WAS ONE OF HER FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

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    Taylor Swift (Reba) OC: …factored in. :33
    “Reba is absolutely one of my favorite people on this planet. And yk, I think when you’re making your way up in the music industry, you have all these heroes and the reasons why they’re your heroes are one thing, and then as soon as you kind of get in the industry, your guidelines change a little bit. For me, my heroes now are great people first and great artists second – people that I just feel strive to be great people and kind people first before anything else gets factored in.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD REMEMBERS FELLOW OKIE TOBY KEITH.

    Carrie Underwood and Toby Keith connected on numerous levels, besides both being big country stars. They were fellow Oklahomans and proud to show it.

    Carrie says one of the biggest things she respected most about Toby is his love for Oklahoma.

    “There are so many things that can be said about Mr. Toby Keith. I mean, obviously, he has had such a monumental career. He has some of the biggest songs that ever, ever were or probably ever will be in country music, and obviously, has built up that legacy for himself that will live on,” says Carrie. “But I think one of the best things about Toby is his love for Oklahoma. He’s a proud Okie, and I feel like that’s something that always connected us. We’d talk about it. He’s one of the ones, he never left. No matter how big and famous he got, he was gonna stay in Oklahoma, and he was always the first one there when disaster would strike – tornado or whatever it was. He was the first one like trying to rally the troops or raise money or help out in any way he could. I feel like that’s one of the things that I respect the most about him, he never forgot where he came from and has been such a stellar example to the rest of us to do the same. He, of course, will be missed, but I know full, full well where he is right now. He’s with Jesus, and I for one look forward to hearing him sing again someday. So, prayers and comfort to his family. We’re gonna miss ya, buddy, but we’ll see ya on the other side.”

     

     

    Toby Keith (Covel)passed away on Monday night (February 5th) from his battle with stomach cancer. He announced his illness in June 2022 and revealed he’d been diagnosed in October 2021, and had undergone radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. He was 62 years old.

     

    Audio / Carrie Underwood said there are a lot of things that can be said about Toby Keith, but one thing she most respected him for is his love for their homestate, Oklahoma.

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    Carrie Underwood (Toby Keith) OC: …other side. 1:33
    There are so many things that can be said about Mr. Toby Keith. I mean, obviously, he has had such a monumental career. He has some of the biggest songs that ever, ever were or probably ever will be in country music, and obviously, has built up that legacy for himself that will live on. But I think one of the best things about Toby is his love for Oklahoma. He’s a proud Okie, and I feel like that’s something that always connected us. We’d talk about it. He’s one of the ones, he never left. No matter how big and famous he got, he was gonna stay in Oklahoma, and he was always the first one there when disaster would strike – tornado or whatever it was. He was the first one like trying to rally the troops or raise money or help out in any way he could. I feel like that’s one of the things that I respect the most about him, he never forgot where he came from and has been such a stellar example to the rest of us to do the same. He, of course, will be missed, but I know full, full well where he is right now. He’s with Jesus, and I for one look forward to hearing him sing again someday. So, prayers and comfort to his family. We’re gonna miss ya, buddy, but we’ll see ya on the other side.”

  • VALENTINE’S DAY 2024

    Each year on February 14th, many people exchange cards, candy, gifts or flowers with their special someone. The day of romance we call Valentine’s Day is named for a Christian martyr and dates back to the 5th century.

    Over 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion.

    We’ve got some thoughts and feelings and more about love, romance and marriage from several of your favorite country artists. A few are new and some have become our favorites over the years. Which country stars are romantic? Which ones have a good reason to celebrate the holiday that’s all about love?

     

    Reba McEntire teams up with Sonic to bring a limited edition Sweetheart Meal — complete with her favorite Tater Tots — for Valentine’s Day.

     

    Audio / Alan Jackson talks about his love for wife, Denise, over the years.

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    AJ (Valentine’s Day) OC: …continue to. :24

    “We got a lot of history together now, and we’re happier than we’ve ever been. So, she’s still beautiful, and she’s always inspired songs. I mean, one of my early hits was a song called ‘I’d Love You All Over Again,’ I wrote for her for our 10th anniversary. I mean, there’s been a zillion songs that have pieces of our good days and bad days inspired, and they continue to.”

    Audio / Billy Currington recalls his first real Valentine’s Day.

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    Billy Currington (Valentine’s Day memory) OC: …took off running. :21
    “Yeah, I remember my first girlfriend. I was in first or second grade, but anyway, I remember it was Valentine’s Day and your mom going, ‘You’ve got to give your girlfriend something, and you’ve got to go give it to her.’ I’ll never forget — we got her a box of chocolates or whatever it was. I remember going down to her classroom and knocking on the door, getting her to come to the door. I remember handing it to her, and then I took off running.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood is all about the chocolate most couples give each other on Valentine’s Day.

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    Carrie Underwood (Valentine’s Day-chocolate) OC: …white chocolate. :14
    “Chocolate’s every woman’s friend – in their time of need or in their time of happiness or in their time of sadness or madness, chocolate is my friend. Anything with caramel in it, ooooooooh. White chocolate’s good too. You can’t beat some good white chocolate.”

    Audio / Before tying the knot with wife Cassady, Dierks Bentley says Valentine's Day wasn't always a pleasant holiday for him.

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    Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day) 1 OC: …want to. :19

    “Well, before, as a single guy in the past, if you were dating someone, it’s that holiday that comes along where you have to really like stamp out on paper exactly where the relationship really stands. You don’t want to undershoot it ’cause then you’ll be in trouble, you know, if you don’t give the right present or don’t say the right things, you’re gonna be in the doghouse. But then if you overstate your hand, then you’re moving the relationship way faster than you actually want to.”

    Audio / DIERKS BENTLEY SAYS THE MOST INTERESTING GIFT HE AND HIS WIFE CASSIDY HAVE GIVEN EACH OTHER WERE MIXTAPES OF SONGS.

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    Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day-most interesting gift he’s given his wife) OC: …formulate yourself. 1:19
    “When ‘What Was I Thinkin’’ was released in 2003, I didn’t know what my life would look like, and all of a sudden, I found myself out on the road full-time, just gone. So, the place where I was staying, I had some friends pack it up and move it into a storage facility…and in there I found some letters that she and I had written back and forth when we were dating. I was working at The Nashville Network and she was working out in San Francisco and found some letters I had written her and I’d gotten back and some stuff she’d sent me, including a CD of songs she’d been listening to, back when you made CD mixes and there’s like these three hearts on that CD. I just found that it was so meaningful for me those gifts you give each other before any money, before anything else was going on, just music, giving of mixtapes was so cool. She reminded me of a mixtape that I had sent her. I’d sent it to her via FedEx, because it was so important she get this as quickly as possible. This was sadly before, I guess we had internet back then, but you really couldn’t send songs over the internet. I think the most interesting thing I’ve given her and she’s given me was just mixtapes, because there’s nothing like music to put into words and the thoughts you have in your head that you can’t formulate yourself.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley talks about the love you have for your children.

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    Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day) 2 OC: …could before. :28

    “You get married and that’s a long-term, bigger image of what love can be. Then you have a child, and your heart gets spread so thin and it’s so vulnerable, like it’s a really tough, tough feeling, and it can kill you. It can really be painful at times, and at the same time, it’s so great. But it definitely stretches your heart…and it doesn’t change anything, it just makes your heart, I think it just makes it bigger. I think you just find that you can love more than you ever thought you could before.”

    Audio / Eric Church says his wife, Katherine, loves him in spite of, and for, his fallibilities.

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    Eric Church (Valentine’s) OC: …love song is. :19

    “True love to me is when you love a person in spite of all their fallibilities, and for me, I have a lot of ‘em. I’m definitely at times hard to love, and that’s what’s great about Katherine and the way she loves me. She loves me in spite of those things and really for those things.”

    Audio / George Strait talks about love.

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    George Strait (Love) OC: …go ‘round. :14
    “If you don’t have love, I mean what do you have? You know, you have love for your wife or your husband or your children or your dogs or your horses or your golf clubs, you know? Love is what makes the world go ‘round.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi says he has learned a lot about love and about Valentine’s Day from his wife, Summer.

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    Jon Pardi (Valentine’s Day – Summer) OC: …for you. (laughs) :35
    “One thing Summer has taught me is that gifts are cool, diamonds, blah, blah, blah, but to take your time and clear your mind and write something about what she means to you on a card is probably the most least expensive and the biggest price you can give her is just to write and tell her how much you love her on a little card. That’s what she taught me for Valentine’s Day, so I just do that. It’s way cheaper. (laughs) And of course, I always say to her, ‘Babe, every day is Valentine’s Day for you.’” (laughs)

     

    Audio / Jordan Davis talks about meeting his wife in New Orleans. They were both there attending separate weddings.

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    Jordan Davis (meeting wife) OC: …here we are. :47
    “My college roommate was getting married in New Orleans. My wife was in New Orleans for a totally separate wedding. Both wedding parties were staying at the same hotel, so we met, the first time, in the lobby of the hotel. I’m actually wearing a necklace that has the coordinates to that hotel. Then the next day, me and my brother walk into a bar in New Orleans, and her and her friends were sitting in the corner, and I was like, ‘Hey-that’s the girl from the lobby.’ She was actually dating somebody at the time. But we kind of exchanged numbers and stayed in contact, and about two months later, a month later, she came into town for CMA Music Fest and told me that she no longer had a boyfriend, and here we are.”

    Audio / Jordan Davis reveals the Valentine’s Day tradition he and his wife enjoy every year, however THIS year, he’s touring overseas, so it might be a little hard to find an Olive Garden in Europe.

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    Jordan Davis (Valentine’s Day tradition) OC: …happy Valentine’s. (laughs)
    “When it comes to Valentines, Kristen is way more romantic than I am. I’m not a very romantic guy. I have worked on it.  I’ve tried to get a little bit better over the years. Kristen loves chocolate so she’s good for a big chocolate box, but here’s our thing about Valentine’s Day, and this is the God’s honest truth. We’ve been going to Olive Garden on Valentine’s Day since we met. We’ve continued that tradition. I think it started with her and a friend, they used to always go to Olive Garden on Valentine’s Day before they started dating, or before they got in a relationship. So, we have carried that out, so this year will be our, I believe our eighth Valentines in a row where we go in for endless salad and bread sticks. So, if its Valentine’s Day, and you’re at an Olive Garden, we could be next to each other. So, yeah, hope to see somebody out there at the table next to us just hammering on some breadsticks. So, happy Valentine’s.” (laughs)

     

    Audio / Jordan Davis talks about a couple of his favorite love songs.

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    Jordan Davis (love song) OC: …well done! :25
    “I guess Valentine’s Day gets you to thinking about love songs. You know, me and my wife’s first dance was ‘I’m Gonna Lose You’ [by] John Legend and Meghan Trainor. I think that’s just an amazing love song. I think also a love song that I heard the other day? ‘Strawberry Wine’ from Deana Carter? Great love song. I listened to that a lot. Ooooh Deana Carter. Well done.”

     

    Audio / Josh Turner says his wife would call him a romantic, but since they have four children, it takes a bit of work to make time for each other.

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    Josh Turner (Romantic) OC: …long time to come. :26
    “If you ask my wife Jennifer if I was a romantic, she would definitely say, ‘Yes,’ but she knows that sometimes my hectic schedule and our busy lifestyles can kind of interfere with the romantic side of things. But we do try to make efforts towards being together and having adult conversations and taking time away from the children and doing things that husbands and wives do, so we’ll definitely try to continue that for a long time to come.”

    Audio / KEITH URBAN TALKS ABOUT THE SUPPORT HE AND HIS WIFE, OSCAR-WINNING ACTRESS NICOLE KIDMAN, GIVE EACH OTHER, WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN TWO CREATIVE ARTISTS ARE MARRIED TO EACH OTHER.

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    Keith Urban (Nicole support) OC: …very important. :17
    “I feel very blessed that I have the support of my family like I do. It’s a beautiful thing having two artists because we understand the passion and the responsibility of what we get to do. It’s very important.”

    Audio / KYLIE MORGAN SAYS HER HUSBAND JAY ALLEN IS THE MOST ROMANTIC PERSON SHE'S EVER MET.

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    Kylie Morgan (Valentine’s Day) OC: …I’ve ever had. :33
    “Man, I will say my husband Jay Allen, who is also a country music artist if you guys haven’t heard of him, he is the most romantic person I’ve ever met in my entire life, truly. For Valentine’s Day, gosh, two years ago, I came home to the entire house being lit with tiny candles, a whole dinner made with my favorite bottle of wine, and this was even before he proposed. So, a lot of people thought that he was gonna pop the question that night, but he saved that for a later time. But it was the most magical Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had.”

    Audio / Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman says falling in love with her husband, Stephen Schlapman, came as a big surprise.

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    Little Big Town (Kimberly falling in love) OC: …healed me. 1:20
    Kimberly: “Well, I wasn’t planning on falling in love, at all. I didn’t want to…I wasn’t sure that I ever would.  So, my husband now and I were just really good friends, and after my late husband died all my friends were calling me, all the time. Just checking up on me. He was just an old friends. We had known each other for about six years and he started calling me just like everybody else did.  But, he started calling me more than everybody else did [laughs]. We had both been through similar losses, he hadn’t lost a mate but he had lost a close friend, so we kind of bonded over that. I grieved, kind of, at him a lot. He took my grief, I had a lot of grief left, and he just took it and listened and accepted it and was so understanding and let me talk about my late husband all the time. We still talk about him a lot, and he’s totally fine with it. He says that, that made me who he fell in love with and he never minds if I bring anything from the past up which is just really sweet. I was shocked, I remember when I first realized that I was having feelings. I just thought, OK, this is so weird.  What is this?  I haven’t felt this in a long, long, time. This is weird. But, eventually I allowed myself and it’s been the most beautiful gift of my life. It pulled me out of the deepest hole that I’ve ever been in and healed me.”

    Audio / Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook had a chemistry performing together, but it wasn’t until they each found themselves single…at the same time…that sparks flew romantically. The pair, who wed in 2006, have a son, Elijah.

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    Little Big Town (Jimi & Karen fell in love) OC: (Kimberly) …to be together. :48

    JIMI: “We were in the band a long time before there was ever anything which is interesting. I think there was always something underlying there that we were kind of trying to ignore. And then when the opportunity came, when all of us, ended up single kind of at the same time, a very strange turn of events for the band in a lot of different ways. And those feelings, you were able to come out with them finally. It was like, we’re single. Let’s get together. And, you know, she has a beautiful heart and she’s absolutely gorgeous and I just love her dearly.”

    PHILLIP: “Get a room!” [laughs]

    KIMBERLY: “They’re a perfect match. They really are. They were meant to be together.”

    Audio / LITTLE BIG TOWN’S PHILLIP SWEET WAS READY FOR LOVE WHEN HE MET REBECCA, HIS WIFE SINCE 2007.

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    Little Big Town (Phillip – reasons fell in love) OC: …real love. :17
    “I think everything that I had gone through before had prepared me to be ready to see that there was genuine love there for me, and my Rebecca.  So, it was just a great time, I wouldn’t have been ready before I met her…Now it’s just been a really great journey to heal through the past and to know real love.”

    Audio / LUKE BRYAN TALKS ABOUT MARRYING CAROLINE, HIS COLLEGE SWEETHEART.

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    Luke Bryan (married college sweetheart) OC: …married. :27
    ”I married my college sweetheart. We dated back in college and broke up for nearly six years, and while I was off doing my Nashville stuff and touring and writing songs, she was finishing getting her career kind of going. Man, we just kinda bumped into each other one night, and it was like bam, here we are married.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan talks about his favorite love song.

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    Luke Bryan (love song with Caroline) OC: …That’s it! :11
    “Caroline and I, we had a love song in college. It was Lenny Kravitz’ [starts singing] ‘I just can’t get you off of my mind.’ That’s it!”

    Audio / Maddie & Tae’s Taylor Kerr talks about her husband, songwriter Josh Kerr. The pair are just about to celebrate their fourth anniversary as a married couple (they got married February 21st, 2020).

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    Maddie & Tae (Tae talking about husband Josh) OC: …that way, you know? :45
    “From the moment I met Josh, he never shied away from sharing what’s on his heart. For me, sharing what’s on my heart is sometimes hard, but he always created the environment and dynamic of it’s totally normal to open up and let people to see that side of you. And so, the more we spent time together, the more I kind of adopted that mindset of like, ‘Okay, I can be vulnerable. I can take risks. I can put myself out there and maybe get rejected, but maybe it could be awesome.’ Our relationship is that to a T. I was skeptical at first and I was scared, and he was scared. And we both just, we went all in, and I felt so safe to go there with him and he’s always made me feel that way, you know?”

    Audio / Travis Denning wrote two songs about his now-wife Madison Montgomery and released them ahead of their wedding last year – “Second Best Thing” and “New Year’s Kiss.”

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    Travis Denning (writing 2 songs for Madison) OC: …that way. :40
    “I had the title ‘Second Best Thing’ I think right when me and Madison started dating and really started getting serious. It’s funny to look back that I wrote a song about getting married that early in our relationship, but for as creepy as that might sound (laughs), I mean, it’s just the truth. I knew really fast that we were going to spend the rest of our life together, and then I later wrote ‘New Year’s Kiss’ just recalling that kind of initial moment that I knew we’d probably end up being more than just friends. I recorded them a while ago and have just been holding on for the right moment to put them out, and I wanted this to kind of feel like a gift to her, and I hope it comes off that way.”

  • SUPER BOWL 2024

    This Sunday (February 11th), millions of people around the world, including some of your favorite country stars, will be tuning in to the Super Bowl (the Big Game) as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers.

    Check out all the action from the Big Game from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on CBS with the kickoff scheduled at 6:30pm ET/5:30pm CT. Make sure to tune in early to catch Reba McEntire performing the National Anthem, as well as Post Malone performing “America the Beautiful” and Andra Day singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

    Chris Stapleton performed a critically-acclaimed version of the National Anthem at last year’s Super Bowl. He posted an encouraging note to those involved in Sunday’s (February 11th) Big Game. He wrote, “Singing the National Anthem at last year’s Super Bowl was a career highlight. Best of luck to all the players, staff, coaches & performers taking the field this weekend.” He tagged Reba, Post Malone and Andra Day.

     

     

    Audio / BILLY CURRINGTON SAYS HE LOVES WATCHING FOOTBALL.

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    Billy Currington (football fan) OC: …love football. :36
    “I’m a big football fan. I mean, when I was growing up, if you asked me who my favorite team is now, I couldn’t tell you. But when I was a kid, it was the Dallas Cowboys. And I don’t know if it was because my mom bought my brother a Pittsburgh Steelers pennant, for some reason, and bought me a Dallas Cowboys pennant, and of course over the year I fell in love with the Cowboys, and then I wanted a jersey the next Christmas, and then the next one, I wanted [more Cowboys stuff]. So, I became a long-term fan with those guys. But I like it all now that I’m older. I’ll watch any game; it doesn’t matter who’s playing. But [I] love football.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood loves football and loves being a part of Sunday Night Football.

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    Carrie Underwood (loves being a part of SNF) OC: …my whole life. :54
    “I love being the voice of Sunday Night Football because I grew up watching football…from birth. I’m from Oklahoma – we’re a football state. It’s just a part of the country that everybody has their teams and there’s such an energy about it. We would drive down to Dallas and watch the Cowboys play whenever we could. There’s just something about being at a live sporting event or watching it on TV. You have your favorites. They have their rivals. There’s an excitement to it that really, it’s unlike anything else, so being a small part of that is absolutely amazing. It’s been so wonderful working with everybody at SNF, and I count myself very lucky and very blessed that I get to be a small part of something that I’ve loved my whole life.”

    Audio / IS A HUGE FOOTBALL FAN, AS EVERYONE PROBABLY KNOWS BY NOW, AND HE EXPLAINS WHY HE LOVES FOOTBALL SO MUCH. SIDENOTE: HE’S A HUGE MIAMI DOLPHINS FAN, AND WORD HAS IT, JUST TO BE ABLE TO MEET THEN DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK, DAN MARINO, HE ASKED HIM TO BE IN A HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH VIDEO FOR “ONLY WANNA BE WITH YOU.”

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    Darius Rucker (football) OC: …football season. :20
    “Ever since I was five years old, I’ve loved football, and I love how physical it is. I love the chess match of the game. I love the speed of the game. I love college football, but for me watching pro football is better because the speed is so much more. For me, there’s two times a year, man — football season and waiting for football season.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley says having two daughters who are big Taylor Swift fans has allowed him to stay in the house to watch all of the football games he wants.

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    Dierks Bentley (Super Bowl 2024) OC: …Santa Tracker. :50
    “I have been watching every single playoff game. It’s the great thing. In my house is the Kansas City Chiefs because my daughters love Taylor (Swift). Any dad out there that has daughters knows what I’m talking about. She has made football much easier to watch at my house. Everybody’s down with it now, so I’ve been able to watch a lot of playoff games with my family, which is amazing. I’m not out there in the garage. I’m allowed to be in the main part of the house watching football, and it’s so fun. As far as the Super Bowl goes, I have no idea who’s going to win, but I’m there for the whole thing. I’m there for the pre-show concerts, the introductions, our National Anthem, the half-time show and of course, the game. It’s going to be awesome. I have no idea who’s going to win, but I just hope Taylor Swift makes her flight from Japan back to the game, because that’s what we all want to see. That’s going to be the most followed flight. It’ll be followed more than the Santa Tracker.”

    Audio / Jon Langston says his favorite team in the NFL is the Atlanta Falcons.

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    Jon Langston (Atlanta Falcons) OC: …cool place too. :17
    “Favorite team in the NFL is the Falcons. You know, growing up an hour from Atlanta, I just loved the Falcons, I guess, and going to the games and stuff. Going to the Georgia Dome was a pretty big deal, and we got to play there in high school and stuff, and it’s sad to see that it’s gone, but Mercedes Benz is a pretty cool place too.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi has been a fan of the San Francisco 49ers since he was a little boy.

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    Jon Pardi (football) OC: …two great teams. :12
    “I grew up playing football and it was always the 9ers, you know? Like we looked up to those guys. I looked up to the 49ers. It was like our local team, and I guess I just never lost that spark from when they went to the Super Bowl.”

    Audio / KEITH URBAN SAYS HIS WIFE, NICOLE KIDMAN, GOT HIM INTERESTED IN FOOTBALL.

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    Keith (Nicole and football) OC: …new to me. :04

    “She’s a big NFL fan, and she sort of turned me on to it.”

    Audio / From the last time the Kansas City Chiefs squared off against the San Francisco 49ers, Little Big Town's Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet gave their thoughts.

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    LBT (Super Bowl 2020) OC: (Phillip) …win this game. :29
    JIMI: “This game is gonna be fun. Of course, my team is the Tennessee Titans, so I don’t have quite the heart connection that I do with these two teams. (Phillip: “I like Mahomes though.”) But I’m excited because I think it’s gonna be a great game. They match up very interestingly, and I think it’s gonna be fun to watch. I don’t think anybody’s gonna stop Mahomes, though. Shew. The 49er defense, they are for real.” PHILLIP: “If you can pick apart the 49er defense, you can win this game.”

    Audio / LITTLE BIG TOWN’S BEAUTIFUL AND TALENTED KAREN FAIRCHILD WAS A BADASS GROWING UP WHEN SHE WAS PLAYING QUARTERBACK FOR HER POWDER PUFF FOOTBALL TEAM.

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    LBT (football story) OC: …my lip. :40
    “I was the quarterback to my powder puff team. I was running the ball and I came around the corner – this was in high school – and a foreign exchange student, I think her name was Inga (KIMBERLY: “Inga.”), and I didn’t want to fumble ‘cause my brother and my dad were there, and I come from this very athletic family, so I held onto the ball. I knew I was going to go down, so I let my head hit first and I bit all the way through, but I didn’t fumble and I had a hole in my face, though. The sad thing is that it was just flag football, but I left my flags on and cleats and everything, ‘cause it looked cool, and I had blood running all down my jersey. I went to the emergency room like that, and they sewed up my lip.”

    Audio / LUKE BRYAN TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE FOOD HE LIKES TO HAVE WHILE WATCHING THE SUPER BOWL.

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    Luke Bryan (Super Bowl food) OC: …over again. :22
    “Definitely Super Bowl is like the queso, the Frito Lay scoops with the Ro-tel situation. I guess it’s like, what’s the black-eyed pea stuff too? All of that, just stuff that you can sit there and have lots of sodium, and then just, it’s like Thanksgiving all over again.”

    Audio / PRISCILLA BLOCK SAYS SUPER BOWL SUNDAY IS SO MUCH FUN.

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    Priscilla Block (Football/Super Bowl food) OC: …what happens. :23
    “I mean, I feel like the Super Bowl is like just such a fun day. I’m really excited for the half-time show. I feel like that’s usually why I’m there, is to watch the anthem and the half-time show, but yes, excited to eat all the bad things. And I’m honestly, I don’t feel pulled any way this year. I wish the (Tennessee) Titans were in it, but we’ll see what happens.”

    Audio / REBA MCENTIRE TALKS ABOUT SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT.

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    Reba McEntire (full circle moment National Anthem) OC: …they asked me. :35
    “It’s absolutely amazing coming full circle, 50 years after being discovered by Red Steagall me singing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. That was in 1974. Little did I know, I had no idea 50 years I’d be singing (laughs) the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl. Omigosh. I don’t even have the imagination to say that I would be doing something like this. I’m absolutely thrilled to pieces that they asked me.”

    Audio / REBA MCENTIRE TALKS ABOUT HER EARLY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOTBALL.

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    Reba McEntire (football fan) OC: …at the Super Bowl. :42
    “I’ve always liked football, even in high school. As the Singing McEntires and being a part of the Kiowa High School Cowboy Band in Kiowa, Oklahoma where I went to school for 12 years, we were part of the half-time entertainment there at the school. We’d pull the trailer out and we’d play at half-time for our football games, and then my boyfriend, Rex Linn, absolutely loves college football. I really get into that, and I cheer for the Longhorns in Austin, Texas. And now getting to sing at the Super Bowl, I think Rex was more excited than I was, if that’s at all possible. I’m a huge, a huge fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, so I will be cheering them on at the Super Bowl.”

    Audio / Since she's performing at this year's Super Bowl, Reba McEntire gives her suggestions for some snacks you can make for your own Big Game celebration.

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    Reba McEntire (Super Bowl snacks) OC: …gonna be great. :30
    “Omigosh, wouldn’t it be neat if we could cook up some recipes out of my Not That Fancy book and you know, like the ranch dressing from Reba’s Place, that’s my restaurant in Atoka, Oklahoma, with chicken tenders and the beer cheese dip? Okay, if y’all don’t know what I’m talking about, get online and get the Not That Fancy book. It’s pretty cool, lots of pictures and what it’s supposed to look like when you get through making it. That’s gonna be great.”

    Audio / SAM HUNT LOVES THAT THE SUPER BOWL MIXES HIS TWO LOVES – MUSIC AND FOOTBALL.

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    Sam Hunt (Super Bowl & music) OC: …combined there. :24
    “It’s become such a massive pop culture event, and I love that they’ve incorporated music and entertainment with the sport itself and the entertainment value that comes from that. It encompasses just a strong representation of American culture, and I’m a huge music fan, obviously, and I’m a huge sports fan, so those are two of my favorite worlds combined there.”

    Audio / SAM HUNT, A FORMER UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM QUARTERBACK, WAS INSPIRED BY RETIRED INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AND DENVER BRONCOS QUARTERBACK AND NFL HALL OF FAMER PEYTON MANNING WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

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    Sam Hunt (Peyton Manning) OC: …with music. :39
    “When I was in high school, I went to a camp called the Manning Academy, and it’s a quarterback camp down in Louisiana. And I got to spend some time with Peyton and Eli, and they have another brother [Cooper]. I’ve followed [Peyton’s] career for a long time,” he says. “Actually, a couple of years ago, I was at a concert of Kenny Chesney’s in Denver, and I was standing there side stage and Jake Owen was there. He had opened up for [Kenny], and I’ve been a friend of his for a little while, and he turned and introduced me to the guy behind us, who I wasn’t aware of at the time, but it turned out to be Peyton Manning. He was just a really nice guy, and it was just pretty cool to be on the stage with two people who inspired me in two different arenas, with Peyton with football and Kenny with music.”

    Audio / Travis Denning predicts the Kansas City Chiefs will win the Super Bowl.

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    Travis Denning (Super Bowl 2024) 1 OC: …very clutch. :13
    “I believe the Kansas City Chiefs are gonna win the Super Bowl. I just think Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the post season are just built different. They’ve been there before. They’re just used to it. I think they’re very clutch.”

    Audio / Travis Denning says he's looking forward to seeing Taylor Swift at this year's Super Bowl.

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    Travis Denning (Super Bowl 2024) 2 OC: …love story. :09
    “Honestly, I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing Taylor Swift in the crowd. I think it’s been awesome this year to see her. Her and Travis Kelce’s just got an All-American love story.”

    Audio / Travis Denning reveals his go-to Super Bowl snack.

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    Travis Denning (go-to Super Bowl snack) OC: …other pick. :05
    “My go-to Super Bowl snack is buffalo chicken dip, obviously. There’s no other pick.”

    Audio / Travis Denning gives his thoughts on singing the National Anthem.

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    Travis Denning (National Anthem) OC: …your life. :27
    “The National Anthem, I think, is one of the hardest songs to sing that we sing regularly in this country. It’s essentially two very full octave ranges and every note matters. It has to be powerful. It takes an amazing singer to sing it. And the other thing that’s hard about is if you sing it great, everybody goes ‘that was cool,’ and then they forget about it two minutes later, and if you mess it up, they remember it for the rest of your life.”

     

  • VALENTINE’S DAY LINERS 2024

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Billy Currington. Hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

     

    Audio / LINER Brad Paisley (Valentine's Day)

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    “Hey everybody, it’s Brad Paisley. In the words of the late, great Buck Owens, ‘Love’s Gonna Live Here.’ Happy Valentine’s Day.”

     

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, this is T.J., and I’m John, and we’re Brothers Osborne. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Bryce Leatherwood (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Bryce Leatherwood. Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all. All the love in the world.”

    Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! I’m Carrie Underwood, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day. Send me some chocolate.”

    Audio / LINER Catie Offerman (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey everybody, this is Catie Offerman, wishing you all a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Caylee Hammack (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all! This is Caylee Hammack, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Dalton Dover (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, I’m Dalton Dover – for all the lovers out there, I’m wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Darius Rucker (Valentine’s Day)

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    “What’s up y’all? This is Darius Rucker, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, it’s Dierks Bentley, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Church (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Eric Church, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER George Strait (Valentine’s Day)

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    “This is George Strait, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! It’s Jon Pardi, and I hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jordan Davis (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! It’s Jordan Davis, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Josh Ross (Valentine's Day)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Josh Ross, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

     

    Audio / LINER Josh Turner (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Josh Turner, and I want to wish you and your sweetheart a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Kacey Musgraves (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Kacey Musgraves, and I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Valentine’s Day) 1

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    “Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. This is Keith Urban.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Valentine's Day)

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    “Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. This is Keith Urban. Make the day special for your ‘Once in a Lifetime’ love.”

    Audio / LINER Kylie Morgan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, this is Kylie Morgan, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER LBT (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! We’re Little Big Town. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Luke Bryan. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Valentine’s Day) 2

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    “Hey y’all. It’s Luke Bryan. Happy Valentine’s Day. Make sweet love to your other.”

    Audio / LINER Parker McCollum (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey everybody. I’m Parker McCollum, wishing all the lovers out there a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Priscilla Block (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, this is Priscilla Block wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Reba McEntire (Valentine’s Day) 1

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    “Hey everybody, this is Reba McEntire, wishing you and your sweetheart a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Reba McEntire (Valentine’s Day) 2

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    “Hey everybody, this is Reba McEntire, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Sam Hunt (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Sam Hunt, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Shania Twain (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Shania Twain. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER The War And Treaty (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey everybody, I’m Michael and I’m Tanya, and we’re The War And Treaty, and Happy Valentine’s Day.”

     

    Audio / LINER Tyler Hubbard (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, it’s Tyler Hubbard, wishing y’all a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

     

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Kacey Musgraves, Carrie Underwood, The War And Treaty

    Kacey Musgraves will release her cover of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” at midnight on Thursday (January 25th). The song is from the upcoming Bob Marley: One Love EP, which will accompany the new movie of the same name on February 14th. The EP will also feature covers from Leon Bridges, Daniel Caesar, Wizkid, Jessie Revez, Bloody Civilian and Skip Marley (grandson of Bob Marley).

    Carrie Underwood was just announced as the first female headliner for the 2024 Concert For Legends. The 8-time GRAMMY Award winner will take the stage August 4th in Canton, Ohio at the Hall of Fame Village. Tickets go on sale beginning January 29th at hofvillage.com.

     

    The War And Treaty (Michael and Tanya Trotter) teamed up with Wilder Woods on his song, “Be Yourself.” The husband-wife duo are up for a pair of GRAMMY Awards, including the overall Best New Artist and Best Americana Roots Song for “Blank Page.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS 2024: Nominees include Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves and Shania Twain.

    Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, Shania Twain and many others have been nominated for a People’s Choice Award.

    Carrie and Shania are up for The Female Country Artist of the Year, while Chris is nominated for The Male Country Artist of the Year. Kacey has a nod with Zach Bryan in The Collaboration Song of the Year for “I Remember Everything.”

    In other news, Taylor Swift is nominated for a pair of awards, including The Female Artist of the Year and The Concert Tour of the Year for her record-breaking ERAS Tour.

    The 2024 People’s Choice Awards will air live from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on NBC, Peacock and E! on Sunday, February 18th at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.

     

    MUSIC:

    THE FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
    Beyoncé
    Doja Cat
    Karol G
    Lainey Wilson
    Miley Cyrus
    Nicki Minaj
    Olivia Rodrigo
    Taylor Swift

    THE MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
    Bad Bunny
    Drake
    Jack Harlow
    Jung Kook
    Luke Combs
    Morgan Wallen
    Post Malone
    The Weeknd

    THE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST OF THE YEAR
    Ashley McBryde
    Carly Pearce
    Carrie Underwood
    Gabby Barrett
    Kelsea Ballerini
    Lainey Wilson
    Megan Moroney
    Shania Twain

    THE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST OF THE YEAR
    Chris Stapleton
    Cody Johnson
    HARDY
    Jelly Roll
    Kane Brown
    Luke Combs
    Morgan Wallen
    Zach Bryan

    THE NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
    Coi Leray
    Ice Spice
    Jelly Roll
    Jung Kook
    Noah Kahan
    Peso Pluma
    PinkPantheress
    Stephen Sanchez

    THE GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
    Dan + Shay
    Fuerza Regida
    Grupo Frontera
    Jonas Brothers
    Old Dominion
    Paramore
    Stray Kids
    TOMORROW X TOGETHER

    THE SONG OF THE YEAR
    “Dance The Night,” Dua Lipa
    “Fast Car,” Luke Combs
    “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
    “Fukumean,” Gunna
    “greedy,” Tate McRae
    “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen
    “Paint The Town Red,” Doja Cat
    “Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo

    THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
    Endless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus
    For All The Dogs, Drake
    Gettin’ Old, Luke Combs
    Guts, Olivia Rodrigo
    Mañana Será Bonito, Karol G
    Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana, Bad Bunny
    One Thing At A Time, Morgan Wallen
    Pink Friday 2, Nicki Minaj

    THE COLLABORATION SONG OF THE YEAR
    “All My Life,” Lil Durk Feat. J. Cole
    “Barbie World,” Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice With Aqua
    “Ella Baila Sola,” Eslabon Armado X Peso Pluma
    “First Person Shooter,” Drake Feat. J. Cole
    “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan Feat. Kasey Musgraves
    “Seven,” Jung Kook Feat. Latto
    “TQG,” Karol G, Shakira
    “Un x100to,” Grupo Frontera X Bad Bunny

    THE CONCERT TOUR OF THE YEAR
    +–=÷x Tour, Ed Sheeran
    COLDPLAY MUSIC of the SPHERES WORLD TOUR
    Love On Tour, Harry Styles
    Luke Combs World Tour
    Morgan Wallen One Night At A Time World Tour
    P!nk Summer Carnival Tour
    Renaissance World Tour, Beyoncé
    TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR