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  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD, LAUREN ALAINA AND DARIUS RUCKER ADDED TO THIS YEAR’S ACM AWARDS.

    Press
    Carrie Underwood / Darius Rucker / Lauren Alaina

    Carrie Underwood has been added to the list of performers at this year’s ACM Awards, along with Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, as well as Trisha Yearwood. They join previously announced performers Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Mickey Guyton, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett with Jon Pardi, Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Riley Green,  Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Tenille Townes and Morgan Wallen.

    In celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, two-time ACM Entertainer of the Year winner and nominated again this year, Carrie will honor trailblazing female Opry members by performing a medley of songs by Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. Carrie is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year.

    Also joining the telecast’s all-star lineup are presenters Lauren Alaina, Lily Aldridge, Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black, Bobby Bones, Cam, Darius Rucker and Runaway June.

    For the first time in the show’s history, the awards will take place in Nashville, broadcasting from three iconic Country Music venues: Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe.

    The 55th ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, hosted by Keith Urban, will be broadcast September 16th (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on CBS  and will be available to stream on demand on CBS All Access.

  • LABOR DAY 2020

    Audio
    Adam Hambrick / Alan Jackson / Billy Currington / Brandon Lay / Carrie Underwood / Caylee Hammack / Darius Rucker / Dierks Bentley / Eric Church / George Strait / Jon Langston / Jon Pardi / Jordan Davis / Keith Urban / Kip Moore / Kylie Morgan / Luke Bryan / Travis Denning

    For many decades, Labor Day was seen as a day for workers to voice their complaints and discuss better working conditions and pay.

    U.S. Congress declared Labor Day a national holiday in 1894, and on Monday, September 2nd, we will once again celebrate the people in every occupation whose work and dedication make this nation great. Labor Day in the United States is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers.

    Labor Day weekend also signals the unofficial end to summer, and many of the hottest country stars are taking a look back at some of the toughest jobs they had prior to making their mark in music or their dream job now.

     

    Audio / Adam Hambrick talks about one of his summer jobs when he was growing up in Arkansas.

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    Adam Hambrick (Labor Day) OC: …that summer. :41
    “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a bad job. I don’t think I had a bad job, ‘cause I actually enjoyed this job ‘cause I was actually sitting in the air conditioning all day over the summer in Arkansas. It was very monotonous, because I was spending every summer day repairing old fallen-apart medical charts in a heart clinic in Little Rock. I would take all these photos of all these records and re-sort them page-by-page and put ‘em back in the manila folder and re-alphabetize ‘em. But I did bring my computer and watch movies while I did it, so I drank a lot of soda and watched a lot of movies that summer.”

    Audio / Alan Jackson says that working man values have always been a part of his music.

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    AJ (working people songs) OC: … appreciate that. :28
    “I’ve always written songs and recorded songs, other people’s songs, about workin’ people, and workin’, the workin’ life ’cause I mean, that’s where I’m from. I mean, I worked…I’d already had jobs and worked as a grown person before I ever even thought about bein’ in the music business, so I come from that background, and…although I hadn’t had a job in a long time (laughs), I still remember a lot about it, you know, and I remember what the lifestyle is, and I still appreciate that.”

    Audio / Billy Currington recalls some of the jobs he had before landing his record deal in 2003.

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    Billy Currington (Labor Day) OC: …record deal. :40
    “I started working like at [age] 12, landscaping. This was summer, every summers, and roofing. I started when I was about 16 roofing houses, and that was probably one of my toughest jobs because down there in South Georgia, it gets hot, so doing that every day all summer long. The pawn shop when I moved to Nashville was one of my favorites, even though it was one of my least favorites. The concrete job was my least favorite of all – six years of that, and I couldn’t take it no more. After that job, that was my turning point. Either I’m going to do something else for a living [laughs] or quit and try to really focus on music and get this record deal.”

    Audio / BRANDON LAY SAYS HE’S ALWAYS ENJOYED THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

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    Brandon Lay (Labor Day) OC: …a good one. :13
    “You know, I can’t complain too much about Labor Day, ‘cause usually doing landscaping and it had slowed down a little, but the water’s still warm enough to hit the river. I’ve gotten to spend some time out on the lake for Labor Day, so Labor Day’s a good one.”

    Audio / CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKS ABOUT THE JOBS SHE HAD GROWING UP AND HER BEST JOB -- PERFORMING FOR HER FANS.

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    Carrie Underwood (Labor Day) OC: …born to do. :59
    “I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad job. I’ve had hard jobs. I’ve had jobs that worked random hours. My first job was at a gas station, and that was a lot of fun actually. While I was working at the gas station, I took another job at a hotel down the street. There was nobody else working there. I had one day of training and then the next day I came in, and the lady that had worked there the longest and was training me just didn’t show. So, the second day at work I was now in charge ‘cause I was now the senior member that was working at the hotel. So, I feel like that one was really challenging to figure my way through it, but I did. My best job is definitely what I do now. I really like being on stage. I really like performing for people and just having fun and singing, because that’s what I feel like I was born to do.”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack says her worst job truly smelled bad.

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    Caylee Hammack (Labor Day-worst job) OC: …worst job. (laughs) :38
    “My worst job was working in a nursery, actually. I love kids so I thought I’d be really good at it, but wen you’re the new person coming in, you have to change all the diapers first. So, I was changing 45 diapers a day and it got to the point where everything smelled like baby poop. It literally drove me crazy. I would walk my dog and I would have to go to pick up her poop, and it would smell like baby poop, and I just couldn’t handle it, honestly. The smell of poop warded me away. The children were lovely, but the smell of poop lingered, and I couldn’t handle that job. That was my worst job.” (laughs)

    Audio / Darius Rucker recalls one of his worst jobs before turning to music.

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    Darius Rucker (Labor Day) OC: …pizza. :15
    “I was fifteen, and I worked at a pizza place, and the guy decided that at fifteen, that I could not only clean the floors and wash the dishes, but I also had to make pizza. So, for two months, he taught me how to make pizza.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley makes a living performing for his fans, and he can’t say enough about them.

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    Dierks Bentley (Labor Day) OC: …generosity. :26
    “Personally, the fans give me amazement. That’s the only word to really sum it up. I look out in the crowd, you know, usually see a lot of faces and fans are cheering. I know each one of these like from the road-the signs are from California…Michelle and Kayla live up in the Ohio area. They’re all, I just see them, and I’m like, ‘Wow!,’ they’re all from different regions. You know when you’re in a different region of the country and you just see certain fans. These people are way more hard core than I am, and I’m just amazed by their generosity.”

    Audio / Eric Church talks about one of his worst job.

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    Eric Church (Labor Day-odd jobs) OC: …bought at 2am. 1:27
    “I had an awful job. I’ve had a lot of awful jobs…my worst one was when I first came to Nashville. I got a job at the Shop at Home Network. I worked midnight, graveyard, midnight to eight. That was bad enough but then I would work all night, go home, shower and then I had writing appointments all day because I was trying to get a career started. I’d go write songs and get meetings just trying to get signed. And end up getting done at 3 of 4 with all of that, I’d go home, take a shower or sleep for a little bit and then I had to be at work again at midnight. So the schedule was bad enough, however, what I had to do at the job…I sold knives from midnight to 7 or 8am. And, anytime somebody calls you at 3 or 4am and needs 200 knives for $19.95, it’s automatically an alarming situation. And I just, I was young and I’d been in a lot of these people’s shoes, I had done this…I knew they were drunk. I knew what they had done. They’d just come home from the bar, flipped on Shop at Home and said, ‘You know what? I need that.’ So the reason the job didn’t last long for me is that I was maybe the worst salesmen in history because I ended up talking a lot of these people out of it, I’d say, ‘I’ll tell you what man, go to bed, call me, I’ll be here in the morning. If you get up in the morning and want these knives you call me back.’ Because I knew what was going to happen, you know. They bought 200 knives for $19.95…first of all some of these people you didn’t know whether you should call the cops. What do you need 200 knives for? Even though I’m selling them…what do you need them for? So, it was awful doing that job. And then they got rid of me because, they were like, ‘You’re the worst. I can’t believe you’re talking people out of it.’ I was like, ‘Man I know…I’ve been there.’ [laughs] I’d want some to talk me out of buying some of the stuff I’ve bought at 2am.”

    Audio / GEORGE STRAIT’S CAREER HAS SPANNED DECADES AND 60 NO. 1 HITS, BUT HE CAN RECALL HEARING ONE OF HIS SONGS ON THE RADIO AND HOW COUNTRY RADIO HAS SUPPORTED HIM.

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    George Strait (first time on radio) OC: …records I’ve put out. :26
    “I took it to a radio station in San Antonio KKYX, and a guy named Jerry King put it on and played it while I ran out to the car to listen to it on the radio. So, it’s just been relationships like that through the years that I’ve had with different people. I don’t know, they’ve just supported me so much and have been very open to the records I’ve put out.”

     

    Audio / JON LANGSTON TALKS ABOUT WORKING FOR HIS FAVORITE FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT...FOR A SHORT TIME.

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    Jon Langston (Labor Day) OC: …is the bomb. :45
    “The worst job – it wasn’t bad – I could just say growing up and stuff and in high school, I was working for my dad. It was a great job, working at the shop. One day I got tired of working for my dad. I thought it’d be smart to go work for somebody else and so I went to work at Chik-fil-a for a family friend, and I’m just not made for cooking chicken. But, I told my dad, ‘Hey, can I come back to work?’ (laughs) So, yeah, I mean, Chik-fil-a a great place to work if you’re into that kind of thing, but not me. But Chik-fil-a is m favorite fast food restaurant of all time. I mean, I will go to war for Chik-fil-a. I eat there probably three or four times a week. Chik-fil-a is the bomb.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi talks about his worst job, which was at a grocery store.

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    Jon Pardi (Labor Day) OC: …so bored! :17
    “The worst job I ever had was at Hometown Grocery Store. I didn’t want to work, I was 15, and I did not want to work at the grocery store. Bagging was fun, but they sent me down the aisles to pull up cans and turn ‘em around and face ‘em, and I would just get so bored!”

    Audio / JORDAN DAVIS TALKS ABOUT HIS WORST JOB.

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    Jordan Davis (Labor Day) OC: …worst job. :41
    “[My] worst job was probably whenever I got out of school I started working for an environmental group in Baton Rouge, and I was doing actual environmental work at first. I went to my boss probably about four months in and told him that I was going to move to Nashville and write songs. Luckily enough, he let me stay on, but I became the weedeater guy for the landscaping side of the business. I seriously weedeated eight hours a day. The only break I would get would be in-between yard to yard. So, like we would be in the car and I would try to doze off for like 10 minutes. I was covered in grass in the middle of the summer in Baton Rouge. It was awful. That was definitely the worst job.”

    Audio / KEITH URBAN TALKS ABOUT PERFORMING FOR FANS.

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    Keith Urban (Labor Day) OC: …amazing. :22
    “Seeing people connect to the music is absolutely, hands-down the biggest reward for me, especially when you go to a place you’ve never been to before and it’s all these people, I mean lots of people out there. You’ve never met a single one of ‘em and they’re singing every word, and you realize that it’s not just a pretty melody and everything, but they get the songs. It’s amazing.”

    Audio / Kip Moore recalls his worst job...ever.

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    Kip Moore (Labor Day-worst job) OC: …than that. :21
    “I’d have to say my worst job ever was laying sod in the south Georgia heat. There’s nothing than that, especially when somebody would think that you’re waiting for the next sod patch to be thrown to you and you got your back turned, and all of a sudden, that big ole piece of sod hits you right on the back. You got nowhere to clean up, and you’re just stuck with dirt on your back for the rest of the day. It doesn’t get any worse than that.”

    Audio / NEWCOMER KYLIE MORGAN SAYS BEING ON THE ROAD AND TRAVELING TO GIGS IS TRULY WHAT MAKES HER HEART HAPPY.

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    Audio / Luke Bryan talks about the different jobs he worked in and around Leesburg, Georgia, before heading to Nashville to pursue a career in music.

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    Luke Bryan (Labor Day-jobs) OC: …Nashville… 1:07
    “At age 12 thru 13, I worked at Rubos IGA Supermarket in Leesburg, GA. I worked during the summers on Monday and Tuesday. I stocked and cleaned up the produce.  They paid me under the table…I peeled off all of the brown lettuce. Let’s see, when I was 15, I was a cashier at K-Mart for two months. I worked at K-Mart for two months, and then I reverted back to Rubos because it didn’t really make sense for me to drive all the way into Albany and work for K-Mart. The benefits were great though-you’d get an hour-long on the blue light special. So I started back at Rubos, and then I quit Rubos and worked for my Dad-just awful just driving tractors through cotton all day, and spraying pesticides that eventually would turn your hair green. And then at some point, I started playing guitar. And well, after college I went back and worked for my dad and continued to spray and haul fertilizer around. And then I moved to Nashville…”

  • DARIUS RUCKER ENJOYS HITTING THE LINKS WITH HIS SON, JACK.

    Audio
    Darius Rucker

    Darius Rucker knows what people need more than ever in the summer of 2020…beer and sunshine, which just so happena to be the title of his brand new song! In “Beers and Sunshine,” he suggests turning off the TV and turning on the good times, and when Darius is looking to have a good time in the sunshine he heads to the golf course with his son, Jack.

    Golf has been a passion of Darius’ for years, and that is something he has proudly passed down to his teenage son. A round of golf is not just a chance for the two to play their favorite sport, but as anyone who has a shared interested with their kids knows, it’s an opportunity to bond, have discussions that normally wouldn’t happen and create lasting memories for both father and son. This is a tradition that the two plan to continue for the rest of their lives.

    “You know, having my son be a golfer and love it the way that he does is so amazing for me because you know we could do it for the rest of our lives. We could play from different tees and we could play together for as long as we can physically play. I just look forward to those times with him…and the times we’ve already had have been amazing.”

    He’s currently shooting up the country charts with his latest single, “Beers and Sunshine.”

     

    Audio / Darius Rucker loves the fact his son Jack enjoys his favorite past time, golfing, just as much as he does.

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    Darius Rucker (son Jack golfing) OC: …been amazing. :17
    “You know, having my son be a golfer and love it the way that he does is so amazing for me because you know we could do it for the rest of our lives. We could play from different tees and we could play together for as long as we can physically play. I just look forward to those times with him…and the times we’ve already had have been amazing.”

    Video /

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  • LABOR DAY 2020 LINERS

    Audio
    Adam Hambrick / Billy Currington / Brandon Lay / Brothers Osborne / Carrie Underwood / Caylee Hammack / Chrissy Metz / Darius Rucker / Eric Church / Jon Langston / Jon Pardi / Jordan Davis / Kacey Musgraves / Keith Urban / Kip Moore / Little Big Town / Luke Bryan / Maddie & Tae / Parker McCollum / Sam Hunt / Travis Denning

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Adam Hambrick (Labor Day)
    “Hey guys! It’s Adam Hambrick, hoping you have a Happy Labor Day weekend.”

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Billy Currington (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all! It’s Billy Currington, wishing you a very happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Brandon Lay (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all! This is Brandon Lay, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

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    LINER Brothers Osborne (Labor Day)
    This is TJ, and I’m John, and we are Brothers Osborne, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Carrie Underwood (Labor Day Weekend)
    Hey everyone! I’m Carrie Underwood, hoping you have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Caylee Hammack (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all! This is Caylee Hammack. I’m wishing you a fun and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Chrissy Metz (Labor Day)
    Hi, I’m Chrissy Metz, wishing you a work-free Labor Day Weeend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Darius Rucker (Labor Day)
    Hey! It’s Darius Rucker, and I hope you have a have a happy work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Eric Church (Labor Day)
    Hey! It’s Eric Church, and I hope you have a have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Jon Langston (Labor Day)
    Hey! I’m Jon Langston. Hope you have a Happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Jon Pardi (Labor Day weekend)
    Hey! It’s Jon Pardi, and I hope you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Jordan Davis (Labor Day)
    Hey! I’m Jordan Davis, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Kacey Musgraves (Labor Day weekend)
    Hey! It’s Kacey Musgraves, hoping you have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Keith Urban (Labor Day weekend)
    Hi everybody! This is Keith Urban, wishing you a very happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

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    LINER Kip Moore (Labor Day)
    Hey—what’s happening guys? This is Kip Moore, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER LBT (Labor Day)
    Hi! We’re Little Big Town, hoping you have a work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

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    LINER Luke Bryan (Labor Day)
    Hey! It’s Luke Bryan, and I hope you have a have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Maddie & Tae (Labor Day)
    Hey everybody! I’m Maddie, and I’m Tae, and we’re Maddie & Tae, hoping you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Sam Hunt (Labor Day)
    Hey everybody! I’m Sam Hunt. Have a great and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

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    LINER Travis Denning (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all. It’s Travis Denning, hoping you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

     

  • LUKE BRYAN AND DARIUS RUCKER WILL PERFORM TOGETHER ON THE STAGE OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY THIS SATURDAY.

    Audio
    Darius Rucker / Luke Bryan

    Country music superstar and four-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and multi-Platinum selling Grammy award winner and Opry member Darius Rucker will step into the circle together for the Grand Ole Opry’s 4,937th consecutive Saturday night broadcast Saturday, August 15. The Opry will air on Circle TV and SiriusXM as well as the Opry’s flagship home 650 WSM AM and wsmonline.com.

    As the Grand Ole Opry approaches its 95th year in the midst of a global pandemic, Opry members and special guest artists have kept the music playing from the unbroken circle and is reaching some of its largest audiences to date. The Opry has been reaching millions of fans and making new ones each week as it has logged viewers from over 100 countries worldwide who have been tuning in since shows with a live Opry House audience were paused in mid-March.

    Though Opry shows with a live Opry House audience are paused, the show will be broadcast live on Circle and Gray TV stations, DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV and other TV affiliates. Opry Live on Circle will be hosted by Bobby Bones. The livestream  on Circle All Access and YouTube channel will be guest hosted by Natalie Stovall, a member of the country trio Runaway June and host of Circle’s Southern Weekend. Opry announcer Bill Cody will be heard on 650 AM WSM and SiriusXM. Prior to the Opry Livestream at 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT, Circle Sessions: Josh Turner will air at 7:30 ET/ 6:30 p.m. on Circle All Access’ Facebook, Twitter and YouTube social channels.

    Those tuning into the Livestream on Circle All Access YouTube, Twitter and Facebook channels this Saturday can watch a Circle Sessions: Chrissy Metz at 7:30 PM ET/ 6:30 PM CT immediately prior to the Opry.

    The Opry’s paused shows without an audience since March 14 have included Opry members Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Terri Clark, Luke Combs, Dailey & Vincent, Vince Gill, Dustin Lynch, Chris Janson, Reba McEntire, Craig Morgan, the Oak Ridge Boys, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Jeannie Seely, Blake Shelton, Ricky Skaggs, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Keith Urban, Steve Wariner, Mark Wills, Trisha Yearwood and Chris Young along with special guests Lady A, Lauren Alaina, Mandy Barnett, Lee Brice, T. Graham Brown, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, Jason Crabb, Sara Evans, Amy Grant and daughters Jenny Gill and Corrina Grant Gill, Tracy Lawrence, Ashley McBryde, Chrissy Metz, Keb’ Mo’, Carly Pearce, Kellie Pickler, Michael Ray, The Scott Family, Gwen Stefani, Sam Williams, CeCe Winans, Charlie Worsham, and Brett Young.

    Audio / Luke Bryan says one of his main goals when he moved to Nasville was to play on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

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    Luke Bryan (playing the Opry goal) OC: …play your music. :36
    “When I moved to Nashville, I had a dry erase board and I wrote all these goals, and certainly writing a number 1 song, singing a number 1 song and playing the Opry were the first three. I mean, the day I got to walk onstage at the Opry is – I mean April 6th, 2007. It’s a was the day, I’m pretty sure it was April 6th, anyway. You know, I certainly moved here to have a presence there and to be able to call up the Opry and go ‘Hey, I want to come play there.’ It’s so amazing that they say, ‘Come on, Luke. Come play your music.’”

  • LUKE BRYAN AND DARIUS RUCKER PERFORM ON THE GRAND OLE OPRY.

    Press
    Darius Rucker / Luke Bryan

    Country music superstar and four-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and multi-Platinum selling Grammy award winner and Opry member Darius Rucker performed together tonight for the Grand Ole Opry’s 4,937th consecutive Saturday night broadcast.

    Bryan performed a few of his hits and the title track to his new album BORN HERE LIVE HERE DIE HERE as well as his recent #1 single “One Margarita.” Rucker performed “Alright,” “Wagon Wheel” and his new single “Beers and Sunshine”, and the good friends sang Brooks & Dunn’s “Neon Moon.” During the #OpryLive show, Bryan crashed a Circle Facebook Watch party, #crashcircle.

    Before the Opry, Bryan filmed a new installment of Circle Sessions: Luke Bryan that will premiere on Wednesday, August 19 beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET as part of a Circle Network takeover called Luke Bryan Lives Here. The takeover is in celebration of Bryan’s new album BORN HERE LIVE HERE DIE HERE. The half-hour episode of Circle Sessions: Luke Bryan, hosted by Nan Kelley, looks at his musical influences and how they shaped his career.

    Next Saturday, August 22, Jon Pardi, Runaway June and Pam Tillis, who will celebrate her 20th anniversary as an Opry member, will step onto the Grand Ole Opry stage at 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT for the 4,938th consecutive Saturday night broadcast.

    The shows will be broadcast live on Circle and Gray TV stations, DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV, and other TV affiliates in addition to a companion live stream on Circle All Access Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The Opry can also be heard on 650 WSM-AM, wsmonline.com, and SiriusXM. Those tuning into the Livestream on Circle All Access YouTube, Twitter and Facebook channels each Saturday can watch a Circle Sessions at 7:30 PM ET/ 6:30 PM CT immediately prior to the Opry.

    The shows will be broadcast live on Circle and Gray TV stations, DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV, and other TV affiliates in addition to a companion live stream on Circle All Access Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The Opry can also be heard on 650 WSM-AM, wsmonline.com, and SiriusXM. Those tuning into the Livestream on Circle All Access YouTube, Twitter and Facebook channels each Saturday can watch a Circle Sessions at 7:30 PM ET/ 6:30 PM CT immediately prior to the Opry.

     

  • DARIUS RUCKER WRITES & RELEASES OF-THE-MOMENT “BEERS AND SUNSHINE.”

    Press
    Darius Rucker

    In a year meant to be ‘off’ following a 2019 five-country arena sell-out Hootie & the Blowfish blockbuster tour dubbed Billboard’s “Tour of the Summer,” Darius Rucker’s 2020, like the world’s, led the Charleston, South Carolina native to working in a different way. Written via a physically distanced Zoom writing session with producer Ross Copperman and fellow songwriters Josh Osborne and J.T. Harding, Rucker’s new feel-good summer Country single, “Beers And Sunshine,” calls for slowing down to enjoy the simple things in life when the world feels out of control. Listen HERE.

    In the song described by ABC News Radio as “a ray of sunshine for fans during what’s been a tumultuous year,” Rucker sings about turning off the divisive headlines on TV and instead focusing on his preferred forms of “BS” – “beers and sunshine / bonfires and summertime / back porch nights in South Carolina.”

    “It’s certainly been a hard year so far with a lot of heaviness around us constantly,” the three-time GRAMMY award winner shared. “Like it says in the song, I don’t know how we fix any of these big, real issues that we’re facing, but while we work through this time I think it’s important that we find the silver lining where we can really enjoy the little moments and the simple joys of time spent together with friends and family.”

    Rucker also kicked off the month of August with the announcement that his latest “Darius & Friends” event has raised $255,000 and counting for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, adding to the event’s decade-plus total of more than $2 million. Fans who missed the 11th annual concert – featuring a ’90s Country theme with friends Clint Black and Tracy Lawrence – can purchase passes to re-watch the stream and continue supporting the fundraising efforts at LiveXLive.com/Darius through October 28.

    For more information, visit www.DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.

  • DARIUS RUCKER CONTINUES TO BUILD ON OVER $2 MILLION RAISED FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL WITH 11TH ANNUAL “DARIUS & FRIENDS” CONCERT.

    Audio
    Darius Rucker

    Three-time Grammy Award winner Darius Rucker continues to give back to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with the Thursday, July 30 live-streamed edition of his annual “Darius & Friends” benefit concert raising over $255,000 and adding to the event’s overall total of more than $2 million.

    “When we first started talking about this year’s concert, which usually takes place during the week of CMA Fest, I had the idea to make it a really fun night of ’90s Country,” shares Rucker. “Even though gathering in person for our normal show wasn’t possible this year, we still wanted to do as much as we could to support the great work happening at St. Jude. I’m so thankful to my friends Clint Black and Tracy Lawrence for helping that ’90s Country vision still come to life, and to the folks at LiveXLive for bringing this concert to everyone’s screens at home.”

    Broadcasting from the iconic Grand Ole Opry stage and hosted by WSM’s own Bill Cody, the event began with a moving video package from the hospital known around the globe for treating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases before Rucker kicked off the evening’s festivities with his chart-topper “Alright” and his most recent No. 1 hit “For The First Time.”

    Pausing to reflect on the impact of how St. Jude cares for families who face the heartbreaking reality of having a child diagnosed with cancer, Rucker then introduced his first guest of the evening, noting “it’s always special when you meet your heroes and they’re everything you imagined they’d be.”

    Strolling on stage to a smattering of applause from Rucker’s band, The Carolina Grey Boys, Black shared his trademark sense of humor as he remarked on the missing Opry House audience before treating fans watching at home to his new single “America (Still In Love With You)” and his chart-topping hit “A Good Run of Bad Luck.”

    Rucker then returned to the microphone to share the story of earning his first No. 1 at Country radio with “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” and followed that with yet another chart-topper in “If I Told You.” He then entertained fans with the debut performance of his forthcoming single, “Beers And Sunshine,” and “a pretty good song to be playing with everything going on right now,” his Hootie & the Blowfish smash hit “Hold My Hand.”

    Next on stage was multi-Platinum artist Lawrence, who performed his No. 1 hit “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” before inviting Rucker back to center stage. “I’ve played this song in my set for probably 14 years, so this is really special,” noted Rucker as the two joined forces on three-week No. 1 “Time Marches On.”

    Rucker then treated fans to a final solo performance with “Come Back Song” before the evening ended according to tradition, as the three artists came together for a high-energy “Wagon Wheel” singalong to close out the show.

    Throughout the successful history of “Darius & Friends,” prior guests have included Lauren Alaina, Brooks & Dunn, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Sheryl Crow, Ashley McBryde, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers and Paul Stanley of KISS, among many others.

    The annual fundraising event, made possible with support from generous sponsors CDW, Intel, PNC Bank, Cigna, Hendrix Enterprises and Delta Dental of Tennessee, helps ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

    Rucker, who will again perform live from the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, August 15 for the 4,937th consecutive Saturday night broadcast of the show, is also set to release new music with feel-good summer single “Beers And Sunshine” making a world premiere at Country radio this Thursday, August 6 and available everywhere on Friday, August 7.

    For more information, visit www.DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker. Fans can also continue to donate to St. Jude in honor of “Darius & Friends” HERE and photos from the live stream powered by LiveXLive are available HERE.

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about his Darius & Friends benefit.

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    Darius Rucker (Darius & Friends) OC: …with me. :50
    “Darius and Friends was something we started a while ago and, ten years –I think — this is our tenth year, and we started right after I went to St. Jude’s a while ago. I was the baby band on the Dierks and Brad tour. And Dierks and I went to St. Jude together to visit and it was just an amazing experience. It’s really an amazing, amazing, amazing experience, and I just really wanted to do something like I mean Nashville, we started doing Darius and Friends. And this year we were going to do a great one. We had it great, we had a bunch of ’90s artists and we were so excited. We were SO excited about it, we were gonna call it the “’90s and Cam” cause Cam was gonna come do it with us too. But it was going to be so much fun and so we wanted to do it virtual, you know. Tracy and Clint are such legends and such amazing artists and such good friends and wanted to do it with me.”

  • DARIUS RUCKER’S RECOMMENDATIONS ON SHOWS TO WATCH.

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    Darius Rucker

    Darius Rucker always seems to have great recommendations on what to binge watch on TV. His latest suggestions, especially during a worldwide pandemic, include Ozark and Peaky Blinders on Netflix and Billions on Showtime.

    “Season Three of Ozark was just, if you’re an Ozark fan, I’m not gonna spoil it for you, but the ending was just genius. I never saw it coming. It was genius,” says Darius. “Ozark is great. Peaky Blinders, great. Kill Kenny – I watch that show, and I just laugh constantly. It’s a Canadian comedy and it just kills me. Peaky Blinders – my favorite show of all time, the Peaky Blinders. It is some of the best television I’ve ever seen. Billions is friggin’ genius. The writing on that show and the acting and then you throw some music in too, you know, man, it’s such a great show. Billions is such a great show. I’m 54 now, and I think back to my childhood and what TV was like when I was a kid and three channels and now you have 72 million different apps you can watch. It’s crazy, so there’s always something crazy on TV.”

    Darius will headline the live stream of his Darius & Friends benefit concert on Thursday, July 30th at 8pm ET. The show will also feature performances from Clint Black and Tracy Lawrence. For more information, go to Live Nation’s “Live at Home” link here.

    Audio / Darius Rucker gives recommendations for binge-worthy TV shows.

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    Darius Rucker (shows to watch) OC: …on TV. :54
    “Ozark. Season Three of Ozark was just, if you’re an Ozark fan, I’m not gonna spoil it for you, but the ending was just genius. I never saw it coming. It was genius. Ozark is great. Peaky Blinders, great. Kill Kenny – I watch that show, and I just laugh constantly. It’s a Canadian comedy and it just kills me. Peaky Blinders – my favorite show of all time, the Peaky Blinders. It is some of the best television I’ve ever seen. Billions is friggin’ genius. The writing on that show and the acting and then you throw some music in too, you know, man, it’s such a great show. Billions is such a great show. I’m 54 now, and I think back to my childhood and what TV was like when I was a kid and three channels and now you have 72 million different apps you can watch. It’s crazy, so there’s always something crazy on TV.”

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  • DARIUS RUCKER APPEARED ON NBC’S TODAY SHOW.

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    Darius Rucker

    On Friday, TODAY’s Harry Smith caught up with Darius Rucker, who spoke honestly about the impact of George Floyd’s death on his children and how racism has followed him his whole life.

     

     

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