Dierks Bentley and Brad Paisley are among the performers for the all-star celebration, Great Performances — George Jones: Still Playin’ Possum, which is set to air Friday (February 23rd) at 9pm ET/8pm CT on PBS. Recorded last April in Huntsville, Alabama, the tribute marks the 10th anniversary of George’s passing. Jelly Roll, Justin Moore, Tracy Byrd, Sara Evans, Wynonna, Tanya Tucker, Trace Adkins, Jamey Johnson, Joe Nichols, Uncle Kracker, Travis Tritt and R&B legend Sam Moore also performed. Dierks performed “Why Baby Why,” while Brad performed the iconic hit “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
Louie TheSinger released the epic video for his song, “Brothers.” The clip features musician Chris Perez, as well as actor Joseph T. (JT) Campos (Queen of the South, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Prison Break).
Jon Pardi marked the first birthday of daughter Presley Fawn on Sunday (February 18th), showing adorable photos of her smiling, in overalls, eating birthday cake and even a video of her first steps. Jon and his wife Summer are expecting their second daughter later this year.
Today, breakout country singer-songwriter Josh Ross announces the forthcoming release of his anticipated EP,Complicated, arriving March 29. Produced by frequent collaborator Matt Geroux (“Trouble,” “Red Flags,” “On A Different Night”), Complicated is an eight-song collection representing the last couple years of Ross’ life, showcasing a next generation talent who pairs heart-on-his-sleeve storytelling with a modern country-rock edge.
Reflecting on the project, Ross shares, “Finally! I’m stoked to announce a body of work that showcases lyrically who I am as a person, and me sonically as a creative. Like a lot of country fans, I listen to all types of music. I am drawn to different sounds and production depending on what the emotion of the song calls for, and I think that comes across in this EP. Complicated represents who I’m becoming as an artist, and I’m excited for y’all to hear it March 29th.”
The EP is preceded with today’s release of his revealing piano ballad, “Matching Tattoos.”Laced with real-life detail,Ross co-wrote the track with Joe Fox, Mason Thornley, and Brad Rempel. “Matching Tattoos” follows his recent two-song pack “Single Again” and “Truck Girl”.
Ross’ lyricism delivers an emotional honesty as he sings, “I wonder where you are now / Sometimes I still think of how / We said something bout forever / but what’s that mean at 22? / Cause all that lasted are some matching tattoos.”
Of the track, Ross shares, “‘Matching Tattoos’ is very personal to me. It is a song that comes from a real experience I went through a few years ago. I wrote this song on the Nickelback tour this past year and I hope y’all can connect to the emotion of the song as much as I do.”
Complicated marks only the beginning of what is set to be a banner year for Ross, who has been named an artist to watch by Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, MusicRow and more. He is currently on his sold-out headlining ‘The Trouble Tour’ across Canada, and supporting Bailey Zimmerman’s ‘Religiously. The Tour.’ He will take the stage at high-profile festivals including Stagecoach and Country Thunder, and was recently tapped to join Luke Bryan’s ‘Mind Of A Country Boy Tour’ for select dates this summer. For tickets and a full list of tour dates, please visit www.joshrossmusic.com/#tour.
With more than 307 million global streams, Ross continues to carve out his place in Country music on both sides of the border. 2023 was marked by “Trouble” hitting No. 1 on Canadian country radio while achieving Platinum certification and led to his ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ win at the Canadian Country Music Awards. For the latest information and to learn how to join his fan club, The Roster, for first access to merch drops, new music and exclusive content, visit www.joshrossmusic.com.
Eric Church will release a special physical edition of his 2011 EP, Caldwell County, on vinyl for Record Store Day on April 20th. The 7-inch disc will feature the songs “His Kind of Money (My Kind of Love),” “My Heart’s Got a Memory,” “Faster Than My Angels Can Fly” and “Chevy Van.”
He posted the news on his Instagram stories. Vince Gill will join Blake Shelton and his own All For The Hall at the Bok Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 30th. The show will benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and will also feature performances by Ronnie Dunn, Kristen Chenoweth, Wade Hayes and The Swon Brothers.
Josh Turner will be on hand to help induct Scotty McCreery into the Grand Ole Opry on April 20th. Scotty got his start during Season 10 of American Idol, and he auditioned by singing Josh Turner’s hit, “Your Man.”
Mickey Guyton is attending New York Fashion Week for the first time. She was invited by famed fashion designer Michael Kors. In her Instagram posts, she’s wearing a beautiful, above-the-knee white dress by Kors.
Tyler Hubbard continues to show his distinction as a writer and artist on his sophomore album Strong out April 12 via EMI Nashville. Co-produced by Hubbard alongside Jordan Schmidt, the Georgia native’s 13-track album is a reflection of Hubbard’s unique ability to epitomize his passion for life and love.
The 21x No. 1 hitmaker wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on Strong. Constructed both lyrically and sonically to emote a sense of thrill and fun, the tracks range from previously released “Back Then Right Now” and “Turn” to “Wish You Would,” which dropped today.
Throughout the album, Strong embodies a distinct variety of both sonic and geographical-driven influences. Songs like “Vegas” stamp the vulnerability of love at first sight, while “American Mellencamp” is pure, heartfelt fun. “Take Me Back” and “Park” offer unique views of hometown reminiscence, while “‘73 Beetle” is an ode to fatherhood, family and dream-filled aspirations. The title track “Strong” culminates Hubbard’s sophomore album both lyrically and symbolically as an ode to long-lasting, healthy and binding relationships that keep life moving forward.
Hubbard’s current single “Back Then Right Now” is currently Top 15 and climbing at Country radio. It follows RIAA 2x Platinum No. 1 single “Dancin’ In The Country” and RIAA Platinum No. 1 single “5 Foot 9” – both from his debut solo album Tyler Hubbard, which has garnered more than 1 billion streams since its release in 2023.
Hubbard’s announcement comes on the heels of his nomination at the iHeartRadio Music Awards for ‘Favorite Debut Album.’ Fans can hear songs from ‘Strong’ and more when Hubbard supports Kane Brown’s In The Air Tour this year, which kicks off in March and includes stops in Toronto, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and more.
“If I look back at my life and try to see into my past, everything seems blurry. But then I lean in and start to hear something. Melodies. Chords. Harmonies. Lyrics. This book is the story of my life as told through twenty-three songs that took me away, soaring, starting at ground level, living in a poor but happy home, never wanting for much more, enjoying what I had, even when times got tough, because I had my escape, my refuge, my music.” — Darius Rucker
LIFE’S TOO SHORT: A Memoir by Darius Rucker, a raw, heartfelt memoir from the three-time Grammy Award–winning, multi-Diamond-selling lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish and country music sensation arrives May 28th via Dey Street Books.
This is the story of my life as told through 23 songs that took me away, soaring, starting at ground level, living in a poor but happy home, never wanting for more, enjoying what I had, even when times got tough, because I had my escape, my music. Read more from @people below! https://t.co/uEDiG09pMb
Raised by a single mother in Charleston, South Carolina, Rucker co-founded Hootie & the Blowfish with three classmates at the University of South Carolina in 1986. What began as a party band playing frat houses and dive bars quickly became a global rock pop phenomenon through their Double Diamond-certified debut album Cracked Rear View, featuring the era-defining hit songs “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Let Her Cry” and “Hold My Hand.” Rucker has since also charted a pioneering path as a solo Country music artist, with Diamond-certified hit “Wagon Wheel” plus timeless anthems such as “Alright” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” while sharing the stage and a mic with the likes of David Crosby, Al Green, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Adele, Taylor Swift, and more.
Now multiple decades into his illustrious career, Rucker tells the story of his life through the lens of the music that made him, including songs by everyone from Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder to R.E.M., KISS, Prince and, of course, his own music with Hootie and as a solo artist. He recounts the unlikely ascent of his band and wild tales of his road-hardened life—one filled with stumbles, missteps and battles with demons, but ultimately resulting in triumph. Candid, entertaining, and moving, LIFE’S TOO SHORT is a classic story of a man and his music.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR Darius Rucker is a three-time GRAMMY award-winning American singer, guitarist and songwriter. He first achieved multi-Platinum status as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Hootie & the Blowfish, selling more than 25 million albums worldwide, including their Double-Diamond-certified debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 bestselling studio albums of all time. Since the release of his first Country album in 2008 via Capitol Records Nashville, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Country chart plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio including Diamond-certified hit “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top 10 Country songs of all time. Annually, Rucker lends his time and voice to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, MUSC, the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation and others to raise money for charitable causes close to his heart.
Audio / Darius Rucker talks about releasing his memoir.
Darius Rucker (book) OC: …from it. :18
“I was pretty honest in this book, maybe a little too honest, so…You know what? It was time. Somebody asked me if I wanted to write a book and my kids are all adults now, and it just seems like it was a good time to write a book, and I hope people enjoy it. I hope people learn a little bit about me from it.”
During Keith Urban‘s early career, he got the chance to be the opening act on Brooks & Dunn‘s Neon Circus Tour, which also featured Montgomery Gentry on the bill, as well as Toby Keith. He loved being out on the road with those guys, and he recalls riding Toby’s tour bus when they had to make an urgent pit stop at 2am at one point.
“The Neon Circus Tour with Brooks & Dunn – I was the opening, opening, opening act going on at, I don’t know, four in the afternoon (laughs) and you know playing my 20-minute set, and then Montgomery Gentry came out and played a set and then Toby came out and then Kix and Ronnie came out and killed it,” recalls Keith. “It was an amazing tour. I have a lot of stories from that tour. I rode on Toby’s tour bus on his 40th birthday, which was surreal, and there we are rolling down some interstate and he gets hungry at two in the morning, so we pull in to a Steak ‘n Shake, sat in the booth and ordered Steak ‘n Shake.”
The entire tour lineup decided to make after-show stops at local bars and take over for the house band.
“We would always do it unannounced, and it would be almost all of us – Montgomery Gentry, me, Toby, Kix and Ronnie, when they finished, we’d all end up there playing,” says Keith. “It was amazing because some of the clubs would only have six people in them because everybody’s at the concert. These people couldn’t go to the concert, so we show up, jump up and start started playing songs and then the club would fill up. And then people would have you signing all their shirts and stuff like that, and for whatever reason, I thought, ‘I’m just gonna sign Keith instead of both of my names. It’ll cut my signing time in half.’ So, I’m writing Keith (laughs) on all these shirts, and then at the end of the night, I noticed these people whose shirts are signed, and it’s like, it’s got more writing on it. And I went over and looked. Toby just started writing his name first, but he put it right in front of mine. (laughs) So, he got a full signature, and I got nothing.”
Toby Keith passed away February 5th from his battle with stomach cancer. He was 62 years old.
Audio / Keith Urban recalls being on the Brooks & Dunn Neon Circus Tour with Toby Keith and stopping for a late-night snack.
Keith Urban (Toby Keith) 1 OC: …Steak ‘n Shake. :35 “The Neon Circus Tour with Brooks & Dunn – I was the opening, opening, opening act going on at, I don’t know, four in the afternoon (laughs) and you know playing my 20-minute set, and then Montgomery Gentry came out and played a set and then Toby came out and then Kix and Ronnie came out and killed it. It was an amazing tour. I have a lot of stories from that tour. I rode on Toby’s tour bus on his 40th birthday, which was surreal, and there we are rolling down some interstate and he gets hungry at two in the morning, so we pull in to a Steak ‘n Shake, sat in the booth and ordered Steak ‘n Shake.”
Audio / Keith Urban recalls a funny story about Toby Keith when he went on tour with him on Brooks & Dunn's Neon Circus Tour.
Keith Urban (Toby Keith) 2 OC: …I got nothing. 1:19
“On that tour, we started getting into the habit when we would come off stage, we would find the local honkytonk where there was a country music band playing, and we would organize all our buses to go to that line dance bar or whatever it was, and then we would get up and just take over for the house band. We would always do it unannounced, and it would be almost all of us – Montgomery Gentry, me, Toby Kix and Ronnie, when they finished, we’d all end up there playing. It was amazing because some of the clubs would only have six people in them because everybody’s at the concert. These people couldn’t go to the concert, so we show up, jump up and start started playing songs and then the club would fill up. And then people would have you signing all their shirts and stuff like that, and for whatever reason, I thought, ‘I’m just gonna sign Keith instead of both of my names. It’ll cut my signing time in half.’ So, I’m writing Keith (laughs) on all these shirts, and then at the end of the night, I noticed these people whose shirts are signed, and it’s like, it’s got more writing on it. And I went over and looked. Toby just started writing his name first, but he put it right in front of mine. (laughs) So, he got a full signature, and I got nothing.”
Parker McCollum and his wife Hallie Ray Light revealed the gender of their first child on socials this week. The slow-mo video shows the couple walking and holding a baby pair of cowboy boots between them. Hallie Ray wrote in the combined post on Instagram, “Baby BOY McCollum!
we love you, little cowboy.”
Parker responded by throwing out several baby names for his wife and mother-to-be to choose. “Keaton Cadillac McCollum
King Cowboy McCollum
Yancey Tyler McCollum
Walker Yancey McCollum
Major Yancey McCollum
Pick from those when you get a chance Hallie will ya?”
Parker is sitting inside the Top 10 on the country charts with his latest single, “Burn It Down.”
Dierks Bentley has announced over 30 new dates for his summer GRAVEL & GOLD TOUR, Presented By Jersey Mike’s, with Chase Rice and Lee Brice for direct support and a diverse lineup of special guests including Graham Barham, Tyler Braden, Kaitlin Butts, Mae Estes, Ella Langley, Randy Rogers Band, Zach Top, Tanner Usrey, Bella White and more. Produced by Live Nation, tickets will begin to go on sale this Friday (February 16th) at 10am local time at Dierks.com.
“The Gravel & Gold tour has been the best of my career, and I’m not ready to leave it behind,” explains Bentley. “We are so locked in with this production that it allows me to be living right in the moment with the fans, and that’s the magic! I’m bringing along some old friends and some newer artists who are all putting their own unique spin on country, bluegrass and Americana music. I can’t wait to watch their shows and hopefully sing with them too. Those collaborations are a highlight of my summer every year.”
GRAVEL & GOLD TOUR 2024 Dates: 6/07 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena *
6/08 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP *
6/13 – Toledo, OH – The Huntington Center *
6/14 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center *
6/15 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center ^
6/27 – Lafayette, LA – CAJUNDOME*<
6/28 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater*
7/18 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC *
7/19 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain *
7/20 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater +
8/04 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
8/08 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion *’
8/09 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center *
8/10 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena *
8/15 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion *
8/16 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview*
8/17 – Camden, NJ- Freedom Mortgage Pavilion *
8/22 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL*
8/23 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center *
8/24 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center *
8/29 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater *
8/30 – Colorado Springs, CO – Sunset Amphitheater *’
8/31 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *\9/06 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre *
9/07 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena *
9/12 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park ^
9/13 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium ^
9/14 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park^
9/19 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena * >
9/20 – Moline, IL – Vibrant Arena *
9/21 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater^
* Chase Rice + Check Local Listings
^ Lee Brice + Check Local Listings
+ On sale to be announced
> On sale March 1st
< On sale March 8th
‘ Not a Live Nation Date
Dierks Bentley released his tenth studio album Gravel & Gold in 2023, again “proving why he’s one of Country’s biggest stars” (TODAY) whose unique 21st-century career has had a rare consistency fueled by longevity. He landed his first publishing deal in 2001 and released his debut album in 2003, producing an instant number one single. In the two decades since, Bentley has achieved success with eight more albums that reached the top of the Country sales charts, resulting in 22 number one songs, eight billion streams, three CMA Awards, 15 GRAMMY® nominations and membership into the Grand Ole Opry. Trendy sounds have ebbed and flowed around him over these two decades, but Bentley “has been a mainstay on the country charts since releasing his debut single ‘What Was I Thinkin’ nearly 20 years ago” (Forbes). He also has created professional endeavors outside of music with his Flag & Anthem lifestyle collection Desert Son, along with his four “Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row” locations. For more information, visit www.Dierks.com.
Audio / Dierks Bentley is excited about hitting the road with his Gravel & Gold 2024 Tour.
Dierks Bentley (Gravel & Gold 2024 Tour) 1 OC: …to the tour. :17 “Getting ready to get back out on the road. Yeah, it’s so fun. The Gravel & Gold, the 2024 edition of the tour, so excited. A lot of things are the same set-wise. I just loved our set so much, and I could tell the fans really enjoyed the way the show looked and felt, so some of the bigger pieces are staying in place, but yeah, new songs coming to the tour.”
Audio / Dierks Bentley talks about some of the opening acts on his 2024 Gravel & Gold Tour.
Dierks Bentley (Gravel & Gold Tour 2024) 2 OC: …Gravel & Gold Tour. :50 “A big part of our tour is just who we’re touring with and having Chase Rice out there this year as well as Lee Brice on some shows is gonna be so fun. I love these guys. They’re just such great artists. They’re so fun to be around; great songs. We’re gonna have fun on and off the stage. We also have a rotating lineup for that first slot, the third, the opening, opening slot – and Ella Langley, Tyler Braden, Randy Rogers Band – my old buddies, Randy Rogers Band – Zach Top, who’s like Tracy Lawrence reincarnated (laughs), although Tracy Lawrence himself is still out there and hopefully will come out and do a couple of shows. But just some really great openers. I’m so excited to get back out on the road and just gearing up for it already. The band’s excited, and it’s a little while til it kicks off, but we’ve got some dates in-between until we get there. Everybody’s just so excited to get back out there on the Gravel & Gold Tour.”
Reba McEntire delivered a soaring rendition of the National Anthem prior to this year’s Super Bowl on Sunday (February 11th). Wearing a Ralph Lauren-designed outfit, which included a tan/ gold blazer, a black top with beaded fringe black pants, she also added her own personal and sentimental touches — her Daddy’s belt buckle and her mother’s bracelet.
Reba previously said her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, helped her decide to say yes to the NFL’s offer to sing the National Anthem. She followed Andra Day‘s emotional performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and Post Malone‘s stripped-down rendition of “God Bless America.”
Reba was accompanied by actor Daniel Durant(CODA, ChicagoMed), who performed the National Anthem in ASL (American Sign Language).
Reba was discovered by Red Stegall 50 years ago singing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo, and he brought her to Nashville less than a year later and helped get her signed to a major record label.
The Country Music Hall of Famer will be the fourth country artist in a row to sing the anthem. Eric Church with Jazmine Sullivan did the honors in 2021; Mickey Guyton performed the anthem in 2022; Chris Stapleton (who many are hailing as one of the best renditions since Whitney Houston in 1991) in 2023 and now Reba in 2024. Other country artists who have performed the National Anthem include Garth Brooks (1993), Faith Hill (2000), The Chicks (2003), Carrie Underwood (2010) and Luke Bryan (2017).
Reba is set to return as a coach for Season 25 of NBC’s The Voice, which is set to premiere February 26th. Coach John Legend returns with Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay (replacing Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan).
Darius Rucker was performing in Las Vegas after the Madden Bowl — and prior to the Super Bowl — for several NFL executives and members when Miami Dolphins’ Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa jumped on stage with guitar on hand to perform the multi-platinum “Wagon Wheel.”
Keith Urban will perform during this summer’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend, taking place July 6th-7th. The Black Keys and The Chainsmokers will also perform.
Mickey Guyton performed at the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration on Saturday night (February 10th). The concert special, which aired on CBS and Paramount+, brought together musical artists and NFL players to celebrate the Big Game. Robin Thicke, Kirk Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire, T-Pain and many others also performed.
Chris Stapleton and The War And Treaty join an all-star lineup for a special concert event honoring the iconic Mavis Staples. Mavis Staples 85th: All-Star Birthday Concert, which takes place April 18th at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, will also feature performances by Black Pumas, Grace Potter, Hozier, Jackson Browne, Jeff Tweedy, Keb’ Mo’, Michael McDonald, Nathaniel Rateliff, Norah Jones, Robert Randolph, Taj Mahal, plus many more to be announced. Tickets for the general public go on sale Friday (February 16th) at 10am PT at http://ticketmaster.com.
Looking forward to celebrating my friend Mavis Staples on her 85th Birthday on April 18th, 2024.
