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  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD REMEMBERS FELLOW OKIE TOBY KEITH.

    Audio
    Carrie Underwood

    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.”

  • ERIC CHURCH REMEMBERS TOBY KEITH.

    Audio
    Eric Church

    Eric Church toured with Toby Keith in 2011 on the Locked & Loaded Tour, and he has a lot of stories about the Big Dog Daddy. The one he remembers most fondly is actually the first time he met him at a local Nashville bar.

    “So, I have a thousand Toby Keith stories – some I can share and some not – but my first time I met Toby, we both frequented a bar in Printer’s Alley in Nashville called The Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar,” recalls Eric. “And I remember walking in my first time and apparently some of the patrons had been harassing a bartender behind the bar and as I walked in, Toby had taken the guy harassing the patrons and had drug him by his shirt collar all the way down the bar. And as I walked in the door, the guy dropped in front of me, and I look up and there’s Toby Keith, and I kinda stuck out my hand and said, ‘Hi,’ and we met, you know. (laughs) Toby was always a guy that did things his own way, and I think of that (laughs), I think of that fondly now when I think of him. We got to be friends later and toured with him, but that’s how I met him. He laid a guy out at my feet at the Fiddle and Steel.”

    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 he had undergone radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. He was 62 years old.

     

    Audio / Eric Church recalls the moment he met Toby Keith.

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    Eric Church (Toby Keith memory) OC: …Fiddle and Steel. :52
    “So, I have a thousand Toby Keith stories – some I can share and some not – but my first time I met Toby, we both frequented a bar in Printer’s Alley in Nashville called The Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar. And I remember walking in my first time and apparently some of the patrons had been harassing a bartender behind the bar and as I walked in, Toby had taken the guy harassing the patrons and had drug him by his shirt collar all the way down the bar. And as I walked in the door, the guy dropped in front of me, and I look up and there’s Toby Keith, and I kinda stuck out my hand and said, ‘Hi,’ and we met, you know. (laughs) Toby was always a guy that did things his own way, and I think of that (laughs), I think of that fondly now when I think of him. We got to be friends later and toured with him, but that’s how I met him. He laid a guy out at my feet at the Fiddle and Steel.”

     

  • SAM WILLIAMS STUNNINGLY REIMAGINES TAMMY WYNETTE’S “‘TIL I CAN MAKE IT ON MY OWN” WITH CARTER FAITH.

    Press
    Sam Williams

    Rising Nashville stars Sam Williams and Carter Faith are adding their modern flair to a country classic for their cover of Tammy Wynette’s “‘Til I Can Make It On My Own,” out now on Mercury Records Nashville – listen HERE. Fans can also hear the heartbreakingly beautiful cover live tomorrow night at Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry.  The new song will also be featured on Williams’ upcoming project expected later this year.

     

     

    On the significance of recording the cover, Williams shares, “This release is simply surreal in several ways. My new album was completed when this idea came about and this record became the cherry on top. I have always adored Carter Faith, from her music to her style and free-spirited personality. As we became closer, it was clear we should make some music together. I think we are very much cut from similar cloth. We’re from small towns and had big dreams that led us to a city that’s hard to cut through. I believe we’re making our mark now. Tammy Wynette being the legend she is, it was an honor to reinvent her beautiful words. It’s also very heartwarming to know she lived in Hank and Audrey, my grandparents’, home for a long time. Tammy purchased their home on Franklin Road after Audrey passed. History seems to tip its hat at me nowadays and I embrace the nod. I am so excited for everyone to hear what comes this year.”

    “Recording ‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’ with Sam Williams was one of the most special moments of all time to me,” Faith says of the collaboration. “Tammy Wynette is a musical hero of mine and a major influence, and when my dear friend Sam—whose voice just hits me all the way to the heart every time I hear it—asked me to sing on a new version of this song, I was so honored and excited. I have always adored the honesty that Tammy wrote with and this song is such a beautiful example of that, heartbreaking and hopeful at the very same time. One of my favorite parts of the recording process was when we were all sitting around and getting ready before starting the session, we talked about what the song meant to us and how we wanted to honor it. More than anything, I just hope we made Tammy proud.”

    Originally released in January 1976, “‘Til I Can Make It On My Own” was Tammy Wynette’s 15th No. 1 song at Country Radio, staying on the charts for 11 weeks. The song, which Wynette deemed her favorite composition she had written, perfectly captures the devastation of the end of a relationship. Last week, Wynette was honored with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Special Merit Awards Ceremony, which praised her impact on the music industry.

    As two of Nashville’s most exciting new talents, Williams and Faith pay homage to the iconic ballad while blending it with their uniquely contemporary perspectives. The accompanying music video exemplifies their ability to mix the past and present, seamlessly combining 70s-inspired silhouettes and vintage pieces with modern touches that reflect the artists’ identities.

    Williams and Faith’s collaboration proves that although the country music scene is ever evolving, its legacy rests in extremely capable hands.

     

    About Carter Faith:
    Born and raised in North Carolina, Faith relocated to Nashville after college to pursue her dream of becoming a country musician, learning the ropes from seasoned professionals who saw her massive potential. Fast forward a few years, and Faith has solidified her place in an ever-changing country music scene with over 75 million global streams on tracks like “Wild,” “Greener Pasture” and “Already Crazy.” Her soaring vocals and authentic storytelling, paired with a delicate delivery and breezy confidence, have captivated audiences and led to stages shared with Little Big Town, Keith Urban and one of her biggest influences, Willie Nelson. She recently inked a deal with Universal Music Publishing Group, closed a sold-out show at the Ryman Auditorium and was featured in CMT’s LISTEN UP 2024 campaign highlighting rising country artists.

    About Sam Williams:
    Grandson of country pioneer Hank Williams and the son of outlaw legend Hank Jr., Sam Williams is the latest in a long line of American originals, who sings with his own singular voice and writes in his own singular style, fusing gut-wrenching honesty and plainspoken poetics with raw vulnerability and deep empathy. In 2021, Williams released his debut album, Glasshouse Children, which was a testament to his brilliant lyricism and soulful vocals and received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, Music Row, Associated Press, and so much more. In October 2022, Williams also unveiled a deluxe edition of the record, which featured “Tilted Crown,” a reflective track about navigating his legacy in life. Williams followed up his debut with a string of powerful singles in 2023, along with multiple shows at the Grand Ole Opry and show-stopping performances at Nashville’s CMA Fest and the UK’s Country 2 Country Fest. With more music coming in 2024, Sam continues to prove that he is making a legacy for himself that is completely his own.

  • ANNE WILSON’S HOMETOWN ALBUM RELEASE SHOW IN LEXINGTON, FOR NEW ALBUM REBEL, SELLS OUT DURING FAN PRESALE.

    Press
    Anne Wilson

    Anne Wilson, the PLATINUM-certified, GRAMMY-nominated artist, has seen an overwhelming surge in ticket demand for her forthcoming hometown album release show in Lexington, Ky. The one-night-only event to celebrate her upcoming album REBEL has officially sold out during exclusive fan presale. First announcing the sought-after event on Monday (2/5), Wilson will treat her hometown audience by performing REBEL in its entirety on April 21st at 7pm ET at the iconic Lexington Opera House.

    The springtime concert will find Wilson treating her hometown audience by performing REBEL in its entirety. As a co-writer on each of the album’s 16 tracks, the Ky. native teamed up with some of Music Row’s most in-demand songwriters for a revolutionary project firmly rooted in both Country and Christian music, produced by Jeff Pardo and Jonathan Smith.

    Reflecting on the upcoming event, Wilson expressed her excitement saying, “I cannot wait to share these new songs with you live from my hometown. To be releasing an album I’m so proud of is a dream in itself, but to perform it from top to bottom from the Lexington Opera House — where I spent 11 years doing ballet with the Lexington Ballet Company — will be such a full circle moment. This venue holds so many cherished memories for me, and I can’t wait to make another one with you all!”

    Wilson’s latest release, “God & Country” further highlights her “Kentucky twang and country-leaning songcraft sensibilities” (Billboard). The track beautifully encapsulates the essence of REBEL, intertwining Wilson’s commanding vocals with themes deeply rooted in her Kentucky upbringing. From church pews and Sunday morning choirs, to mud tires and Friday night lights, Wilson shares what it’s like to grow up in the heart of the heartland, boldly declaring “I’ve got a good life down here, but a better one waiting up above me.”

    ANNE WILSON LIVE ALBUM RELEASE SHOW DETAILS:

    Date: April 21, 2024

    Time: Doors 5:30 p.m. ET, Show 7:00 p.m. ET

    Venue: Lexington Opera House

    The 21-year-old songstress has been making waves with her current Country radio single, “Rain In The Rearview,” co-written with Matthew West, Jaren Johnston and Zach Kale. The transformative music video for the track exclusively debuted on CMT/Paramount Times Square billboards, CMT, CMT Music and CMT.com on Jan. 26 just days after Wilson was revealed as a member of the coveted 2024 CMT Next Women of Country class. Meanwhile, “Strong” continues to stand firm at Christian radio – reaching the Top 15 at Billboard Christian Airplay and Mediabase Audience charts and climbing each week – marking two simultaneous radio singles for the “specifically gifted” (The Tennessean) artist.

    Ever since embarking on her new journey in September with REBEL (The Beginning), praise has poured in for the groundbreaking new venture. MusicRow underscores her vocal prowess stating “she’s got the goods” while Billboard highlights her “ceiling-scraping vocal capabilities” and Holler proclaims it “clearly outlines Wilson’s new Country-leaning mission statement.”

    Adding to her list of accolades, Wilson was also tapped as one of Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch 2024, further solidifying her rising status from Music Mayhem, Pandora and more. Wilson will continue to share her new music on the road as she captivates cities nationwide as direct support on Scotty McCreery’s Cab In A Solo Tour. Come summer, Wilson will grace the stages of both Country and Christian music’s most sought after festivals such as Tortuga Festival, Big As Texas Fest, Country Concert, Alive Music Festival and Kingdom Bound. For dates and more information, visit www.annewilsonofficial.com and keep up with her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube

  • ERIC CHURCH CELEBRATES A DECADE ANNIVERSARY FOR HIS ALBUM, THE OUTSIDERS.

    Audio
    Eric Church

    Eric Church is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of his fourth studio album, The Outsiders. The original album was released February 11th, 2014 and debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 album chart and the Top Country Albums chart.

    Prior to its release, Eric described the album as “more introspective” than what folks initially thought he would release as his fourth studio album. “What I chuckled about is when (the single)  ‘The Outsiders’ came out and everybody thought it was going to be a progressive rock record, I kind of chuckled when it was happening. I mean, I enjoyed that, ‘cause I was sitting there going, ‘You’re judging it on the first song,’ and it’s probably the most introspective we’ve done,” says the North Carolina native. “To me, it shows maturity. It shows I’m not trying to figure out what people want me to be or want us to be. That’s just how it is right now, and at this stage in the career, I feel comfortable enough that to just say it or write it or sing it or play it.”

    The Outsiders Track List:

    1 The Outsiders
    2 A Man Who Was Gonna Die Young
    3 Cold One
    4 Roller Coaster Ride
    5 Talladega
    6 Broke Record
    7 Like A Wrecking Ball
    8 That’s Damn Rock & Roll
    9 Dark Side
    10 Devil, Devil (Prelude: Princess Of Darkness)
    11 Give Me Back My Hometown
    12 The Joint

     

     

    Audio / Eric Church described his album, The Outsiders, as introspective.

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    Eric Church (introspective album) OC: …or play it. :41
    “I think it’s more introspective. What I chuckled about is when ‘The Outsiders’ came out and everybody thought it was going to be a progressive rock record, I kind of chuckled when it was happening. I mean, I enjoyed that, ‘cause I was sitting there going, ‘You’re judging it on the first song,’ and it’s probably the most introspective we’ve done. I mean, you can take two or three tracks on the album that are just very real. ‘Dark Side’ is another one that’s very real and very introspective. To me, it shows maturity. It shows I’m not trying to figure out what people want me to be or want us to be. That’s just how it is right now, and at this stage in the career, I feel comfortable enough that to just say it or write it or sing it or play it.”

    Audio / Eric Church says the sequencing of the songs on The Outsiders was very important to how you hear it.

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    Eric Church (sequencing songs on the new album) OC: …made this thing. :35
    “We really think about how this record should be laid out, and this one way more than any. This way more than any, because there’s a couple moments on this album that if you take the individual song out of place and play it by itself, I don’t love it near as much as I do on the album, and the space that it gives songs in-between it. I’ve not had that before with any of the albums we’ve done. I have it at two definite times on this album where I need the song on the album, but when I hear it separate, I don’t get the same thing, and I think that’s a testament to the way we made this thing.”

     

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  • DALTON DOVER UNVEILS TAKE ME HOME: COVERS.

    Press
    Dalton Dover

    Rising country artist Dalton Dover releases Take Me Home: Covers via UMG Nashville/Mercury Records, a musical journey that pays homage to his roots while honoring some of the songs that laid the groundwork for the artist and songwriter he is today. Also out today is the official music video for “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” shot in Georgia, near Dover’s childhood home.

     

    LISTEN to Take Me Home Covers | HERE

    “My grandfather is the person that introduced me to country music. He’d play his records, and I remember thinking, ‘I want to do that. I want to tell stories and write songs that are relatable to everyone,’” shares Dover. “The songs we chose are timeless, so I wanted to stay faithful to the spirit of each one, but I loved getting to put some of my own style into it too.”

    The project includes Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High On That Mountain” with backing vocals from the 22x GRAMMY winner himself and a rousing performance of Alabama’s “Mountain Music.” The Georgia native introduced the collection with John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” with MusicRow praising, “Think again, if you think you’ve heard this oldie often enough. Dover’s slowed-down, gentle, caressing, thoughtful reading of the lyric brings a whole new dimension to the song,” as Wide Open Country observes, “By singing one we all know, Dover drew attention to his smooth twang and his innate ability to make us feel the emotions packed in every line.”

    After honing his live show with festival dates and supporting acts such as Luke Combs, Tyler Hubbard, Sam Hunt, Parker McCollum, Justin Moore and Chase Rice, Dover will join Larry Fleet on The Earned It Tour later this month ahead of his headlining Never Giving Up On That Tour kicking off in April. Tickets are on sale now at DaltonDoverOfficial.com.

    Dover is signed with United Talent Agency for worldwide booking representation in all areas, along with Sony Music Publishing Nashville in partnership with Droptine Music Publishing. For more information, visit DaltonDoverOfficial.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

     

    Dalton Dover Tour Dates: 

    Feb. 13 // Grand Ole Opry // Nashville, TN

    Feb. 15 // ETSU Martin Center for the Arts* // Johnson City, TN

    Feb. 16 // The Ritz* // Raleigh, NC

    Feb. 17 // Tabernacle* // Atlanta, GA

    Feb. 29 // Iron City Bham* // Birmingham, AL

    March 1 // The Fillmore Charlotte* // Charlotte, NC

    March 2 // The National* // Richmond, VA

    March 7 // KUZZ Class of 2024 Show at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace // Bakersfield, CA

    March 14 // Jannus Live* // St. Petersburg, FL

    March 15 // The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon* // Fort Myers, FL

    March 16 // Clewiston Sugar Festival // Clewiston, FL

    March 26 // Breland & Friends 2024 at Ryman Auditorium // Nashville, TN

    April 5 // House of Blues – Bronze Peacock // Houston, TX

    April 6 // The Lot // Mansfield, TX

    April 11 // 40 Watt Club // Athens, GA

    April 12 // The Barrelhouse Ballroom // Chattanooga, TN

    April 13 // The Open Chord // Knoxville, TN

    April 20 // Coast City Country // Vancouver, Canada

    April 26 // Terminal South // Tifton, GA

    April 27 // Capitol Theatre // Macon, GA

    June 20-22 // Country Jam // Mack, CO

    June 28 // Country Fest 2024 // Cadott, WI

    July 4 // I-105 Country Freedom Fest // Quarryville, PA

    Aug. 17 // Lasso Festival // Montreal, Quebec

     

    *Supporting Larry Fleet

     

    About Dalton Dover:
    Lauded by MusicRow as a “master country talent,” Dalton Dover’s latest release Take Me Home: Covers showcases his roots and influences growing up in Georgia. His debut radio single “Giving Up On That” via UMG Nashville/Mercury Records was the most-added track at Country Radio upon its debut with 60 first week adds and can be found on his latest EP Never Giving Up On That, featuring eight tracks including “Night To Go,” “Baby I Am,” “Hear About A Girl,” and more. Named a 2024 Tidal Artist to Watch, Pandora 2023 Artist to Watch, an Amazon Music 2023 Breakthrough Artist to Watch: Country Class and a member of CMT’s LISTEN UP 2023 Class, he will embark on his headlining Never Giving Up On That Tour in early 2024. Dover made his Grand Ole Opry debut in December 2022, followed by his international debut in 2023 at C2C: Country to Country Festival’s CMA Songwriters Series before joining Chase Rice on the Way Down Yonder Tour. This summer, Dover performed across four stages at CMA Fest, including the Nissan Stadium Platform stage and played Luke Combs’ Whiskey Jam Bootleggers Tailgate Party at Gillette Stadium in July. By the age of 16, Dover had picked up a guitar and started teaching himself to play, yet it was his grandfather who turned him on to country music and artists such as Keith Whitley, Rhett Akins, Joe Diffie and Steve Wariner. Performances at local bars soon followed along with sharing covers of some of his favorite songs on TikTok. It was there he caught the ear of producer Matt McV and A&R veteran and founder of Droptine, Jim Catino, who quickly signed Dover. His debut track “You Got a Small Town,” produced by McV, quickly garnered critical acclaim from Billboard, MusicRow, Country Now and Wide Open Country. With his debut and his follow-up “Baby I Am” earning notable playlisting, Dover was named a Spotify Hot Country 2022 Artist to Watch along with a spotlight as Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month and a nod for MusicRow’s 2022 Discovery Artist of the Year. For more information, visit DaltonDoverOfficial.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

  • VALENTINE’S DAY 2024

    Audio
    Alan Jackson / Billy Currington / Carrie Underwood / Dierks Bentley / Eric Church / George Strait / Jon Pardi / Jordan Davis / Josh Turner / Keith Urban / Kylie Morgan / Little Big Town / Luke Bryan / Maddie & Tae / Travis Denning

    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.

     

    https://twitter.com/OfficialJackson/status/1755656184797770052

    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.”

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Eric Church, Josh Ross, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, Alan Jackson

    Press
    Alan Jackson / Eric Church / Josh Ross / Kacey Musgraves / Reba McEntire

    Eric Church will perform the post-race concert on July 13th during the IndyCar Weekend taking place July 12th – 14th at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.

    Josh Ross has released a performance video for his song, “Truck Girl.”

     

    Reba McEntire just loves her Tater Tots. In fact, she and her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, have nicknames for each other: she is Tater Tot and Rex is Sugar Tot. So, Sonic Drive-In has partnered with the Queen of Country on a new combo meal, Reba’s Sweetheart Meal, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The special meal will be available beginning Monday (February 12th) at participating restaurants. The limited-edition meal, which includes a Sonic cheeseburger with everything on it, a side order of Tots and a new Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake, will be available through March 3rd.  “My boyfriend Rex and I have known each other since 1991,” she says in a press release. “After getting reacquainted in 2020 at a dinner, he found out I love tots! That started my nickname, ‘Tater Tot.’ My little sister, Susie, gave Rex the name ‘Sugar Tot.’ So now, we’re The Tots! Sugar and Tater. We both love tots, especially at SONIC! They are our absolute favorite. We even spent our most memorable Valentine’s Day dinner at SONIC and will do the same this year. We encourage others to make special Valentine’s memories at SONIC this year too! Just like Sugar and Tater.”

     

    Kacey Musgraves just announced her new album, Deeper Well, which will come out March 15th. Now she’s offering a special Zine packaging that has photos, lyrics, thoughts behind the songs and the album CD. It will be available on her website, at Barnes & Noble Bookstores and Indie record stores.

    https://twitter.com/KaceyMusgraves/status/1755818621018997206

    New merch for Deeper Well is also available.

    https://twitter.com/KaceyMusgraves/status/1755829426938630362

     

    Kacey Musgraves will appear on NBC’s TODAY Show on March 15th.

     

    Alan Jackson announced on his socials that he and his wife Denise will become grandparents for the second time later this year. His daughter Mattie and her husband Connor Smith are expecting their first child — a boy — in June. Daughter Ali gave birth to a son — Jackson Alvie Bradshaw — in 2022.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • DARIUS RUCKER PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE LATE TOBY KEITH.

    Audio
    Darius Rucker

    Darius Rucker paid tribute to Toby Keith on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday night (Feburary 6th) by performing one of his favorite Toby songs, “God Love Her.”

    He tells us that one of Toby’s gifts he left behind was great songs.

    “Toby’s a legend, you know, songwriting and just everything he did, he’s a legend. I think he left behind great songs. That’s what you want to do when you do what we do, you want to leave behind great songs and Toby definitely did that.”

    Toby Keith passed away on Monday (February 5th) after battling stomach cancer since 2021.

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about what he feels Toby Keith left behind -- great songs.

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    Darius Rucker (Toby Keith) OC: …did that. :14
    “Toby’s a legend, you know, songwriting and just everything he did, he’s a legend. I think he left behind great songs. That’s what you want to do when you do what we do, you want to leave behind great songs and Toby definitely did that.”

    Video /

  • REBA McENTIRE PREPARING TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THIS YEAR’S SUPER BOWL.

    Audio
    Reba McEntire

    Reba McEntire has been preparing to perform the National Anthem at Sunday’s (February 11th) Super Bowl. The first thought that she had when she found out she was going to do this was to decide what to wear. She got hooked up with one of her favorite designers, Ralph Lauren, who she’s never met before.

    “Well, for us to get ready to sing the National Anthem, of course we had to find out what I was going to wear,” she says. “So, (prominent fashion designer) Cristina Ehrlich, oh man, she hooked us up with Ralph Lauren to make my outfit for me to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. I have never met Ralph Lauren, and I am so excited because I’ve been a huge fan of him for many, many years and that I’m gonna get to wear a Ralph Lauren outfit, it’s oh, just so exciting. Then Adam Blackstone put the music together for me and we were gonna do it acapella, but Adam said, no, it might be better with the band, so we have that ready to go, and now, it’s just let’s get there and start singing.”

    The Country Music Hall of Famer also had a little help from her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, on getting ready for the Big Game and told the press earlier on Thursday (February 8th) some of her tips on being prepared to perform on such a huge stage. “I prepare by being prepared. I’ve been singing the National Anthem in the shower, when we get in the car,” says Reba. “Rex, my boyfriend, is a huge football fan, played all sports when he was going to school, and he’ll say, ‘Ok, sing it one more time.’ I said, ‘I think I know the words real good right now, so I’m alright.’ But just to be prepared and know that everybody’s gonna be singing it with me, that helps. If I know if they’re singing along and they’re remembering and having fun too, that’s easier on me, but just to be prepared when you walk out there.”

    The global superstar explains how honored she is to perform the National Anthem on Sunday. “I am honored beyond words to be chosen to get to sing it,” she says. “It means that I get to sing a very special song for all Americans, people all around the world, who have really worked so hard for our freedom and to give us peace, and it’s not about me. I’m the representation of this song, and I’m just honored to get to sing it. It’s a good one. I’ve been doing it for 50 years, and I’m really proud to get to sing it.”

    Check out all the action from the Big Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on CBS. The kickoff is scheduled for 6:30pm ET/5:30pm CT, but make sure to tune in early to catch Reba performing the National Anthem, as well as Post Malone performing “America the Beautiful” and Andra Day singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

    Audio / Reba McEntire reveals she will wear a Ralph Lauren outfit to perform the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.

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    Reba McEntire (preparing to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl) OC: …start singing. :43
    “Well, for us to get ready to sing the National Anthem, of course we had to find out what I was going to wear. So, (prominent fashion designer) Cristina Ehrlich, oh man, she hooked us up with Ralph Lauren to make my outfit for me to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. I have never met Ralph Lauren, and I am so excited because I’ve been a huge fan of him for many, many years and that I’m gonna get to wear a Ralph Lauren outfit, it’s oh, just so exciting. Then Adam Blackstone put the music together for me and we were gonna do it acapella, but Adam said, no, it might be better with the band, so we have that ready to go, and now, it’s just let’s get there and start singing.”

    Audio / Reba McEntire says she's honored to be chosen to sing the National Anthem at this year's Super Bowl.

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    Reba McEntire (Super Bowl press conference) OC: …to sing it. :29
    “Well, it means a lot. I haven’t sang the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. I am honored beyond words to be chosen to get to sing it. It means that I get to sing a very special song for all Americans, people all around the world, who have really worked so hard for our freedom and to give us peace, and it’s not about me. I’m the representation of this song, and I’m just honored to get to sing it. It’s a good one. I’ve been doing it for 50 years, and I’m really proud to get to sing it.”

    Audio / At today's Super Bowl press conference, Reba McEntire was asked if she had any tips for Post Malone and Andra Day for being prepared to perform on such a big stage. ****NOTE: The host of the PC laughs in a few places during the soundbite.

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    Reba McEntire (tips to prepare) OC: …walk out there. :31
    “Well, I prepare by being prepared. I’ve been singing the National Anthem in the shower, when we get in the car. Rex, my boyfriend, is a huge football fan, played all sports when he was going to school, and he’ll say, ‘Ok, sing it one more time.’ I said, ‘I think I know the words real good right now, so I’m alright.’ But just to be prepared and know that everybody’s gonna be singing it with me, that helps. If I know if they’re singing along and they’re remembering and having fun too, that’s easier on me, but just to be prepared when you walk out there.”