• NEWS AND NOTES: Carrie, Jon, Mickey

    A handful of country artists will be in Las Vegas during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) next month, including Carrie Underwood who will continue her Reflection residency at Resorts World. The NFR returns to the Thomas & Mack enter December 7th – 16th for its 65th anniversary. Garth Brooks will perform seven shows at the Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace beginning November 29th. Also performing in Vegas will be Jon Pardi (December 9th), Toby Keith (December 10th and 11th), Miranda Lambert, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Ryan Bingham and more.

    Mickey Guyton has been added to the list of performers at this year’s All For The Hall benefit show next week. Hosts Keith Urban and Vince Gill will perform, as well as Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, The War And Treaty, Kelsea Ballerini, Brooks & Dunn, Riley Green and Hardy, among others. The theme for the show is “The Song Remembers When,” and each artist is expected to perform a song that is personal to them, as well as one of their own. The event takes place Tuesday (December 5th) at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

     

  • CHRISTMAS 2023: Luke Bryan

    Luke Bryan and his family have a few different traditions for Christmas, but one of the most enduring one for the Bryan family is dressing up in holiday PJs and having chili dogs on Christmas Eve.

    “We have a pajama night and we do chili dogs on Christmas Eve, and we’ve always done that,” says Luke. “My mother comes up and we go shop. She makes me go shop with her, so we have to pick out all the right stuff. We have to get the proper buns, the proper wieners. It’s very important.  All beef wieners for the chili dog cooking. It’s a ritual. So, we’re eating chili dogs in pajamas, and so it’s special anytime you can come up with fun traditions and hold true to them. Yeah, so cooking chili dogs in a onesie is pretty special.”

    Luke and his wife Caroline used to pack up the boys and the presents in his tour bus and go back to Georgia for the holidays, but as the boys have gotten older and their family has expanded, they prefer to be at home in Nashville and play host to family and friends. “We used to load ‘em up on the tour bus and we used to take them to Georgia, and it was a lot to travel with kids, and I’m sure there’s a lot of people doing the same,” he says. “And so, now that we’re in Nashville, we’ve had a lot of Christmases here, the kids are getting a little older, but they still get excited about running down the stairs Christmas morning. We tape up a bunch of, in our hallway, we tape up a bunch of wrapping paper and they kind of run through the wrapping paper like a football team to see all the presents and stuff, so it’s fun. We still have a lot of the family come up, try to plan a few hunting trips the day before Christmas and have a big Christmas Eve and let some kids open the presents, but it’s still great to be with my family during the holidays. The kids just get a little older, but we cherish every holiday season together.”

    For Luke, there’s nothing like seeing his house decorated for Christmas with the tree and lights to get him in the Christmas spirit. “I guess what gets me in the Christmas spirit is coming home and the house is decorated, and the tree is up and all the lights, all the lights are on,” he says. “The last couple of years doing American Idol, I spend about 10 days of December in L.A. taping, so when I leave L.A., get home, it’s like my time to really settle into Christmas and enjoy the holidays with family. So, yeah, nothing like seeing the tree in the house that gets you going and starting to hear Christmas carols on the radio and starting to see some of our favorite Christmas movies on TV.”

    No word on what his wife Caroline will be getting him this year, but he does say her gift a few years ago was the most meaningful — she tracked down his late brother’s truck and presented it to him one Christmas. “By far the best Christmas present I have ever gotten and will ever get was when my wife Caroline went and found my brother’s old pickup truck from 1996 that they found the VIN number and it was down in Louisiana and it was still on the road.  And her and my dad went down, they picked it up, brought it to Nashville and Christmas Eve night pulled into the driveway with it, and let’s just say that yes, the tears were flowing, and it will never be topped. I don’t know how you’ll ever top it. What an amazing moment for me and my family and it was pretty special.  And that truck is where we do our turkey hunting; it’s the turkey hunting truck. So, all my turkey hunting gear stays in there, and when the boys see me pull up in my brother’s truck, they know we’re fixing to go turkey hunting.”

    Also, one of his favorite Christmas gifts as a child had wheels and a motor, as well. “My favorite Christmas gift is definitely my first Honda 50 motorcycle that I got back in 1984. It was just an amazing gift to have under the tree, and I never will forget seeing that as I walked out.”

    While he has a couple of Christmas tunes out — “Run, Run Rudolph” and “O Holy Night” — he says his very favorite holiday tune is “White Christmas.”

    Luke is poised to climb to the top of the country charts with his latest single, “But I Got A Beer In My Hand.”


    Audio / Luke Bryan reveals his family’s Christmas tradition.

    Download

    Luke Bryan (Bryan Christmas tradition) OC: …pretty special. :41
    “We have a pajama night and we do chili dogs on Christmas Eve, and we’ve always done that.  My mother comes up and we go shop. She makes me go shop with her so we have to pick out all the right stuff. We have to get the proper buns, the proper wienersIt’s very important.  All beef wieners for the chili dog cooking. It’s a ritual. So, we’re eating chili dogs in pajamas, and so it’s special anytime you can come up with fun traditions and hold true to them. Yeah, so cooking chili dogs in a onesie is pretty special.

    Audio / As his kids get a little older, Luke Bryan talks about what happens at Christmas at the Bryan household in Nashville.

    Download

    Luke Bryan (Christmas now) OC: …season together. :51
    “Well, I think as the kids get older, we used to load ‘em up on the tour bus and we used to take them to Georgia, and it was a lot to travel with kids, and I’m sure there’s a lot of people doing the same. And so, now that we’re in Nashville, we’ve had a lot of Christmases here, the kids are getting a little older, but they still get excited about running down the stairs Christmas morning. We tape up a bunch of, in our hallway, we tape up a bunch of wrapping paper and they kind of run through the wrapping paper like a football team to see all the presents and stuff, so it’s fun. We still have a lot of the family come up, try to plan a few hunting trips the day before Christmas and have a big Christmas Eve and let some kids open the presents, but it’s still great to be with my family during the holidays. The kids just get a little older, but we cherish every holiday season together.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan explains what gets him in the Christmas spirit.

    Download

    Luke Bryan (Christmas spirit) OC: …on TV. :36
    “I guess what gets me in the Christmas spirit is coming home and the house is decorated, and the tree is up and all the lights, all the lights are on. The last couple of years doing American Idol, I spend about 10 days of December in L.A. taping, so when I leave L.A., get home, it’s like my time to really settle into Christmas and enjoy the holidays with family. So, yeah, nothing like seeing the tree in the house that gets you going and starting to hear Christmas carols on the radio and starting to see some of our favorite Christmas movies on TV.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan recalls his most meaningful Christmas present.

    Download

    Luke Bryan (Most meaningful Christmas gift) OC: …turkey hunting. :55
    “By far the best Christmas present I have ever gotten and will ever get was when my wife Caroline went and found my brother’s old pickup truck from 1996 that they found the VIN number and it was down in Louisiana and it was still on the road.  And her and my dad went down, they picked it up, brought it to Nashville and Christmas Eve night pulled into the driveway with it, and let’s just say that yes, the tears were flowing and it will never be topped. I don’t know how you’ll ever top it. What an amazing moment for me and my family and it was pretty special.  And that truck is when we do our turkey hunting; it’s the turkey hunting truck. So, all my turkey hunting gear stays in there, and when the boys see me pull up in my brother’s truck they know we’re fixing to go turkey hunting.”

    Audio / LUKE BRYAN REVEALS HIS FAVORITE CHRISTMAS GIFT AS A CHILD.

    Download

    Luke Bryan (Christmas gift) OC: …walked out. :15
    “My favorite Christmas gift is definitely my first Honda 50 motorcycle that I got back in 1984. It was just an amazing gift to have under the tree, and I never will forget seeing that as I walked out.”

    Audio / LUKE BRYAN TALKS ABOUT HIS FAVORITE PART OF CHRISTMAS.

    Download

    Luke Bryan (favorite thing about Christmas) OC: …special time. :32
    “My favorite part of the holidays obviously is watching the kids – watching the boys’ excitement for what they may or may not be getting and watching them tear open Christmas presents on Christmas morning. You got the fireplace going. You got Christmas music on the TV. You’ve got – you get up at 6am. You’re exhausted and you’ve got all your family there.  It doesn’t get any better than certainly waking up on Christmas mornings and just having that special time.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan divulges his favorite Christmas song.

    Download

    Luke Bryan (favorite Christmas song) OC: …’White Christmas.’ :03
    “Favorite Christmas song is definitely ‘White Christmas.’”

     

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  • DARIUS RUCKER TO RECEIVE STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME ON DECEMBER 4TH.

    Darius Rucker will be honored with the 2,766th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday (December 4th) at 11:30am PT at 7065 Hollywood Boulevard. He’ll receive his star in the category of Recording.

    Guest speakers for the ceremony have yet to be announced, but Access Hollywood and Access Daily with Mario + Kit Co-host Kit Hoover will emcee.

    The event will be live-streamed exclusively at walkoffame.com.

    Darius Rucker first achieved multi-Platinum status in the music industry as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the GRAMMY Award-winning band Hootie & the Blowfish, who has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide including their Double Diamond-certified (21x Platinum) debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. Since releasing his first Country album in 2008, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four number #1 albums on the Billboard Country chart, including RIAA Platinum-certified Learn to Live and True Believers, plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country Radio and 11 Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum certified hits.

    Rucker was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member in 2012 and in 2014 he won his third career GRAMMY Award for Best Solo Country Performance with his Diamond-certified (11x Platinum) version of “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top five best-selling Country songs of all time. He topped the charts at Country radio once again with “Beers And Sunshine” in 2021 and his latest single “Fires Don’t Start Themselves” off his brand-new album Carolyn’s Boy , now available everywhere. The project features recent-release “Have A Good Time,” his cover of Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, plus co-written songs with Ed Sheeran, HARDY and more.

    Hootie & the Blowfish will return to the road in 2024, as the foursome sets out on the Summer Camp with Trucks Tour produced by Live Nation featuring special guests Collective Soul and Edwin McCain, scheduled to tour May 30th through September 28th.

  • BRAD PAISLEY TO APPEAR ON THE TODAY SHOW AND THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON MONDAY, DECEMBER 4th.

    Country music superstar Brad Paisley is set to appear on both the Today Show and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this coming Monday (December 4th).

    Brad will perform “The Medicine Will” on NBC’s Today and “Son Of The Mountains” on NBC’s Tonight Show. Both songs appear on his Son Of The Mountains: The First Four Tracks released earlier this fall. The new music is available now and also includes previously released tracks “Same Here,” featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and “So Many Summers.” Watch the music videos HERE.

    Brad’s Son Of The Mountains studio album is anticipated for release in 2024.

    About BRAD PAISLEY:
    Brad Paisley has earned his place in country music history as one of the genre’s most talented and decorated male solo artists. For more than 20 years, his songwriting and unmatched showmanship have won him numerous awards, including three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards including a highly coveted Entertainer of the Year honor and recognition as the most successful CMA Award co-host in history, alongside Carrie Underwood, for 11 consecutive years. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Paisley has written 21 of his 25 No. 1 hits, and in 2008 became the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 singles. The superstar’s past works have amassed nearly 5 billion career streams.

    Paisley’s additional endeavors include his “American Highway” Bourbon, his collaborations with Peyton Manning on the national Nationwide insurance ad campaigns, and his partnership with Boot Barn® to develop “Moonshine Spirit by Brad Paisley,” an exclusive line of jeans, hats, T-shirts, jewelry, belts, and woven shirts.

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  • CHRISTMAS 2023: Carrie Underwood

    Christmas for Carrie Underwood hasn’t changed that much from when she was a young girl. She usually still gets together with her family, which includes her parents, two sisters and their families…as well as her own husband, Mike Fisher, and sons Isaiah and Jacob.

    Carrie says some of her Christmas traditions include a lot of traveling to visit her family and her husband Mike Fisher’s family…but also cooking and celebrating the season. “My perfect Christmas, generally we do a lot of traveling around Christmas. We’ll go see either my family or my husband’s family,” says Carrie. “I’ll spend all day cooking. I’ll make a small turkey, even though I don’t eat turkey. I’ll make myself some tofurkey; cranberry sauce, of course. Of course, sweet potato casserole. You have to have that. That’s one of my favorites because it’s a side dish and dessert, but I’ll just make a ridiculous amount of food. Just celebrate, have a fire, we wait for Santa and open our presents, then we’re off to see the next group of family. It’s all about watching it through my sons’ eyes and just getting to spend time with family.”

    She continues: “For me growing up, Christmas was always just comforting. We always had the same stockings and the same tree and the same decorations, and we would always decorate the weekend right after Thanksgiving. You know, flip the Christmas switch, put the tree up. Now that we’re adults and have kids, we can go to the Christmas tree farm and we can walk around, and we can pick out which one and ask Isaiah, ‘Which one do you think?’ Just things like that, making those memories. It’s just a joyful time of year.”

    One of the traditions she enjoys with her own family is picking out a Christmas tree with her husband and two sons. “We were an artificial tree family growing up. It was easier, you know, but now in our own home, we do the real tree thing, and we kind of try to make that a little bit of a tradition. We go and we pick it out. The boys have some say in which one we get, and they feel some ownership and we all decorate it together and of course, have Christmas music playing in the house. I make cookies that were my husband’s grandmother that my kids call Gigi. It’s her recipe, her ginger snap cookies, and we make those and it’s super sweet. Isaiah loves makes Gigi’s cookies, because he still remembers her a little bit. So, it’s something special we get to do.”

    One of her favorite memories from childhood was singing Christmas carols for folks in nursing homes. “Christmas was always just about family,” she says. “One thing that we always did growing up that was one of my favorite memories, we would on Christmas Eve we would go to my grandparents’ house. Us kids were always responsible for putting oranges and apples and bananas in little paper bags and we would go down to the nursing home and sing Christmas carols.”

    Carrie released a special deluxe edition of her Christmas album, My Gift, in 2021, and she says there’s nothing like Christmas music that gets you in the spirit of the season. “There is no other like part of the year that gets its own music, like exclusively. When you think about it, like entire radio stations switch over to play Christmas music around Christmas time. So, I feel like it just puts you in the mood for Christmas. Christmas is something that everybody looks forward to and to have Christmas music start playing way before Christmas. It usually does because people just can’t wait to get there. It puts you in a mood. It changes your state of mind. It gets you ready for it and it just makes you feel a certain way.”

    Audio / CARRIE UNDERWOOD SAYS HER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS USUALLY INCLUDE COOKING AND TRAVELING, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, FAMILY.

    Download

    Carrie Underwood (perfect Christmas) OC: …with family. :40
    “My perfect Christmas, generally we do a lot of traveling around Christmas. We’ll go see either my family or my husband’s family. I’ll spend all day cooking. I’ll make a small turkey, even though I don’t eat turkey. I’ll make myself some tofurkey; cranberry sauce, of course. Of course, sweet potato casserole. You have to have that. That’s one of my favorites because it’s a side dish and dessert, but I’ll just make a ridiculous amount of food. Just celebrate, have a fire, we wait for Santa and open our presents, then we’re off to see the next group of family. It’s all about watching it through my sons’ eyes and just getting to spend time with family.”

    Audio / CARRIE UNDERWOOD RECALLS MEMORIES OF PAST CHRISTMASES.

    Download

    Carrie Underwood (Christmas memory) OC: …Christmas carols. :18
    “Christmas was always just about family. One thing that we always did growing up that was one of my favorite memories, we would on Christmas Eve we would go to my grandparents’ house. Us kids were always responsible for putting oranges and apples and bananas in little paper bags and we would go down to the nursing home and sing Christmas carols.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood says one of her family’s traditions is to go pick out a real Christmas tree and put it up together.

    Download

    Carrie Underwood (Christmas trees) OC: …get to do. :43
    “We were an artificial tree family growing up. It was easier, you know, but now in our own home, we do the real tree thing, and we kind of try to make that a little bit of a tradition. We go and we pick it out. The boys have some say in which one we get, and they feel some ownership and we all decorate it together and of course, have Christmas music playing in the house. I make cookies that were my husband’s grandmother that my kids call Gigi. It’s her recipe, her ginger snap cookies, and we make those and it’s super sweet. Isaiah loves makes Gigi’s cookies, because he still remembers her a little bit. So, it’s something special we get to do.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood says she and her family wear matching Christmas PJs...even the dogs.

    Download

    Carrie Underwood (Christmas PJs) OC: …tell you that.
    “For the past few years, we all get matching PJs. Either we get them or somebody else gifts them to us, and we all match – my husband, myself, my sons and our dogs. And getting my german shepherd into a Christmas sweater is no easy feat, I will tell you that.”

    Audio / CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKS ABOUT HER CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS.

    Download

    Carrie Underwood (Christmas traditions) OC: …time of year. :35
    “For me growing up, Christmas was always just comforting. We always had the same stockings and the same tree and the same decorations, and we would always decorate the weekend right after Thanksgiving. You know, flip the Christmas switch, put the tree up. Now that we’re adults and have kids, we can go to the Christmas tree farm and we can walk around, and we can pick out which one and ask Isaiah, ‘Which one do you think?’ Just things like that, making those memories. It’s just a joyful time of year.”

     

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  • BROTHERS OSBORNE ANNOUNCE 35-DATE 2024 “MIGHT AS WELL BE US TOUR” IN CITIES INCLUDING ATLANTA, NEW ORLEANS, PHILADELPHIA, LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO AND MORE.

    Today, following their nomination for Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/ Group Performance at the 2024 Grammys, and winning this year’s CMA Vocal Duo of the Year, Brothers Osborne announce their 35-date “Might As Well Be Us Tour” with dates throughout 2024. The Grammy-winning duo will perform in cities including Atlanta, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Chicago and more (full dates below) with support from Stephen Wilson Jr., The Cadillac Three, Zach Top, Jackson Dean, Madeline Edwards, and Caylee Hammack. Members of the band’s The Family Fan Club can unlock exclusive pre-sale access to shows by logging into the official website at www.brothersosborne.com. Brothers Osborne fan-club presale will begin on Wednesday (November 29th) at 10am local time, with select presales that week ahead of general on -sale which will begin on Friday (December 1st) 10am local time here.

    Recently, Brothers Osborne were nominated for Best Country Album for Brothers Osborne and Best Country Duo/ Group Performance for “Nobody’s Nobody”at the 66th annual GRAMMY Awards. The siblings took home their first GRAMMY in 2022, winning Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their song “Younger Me” and have been nominated for 12 GRAMMYs overall. Additionally, the band won the CMA Vocal Duo of the Year at this year’s 57th Annual CMA Awards. The duo are the reigning champions in this category and this marks the sixth time they have taken home this award.

    This month, the duo made their debut appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a special performance of their song ““Goodbye’s Kickin’ In” with a string quartet and backing vocals. Watch their performance of “Goodbye’s Kickin’ In,” off their self-titled fourth studio album, on Jimmy Kimmel Live! here. The band also appeared on CBS Mornings, joined by Anthony Mason at their homes in Nashville as they open up about the creative process behind their recent self-titled album, and their upcoming tour. John Osborne spoke candidly about his previous struggles with mental health and TJ touched on his journey since coming out. Watch the full interview here.

    Brothers Osborne, the band’s self-titled fourth studio album is out now via EMI Records Nashville. The album was named one of the most anticipated albums of the year by The Los Angeles Times who call it “a lively self-titled” album which adds “fresh sounds and textures to the Osbornes’ solidly built songs” and the duo recently appeared on the cover of American Songwriter who say a “sense of comfortable confidence echoes through all eleven tracks on Brothers Osborne, which builds off the duo’s trademark meld of classic Southern rock and polished modern country.” Brothers Osborne is available on all formats here.

    For their self-titled release, the brothers enlisted Mike Elizondo (Sheryl Crow, Turnstile, Dr. Dre, Twenty One Pilots, Lin-Manuel Miranda) to produce, entrusting him with curating his own band of studio musicians, including Paul McCartney’s drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. behind the kit. Miranda Lambert provides the LP’s sole guest vocals on “We Ain’t Good at Breaking Up,” after co-writing the song with Brothers Osborne and Jesse Frasure.

    The brothers co-wrote every song on the album, including their chart-climbing current single “Nobody’s Nobody,” penned with Elizondo and Kendell Marvel, capturing a message of inclusion and acceptance.

    Brothers Osborne are one of music’s most consistently adventurous bands, a duo connected by not just blood, but also a lifetime of performing together, and a shared working class upbringing in Deale, Maryland. The reigning CMA and ACM Duo of the Year winners are leaders of a progressive and still classic school of country music, and the faces of the new generation of Nashville. Anchored by TJ’s baritone and John’s guitar, every one of the album’s 11 tracks are distinctly Brothers Osborne songs – the album is also their most musically diverse yet, along with a new producer’s direction, it features synthesizers, and a piano ballad.

    “We are always pushing ourselves, always evolving and not afraid to change,” John says. “But at the end of the day, we are also who we are.”

    “This is a defining record at this point in our career, where we needed to put it all on our shoulders,” TJ says. “And we did. Like it was when we were growing up, it’s just John and me.”

    Brothers Osborne “Might As Well Be Us Tour” Dates
    Thu, March 28 // Milwaukee, WI // The Rave – Eagles Ballroom*
    Fri, March 29 // Omaha, NE // Steelhouse Omaha*
    Sat, March 30 // Waukee, IA // Vibrant Music Hall*
    Wed, April 03 // Atlanta, GA // Coca-Cola Roxy+
    Thu, April 04 // Spartanburg, SC // Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium+
    Fri, April 05 // Chattanooga, TN // Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium+
    Thu, April 11 // Cincinnati, OH // The Andrew J Brady Music Center^
    Fri, April 12 // Birmingham, AL // Avondale Brewing Company^
    Sat, April 13 // New Orleans, LA // Saenger Theatre^
    Thu, April 18 // Boston, MA // MGM Music Hall at Fenway$
    Fri, April 19 // Philadelphia, PA // The Metropolitan Opera House (“The Met”)$
    Sat, April 20 // Wallingford, CT // Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre$
    Thu, April 25// Saint Augustine, FL // The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre+
    Fri, April 26 // Orlando, FL // Hard Rock Live Orlando+
    Sat, April 27 // Hollywood, FL // Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.+#
    Sat, May 18 // Idaho Falls, ID // Mountain America Center%
    Sun, May 19 // Sandy, UT // Sandy Amphitheater%
    Tue, May 21 // Portland, OR // Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall%
    Wed, May 22 // Abbotsford, BC // Abbotsford Centre%
    Fri, May 24 // Modesto, CA // The Fruityard%
    Sat, May 25 // Oakland, CA //Fox Theater%
    Wed, May 29 // San Diego, CA // Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre%
    Fri, May 31 // Santa Barbara, CA // Santa Barbara Bowl%
    Sun, June 02 // Las Vegas, NV // The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas%
    Fri, June 07 // Charlotte, NC // Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre@
    Sat, June 08 // Raleigh, NC // Red Hat Amphitheater@
    Thu, June 13 // Columbus, OH // KEMBA Live! Outdoor Amphitheatre*
    Fri, June 14 // Buffalo, NY // Terminal B at The Outer Harbor*
    Sat, June 15 // Sterling Heights, MI // Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill*
    Thu, June 20 //Pittsburgh, PA // Stage AE – Outdoors+
    Fri, June 21 // Indianapolis, IN // Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park+
    Sat, June 22 // Chicago, IL // The Salt Shed+
    Thu, June 27 // LaFayette, NY // Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards Summer Concert Series*
    Fr,i June 28 // Newark, NJ // New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Prudential Hall*
    Sat, June 29 // Cleveland, OH // Jacobs Pavilion*

    *Stephen Wilson Jr.
    + The Cadillac Three
    ^ Zach Top
    $ Jackson Dean
    % Madeline Edwards
    @ Caylee Hammack
    # on-sale Dec 8th at 10am Local Time

    John and TJ are making their way up the country charts with their latest single, “Nobody’s Nobody.”

  • KYLIE MORGAN SETS HEADLINING MAKING IT UP AS I GO TOUR FOR SPRING 2024.

    EMI Records Nashville rising star Kylie Morgan will embark on her second headlining run, the Making It Up As I Go Tour, kicking off February 29 in Grand Rapids, MI. Tickets go on sale Friday (December 1st) at 10am CT at www.kyliemorgan.com.

    Performing in major markets including Chicago, San Diego, Las Vegas and over a dozen more, her spring tour dates also include a high-profile festival appearance at Stagecoach, and a home state show in Oklahoma. Kylie is currently on her first arena trek, supporting Old Dominion on the No Bad Vibes Tour through December.

    “All I’ve ever wanted to do was be on stage and have people singing my words back to me,” shares Kylie. “This past year I have had that dream come true night after night. I am extremely grateful for this next chapter and seeing it on a tour of my very own, with incredible people to help me make it happen by my side.”

    Kylie Morgan’s Making It Up As I Go Tour Dates:
    2/29 – Grand Rapids, MI – Elevation
    3/1 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed St.
    3/2 – West Chester, OH – Lori’s Roadhouse
    3/21 – Fort Myers, FL – The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon
    3/22 – Fort Walton Beach, FL – The Block
    4/12 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone
    4/13 – Rootstown, OH – Dusty Armadillo
    4/19 – Vancouver, BC, Canada – Coast City Country Festival*
    4/20 – Tacoma, WA – Steel Creek
    4/21 – Portland, OR – Ponderosa Lounge & Grill
    4/25 – San Diego, CA – Moonshine Beach
    4/26 – Las Vegas, NV – Stoney’s Rockin’ Country
    4/27 – Indio, CA – Stagecoach*
    5/3 – Oklahoma City, OK – Oklahoma Ranch
    5/10 – Warrendale, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille
    5/11 – Indianapolis, IN – 8 Second Saloon

    * = denotes festival appearance

    The tour announcement follows Kylie’s recent signing with WME for global representation. The singer-songwriter will be represented by the agency’s Morgan Kenney and Aaron Tannenbaum.

    “We’ve long admired Kylie and her music, and now find ourselves incredibly fortunate to be part of her team,” share Kenney and Tannenbaum. “Kylie is a true talent and pours her heart and passion into everything she does. We’re thrilled to have her at WME and excited for the road ahead.”

    Kylie recently released her debut full-length album, Making It Up As I Go, featuring 12 tracks written or co-written by the artist. The album, praised by The Tennessean, “has her further along her creative path … and nearer to golden acclaim than ever.” Kylie’s bold breakout single, “If He Wanted To He Would,” set the stage for the project and landed her first-ever CMT Music Awards nomination for Female Breakthrough Video of the Year.

  • SAM HUNT SIGNS WORLDWIDE PUBLISHING DEAL WITH CTM OUTLANDER.

    Concluding a significant year for the publishing powerhouse, CTM Outlander today announces the acquisition of five-time GRAMMY nominated, multi-platinum-selling, award-winning singer/songwriter Sam Hunt’s publishing catalog and signing of Hunt to a go-forward publishing deal for his future works. Hunt is widely cited as one of the most innovative writers in country music.

    Global superstar Sam Hunt has quickly assumed recognition from both inside and outside the country music community for his blending of genres, incorporating the use of R&B and pop into the production and songwriting of his songs. Hunt has been honored with numerous awards including multiple Academy of Country Music Awards, an American Music Award, CMT Music Award, and multiple nominations for the GRAMMYs, Country Music Association Awards and Billboard Music Awards.

    CTM Outlander is a partnership between the innovative and disruptive Dallas, Texas-based Outlander Capital, led by Les Ware and Mike McKool, and the Dutch-based leading independent music entertainment company CTM, led by industry veteran André de Raaff.

    “Discussing the sale of some of my catalog took a while and I am glad that it did, as I got to know André and his CTM Outlander team better and better. They continued to meet with me and my team over the last several months to discuss what working together might look like. I appreciate their diligence and belief in what I am doing as an artist, and more importantly, as a songwriter. I believe we will have a productive partnership both internationally and here at home,” said Hunt.

    André de Raaff (CEO, CTM Outlander): “Sam has been on our radar for a long time, and we were very eager to work with him. Since we landed in Nashville, we signed some of the most prolific songwriters like Shane McAnally, Natalie Hemby, Ross Copperman and Michael Tyler. By adding Sam to our roster, who is not only one of the most respected songwriters in town but also a global superstar and touring artist, we feel we can service the community even better.

    We are truly honored that Sam, after being in talks with us for a long time, decided to sign with our company. Sam is an example of an artist and songwriter that we can help move forward in the international market; his body of work doesn’t only dominate the U.S. radio waves and streaming world but also travels throughout the world. We look forward to supporting Sam in his endeavors and expansion, and are excited to work with him in the country music space and international scene.”

    Mike McKool (Director, CTM Outlander): “We’re thrilled to add a singer-songwriter with the stature of Sam Hunt to the CTM Outlander family. Not only is he the type of artist that we want to be in business with, but more importantly he’s the type of person that we want to invest in. Sam has clearly experienced an immense amount of success, and our goal at CTM Outlander is to provide Sam with the resources he needs to achieve all his future endeavors.”

    Hunt’s debut studio album, Montevallo, broke several chart records with five singles, including three consecutive Hot Country Songs chart and four Country Airplay chart number ones. The lead single from the album, “Leave The Night On,” peaked concurrently on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, making Hunt the first country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus 22 years ago, to reach the top of three country charts simultaneously in the Nielsen SoundScan-era.

    Hunt released his GRAMMY-nominated, Triple-Platinum-selling sophomore album titled Southside in 2020, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and in the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 200 all-genre chart. The album was also named one of the Best Albums of the Year by The New York Times and US Weekly.

    The Georgia native has nine No. 1 hits including: “Body Like a Back Road,” “Kinfolks,” “Hard to Forget,” “House Party,” “Leave The Night On,” “Take Your Time,” “Make You Miss Me,” and “Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s.” Hunt also has success as a songwriter with several top artists. Some of his No. 1 hits as a songwriter include “Come Over” by Kenny Chesney, “Cop Car” by Keith Urban, “I Met A Girl” by William Michael Morgan and “We Are Tonight” by Billy Currington. Hunt has continued his success with the release of his No. 1 hit “23” and his current radio single “Outskirts,” which is currently Top 40 and climbing on country radio.

    Hunt’s single “Body Like A Back Road” recently obtained RIAA Diamond-certification (10x platinum), becoming the 8th country artist ever to reach this status. The single has since surpassed that status, and currently sits at 11x Platinum-certification.

  • CHRISTMAS 2023: Priscilla Block

    Priscilla Block is one of five children, and she says her favorite Christmas gift was one Santa Claus brought to all of the kids.

    “My favorite Christmas gift as a kid was the day we got a trampoline. Omigosh. It was so exciting,” says Priscilla. “Santa had it set up outside, and I don’t think we finished unwrapping our presents. We were so excited to get out on that trampoline. We slept on the trampoline that night. We had so many sleepovers growing up on our trampoline, and that was the best Christmas present ever.”

    The North Carolina native says her family just hangs out all day on Christmas Day after opening gifts and eating breakfast. “During Christmas, my mom gets all the cereal that we love. We do breakfast bagels. Every single Christmas, we’ll have breakfast bagels. And usually we’ll just have leftovers all day. We eat all day long for Christmas, and it’s great. We stay in our jammies. We don’t do a whole fancy dinner. We just eat whatever’s in the house and watch movies all day. It’s fun.”

    Priscilla is on the road performing solo dates, touring with Old Dominion and will wrap 2023 on December 31st in Durant, Oklahoma with Justin Moore.

    Audio / Priscilla Block talks about her favorite Christmas gift as a child.

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    Priscilla Block (favorite Christmas gift) OC: …present ever. :25
    “My favorite Christmas gift as a kid was the day we got a trampoline. Omigosh. It was so exciting. Santa had it set up outside, and I don’t think we finished unwrapping our presents. We were so excited to get out on that trampoline. We slept on the trampoline that night. We had so many sleepovers growing up on our trampoline, and that was the best Christmas present ever.”


    Audio / Priscilla Block talks about her favorite Christmas tradition.zs

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    Priscilla Block (Christmas tradition) OC: …it’s fun. :28
    “During Christmas, my mom gets all the cereal that we love. We do breakfast bagels. Every single Christmas, we’ll have breakfast bagels. And usually we’ll just have leftovers all day. We eat all day long for Christmas, and it’s great. We stay in our jammies. We don’t do a whole fancy dinner. We just eat whatever’s in the house and watch movies all day. It’s fun.”

  • OPRY MEMBER JON PARDI HELPS KICK OFF NASHVILLE’S FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION OPRY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS.

    The Grand Ole Opry® kicked off the third season of Nashville’s favorite holiday tradition, Opry Country Christmas, last night with the first in a series of nine shows.

    Hosted by Grammy®-winning Opry member Larry Gatlin, each Opry Country Christmas show will also feature Opry members The Gatlin Brothers, Riders In The Sky, Mandy Barnett and Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie McCoy.

    In his first activity as an Opry member was last night’s Spotlight Artist Jon Pardi. His performance kicked off the celebration of the Multi-Platinum-selling singer/songwriter/producer’s first Christmas album release, Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi, which was produced by the award-winning producing team—Pardi, Bart Butler and Ryan Gore. The 12-track project is available  here. His performance included tracks “400 Horsepower,” “Please Come Home For Christmas,” “Beer for Santa” and “Merry Christmas From The Keys.” Also joining in the kickoff was special guest The War And Treaty who performed “Oh Holy Night,” “Silver Bells,” and “Safe.”

    Jon is making his way up the country charts with his latest single, “Cowboys And Plowboys,” with Luke Bryan.

    All Opry Country Christmas shows air on WSM Radio as well as WSM and Opry digital platforms. For Opry Country Christmas tickets and more information on the full Opry schedule visit opry.com. Catch Maddie & Tae as special guests on December 10th. The pair just released the Extended Version of their We Need Christmas EP.