• DARIUS RUCKER TAKES SOME OF HIS FAVORITE ‘VOICES’ ON THE ROAD.

    Darius Rucker just kicked off his Southern Style Tour last week, and he’s excited to be on the road with his supporting acts – Brett Eldredge, Brothers Osborne and A Thousand Horses.

    “I wanted to get guys whose voices I loved, first of all,” Darius says. “Those Brothers Osborne – their harmonies, man, it just kills me when brothers can sing like that, you know? It kills me, and I love it. And I thought they’d be great.”

    As far as newcomers A Thousand Horses, “The last year, I’ve spent a lot of time hanging out with those guys and doing stuff together and playing shows together, and I think they’re great. I love what they do.”

    “Brett, because there’s just something about that kid. I mean, his voice is so special. I mean, it’s so special. I love him. I think he’s awesome,” he says. “I wanted to tour with him, and I thought it’d be really cool to just take him out and have a good time and just, you know, this might be the last time he ever opens up for somebody. He’ll probably be a headliner next year, so it’s like let’s get him and go have some fun.”

    Darius does have a few issues with Brett Eldredge, though. “I wish he didn’t know how to dress. I’m like, ‘Dude, if we have a day off and we’ve got out to dinner, I’ve got to see what you’ve got on before we go out, [laughs] ‘cause you’re not gonna make me look like a bum and you like you’re on your way to the Playboy Mansion you look so cool.’”

    The Southern Style Tour will initially hit 30 cities across North America. The next stop is Thursday (May 21st) in Alpharetta, Georgia, followed by shows in Tampa and West Palm Beach.

    Darius has hit the airwaves with his new single, “Southern Style.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about his Southern Style Tour with openers Brett Eldredge, Brothers Osborne and A Thousand Horses.

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    Darius Rucker (Southern Style Tour) OC: …great dude. 1:24
    “I wanted to get guys whose voices I loved, first of all. Those Brothers Osborne – their harmonies, man, it just kills me when brothers can sing like that, you know? It kills me, and I love it. And I thought they’d be great. The Thousand Horses boys are friends of mine, and I love their music. The last year, I’ve spent a lot of time hanging out with those guys and doing stuff together and playing shows together, and I think they’re great. I love what they do. Brett, because there’s just something about that kid. I mean, his voice is so special. I mean, it’s so special. I love him. I think he’s awesome. I hear his songs, you hear his records and you go, ‘Man, that guy, he’s got it. He ain’t faking it. That’s for real.’ I’d played some shows with him and I’d done some guitar pulls with him, and I loved hanging with him. We’d hang out and talk, and he’d make me laugh. I’d go, ‘This kid gets it.’ I wanted to tour with him, and I thought it’d be really cool to just take him out and have a good time and just, you know, this might be the last time he ever opens up for somebody. He’ll probably be a headliner next year, so it’s like let’s get him and go have some fun. And I wish he didn’t know how to dress. I’m like, ‘Dude, if we have a day off and we’ve got out to dinner, I’ve got to see what you’ve got on before we go out, [laughs] ‘cause you’re not gonna make me look like a bum and you like you’re on your way to the Playboy Mansion you look so cool.’ But, he’s a great dude.”

    Audio / LINER Darius Rucker (win tx to my show)

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  • SONGS BY LUKE BRYAN, DARIUS RUCKER, ERIC CHURCH, LADY ANTEBELLUM, KEITH URBAN. ERIC PASLAY, SAM HUNT AND MORE WILL APPEAR ON ‘NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL COUNTRY, VOLUME 8’ OUT NEXT MONTH.

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – On June 9th, Universal Music Group Nashville will release Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 8, the latest installment in the popular NOW series. Country music fans can hear hits by some of their favorite artists including Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Eric Church, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Cole Swindell, Lady Antebellum and more.

    Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 8 includes 14 No. 1 hits and 18 total tracks from today’s country music superstars and exciting new artists:

    1. Luke Bryan                                         Roller Coaster
    2. Jason Aldean                                     Just Gettin’ Started
    3. Sam Hunt                                           Leave The Night On
    4. Darius Rucker                                   Homegrown Honey
    5. Florida Georgia Line                         Sun Daze
    6. Jake Owen                                          Beachin’
    7. Brantley Gilbert                                  Bottoms Up
    8. Eric Church                                         Give Me Back My Hometown
    9. Lady Antebellum                               Bartender
    10. A Thousand Horses                          Smoke
    11. Cole Swindell                                     Ain’t Worth The Whiskey
    12. Keith Urban                                       Somewhere In My Car
    13. Miranda Lambert                             Automatic
    14. Brad Paisley                                       Perfect Storm
    15. Tyler Farr                                           A Guy Walks Into A Bar
    16. Lee Brice                                            Drinking Class
    17. Chris Young                                       Lonely Eyes
    18. Eric Paslay                                          She Don’t Love You

    The project is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. This release is part of the multi-platinum NOW That’s What I Call Music! compilation series, the world’s best-selling multi-artist albums with sales topping 250 million worldwide and 94 million in the U.S.  The seven previous NOW That’s What I Call Country releases have debuted in the Top 3 of the Billboard Country albums chart.  Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 8  is distributed by Universal Music Group. NOW and NOW That’s What I Call Music! are registered trademarks of Universal Music Group and its affiliates.

    Audio / Luke Bryan says “Rollercoaster” is one of the best songs on his Crash My Party album.

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    Luke Bryan (Roller Coaster) OC: …’Rollercoaster.’ :51
    “‘Rollercoaster’ is what I feel like is just a dang, just a masterpiece from front to back. It has all the levels of going back to young love and that feeling of sitting on the beach and young love that you lost, that you’ve let slip through your hands. And so many people have done that, and the way they hook it, ‘girl, you’ve got me twisted like an old beach rollercoaster,’ is just when you hear that line snap down in me, it’s just chill bump city, a visual city. You could see them living that scene of having to part ways with one another.  Man it’s powerful! The second I heard it, I knew I was going to cut it. I drove right over to my producer’s house, I said, ‘This is one for the album,’ and we never even once wavered on whether or not to record ‘Rollercoaster.’”

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    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley describes the differences between the lyrics and the melody of their No. 1 hit, “Bartender.”

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    Lady A (Bartender) 2 OC: …something different. :20
    “It’s always cool when you can capture kind of what feels like a fun track, but the lyrics are a little darker. When you really listen to the lyrics…it’s definitely a head-bopper, and then you kinda listen, and you’re like, ‘Man, this girl’s talking about literally drinking the pain away.’ And so I think those songs are always kind of cool when you can have that juxtaposition between the feel of a track and the lyrics being something different.”

  • LUKE BRYAN AND DIERKS BENTLEY WILL PERFORM DURING GOOD MORNING AMERICA’S 2015 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES.

    Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley will perform during Good Morning America’s 2015 Summer Concert Series on ABC. Ed Sheeran, Nicki Minaj, Hozier, Jason Derulo, Florida Georgia Line, Jessie J and 5 Seconds of Summer will also perform throughout the summer. Catch Dierks June 26th and Luke on August 7th.

  • SAM HUNT’S FAVORITE PART OF THE ACM DUETS TELEVISION SPECIAL WAS ‘HANG’ TIME WITH DWIGHT YOAKAM.

    Sam Hunt performed “Fast as You” with Dwight Yoakam for the ACM Presents: Superstar Duets television special, premiering Friday night (May 15th), and he said it was an honor just to meet him, much less perform one of his hits with Dwight.

    “Getting to meet him was awesome, and we got to hang a little bit before getting on stage to play. As much as I loved being on stage and playing with him, my favorite part was just getting to hang with him a little bit before we got there,” says Sam. “It was just cool to be a part of that event. It’s phenomenal to think that I’m a part of the same genre as Dwight and all of the other great artists that have come before me.”

    In addition to Sam and Dwight’s performance, the two-hour special will also feature performances by Keith Urban and John Anderson, Luke Bryan and Ronnie Milsap, Dierks Bentley with Kip Moore and Ashley Monroe, Lady Antebellum and Brandy Clark, Darius Rucker and Sara Evans, Clint Black and Joe Nichols, Brett Eldredge and Hunter Hayes, Miranda Lambert and Patty LovelessReba and Brooks & Dunn, as well as Alabama and Eli Young Band, among others.

    ACM Presents: Superstar Duets premieres at 9pm ET on CBS on Friday.

    Audio / Sam Hunt says the best part of the ACM Presents: Superstar Duets show was getting the chance to have some hang time with Dwight Yoakam.

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    Sam Hunt (Dwight duet) 1 OC: …before me. :26
    “Getting to meet him was awesome, and we got to hang a little bit before getting on stage to play. As much as I loved being on stage and playing with him, my favorite part was just getting to hang with him a little bit before we got there. I don’t know. It was just cool to be a part of that event. It’s phenomenal to think that I’m a part of the same genre as Dwight and all of the other great artists that have come before me.”

    Video / Clip of Sam Hunt and Dwight Yoakam for ACM Duets

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    Video / ACM Duets preview

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    Video / Darius Rucker & Sara Evans on Jackson

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    Video / Keith Urban & John Anderson on Swingin'

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    Video / Lady Antebellum with Brandy Clark

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    Video / Alan Jackson & Cole Swindell on Chattahoochie

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  • DARIUS RUCKER PLAYS ROOT BEER PONG WITH ‘PITCH PERFECT 2’S ANNA KENDRICK.

    Pitch Perfect’s Anna Kendrick teams up with Today’s Hoda Kotb to play against Darius Rucker and Kathie Lee Gifford in a fun-filled game of root beer pong. You’ll also find out what Darius’ go-to karaoke song is in the clip below.

    Video / Darius Rucker & Anna Kendrick play root beer pong and go-to karaoke song

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  • ERIC CHURCH SELLS OUT SECOND SOLO SHOW IN NASHVILLE.

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Wed., May 13, 2015) – When Eric Church, the seven-time GRAMMY nominee and the entertainer New York Magazine called “one of the brightest lights in any genre,” announced he was doing a rare, solo acoustic show on July 30 to inaugurate the new Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, it sold out in less than five minutes. In order to accommodate as many fans as possible, a second show on July 31 was just added last week, and in only three days of tickets being on sale, the second show has now completely sold out as well.

    This is the third sold out Nashville concert this year for the top selling country music artist of 2014. On January 10, the ACM and CMA Award winner set a new venue attendance record of 18,411 when his The Outsiders World Tour performed at the Bridgestone Arena.

    Known for creating a different set list for each show, Church recently told Rolling Stone, “I think it’s good that we’re getting a lot of people in the rooms. I still say that it’s what you do then. It’s one thing to get ’em in the room, it’s quite another one that they’ll leave there and want to come back, and that’s really what I focus on. I don’t care if it’s 1,000 or 100,000, it’s about making sure whatever that room is, that they have a unique experience. And changing the show enables the possibility that there can be that spiritual connection, that thing that nobody can name that happens at a show.”

    Earlier today it was announced that Church was nominated for a CMT Music Award for Best Male Video for “Talladega,” his second No. 1 hit from his Platinum-selling The Outsiders album.  This is the latest in a solid string of GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, and ACC Award nominations for the critically-acclaimed album that Entertainment Weekly calls his “most brazen, brilliant disc yet” and caused NPR to exclaim that “Eric Church is working on a level that few other country artists of his generation can touch.”

    The CMA and four-time ACM Award winner finished 2014 as country music’s top-selling artist, with the year’s highest debut and sales of any release in the format as the critical and commercial success The Outsiders reached Platinum status, marking more than one million albums sold. Debuting at No. 1 on both the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and Top Country Albums chart, The Outsiders garnered GRAMMY, CMA, and ACM Top Album nominations and features his No.1 hits “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Talladega” as well as his current single “Like A Wrecking Ball.” The Outsiders is the follow-up to Church’s Platinum-certified Chief, (named the 2012 Album of the Year by both CMA and ACM, and GRAMMY-nominated for Best Country Album) which featured five Top 20 singles: “Homeboy” (certified Platinum for sales in excess of one million singles); the Top 10 “Like Jesus Does” and the Top 5 “Creepin’” (both certified Gold for sales in excess of 500,000 singles each); and two No. 1 hits “Drink in My Hand” (certified Platinum) and “Springsteen” (certified Double Platinum for sales in excess of two million singles). Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me (2006) and his sophomore album Carolina (2009) are both RIAA Gold-certified. Carolina had three hit singles: the Top 10 “Hell on the Heart” as well as Top 20 hit “Smoke A Little Smoke” and Top 10 smash “Love Your Love The Most,” which were both certified Gold. Sinners Like Me spawned three Top 20 singles: “How ‘Bout You,” “Two Pink Lines,” and “Guys Like Me.”

    For more information on Church, visit www.EricChurch.com.

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Dierks, Darius, Lady A, Scotty

    Over the weekend, Denver Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning joined Dierks Bentley on stage to sing “Folsom Prison Blues.”

    Darius Rucker appeared on NBC’s Today Show on Wednesday (May 13th) and surprised U.S. combat wounded veteran Daniel Branham with a free home in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. “Daniel is an American hero. The things he did while he was deployed, he’s just an amazing guy. And he’s from my neck of the woods,” Darius said while sitting next to Branham on the set with hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. “We’re going to be neighbors.”

    When Lady Antebellum appeared on NBC’s Today Show Wednesday, they met Pitch Perfect 2’s Anna Kendrick and Scandal’s Scott Foley. Later in the morning, Anna tweeted, “I just heard @ladyantebellum rehearsing harmonies in the dressing room next to me and my head exploded. k bye I’m dead now.”

    Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and wife Cassie are featured in the latest issue of Southern Living. They give tips for entertaining outdoors and much more.

    Scotty McCreery recently returned to his former school, Timber Drive Elementary, in Garner, North Carolina, to sing with the fifth grade class. The class performed his first hit, “I Love You This Big.”

    Prior to surprising the students, Scotty met with 18-year-old Courtney Moss, who has had a serious heart condition most of her life. She received a heart transplant at Duke Hospital nine months ago and was released on her 18th birthday. Her one wish: To go to a season finale taping of American Idol. Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina granted her wish to go to the American Idol finale this week.

  • THE NOMINEES FOR THE CMT MUSIC AWARDS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.

    Lady Antebellum performed “Long Stretch of Love” on TODAY on Wednesday (see performance below) and announced the first nominees for the 2015 CMT Music Awards – where they’re up for four awards, including Video of the Year for “Bartender.”

    Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood also announced additional categories via their social media outlets. Fan voting is now underway at CMT.com.

    The 2015 CMT Music Awards will broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena June 10th at 8pm ET on CMT.

     

    Video of the Year
    Carrie Underwood, “Something in the Water”
    Darius Rucker, “Homegrown Honey”
    Dierks Bentley, “Drunk on a Plane”

    Florida Georgia Line, “Dirt”
    Jason Aldean, “Burnin’ It Down”
    Kenny Chesney, “American Kids”
    Lady Antebellum, “Bartender”
    Lee Brice, “I Don’t Dance”
    Luke Bryan, “Play It Again”
    Maddie & Tae, “Girl in a Country Song”
    Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood, “Somethin’ Bad”
    Sam Hunt, “Leave the Night On”

    Male Video of the Year
    Dierks Bentley, “Drunk on a Plane”
    Eric Church, “Talladega”

    Jason Aldean, “Burnin’ It Down”
    Keith Urban, “Somewhere in My Car”
    Kenny Chesney, “American Kids”
    Luke Bryan, “Play It Again”

    Female Video of the Year
    Carrie Underwood, “Little Toy Guns”
    Carrie Underwood, “Something in the Water”
    Lee Ann Womack, “The Way I’m Livin'”
    Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon”
    RaeLynn, “God Made Girls”
    Reba, “Going Out Like That”

    Group Video of the Year
    A Thousand Horses, “Smoke”
    Eli Young Band, “Dust”
    Lady Antebellum, “Bartender”
    Little Big Town, “Day Drinking”

    The Band Perry, “Chainsaw”
    Zac Brown Band, “All Alright”

    Breakthrough Video of the Year
    Chase Rice, “Gonna Wanna Tonight”
    Frankie Ballard, “Sunshine & Whiskey”
    Kelsea Ballerini, “Love Me Like You Mean It”
    Maddie & Tae, “Girl in a Country Song”
    RaeLynn, “God Made Girls”
    Sam Hunt, “Leave the Night On”

    Duo Video of the Year
    Big & Rich “Look at You”
    Brothers Osborne “Rum”
    Florida Georgia Line “Dirt”
    Florida Georgia Line “Sun Daze”
    Maddie & Tae “Girl in a Country Song”
    Swon Brothers “Later On”

    Collaborative Video Of The Year
    Blake Shelton feat. Ashley Monroe, Lonely Tonight
    Brantley Gilbert feat. Justin Moore and Thomas Rhett, Small Town Throwdown
    Jennifer Nettles feat. Brandy Clark, His Hands
    Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter, Wild Child
    Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood, Somethin’ Bad
    Tim McGraw feat. Faith Hill, Meanwhile Back at Mamas

    CMT Performance Of The Year
    Brett Eldredge, Beat of the Music from CMT’s Ultimate Kickoff Party
    John Legend and Lee Ann Womack, You & I (Nobody In The World) from CMT Crossroads
    Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves, Roar from Crossroads
    Keith Urban, It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World from 2014 CMT Artists of the Year
    Kenny Chesney, American Kids from Instant Jam
    Lady Antebellum and Aloe Blacc, Wake Me Up from CMT’s Ultimate Kickoff Party
    Lady Antebellum and Chris Stapleton, Drink a Beer from 2014 CMT Artists of the Year

    Video / Lady Antebellum performing Long Stretch of Love on Today Show

  • MICKEY GUYTON SAYS HER HEARTBREAK WAS WORTH THIS MOMENT IN HER CAREER.

    Mickey Guyton is making her way up the country charts with her single, “Better Than You Left Me,” which is about the aftermath of a heart-wrenching breakup, which she says now she’s glad she went through.

    “I now realize why I had to go through that, and I’m happy I went through that, because through this whole process, so many people have reached out to me telling me how this song got them through their day,” says Mickey. “When I was laying on my best friend’s couch for an entire day sobbing my eyes out over this guy, I never thought that was worth this moment here, and I’m so thankful …I’m so grateful that I was able to go through that, so that I could write this song.”

    Mickey, who will hit the road on Brad Paisley’s Crushin’ It World Tour Friday in Philadelphia, will release her self-titled EP May 26th.

    Audio / Mickey Guyton says she’s happy she went through the horrible breakup that led her to write and record “Better Than You Left Me.”

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    Mickey Guyton (glad she went through breakup) OC: …this song. :34
    “I now realize why I had to go through that, and I’m happy I went through that, because through this whole process, so many people have reached out to me telling me how this song got them through their day. And I remember when I was going through my breakup, I was listening to Bonnie Raitt’s ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me,’ crying in my room because this guy that I loved so much didn’t love me. And that song is years old and it still helps people through. I’m so grateful that I was able to go through that, so that I could write this song.”

    Audio / Mickey Guyton says going through her horrible breakup was worth it for this moment in time when her own song is starting to help people through their own heartbreaks.

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    Mickey Guyton (glad she went through breakup) 2 OC: …thankful now. :13
    “When I was laying on my best friend’s couch for an entire day sobbing my eyes out over this guy, I never thought that was worth this moment here, and I’m so thankful. I’m so thankful now.”

    Audio / LINER Mickey Guyton (Better Than You Left Me)

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    Video / Mickey Guyton Better Than You Left Me

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    Video / Mickey Guyton Behind the Scenes of Better Than You Left Me video

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  • CHRIS STAPLETON’S SOLO DEBUT ALBUM, TRAVELLER, BOWS AT NO. 2 ON THE COUNTRY ALBUM CHARTS AND IS BEST-SELLING FIRST WEEK BY A DEBUT COUNTRY ARTIST IN 2015.

    (Nashville, TN) – Chris Stapleton’s solo debut album, Traveller, entered the Billboard Country Albums Chart at No. 2 and Top 15 on Billboard’s Top 200 with over 27,000 albums sold making it the best-selling first week by a debut country artist in 2015.  Traveller is also one of the Top 10 best first week country debuts in the last five years. With appearances on ABC’s The View and CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman, rave reviews from media, as well as, fellow artists and sold out shows in New York City and Nashville – Traveller has been one of the most talked about albums of the year.

    In addition to its chart topping success, Traveller has been met with stellar reviews:

    “a triumphant debut…”

    Billboard

    “…a capital-A Album bursting with old-school country outlaw tracks that his voice has lived long enough to sing.”

    Entertainment Weekly

    “…Traveller is easily, and naturally, the year’s strongest country debut.”

    The Fader

    “It’s easy to imagine masses in sold-out arenas bellowing all the words to ‘Fire Away,’ the crawling country blues track that’s one of many highlights of this debut album. Or, for that matter, most of the album.”

    Los Angeles Times

    “..stunner of a solo debut.”

    Philadelphia Inquirer 

    “…stunning new album…”

    Rolling Stone

    expansive, explosive solo album.”

    Stereogum

    “The much-anticipated Traveller more than meets the expectations of a debut disc by a singer- songwriter who’s been a well-known secret in Nashville for years.”

    The Wall Street Journal

    Traveller was recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (with additional production at The Castle and Blackbird Studio) and was produced by Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell) and Stapleton, and recorded by Vance Powell (Jack White).

    Already a world-renowned songwriter, Stapleton has enjoyed five #1 hits including the five-week No. 1 “Never Wanted Nothing More” recorded by Kenny Chesney, George Strait’s “Love’s Gonna Make it Alright,” Josh Turner‘s “Your Man” and Luke Bryan‘s “Drink A Beer,” which Stapleton is nominated for a CMT Award for Performance of the Year with Lady Antebellum from the recent CMT Artists of the Year show (watch the performance here).

    In support of Traveller, Stapleton will be performing on a series of shows on Eric Church’s The Outsiders World Tour.

    Audio / Chris Stapleton talks about why he recorded “Tennessee Whiskey” for his album, Traveller.

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    Chris Stapleton (Tennessee Whiskey) OC: …version of it. :41
    “ ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ is a song that I love, you know I love great country songs and songwriters, and this is certainly one that is a great country song written by great country songwriters and performed by a great country artists. Certainly, if you try to cover a George Jones or David Allan Coe, you can’t try to out-George Jones George Jones or anything like that. So, if you’re gonna cover something like that, you need to try to move away from that and hopefully make it your own. We kind of happened upon this way of playing this song and had fun with it live and felt like it was something to record that was a good tip of the hat to things we grew up on and loved. I think it’s a unique and interesting version of it.”