• REBA McENTIRE IS HAPPY ABOUT “HAPPY’S PLACE.”

    Reba McEntire is returning to the small screen in the new NBC sitcom, “Happy’s Place,” which reunites her with beloved “Reba” co-star Melissa Peterman, as well as her “Reba” co- will executive producers Kevin Abbott, Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis.

    Reba says she just loved the premise of the show. “I love the script ‘Happy’s Place’ because it is something that actually really could happen,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s got a lot of heart to it. It’s about me. I play Bobbie Jo, and my dad is Happy, and he has owned this tavern for many, many years. he’s kind of retired, so I’ve been kind of handling it. Well, my daddy dies, and I go to the lawyer’s office to make sure all the will is just right and sign the papers, and I have quite a surprise. I find out that my daddy did have two families. There you go.”

    The show follows Bobbie Jo (Reba), who inherits her father’s restaurant and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in a half-sister (Belissa Escobedo) she never knew she had.

    The rest of the cast includes Reba’s real-life boyfriend, Rex Linn, Pablo Castelblanco and Tokala Black Elk.

    “Happy’s Place” will debut as part of NBC’s 2024 fall schedule and is currently set to air at 8pm ET/7pm CT on Fridays.

    Some of Reba’s previous acting credits include “Tremors,” Broadway’s ”Annie Get Your Gun,” “Young Sheldon,” “The Hammer,” “Buffalo Girls,” “North,” “Maverick,” “One Night at McCools,” “Malibu Country” and many others.

    Fans can celebrate by catching up on the beloved 6-season sitcom Reba, now available to stream on Netflix.

    Reba also continues as a coach on Season 25 of NBC’s The Voice, with the two-part finale set for May 20th and 21st and will return for Season 26 this fall with fellow coaches Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé.

    The Country Music Hall of Famer just released her new song, “I Can’t,” which she just performed on both “The Voice” and last week’s ACM Awards.

    Audio / Reba McEntire talks about her new NBC sitcom, "Happy's Place."

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    Reba McEntire (Happy’s Place) OC: …There you go. :32
    “I love the script ‘Happy’s Place’ because it is something that actually really could happen. It’s a lot of fun. It’s got a lot of heart to it. It’s about me. I play Bobbie Jo, and my dad is Happy, and he has owned this tavern for many, many years. he’s kind of retired, so I’ve been kind of handling it. Well, my daddy dies, and I go to the lawyer’s office to make sure all the will is just right and sign the papers, and I have quite a surprise. I find out that my daddy did have two families. There you go.”

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  • TRAVIS DENNING TRAVELS TO ‘ROADS THAT GO NOWHERE.’

    Travis Denning is set to release his first full-length album, Roads That Go Nowhere, on Friday (May 24th). The Paul DiGiovanni and Jeremy Stover produced album features 15 tracks, 12 of which were written or co-written by Travis. It also includes features by HARDY and Josh Ross.

    While the Georgia native has released a few EPs, he’s had time to put together his debut album, and he says it’s everything he wanted it to be.

    “It feels pretty dead-on what I wanted to accomplish,” says Travis. “You know, I think the amount of time that we put into it, I don’t know, it feels like we checked pretty much all of the boxes. It just feels like a really solid country music album, and I think that’s just what was really important. The theme is there with the title track, the stories are there. I got to put enough of the creative things that I connect to where I come from in there that not a lot of people get to do, and for that I am super grateful. And then, of course, there’s some big rockin’, Nashville rock’n roll country on there. All that mixed together, it’s made what I consider a pretty well-rounded project.”

    Travis has tour dates through the fall. This spring and summer, he will support HARDY on his Quit!! tour.

    ROADS THAT GO NOWHERE Track List:

    1. Why I’m Drinking (Josh Kerr, Jon Nite, Cole Taylor)
    2. I Know How It Sounds (Travis Denning, Will Bundy, Chase McGill)
    3. Better At Leaving (Travis Denning, Jared Hampton, Tripp Howell)
    4. Strawberry Wine And A Cheap Six Pack (Travis Denning, Thomas Archer, Paul DiGiovanni, Jerry Flowers)
    5. Going Places (Travis Denning, Paul DiGiovanni, Matt Mulhare, Jeremy Stover)
    6. Someone That Isn’t Me (Travis Denning, Paul DiGiovanni, Blake Pendergrass, Bobby Pinson)
    7. Southern Rock (Featuring HARDY) (Travis Denning, Jessi Alexander, Chase McGill)
    8. Love You Past That (Travis Denning, Bobby Pinson, Chris Stevens, Jeremy Stover)
    9. Things I’m Going Through (Jordan Dozzi, Matt Mulhare)
    10. Add Her To The List (Paul DiGiovanni, Bobby Pinson, Jeremy Stover)
    11. Roads That Go Nowhere (Travis Denning, Ben Foster, James McNair)
    12. The Sound Of A Beer Getting Cracked (Featuring Josh Ross) (Travis Denning, Will Bundy, Chase McGill)
    13. Can’t Find One (Travis Denning, Chase McGill, Chris Stevens, Jeremy Stover)
    14. Here And Her (Travis Denning, Ben Johnson, Cole Taylor)
    15. Ocmulgee River (Travis Denning)

      Audio / Travis Denning talks about his first full-length album.

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      Travis Denning (new album) OC: …well-rounded project. :39
      “It feels pretty dead-on what I wanted to accomplish. You know, I think the amount of time that we put into it, I don’t know, it feels like we checked pretty much all of the boxes. It just feels like a really solid country music album, and I think that’s just what was really important. The theme is there with the title track, the stories are there. I got to put enough of the creative things that I connect to where I come from in there that not a lot of people get to do, and for that I am super grateful. And then, of course, there’s some big rockin’, Nashville rock’n roll country on there. All that mixed together, it’s made what I consider a pretty well-rounded project.”

      Audio / LINER Travis Denning (available this week)

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      Hey y’all, it’s Travis Denning. My new album, Roads That Go Nowhere, is available this week.

     

  • TYLER HUBBARD SCORES HIS THIRD SOLO NO. 1.

    Tyler Hubbard has scored his third solo No. 1 with his latest hit, “Back Then Right Now,” the follow-up to his previous chart-toppers (“5 Foot 9” and “Dancin’ In The Country”). Tyler co-wrote the tune with Jessie Jo Dillon, Geoff Warburton and David Garcia.

    Tyler’s co-writer, David Garcia, came in to the writing session with a really cool groove, and that carried through to the recording process of the song.

    “I just sort of told the players to really take creative freedom and see where this song led. During the process we were really pulling a lot of I guess ‘80s inspiration, if you will, ‘80s sounds. Everything sort of had this undertone of ‘80s, vintage undertone, but it really just felt fresh and fun. It just livened it up for some reason,” he says. “So, I told (the studio musicians) to really keep leaning into that, you know, whatever that thing is, it just feels classic and kind of felt unique at the time. And so, we just ran with it and had a lot fun with it, and I feel like it was the perfect blend of lifestyle, nostalgic memories and pictures and colors mixed with incredible musicianship and production, as well.”

    Tyler is currently on the road with Kane Brown on the In The Air Tonight World Tour. He’s also headlining a bunch of fairs and festivals, before his own Strong World Tour kicks off in Indianapolis on September 6th.

    Audio / Tyler Hubbard talks about the recording process of his latest No. 1, "Back Then Right Now."

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    Tyler Hubbard (recording process of BTRN) OC: …production, as well. :45
    “I just sort of told the players to really take creative freedom and see where this song led. During the process we were really pulling a lot of I guess ‘80s inspiration, if you will, ‘80s sounds. Everything sort of had this undertone of ‘80s, vintage undertone, but it really just felt fresh and fun. It just livened it up for some reason. So, I told them to really keep leaning into that, you know, whatever that thing is, it just feels classic and kind of felt unique at the time. And so, we just ran with it and had a lot fun with it, and I feel like it was the perfect blend of lifestyle, nostalgic memories and pictures and colors mixed with incredible musicianship and production, as well.”

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  • GEORGE STRAIT RELEASES NEW SONG “MIA DOWN IN MIA” FROM HIGHLY ANTICIPATED COWBOYS AND DREAMERS.

    On the heels of sharing the news of his 31st studio album with fans during a sold-out show at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium earlier this month, Country Music Hall of Fame member George Strait debuts the first release from Cowboys And Dreamers with “MIA Down in MIA.” Listen to the song HERE and pre-save/pre-add Cowboys And Dreamers, set for release September 6th, HERE.

    Written by Adam Craig and Dean Dillion, and produced by Strait with Chuck Ainlay, “MIA Down in MIA” features the Texas native’s Ace in the Hole Band, including longtime fiddle player Gene Elder.

    “I’m dedicating this record to my longtime manager and friend Erv Woolsey and my longtime fiddle player and friend Gene Elders (a player on four of these tracks), who we lost on the same day, March 20, 2024, as well as my longtime friend and road manager Tom Foote, who we lost on April 29, 2024,” shares Strait. “I will never forget all of the good times we had together. May they rest in peace with our Lord Jesus Christ.”

    The follow-up to Honky Tonk Time Machine, Strait’s 27th No. 1 Billboard Country album, Cowboys And Dreamers will feature 13 new songs, including “Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame” featuring Chris Stapleton, which the pair debuted during the sold-out show at Lucas Oil Stadium on May 4, and his own rendition of Waylon Jennings’ “Waymore’s Blues.”

    The Texas Troubadour will continue his series of stadium shows next Saturday, May 25 at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, followed by additional dates this summer in Charlotte, N.C.; East Rutherford, N.J.; College Station, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Detroit, Mich.; and Chicago, Ill., before supersizing his longstanding Strait to Vegas show with a December date at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium to mark the 37th installment of the engagement.

     Cowboys And Dreamers Tracklist:

    (Songwriters in parentheses)

    1. Three Drinks Behind (Benjamin Gaither, Jeff Silvey and Kim Williams)
    2. Cowboys And Dreamers (Jessie Jo Dillon, Keith Gattis and Bubba Strait)
    3. To The Moon (Marty Brown and Steve Clark)
    4. MIA Down in MIA (Adam Craig and Dean Dillon)
    5. Wish I Could Say (Keith Gattis)
    6. Calling From The Car (Bobby Braddock)
    7. People Get Hurt Sometimes (Jim Lauderdale, Kendell Marvel and Jimmy Ritchey)
    8. Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame ft. Chris Stapleton (Chris Stapleton, Jameson Clark and Timothy James)
    9. The Little Things (George Strait, Monty Criswell and Bubba Strait)
    10. The Book (George Strait, Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo Dillon and Bubba Strait)
    11. Rent (Guy Clark and Keith Gattis)
    12. Waymore’s Blues (Curtis Buck and Waylon Jennings)
    13. The Journey Of Your Life (Ronnie Bowman and Troy Jones)

     

    Strait’s 2024 Concert Calendar:
    5/25 Jack Trice Stadium  Ames, IA
    6/1  Bank of America Stadium  Charlotte, NC
    6/8  MetLife Stadium  East Rutherford, NJ
    6/15 Kyle Field  College Station, TX
    6/29 Rice-Eccles Stadium  Salt Lake City, UT
    7/13 Ford Field   Detroit, MI
    7/20 Soldier Field   Chicago, IL
    12/7 Allegiant Stadium  Las Vegas, NV

    For more information and to purchase tickets to all upcoming dates, visit GeorgeStrait.com.

    “MIA Down in MIA” lyrics/credits available HERE.

  • TIMOTHY WAYNE RELEASES DEBUT TRACK “GOD MADE A COUNTRY BOY.”

    Country newcomer Timothy Wayne today releases his major label track debut, “God Made A Country Boy.” The upbeat anthem illustrates Wayne’s background of growing up in the Tennessee country, learning the value of hard work and respecting others. Written by Brad Warren, Brett Warren and Lance Miller, the song is produced by Tim McGraw and Byron Gallimore.

     

    “I grew up working on our family farm in the summers, working in the fields, bush hogging, mowing, taking care of the horses, and I loved it,” said Wayne. “It taught me a lot about responsibility. It was tough work, but a more simplistic way of life. My parents made a point of teaching me (and my siblings) about respecting others, standing up for beliefs and having manners. And, if you disagree with someone, you can still be respectful toward them. When I heard this song, I really liked the idea behind it and knew I wanted to record it because it really showcases who I am as a person.”

    This summer, Wayne will perform at Nashville’s CMA Fest (June 6 on the Reverb Stage) and he will also be the opener on several dates of Tim McGraw’s Standing Room Only Tour 2024.

    Audio / LINER Timothy Wayne (God Made A Country Boy) 1

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    Audio / LINER Timothy Wayne (God Made A Country Boy) 2

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    Audio / LINER Timothy Wayne (God Made A Country Boy) 3

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  • CHRIS STAPLETON WINS ACM ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR HIGHER.

    Chris Stapleton, along with producers wife Morgane Stapleton and Dave Cobb, picked up the award for Album of the Year for Higher!

    Chris was the most awarded artist of the evening with four wins, including his eighth win for ACM Album of the Year, four as an artist and four as a producer, making him the artist with the most wins in the category (passing George Strait with seven wins). His win for ACM Male Artist of the Year brings his total in the category to four. Stapleton’s win for ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year marks his first win in the category. His four wins bring his ACM Awards count to 20.

    https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1791284044472218014

     

    Audio / CHRIS STAPLETON TALKS ABOUT THE TIME IN BETWEEN WRITING THE TITLE TRACK OF HIS NEW ALBUM, HIGHER, AND ACTUALLY PUTTING IT ON AN ALBUM.

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    Chris Stapleton (Higher title track) OC: …to me. :22
    “’Higher’ is a song that’s been around a long, long time. I wrote it in 2001 in the first few onths of being a professional songwriter here in Nashville, and it was on the first demo session that I ever did here in Nashville. So, for it to come around 22 years later and wind up being the title track of an album is a pretty unique thing to me.”

  • CHRIS STAPLETON WINS MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR AT THE ACM AWARDS.

    Chris Stapleton picked up the award for Male Artist of the Year at this year’s ACM Awards, and earlier this week was named Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

    https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1791274047960965509

     

    https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1791276509652557997

     

    Chris later performed his current single, “Think I’m In Love With You,” and blew the crowd away with a surprise duet with Dua Lipa!

     

    https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1791288415582912967

     

     

     

  • NEXT THING YOU KNOW, JORDAN DAVIS PICKS UP THE AWARD FOR SONG OF THE YEAR.

    Jordan Davis won Song of the Year for his multi-week No. 1 “Next Thing You Know.” Written by Jordan with Greylan James, Chase McGill and Josh Osborne, “Next Thing You Know” was his third consecutive multi-week No. 1 off of his PLATINUM-certified sophomore album, Bluebird Days.

    This was Jordan’s first TWO ACM Awards with an Artist and Songwriter credit on “Next Thing You Know.”

    https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1791263370932359566

    https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1791261324262936871

     

    Audio / Jordan Davis talks about writing "Next Thing You Know."

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    Jordan Davis (writing Next Thing You Know) OC: …song is today. :59
    “There’s a saying that says ‘raising kids – the days are long, the years are short,’ and that’s what this song is to me. I kind of came in wanting to write something like that, you know kind of a slow down time song, and Greylan had this idea. The idea initially was about going to a bar or going somewhere and meeting somebody and then just the progression of a relationship. I kind of hijacked the title and said, ‘Hey man. I love that title, but we’re going to write it in the sense of having kids, watching ‘em grow up and hopefully becoming a grandparent, you know? Chase McGill and Josh Osborne both have kiddos, and I think they kind of grabbed on it. Greylan, hats off to him. He’s the single kid of the group, so he was like, ‘Man, I’ll go there. I don’t know how much input I can be able to say in this, but I’ll go there with you.’ I mean, he’s a great writer, and it was fun to kind of see the title that he threw out evolve into what the song is today.”

     

     

     

     

  • LUKE BRYAN AND AMERICAN IDOL WILL SAY GOODBYE TO KATY PERRY DURING SUNDAY’S FINALE.

    The season finale of American Idol is coming to a close on Sunday (May 19th), and it will be a bittersweet ending as Katy Perry is leaving the judges’ table after seven years. Luke Bryan and fellow judge Lionel Richie will be emotional about her departure, for sure, as they’ve all become quite close. Katy tells ET her after-show celebration with Luke will involve some adult beverages. “I’m gonna stay present and take it all in and then have a little after-party and Luke [Bryan] and I will finally drink. After seven years, we’ll really drink.”

    Luke says he’s not sure yet who Katy’s replacement will be, and since it’s an annual deal, he still hasn’t made a decision on his future yet.

    “The relationship with Katie that we’ve had – me and Lionel and Ryan and the show – has been amazing. I don’t know any info on who may be her potential replacement, but it’s a fun thing to be a part of,” says Luke. “I think Katie, you know, I think she’s probably launching world tours and stuff where she goes around the world, and so she probably had to make a decision several months out to get in front of her plans. So, yeah, I kind of roll in, we’ll know how the show’s doing and typically everybody’s really fired up at Disney and ABC about it, so we’ll make that decision. Hadn’t made it yet.”

    He’s still having fun on the show, but he adds, “I kind of treat American Idol like I do my music career. As long as the show feels like the show is reinventing itself and as long as it looks fresh and fun and I know we’re really doing positive things, it’s gonna always be something that I really consider doing.”

    Sunday’s three-hour Season 22 finale will feature the Top 3 contestants — Abi Carter, Jack Blocker and Will Moseley — as well as performances from all three judges, finale mentor Jon Bon Jovi, Hootie & the Blowfish, Wynonn Judd, Cody Johnson, New Kids on the Block, CeCe Winans and Jason Mraz, among others.

    Catch the finale — and Katy’s last show —  on Sunday (May 19th) at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC.

    In the meantime, Luke’s latest single “Love You, Miss You, Mean It” is climbing the country charts.

     

    Audio / Luke Bryan on his future on American Idol.

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    Luke Bryan (future of American Idol) 1 OC: …consider doing. :32
    “Everybody’s typically kind of tight-lipped about that, because it’s an annual renewal of something. So, we’re always kind of negotiating the next year and how that looks. I kind of treat American Idol like I do my music career. As long as the show feels like the show is reinventing itself and as long as it looks fresh and fun and I know we’re really doing positive things, it’s gonna always be something that I really consider doing.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan talks Katy Perry and his own future at American Idol.

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    Luke Bryan (future of American Idol) 2 OC: …made it yet. :44
    “The relationship with Katie that we’ve had – me and Lionel and Ryan and the show – has been amazing. I don’t know any info on who may be her potential replacement, but it’s a fun thing to be a part of. I think Katie, you know, I think she’s probably launching world tours and stuff where she goes around the world, and so she probably had to make a decision several months out to get in front of her plans. So, yeah, I kind of roll in, we’ll know how the show’s doing and typically everybody’s really fired up at Disney and ABC about it, so we’ll make that decision. Hadn’t made it yet.”

     

     

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  • CHRIS STAPLETON NAMED ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AT THIS YEAR’S ACM AWARDS.

    Chris Stapleton was named the winner for Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Chris Stapleton is the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and also the most-recent recipient of the Academy’s coveted Triple Crown prize, which celebrates artists who have won New Female/Male Artist of the Year, Female/Male Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.

    He also has four additional nominations going into Thursday night’s ACM Awards, including Album of the Year (artist and producer) for  Higher, Male Artist of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year, and is set to perform live on the show.

    The 59th Annual ACM Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will stream live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Thursday (May 16th) at 8pm ET/7pm CT/5pm PDT on Prime Video.  You can also catch offical red carpet coverage on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch and P, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch and Amazon Live, starting at 7 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. PDT.