Don’t forget to catch the American Music Awards on Sunday (November 20th). Carrie Underwood will perform “Crazy Angels” from her latest album, Denim & Rhinestones. She is nominated for Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album for Denim & Rhinestones. Catch the show Sunday beginning at 8pm ET/PT on ABC.
’Tis the holiday season! The Country Music Association has revealed this year’s host, and performers, for its 13th annual holiday television special, “CMA Country Christmas.” Hosted by Country Music star Carly Pearce, “CMA Country Christmas” features performances by Steven Curtis Chapman, Dan + Shay, Scotty McCreery, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Pearce, Molly Tuttle, and The War And Treaty. “CMA Country Christmas” airs Thursday, Dec. 8 (9:00-10:01 PM/EST) on ABC and next day on Hulu and Disney+. Catch a sneak peek of this year’s “CMA Country Christmas” HERE.
As part of Gaylord Opryland Resort’s 39th annual A Country Christmas event, Universal Music Group Nashville is hosting Parade of Trees, a display where their world-renowned artists have come together to showcase Christmas trees decorated by Grand Ole Opry members Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, Little Big Town and Reba McEntire, along with George Strait, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Kacey Musgraves, Luke Bryan, Maddie & Tae, Sam Hunt and Tyler Hubbard.
Along with their trees, country music’s biggest stars have each donated “Once in a Lifetime” VIP experiences (fly-aways, VIP concert experiences, exclusive merchandise and more) all to benefit First Responders Children’s Foundation. Proceeds raised will provide scholarships and mental health services to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty including a new collaboration with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® for the local Monroe Carell Jr Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
“The holidays are a special time when people come together to celebrate and be thankful for their blessings,” said Reba McEntire. “This holiday season, I’m thankful I can help raise awareness for the First Responders Children’s Foundation, which supports the children and families of first responders who risk their lives every day to serve our communities. I hope everyone will go to charitystars.com/paradeoftrees to enter to win and support the families of this wonderful organization.”
The Parade of Trees is on display in the resort’s Garden Conservatory and Cascades Atrium now until January 10, 2023, as a self-guided tour of the Christmas trees decorated specifically to the artist’s style or album theme. Each VIP experience will be available for bid online at www.CharityStars.com/ParadeOfTrees until January 10, 2023. Some of the themes and experiences this year include Reba McEntire’s red, green, and gold tree celebrating her Christmas album, The Ultimate Christmas Collection, paired with a VIP trip to New York City to see her live at Madison Square Garden; Keith Urban’s tree representing his song “Wild Hearts” (and Live In Las Vegas flyaway, including travel and accommodations, a meet and greet, and hand-signed personalized guitar); Maddie & Tae’s “Every Night Every Morning” themed tree (and Disney World Weekend Getaway including flights, hotel, passes, and signed merch), and Luke Bryan’s “Country On” themed tree (and Las Vegas VIP Experience including flights, hotel, VIP entrance, preshow toast with Luke, and signed memorabilia). Other artist packages include VIP festival experiences, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade getaways, stadium flyaways, exclusive numbered prints, signed guitars, custom toy packages from Mattel, and more. The complete listings can be viewed at www.charitystars.com/paradeoftrees. Guests visiting Gaylord Opryland Resort can scan QR codes at each tree location to donate and gain access to win the designated artist’s VIP prize package, and fans can also bid on the sweepstakes online.
EMI Records Nashville recording artist Tyler Hubbard’s debut solo single, “5 Foot 9,” has reached No.1 at radio. This makes Hubbard the first male country artist formerly in a country duo to hit No.1 as a solo artist. The song, which also has 224M LTD global streams, is the first single off Hubbard’s debut solo album, Tyler Hubbard, which will be released on January 27, 2023. Written by Hubbard, Jaren Johnston and Chase McGill, and produced by Hubbard and Jordan Schmidt, “5 Foot 9” has also been certified Gold by the RIAA. Hubbard’s debut solo single went No. 1 at radio and was certified Gold by the RIAA within six months of its release, and Hubbard is the first debut country artist to go No.1 this year.
“Reaching No.1 with my first single as a solo artist is an incredible feeling,” says Hubbard. “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude when I think of everyone who has supported and stood behind me. I’m thankful to the fans, country radio, my team, and everyone at EMI Records and UMG Nashville for believing in me and working so hard to make this dream become a reality.”
Hubbard celebrated the Gold certification this past Friday night backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, where he received a plaque before making his debut Grand Ole Opry performance as a solo artist. Hubbard not only performed the hit single, “5 Foot 9,” but also “Way Home,” and the rollicking “Dancin’ In The Country,” which will be Hubbard’s next radio single.
Adds Hubbard, “Stepping into the circle to perform on stage at the Grand Ole Opry is such an incredible honor. Being at the Opry with family and friends and getting to celebrate “5 Foot 9” being certified gold is a moment I’ll never forget.”
Now with 20 No. 1 singles on country radio, countless awards, and sold-out tours, Tyler Hubbard has already had a remarkable career as a songwriter and as one half of multi-platinum duo Florida Georgia Line. Now Hubbard is embarking on a solo career with his debut solo album Tyler Hubbard, releasing January 27, 2023. Hubbard’s debut solo single, “5 Foot 9,” quickly moved inside the Top 50 on the streaming chart in its first four weeks, currently sits inside the Top 20 on the Country Streaming Chart, and reached No.1 at Country radio. In anticipation of his debut solo album, this summer Hubbard released a six-song project, Dancin’ In The Country, which debuted with over 10,000 SPS units (sales plus streaming) making it the second best-selling country EP debut of the year. It also debuted at No. 1 on the Heatseekers Albums chart, No. 6 on the Current Country Albums sales chart, and No. 107 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Since releasing his debut single, Hubbard has released eight unofficial music videos. Watch all of Hubbard’s videos HERE.
Audio / Tyler Hubbard says he's feeling a lot of gratitude after hitting the top of the country charts with his debut solo single, "5 Foot 9."
Tyler Hubbard (first solo No. 1) OC: …next one, yeah. 1:07
“Ultimately, I just feel a lot of gratitude, you know? I’ve been able to be surrounded by such amazing people and the new team, the label and all the partners at radio that’s been so good to me. Just getting to kind of come out of this pandemic and spend time with these people again and go see ‘em amd visit ‘em and play them new music, it’s been a special time. And then to feel all the love and the acceptance and support from all sides, it just feels so good, and I’m trying to really let it sink in you know, what this really means and how special this is and the fact that I’m getting relive having a first No. 1 again is so, it’s so rare and so special, so I’m really trying to let it soak in and again, just continue to feel all this gratitude and use it to motivate and inspire the next one and just keep this thing rockin’. So, I’m really, really excited and really grateful to be on the charts in general, much less at No. 1, and just excited for the next one, yeah.”
Dierks Bentley is taking part in the new CBS TV Special, Pickled, hosted and produced by Stephen Colbert. The two-hour special will feature 16 celebrities playing in a charity pickleball tournament with proceeds benefitting Comic Relief US, which strives to end poverty in the U.S.
Dierks and his band and crew started playing pickleball on the road to pass the time between soundcheck and the show. “We would just put some masking tape, duct tape, down on the parking lot behind the busses and start playing and got into it – fun thing to do out there on the road,” says Dierks.
Apparently, while Stephen Colbert was putting together this special, he reached out to Dierks to take part in this new special. “Since then, I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me about starting a pickleball team or being part of pickleball specials, and one of the cool things is doing this Stephen Colbert TV special. It involved playing pickleball with a bunch of great people like Will Ferrell, Jimmie Allen, so fun, and we had microphones. We were mic’d up, so I’m not sure what I said in the middle of a competitive sport. Hopefully, I didn’t make a fool out of myself, but definitely it’s been a fun thing to do out there on the road.”
The tournament, which will air Thursday (November 17th) beginning at 9pm ET on CBS and Paramount +, will also feature Jimmie Allen, comedian/actor Will Ferrell, The Neighborhood’s Max Greenfield, actor Luis Guzman, actor Daniel Dae Kim, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, singer Kelly Rowland, Grace and Frankie’s June Diane Raphael, actress Emma Watson (Harry Potter) and many others.
Dierks is currently making his way up the country charts with his latest single “Gold.”
Audio / Dierks Bentley talks about playing pickleball and being a part of the CBS
Dierks Bentley (Pickled) OC: …on the road. :41 “We started playing pickleball on the road, I guess, this year like a lot of other people did, as well. We would just put some masking tape, duct tape, down on the parking lot behind the busses and start playing and got into it – fun thing to do out there on the road. Since then, I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me about starting a pickleball team or being part of pickleball specials, and one of the cool things is doing this Stephen Colbert TV special. It involved playing Pickpeball with a bunch of great people like Will Ferrell, Jimmie Allen, so fun, and we had microphones. We were mic’d up, so I’m not sure what I said in the middle of a competitive sport. Hopefully, I didn’t make a fool out of myself, but definitely it’s been a fun thing to do out there on the road.”
Powerhouse vocal duo The War And Treaty announce details today behind their headlining 2023 LOVER’S GAME TOUR, launching March 19th in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After performing more than 100 shows internationally and stateside this year, the husband-and-wife duo will bring their “massive, show-stopping vocals” (Vulture) to more than 35-cities this spring with stops in Los Angeles, CA (3/26) and New York City, NY (5/03), before closing out the leg in Nashville, TN (5/13). Tickets for new headlining dates will be available this Friday (11/18 at 10:00A Local Time) and “Hearts Town” fan club members can access tickets early via pre-sale beginning tomorrow (11/15 at 10:00A Local Time) as a portion of ticket sales will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association and Vet Tix. For complete ticket and pre-sale details visit www.thewarandtreaty.com.
“The shows this year have felt more like a family reunion,” Michael Trotter Jr. said. “You know how it is….some family you’ve known for a while and then you meet other family members you don’t know…but their vibe is so on point with yours that it’s more filling than the barbecue on the grill. We know next year’s tour is going to feel just like that so we just need to bring the right meats for the grill…the right beer for the cooler…and play the right songs!”
The new dates behind “the colossally talented pair’s” (Associated Press) LOVER’S GAME TOUR follows their debut CMA Awards performance here, where “the duo rattled the rafters with their soulful, passionate tribute,” (CMT) as it was dubbed one of the best moments of the night by The Washington Post, Vulture, Rolling Stone, Billboard, American Songwriter and more. Additionally, the band surprised fans last week with the release of their BLANK PAGE EP which infuses “a soulful mingling of genres,” (Billboard).
2023 LOVER’S GAME TOUR DATES:
03/19/23 Oklahoma City, OK
03/21/23 Phoenix, AZ
03/23/23 Solana Beach, CA
03/24/23 Santa Ana, CA
03/25/23 Pioneertown, CA
03/26/23 Los Angeles, CA
03/28/23 San Francisco, CA
03/30/23 Portland, OR
03/31/23 Seattle, WA
04/01/23 Vancouver, BC
04/03/23 Bozeman, MT
04/05/23 Salt Lake City, UT
04/07/23 Denver, CO
04/13/23 Louisville, KY
04/14/23 St. Louis, MO
04/15/23 Davenport, IA
04/16/23 Minneapolis, MN
04/19/23 Chicago, IL
04/20/23 Grand Rapids, MI
04/21/23 Detroit, MI
04/22/23 Columbus, OH
04/23/23 Cleveland, OH
04/25/23 Buffalo, NY
04/26/23 Toronto, ON
04/28/23 South Burlington, VT
04/29/23 Brownfield, ME
04/30/23 Rockland, ME
05/02/23 Hamden, CT
05/03/23 New York, NY
05/05/23 Ardmore, PA
05/06/23 Washington, DC
05/09/23 Charlotte, NC
05/10/23 Durham, NC
05/11/23 Knoxville, TN
05/13/23 Nashville,TN
Founded in 2014 by the husband-and-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, The War And Treaty have emerged as one of the most electrifying new acts in American music. With a lionhearted sonic blend – both roaring with passion and tender to the touch, they “are making soul moves that are captivating everyone who sees them,” (Hits Magazine). Earning respect, they’ve gone on to appear as top-flight collaborators, and have been recognized by the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry and the Americana Music Association as “2022 Duo/Group of the Year.” The duo have dominated stages across the globe including North America, Europe, Italy, Australia, and Ireland, while headlining their own shows and opening for a diverse group of living legends; Al Green, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, John Legend, Lauren Daigle and Van Morrison among them. For more information visit www.thewarandtreaty.com.
Travis Denning will perform during Tracy Lawrence’s 17th Annual “Mission: Possible Turkey Fry” benefit concert November 22nd at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. This year’s annual turkey fry, which happens earlier that day, has moved to the Nashville Fairgrounds where Tracy is estimating they’ll serve a record-breaking 9,600 meals.
Little Big Town will perform during the 24th Annual Home For The Holidays At The Grove adoption special. Hosted by Gloria Estefan, the special features stories of adoption from foster care in hopes of raising awareness about the issue. The broadcast shines a light on the thousands of American children in foster care and has helped inspire tens of thousands of adoptions. David Foster, Katherine McPhee and Andy Grammar will also perform during A Home For The Holidays At The Grove special, airing December 23rd at 8pm ET on CBS (also available to stream on Paramount +).
The holiday season is here ❄️ Join us for a special performance to celebrate families whose lives were changed by adoption during The 24th Annual A Home for the Holidays at @TheGroveLA. See you December 23rd at 8/7c on @CBS. #Home4Holidayspic.twitter.com/gonvG1IHEP
Buckeye Country Superfest has announced a top-tier lineup for 2023, with George Strait headlining the annual event at Ohio Stadium on May 27th, 2023. Appearing alongside the King of Country is one of the country’s most respected and beloved musicians, Chris Stapleton, plus special guests, Grammy Award-winning band Little Big Town and rising star Warren Zeiders. 2023 will mark the sixth year for Buckeye Country Superfest at Ohio Stadium, following a record-setting attendance of over 63,000 fans in 2022.
Tickets go on sale this Saturday, Nov. 19, at 10 a.m. ET at BuckeyeCountrySuperfest.com. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. ET through Friday, Nov. 18 at 10 p.m. ET.
The festival announcement follows the recent news that Strait and Stapleton will team up for one-off stadium shows in only six markets next summer, with Little Big Town also joining them for those dates. Tickets to the 2023 concerts in Phoenix, Milwaukee, Seattle, Denver, Nashville (two nights) and Tampa are on sale now via GeorgeStrait.com.
“When I walk through those curtains and see those smiling faces, my feet don’t touch the ground again ‘til I walk back out and get on that bus that got me there. That’s from a song I wrote called ‘I’ll Always Remember You.’ It’s a true statement,” Strait shared exclusively with Billboard of the recent announcement.
“I love doing these shows with George about as much as I like doing anything. There’s nothing to compare it to,” added Stapleton. “So many of his songs are in the ethos of what country music is. Playing these shows together is a great experience all the way around.”
Maddie & Tae will make an appearance on talkshoplive®, the leading livestreaming, social selling online network on Monday, November 14th at 7pm ET/6pm CT. Maddie & Tae will feature signed copies of their holiday EP, We Need Christmas, originally released in 2020 and now available for the first time on vinyl. The one-hour streaming event will be hosted by popular TV, radio, and podcast host Kelly Sutton.
The vinyl version of Maddie & Tae’s We Need Christmas to be featured on talkshoplive® is an autographed edition in a specialty green color. Also featured in the event is an autographed We Need Christmas CD and additional exclusive holiday merchandise. Fans can follow Maddie & Tae’s exclusive channel on talkshoplive to receive an alert to tune in to the special event and save the date here.
About Maddie & Tae: Award-winning duo Maddie & Tae channel their unbreakable bond, honest songwriting and “some of the tightest harmonies on Music Row” (Rolling Stone) into their new collection of songs Through The Madness Vol. 2, out now. Together as longtime friends and music collaborators, Maddie Font and Taylor Kerr co-wrote each of the project’s tracks, as well as all 8 songs on Through The Madness Vol. 1. The pair drew praise for their No. 1 debuting The Way It Feels album, including the Double Platinum-certified No. 1 hit, “Die From A Broken Heart.” With “Die From A Broken Heart” topping the country airplay charts, Maddie & Tae became the first and only female twosome with multiple No. 1s.
Maddie & Tae first broke out in 2013 with their brilliant counter to bro-country, the Platinum-selling smash, “Girl In A Country Song,” which took Country radio by storm, skyrocketing to the top of the charts and establishing them as only the third female duo in 70 years to top the Country Airplay charts. They recently took home Group/Duo Video of the Year (“Woman You Got”) at the CMT Music Awards, and are nominated an eighth time for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 56th CMA Awards. They have earned trophies from the Radio Disney Music Awards and CMA Awards, along with multiple ACM, Billboard and CMT Award nominations. Maddie & Tae have received widespread praise from Associated Press, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, The Tennessean, The Washington Post, Glamour and others. The celebrated duo has toured with country music’s hottest stars including Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, and Brad Paisley. They recently headlined the CMT Next Women of Country Tour Presents: All Song No Static Tour in 2022, hitting major markets coast-to-coast. For additional information, visit www.maddieandtae.com.
Jordan Davis earned his first CMA Award Wednesday evening for his 2x Platinum, multi-week No. 1 hit single, “Buy Dirt.” One of the most streamed songs of the year in 2021 and 2022, the CMA Song of the Year was co-written by Davis and his brother Jacob, and Matt and Josh Jenkins. “Buy Dirt” is currently also nominated for Favorite Country Song at the 2022 American Music Awards, airing November 20thon ABC.
Today, Davis releases a next track, “Part of It,” as the latest preview of songs from his upcoming highly anticipated next album. Co-written by Davis, the song was also penned by fellow CMA Song of the Year recipient and brother Jacob Davis, and Jordan Walker and Matt McKinney.
“Buy Dirt” (feat. Luke Bryan) about “faith, family, and friends” continues to resonate with fans on a global scale, toppingthe Country radio airplay charts for two weeks and amassingmore than 730 Million global streams to date.“Buy Dirt” has tallied multiple awards nominations including Top Country Song at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, Musical Event of the Year at the 55thCMA Awards, and for Music Event, Single, and Song of the Year at the 57th ACM Awards. One of the most played Country songs of 2021 and 2022, (ASCAP) the critically acclaimed hit won NSAI Song of the Year (2022) and CMA Song of the Year at the 2022 CMA Awards. Read the story behind “Buy Dirt” here. As a follow up to “Buy Dirt,” Davis has released several new tracks including fan-favorites, “Next Thing You Know,” and “Midnight Crisis” featuring Danielle Bradberry, today’s “Part of It,” and his current single, “What My World Spins Around.”
“What My World Spins Around” is currently #11 on MediaBase Country and #13 on the Billboard Country radio charts and has amassed more than 138 Million streams since its releasein June. Written by Davis, Matt Dragstrem, and Ryan Hurdand produced byPaul DiGiovanni,Davis first debuted the hit on NBC’sTODAY and he will perform the song at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC (11/24) and during his headlining performance at Canada’s upcoming CFL Grey Cup Halftime Show (11/20).
My mama talked her daddy into letting me take her out our junior year
She was a hallway queen, outta my league and I smiled ear to ear
Every night she was in my truck, young love did what it does and
Daddy said, I know ya thought she was the one and it ain’t not fun, but, son, that’s part of it
Sometimes you’re gonna hurt like hell and have some scars from it
Leave ya with a story to tell
Ya live and learn and good ones go
You find out on down the road
When ya lay it all out and get down to the heart of it
Man, that’s just life and that’s all part of it
Grandaddy cut his teeth, planted that seed across 80 acres of land
He steady checked that gauge and prayed for rain like he knew the Big Man
All the way ’til the day that he met Him, daddy read his will to the family
I just about broke down when I found out he went and left me part of it
Sometimes you’re gonna hurt like hell and have some scars from it
Leave ya with a story to tell
Ya live and learn and good ones go
You find out on down the road
When ya lay it all out and get down to the heart of it
Man, that’s just life and that’s all part of it
That’s all part of it
Heartbreaks faded and I chased a dream up to Tennessee
Met the love of my life, gave me two more and I don’t know who I’d be if they weren’t part of it
Sometimes life takes care of itself and heals those scars from it
Leave ya with a story to tell
Ya live and learn and good ones go
You find out on down the road
When ya lay it all out and get down to the heart of it
Eric Church has been announced as one of the headliners for next year’s Tortuga Music Festival. Kenny Chesney and Shania Twain will also headline during the three-day seaside event, taking place April 14th – 16th in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Kylie Morgan, Catie Offerman, Deana Carter, Cole Swindell, Jake Owen, Carly Pearce and many others will perform during the festival.
Alan Jackson has teamed up with AARP for a virtual show on Veterans Day (November 11th). The show is available at aarpconcerts.org/alan-jackson/ and you must register early. Actor Gary Sinise, who is the AARP Ambassador for Veterans and Military Families, will make a special appearance. The concert will begin at 8pm ET.
Jordan Davis and Tyler Hubbard, along with Canadian artist Josh Ross, will perform during the he Twisted Tea Grey Cup Halftime Show at the 109th Grey Cup from Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Sask. The game will be played at Mosaic Stadium on November 20th beginning at 6pm ET/3pm PT on TSN. It’s the third most watched sporting event in North America in Canada next to the Superbowl and Stanley Cup finals.
Priscilla Block will be going on the road with Justin Moore early next year. The You, Me, and Whiskey Tour is set to kick off February 2nd in Rapid City, South Dakota. Tickets go on sale for the duet partners on November 18th at 10am.