While many are staying home due to the global pandemic, Mardi Gras is still being celebrated, most likely remotely.

Jordan Davis grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, and since he’s experienced Mardi Gras nearly every year of his life, he’s got a lot of advice for those who will attend for the first time in the future.

“My main piece of advice is everybody needs to experience New Orleans at least once,” says Jordan. “Another piece is just pace yourself. It is pretty much a month-long party, so just pace yourself, try to stay hydrated that’s not alcohol, have a blast and catch a bunch of beads. Get a sign – that’s another piece of advice. If you’re really going after beads, get something that catches their eyes. Also, when it comes to making signs, best advice, make it a hoop, ‘cause if you have somebody on a float, if they have something to throw at, you’re gonna get a ton more beads.”

Mardi Gras Day is Tuesday (February 16th). Also known as Fat Tuesday, it’s the last day of the Carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The most popular time to visit New Orleans is the extended weekend before Mardi Gras when you can catch parades, like Endymion, Bacchus, Zulu, Rex and all of the festive celebrations throughout the whole city.

The Louisiana native is making his way up the country charts with his latest smash, “Almost Maybes.”

Eric Church and Chris Stapleton are among the artists to appear during the CBS two-hour special, A Grammy Salute to the Sounds of Change, next week. The program, which will also feature Brad Paisley, LeAnn Rimes, Patti LaBelle, Andra Day, Sheila E., Gloria Estefan, Gladys Knight and John Fogerty, among others, will air Wednesday (March 17th) beginning at 9pm ET/PT on CBS and via livestream and on-demand on Paramount+.

Reba McEntire returns to the CBS show, Young Sheldon, again tonight. Check out the action beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

June and Connie are headed out for a weekend at the casino on tonight’s episode of @YoungSheldon! Tune in at 8/7c on CBS. pic.twitter.com/nQnmRIKUUi

— Reba McEntire (@reba) March 11, 2021

Eric Church released a video of the first pressing of his new trilogy of albums, Heart & Soul. Thanks to United Record Pressing in Nashville, the first edition black vinyl pressing of all three albums are now available in the official Chief Merch store for pre-order.

Chris Stapleon has joined forces with Buffalo Trace Distillery’s E.H. Taylor Jr. to help raise funds for the natural disaster relief efforts in Texas and Kentucky. He is auctioning off autographed bottles of their Single Barrel bourbon through his charitable fund, Outlaw State of Kind.

The first glass of E.H. Taylor, Jr. I ever had was in the studio. Vance Powell, engineer of both music & good times, brought a bottle to the session for inspiration. That week we recorded an entire album, and that album was Traveller. pic.twitter.com/WDYuwljbYb

— Chris Stapleton (@ChrisStapleton) March 10, 2021

Darius Rucker is poised to hit the top of the country charts with his latest single, “Beers and Sunshine,” and he seems to be a connoisseur of both — beers AND sunshine.  The South Carolina native makes a list of some beer brands he enjoys.

“I like any kind of beer. I like a good lager, you know, a good Heinekin or a Stella or a Peroni or something like that,” says Darius, adding he’s ready for the sun to come out of hibernation. “I haven’t had a lot of sunshine. I’ve been down to Charleston a little bit, but 61 is not really sunshine. (laughs)  I want it to be 80. I hope (Punxsutawney) Phil’s wrong, ‘cause I’m ready for the winter to go away.”

Darius co-wrote the song with producer Ross Copperman, J.T. Harding and Josh Osborne.

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum announced the premiere of the video special “American Currents: Celebrating the State of the Music” at 7pm CT, Friday, March 19th, 2021, on the museum’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. “American Currents: Celebrating the State of the Music” takes music fans inside the museum’s upcoming exhibition “American Currents: State of the Music,” which not only recognizes artists’ industry accomplishments, but also delves into the extraordinary events that shaped country music amid a global health crisis and a renewed push for social justice.

Country Music Hall of Fame Member and Museum Board President Vince Gill will introduce the exhibition and the program. Additionally, CEO Kyle Young will share remarks highlighting the artists, musicians, songwriters and stories featured in the most recent installment of the American Currents: State of the Music exhibition, which is located in the museum’s ACM Gallery.
The video special “American Currents: Celebrating the State of the Music,” underwritten in part by City National Bank, kicks off a year-long series of programming and online content in support of “American Currents: State of the Music.” The video will remain available to view on the museum’s YouTube channel after the premiere.

During the video program, Luke Combs and Rissi Palmer will discuss the past year – how it changed their perspectives and how they managed to stay creative and positive during troubling times. Combs, Palmer and Billy Strings, who are each featured in this year’s exhibition, will also perform.

Presented annually, “American Currents: State of the Music” is based upon the ongoing research and analysis of curators and museum staff to document and interpret significant developments in country music over the previous year. Those recognized in this year’s exhibition, in addition to Combs, Palmer and Strings, are: Gabby Barrett, Casey Beathard, The Chicks, Eric Church, Dan + Shay, Mickey Guyton, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris, Country Music Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton, John Prine, Sister Sadie and Eddie Stubbs.

The exhibition’s Unbroken Circle section illustrates the connection between country music’s past and present by pairing artists with those who have influenced them or share musical perspectives. Those included are Jimmie Allen and Darius Rucker; Ingrid Andress and Faith Hill; Charley Crockett and Freddy Fender; and Dierks Bentley’s Hot Country Knights and the Statler Brothers’ Lester “Roadhog” Moran & the Cadillac Cowboys.

For more information about American Currents: State of the Music, visit www.CountryMusicHallofFame.org.

If you’ve ever been to a Keith Urban show or seen him perform, he gets his fans energized and almost puts them in a frenzy…especially the female fans. However, he can also have a calming effect as he just composed and recorded a song, “I Am Home,” for the popular Calm app, which is designed to help people sleep better and reduce stress and anxiety. He explains on his socials, “So, I’ve never written a ‘sleep song’ before. This process was different on every level because I wasn’t trying to come up with a hook/chorus. It felt like an incredible amount of liberation and freedom to just let the things flow and move where they wanted to go,” says Keith.

https://twitter.com/calm/status/1359647591441420289

The current leaders of exercise bikes and workout digital apps, Peloton, is celebrating Black History Month with Artist Series Classes. The Peloton team chose songs by Mickey Guyton to be used for both a ride with Ally Love, as well as a Yoga Flow class with Ross Rayburn. You can still take the classes by clicking on the link: https://pelotoncycle.onelink.me/3050343531/184566dd

Shania Twain is featured on a new radio mix of Irish pop star Ronan Keating’s version of “Forever and Ever, Amen,” featured on his Twenty Twenty album. The song was a huge No. 1 hit for Randy Travis in 1987.

The Academy of Country Music®, dick clark productions and CBS announced today that 15-time ACM Award winner Keith Urban, and New Female Artist of the Year nominee Mickey Guyton, will host the 56^TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS™, honoring the biggest names and emerging talent in Country Music. CBS presents the 56th ACM Awards® live from three iconic country music venues: the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe Sunday, April 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Urban returns for his second year after hosting the 55th ACM Awards in September, while this marks Guyton’s first time hosting the ACM Awards and the 29^th time multiple hosts have taken the ACM Awards stage. Guyton’s performance of her critically acclaimed song “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” at last year’s show featured Urban as a surprise guest on piano.

“I’m beyond thrilled to be co-hosting with my friend Mickey,” said Urban. “I love that finally everyone will get to see her infectious energy and uber creative spirit in full light.”

“Last year I had the opportunity to perform at the Academy of Country Music Awards with someone I long admired, Keith Urban, and this year I am incredibly excited to share hosting duties with him,” said Guyton. “As I’ve said before ‘if you can see it, you can be it,’ and it’s such an honor to step onto the ACM stage as the first ever Black woman to host the show. Over the years, the Academy of Country Music has always been a home for me through opportunities both onstage and throughout their work on diversity and inclusion. This is a moment of great significance for me and I am so thrilled to share it with all the fans.”

“Following Mickey’s groundbreaking and emotional performance featuring Keith Urban at last September’s ACM Awards, the producers knew that they would make a perfect hosting duo,” said ACM, dcp and CBS in a joint statement. “Since then, Mickey had a stratospheric rise and Keith has continued to top the charts. They will make a dynamic pairing that captures the warmth, humor, and comfort that the fans are looking for, and join a legendary list of talented artists that have hosted the ACM Awards over the years.”

Urban is a double nominee in the Music Event of the Year Category for his collaboration with P!nk on his latest single, “One Too Many,” for which he received an additional nomination as the song’s producer. In addition, he received a nomination for his collaboration with Thomas Rhett, Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, and Chris Tomlin on “Be A Light.” To date, Urban has won 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, securing his first win in 2001.  He has spent the better part of his life harnessing a deep-seated passion for music.  This, when combined with his authenticity and talent, helps to exemplify why he is one of the most well-respected artists in the world. In addition to his ACM Award wins, he’s pocketed four GRAMMY© Awards, three AMAs, two People’s Choice Awards and celebrated nine consecutive gold, platinum or multi-platinum albums. His latest studio album, The Speed of Now Part 1, marks the fourth in an historic streak of simultaneous #1 album debuts in the United States, Canada and Australia.  It produced “One Too Many,” his latest single, the Top 5 hit “God Whispered Your Name,” as well as the international hits “Polaroid” and “Superman.”

While plans for a tour were placed on hold, and many in the country faced stay-at-home orders, Urban did what he does best – found ways to stay connected with his fans and used music as balm.  He was one of the first to take to social media to perform a series of “concerts” from his home.  He stole the attention of the world with his performance of Steve Winwood’s Higher Love, for Lady Gaga’s “One World: Together at Home.” His concert for COVID-19 first responders became the first in the U.S. to be held at a drive-in movie theater and supported numerous efforts to assist in COVID relief. Urban’s live shows have become legendary – as unpredictable as they are explosive.  Whether in an arena of 15,000 or outdoors in front of 50,000, they’re an experience of emotion, musical texture, energy and showmanship.  His  musical virtuosity and fluidity is unparalleled leading to collaborations with a diverse group of artists that include, among others; Billy Gibbons, Buddy Guy, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, John Mayer, Julia Michaels, Justin Timberlake, Dzeko, Miranda Lambert, Nile Rodgers, Post Malone, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones and Vince Gill.

Mickey Guyton was born in Arlington, Texas and began singing in church at a young age. She was drawn to a variety of artists with big voices including Dolly Parton, Cece Winans, Whitney Houston and LeAnn Rimes. After signing to Capitol Records Nashville, Mickey’s first appearance was an all-star concert at the White House captured by PBS. In 2015 she released her self-titled EP featuring her debut single “Better Than You Left Me.” The following year she was nominated for her first Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Vocalist. Mickey returned to the ACM Awards in 2019 performing “I’m Standing With You” from the BREAKTHROUGH movie soundtrack alongside Chrissy Metz, Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina and Maddie & Tae. This last year, Mickey performed her first solo ACM Awards performance of “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” with labelmate Keith Urban’s accompaniment on piano.  The performance, which HITS called “…a Whitney Houston/Beyoncé power-vocal rendition of the glass-ceiling reckoning…” was named one of the best performances of the night. Mickey released her EP, Bridges, last September, which includes “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?”, hailed by Variety as “country music’s song of the year”, as well as, “Black Like Me,” a song Mickey co-wrote in March 2019 at a cross-genre writing camp. Due to demand, “Black Like Me” was released in June 2020 and was named one of the Top 10 songs of 2020 by NPR, Billboard and The Associated Press. Mickey recently made history as the first Black female solo artist to earn a GRAMMY nomination in a country category (Best Country Solo Performance) for “Black Like Me” which she will perform as part of the awards ceremony Sunday, March 14. Mickey and her music have been featured recently by The New York Times, CBS This Morning, NPR, Today, Billboard, The Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, ELLE, The Washington Post, Paste, Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, American Songwriter and Pollstar.

LIVE NATION PRESENTS: COUNTRY CONVERSATIONS, a new series launched by Live Nation’s premiere family of country music festivals, returns tonight with special guests including “one of country’s more thoughtful artists” (Billboard) Kip Moore and “one of Nashville’s most promising young singers” (Washington Post) Caylee Hammack. Hosted by Brian O’Connell (President of Country Touring and creator of Live Nation’s family of country music festivals), the livestream event will be available to watch on Watershed Music And Camping Festival, Rock The Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival and Faster Horses Music Festival’s respective Facebook platforms tonight (2/15) at 6pm CT. The insightful series gives fans a special look into artists’ daily lives while they’re not touring and enjoy impromptu performances. Previous guests include Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Lindsay Ell and Travis Denning, and fans can also watch the series online on Live Nation’s homepage at LiveNation.com.

About Kip Moore: 
Multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter Kip Moore has toured the world headlining his own shows, earning acclaim and a rabid fanbase as an all-in performer in each setting, wrapping 40 sold-out headlining shows in The U.S, The U.K. and Canada at the beginning of 2020. Praised by Noisey as “an uncompromising, genre-defying artist firing on all cylinders” Moore has blazed his own trail. Moore has garnered mass critical acclaim and has over 190 million streams globally for his revered fourth studio album, with PEOPLE declaring “Wild World is filled with bold signposts about the enigmatic artist, his rebel appetite and his “reckless heart.” Due to demand, Moore just released a Deluxe version of WILD WORLD on Friday. The “especially vital; occasionally, even rare” (Esquire) set was co-written and produced by Moore and spawned his recent Top 15 single “She’s Mine.” The current CMA “International Artist Achievement Award” nominee first splashed into the mainstream with the double-PLATINUM “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” in 2012, then followed up with three more best selling No. Ones (“Hey Pretty Girl,” “Beer Money” and “More Girls Like You”), a trio of ambitious, critically-praised albums and two gritty EPs that landed Moore on multiple “Best Of” lists. For more information visit kipmoore.net.

About Caylee Hammack:
Capitol Nashville “songwriter/producer/full-throttle vocalist” (HITS) Caylee Hammack just released her debut record IF IT WASN’T FOR YOU. Since the release, critics have continued to highly praise the 13-track set that sees Hammack with writer and producer credits on every track on the album. “Hammack has arrived with this 13-track adrenaline blast…every song on here plays out like an entry in Hammack’s diary—and is just as compelling…Hammack deserves to be a star” declared Billboard. Hammack also just announced her new single at country radio “Just Friends” that has already garnered attention, with Paste lauding “stand back—she’s breathing fire.” Recently winning a nod for ACM “Music Event Of The Year,” with Miranda Lambert, Caylee Hammack has been noted as an “Artist To Watch” by outlets including The Bobby Bones Show, Rolling Stone and HITS Magazine for her “voice to move mountains” (Rolling Stone). With her breakout Top 30 single “Family Tree” marking the most-added single at Country radio by a female artist in over three years, Hammack, the Capitol Nashville recording artist has previously brought her unforgettable live set to opening slots for Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Trisha Yearwood, Brothers Osborne and some of country music’s biggest festivals. For more information visit www.cayleehammack.com.

Luke Bryan is giving fans a little taste of the new music on the deluxe version of his Born Here Live Here Die Here album, due April 9th. While enjoying the chart-topping success of his recent hit, “Down to One,” he released the song “Drink a Little Whiskey Down” to all digital partners.

Luke is nominated for both Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year (BORN HERE LIVE HERE DIE HERE) at this year’s ACM Awards. The 56th Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from Nashville April 18th beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT on CBS. The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on the new Paramount+ channel.

Eric Church will release new pressings of two of his early albums, Chief (3rd pressing) and Carolina (5th pressing) next month.

His multi-platinum 2011 album, Chief, will be re-released on blue vinyl and includes his No. 1 hits, “Drink In My Hand” and “Springsteen,” as well as his fan favorite smashes “Like Jesus Does,” “Creepin’” and “Homeboy.” The second pressing of Chief was on red vinyl and is no longer available.

Chief Track List:

SIDE A

1)- Creepin’

2)- Drink In My Hand

3)- Keep On

4)- Like Jesus Does

5)- Hungover & Hard Up

6)- Homeboy

SIDE B

1)- Country Music Jesus

2)- Jack Daniels

3)- Springsteen

4)- I’m Getting’ Stoned

5)- Over When It’s Over

6)- Lovin’ Me Anyway

Eric will also release a fifth pressing on clear vinyl of his platinum-certified 2009 album, Carolina, on March 19th. The collection includes the Top 10 hits “Smoke A Little Smoke,” “Hell On the Heart” and “Love Your Love the Most,” among others.

Carolina Track List:

SIDE A

1)- Ain’t Killed Me Yet

2)- Lotta Boot Left To Fill

3)- Young and Wild

4)- Where She Told Me To Go

5)- Longer Gone

6)- Love Your Love The Most

SIDE B

1)- Smoke A Little Smoke

2)- Without You Here

3)- You Make It Look So Easy

4)- Carolina

5)- Hell On the Heart

6)- Those I’ve Loved

The North Carolina native is making his way up the country charts with his latest single, “Hell Of A View.” He is also set to release not one, but three albums in April — Heart & Soul. The & album will only be released to members of his fan club, the Church Choir, on April 20th. Heart will be released April 16th, while Soul will be available April 23rd.

Dierks Bentley is scaling the country charts with his latest song, “Gone.” The track, written by Nicolle Galyon, Ben Johnson and Niko Moon and produced by David Garcia, Dierks finds himself pushing some new sonic territory. This time blending dobro, piano, drums and guitar sounds with the same fearlessness that has won him both critical acclaim and commercial viability over the last nine albums and 19 No. 1 hits.

“The production is a little different. I mean, when I’m doing my thing the best, I think it’s when I mix the bluegrass instrumentation with some of the, we used to call it ‘mixing the bluegrass with the kickass,’” says Dierks. “But you know, trying to get those acoustic instruments with the big drums and the big guitars and finding that place where they meet. Even though I’m always trying to do something different musically, I always go back to that, you know? I mean just trying to mix those sounds together, it’s interesting for me.”

Dierks is nominated for a pair of awards at this year’s ACM Awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year for “Gone.” The 56th Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from Nashville April 18th beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT on CBS. The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on the new Paramount+ channel.