• CHRISTMAS 2018: Alan Jackson

    Alan Jackson is the patriarch of a family of five, including his wife Denise and his three daughters Mattie, Ali and Dani. Even though his children are grown, his family usually still stick to their Christmas traditions.

    “Christmas is pretty traditional. We don’t let anybody open any presents until Christmas morning,” says Alan. “We don’t let them get up on their own and take off, you know, everybody has to wait and kind of get situated, and maybe have a cup of coffee, and then we start all of the regular Christmas morning activities, opening presents, taking pictures and video. We have music going, you know, I try to keep Christmas music going in the background. I like to turn that on before I let them come down to the tree and everything.”

    Alan released his second holiday album, Let It Go, in 2002.

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  • CHRISTMAS 2018: Josh Turner

    Having four sons now (Hampton, Colby, Marion, Hawke), Josh Turner and his wife Jennifer say it’s easier for their extended families to come to them rather than traveling during the holidays. However, since the boys are used to being on the road throughout the year, it wouldn’t be a huge burden to travel during the holidays either.

    “We have kind of made it a point to be at home at Christmas, ‘cause we want the boys to grow up with memories of being at home for Christmas, instead of traveling around going to this place and that place,” says Josh. “It’s definitely a lot easier when people come to us, but we have no problem going somewhere too.”

    One thing he’s got to have on the table wherever he is celebrating Christmas is his father’s fried turkey. “My favorite food to eat at Christmas time is probably the fried turkey that my daddy makes every year,” He says. “He started that several years back, and it became a hit with our family, and so he ended up doing it.”

    Josh recently released his first gospel collection, I Serve a Savior.

    Audio / Josh Turner says he wants his four boys to grow up having memories of Christmas in their own house.

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    Josh Turner (Christmas kids) OC: …somewhere too. :19
    “We have kind of made it a point to be at home at Christmas, ‘cause we want the boys to grow up with memories of being at home for Christmas, instead of traveling around going from this place to that place. It’s definitely a lot easier when people come to us, but we have no problem going somewhere too.”

    Audio / Josh Turner, a father of four boys, talks about his favorite Christmas food.

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    Josh Turner (favorite Christmas food) OC: …favorite food. :15
    “My favorite food to eat at Christmas time is probably the fried turkey that my daddy makes every year. He started that several years back, and it became a hit with our family, and so he ended up doing it. He’s been doing it every year since, so that’s always been my favorite food.”

    Audio / Josh Turner talks about a couple of his family’s Christmas traditions.

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    Josh Turner (Christmas traditions) OC: …to beat that smell. [laughs] :18
    “Since we started having children, we try to just stay at home for Christmas. We used to have a fake tree for several years, but we’ve kinda gone back to having a real tree, and it’s just, I don’t know, hard to beat that smell.” [laughs]

  • LAUREN ALAINA ADDED TO NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE LINEUP.

    Lauren Alaina has been added to the list of performers for the West Coast celebration of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2019.” She joins Kane Brown, Bazzi, Kelsea Ballerini, Camila Cabello, Ciara, Halsey, Shawn Mendes, Weezer, The Chainsmokers, Foster the People, Dua Lipa, Ella Mai and Charlie Puth, as well as a performance by Macklemore with Skylar Grey. Airing just after midnight, Post Malone will perform from a stop on his current tour in Brooklyn, New York.

    The televised celebration takes place Monday, December 31st beginning at 8pm ET on ABC.

    Lauren, the reigning ACM New Female Vocalist, has hit the airwaves with her latest song, “Ladies in the ‘90s.”

  • KACEY, CHRIS, KEITH, LBT, VINCE AND RESTORATION ARE NOMINATED FOR GRAMMYS.

    The nominations for 2019’s GRAMMY Awards have been announced, and Kacey Musgraves leads the list of UMG Nashville’s artists with four, including overall Album of the Year for Golden Hour, as well as Best Country Album. Her song “Butterflies” picks up a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance, while “Space Cowboy” earns a nod for Best Country Song.

    Chris Stapleton is nominated for three awards, including Best Country Solo Performance (“Millionaire”); Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 2) and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Justin Timberlake for “Say Something.”

    Brothers Osborne has a pair of noms for Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Shoot Me Straight”) and Best Country Album (Port St. Joe).

    Little Big Town competes for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their song “When Someone Stops Loving You” – the song is also nominated for Best Country Song (award goes to the songwriters).

    Keith Urban grabs a nod for Best Country Solo Performance for “Parallel Line,” which is from his latest album, Graffiti U.

    Vince Gill gains a Grammy nomination in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category for the duet “Dear Hate” with Maren Morris.

    And Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin captures a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance for Maren Morris’ version of “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.”

    The 2019 Grammys will air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles February 10th on CBS.

    Album of the Year
    Invasion of Privacy — Cardi B
    By the Way I Forgive You — Brandi Carlile
    Scorpion — Drake
    beerbongs & bentleys — Post Malone
    H.E.R. — H.E.R.
    Dirty Computer — Janelle Monae
    Golden Hour — Kacey Musgraves
    Black Panther: The Album — Kendrick Lamar

    Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
    “Fall In Line” — Christina Aguilera Featuring Demi Lovato
    “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” — Backstreet Boys
    “‘S Wonderful” — Tony Bennett & Diana Krall
    “Shallow” — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
    “Girls I Like You” — Maroon 5 Featuring Cardi B
    “Say Something” — Justin Timberlake Featuring Chris Stapleton
    “The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey

    Best Country Solo Performance
    “Wouldn’t It Be Great?” — Loretta Lynn
    “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” — Maren Morris
    “Butterflies” — Kacey Musgraves
    “Millionaire” — Chris Stapleton
    “Parallel Line” — Keith Urban

    Best Country Duo/Group Performance
    “Shoot Me Straight” — Brothers Osborne
    “Tequila” — Dan + Shay
    ”When Someone Stops Loving You” — Little Big Town
    “Dear Hate” — Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill
    “Meant to Be” — Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line

    Best Country Song
    “Break Up in the End” — Jessie Jo Dillon, Chase McGill & Jon Nite, songwriters (Cole Swindell)
    “Dear Hate” — Tom Douglas, David Hodges & Maren Morris, songwriters (Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill)
    “Space Cowboy” — Luke Laird, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
    “Tequila” — Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds & Dan Smyers, songwriters (Dan + Shay)
    “When Someone Stops Loving You” — Hillary Lindsey, Chase McGill & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Little Big Town)

    Best Country Album
    Unapologetically — Kelsea Ballerini
    Port Saint Joe — Brothers Osborne
    Girl Going Nowhere — Ashley McBryde
    Golden Hour — Kacey Musgraves
    From A Room: Volume 2 — Chris Stapleton

  • KIP MOORE EXPANDS HIS “ROOM TO SPARE: ACOUSTIC TOUR” INTO 2019.

    Multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter Kip Moore announced the extension of his in-demand ROOM TO SPARE: ACOUSTIC TOUR today. The stacked run will kick off in Chicago, IL on 3/7 and will wrap with international shows in The U.K. and Canada. The newly revealed dates follow a limited fall run, which saw Moore playing all SOLD-OUT dates and audiences praising his stripped-down, intimate set. Charlie Worsham and vocal duo, Muscadine Bloodline are set to join Moore on select dates next year. Tickets will go on sale beginning Friday, December 14th at 10am local time, here.

    Moore, who is “quickly becoming one of country music’s most tireless and powerful live draws, and not just within the Unites States,” continues to impress fans and critics alike as his fan base is continually “expanding exponentially, especially internationally and in traditionally unconventional U.S. markets,” (Rolling Stone). “Moore is part of a groundswell of rising country artists with a focus on building their international presence, and with good reason,” (Music Row).

    ROOM TO SPARE: ACOUSTIC TOUR DATES
    3/7/19    Chicago, IL – Copernicus Center**
    3/8/19    Carmel, IN – The Palladium**
    3/9/19    Bowling Green, KY – SKYPAC**
    3/14/19  Minneapolis, MN – The State Theatre*
    3/15/19  Ottumwa, IA – Bridge View Events Center*
    3/16/19  Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre*
    3/21/19  Morgantown, WV – The Metropolitan Theatre**
    3/22/19  Athens, OH – Memorial Auditorium**
    3/23/19  Richmond, VA – The National**
    3/28/19  Sacramento, CA – Crest Theatre**
    3/29/19  Santa Rosa, CA – Luther Burbank Center for the Arts**
    3/30/19  Hanford, CA – Fox Theatre**
    4/18/19  Moncton, NB – Capitol Theater
    4/19/19  Halifax, NS – Casino Nova Scotia
    4/20/19  Charlottetown, PEI – Confederation Centre of the Arts
    4/25/19  Atlanta, GA – The Buckhead Theatre**
    4/26/19  Macon, GA – The Grand Opera House**
    4/27/19  McMinnville, TN – Cumberland Caverns**
    5/2/19    Boston, MA – Wilbur Theatre**
    5/3/19    New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre**
    5/4/19    Burlington, VT – Flynn Center**
    5/9/19    Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse**
    5/10/19  Portland, ME – The State Theatre**
    5/11/19  Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre**
    5/26/19  Manchester, UK – Academy 2
    5/27/19  Glasgow, UK – Fruitmarket
    5/29/19  Birmingham, UK – Town Hall
    5/30/19  London, UK – Cadogan Hall

    *Dates with Charlie Worsham
    **Dates with Muscadine Bloodline

    Kip Moore’s current Top 10 single “Last Shot” is the second taken from his revered third studio album SLOWHEART and follows his fourth No. One hit “More Girls Like You.” Moore’s third studio album SLOWHEART garnered instant praise from critics as his “most complete, cohesive declaration of his artistic sensibilities yet” (NPR,) as well landing on multiple “Best Of” lists including Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, UpRoxx, Bobby Bones Show, Taste Of Country, Sounds Like Nashville, The Boot, PopMatters and Whiskey Riff. SLOWHEART follows the acclaim that surrounded Moore’s sophomore album WILD ONES and his PLATINUM debut album UP ALL NIGHT that spawned three No. One hit singles, including GOLD certified “Beer Money,” PLATINUM certified “Hey Pretty Girl,” and the DOUBLE PLATINUM breakout hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck.” For more information, visit kipmoore.net.

  • GEORGE STRAIT DROPS NEW TRACK “CÓDIGO” TODAY; HEADS WEST FOR 19TH AND 20TH SOLD-OUT ‘STRAIT TO VEGAS’ SHOWS.

    George Strait releases brand new track “Código” today – available HERE – ahead of sold out shows at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena this weekend. Strait, a partner in and longtime fan of Código tequila, wrote the song with his son Bubba Strait and longtime collaborator Dean Dillon. With its accordion and fiddle, the lighthearted track transports the listener to carefree days where the tequila flows. “Código” celebrates its namesake tequila melding the sounds of southwest Mexico and southwest Texas and as the lyrics suggest, “A little sip and you’re ready to roll… I’m talkin’ ‘bout Código.”

    “Código” is the first new music following his 2015 album release, Cold Beer Conversation – Strait’s 29th studio album and 26th No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart – and 2016’s Strait Out of the Box: Part 2. Strait is currently working on new music due out in the new year.

    With an unmatched 60 singles hitting the top of the charts – more than any other artist in any genre – during the span of his 30-year career, Strait is the undeniable “King of Country Music.” He has collected 33 Platinum or multi-Platinum-selling albums, more than any country artist and third across all genres behind only The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Strait is the only act in history to have a Top 10 hit every year for over three decades and has sold nearly 70 million albums and earned more than 60 major entertainment industry awards, including induction in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

    This weekend, the Country Music Hall of Famer will play his 19th and 20th sold-out shows at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The “Strait to Vegas” series began with six shows in 2016 and extended with 10 more in 2017. In 2018, Strait headlined Bayou Country Superfest to a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Superdome crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, two nights in Tulsa, Oklahoma and one night in Austin, Texas. Select dates have already been announced for 2019 including T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ohio Stadium in Columbus (Ohio), and Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth. Tickets and VIP Packages are available now. For more information, visit www.GeorgeStrait.com.

  • BRANDON LAY REPRESENTS COUNTRY MUSIC ON VEVO’S 2019 DSCVR ARTISTS TO WATCH.

    EMI Records Nashville’s Brandon Lay was named as one of Vevo’s 2019 DSCVR Artists to Watch. Brandon recorded two Vevo Originals of his songs “Miss and Tell” and “For My Money,” which were both released today. The program highlights 20 of the world’s top emerging artists poised to break out over the next year. Brandon is the only country artist selected for the program’s class of 2019. Vevo rolled out the complete list for their highly-anticipated ‘Vevo DSCVR Artists to Watch’ campaign throughout November and December. Past alumni of Vevo’s DSCVR series include Billie Eilish, Jack Garratt, Years & Years, Wolf Alice, Sam Smith, Jorja Smith, Maggie Rogers and Alessia Cara.

    In addition to the two Vevo songs released today, the Tennessee native caps off his year releasing a live version of “Tennessee Christmas,” performing the song with his wife Nicole and new-born son Ryder Knox Lay. Watch HERE. Brandon’s current single “Yada Yada Yada” is climbing the country radio charts. For tour dates, music, and more information about Brandon visit brandonlay.com

    2019 Vevo ‘Artists to Watch’

    AJ Mitchell

    Ama Lou

    Amber Mark

    Angèle

    Astrid S

    Brandon Lay

    Easy Life

    Elley Duhé

    Flohio

    Greeicy

    Hex

    Jade Bird

    Kelvyn Colt

    Lauren Sanderson

    Matt Hunter

    Nebu Kiniza

    Robinson

    Sam Fender

    Slowthai

    YBN Crew

  • CHRISTMAS 2018: Adam Hambrick

    Adam Hambrick just released an acoustic video of “Silent Night” to Youtube, and he says it’s probably his favorite Christmas song. “My favorite Christmas song is ‘Silent Night,’ because when we get together at Christmas, we all sing it together as a family like a fleet of Von Trapps (Sound of Music). So, that always reminds me of being at my grandmother and granddaddy’s house on Christmas.”

     

     

    Audio / Adam Hambrick says his favorite holiday song reminds him of being at his grandparents’ house at Christmas.

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    Adam Hambrick (favorite Christmas song) OC: …on Christmas. :13
    “My favorite Christmas song is ‘Silent Night,’ because when we get together at Christmas, we all sing it together as a family like a fleet of Von Trapps (Sound of Music). So, that always reminds me of being at my grandmother and granddaddy’s house on Christmas.”

    Audio / Adam Hambrick talks about the magic of Christmas time.

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    Adam Hambrick (Christmas magic) OC: …he does. C’mon. :36
    “I love Christmas too because it makes you feel like a kid ‘cause there’s a certain element of Christmas like anything can happen, because all of a sudden you look up and there’s lights everywhere. It’s just so far out of the routine. There’s decorations and we stop singing our regular songs and we sing Christmas songs. It’s such a disruption from the routine that it kind of has this magical effect, and it always makes me feel like a kid. I love thinking about those memories when I was a kid at Christmas. Is Santa Claus gonna bring me the Ninetindo? And then he does. C’mon.”

    Audio / Adam Hambrick explains what he considers the official kick-off to Christmas for him and his wife.

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    Adam Hambrick (Christmas traditions) OC: …some Christmas. :18
    “Every year since my wife and I have been married, we decorate the Christmas tree while Elf is playing on the TV and while there are Christmas cookies baking in the oven. Those are the three things that we officially need to kick off Christmas. If we have those three things, we can roll with some Christmas.”

    Audio / While Elf is Adam Hambrick’s favorite Christmas movie, Rudolph, the Red-Nose Reindeer and the California Raisins Christmas Special was his favorite shows as a child.

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    Adam Hambrick (Christmas shows) OC: …thing out. :31
    “Rudolph is probably my O.G. Christmas favorite, but when I was a kid, there was this California Raisins Christmas Special that they did with the Claymation, and we recorded off of TV. I must’ve watched that bootleg tape a billion times. There was like this one Carol the Bells skit that had, I can’t summarize it enough to do it justice, but the California Raisins Christmas Special from like 1991 was [laughs], I wore that thing out.”

    Audio / Adam Hambrick talks about his favorite Christmas gift as a kid.

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    Adam Hambrick (favorite Christmas gift) OC: …into college. :30
    “Probably the Christmas gift that I used, that just stuck with me always was a Super Nintendo that I got at Christmas when I was seven-years-old. I got Mario Paint and it had a Super Mario game, and Royal Rumble, the WWF Royal Rumble game. WWF, not WWE. And [laughs] I’m telling ya, I played that Super Nintendo until I was 18-years-old. I never got Nintendo 64. I eventually got a PlayStation, but man, I played my Super Nintendo until I was well into college.”

  • CHRISTMAS 2018: Luke Bryan

    Luke Bryan usually has a house full of family at Christmas. The Georgia native and his wife will host several, including their sons, nephew, nieces, Luke’s mom, and others, and they will all take part in the Bryan tradition by having chili dogs on Christmas Eve.

    Find audio below of him talking about the unique tradition, his most meaningful Christmas gift, his favorite Christmas movie and much more.

    Luke is climbing the country chart with his latest, “What Makes You Country.”

    Audio / LUKE BRYAN REVEALS THE MOST MEANINGFUL CHRISTMAS GIFT HE’S EVER RECEIVED FROM HIS WIFE CAROLINE.

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

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

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

    Audio / Luke Bryan reveals his favorite Christmas movie.

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    Luke Bryan (Christmas movie) OC: …Vacation. :06
    “Hey, it’s Luke Bryan! My favorite Christmas movie is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

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

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

    Audio / Luke Bryan talks about his favorite Christmas gift when he was a kid.

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

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Kacey, Luke, Dierks, AJ, Lauren

    Kacey Musgraves’ CMA Album of the Year, Golden Hour, has been named Apple Music’s Album of the Year, as well.

    If you’re visiting downtown Nashville and stop by Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, Dierks Bentley’s “Whiskey Row,”  Alan Jackson’s AJ’s Goodtime Bar and Blake Shelton’s Ole Red, among others, you’ll be helping out the local Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. The country stars and other businesses are taking part in the Jingle All the Broadway initiative to help raise money and awareness for the hospital. It continues through Christmas Day.

    Lauren Alaina will make her late-night TV debut with her latest song, “Ladies in the ‘90s,” on NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers on February 19th.