Having previously teased the forthcoming project on NBC’S “TODAY,” Diamond-certified star Darius Rucker announces that his first solo album in six years, Carolyn’s Boy, is set for release October 6th via UMG Nashville and available for preorder now. Brand new song “Have A Good Time” is also available everywhere Friday (August 4th) as a further preview of the project alongside his latest single “Fires Don’t Start Themselves,” currently climbing the charts at Country radio.

“I wanted to name the record Carolyn’s Boy because Mom never got to see any of my success,” Rucker explained during the “TODAY” interview. “She died before any of this happened, so it’s just another homage to the greatest woman I’ve ever known.”

When asked why now is the right time to honor her, Rucker was reflective, conceding, “years ago, I wasn’t really sure what my place in Country music was and I was trying to find it. Now I have found it – I know – and I think it’s time to give that record.”

Years ago, I wasn't really sure what my place in Country Music was and I was trying to find it. Now I've found it – I know – and I think it's time to give you all that record.
'Carolyn's Boy', named after the greatest woman I've ever known, my mom, is out October 6th!… pic.twitter.com/I5LDKuKkVO

— Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) August 4, 2023

Rucker will return to “TODAY” on September 1st to perform new songs off the project along with his fan-favorite hits as part of the Citi Concert Series. Fans can also catch Rucker on his Starting Fires Tour, currently underway, and he’ll bring the new music to his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina during his personally-curated Riverfront Revival Music Festival as it returns for a second year on album release weekend (October 7th & 8th).

In celebration of the album announcement, Riverfront Revival is offering a limited allotment of 6-Pack GA Weekend Ticket Bundles, allowing fans to bundle and save $15 per pass while supplies last at RiverfrontRevival.com. Showcasing the best of country and rock music along with the finest in food, arts and culture the Lowcountry has to offer, the 2023 lineup includes Rucker, Turnpike Troubadours, Lainey Wilson, Band of Horses and more.

For more information on all things Darius Rucker, visit DariusRucker.com and follow on social media @DariusRucker.

Carolyn’s Boy Lyrics & Label Copy Available HERE

Carolyn’s Boy Track List:
(songwriters in parentheses)
1.   Beers And Sunshine (Darius Rucker, JT Harding, Josh Osborne, Ross Copperman)
2.   In This Together (Darius Rucker, Derek George, Bobby Hamrick, Joy Williams)
3.   Never Been Over (Darius Rucker, Lee Thomas Miller, John Osborne)
4.   Fires Don’t Start Themselves (Ben Hayslip, Jacob Rice, Dan Isbell)
5.   Ol’ Church Hymn feat. Chapel Hart (Darius Rucker, Greylan James, Ben Hayslip, Josh Miller)
6.   7 Days (Darius Rucker, Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley, Charles Kelley)
7.   Same Beer Different Problem (Darius Rucker, Topher Brown, Sarah Buxton, Brad Tursi)
8.   Sara (Darius Rucker, Joel Crouse, Kyle Rife, Ed Sheeran)
9.   Have A Good Time (Darius Rucker, Monty Criswell, Derek George, Bobby Hamrick)
10. Sure Would Have Loved Her (Darius Rucker, Wyatt Durrette, Levi Lowrey)
11. Southern Comfort (Chris LaCorte, Matt Rogers, Josh Osborne)
12. 3am in Carolina (Darius Rucker, Ross Copperman, Michael Hardy)
13. Lift Me Up (Temilade Openiyi, Robyn Fenty, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Goransson)
14. Stargazing (Darius Rucker, Brinley Addington, Jess Cayne, Matt Morrisey)

Upcoming Starting Fires Tour Dates:
Aug. 4  |  Bridgeport, Conn.  |  Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
Aug. 5  |  Farmingville, N.Y.  |  Catholic Health Amphitheater at Bald Hill
Aug. 10  |  Sterling Heights, Mich.  |  Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
Aug. 11  |  Milwaukee, Wis.  |  BMO Pavilion
Aug. 12  |  Maryland Heights, Mo.  |  Saint Louis Music Park
Aug. 18  |  Irvine, Calif.  |  Five Point Amphitheatre
Aug. 19  |  Stateline, Nev.  |  Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys
Aug. 23  |  Los Angeles, Calif.  |  Greek Theatre
Aug. 25  |  San Diego, Calif.  |  Gallagher Square at Petco Park
Aug. 26  |  Highland, Calif.  |  Yaamava’ Resort & Casino
Sept. 8-9  |  Durant, Okla.  |  Choctaw Casino & Resort Grand Theater
Sept. 10  |  Oklahoma City, Okla.  |  The Zoo Amphitheatre
Oct. 7-8  |  Charleston, S.C.  |  Riverfront Revival Music Festival
Oct. 13  |  Lexington, Ky.  |  Showdown Lex
Oct. 14  |  Nashville, Tenn.  |  Ascend Amphitheater

Kylie Morgan is sharing an authentic and familiar perspective on love with her new track “A Few Hearts Ago,” out everywhere today. Written by Kylie alongside Casey Brown and James McNair, and produced by Brown, Kylie reflects on the journey from heartbreak to healing with the lyrics:

A few hearts ago

I was closin’ down a few bars ago

In the wrong backseat a few cars ago

Wishin’ for you a few stars ago

Down a lonely road

A few hearts ago

Woulda broke yours, I’d be missin’ out

Wouldn’t have these lips I’m kissin’ now

Time did what it’s supposed to do

Thank God I didn’t meet you

A few hearts ago

“A Few Hearts Ago” follows Kylie’s recent track “Sugar Daddy” as a first look at new music set to be released soon. Claiming her place in country music with her debut single, “If He Wanted To He Would,” she earned a CMT Music Awards nomination for Breakthrough Female Video, and headlined her own Independent With You Tour this spring. She will join Old Dominion later this year on the No Bad Vibes Tour and is on the road this summer – including taking the stage at Watershed Festival in Quincy, WA today (8/4). For tickets and a full list of upcoming tour dates, visit KylieMorgan.com.

Country music’s favorite party-starter, Priscilla Block, releases her latest track, “Fake Names” – available now. The song, written by Block, Alysa Vanderheym, Summer Overstreet and Audra Mae, celebrates the escapism we all need from time to time and encourages letting loose and giving your inner “Blackout Brittney” a night out on the town.

“When we wrote ‘Fake Names,’ it was just such a fun process,” shares Block. “I mean, four girls in one room writing about letting loose with your girlfriends and having different identities for the night. You know, you always have that one friend that drinks too much, or the girl that’s starting fights in the bar, or the one that might get arrested by the end of the night. It’s just a really fun song about going out and being someone totally different for the night.”

Listen to Priscilla Block’s “Fake Names” HERE

Block and country star Justin Moore recently released an acoustic version of their hit duet, “You, Me, And Whiskey.” Last week, the cinematic music video for the song reached the No. 1 spot on CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown. The song also took the No. 1 spot on Music Row’s Country Breakout Radio Chart and is currently sitting in the Top 5 on the country radio airplay charts.

Dalton Dover  started singing in church, but his love of performing didn’t kick in until his fifth grade talent show.

“I guess I discovered I could sing whenever I’d done my first talent show at school, and I started singing around school because all my friends were like, ‘Man, you could really sing.’ And I guess then I was just like, ‘Well, okay, I think I got something here.’”

The Rome, Georgia native was dared by his friends to perform a Justin Bieber song, which he did. He chose the pop star’s 2010 smash “Baby,” and he hasn’t stopped performing since.

“A couple of my buddies dared us to do a Justin Bieber song at my fifth-grade talent show, and we did and we crushed it. We won the talent show, and I think after that, I fell in love with performing and I never stopped doing it.”

Dalton is currently making his voice heard on the airwaves with his single, “Giving Up On That.”

Ten years following the release of the critically-acclaimed Bakersfield album, country music icon Vince Gill and legendary musician Paul Franklin, have joined forces once again for their latest project, Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys. The 11-track album will be released on Friday (August 4th). 

Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys contains material that might be surprising to even the most die-hard of Price’s fans. Gill explains, “When we originally started thinking about doing this record, we were going to do half and half, focusing on two different artists like we did with Bakersfield, recording songs of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. But we got to liking so many of Ray’s songs, that it became ‘Let’s do all Ray’ and ‘Well, Okay!””

Franklin adds, “We had such a great time doing Bakersfield. It felt good introducing that music to a new generation. This time, it was a no-brainer to pick Ray Price. Once we locked in on Ray, we started looking through the sheer volume of his material. We looked for obscure songs, ones even Ray’s fans might not know as well.”

Vince says the new project with Paul started out as half Ray Price and half Little Jimmy Dickens until they started delving into Ray’s extensive catalog. “Our intention when we started this record was to do like we’d done Bakersfield—half Ray Price and probably half Little Jimmy Dickens was the perfect pair we thought would work, and then we started finding so many things we loved,” he says. “We go, ‘Well, we want to do this, we want to do this.’ It was more than half a record’s worth, and we said, ‘Hell, let’s just do all Ray.’”

In trying to pick songs, Vince says they decided not to do Ray’s obvious hits. “We just followed our ears and we did the songs we liked. We didn’t do the obvious things. I think in a tribute record and we’re honoring someone from the past to do the obvious ones – ‘For The Good Times’ and ‘Crazy Arms’, things like that – they’ve been done a zillion times. And it’s kind of fun to take something that not a lot of people had a great snapshot of what that record was.

Track List – Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys

1. “One More Time”

Written by Mel Tillis

2. “I’d Fight The World”

Written by Hank Cochran and Joe Allison

3. “You Wouldn’t Know Love”

Written by Hank Cochran and Dave Kirby

4. “Walkin’ Slow (And Thinking ‘Bout Her)”

Written by Bobby Bare and Lance Guynes

5. “The Same Two Lips”

Written by Marty Robbins

6. “Weary Blues From Waitin’”

Written by Hank Williams Sr.

7. “Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold)”

Written by Mel Tillis, Ray Price and Wayne Walker

8. “Sweet Memories”

Written by Mickey Newbury

9. “Danny Boy”

Written by Fred E. Weatherly

10. “Your Old Love Letters”

Written by Ray Price

11. “Healing Hands Of Time”

Written by Willie Nelson

Keith Urban has been announced as one of the newest inductees into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with Kix Brooks, Casey Beathard, David Lee Murphy and Rafe Van Hoy. Keith will enter the Hall of Fame as Contemporary Songwriter/Artist. All five newly-minted members will be formally inducted during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Wednesday, October 11th, at the Music City Center.

Tyler Hubbard is featured on CMT Hot 20 Countdown this weekend. You can watch it on both Saturday (August 5th) and Sunday (August 6th) at 9am ET/8am CT on CMT.

This weekend, @tylerhubbard two steps his way onto #cmtHot20, @haileywhitters proves there's nothing corny about a Corn Star and we go into the vaults with our favorite Backwoods Barbie, Dolly! That + an all-new countdown Sat & Sun at 9a/8c on @CMT! pic.twitter.com/3WRNdiltfH

— CMT Hot 20 Countdown (@cmtHot20) August 2, 2023

Jordan Davis is featured on CMT Summer Sessions on Friday (August 4th). He performs several of his hits, including his recent multi-week No. 1 hit, “Next Thing You Know.” The show premieres Friday at 9pm ET/8pm CT on CMT.

Carrie Underwood is featured on the cover of Gold Buckle magazine. Inside the magazine dedicated to the western lifestyle and professional rodeo, the superstar talks about faith, family and her residency in Las Vegas.

Texas Motor Speedway and country singer/songwriter Jon Pardi’s Pardi Batch Spirits have joined forces to bring the intense competition and smoky burnouts the speedway is known for to the GEICO Infield Campground for the Pardi Batch BBQ Showdown presented by Pit Boss Grills during the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 NASCAR Playoffs weekend.

In addition to title sponsorship of the Pardi Batch BBQ Showdown presented by Pit Boss Grills, Pardi Batch Spirits has also been named the Official Whiskey of Texas Motor Speedway.

The Pardi Batch BBQ Showdown presented by Pit Boss Grills will be sanctioned by the International Barbeque Cookers Association. Contestants will compete in three categories – brisket, pork spare ribs and half chicken – with cooking beginning Sept. 22 and judging taking place Sept. 23 at noon (chicken), 1:30 p.m. (spare ribs) and 3 p.m. (brisket). A $5,000 total payout will go to the top 10 finishers in each BBQ category. The top-five awards will be announced and presented during the pre-race activities for the Sept. 24 NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400. The Pardi Batch BBQ Showdown presented by Pit Boss Grills is sanctioned by International Barbeque Cookers Association contest rules apply and full contest rules are available at www.ibcabbq.org/organization-documents.

“Jon Pardi and Pardi Batch Spirits Bourbon & Whiskey are committed to Texas and we are proud to partner with Texas Motor Speedway” said Heath Lollar, National Sales Director of Pardi Batch Spirits.   

Jon is closing in on the top of the country charts with his latest single, “Your Heart Or Mine,” and is set to be inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on October 24th. 

Jon Pardi is set to become the next member of the famed institution, the Grand Ole Opry, October 24th.

https://twitter.com/JonPardi/status/1686391442141528066

Get ready for an Opry Pardi…@JonPardi is joining the family on Tuesday, October 24th!

Take a look back at Jon's Opry invite with us…☺️

Join us: https://t.co/2ZuAoFygQv pic.twitter.com/Eyr5sXo5o4

— Grand Ole Opry (@opry) August 1, 2023

He was surprised during his performance in Indio, California at this year’s Stagecoach Festival in April, when his friend and Emmy-winning famed restaurateur, author Guy Fieri directed him and the attention of his thousands of cheering fans to a video where Opry member and Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson appeared officially inviting the California native to become the newest member of the Opry.

“When I first saw Guy (Fieri) on stage, I was like, ‘What the hell is Guy doing on stage and how’d he get a microphone?’ But Guy is a good friend and then he was so excited. He knew about it for a long time and like we’re buddies, he never said anything, he was like, ‘This is so hard I didn’t tell nobody,’ but it was a great moment, and it was cool that it was at Stagecoach,” says Jon. “It’s one of my favorite festivals in country music, and it’s the biggest in California. Kind of tying in home state, country music, Nashville, and The Grand Ole Opry together I thought was really special and something that nobody has really seen, so it made the Opry have a stronger connection with the crowd and the West Coast. And they knew exactly what the Grand Ole Opry was, and they went crazy, and it was pretty cool. Then I saw Alan on screen, and then I kind of knew it was going down, and it was cool, and Alan has always been good to me since the 2015 tour. He’s always been very complimentary. He’ll send me random gifts, he sent me his book and whiskey, just little things he would send to me, and it was cool to have.”

Jon has the distinct honor of becoming the first native Californian to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Jon, who is currently making his way to the top of the country charts with his latest single, “Your Heart Or Mine,” heads out on his headlining Mr. Saturday Night World Tour this month with dates coming up in the U.S., Canada and several across Europe including stops in the U.K., Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Sweden before heading back stateside for his Opry induction on October 24th.

Carrie Underwood will star in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football for the 11^th consecutive season beginning September 10 on NBC and Peacock.

The new show open – headlined by an updated rendition of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” – features a concert performance interspersed with augmented reality highlights displayed across a halo scoreboard. Underwood, who performed the open from The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, home of her ongoing residency, REFLECTION, also adds a surprise new element this season.

“Once again, the incredible Sunday Night Football team came up with a fresh, exciting visual concept that really gave us a chance to play,” said Underwood.  “I loved shooting the show open again this year at our home away from home, The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, and can’t wait for another season of football!”

https://twitter.com/carrieunderwood/status/1686397854795919360

Highlights from New Show Open to Premiere During Hall of Fame Game, this Thursday (August 3rd) at 8pm ET/7pm CT on NBC and Peacock

New Sunday Night Football Show Open Premieres on Sunday, September 10th Cowboys-Giants SNF Opener on NBC and Peacock

“We’re thrilled to work with Carrie to capture a new vision for this season’s show open. It sets the tone for the broadcast and pays tribute to the teams, star players and fans in a fun and dynamic way,” said Tripp Dixon, creative director of the SNF show open for each of the past 11 years.

The show open for Sunday Night Football, primetime television’s No. 1 program for an unprecedented 12 consecutive years, will debut on Sunday, Sept. 10 on NBC and Peacock leading into Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys visiting Daniel Jones and the NFC East rival New York Giants. The matchup marks the series-high fifth time that the Cowboys and Giants have met in the opening NBC Sunday Night Football game.

*Flex Week
** Thanksgiving Night Game

Luke Bryan, a five-time Entertainer of the Year and celebrity judge on ABC’s American Idol, who will return alongside Katy Perry and Lionel Richie in 2024 for a seventh season, debuted a new music video today (July 31st) for his smash hit “But I Got A Beer In My Hand.” The video was shot in Springfield, Tennessee on Free Dreaming Farm by music, fashion, lifestyle and celebrity photographer Jim Wright. It flows as a one take video beginning with Luke getting a flat tire, catching a ride to a bar, joining his band on stage, then moving through scenes in and around the bar and wraps as he goes back to join the band.

“But I Got A Beer In My Hand” was written by Chase McGill, Matt Dragstrem, and Geoff Warburton, and was produced by Jeff Stevens and co-produced by Jody Stevens. It’s one of the fastest rising singles of Luke’s career catapulting into the Top 15 within 11 weeks of its launch. Luke debuted the song for television audiences on the season finale of American Idol in May.

This single comes on the heels of Luke’s 30^th #1 single “Country On” which closed out the 2022 charts as the final #1 of the year. During his career, he has spent 56 total weeks at the top of the country radio charts, sold more than 15 million albums, garnered 20 billion worldwide streams, and has more RIAA certified digital single certifications than any other Country artist of all time with 81.5 Million.

Luke recently announced an additional tour stop on his FARM TOUR 2023 now set to take place in six cities this fall from September 14th-23rd, and he continues his “Country On Tour” through October 28th. Go to LukeBryan.com for tickets.