• MADDIE FONT OF MADDIE & TAE IS ENJOYING THE LAST TRIMESTER OF HER PREGNANCY.

    Maddie & Tae‘s Maddie Font has entered the third trimester of her pregnancy, and while she hasn’t had any weird food cravings, she says she has been treating herself quite a bit.

    “We are mostly prepped. Pregnancy has been good. It has been hot, so that’s kind of difficult with a big belly. I haven’t had any weird cravings, but I have been indulging,” says Maddie. “I’m in my third trimester, so I really only get to eat like crap for the next 12 weeks (laughs), so I’m just kind of going ham on the (TAE: “I, as your best friend, have been indulging too, so thank you for the honor of getting to…”) regular Oreos, ice cream, sno cones, ahh, all the good things.”

    In April, Maddie announced she and husband Jonah Font are expecting their first child — a son — in September, and the pair couldn’t be more excited.

    “We found out in early January that we were expecting. I surprised Jonah with a little card and the positive tests once he came home from work,” Maddie tells PEOPLE of how she shared the big announcement with her husband.

    Baby boy Font will join the duo family as Maddie’s partner Taylor Kerr gave birth to her first child, daughter Leighton Grace Kerr, in January 2022.

    The pair recently released their new song, “Heart They Didn’t Break.”

    Audio / Maddie & Tae's Maddie Font gives a pregnancy update.

    Download

    Maddie & Tae (Maddie pregnancy update) OC: …all the good things. :28
    “We are mostly prepped. Pregnancy has been good. It has been hot, so that’s kind of difficult with a big belly. I haven’t had any weird cravings, but I have been indulging. I’m in my third trimester, so I really only get to eat like crap for the next 12 weeks (laughs), so I’m just kind of going ham on the (TAE: “I, as your best friend, have been indulging too, so thank you for the honor of getting to…”) regular Oreos, ice cream, sno cones, ahh, all the good things.”

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Eric Church, Jordan Davis

    Darius Rucker and the Hootie & The Blowfish just celebrated the 29th anniversary of their 1994 debut album Cracked Rear View on July 5th.

     

    Following yesterday’s premiere of “CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair” on Hulu, the Country Music Association revealed the documentary will make its broadcast debut  July 18th at 9pm ET/8pm CT on ABC. The 75-minute special, which features Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, Wynonna Judd, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and many others, explores the festival’s 1972 debut of Fan Fair.

    https://twitter.com/CountryMusic/status/1676969763548037123

    Keith Urban has been announced as one of the nominees for the 2023 class for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He’s nominated alongside Steven Curtis Chapman, Martie Maguire and Gillian Welch and David Welch (nominated as a team) in the Contemporary Songwriter/Artists category. The 53rd Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala will take place October 11th at the Music City Center. The nominees for the Contemporary Songwriters category are Casey Beathard, Shawn Camp, Jim Collins, Don Henry, David Lee Murphy, Leslie Satcher, Darrell Scott and Victoria Shaw.

    Jordan Davis released his Apple Music Sessions live EP on Thursday (July 6th). You can watch him perform “Tucson Too Late,” “Church In A Chevy” and a cover of Foy Vance’s “Guiding Light” (which features special guest Sam Hunt).

     

    Eric Church has been announced as part of a new group of Nashville city leaders of a 16-person Music City Host Committee whose goal is to book high-profile events for the upcoming enclosed Tennessee Titans stadium in Nashville. The committee includes former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, Tennessee State University head football coach Eddie George and many others, to look at a potential Super Bowl, the 2031 NCAA Men’s Final Four and a college football National Championship game reportedly on the list, according to the Nashville Business Journal.

     

    Bill Anderson will be celebrated by the Grand Ole Opry as the longest-serving Opry member in the show’s history on July 22nd. Vince GillJamey JohnsonJeannie SeelyRicky Skaggs are scheduled to perform.

     

  • JOSH TURNER ANNOUNCES GREATEST HITS ALBUM COMING SEPTEMBER 8th.

    With his deep bass voice, Josh Turner has sold more than six and a half million records, reached five and a half billion global streams, and has become an unforgettable hitmaker on country radio. For the first time, MCA Nashville recording artist Josh Turner will release a collection of his top tracks and fan favorites, Greatest Hits, on September 8. The album features 11 of Turner’s biggest songs from seven of his studio albums. The project includes his five No. 1 hits – “Your Man,” certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA; “Would You Go With Me,” certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA; “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” certified double-Platinum by the RIAA; “All Over Me,” certified Gold by the RIAA; and “Hometown Girl,” certified double-Platinum by the RIAA. No Greatest Hits album would be complete without Turner’s self-penned signature song, “Long Black Train,” which has over 315 million streams and is certified Platinum by the RIAA.

    PRE-ORDER JOSH TURNER’S GREATEST HITS | HERE

    “When you start out in this business, you’re never guaranteed longevity,” said Turner. “I’m humbled and thankful that I’m still around making music and that I’ve done well enough for long enough to warrant releasing a Greatest Hits album.”

    GREATEST HITS TRACK LIST:

    1. “Would You Go With Me” (From the album Your Man)
      Written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill
      Produced by Frank Rogers
    2. “Firecracker” (From the album Everything Is Fine)
      Written by Josh Turner, Pat McLaughlin and Shawn Camp
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. “Hometown Girl” (From the album Deep South)
      Written by Marc Beeson and Daniel Tashian
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. “Long Black Train” (From the album Long Black Train)
      Written by Josh Turner
      Produced by Mark Wright and Frank Rogers

     

    1. Why Don’t We Just Dance (From the album Haywire)
      Written by Jim Beavers, Jonathan Singleton and Darrell Brown
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. All Over Me (From the album Haywire)
      Written by Ben Hayslip, Dallas Davidson and Rhett Akins
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. “Your Man” (From the album Your Man)
      Written by Chris Stapleton, Chris DuBois and Jace Everett
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. “Time Is Love” (From the album Punching Bag)
      Written by Tony Martin, Mark Nesler and Tom Shapiro
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. “I Wouldn’t Be A Man” (From the album Haywire)
      Written by Rory Bourke and Mike Reid
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. “Me And God” (featuring Dr. Ralph Stanley and Marty Roe, Gene Johnson and Dana Williams
      of Diamond Rio) (From the album Your Man)
      Written by Josh Turner
      Produced by Frank Rogers

     

    1. “I Serve A Savior” (From the album I Serve A Savior)
      Written by Josh Turner and Mark Narmore
      Produced by Kenny Greenberg

    Turner is currently on the “Long Black Train 20th Anniversary Tour,” in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Turner’s hit album, Long Black Train and the album’s second single of the same name, which were both also certified Platinum by the RIAA. Tickets for Turner’s tour are available now at joshturner.com.

     

    Audio / Josh Turner is overwhelmed that he has a Greatest Hits package coming out.

    Download

    Josh Turner (Greatest Hits collection) OC: …enjoy it. :52
    “A Greatest Hits package is not something you see a whole lot nowadays days. There’s a variety of reasons for that, but to be able to have something like that come out for my fans to buy is just one of those things you never really dreamt about. I don’t know. It’s hard to put into words. I’m very, very thankful, very blessed that I have enough songs that I can call hits to put into a collection like that and that the fans and radio and the industry has continued to support me throughout my career. It’s surreal. It’s a blessing, and I hope people enjoy it.”

  • JORDAN DAVIS EARNS MULTI-WEEK #1 WITH SIXTH CAREER CHART-TOPPING HIT, “NEXT THING YOU KNOW.”

    Jordan Davis continues to dominate the country scene with his sixth career No. 1 single and 3rd multi-week career No. 1 with “Next Thing You Know” on the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart. Written by Davis with Greylan James, Chase McGill and Josh Osborne, “Next Thing You Know” earns Davis a second week at No. 1 and his third consecutive multi-week No. 1 off of his GOLD-certified sophomore album, Bluebird Days.  His previous two singles from Bluebird Days – “What My World Spins Around” and “Buy Dirt” ft. Luke Bryan – were 3-week and 2-week  No. 1s, respectively. The full 17-track album, Bluebird Days, is available here.

    Released in February 2023, Bluebird Days earned rave reviews and continues to resonate with industry and fans. Featured by The Tennessean, American Songwriter, and more, Bluebird Days earned critical acclaim with Billboard noting “Davis soars on ‘Bluebird Days’” and Entertainment Focus echoing, “Jordan Davis comes of age on new album ‘Bluebird Days’ and shows the world the type of mature, meaningful and melodic songwriter he is.”

    Davis is one of only 5 artists to spend multiple weeks at #1 on the Mediabase/Country Aircheck radio charts in 2023 and earns his fastest rising single to date with “Next Thing You Know.” “Next Thing You Know” follows Davis’ Platinum-selling multi-week #1 “What My World Spins Around” as well as his 2022 CMA Song of the Year winning hit, the 2X Platinum Multi-week #1 single “Buy Dirt” (feat. Luke Bryan).

    This year, Davis has tallied multiple awards nominations and wins, including his first ACM Male Vocalist of the Year nomination. He was a finalist for Top Country Song at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards and earned a nomination for Musical Event of the Year at the 55th CMA Awards, as well as nominations for Music Event, Single, and Song of the Year at the 57th ACM Awards, and American Music Award and iHeart Award nominations. He is the reigning winner for (2022) CMA Song of Year and earned a win for NSAI Song of the Year . His upcoming headlining tour, the DAMN GOOD TIME TOUR, follows his direct support slots this year opening for Luke Combs and Dierks Bentley as well as performances on TODAY, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, ACMs, and more. Davis is scheduled to kick off his headlining run of the DAMN GOOD TIME TOUR in Atlanta this summer, including stops in Nashville, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and more. For tickets and additional information, visit www.jordandavisofficial.com.

     

    “Next Thing You Know” Lyrics:

    Swear that you’re staying single next thing you know

    You meet a girl at a bar and next thing you know

    You get her laughin’, its two a.m.

    You’re tellin your buddies three months in

    That she ain’t moving in but next thing you know

    There’s a Uhaul trailer next thing you know

    Your old apartment is y’all’s new place

    There goes the carpet but the deer head stays

     

    Next thing you know saving money like never before

    Just to spend it all at a jewelry store

    Getting down on one knee on her momma’s porch Just pray she don’t say no

    Next thing you know your best man gives a half drunk speech

    And your sunburn on a honeymoon beach

    And your left hand is getting used to that ring

    There the next two or three years ago

    Next thing you know

     

    Weren’t really trying next thing you know

    There’s a test on the counter next thing you know

    She’s standing there crying nodding her head yes

    Your half excited half scared to death

    Cause next thing you know

    You’re wearing scrubs and a funny white hat

    And the doctor’s sayin how you doing there dad and

    Nobody’s ever called you that

    And you take the drive home slow

    Next thing you know its first steps, first date, first car

    Its 11:01 wondering where they are

    You sayin’ that USC’s too far

    Its amazing how fast seventeen years go

    Next thing you know, Next thing you know

     

    Next thing you know you get to know your wife again

    And you’re more in love than you’ve ever been

    With a lot of years of remember whens and still some down the road

    ‘Cause next thing you know you got a yard full of your kids’ kids

    And you take them to church, teach em to fish and ya

    Tell them stories every chance you get

    ‘Bout how fast this life down here can go

    Next thing you know, Next thing you know

     

    DAMN GOOD TIME TOUR Dates:

    Thu Aug 31, 2023 | Atlanta | Roxy

    Fri Sep 1, 2023 | Nashville | Ascend

    Thu Sep 7, 2023 | Columbus | Kemba Live! Outdoor

    Fri Sep 8, 2023 | Sandwich | Sandwich Fair

    Sat Sep 9, 2023 | Green Bay | Resch Center

    Fri Sep 15, 2023 | Des Moines | Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park

    Sat Sep 16, 2023 | Kansas City | The Midland Theatre

    Thu Sep 21, 2023 | Columbia | Township Auditorium

    Fri Sep 22, 2023 | Baltimore | Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena

    Sat Sep 23, 2023 | Mashantucket            | The Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino

    Thu Sep 28, 2023 | Omaha | Liberty First Credit Union Arena

    Fri Sep 29, 2023 | OKC | The Criterion

    Sat Sep 30, 2023 | St. Louis | The Factory

    Thu Oct 5, 2023 | Philadelphia | The Met

    Fri Oct 6, 2023  | NYC | Terminal 5

    Sat Oct 7, 2023 | Boston | Roadrunner

    Thu Oct 19, 2023 | Mesa | Mesa Ampitheatre

    Fri Oct 20, 2023 | Bakersfield | Mechanics Bank Arena

    Sat Oct 21, 2023 | Las Vegas | The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas

     

    Audio / Jordan Davis talks about writing his two-week No. 1 smash, "Next Thing You Know."

    Download

    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.”

  • BILLY CURRINGTON HAS RELEASED A NEW SONG, “CITY DON’T.”

    Billy Currington is sharing his slow-rolling ode to small towns and country living, “City Don’t,” out everywhere today. Written by Scooter Carusoe, Joshua Miller and Chris LaCorte, the song is produced by Carson Chamberlain. Evoking the breezy summer feeling of his biggest chart-topping hits, Currington sings:

    They got five stars, we got millions

    They got nice bars, we got sippin’ straight out of a can

    On somebody’s land with a homegrown girl

    And a God-made tan singin’, “Goodbye Earl”

    Got everything I need, everything I could want

    ‘Cause the country does something for me the city don’t

     

    Fans can catch Currington on the road this summer with headline shows coast-to-coast, and high-profile festival appearances. For tickets and a full list of tour dates, visit www.billycurrington.com.

    About Billy Currington:
    Billy Currington has spent nearly two decades topping the country charts, parlaying his rich, emotion-laden tenor and unerring song sense into some of the format’s most memorable hits. The Georgia native has tallied 12 No. 1 singles to his name, including 4X Platinum hit “People Are Crazy,” 3X Platinum “Good Directions,” 3X Platinum “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right,” plus Platinum hits “Do I Make You Wanna,” “We Are Tonight,” “Don’t It” and more. Equally skilled at delivering upbeat summertime anthems as well as exploring the complexities of life and love with a poignant ballad, Currington also joined Jessie James Decker on the wistful, slow-burning duet “I Still Love You.” His brand-new song “City Don’t” is out now, with more new music on the way. For more information and upcoming tour dates, visit www.billycurrington.com.

     

     

     

    Audio / Billy Currington talks about his new song, "City Don't."

    Download

    Billy Currington (City Don’t) OC: …city don’t. :12
    “My brand-new song, it’s called ‘City Don’t,’ and it’s simply about, you know I love the city and I love the country, but there’s something about the country that does something to me that the city don’t.”

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (City Don't) 1

    Download

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (City Don't) 2

    Download

     

    Video /

    View
  • BROTHERS OSBORNE WILL PERFORM AT THE PRESIDENT’S FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.

    Brothers Osborne have been tapped to perform at President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden’s Fourth of July celebration on the South Lawn. Ne-Yo, the United States Marine Band, U.S. Army Band, U.S. Navy Band, U.S. Air Force Band and DJ D-Nice will also perform during the event.

    John and TJ Osborne are climbing the country charts with their latest single, “Nobody’s Nobody.”

  • VINCE GILL & PAUL FRANKLIN RELEASE “DANNY BOY.”

    The internationally recognizable song “Danny Boy,” is the second track to be released from the upcoming album Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys, the latest project from country music icon Vince Gill and legendary musician Paul Franklin, due out August 4.

    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. Franklin and Gill chose particularly obscure songs for this collection, selecting from the less familiar of Price’s catalog, but the iconic “Danny Boy” was a leap of faith.

    “This was a daunting and challenging choice, and we had to consider if it was the right one,” Gill explains. “It’s the one song on this whole collection that I would have been most skeptical about because it is so iconic. Paul and I decided that it could be incredibly beautiful if done the right way, for example if it was treated like Ray’s version of “Night Life,” so we decided to make the steel guitar predominant like it is in that particular song.”

    Although there are currently no plans for Gill and Franklin to tour together in 2023, on August 3 they will make an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry followed by an exclusive event. The first 300 ticketholders that purchase Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys in the Opry shop that evening will receive access to an exclusive Q&A with Gill and Franklin in Studio A directly following the show.

    Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys is an 11-track masterpiece of musicianship and arrives ten years after the release of Gill and Franklin’s critically acclaimed Bakersfield album, which paid tribute to Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.

  • MADDIE & TAE RELEASE NEW SONG, “HEART THEY DIDN’T BREAK.”

    Maddie & Tae are sharing the brand-new track, “Heart They Didn’t Break,” out everywhere today. The song’s lyrics tell a story of true friendship in times of heartbreak, as the pair take turns on lead vocals and weave in their signature harmonies. Written by Benjy Davis, Anna Vaus and Ryan Beaver, the song is produced by Corey Crowder. Listen to “Heart They Didn’t Break” here.

    “Our friendship has gotten us through so many phases of life,” said Maddie & Tae. “We feel like this song captures that sentiment so beautifully, and we are excited to share it.”

    Maddie & Tae are currently on the road for headlining shows and festival appearances this summer, taking the stage in Sidney, NY (7/1) and Hampton Beach, NH (7/2) this weekend. Tune in on Tuesday, July 4 at 8:00 p.m. ET, as the multi-Platinum duo performs live from Washington, D.C. on PBS’ “A Capitol Fourth.”

    For more information and a full list of tour dates, please visit www.maddieandtae.com.

     

    Audio / Maddie Font of Maddie & Tae talks about their new song, "Heart They Didn't Break."

    Download

    Maddie & Tae (Heart They Didn’t Break) OC: …Broken Heart. :22
    MADDIE: “We actually did not write this song. We normally written all of our songs, but the moment we heard this, we knew it was super special especially being best friends as long as we have and picking up the pieces for each other for the past 13 years. And Tae actually gets to sing lead on it for the first time which is so exciting. (TAE: “Whoo Hoo”) So, this is a really, really special song. I feel like it’s the soul sister of ‘Die From a Broken Heart.’”

    Audio / LINER Maddie & Tae (Heart They Didn't Break) 1

    Download

    Audio / LINER Maddie & Tae (Heart They Didn't Break) 2

    Download

    Audio / LINER Maddie & Tae (Heart They Didn't Break) 3

    Download

    Video /

    View
  • NEWS AND NOTES: Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Little Big Town

    Chris Stapleton has released his incredible version of “The Star Spangled Banner” that he performed at this year’s Super Bowl.

     

    Luke Bryan will appear on CMT Hot 20 Countdown this weekend.  He talks about his new Country On Tour and much more. Catch all the action Saturday and Sunday at 9am ET/8am CT.

    Little Big Town will open for pop superstar Ed Sheeran on Saturday (July 1st) at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachussetts.

     

    Little Big Town will host and perform at the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards. The two-hour ceremony will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House September 28th at 8pm ET/7pm CT on NBC and will be available to stream on Peacock.

     

    https://twitter.com/peopleschoice/status/1674758706196774914

     

     

     

  • BRAD PAISLEY IS LOOKING FORWARD TO HEADLINING NASHVILLE’S FOURTH OF JULY EXTRAVAGANZA THIS YEAR.

    Brad Paisley is set to headline “Let Freedom Sing! Music City’s 4th of July” celebration. Brad, who is headlining the show for the second time (his last appearance was in 2021), will be joined on the bill by The War And Treaty, Ben Rector, Tiera Kennedy and singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim. The event is partnering with The Store, a free referral-based grocery store founded by Brad and his wife, Kimberly Williams Paisley. One dollar from the sale of each event T-shirt will benefit The Store.

    Brad, the only artist to headline Nashville’s Fourth of July show twice, says this year will be slightly different than in 2021 when the world seemed to open back up at the end of the global pandemic.

    “I don’t know if it’ll mean more than that first time, because that was the reopening, that was the like the ‘welcome back’ moment. So, that was a really ridiculous feeling to walk out there and see people as far as you can see on Broadway, and nobody had a mask on and for the first time everything felt like, wow, I’ve missed this so much,” says Brad. “This year it should be just as fun, but at the same time a little more business as usual for all of us, which is that street is packed EVERY night, as you know, and I just hope to not take away from the party they’re already having. (laughs) on Broadway. But it’s worth sitting through my show for the fireworks that they do. I think it was the most ever done. They were proud of the fact that they had four or five more rockets than New York or something or D.C. It was bigger than—I don’t know what redneck thing we’re trying to win here with the fireworks, but we won it.” (laughs)

    The event is partnering with The Store, a free referral-based grocery store founded by Brad and his wife, Kimberly Williams Paisley. One dollar from the sale of each event T-shirt will benefit The Store.

    Downtown Nashville will present one of the country’s largest July 4th fireworks show, which will be synchronized to live music from the Nashville Symphony.

    Brad just released his new song, “So Many Summers.”

     

    Audio / Brad Paisley talks about headlining Nashville's July 4th extravaganza for the second time.

    Download

    Brad Paisley (Fourth of July 2023) OC: …we won it. (laughs) 1:01
    “I don’t know if it’ll mean more than that first time, because that was the reopening, that was the like the ‘welcome back’ moment. So, that was a really ridiculous feeling to walk out there and see people as far as you can see on Broadway, and nobody had a mask on and for the first time everything felt like, wow, I’ve missed this so much. You know, again, this year it should be just as fun, but at the same time a little more business as usual for all of us, which is that street is packed EVERY night, as you know, and I just hope to not take away from the party they’re already having. (laughs) on Broadway. But it’s worth sitting through my show for the fireworks that they do. I think it was the most ever done. They were proud of the fact that they had four or five more rockets than New York or something or D.C. It was bigger than—I don’t know what redneck thing we’re trying to win here with the fireworks, but we won it.” (laughs)