Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Toby Keith will be posthumously awarded an honorary degree at the University of Oklahoma’s Commencement ceremony next moth. The country star, who passed away in February of this year, was a huge OU sports fan and a longtime donor to the university.

Toby will be awarded an honorary degree at @uofoklahoma's Commencement ceremony next month. Toby was an avid OU sports fan and longtime donor. #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/QaBhHR9pmf

— Toby Keith (@tobykeith) April 24, 2024

Dierks Bentley will headline the Big As Texas Festival, taking place at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds near Houston May 10th-12th. Thomas Rhett and Billy Strings will also headline. Maddie & Tae, Anne Wilson, Tracy Byrd, Clay Walker, Dwight Yoakam, Corey Kent, Los Lobos and others will also perform.

Tyler Hubbard threw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to the White Sox vs. Reds game at the Guaranteed Rate Field earlier this month. Watch as he gears up for his perfect pitch and interacts with the newest member of the Chicago Bears, Jonathan Owens, and Olympian Simone Biles, as well as pitcher Tanner Banks.

Last weekend, Luke Grimes appeared on CMT Hot 20 Countdown to talk about his new music, his musical influences, his television show Yellowstone and much more.

https://twitter.com/cmtHot20/status/1782545068970115321

Today, four-time GRAMMY-nominated artist Mickey Guyton unveils her new song, “Scary Love.” “Scary Love,” written by Guyton with Emma-Lee, Karen Kosowski, and Victoria Banks, showcases Gutyon’s undying appreciation for motherhood and serves as a ballad dedicated to her three-year-old son, Grayson. Throughout the song, Guyton describes her journey as a mother with poignant lyrics, singing, “Ain’t a thing I wouldn’t do, ain’t a thing I wouldn’t give. It’s the kind you fall into and never hit the bottom of. It’s a scary love. It’s a scary love.”

Guyton also releases a corresponding lyric video for “Scary Love” that features a montage of adorable family footage of Guyton, her husband Grant, and son Grayson.

Sometimes the scariest things in life can also be the most rewarding! That's what motherhood has been for me, and that's what this song is all about. #ScaryLove is out now! Also, pray for me – I’m having surgery today. ❤️

Listen now: https://t.co/3EpJ8t1YPg pic.twitter.com/lwT2uhtNsC

— Mickey Guyton (@MickeyGuyton) April 26, 2024

“There’s so many types of love, but for parents who truly love their kids, there’s nothing we won’t do for them,” Guyton says. “That kind of love is so scary because your heart is literally outside of your body and you’re seeing your heart grow up and become somebody. All you want to do is protect this person – that’s the scariest love that you’ll ever experience.”

The new song coincides with the announcement of the Texas native’s upcoming 22-city headlining tour, CMT ON TOUR Presents Mickey Guyton. The tour, produced by Live Nation, kicks off Sept. 18 at Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta with stops across major cities in the United States and Canada including New York, Chicago, Columbus, St. Louis, Toronto, Washington, D.C. and more.

I'm so excited to announce that I'm hitting the road this fall with @CMT on my own headlining tour! Tickets go on sale next Friday, 5.3 at 10 am local time. Head to https://t.co/1UN6leO6J8 to sign up to receive a code accessing the pre-sale on 5.30 beginning at 10 am local time. pic.twitter.com/nnoZhqIqap

— Mickey Guyton (@MickeyGuyton) April 26, 2024

Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning April 30 at 10 a.m. local time and additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general ticket on-sale that begins Friday, May 3 at 10 a.m. local time at MickeyGuyton.com. 

CMT ON TOUR PRESENTS MICKEY GUYTON Tour Dates:

Wednesday, September 18 | Atlanta, GA | Buckhead Theatre

Friday, September 20 | Charlotte, NC | The Underground

Saturday, September 21 | Asheville, NC | The Orange Peel

Thursday, September 26 | Washington, DC | Union Stage

Friday, September 27 | New York, NY | The Gramercy Theatre

Saturday, September 28 | Pittsburgh, PA | Thunderbird Café and Music Hall

Wednesday, October 2 | Kansas City, MO | Knuckleheads*

Thursday, October 3 | Oklahoma City, OK | Beer City Music Hall*

Tuesday, October 15 | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall

Thursday, October 17 | Chicago, IL | Joe’s on Weed St.

Friday, October 18 | Minneapolis, MN | First Ave*

Saturday, October 19 | Des Moines, IA | Wooly’s

Tuesday, October 22 | Madison, WI | Majestic Theatre

Wednesday, October 23 | Ann Arbor, MI | Blind Pig

Friday, October 25 | Grand Rapids, MI | The Stache at The Intersection

Wednesday, October 30 | Columbus, OH | The Bluestone

Friday, November 1 | Buffalo, NY | Iron Works*

Saturday, November 2 | Toronto, ON | Velvet Underground

Monday, November 4 | Boston, MA | Brighton Music Hall

Wednesday, November 6 | Philadelphia, PA | World Cafe Live*

Friday, November 8 | Indianapolis, Indiana | The Hifi*

Saturday, November 9 | Lexington, KY | Manchester Music Hall

*Not a Live Nation Date

Darius Rucker is set to release his new song, “Never Been Over,” tonight at midnight ET. The song is a duet with Jennifer Nettles (from Sugarland), and when he wrote the tune with John Osborne and Lee Miller, he wanted it to be a duet at some point.

“I wrote it with John Osborne and Lee Miller, and we cut it. We talked about doing a duet, talked about a doing a duet. We just got deep in the record and never did it,” says the South Carolina native. “It was the first song that I ever went to the label and said, ‘Will you make this a single?’ And they said yeah, and I wanted to make it a duet so bad. And we talked about folks and talked about it, and somebody said Jennifer, I think my manager said, ‘How about Jennifer Nettles?’ And I instantly I went, ‘Absolutely,’ because ever since ‘Stay,’ I’ve wanted to sing with her, and I’m so glad I finally got to.”

"Never Been Over" featuring Jennifer Nettles… out tonight at midnight!! Just when I thought I loved this song, here comes Jennifer taking it over the top!! pic.twitter.com/eOCRzaoRg2

— Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) April 25, 2024

Darius is currently on tour across the pond. On Saturday, he’ll be performing at the O2 Apollo in Manchester, England followed by dates in Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol and London before wrapping up his European tour May 11th in Belfast.

Reba McEntire will host the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday, May 16th at 8pm ET/7pm CT/5pm PT, streaming live exclusively for a global audience on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. A Prime membership will not be required to watch live.

https://twitter.com/reba/status/1783466403279892612

Returning as host for the 17th time, the most of any artist, Reba has a celebrated history with Country Music’s Party of the Year and will take the stage for a show stopping special performance featuring brand new music. The iconic entertainer boasts an impressive record of 16 ACM Award wins and nine nominations for the prestigious ACM Entertainer of the Year, including a win in 1994; she also holds the most nominations for Female Artist of the Year.

https://twitter.com/reba/status/1783556239554679011

“I am tickled to pieces to get to host the ACM Awards for the 17th time!” Reba McEntire exclaimed. “What an honor to have been part of the past, present and now the future of the Academy of Country Music with Amazon Prime Video. I can’t wait to get to Texas and see everybody May 16th!”

Fans can also tune into the official ACM Red Carpet on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, and Amazon Live, starting at 7 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. PDT. The Emmy-nominated, star-powered experience will celebrate Country Music’s biggest stars and emerging talent, and feature unforgettable performances, exclusive collaborations, and unexpected moments that will captivate fans worldwide. The full rebroadcast will be available directly following the stream on Prime Video and available the next day for free on Amazon Freevee and the Amazon Music app. Performers, presenters, and ACM Awards ancillary events will be announced in the coming weeks.

Jordan Davis joined Anne Wilson on the song “Country Gold,” which is from her new album, REBEL. Anne’s new collaboration with Jordan comes just months after first sharing the stage with him at the 2023 ACM Honors for a live performance of “Buy Dirt.” Serving as the first of three duets on the album, “Country Gold” written by Anne, Jeff Pardo and Matthew West, pulls inspiration from the biblical meaning of “gold” equating a symbol of spiritual wealth. Anne and Jordan expertly blend their unique, warm vocals as they weave heartfelt narratives from their family histories, emphasizing the joy found in life’s simple moments.

Jordan says he didn’t even need to hear “Country Gold” before saying he’d collaborate with Anne, since he and his family are such big fans of hers. “I’ve been a fan of Anne forever. My wife loves Anne. Eloise’s, one of her favorite songs is ‘My Jesus’ from Anne,” says the Louisiana native. “So, like when I got the message to collab with Anne, I said yes before I listened to the song. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m in,’ and then I hit the link to the listen to the song. So, it didn’t matter what it was going to sound like, I was gonna do it. [I’m] such, such a fan of her. After getting to meet her, I mean, she’s gonna be a rockstar, and the record is so good. They wrote ‘Country Gold,’ they wrote the mess out of that song. I’m so glad that the world is finally getting to hear Anne. It’s gonna shine a light on her music, and if there’s any music that needs to have a light shined on it, it’s Anne Wilson’s.”

Jordan is currently making his way to the top of the country charts with “Tucson Too Late.”

Today, the award-winning duo The War And Treaty shares the official music video for their latest song, “Stealing A Kiss.” “Stealing A Kiss,” written by the husband-and-wife pair and inspired by their passion for each other, is the first new track since their critically acclaimed major label album debut Lover’s Game. Directed by Gus Black, the video showcases their electrifying performance and tangible chemistry on the soulful, seductive track.

Yesterday, Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter performed at the White House for the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride. They also visited the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project where Michael, an Army veteran, was presented with a certificate for his military service.

Additional upcoming live performances for the duo include Stagecoach this weekend, CMA Fest, performances across Europe, and several tour stops with Zach Bryan and Chris Stapleton, and the recently announced opening slot for The Rolling Stones at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in July. For more information visit www.TheWarAndTreaty.com.

About The War And Treaty:
Founded in 2014 by the husband-and-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, The War And Treaty has 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, The Tennessean notes, “they are unlike any other act in music.” The War And Treaty’s major label debut album Lover’s Game (Mercury Nashville), was met with critical praise with Associated Press claiming, “The colossally talented pair continue their commando, no-limits journey to the top of the music world.” Drawing respect across the board, they have gone on to appear as top-flight collaborators including the latest “Hey Driver” with Zach Bryan.

PLATINUM-certified, GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter Anne Wilson has secured the No.1 spot at Christian radio during her album REBEL’s street week with her empowering anthem “Strong.” As it marks Wilson’s third career No.1, the single written by Wilson, Jeff Pardo and Matthew West has already garnered over 32M global streams to date. Notably, Wilson becomes the only female artist to have three No. 1 singles across the Mediabase Christian AC and Mediabase Christian Audience charts since she first launched on the scene with “My Jesus” in 2021.

https://twitter.com/Annewilsonmusic/status/1783335259691446441

REBEL, the “trailblazing album” released this past Friday (4/19) from “one of contemporary music’s freshest new voices, regardless of genre” (People.com), sees Wilson boldly stamping her love of Jesus, Country music and family. A co-writer on each of the 16 tracks, the “bold, triumphant” (Holler) record has already seen an immense outpour of critical acclaim, with Billboard praising its “faith rooted Country sound,” while GRAMMY.com recognizes “Wilson not only proves how her faith is her true north, but also shows others yearning to get there a path foward.” Combining much-needed encouragement, vulnerability and transparency into a perfect balance that footholds the space between the dead-end road paved in dirt and the church pew of redemption on Sunday morning, the record produced by Jeff Pardo and Jonathan Smith emerges as a powerful message of faith.

Last week, Wilson commemorated the groundbreaking release with a performance of her loud-and-proud title track “REBEL” on The 3rd Hour of TODAY,  and also announced her headlining REBEL Tour with special guest Jordan Rowe, kicking off on Sept. 12th. Tickets for the 28-stop tour are available for presale now and general on-sale will begin on Friday, April 26th at 10 a.m. local on www.annewilsonofficial.com.

Charging onto the scene three years ago with her debut single “My Jesus,” Wilson made the powerful declaration to cling firmly to her faith after finding God’s healing following the tragic loss of her brother. Now, as she remains steadfast and unwavering in her commitment to her faith-filled message, Wilson delivers an album in REBEL that “hits the bullseye between contemporary Christian and Country twang” (GRAMMY.com) in an ode to Wilson’s Lexington, Ky. roots that honors two genres who share a deep-rooted history.

Highlighted on the album is “the upbeat banger” (GRAMMY.com) “Songs About Whiskey,” released with an all-new music video, that finds Wilson unashamedly walking the line of her strong faith and Country roots. Collaborations with some of Christian and Country music’s biggest names further elevate the collection, tapping reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson for “Praying Woman,” GRAMMY-Award winner Chris Tomlin for “The Cross” and Country superstar Jordan Davis for “Country Gold.”

Last month, Wilson landed her first CMT Music Award nomination for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year for her Country radio single “Rain In The Rearview.” Despite only being three years into her career, Wilson has already amassed an impressive list of accolades, including winning a Billboard Music Award, multiple DOVE and K-LOVE Fan Awards, in addition to being a GRAMMY and American Music Award nominee. Recognized as Apple Music’s Country Riser for April, an artist to watch by Spotify, Pandora, the Grand Ole Opry, CMT and more, and over 900M career streams, Wilson’s star continues to rise.

With her REBEL Tour on the horizon, she will grace the stages of both Country and Christian music’s most sought-after festivals this summer to share her message of faith, resilience and hope with audiences across the country. Stay up to date with Wilson at www.annewilsonofficial.com and keep up with her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

REBEL Track List:

1. “REBEL” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
2. “Rain In The Rearview” (Anne Wilson, Matthew West, Zach Kale, Jaren Johnston)
3. “Strong” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
4. “God & Country” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Trannie Anderson)
5. “Praying Woman” (with Lainey Wilson) (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson)
6. “Songs About Whiskey” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lauren Hungate)
7. “Sinner’s Prayer” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lauren Hungate)
8. “The Cross” (with Chris Tomlin) (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Jonathan Smith)
9. “My Father’s Daughter” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Emily Weisband)
10. “Red Flag” (Anne Wilson, Jonathan Smith, Casey Beathard)
11. “Country Gold” (with Jordan Davis) (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
12. “Southern Gospel” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West, Lauren Hungate)
13. “Dirt Roads In Heaven” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Nicolle Galyon, Matthew West)
14. “3:16” (Anne Wilson, Jeff Pardo, Matthew West)
15. “Milestones” (Anne Wilson, Nicolle Galyon, Lauren Hungate)
16. “Out of the Bluegrass” (Anne Wilson, Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband)

REBEL Tour with Jordan Rowe:

Sept. 12, 2024 in Tulsa, Okla. at Mabee Center

Sept. 13, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas at Will Rogers Auditorium

Sept. 14, 2024 *TBA

Sept. 19, 2024 in Atlanta, Ga. at Coca-Cola Roxy

Sept. 21, 2024 in North Charleston, S.C. at North Charleston Performing Arts Center

Sept. 25, 2024 in Nashville, Tenn. at Ryman Auditorium

Sept. 26, 2024 in Charlotte, N.C. at Ovens Auditorium

Sept. 27, 2024 in Birmingham, Ala. at BJCC Concert Hall

Oct. 3, 2024 in Melbourne, Fla. at King Center for the Performing Arts

Oct. 4, 2024 in Jacksonville, Fla. at Florida Theatre

Oct. 5, 2024 in Tampa, Fla. at Straz Center

Oct. 10, 2024 in Newark, N.J. at Calvary Temple International

Oct. 11, 2024 in Reading, Pa. at Santander Performing Arts Center

Oct. 12, 2024 in Washington, D.C. at Warner Theatre

Oct. 17, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minn. at State Theatre

Oct. 18, 2024 in Chicago, Ill. at Willow Creek – South Barrington – Lakeside

Oct. 19, 2024 in Indianapolis, Ind. at Reardon Auditorium

Nov. 1, 2024 in Phoenix, Ariz. at Orpheum Theatre

Nov. 2, 2024 in San Diego, Calif. at Faith Chapel

Nov. 3, 2024 *TBA

Nov. 8, 2024 in Boise, Idaho at Morrison Center

Nov. 9, 2024 in Sacramento, Calif. at SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center

Nov. 10, 2024 in Bakersfield, Calif. at The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater

Nov. 12, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah at Kingsbury Hall

Nov. 13, 2024 in Denver, Colo. at Paramount Theater

Nov. 15, 2024 in Tacoma, Wash. at Pantages Theatre

Nov. 16, 2024 in Spokane, Wash. at Fox Theater

Nov. 17, 2024 in Salem, Ore. at Elsinore Theatre

Parker McCollum has announced some special guests at his ACM Lifting Lives show, Parker McCollum & Friends, next month. Jordan Davis, Old Dominion, Kameron Marlowe and Ashley Cooke are set to join Parker on May 15th — the night before the ACM Awards — at TopGolf at The Colony. Proceeds from the concert will go to ACM Lifting Lives, which works to improve lives through the power of music with a specific focus on health-related initiatives that use music therapy as a way of healing. The Texas native is nominated for Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for his recent No. 1 song, “Burn It Down,” at this year’s ACM Awards, which will stream live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas May 16th at 8pm ET/7pm CT/5pm PT exclusively on Prime Video.

https://twitter.com/ACMawards/status/1782771350844645878

Eric Church was featured on CBS Mornings on Tuesday (April 24th) to talk about his new venue/bar, Chief’s, how songwriting got him through a really dark period in his life and how he wanted to build a safe space in downtown Nashville.

In case you missed it, watch now. https://t.co/U9qjL9BIjW

— Eric Church (@ericchurch) April 23, 2024

Brothers Osborne will perform at the massive Calgary Stampede on July 7th. The festival, which runs July 5th – 14th, will also feature performances from Josh Ross, Ashley McBryde, Jackson Dean and many others.

Calgary! Y'all busy? Didn't think so. We'll be bringing the heat to @calgarystampede at the Nashville North Stage on July 7th. Can't wait to see you there. pic.twitter.com/JqLQKUkaH9

— Brothers Osborne (@brothersosborne) April 23, 2024

Josh Turner has re-signed with longtime label home MCA Nashville. Turner’s career spans over 20 years with the label where successes include five No. 1 singles, multiple platinum hits, 3.5B streams and numerous awards. Later this week, Turner will be inducted into the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame.

“Josh Turner has one of the most identifiable voices in country music,” says UMG Nashville Chair and CEO Cindy Mabe. “His music has touched generations of fans with his rich, deep voice paired with his deep connection to country music, family, faith and his fans. From his journey of ‘Long Black Train’ to his newest album, Josh has built an iconic career with some of the biggest hits in country music history. We are so proud to continue to represent Josh Turner as a member of MCA Nashville roster.”

Turner’s trademark bass-baritone serves several hit songs across two decades including “Long Black Train, “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” “Your Man” and “Would You Go With Me.” Now, after releasing three passion projects Country State of Mine, I Serve A Savior and his Christmas album King Size Manger, the South Carolina native is back with his brand-new country song, “Heatin’ Things Up” out this Friday (April 26th).