Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

“If I look back at my life and try to see into my past, everything seems blurry. But then I lean in and start to hear something. Melodies. Chords. Harmonies. Lyrics. This book is the story of my life as told through twenty-three songs that took me away, soaring, starting at ground level, living in a poor but happy home, never wanting for much more, enjoying what I had, even when times got tough, because I had my escape, my refuge, my music.” — Darius Rucker

LIFE’S TOO SHORT: A Memoir by Darius Rucker, a raw, heartfelt memoir from the three-time Grammy Award–winning, multi-Diamond-selling lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish and country music sensation arrives May 28th via Dey Street Books.

This is the story of my life as told through 23 songs that took me away, soaring, starting at ground level, living in a poor but happy home, never wanting for more, enjoying what I had, even when times got tough, because I had my escape, my music. Read more from @people below! https://t.co/uEDiG09pMb

— Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) February 15, 2024

Raised by a single mother in Charleston, South Carolina, Rucker co-founded Hootie & the Blowfish with three classmates at the University of South Carolina in 1986. What began as a party band playing frat houses and dive bars quickly became a global rock pop phenomenon through their Double Diamond-certified debut album Cracked Rear View, featuring the era-defining hit songs “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Let Her Cry” and “Hold My Hand.” Rucker has since also charted a pioneering path as a solo Country music artist, with Diamond-certified hit “Wagon Wheel” plus timeless anthems such as “Alright” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” while sharing the stage and a mic with the likes of David Crosby, Al Green, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Adele, Taylor Swift, and more.

Now multiple decades into his illustrious career, Rucker tells the story of his life through the lens of the music that made him, including songs by everyone from Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder to R.E.M., KISS, Prince and, of course, his own music with Hootie and as a solo artist. He recounts the unlikely ascent of his band and wild tales of his road-hardened life—one filled with stumbles, missteps and battles with demons, but ultimately resulting in triumph. Candid, entertaining, and moving, LIFE’S TOO SHORT is a classic story of a man and his music.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darius Rucker is a three-time GRAMMY award-winning American singer, guitarist and songwriter. He first achieved multi-Platinum status as lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Hootie & the Blowfish, selling more than 25 million albums worldwide, including their Double-Diamond-certified debut Cracked Rear View, which remains among the top 10 bestselling studio albums of all time. Since the release of his first Country album in 2008 via Capitol Records Nashville, Rucker has earned a whole new legion of fans with four No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Country chart plus 10 No. 1 singles at Country radio including Diamond-certified hit “Wagon Wheel,” one of the top 10 Country songs of all time. Annually, Rucker lends his time and voice to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, MUSC, the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation and others to raise money for charitable causes close to his heart.

During Keith Urban‘s early career, he got the chance to be the opening act on Brooks & Dunn‘s Neon Circus Tour, which also featured Montgomery Gentry on the bill, as well as Toby Keith. He loved being out on the road with those guys, and he recalls riding Toby’s tour bus when they had to make an urgent pit stop at 2am at one point.

“The Neon Circus Tour with Brooks & Dunn – I was the opening, opening, opening act going on at, I don’t know, four in the afternoon (laughs) and you know playing my 20-minute set, and then Montgomery Gentry came out and played a set and then Toby came out and then Kix and Ronnie came out and killed it,” recalls Keith. “It was an amazing tour. I have a lot of stories from that tour. I rode on Toby’s tour bus on his 40th birthday, which was surreal, and there we are rolling down some interstate and he gets hungry at two in the morning, so we pull in to a Steak ‘n Shake, sat in the booth and ordered Steak ‘n Shake.”

The entire tour lineup decided to make after-show stops at local bars and take over for the house band.

“We would always do it unannounced, and it would be almost all of us – Montgomery Gentry, me, Toby, Kix and Ronnie, when they finished, we’d all end up there playing,” says Keith. “It was amazing because some of the clubs would only have six people in them because everybody’s at the concert. These people couldn’t go to the concert, so we show up, jump up and start started playing songs and then the club would fill up. And then people would have you signing all their shirts and stuff like that, and for whatever reason, I thought, ‘I’m just gonna sign Keith instead of both of my names. It’ll cut my signing time in half.’ So, I’m writing Keith (laughs) on all these shirts, and then at the end of the night, I noticed these people whose shirts are signed, and it’s like, it’s got more writing on it. And I went over and looked. Toby just started writing his name first, but he put it right in front of mine. (laughs) So, he got a full signature, and I got nothing.”

Toby Keith passed away February 5th from his battle with stomach cancer. He was 62 years old.

UMG Nashville reveals the signing of artist/songwriter/ producer Hueston to newly created Silver Wings Records. Silver Wings Records is a distribution arm and independent artist services, powered by Virgin Music Group’s global distribution network created to support independent artists and creators.  Silver Wings Records creates custom campaign services for independent artists offering a variety of options for developing and enhancing campaigns.

“The independent artist community has rapidly grown and been a driving force in expanding the creative growth culture in Nashville’s music and entertainment,” says UMG Nashville Chair & CEO, Cindy Mabe. “Universal Music Group Nashville has seen the need to provide resources to grow, sustain and support the independent creator community. Once I met Hueston and felt his music and what he was striving to do as an independent artist, I knew it was time to build the investment. Hueston and his team of collaborators have vision and direction and are building their own path around his soulful emotional voice and his ability to mix darkness and light into his gift of music. It changes people. Like Hueston’s music, Silver Wings Records is intended to bridge and open the world of creativity to Nashville collaborators and country music artists.”

“I’m looking forward to starting this next chapter of my career with the team at UMG Nashville,” shares Hueston. “Cindy, Charlene, Chelsea and Hannah saw the vision from the very first meeting and I automatically knew it was going to be a great fit.”

Cory Hueston has lived music success as the front man of indie/alternative-duo, The Blancos, but he felt a call pulling him in a different direction. Now, via his own label Young Hueston, LLC and distribution by Silver Wings Records, he shares his emotional storytelling, skilled guitar, and soul-stirring vocals as solo artist Hueston. His music translates easily to audience interpretation while still speaking so directly to Hueston’s own professional and personal journeys overcoming depression and addictions, and turning over a new chapter in life. Hueston is an artist who leans on his songwriting and uses his music to speak his emotions, sometimes dark, sometimes provocative, always soulful. New music can be expected from Hueston in the coming weeks.

Silver Wings Records has its own staff overseen by Charlene Bryant, UMGN’s SVP of Business Development & Strategy. With Bryant’s track record of success spanning across Country, Hip-Hop, and Christian music, and her understanding of both the artists’ needs and the industry’s ever-changing landscape, she and her team are set to help merge worlds and cultures, and to help further UMG Nashville’s commitment to growth and expansion.

Parker McCollum and his wife Hallie Ray Light revealed the gender of their first child on socials this week. The slow-mo video shows the couple walking and holding a baby pair of cowboy boots between them. Hallie Ray wrote in the combined post on Instagram, “Baby BOY McCollum!
we love you, little cowboy.”

Parker responded by throwing out several baby names for his wife and mother-to-be to choose. “Keaton Cadillac McCollum
King Cowboy McCollum
Yancey Tyler McCollum
Walker Yancey McCollum
Major Yancey McCollum
Pick from those when you get a chance Hallie will ya?”

Parker is sitting inside the Top 10 on the country charts with his latest single, “Burn It Down.”

Dierks Bentley has announced over 30 new dates for his summer GRAVEL & GOLD TOUR, Presented By Jersey Mike’s, with Chase Rice and Lee Brice for direct support and a diverse lineup of special guests including Graham Barham, Tyler Braden, Kaitlin Butts, Mae Estes, Ella Langley, Randy Rogers Band, Zach Top, Tanner Usrey, Bella White and more. Produced by Live Nation, tickets will begin to go on sale this Friday (February 16th) at 10am local time at Dierks.com.

The #GravelAndGold Tour is hitting the road this year with @ChaseRiceMusic, @leebrice and so many more! We can’t wait to see y’all.
Fan Club Presale: 2/13 at 10am (LOCAL) – 2/15@Spotify Presale: 2/13 at 10am
Public on sale: 2/16 at 10am LOCAL pic.twitter.com/RxJF23Zos4

— Dierks Bentley (@DierksBentley) February 12, 2024

“The Gravel & Gold tour has been the best of my career, and I’m not ready to leave it behind,” explains Bentley. “We are so locked in with this production that it allows me to be living right in the moment with the fans, and that’s the magic!  I’m bringing along some old friends and some newer artists who are all putting their own unique spin on country, bluegrass and Americana music.   I can’t wait to watch their shows and hopefully sing with them too. Those collaborations are a highlight of my summer every year.”

GRAVEL & GOLD TOUR 2024 Dates:
6/07 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena *
6/08 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP *
6/13 – Toledo, OH – The Huntington Center *
6/14 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center *
6/15 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center ^
6/27 – Lafayette, LA – CAJUNDOME*<
6/28 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater*
7/18 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC *
7/19 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain *
7/20 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater +
8/04 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
8/08 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion *’
8/09 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center *
8/10 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena  *
8/15 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion *
8/16 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview*
8/17 – Camden, NJ- Freedom Mortgage Pavilion *
8/22 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL*
8/23 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center *
8/24 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center *
8/29 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater *
8/30 – Colorado Springs, CO – Sunset Amphitheater *’
8/31 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *\9/06 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre *
9/07 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena *
9/12 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park ^
9/13 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium ^
9/14 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park^
9/19 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena * >
9/20 – Moline, IL – Vibrant Arena *
9/21 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater^

* Chase Rice + Check Local Listings
^ Lee Brice + Check Local Listings
+ On sale to be announced
> On sale March 1st
< On sale March 8^th
‘ Not a Live Nation Date

Dierks Bentley released his tenth studio album Gravel & Gold in 2023, again “proving why he’s one of Country’s biggest stars” (TODAY) whose unique 21st-century career has had a rare consistency fueled by longevity. He landed his first publishing deal in 2001 and released his debut album in 2003, producing an instant number one single. In the two decades since, Bentley has achieved success with eight more albums that reached the top of the Country sales charts, resulting in 22 number one songs, eight billion streams, three CMA Awards, 15 GRAMMY® nominations and membership into the Grand Ole Opry. Trendy sounds have ebbed and flowed around him over these two decades, but Bentley “has been a mainstay on the country charts since releasing his debut single ‘What Was I Thinkin’ nearly 20 years ago” (Forbes). He also has created professional endeavors outside of music with his Flag & Anthem lifestyle collection Desert Son, along with his four “Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row” locations. For more information, visit www.Dierks.com.

Reba McEntire delivered a soaring rendition of the National Anthem prior to this year’s Super Bowl on Sunday (February 11th). Wearing a Ralph Lauren-designed outfit, which included a tan/  gold blazer, a black top with beaded fringe black pants, she also added her own personal and sentimental touches — her Daddy’s belt buckle and her mother’s bracelet.

Reba previously said her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, helped her decide to say yes to the NFL’s offer to sing the National Anthem. She followed Andra Day‘s emotional performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and Post Malone‘s stripped-down rendition of “God Bless America.”

Reba was accompanied by actor Daniel Durant (CODA, Chicago Med), who performed the National Anthem in ASL (American Sign Language).

Reba was discovered by Red Stegall 50 years ago singing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo, and he brought her to Nashville less than a year later and helped get her signed to a major record label.

The Country Music Hall of Famer will be the fourth country artist in a row to sing the anthem. Eric Church with Jazmine Sullivan did the honors in 2021; Mickey Guyton performed the anthem in 2022; Chris Stapleton (who many are hailing as one of the best renditions since Whitney Houston in 1991) in 2023 and now Reba in 2024. Other country artists who have performed the National Anthem include Garth Brooks (1993), Faith Hill (2000), The Chicks (2003), Carrie Underwood (2010) and Luke Bryan (2017).

Reba is set to return as a coach for Season 25 of NBC’s The Voice, which is set to premiere February 26th. Coach John Legend returns with Chance the Rapper and Dan + Shay (replacing Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan).

Darius Rucker was performing in Las Vegas after the Madden Bowl — and prior to the Super Bowl — for several NFL executives and members when Miami Dolphins’ Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa jumped on stage with guitar on hand to perform the multi-platinum “Wagon Wheel.”

Keith Urban will perform during this summer’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend, taking place July 6th-7th. The Black Keys and The Chainsmokers will also perform.

Mickey Guyton performed at the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration on Saturday night (February 10th). The concert special, which aired on CBS and Paramount+, brought together musical artists and NFL players to celebrate the Big Game. Robin Thicke, Kirk Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire, T-Pain and many others also performed.

Chris Stapleton and The War And Treaty join an all-star lineup for a special concert event honoring the iconic Mavis Staples. Mavis Staples 85th: All-Star Birthday Concert, which takes place April 18th at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, will also feature performances by Black Pumas, Grace Potter, Hozier, Jackson Browne, Jeff Tweedy, Keb’ Mo’, Michael McDonald, Nathaniel Rateliff, Norah Jones, Robert Randolph, Taj Mahal, plus many more to be announced. Tickets for the general public go on sale Friday (February 16th) at 10am PT at http://ticketmaster.com.

Looking forward to celebrating my friend Mavis Staples on her 85th Birthday on April 18th, 2024.

Use code MAVIS85 for presale tickets on Tuesday, February 13th at 10am PT at https://t.co/vBKsKBG5Bj. pic.twitter.com/LNNJNNYiwH

— Chris Stapleton (@ChrisStapleton) February 12, 2024

Carrie Underwood and Toby Keith connected on numerous levels, besides both being big country stars. They were fellow Oklahomans and proud to show it.

Carrie says one of the biggest things she respected most about Toby is his love for Oklahoma.

“There are so many things that can be said about Mr. Toby Keith. I mean, obviously, he has had such a monumental career. He has some of the biggest songs that ever, ever were or probably ever will be in country music, and obviously, has built up that legacy for himself that will live on,” says Carrie. “But I think one of the best things about Toby is his love for Oklahoma. He’s a proud Okie, and I feel like that’s something that always connected us. We’d talk about it. He’s one of the ones, he never left. No matter how big and famous he got, he was gonna stay in Oklahoma, and he was always the first one there when disaster would strike – tornado or whatever it was. He was the first one like trying to rally the troops or raise money or help out in any way he could. I feel like that’s one of the things that I respect the most about him, he never forgot where he came from and has been such a stellar example to the rest of us to do the same. He, of course, will be missed, but I know full, full well where he is right now. He’s with Jesus, and I for one look forward to hearing him sing again someday. So, prayers and comfort to his family. We’re gonna miss ya, buddy, but we’ll see ya on the other side.”

Saddle up the horses, Jesus, ‘cause a true blue COWBOY just made his ride up to heaven!!! Introduce him to all the Okies and sign that boy up for the choir! We’re gonna miss you, Toby, but my heart has no doubt that you are standing in the presence of our King right now!!! See… pic.twitter.com/9a2RauHo5p

— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) February 6, 2024

Toby Keith (Covel)passed away on Monday night (February 5th) from his battle with stomach cancer. He announced his illness in June 2022 and revealed he’d been diagnosed in October 2021, and had undergone radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. He was 62 years old.

Eric Church toured with Toby Keith in 2011 on the Locked & Loaded Tour, and he has a lot of stories about the Big Dog Daddy. The one he remembers most fondly is actually the first time he met him at a local Nashville bar.

“So, I have a thousand Toby Keith stories – some I can share and some not – but my first time I met Toby, we both frequented a bar in Printer’s Alley in Nashville called The Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar,” recalls Eric. “And I remember walking in my first time and apparently some of the patrons had been harassing a bartender behind the bar and as I walked in, Toby had taken the guy harassing the patrons and had drug him by his shirt collar all the way down the bar. And as I walked in the door, the guy dropped in front of me, and I look up and there’s Toby Keith, and I kinda stuck out my hand and said, ‘Hi,’ and we met, you know. (laughs) Toby was always a guy that did things his own way, and I think of that (laughs), I think of that fondly now when I think of him. We got to be friends later and toured with him, but that’s how I met him. He laid a guy out at my feet at the Fiddle and Steel.”

Toby Keith (Covel) passed away on Monday night (February 5th) from his battle with stomach cancer. He announced his illness in June 2022 and revealed he’d been diagnosed in October 2021, and he had undergone radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. He was 62 years old.

Rising Nashville stars Sam Williams and Carter Faith are adding their modern flair to a country classic for their cover of Tammy Wynette’s “‘Til I Can Make It On My Own,” out now on Mercury Records Nashville – listen HERE. Fans can also hear the heartbreakingly beautiful cover live tomorrow night at Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry.  The new song will also be featured on Williams’ upcoming project expected later this year.

On the significance of recording the cover, Williams shares, “This release is simply surreal in several ways. My new album was completed when this idea came about and this record became the cherry on top. I have always adored Carter Faith, from her music to her style and free-spirited personality. As we became closer, it was clear we should make some music together. I think we are very much cut from similar cloth. We’re from small towns and had big dreams that led us to a city that’s hard to cut through. I believe we’re making our mark now. Tammy Wynette being the legend she is, it was an honor to reinvent her beautiful words. It’s also very heartwarming to know she lived in Hank and Audrey, my grandparents’, home for a long time. Tammy purchased their home on Franklin Road after Audrey passed. History seems to tip its hat at me nowadays and I embrace the nod. I am so excited for everyone to hear what comes this year.”

“Recording ‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’ with Sam Williams was one of the most special moments of all time to me,” Faith says of the collaboration. “Tammy Wynette is a musical hero of mine and a major influence, and when my dear friend Sam—whose voice just hits me all the way to the heart every time I hear it—asked me to sing on a new version of this song, I was so honored and excited. I have always adored the honesty that Tammy wrote with and this song is such a beautiful example of that, heartbreaking and hopeful at the very same time. One of my favorite parts of the recording process was when we were all sitting around and getting ready before starting the session, we talked about what the song meant to us and how we wanted to honor it. More than anything, I just hope we made Tammy proud.”

Originally released in January 1976, “‘Til I Can Make It On My Own” was Tammy Wynette’s 15th No. 1 song at Country Radio, staying on the charts for 11 weeks. The song, which Wynette deemed her favorite composition she had written, perfectly captures the devastation of the end of a relationship. Last week, Wynette was honored with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Special Merit Awards Ceremony, which praised her impact on the music industry.

As two of Nashville’s most exciting new talents, Williams and Faith pay homage to the iconic ballad while blending it with their uniquely contemporary perspectives. The accompanying music video exemplifies their ability to mix the past and present, seamlessly combining 70s-inspired silhouettes and vintage pieces with modern touches that reflect the artists’ identities.

Williams and Faith’s collaboration proves that although the country music scene is ever evolving, its legacy rests in extremely capable hands.

About Carter Faith:
Born and raised in North Carolina, Faith relocated to Nashville after college to pursue her dream of becoming a country musician, learning the ropes from seasoned professionals who saw her massive potential. Fast forward a few years, and Faith has solidified her place in an ever-changing country music scene with over 75 million global streams on tracks like “Wild,” “Greener Pasture” and “Already Crazy.” Her soaring vocals and authentic storytelling, paired with a delicate delivery and breezy confidence, have captivated audiences and led to stages shared with Little Big Town, Keith Urban and one of her biggest influences, Willie Nelson. She recently inked a deal with Universal Music Publishing Group, closed a sold-out show at the Ryman Auditorium and was featured in CMT’s LISTEN UP 2024 campaign highlighting rising country artists.

About Sam Williams:
Grandson of country pioneer Hank Williams and the son of outlaw legend Hank Jr., Sam Williams is the latest in a long line of American originals, who sings with his own singular voice and writes in his own singular style, fusing gut-wrenching honesty and plainspoken poetics with raw vulnerability and deep empathy. In 2021, Williams released his debut album, Glasshouse Children, which was a testament to his brilliant lyricism and soulful vocals and received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, Music Row, Associated Press, and so much more. In October 2022, Williams also unveiled a deluxe edition of the record, which featured “Tilted Crown,” a reflective track about navigating his legacy in life. Williams followed up his debut with a string of powerful singles in 2023, along with multiple shows at the Grand Ole Opry and show-stopping performances at Nashville’s CMA Fest and the UK’s Country 2 Country Fest. With more music coming in 2024, Sam continues to prove that he is making a legacy for himself that is completely his own.