Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Father’s Day is Sunday (June 17th), and we have liners with many of your favorite country stars! Download below.

Kip Moore’s “Last Shot,” which is making its way up the country charts, turned into a good “old school country love song” in the writing room. He co-wrote “Last Shot” — the follow-up to his No. 1 hit “More Girls Like You” — with the legendary David Lee Murphy and pal Dan Couch, and they hit gold once they figured out how to write the tune based on an idea Dan brought to them.

“Dan actually came in with that idea and we just kind of danced around that song for probably three hours before we ever could tackle how to get it, where we wanted to go and you get a little bit of that old school Aerosmith vibe from the lyrics to the melodic sense even to the production of it,” says Kip. “I mean the minute David Lee said…When I started singing that melody, I was just humming and different stuff, and he said, ‘If you were my last breath/I’d just want to hold you,’ and I thought that was just such a brilliant line. So then it was just about, ‘Alright, this is a love song, this is an old school country love song right here,’ so that’s what we went with.”

The Georgia native just wrapped a string of sold-out international shows and makes a summer run through fairs and festivals, among other tour dates. For information on Kip, check out kipmoore.net.

Darius Rucker’s “For the First Time” climbs into the top spot on both the Country Aircheck Mediabase and Billboard country charts this week. He co-wrote the song with Derek George and Scooter Carusoe, and the tune made him think about some of the things he wanted to accomplish.

“That song really made me sit down and write out a list of things I want to do that I’ve never done; not so much bucket list stuff, just stuff that ‘why have I never done that?’ And it was really cool, and now I’m trying to do all those things,” says Darius. “But for me, that’s why I wanted that song to be a single. I wanted people to sit back for a second and go, ‘When was the last time I did something?’”

Darius was chosen to receive the Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award, which is presented to a country music artist, duo/group or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit, and is committed to serving others. The award will be handed out during the ACM Honors August 22nd at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

Darius will co-headline the Summer Plays On Tour with pals Lady Antebellum. The trek kicks off July 19th in Toronto, Ontario.

When Dierks Bentley heard the song “Burning Man,” he wanted to collaborate on the song with Brothers Osborne, who are also out on his Mountain High Tour. He felt it was a song the guys would record on their own with or without him.

“I’m a huge fan of those guys. They’re friends. We play in a side band together, a ‘90s country cover band called the Hot Country Knights with a K for anyone who wants to look us up,” says Dierks. “So, we’re just pals, and it’s like this song feels like something that they would sing, you know? It feels like if they’d got this one before I did, they probably would’ve cut it. I’ve never had someone on tour with me – anyone who’s on tour with me is someone I just love. I’ve never had anyone out there that I’m not a huge fan of or I don’t totally believe in, and I’ve never had that plus also had a song we could do together out on the road that’s on an album. It was so easy. I just called ‘em up and sent the song and got a huge ‘Yes’ back from both of them right away. They came into the studio like two days later. It was just a great hang.”

“Burning Man,” as well as Dierks’ latest hit “Woman, Amen,” are included on his new album, The Mountain, due out June 8th.

Kassi Ashton, one of Nashville’s most compelling rising stars, releases “Taxidermy” to all digital partners today. Bringing her characteristic swagger and take-no-prisoners attitude to the title, Kassi makes the Natalie Hemby, Luke Dick and Rosi Golan-written song entirely her own.

“I knew the second I heard ‘Taxidermy’ I had to have it,” says Kassi. “It’s the perfect second piece of me. Dad used to always say he didn’t have to take a gun to the door when my date came,” she explains; then adds slyly, “I had my own.”

Listen to “Taxidermy” HERE.

Huffington Post gives Kassi “mad props for her songwriting and stage presence” while CMT calls Kassi “fearless” and notes “her point of view is inspired and her storytelling knows no bounds.” Kassi recently released her auto-biographical song “California, Missouri,” where she paints an unconventional portrait of life growing up in her small town.

Kassi, named “Who to Watch” by Huffington Post, The Tennessean and radio personality Bobby Bones’ Class of 2018, also caught the attention of country superstar Keith Urban. Describing her as “such a unique, original creature,” Urban featured Kassi on his song “Drop Top” for his latest album Graffiti U.

For more information on Kassi, videos and music, visit www.KassiAshton.com.

Darius Rucker joined Jimmy Fallon on Thursday night (May 24th) to salute the troops during Fleet Week. They re-wrote the lyrics to “Only Wanna Be With You,” the huge hit from Hootie and the Blowfish in 1995. The song became “Only Wanna Thank the Troops.”

Darius is poised to enter the top of the country charts with “For the First Time.”

Luke Bryan has released his brand-new song, “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset,” from his No. 1 debuting What Makes You Country album. The song, written by Zach Crowell, Ryan Hurd and Chase McGill, is the follow up to Luke’s 20th career No. 1 single “Most People Are Good,” which held the top spot for three weeks.

He debuted the song on the season finale of American Idol earlier this week, and it’s perfect timing with summer looming on the horizon.

Luke will hit the road again on his What Makes You Country XL Stadium Sized Tour May 31st in Toronto. He’s taking Sam Hunt and Jon Pardi along for the ride.

For tour date information, go to lukebryan.com.

Sam Hunt is set to headline the fifth annual Firestone Legends Day concert on Saturday (May 26th), and he’s looking forward to performing for the crowds gathered for the Indianapolis 500.

“The race is the draw, but when you have people together in a good mood for a common cause and you can come in and provide entertainment during the down time, it’s like you’re already ahead when you start playing,” says Sam. “There is something about having people come out to a show and specifically come out to see you, but there’s also something about getting a bunch of people together to have a good time and playing some music and that’s what we’ll be doing at the race. I’ve never been to this style of race and I’ve never been in this environment before. I’ve gone to some races back around the house at Talladega, which is just down the road from my [old] house, and they’re just so festive. The race culture is unique and specific, and I can get in there and mix it up with ‘em.”

This will be the first live performance of his new hit, “Downtown’s Dead,” which he just released last week. It’s the follow-up to 2017’s smash hit, “Body Like a Back Road.”

He joins Luke Bryan for his What Makes You Country XL Stadium Tour May 31st in Toronto.

Darius Rucker is poised to enter the top of the country charts with his latest song, “For the First Time.” He says the song means “living life” to the fullest and doing something you’ve never done.

“For me, that song is really about life; about going out and living life and doing something you haven’t done before, because at this point in my life that’s something that’s so important to me – to do those bucket list things that you’ve never gotten to do,” says Darius. “And I just thought that song was perfect.”

Darius, who just performed his No. 1 hit “Wagon Wheel” on ABC’s American Idol finale, will return to national television on Thursday (May 24th) at 11:35pm ET as the musical guest for a special Fleet Week episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on NBC. He will then grace the TODAY plaza stage for the Citi Summer Concert Series on Friday (May 25th).

The South Carolina native will hit the road with Lady Antebellum on their co-headlining Summer Plays On Tour, kicking off July 19th in Toronto.