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SAM HUNT PERFORMS ‘BODY LIKE A BACK ROAD’ DURING SUNDAY NIGHT’S BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS.

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Sam Hunt performed his multi-week No. 1 “Body Like a Back Road,” during Sunday night’s (May 21st) Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. He started off the performance sitting on a stool and strumming an acoustic guitar with “Nashville” written on it.

Check out the performance here.

He and his wife Hannah Lee made their red carpet debut as husband and wife prior to the show.

.@SamHuntMusic & his new wife made their red carpet debut at the #BBMAs! https://t.co/0nBPY102v4 pic.twitter.com/NxHvJOFNIq

— SoundsLikeNashville (@SoundsLikeNash) May 22, 2017

Sam will launch his 15 in a 30 Tour on June 1st in Cleveland, and he’s taking along Maren Morris, Chris Janson and Ryan Follese.

MEMORIAL DAY AUDIO 2017: Dierks, Eric, Keith, LBT, Sam

Dierks Bentley / Eric Church / Keith Urban / Little Big Town / Sam Hunt

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. However, by the turn of the 20th century, Memorial Day celebrated Americans who have sacrificed their lives in all wars. The holiday also typically marks the start of the summer vacation season.

Some of your favorite country artists talk about what it means to be free because of the brave men and women willing to fight and sacrifice for our freedom.

Dierks (Memorial Day) OC: …upon them. :37
“On the most basic level, I think, for me on the road, I just think about being gone two, three days at a time, maybe a couple of weeks at a time, you know. That seems like a long time when you have kids and family, but these soldiers, they’re gone for months and years at a time – they’re doing 12 to 15 to 18 months — and they have family back home. That, in itself, is such a huge sacrifice, and that’s just the beginning of it. That’s just scratching the surface of what these guys [and gals] are doing every day – preparing for battle, actually being in battle, being wounded in battle, sometimes dying in battle. So, this country obviously, we would not exist without those courageous men and women, and our future depends upon them.”

Eric Church (Memorial Day) OC: …those freedoms.

It’s about, especially the soldiers I come in contact with on the road. And not only that, to be able to make the music that I’m able to make, to say what I want to say, and that freedom to be able to do those things and to be in a country where we’re able to do that and to be in a country where we’re able to play that stuff on the radio. I don’t think you’re going to have any America argue that America isn’t the best place to live, and I’m certainly one of them. I’m very proud to be from here and very proud that we have the soldiers. I know there are a lot of other countries out there in the world that don’t want to live the way we do, and that’s fine, they can keep living the way they are, but I’m very proud of it. I think that’s a time to celebrate being proud to be an American and celebrate those freedoms…and celebrate the people that are over fighting for those freedoms.”

Eric Church (grandfathers in WW2) OC: …touching to me. :21
“Both of my grandfathers were World War II veterans. I mean, that’s something that’s very rare. I’m not unique, you know. There’s a lot of people out there like that that their grandfathers served. The way that I was raised was very much red, white and blue and very patriotic, and I think that it’s the fact that what they give up is the real thing that’s very touching to me.”

Keith Urban (SEALS mantra) OC: …conviction. :30
“They have a mantra, and they say ‘the only easy day was yesterday’ and they had this spirit of brotherhood and that’s a particular thing that’s the way in which, I think, it exists is very specific to the Seals. I mean, military in general have this very strong brotherhood code; it’s a particular kind of thing in the Seals. As was the testament, to Lt. Roark who is the lead guy in the film; when he was interviewed talked about funerals he had been to, and he says ‘there isn’t really any one of us who isn’t just a little bit jealous of the guy who’s died,’ and ok, I heard that, that’s a particular way of being that I cannot relate to. That is an unbelievable depth of commitment and conviction.”

LBT (Memorial Day) OC: …whenever we can. :44
KAREN: “It’s such a huge sacrifice what these men and women do for us, not only the ones that are serving, but the families that are left here at home. Kimberly and I met a young girl…she’s 21 years old, and she has a third baby, and her husband has served multiple times overseas. She’s raising these children at home and doing a great job and the best that she can, and he’s serving our country. He’s making a monstrous sacrifice, but so is she, and so are those children. And we just can’t take it for granted. I mean, it’s just a huge commitment that they make, and what an honor. We love to be able to sing for them and entertain them and to say thank you whenever we can.”

Sam Hunt (Memorial Day) OC: …those freedoms. :40
“My granddad was in World World II. He was on the USS Texas battleship, and he was over at Normandy and over near Japan and he spent a lot of time right in the thick of World War II. He really took pride in what that meant, and it was something I got to see it first hand, as somebody who got to experience that; somebody who had that galvanized American trait. It’s hard to describe it. It was just somebody who’s been through that, seen that and really appreciates what that means. I try to channel that into my life, because I haven’t fought in any war, but I have a ton of respect for folks who have, folks who’ve sacrificed, families who’ve lost lives and just sacrificed years of their own lives and time and effort to maintain those freedoms.”

MEMORIAL DAY LINERS 2017

Audio

Billy Currington / Brothers Osborne / Dierks Bentley / Easton Corbin / Eric Church / Eric Paslay / Jon Pardi / Josh Turner / Keith Urban / Little Big Town / Luke Bryan

LINER Billy Currington (Memorial Day)
“Hey guys, I’m Billy Currington. I just wanted to say thank you to all our servicemen and women and their daily service to our country.”

LINER Brothers Osborne (Memorial Day) 2
“Hey! What’s up guys? We’re Brothers Osborne. We just wanted to send our thanks to all you service men and women and the ones who’ve gone before you for sacrificing time with your families, sacrificing your own needs and even sacrificing your lives so we can be free to do what we want to do. It means more than you’ll ever know. Happy Memorial Day!”

LINER Dierks Bentley (Memorial Day)
“Hey everybody, this is Dierks Bentley. I just want to say thank you to the men and women in uniform on this day and every day.”

LINER Easton Corbin (Memorial Day)
“Hey everybody! It’s Easton Corbin here, wishing you a happy and safe Memorial Day, and I also want to send a special thanks out to our men and women in our Armed Forces.”

LINER Eric Church (Memorial Day)
Hey everyone, this is Eric Church hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

LINER Eric Paslay (Memorial Day Weekend)
“Hey! This is Eric Paslay, hope you have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day Weekend.”

LINER Jon Pardi (Memorial Day Weekend)
“Hi! It’s Jon Pardi, hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.”

LINER Josh Turner (thanks to military)
“Hey! This is Josh Turner. I just wanted to say thank you to all of our servicemen and women for what you do around the world.”

LINER Keith Urban (Memorial Day)
“Hi everyone, this is Keith Urban. Now please take time to remember all those who sacrificed their lives during this Memorial Day Weekend.”

LINER LBT (Memorial Day)
“Hi! This is Little Big Town, take time to remember our fallen heroes during this Memorial Day Weekend.”

LINER Luke Bryan (Memorial Day)
“Hey! It’s Luke Bryan, hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.”

EARLY BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS INCLUDE CHRIS STAPLETON AND HILLARY SCOTT & THE SCOTT FAMILY.

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Chris Stapleton / Hillary Scott & The Scott Family

Early Billboard Music Award winners include Chris Stapleton and Hillary Scott & The Scott Family.

Chris picked up the award for Best Country Album for his double-platinum, Traveller.

Congrats @ChrisStapleton on your #BBMAs win for your Top Country Album, "Traveller!" pic.twitter.com/yq6PW2dY69

— BillboardMusicAwards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2017

The Scott Family won Top Christian Song for “Thy Will.”

.@HillaryScottLA & The Scott Family have won Top Christian Song for "Thy Will!" Congratulations! #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/F2Fr5nWP9r

— BillboardMusicAwards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2017

NEWS AND NOTES: Darius, Lady A, Kip, Kacey, Shania

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Darius Rucker / Kacey Musgraves / Kip Moore / Lady Antebellum / Shania Twain

Darius Rucker headlined the 19th annual Tiger Jam private concert on Saturday (May 20th). The two-day, star-studded charity event was held at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and included world-class golf, high-stakes poker, gourmet cuisine and exclusive VIP experiences benefitting the Tiger Woods Foundation’s college-access programs.

Darius Rucker will unofficially kick-off this year’s CMA Music Festival with his eighth annual Darius & Friends benefit concert, being held at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium June 5th. Joining him will be Ronnie Milsap, Dan + Shay, Michael Ray and Hall and Oates’ John Oates. Proceeds from the event will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Lady Antebellum will perform during a special outdoor CMT Crossroads featuring Earth, Wind & Fire. More artists will be announced for the show in the coming days, and the new installment will be filmed in downtown Nashville at a soon-to-be announced date. CMT Crossroads With Earth, Wind & Fire and Friends will air June 23rd at 10pm ET on CMT.

Kip Moore, Brett Young, Granger Smith and more will play Rodney Atkins’ seventh annual Music City Gives Back show June 6th in downtown Nashville. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the W.O. Smith Music School.

Kacey Musgraves will appear during the new season of Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry. The singer says, “It got pretty real. And more on this later, but about a week after Tyler visited my house and did the reading some strange (but not negative) things started happening with electronics…things moving…etc. I’ve wondered if the reading somehow invited energy (maybe my grandma?) in that felt welcome enough to stick around? Either way, my mom and I had a blast sitting down with Tyler. More details on when you can catch the episode soon!”

COMING THIS SUMMER! I can't wait for my episode with @hollywoodmedium! ✨It was pretty damn interesting. pic.twitter.com/vbPqau4Ml9

— KACEY MUSGRAVES (@KaceyMusgraves) May 18, 2017

Shania Twain’s new single, “Life’s About to Get Good,” is featured in a new NBC television ad promoting the Winter Olympics. The clip includes some of the outstanding U.S. Olympic athletes, including Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn, Nathan Chen, Ashley Kim and many more. “Life’s About To Get Good” is the first single from Shania’s upcoming album, which is schedule for release this fall. The single will hit the airwaves beginning in June. The 2018 Winter Olympics will take place February 8th-25th, 2018 in South Korea.

Incredibly excited to share a preview of my new single 'Life's About To Get Good' – released next month!

THE BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS 2017 NOMINEES.

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Chris Stapleton / Dierks Bentley / Eric Church / Hillary Scott & The Scott Family / Keith Urban / Little Big Town / Luke Bryan / Sam Hunt

Sam Hunt will perform his mega-hit “Body Like a Back Road” during Sunday night’s (May 21^st) Billboard Music Awards.

Luke Bryan is nominated in the all-format fan-voted Billboard Chart Achievement category, as well as for Top Country Tour.

Keith Urban has several BBMA nods, including Top Country Album for Ripcord and Top Country Song for “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” as well as a nomination for Top Country Artist.

Chris Stapleton is up against Keith as Top Country Artist, as well as Top Country Album for Traveller.

Little Big Town’s “Better Man” is up for Top Country Song, while Dierks Bentley’s “Different for Girls” featuring Elle King, Eric Church’s “Kill a Word” with Rhiannon Giddens and Vince Gill’s appearance on Chris Young’s “Sober Saturday Night” are up for Top Country Collaborations.

Hillary Scott & the Scott Family have three BBMA nominations, including Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Album for Love Remains and Top Christian Song for “Thy Will.”

The Billboard Music Awards will air live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas beginning at 8pm ET on ABC.

Billboard Chart Achievement Award Presented by Xfinity:
Luke Bryan
Nicki Minaj
The Chainsmokers
The Weeknd
Twenty One Pilots

Top Country Artist:
Florida Georgia Line
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban
Chris Stapleton
Jason Aldean

Top Country Tour:
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Dixie Chicks

Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean, They Don’t Know
Florida Georgia Line, Dig Your Roots
Blake Shelton, If I’m Honest
Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Keith Urban, Ripcord

Top Country Song:
Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire”
Florida Georgia Line, “H.O.L.Y.”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”
Little Big Town, “Better Man”
Keith Urban, “Blue Ain’t Your Color”

Top Country Collaboration:
Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King, “Different For Girls”
Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire”
Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens, “Kill A Word”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”
Chris Young Featuring Vince Gill, “Sober Saturday Night”

Top Christian Artist:
Lauren Daigle
Hillsong Worship
Hillary Scott & the Scott Family
Skillet
Chris Tomlin

Top Christian Album:
Casting Crowns, The Very Next Thing
Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be
Joey + Rory, Hymns
Hillary Scott & The Scott Family, Love Remains
Skillet, Unleashed

Top Christian Song:
Lauren Daigle, “Trust In You”
Hillary Scott & The Family, “Thy Will”
Skillet, “Feel Invincible”
Ryan Stevenson Featuring GabeReal, “Eye Of The Storm”
Zach Williams, “Chain Breaker”

LUKE BRYAN ANNOUNCES HIS FOURTH ANNUAL CRASH MY PLAYA EVENT.

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Luke Bryan

Four-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan, along with CID Presents, announces the fourth-annual Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, an all-inclusive concert vacation set for January 17-20, 2018 in Riviera Maya, Mexico. After three sold-out years, the hottest country music destination event is back for 2018. The Caribbean beach vacation features Luke headlining two of the four nightly concerts, with additional performers to be announced soon.

“Kicking the year off on the beach with an amazing backdrop, good ol’ country music and watching the fans have the time of their life…yes I’m in!” said Luke Bryan.

“We are thrilled to announce our fourth year at Crash My Playa. As many of the Playa Crashers already know, it’s going to be an amazing time filled with great music, a beautiful site, and passionate, fun-loving country music fans,” said Dan Berkowitz of CID Presents. “We look forward to welcoming back returning guests, and are excited to meet those joining us for the first time.”

Fans can stay at the event’s host resort, the Barceló Maya, or opt for one of several carefully selected tropical resorts and enjoy royal treatment all weekend long – all-inclusive food and drink, 24-hour concierge service, daily onsite activities, offsite adventures like deep sea fishing, zip-lining, and ATV tours, excursions including day trips to Tulum, official Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa merchandise packages, and more. To see highlights from 2017’s event go to http://crashmyplaya.com/cmp-2017

Citi is the official card of Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa. Citi cardmembers will have access to all-inclusive packages via a special pre sale through Citi’s Private Pass Program beginning Tuesday, May 23 at 1pm EST.For complete Citi presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Members of Luke’s fan club, Luke’s fan app and previous Crash My Playa guests will have access to pre sale packages on Tuesday May 23 at 1pm EST. The public on sale will be Wednesday, May 24 at 1pm EST.

For more information about Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa 2018, how to book four or five night all-inclusive packages and payment plan details, please visit: www.crashmyplaya.com.

About Luke Bryan

Country music superstar Luke Bryan is a two-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year and has hosted the ACM Awards for five consecutive years. Since the debut of his first album in 2007 he has placed 18 singles at No.1, sold over 10 Million albums, sold more than 40 million tracks with three Billion music streams. Luke is currently touring the U.S on his “Huntin,’ Fishin’ And Lovin’ Every Day Tour” through this fall. In the last three years, Luke has performed to nearly five Million fans on tour. For additional Luke information visit www.lukebryan.com or follow Luke on Twitter @LukeBryanOnline, Instagram and Facebook.

GARY ALLAN RELEASES LYRIC VIDEO FOR HIS LATEST SINGLE, “MESS ME UP.”

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Gary Allan

Gary Allan returns with his latest single, “Mess Me Up,” and a new lyric video which catches the singer in action.

Since the first time he heard “Mess Me Up,” Gary gravitated toward the song, which was written by Shane McAnally, Ross Copperman and Ashley Gorley. “I have been a fan of ‘Mess Me Up’ since the first time I heard the demo. It sounded like a song I could have written, or wish I had written,” Allan tells Rolling Stone Country. “From the first time I played it live, it got a huge reaction from the fans, It is definitely a fan favorite and I am glad it is now a single.”

CARRIE UNDERWOOD WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME.

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Carrie Underwood

The Oklahoma Hall of Fame officially announced its 90th Class of 2017 honorees. Seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner Carrie Underwood is among those who will be honored at the induction ceremony in Oklahoma City on Thursday, November 16 at the Cox Convention Center. The evening will be emceed by past Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductees Vince Gill and Kristin Chenoweth.

“I’ve always been proud to say I’m from Oklahoma,” shared Carrie. “The people, culture, and environment molded me into the person I am today. It’s such an honor to be recognized among such great company by the Oklahoma Hall of Fame!”

The 2017 Class also includes Justice Tom Colbert, Sapulpa; Congressman Tom Cole, Moore; Bob Funk, Piedmont; Shannon Miller, Edmond; Phil Parduhn, Edmond; Hal Smith, Ardmore; and Carrie Underwood, Checotah. Those individuals who will be honored posthumously are Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, Chickasha; and Sequoyah, the Cherokee Nation I.T. Previous inductees include Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton and more

Along with being honored at the formal induction ceremony, the 2017 Honorees will be recognized in November with the unveiling of their portraits at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum, home of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. In addition, their biographies, photos and fun facts will be accessible through interactive exhibits.

About Carrie Underwood:

Carrie Underwood emerged from the promise of her 2005 American Idol win to become a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, and film. A seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner, she has amassed over 100 major honors, sold 64 million records worldwide, and recorded 25 #1 singles, 13 of which she co-wrote, with a catalog of songs that have been streamed more than 2.6 billion times worldwide. The first female artist to be twice named the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year, Underwood was recognized by Pollstar as the top female country touring artist for each of her headlining tours in 2008, 2010, 2012, and for 2016’s “The Storyteller Tour – Stories in the Round.” Carrie also topped Billboard’s Top 25 Tours of 2016 as the leading female country artist and was the leading female artist on Country Aircheck’s top country radio performers list for her success in both 2015 and 2016. All five studio albums, Some Hearts, Carnival Ride, Play On, Blown Away, and Storyteller – are certified Platinum or multi-Platinum, and each an American Music Awards winner as Favorite Country Album – and tallied an incredible 40 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. The RIAA’s highest certified country album artist to debut this century, Underwood also holds the distinction of the highest album certification of any country artist to emerge since 2000 with the 8x Multi-Platinum success of her 2005 debut, Some Hearts. She is the all-time Top Country Artist (male or female) on RIAA’s Digital Single Ranking, also placing her among the Top 5 females in the history of RIAA’s Digital Single Program across all genres. In December of 2014, she released her Platinum-certified Greatest Hits: Decade #1, which produced two new #1 hits co-written by Underwood, including the RIAA-Platinum, GRAMMY-winning “Something in the Water.” 2016 marked Underwood’s fourth season as the voice of primetime television’s #1 program, Sunday Night Football, and in November, she returned for a ninth consecutive year as co-host of the CMA Awards. The Grand Ole Opry member also demonstrated her creative diversity in 2013 starring as Maria von Trapp in NBC’s three-hour holiday blockbuster, the Emmy®-winning The Sound of Music Live!, whose airings attracted 44 million viewers. The reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Underwood claimed her fourth win in the category amid the ongoing success of her chart-topping platinum fifth studio album, Storyteller, which produced four #1 hits.

LUKE BRYAN TAKES FANS BEHIND THE CURTAINS OF HIS NEW TOUR.

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Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan takes fans behind-the-scenes of the launch of his new Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day Tour (HFE) with a two-night sold-out stand in Nashville in the latest episode of LBTV.

He says in the video piece, “The desire to move to Nashville and start my life in the music business was based on me knowing that you only get one shot, you only get one go-around in this lifetime, and I didn’t want to be an old man going you never gave it a shot.’ So, when I moved to Nashville, I thought, ‘Here’s my chance, here’s my chance to work hard and do everything I can to make it in some form of the music business.”

Luke’s next stop is in Moline, Illinois on Friday (May 19th).