Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Darius Rucker is no stranger to whiskey. The beverage, as smooth as the Southern troubadour’s voice, has found its way into several of his hits including “Whiskey and You,” the whiskey-shootin’ music video for “Homegrown Honey,” and the oft-quoted lyric from his No. 1 single, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” — “Between the work and the hurt and the whiskey…”

Thus, it comes as no surprise that Rucker would eventually create his own signature brand of the popular spirit. Rucker’s affinity for quality whiskey led him to partner with 843 to develop Backstage Southern Whiskey, a smooth, 84.3-proof craft blend. On March 29, RNDC Distributing will introduce Backstage Southern Whiskey in Rucker’s home state of South Carolina, with distribution in Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee to follow. Like the three-time GRAMMY-winning singer and former frontman for Hootie & the Blowfish, this whiskey has a story all its own.

Rucker has publicly toasted with his beloved Elite Eight South Carolina Gamecock teams, college graduates and record label teams in celebration of his platinum records, but what many fans may not know is that prior to every show, Rucker collects his tour mates, band and any special guests backstage to raise a glass of whiskey as “good luck” to ensure a great show. Rucker thanks the other acts on the bill, he acknowledges any celebrities or friends that are in attendance, and then tells his band to “go have fun.” Over the years, the toast has become a significant tradition for Rucker and his crew.

“That toast is a vital part of our nightly routine,” Rucker says. “It’s really about celebrating the opportunity to make music together. And Backstage Southern Whiskey is now a part of that important ritual that we can share with fans.”

And where there is one toast, there is bound to be another. While Backstage Southern Whiskey enters the marketplace in South Carolina, Rucker’s bourbon brand, Forbidden, is being crafted at Castle & Key Distillery (formerly Old Taylor Distillery) in Frankfort, Ky. by award-winning Master Distiller Marianne Barnes, an impeccable force in the bourbon industry with undeniable taste and a distinguished palate.

“I am truly excited about the brands that we are building,” Rucker says. “The product and brand development process has been a lot of fun and I look forward to sharing these great spirits with everyone.”

Seven-time ACM nominee Keith Urban is set to release a brand new music video, a “dancers version,” of his current single “The Fighter,” featuring Carrie Underwood. The video release, to take place on Sunday, April 2^nd at 9:00AM ET, at https://www.facebook.com/keithurban/videos/10154816044486077/, comes on the same day as the 52^nd Academy of County Music Awards™.

Directed by John Urbano, the new “dancers version” features performances from Lyle Beniga and Lindsay Richardson, who also appear shortly in the official music video smarturl.it/fightervideo.  The two choreographed the dancing and do have a long list of credits including Justin Timberlake, Brittany Spears, Usher, Jennifer Lopez, etc.

“John said, ‘I know this girl who dances, sort of street dancing,” said Urban.  “I don’t even know what it is,’ but it was so good and John said ‘listen to the song and watch her dance at the same time’ and they just went together so incredibly well that we decided to put out a full “dancer’s version.”

The official video for “The Fighter,” as well as the “making of” was released late last month.  It marked the fourth music video release from Urban’s historic album RIPCORD, which debuted simultaneously at #1 in three countries.  Urban stands as the only male solo Country artist to accomplish that feat, which he’s done twice.

Be on the lookout for MCA Nashville’s newest artist, Jordan Davis! Check out the first look below.

Eric Church has released his new single, “Round Here Buzz,” which he co-wrote with Luke Dick and Jeff Hyde. The song, from his Mr. Misunderstood album, has a nostalgic, heartbreaking feel, according to the North Carolina native.

“‘Round Here Buzz,’ I mean, I’ve done a few of these songs in my career; this nostalgic kind of song about the guy that kind of wishes things were different than they are,” says Eric. “I know a lot of people like that and like this from where I’m from. I’m from a small town, and I’ve just seen this. I think part of the reason, I feel like we’re pretty good at this kind of song, and I think part of it is because I’ve seen it, I’ve felt it. It’s a motive to me.

The song goes for adds at radio on April 10^th.

Eric is currently out on his Holdin’ My Own Tour, which is set to run through May.

Deana Carter celebrates the 20th anniversary of the release of her hugely successful multi-platinum debut album, Did I Shave My Legs For This? with the special release of the record on vinyl on Friday (March 31st), she couldn’t be more excited.

“I am so excited to be celebrating 20 years of Did I Shave My Legs for This? on vinyl,” says Deana. “There was a long journey to the release of Did I Shave My Legs for This? I had a development deal in my mid-20s. I was signed originally as an alternative artist on Patriot, which was a branch of Capitol Records…I’m just very, very blessed to still be doing this and to have a re-release of what changed my life 20 years ago.”

Available for the first time on vinyl, fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a limited-edition bundle which will  include an autographed copy of the record  in  addition to a vintage t-shirt  and autographed guitar. All fan packages and purchase information available http://umgn.us/DCUMGNPR.

The 1996  release has sold more than five million copies worldwide and features 11 songs, including “Strawberry Wine,” “We Danced Anyway,”  “Count Me In” and “How Do I Get There.”

Did I Shave My Legs for This? Track List:

Side One
1. “I’ve Loved Enough to Know”
2. “We Danced Anyway”
3. “Count Me In”
4. “If This Is Love”
5. “Love Ain’t Worth Making”
6. “Before We Ever Heard Goodbye”

Side Two
1. “How Do I Get There”
2. “Strawberry Wine”
3. “That’s How You Know It’s Love”
4. “Did I Shave My Legs for This?”
5. “To the Other Side”

Earlier this week, Luke Bryan had a day off and he spent it fishing with his kids and some friends. He relishes the time he devotes to spending with his boys while angling for the big catch, like he did with his own father while growing up.

“When I look back on my experiences as a kid with my dad, at the top of those lists are always moments that I spent in the outdoors with him. When you’re in a fishing boat with your child for four or five hours, you just can’t replicate that time in any other, I mean, it’s just perfectly well-spent time, in my opinion,” says Luke. “You know, I worry do I sometimes take ‘em fishing too much and then they’re gonna burn out on fishing, but I fished every day and I hunted a lot, and that just gives you that type of spirit. It gives you an outdoor kind of spirit, and that will carry you through really the rest of your life, and that’s all I really want to do with them.”

Luke, who is also nominated for ACM Entertainer of the Year, is poised to top the country charts with his latest single, “Fast.”

Catch Luke and his pal Dierks Bentley when they host the 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which will be broadcast live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Sunday (April 2nd) at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.

Go Tate. pic.twitter.com/WvQ5pztGGc

— Luke Bryan (@lukebryan) March 27, 2017

Bro with @cb30music. Nice un. pic.twitter.com/BtegciNrBb

— Luke Bryan (@lukebryan) March 27, 2017

Josh Turner tries to guess the phobias, and he reveals his own during the latest episode of his Unscripted series. Check it out below.

Josh is making his way up the country charts with his single, “Hometown Girl.”

Go behind-the-scenes with this year’s ACM Awards hosts Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley when they get together with the CBS promo crew!

As we get closer to Sunday night’s ACM Awards, Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley are making the media rounds to promote their second time (Luke’s fifth) hosting the show. On Wednesday (March 29th), they appeared on both CBS This Morning and the Late Show With Stephen Colbert, where they had some “couch time” and performed Merle Haggard‘s “Ramblin’ Fever” (see below).

The 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Sunday (April 2nd) at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.

Lauren Alaina, Darius Rucker and Kacey Musgraves have been added to the list of presenters at this year’s ACM Awards.

Also announced were some cool collaborations, including Keith Urban with Carrie Underwood on their current duet “The Fighter.” Dierks Bentley will join Cole Swindell on “Flatliner,” Cole’s new duet with Dierks.

The 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Dierks, will be broadcast live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Sunday (April 2nd) at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.