In honor of college basketball’s craziest month, I created a bracket with 16 of the hottest acts in country music. I seeded them based on the strength of their current “season,” which ran from the ACM Awards in April 2016 to the Grammy Awards in February 2017. After more than 6,000 votes were cast in…
In honor of college basketball’s craziest month, I created a bracket with 16 of the hottest acts in country music. I seeded them based on the strength of their current “season,” which ran from the ACM Awards in April 2016 to the Grammy Awards in February 2017. After thousands of votes were cast in the…
In honor of college basketball’s craziest month, I created a bracket with 16 of the hottest acts in country music. I seeded them based on the strength of their current “season,” which ran from the ACM Awards in April 2016 to the Grammy Awards in February 2017. After thousands of votes were cast in Round…
In honor of college basketball’s craziest month, I created a bracket with 16 of the hottest acts in country music. I seeded them based on the strength of their current “season,” which ran from the ACM Awards in April 2016 to the Grammy Awards in February 2017. Now they are pitted against each other in…
In a month’s time, the Country Music Association will elect one new member/act to the Country Music Hall of Fame in each of its three categories: Modern Era, Veteran Era and Songwriter/Musician/Non-Performer (this category rotates, and this year a songwriter will be elected). For this article, I’m focusing on the Modern Era candidates, who are…
“Don’t quit your day job” can be a spirit-crushing piece of advice. Thankfully, it’s one that Carly Pearce never heeded. After then-22-year-old Carly lost her developmental record deal with Sony in 2013, she took a job scrubbing toilets and changing sheets at an Airbnb. It wasn’t exactly the future the Kentucky native envisioned when she…
From coast to coast, there’s a festival for everyone, boasting the biggest names in the format, from hot contemporary stars to classic country legends. But don’t forget, these festivals are also a great opportunity to meet and hear some of the brightest up-and-coming local, regional and national talent, so get there early. And check, check,…
It has finally arrived. Today (Feb. 3) is the day that Reba McEntire’s highly anticipated gospel album, Sing It Now, Songs of Faith & Hope, is available to the public via iTunes, but the Oklahoma native says she can’t take credit for the idea of the record. “Well, it wasn’t my idea,” Reba tells Nash…
Controversy can be a double-edged sword in country music. On the one hand, some spirited conversation about a song or album can elevate an artist’s profile, particularly in our present on-demand world. On the other, there’s a real risk of being banished from radio. Here are 10 of country music’s most controversial tunes, in order…
When Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood decided to take a break in 2015 at the end of their 747 World Tour, rumors and speculation began to swirl that the band was done, kaput, breaking up. Soon after Charles released his solo album, The Driver, Hillary teamed with her family for a…
Taylor Swift recorded parts of her 2006 self-titled debut album at Dark Horse Estate in Franklin, Tennessee, located 25 minutes from downtown Nashville. The estate owner, Robin Crow, recalls that when Swift was recording there, he had no idea she was destined for superstardom. “At the time, I think I met her once or twice…
Ahead of his groundbreaking Sphere Las Vegas shows, Kenny Chesney is set to unveil a fan-focused museum called ‘Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love’ at the Venetian Resort. The two-story museum is scheduled to be open Wednesday through Sunday during show weeks from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The exhibit will showcase artifacts…
During a recent interview with the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Vince Gill discussed audience behavior at his concerts, noting that the preference for standing or sitting varies by location and the type of song being performed. “A lot of it is people pay so much money for those seats that the last thing they want…
Lifetime’s new four-part documentary, The Judd Family: Truth Be Told, is set to air on Mother’s Day weekend. An official trailer for the film premiered on Thursday (April 10), which features sisters Ashley and Wynonna Judd sharing personal stories as they candidly discuss their family upbringing and fame. The documentary features a mix of archival…
ERNEST and Snoop Dogg just teamed up to record “Gettin’ Gone,” a cross-genre collaboration that combines the country musician’s Nashville roots with the rapper’s West Coast vibes. The track marks the inaugural offering from ERNEST’s new DeVille Records imprint via Big Loud, and the new label head was surprised Snoop wanted to take part in…