Country Music

Nashville notes: Fresh tracks from Josh Turner + Mickey Guyton, Anne Wilson's tour

Josh Turner is "Heatin' Things Up" with the lead track from his forthcoming new album, due out later this year. Of his newly released song, Josh says, "This song was kind of in the same vein as [multi-Platinum hit] 'Your Man,' but musically, it’s just very interesting. I went to the studio to track the song and when the first pass was over, [bassist] Glenn Worf said, 'My God, that first note felt like you just had a load of gravel dumped on you!' I can’t wait to see how fans react to that live."

Mickey Guyton has released her new song, "Scary Love," and announced her upcoming headlining tour, CMT ON TOUR Presents Mickey Guyton. The track, which Mickey co-wrote, was inspired by motherhood and her 3-year-old son, Grayson. Tickets to Mickey's 22-city trek go on sale May 3 at 10 a.m. local time at mickeyguyton.com.

Anne Wilson has announced her The REBEL Tour. The 28-city tour kicks off September 12 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and will wrap November 17 in Salem, Oregon. "I'm so excited to hit the road this fall on The REBEL Tour! We're going to be playing some amazing venues all across the country and it feels like a dream come true!" Anne shares. Tickets are on sale now at annewilsonofficial.com.

Terri Clark's duet version of "Now That I Found You" with Ben Rector is out now. It previews Terri's forthcoming star-studded duets album, Terri Clark: Take Two, due out May 31.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Chris Stapleton covers Tom Petty's "I Should Have Known It"

Disney/Randy Holmes

Chris Stapleton's rock side takes center stage with his cover of Tom Petty's "I Should Have Known It."

The track was originally released in 2010 as part of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' album Mojo.

Chris' electrifying rendition is the latest preview of an upcoming all-star tribute album, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty. Arriving June 21, the 20-song project features Luke Combs, Dolly Parton, Thomas Rhett, Lainey Wilson, Brothers Osborne, George Strait, Wynonna Judd and more. It's available for preorder now.

Here is the track list for Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty:

“I Should Have Known It” by Chris Stapleton
“Wildflowers” by Thomas Rhett
“Runnin’ Down A Dream” by Luke Combs
“Southern Accents” by Dolly Parton
“Here Comes My Girl” by Justin Moore
“American Girl” by Dierks Bentley
“Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Lady A
“I Forgive It All” by Jamey Johnson
“I Won’t Back Down” by Brothers Osbourne
“Refugee” by Wynonna Judd & Lainey Wilson
“Angel Dream No.2” by Willie Nelson & Lukas Nelson
“Learning To Fly” by Eli Young Band
“Breakdown” by Ryan Hurd feat. Carly Pearce
“Yer So Bad” by Steve Earle
“Ways To Be Wicked” by Margo Price feat. Mike Campbell
“Mary Jane’s Last Dance” by Midland
“Free Fallin’” by The Cadillac Three feat. Breland
“I Need To Know” by Marty Stuart And His The Fabulous Superlatives
“Don’t Come Around Here No More” by Rhiannon Giddens feat. Silkroad Ensemble and Benmont Tench
“You Wreck Me (Live)” by George Strait

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Lee Brice, Nate Smith + Hailey Whitters are your new "Drinkin' Buddies"

Courtesy of Curb Records

Lee Brice has enlisted Nate Smith and Hailey Whitters for his new single, "Drinkin' Buddies."

The feel-good number finds Lee raising a glass to his new friends and all the fun memories they're about to forge together.

"Thank God for drinkin' buddies/ They can make a bad day better/ Yeah, them drinkin' buddies/ You know we tip 'em all back together," goes the energetic chorus.

"Drinkin' Buddies" will hit country radio April 29.

Lee's latest album is 2020's Hey World, which spawned the #1 hits "One of Them Girls" and "Memory I Don't Mess With."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Jelly Roll says he left social media for more reasons than "bullying"

Disney/Eric McCandless

In the April 24 episode of her podcast Dumb Blonde, Jelly Roll's wife, Bunnie XO, said that Jelly had gotten "off the internet because he is so tired of being bullied about his f******* weight," adding, "It hurts him." But Jelly said that's not the only reason he's temporarily quit social media.

Speaking to Variety, Jelly said he's sure he'll be back on social media and shared his thoughts on the matter. "I probably shouldn’t elaborate on this because nobody on my team wants me to, but I don’t have a problem with social media. And it wasn’t just bullying that did it," he said.

"It was not only the toxicity of social media, but the addiction of it. I was becoming too busy to waste hours of my life scrolling. I can honestly say that I’ve been off social media for a few months now and I’ve never felt better or healthier mentally — never felt more clearheaded," he continued.

"I’ve also never had less of an idea what was going on in the world, but I tell you what, I’m definitely not coming back before the election," he quipped, adding, "Bad joke."

Meanwhile, Jelly, who plays the Stagecoach Festival on April 26, teases that he's got plenty of new songs that are "just screaming to get out." 

"I’m calling my manager and label every day, like, when can we leak a song?" he continued. "I think I might have to go back to my 'ask for forgiveness, not permission' model."

 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Here's what you need to know about Keith + Lainey's duet

Disney/Frank Micelotta

We've finally got a title and release date for Keith Urban and Lainey Wilson's much-teased-about duet.

The track's titled "GO HOME W U," and it's dropping Friday, May 3.

Keith announced the highly anticipated details on Friday alongside a snippet of the uptempo song and a reveal of its cover art.

"I won't lie, yes I had more than a few/ You know, I shouldn't be drivin'/ I think I should probably go home with you/ Take me home," Keith and Lainey sing in the upbeat number.

You can presave "GO HOME W U" now to hear it as soon as it releases.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scotty McCreery drops fan-requested "Lonely"

Courtesy of Triple Tigers Records

Need a good ol' country heartbreak song? Well, look no further than Scotty McCreery's "Lonely."

Out now, the song serves as the latest preview of Scotty's forthcoming album, Rise & Fall, arriving May 10.

"I love a good heartbreak, honky-tonk country song, and 'Lonely' is definitely that," Scotty shares with the press. "Brent [Anderson], Derek [George], Frank [Rogers], Bobby [Hamrick], Jeremy [Bussey], Monty [Criswell] and I had such a good time writing this song on my back porch in the mountains of North Carolina."

"This song is so much fun to perform live and have the audience sing along with us," he adds. "I’ve had a lot of requests from fans who’ve heard this song on the road to put it out on streaming. Here you go!"

Rise & Fall is available for preorder and presave now. Its lead single, "Cab in a Solo," is #2 and ascending to the peak of the country charts.

Here's the full track list for Rise & Fall:

"Little More Gone"
"Cab in a Solo"
"Lonely"
"Can't Pass the Bar"
"Hey Rose"
"Fall of Summer"
"Love Like This"
"Slow Dance"
"No Country for Old Men"
"And Countin'"
"Stuck Behind a Tractor"
"Red Letter Blueprint"
"Porch"

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


George Birge on scoring a #1 hit: "It's something that I've chased for a long time"

Disney/Scott Kirkland

There's nothing quite like scoring your first chart-topping single, especially when it's something you've worked toward for years.

That's how George Birge feels about "Mind on You," especially after moving to Nashville years ago to chase his country music dreams.

"What a feeling. It's something that I've chased for a long time," George tells ABC Audio. "You never really know if it's going to come true and to have 'Mind on You' go number one, last day of the year, December 31st. What a way to close a chapter and start a new one for me."

So, how did George celebrate his first #1 hit? Well, let's just say it was simple and sweet.

"I was actually back in Texas with my family. I found out on a Thursday that we had a lead that was not going to be caught up to [on the country charts], so I went to the liquor store down the street from my house that I was staying at. I bought the nicest bottle of wine I could find," George shares.

"It was like a $100 bottle of wine. And we popped that, me and my wife, and had a great night, man," he recalls. "So, pretty low-key, but a great way to celebrate." 

You can find "Mind on You" on George's debut album, George Birge: Mind On You. His latest single, "Cowboy Songs," is the title track of his follow-up seven-track EP, which arrived in April.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Nashville notes: Jo Dee's livestream + Darius and Jennifer's collab

Can't be at Jo Dee Messina's Friday show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium? Fret not, she's bringing it to you via livestream. You can get all the information on how to watch it at Veeps' website.

Sara Evans is dropping her new song "21 Days" on Friday, and it's available for presave now. The track previews Sara's forthcoming album, Unbroke, arriving June 7.

Darius Rucker has announced that he's dropping a duet version of his song "Never Been Over" with Jennifer Nettles on Friday. "Just when I thought I loved this song, here comes Jennifer taking it over the top!!" Darius shares on Instagram.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


No collabs on 'Born'? No problem for Kenny Chesney

Courtesy of Warner Music Nashville

Wondering why there are no collabs on Kenny Chesney's latest album, Born? Well, the answer's simple: There wasn't an organic fit.

"Look, I love collaborations, but there’s no collaborations on this record because I always felt like the collaborations had to start with the song, and I’m just not a big fan of putting people on a record just to have someone on the record," Kenny shares in a recent press interview.

"It’s just disingenuous, you know? So, there’s no collaborations on this record because I didn’t feel like the songs lent itself to it," adds the country star, who's previously dueted with Grace Potter, Uncle Kracker, David Lee Murphy, P!nk and more.

Born's lead single, "Take Her Home," is currently approaching the top five of the country charts.

To see Kenny at an upcoming Sun Goes Down Tour date, visit his website.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Lainey teams with Charlie 1 Horse for new Western hats

Disney/Randy Holmes

Lainey Wilson's making country and Western hats cool again, y'all.

The country superstar announced Thursday that she's teamed up with Charlie 1 Horse for a new line of Western hats.

"Watching y'all come out to the shows in your bells and hats only cemented my decision that we needed a special line just for all the cowgirls and cowboys out there lookin' to make a statement with their look," Lainey shares on Instagram.

"It has been such a joy working with @charlie1horse to put together this collection of hats for y'all and they're finally live! Can't wait to see y'all rockin' them on the #CountrysCoolAgain tour here soon," she says.

You can shop the Lainey Wilson x Charlie 1 Horse hat collection now at charlie1horsehats.com.

For tickets to Lainey's upcoming Country's Cool Again Tour, head to laineywilson.com.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Sam Hunt didn't think "Outskirts" would hit #1

Courtesy of MCA Nashville

"Outskirts" may have hit #1 this week, but did you know Sam Hunt once thought it'd never reach the peak of the country charts?

In a press interview ahead of his latest achievement, Sam shared that he was worried that he'd not get to lock in his milestone 10th chart-topper.

"It is always as special because you’ll have one, and then immediately you’ll think, 'Could I have another one?'" says Sam. "When 'Outskirts' had a slow start, I thought, 'Well, maybe I’ll never hit 10.' I was already coming to terms with not reaching that number."

He continues, "I remember folks told me back in the day, 'You really haven’t solidified a career that you can tour on with longevity until you have 10 number-ones.'"

With "Outskirts" being his milestone 10th #1, Sam's grateful to fans and country radio for their support.

"It was a slow burn there for a while but Outskirts has had wind in its sails these last few weeks. It’s the #1 song at Country Radio right now. Thank you to everyone at radio for all your support and everyone who has been in my corner helping make it happen," Sam shares on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

You can find "Outskirts" on Sam's latest EP, Locked Up, out now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Carly Pearce's birthday gift to fans? An earlier album release date

Courtesy of Big Machine Records

Surprise! Carly Pearce is dropping her new album, hummingbird, a week earlier.

Initially set for June 14, the record will now be released on June 7. 

Carly updated fans on the change via an Instagram Live on her birthday on Wednesday. 

"For my birthday this year, I wanted to give you guys a gift instead. My album hummingbird is now coming out Friday, June 7. CMA Fest, I hope you’re ready because we’re going to be celebrating!" Carly shared.

Hummingbird is available for preorder and presave now. Its Chris Stapleton-assisted lead single, "We Don't Fight Anymore," is approaching the top 10 of the country charts.

Carly's currently on tour with Tim McGraw on his Standing Room Only Tour. For tickets, head to carlypearce.com.

Here's the full track list for hummingbird:

"Country Music Made Me Do It"
"Truck on Fire"
"Still Blue"
"Heels Over Head"
"We Don’t Fight Anymore" featuring Chris Stapleton
"Rock Paper Scissors"
"Oklahoma"
"My Place"
"Things I Don't Chase"
"Woman to Woman"
"Fault Line"
"Pretty Please"
"Trust Issues"
"Hummingbird"

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Reba to host + perform new music at the 2024 ACM Awards

Courtesy of Academy of Country Music

Reba McEntire is set to host the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards.

"I am tickled to pieces to get to host the ACM Awards for the 17th time!" says Reba, who's returning to host the awards show for the 17th time.

“What an honor to have been part of the past, present and now the future of the Academy of Country Music with Amazon Prime Video," she adds. "I can’t wait to get to Texas and see everybody May 16th!"

"We are thrilled for the homecoming of Reba to the ACM Awards stage for the 17th time!" ACM CEO Damon Whiteside says in a press release. "There is simply no one better to continue to elevate this show in our new global streaming era with Amazon Prime Video."

Reba also shared on Instagram that she'll be "performing brand new music during the show."

The 2024 ACM Awards will stream live on Prime Video May 16 at 8 p.m. ET.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scotty McCreery recalls his dad's funny confusion over "Cab in a Solo"

Courtesy of Triple Tigers Records

If you were confused by the "drinking cab in a solo, solo in the cab of my truck" line in Scotty McCreery's latest single, you're not alone.

That typical bafflement and follow-up reaction is actually what Scotty loves about "Cab in a Solo."

"I'll always love the hook on 'Cab in a Solo,' especially just when we sent the song out to radio [and] sent the song out to fans," Scotty tells ABC Audio. "They see the title and they're like, 'What the heck is this song going to be about?' And then they listen to it and it clicks."

"For a lot of people, it took two or three listens for it to click and they're like, 'Oh,'" he shares.

Listeners and fans weren't the only ones Scotty confused. His father also had trouble interpreting the meaning of "Cab in a Solo" at the onset.

"Even my dad was like, "So, 'Cab in a Solo,' it's like cab, just like wine, right?'" And I was like, 'Yeah.' He's like, 'And solo's just like a cup, right?' And I'm like, 'Yeah?' He was like, 'Solo, drinking by yourself in the cab, oh,'" Scotty recounts.

"It's like, he pieced it together just [by] talking about it. It's like, "Yeah dad, you're right,'" shares the country star. 

"Cab in a Solo" is now #2 and approaching the peak of the country charts. You can find it on Scotty's forthcoming fifth album, Rise & Fall, arriving May 10.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Nashville notes: HARDY's tank top + Mason Ramsey's new track

HARDY has dropped a new Somewhere in the Dessert tank top to celebrate his upcoming appearance at Stagecoach Festival, happening April 26-28. You can check it out now at HARDY's merch store.

Tickets to the upcoming Kickoff Jam Festival are now available for purchase. Slated for August 30 to September 1, the Panama City Beach, Florida, event features a star-studded lineup that includes Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina, Randy Houser and ALABAMA. You can grab yours now at kickoffjampcb.com.

Up-and-comer Mason Ramsey has announced that he's dropping a new song, "Something You Can Hold," on Friday. While you wait, you can check out its cover art now on Mason's Instagram.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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