Kelsea Ballerini, Blake Shelton, NateSmith, Parker McCollum, genre-blending star Post Malone, folk-pop chart-topper Noah Kahan, Gwen Stefani and pop star Avril Lavigne have been announced as the second round of performers for the 2024 ACM Awards.
Parker and Post are slated for solo performances, while Kelsea and Noah, Blake and Gwen, and Nate and Avril are set to collaborate onstage.
Other previously announced performers include Kane Brown, Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Cody Johnson and Reba McEntire.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Reba, will stream live May 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Authenticity takes center stage on Brian Kelley's forthcoming Big Machine Records debut album, Tennessee Truth.
Arriving Friday, the autobiographical project will proudly showcase the Florida native's values, passions and love for the good ol' country lifestyle.
"For the most part other than one song ["Kiss My Boots"], it's not a serious record. I mean, it's really fun, it's airy, it rocks at moments real hard," Brian tells ABC Audio. "There's love on there. It's outdoor living, it's hunting, it's fishing, it's love. It's everything that I am and everything that I do just on this record."
While the album is personal, Brian's confident its thematic elements will strike a chord with like-minded country fans and listeners.
"My Tennessee Truth is I'm not any different than those that are going to enjoy this record," says Brian. "We have the same head space and mindset. We love country music. We have a lot of the same core values of God, family, country, working hard [and] having something to look forward to when that hard work is done, right?"
"Acres" "How We’re Livin'" "King Ranch" "Trucks, Ducks, Bucks & Beer" "Goin’ Places" "Barefeet Or Boots" "Dirt Road Date Night" "10 O’Clock On The Dock" "See You Next Summer" "Doin' Nothin'" "Dirt Cheap" "Kiss My Boots"
Reba McEntire is performing her new song, "I Can't," on Tuesday's episode of The Voice. The track arrives arrives at 9 p.m. CT and is available for presave now.
Brothers Osborne are headed to U.K. and Ireland in January for their Might As Well Be Us World Tour. Presale begins Wednesday, May 8, at 8 a.m. BST, ahead of the general sale on Friday, May 10, at 10 a.m. BST. For a full list of dates, visit tix.to/BrothersOsborneUKTour.
Carrie Underwood has posted a recent photo with Randy Travis to congratulate him on his AI-assisted new song, "Where That Came From." "Congratulations @therandytravis on the release of #WhereThatCameFrom! I had no idea what you had up your sleeve when we recently met, but I’m so honored that you included me to preview this song…it’s amazing!" Carrie captioned her post.
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) alum HARDY got candid about life in his commencement speech at the college's recent graduation ceremony.
Addressing over 2,400 students as a keynote speaker, HARDY reminisced about his MTSU days and shared an anecdote about how a chance songwriting opportunity in 2016 with then-newcomer Morgan Wallen catapulted his career and earned him several #1 hits.
"The point that I'm trying to make is this: don't be afraid to say yes to an opportunity just because you don't think you'll see an immediate result. You never know where your successes may come from," shares HARDY. "In layman's terms, take a chance on things, take a chance on people, take a chance on yourself. The word 'yes' can truly change your life."
"Let's talk about the word 'no' for a minute," HARDY continues.
"Never be afraid to say no. Stand up for yourself when the time comes. And if your gut is ever telling you to stand up for yourself, go with your gut every single time. And when you do that, you gain pride. And when you have pride, you gain self-confidence, and self-confidence is fuel for success," the "ONE BEER" singer says.
On imposter syndrome, HARDY also shared, "Never fight your success. No matter what thoughts may cross your mind, know that you deserve the success that you're experiencing and that you've earned every single bit of that. Embody that and relish in the fact that you work hard and you're reaping the benefits of your hard work and when you do that, you'll succeed even more."
You can watch HARDY's full commencement speech now on Instagram.
Today's 2024 Citi Concert Series lineup has been revealed.
Among those on the multigenre bill are country stars Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town and Sugarland.
Here's when the artists will be performing on the show: Lainey - June 24 Little Big Town and Sugarland - August 11 Thomas - August 22 Chris - September 26
Dustin Lynch isn't turning off his "Party Mode" just yet.
The singer has announced the return of his pool party, DUSTIN LYNCH POOL SITUATION: NASHVILLE.
Slated for June 7 during CMA Fest, the free and open-to-public event will take place at Margaritaville Hotel Nashville's rooftop pool.
"Riding that high is inspiring me to explore not just how well my career is going right now but also expanding into developing artists who see how (my career) is rising," Dustin tells The Tennessean. "My fanbase and events like the pool situation allow me to age into curating talents and hosting events with (multi-generational) appeal."
While entrance is first-come-first-serve, Dustin's Stay Country Club members will have exclusive early access.
Bottoms up, or should we say "Bell Bottoms Up?": Lainey Wilson's opening a bar in Nashville.
Lainey's teaming with TC Restaurant Group to open her Bell Bottoms Up bar and restaurant on 120 3rd Ave. South, the previous home to the now-defunct FGL House. It's slated to open this summer.
According toBillboard, the 27,000-square-foot venue will "feature two stages, four bars and a mezzanine floor featuring a bar lounge overlooking the first-floor stage and a dining area." The food and drinks menu will offer Louisiana staples such as "crawfish, shrimp boils and boudin," paying homage to Lainey's hometown roots.
Whether or not "Watermelon Moonshine" will be offered at Lainey's bar has yet to be revealed. But it might be fitting, right?
"I’m so excited to announce my Bell Bottoms Up Bar which will open later this summer in the heart of country music city!" Lainey captions her promotional Instagram Reel. "I can’t wait for all my Wild Horses to get to experience my home away from home."
Lainey joins a slew of country stars with a honky tonk home in Music City's Lower Broadway. They include Miranda Lambert (Casa Rosa), Eric Church (Chief's), Luke Bryan (Luke's 32 Bridge), Dierks Bentley (Whiskey Row), Garth Brooks (Friends in Low Places) and Alan Jackson (AJ's Good Time Bar). Morgan Wallen's also readying to open his This Bar venue on Memorial Day weekend.
On the music front, Lainey recently scored her seventh #1 with "Wildflowers and Wild Horses." Her Country's Cool Again Tour kicks off May 31 in Nashville; tickets are available at laineywilson.com.
Courtesy of Big Machine Records/The Valory Music Co.
Dierks Bentley appeared on ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday to perform Tom Petty's "American Girl."
The performance was part of the Live Nation-sponsored On Tour On GMA series. Fellow country artist Mickey Guyton will perform next on Wednesday, May 8.
Live Nation's Concert Week runs from May 8-14, offering fans $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows across the U.S. and Canada while supplies last. Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Lainey Wilson, Jason Aldean, Dan + Shay, Sam Hunt, Cole Swindell, Parker McCollum, Jordan Davis and more will participate in the weeklong promotional event.
"American Girl" is Dierks' latest single, and it's currently approaching the top 30 of the country charts. You can find it on the upcoming star-studded tribute project, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, arriving June 21.
Meanwhile, Dierks' summertime Gravel & Gold Tour kicks off June 7 in Fort Worth, Texas. Tickets are available now at dierks.com.
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
The track, which Lainey wrote with Trannie Anderson and Paul Sikes, is her seventh consecutive career #1.
"It’s such an honor to have 'Wildflowers and Wild Horses,' no.1 at Country Radio. This song has such a special place in my heart, as a fifth-generation farmer’s daughter and someone who grew up on wide open land," Lainey shares in a press release.
"Thank you to my collaborators, [producer] Jay Joyce, Trannie Anderson, and Paul Sikes for helping bring this track to life," she adds. "And to my fans, my wild horses, this is your theme song; none of this would be possible without you."
You can find "Wildflowers and Wild Horses" on Lainey's latest album, Bell Bottom Country. The 16-track project arrived in 2022 and spawned the preceding #1 hits "Watermelon Moonshine" and "Heart Like a Truck."
Lainey's recent releases include "Country's Cool Again" and her collab with Keith Urban, "GO HOME W U."
If you're itching to see Lainey on tour, you're in luck because she's gearing up to kick off her Country's Cool Again Tour on May 31 in Nashville. Tickets are available now at laineywilson.com.
Ever wondered what recording "Back Then Right Now" was like for Tyler Hubbard? Well, you're in luck because Tyler's offering a glimpse of what went on in the studio that day.
"I just sort of told the players to really take creative freedom and see where this song led," Tyler shares in a press interview. "We were really pulling a lot of '80s inspiration if you will, '80s sounds, and everything had this undertone of '80s vintage, probably more pop undertone."
"It really just felt fresh and fun. It just livened [the song] up for some reason," he recalls.
Knowing the studio musicians were on to something good, Tyler decided to chase that nostalgic, hit-ready sound down.
"I told [the players] to really keep leaning into that, whatever that thing is. It just [felt] classic and unique at the time," recounts Tyler. "So we just ran with it and had a lot of fun with it, and I feel like it was the perfect blend of lifestyle, nostalgic memories and pictures and colors mixed with incredible musicianship and production as well."
"Back Then Right Now" is currently #2 on the country charts. You can find it on Tyler's sophomore album, Strong, out now.
Tickets to Tyler's upcoming Strong World Tour are available now at his website.
Randy Travis, his wife Mary, and longtime producer Kyle Lehning were featured on CBS News Sunday Morning to discuss the genesis of Randy's AI-created track, "Where That Came From." The romantic ode is Randy's first new song released since his 2013 stroke. In case you missed the interview, you can watch it now on YouTube.
Maddie & Tae are celebrating the fifth anniversary of releasing their #1 hit "Die From a Broken Heart" with a newly recorded acoustic performance video. You can watch it now on YouTube.
Dolly Parton is teaming up with Christian artist Blessing Offor for a new duet titled "Somebody's Child." "the myth, the legend, the queen herself! I can’t believe this is happening, and I can’t wait for you guys to hear that voice!" Blessing captioned his Instagram Reel, which teased an instrumental snippet of the track. "Somebody's Child" arrives on digital platforms Friday, May 10.
Saddle up Cowboys and Dreamers, a new George Strait album is coming.
That's right, Cowboys and Dreamers is the title of George's forthcoming 31st record with his longtime label home, MCA Nashville.
George revealed the news to fans at his show in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, May 4, in front of a sold-out crowd of 51,132.
"We got some new stuff, too, I’m gonna throw in throughout the night, because I broke down and did another record, and I’m gonna play a few of those for you tonight,” George said, before performing "Three Drinks Behind" off his forthcoming album.
After covering Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson's "Pancho and Lefty" and dueting "You Don’t Know What You’re Missing," Chris and George performed their debut as-yet-unreleased collaboration, "Honky Tonk Hall of Fame," which will be on Cowboys and Dreamers.
To see George, Chris and Little Big Town on George's ongoing headlining stadium tour, visit georgestrait.com.
Get ready for the 15th run of Luke Bryan's Farm Tour.
The trek kicks off September 21 in Marshville, North Carolina, with stops in Shelbyville, Kentucky; Millersport, Ohio; and Smithton, Pennsylvania, on September 26, 27 and 28, respectively. Two additional concerts will be announced soon.
Conner Smith, Tucker Wetmore, The Peach Pickers (comprising songwriters Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip) and DJ Rock will serve as opening acts.
Presale tickets for Luke’s Fan Club, the Nut House, and App users begin May 6 at 10 a.m. local time at lukebryan.com/all-access-pass. General sale starts May 9 at 10 a.m. local time.
For a full list of Luke's tour dates, including his ongoing Mind of a Country Boy Tour, visit lukebryan.com.
Cece Dawson / Courtesy of Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records
Megan Moroney's long-teased-about track "Indifferent" has arrived.
Fans first got a preview of it via TikTok in March, where Megan teased the song as a "lil summer anthem."
"Indifferent" was penned by Megan alongside frequent collaborators Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter and Micah Carpenter, and the track showcases her post-breakup, long-moved-on sentiments.
"Now I don't even know what I'm missin'/ Don't care what it is or it isn't/ Don't need your attention, or your time/ They say, 'Did you hear?'/ I say, 'No thanks I'm fine'/ I think I could wish you the best/ The truth is I couldn't care less/ How sweet it is to be so, so indifferent," Megan declares in the chorus.
"Indifferent" previews Megan's forthcoming sophomore album, Am I Okay?, arriving July 12. It follows her 2023 debut effort, Lucky, which spawned the #1 hit "Tennessee Orange" and current single, "I'm Not Pretty," which is #17 on the country charts.
The wait for new Thomas Rhett music is almost over!
Thomas is set to release a new track, "Beautiful as You," on Friday, May 10.
The announcement arrived on Thomas' Instagram alongside its cover art, which shows a woman's boots and legs hanging out of a truck window on a sunny day.
"Here we go… my brand new single 'Beautiful As You' comes out on Friday (5/10)! Absolutely stoked to kick off this new chapter… my favorite music yet," Thomas captioned his Instagram post.
"Beautiful as You" will be the first preview of Thomas' forthcoming new album. It's the follow-up to his 2023 greatest hits project, 20 Number Ones, and 2022's Where We Started.
You can presave "Beautiful as You" now to hear it as soon as it releases.
