Country/pop icon Anne Murray will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 JUNO Awards Sunday, March 30, in Vancouver. The most-awarded artist in JUNO history, she’s set to appear at the show, hosted by Michael Bublé.
Morgan Wade‘s new track is titled “East Coast.” It’s the first taste of new music since last year’s Obsessed.
You can check out Alabama‘s 1983 performance of “Dixieland Delight” from the 18th ACM Awards on YouTube now. It’s part of the Academy of Country Music’s countdown to its 60th anniversary show in May in Frisco, Texas.
The expanded version of Carly Pearce‘s fourth album, hummingbird, is out now.
The new take adds five new tracks, as well as the subtitle no rain, no flowers. It also includes the album’s first single, “we don’t fight anymore” with Chris Stapleton, and her current hit, “truck on fire.”
“What I hope that fans get out of this entire chapter in my story is that you can go through hard things and be better for them, and that there is light at the end of the tunnel,” Carly says. “Getting to play some of these new songs live on the road has shown me that we are all going through the same things in life and we all need to feel sunshine after the storm.”
Carly kicks off the final leg of her hummingbird world tour March 20, before playing Stagecoach April 25.
Singer/songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. joins Dierks Bentley on the recording of a tune the two helped co-write, “Cold Beer Can.”
“I was a really big fan of Stephen's and asked him to jump in on some writes with me, and we ended up writing two songs that both made the new record,” Dierks says. “What I love about this song is that the title and idea seem like such familiar territory for country music, but when you actually dig into the lyrics of the song, it's much more meaningful.”
“Cold Beer Can” is the second release from Dierks’ forthcoming album, following his new single, “She Hates Me.”
You can check out a new performance video of “Cold Beer Can” on YouTube now.
Miranda Lambert‘s major label debut, Kerosene, will be available for the first time ever on vinyl April 25.
The news comes on the heels of the release of “I Don’t Love Here Anymore,” a song recorded during the original sessions but left off the album.
Kerosene debuted at #1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart shortly after its March 15, 2005 release.
“This album changed everything for me,” Miranda reminisces. “It's where my journey truly began, and I can hardly believe it's been 20 years.”
“Releasing Kerosene on vinyl for the first time — and sharing a never-before-heard song from that era — feels incredibly special,” she adds. “I can't wait for y'all to hear it and relive the fire that started it all!”
Twenty years later, Miranda’s just released “Run” as her new single from her 10th album, Postcards from Texas.
Trisha Yearwood‘s induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been a long time coming.
We first found out the “She’s in Love with the Boy” hitmaker would become part of the Tinseltown landmark back in the summer of 2020. But after several years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seemed Trisha’s star might be sidelined.
Now it’s back on track: The Georgia native will be inducted Monday, March 24.
Trisha’s star will be in front of the historic Capitol Records Building at 1750 North Vine St., the place she recorded her 2019 Let’s Be FrankFrank Sinatra covers album.
Next up for the 1997 and 1998 CMA female vocalist of the year? An album of songs she wrote herself, which is a career first. She hasn’t said exactly when it will arrive.
The mystery surrounding Blake Shelton‘s social media is solved: His new album will be called For Recreational Use Only, with the cover featuring the same shade of orange that’s dominated his socials the past few days.
His first new record in nearly four years, the twelve track collection includes collabs with his wife Gwen Stefani, current tour mate Craig Morgan and Country Music Hall of Famer John Anderson.
“It's been a long time since we had a new album out, and I want to thank the songwriters and musicians who helped bring this record to life,” Blake says. “[Producer] Scott (Hendricks) and I have been working on this music for years, and I'm beyond excited to finally share it with the fans.”
Here’s the complete track listing for the new record, which arrives May 9. It includes his top ten hit “Texas” and the newly released “Let Him in Anyway”:
“Stay Country or Die Tryin'” “Texas” “Hangin’ On” (featuring Gwen Stefani) “Strangers” “Let Him in Anyway” “Heaven Sweet Home” (featuring Craig Morgan) “Life’s Been Comin’ Too Fast” “Don’t Mississippi” “All of My Love” “Cold Can” “The Keys” “Years” (featuring John Anderson)
Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first public remarks on the proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, saying that while he is “for it,” he has concerns and wants his own security guarantees. During a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said that Russia was ready for a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine, but added that the ceasefire would only work provided that it offered lasting peace that addressed the root causes of the conflict.
Putin thanked President Trump “for his attention to Ukraine’s settlement. We believe that this ceasefire should lead to a long-term peace and eliminate the initial causes of this crisis.” He added: “We agree with the proposals to stop the hostilities.. but there are issues that need to be discussed .. It seems to me, it would be very good for the Ukrainian side to reach a truce for at least 30 days. And we are for it. But there is a nuance … If we stop the hostilities for 30 days, what does it mean? Does it mean that everyone who is there will leave without a fight? Or the Ukrainian leadership will give them an order to lay down their arms and just surrender? How will it be? It is not clear.These are all issues that require careful investigation from both sides.”
Putin said he also wants guarantees that during a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine will not regroup, and questioned who would determine if there were any violations of a ceasefire; suggesting that Russia should talk with President Trump to discuss his concerns, while adding, “But the idea itself is to end this conflict with peaceful means. We support it.”
Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov called the outlined plan “nothing else than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more,” adding that the country’s “goal is still a long-term peaceful settlement… [that] takes into account the legitimate interests of our country. Steps that imitate peaceful actions, it seems to me, are of no use to anyone.”
Meanwhile, President Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff landed in Moscow on Thursday morning for discussions on the ceasefire, with Ushakov telling the Russian news outlet Izvestia that Putin and Witkoff would have a closed-door meeting later in the day.
The preliminary injunction issued by US District Judge William Alsup requires the Trump administration to reinstate employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior and the Department of Treasury. The judge said that he might extend the order to cover other federal agencies at a later time; and also prohibited the Office of Personnel Management from issuing any guidance about whether employees can be terminated.
Alsup, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, also ordered the immediate discovery and deposition of Office of Personnel Management (OPM) senior adviser Noah Peters, who is aligned with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Attorney Danielle Leonard, who represents unions and interest groups, asked Alsup to immediately reinstate thousands of probationary government employees who had been terminated allegedly at the direction of OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell: “There is a mountain of evidence before the court that OPM directed it. OPM’s actions were unlawful. The plaintiffs have standing, and there is an irreparable harm that is occurring every minute, and it is snowballing.”
Alsup said in his injunction: “The words that I give you today should not be taken as some kind of wild and crazy judge in San Francisco has said that the administration cannot engage in a reduction in force. The reason that OPM wanted to put this ‘based on performance’ was, at least in my judgment, a gimmick to avoid their Reduction in Force Act because the law always allows you to fire somebody for performance.”
The judge also suggested the possible ‘need’ for an injunction ordering the reinstatement of the employees based on the government’s recent conduct: “You will not bring the people in here to be cross-examined. You’re afraid to do so, because, you know, cross examination would reveal the truth. This is the U.S. District Court. I tend to doubt that you’re telling me the truth.”
The judge also criticized the attorney representing the Justice Department for refusing to make OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell available for cross examination and for withdrawing his sworn declaration: “The government, I believe, has tried to frustrate the judge’s ability to get at the truth of what happened here, and then set forth sham declarations. That’s not the way it works in the U.S. District Court … You withdrew his declaration rather than do that. Come on, that’s a sham. It upsets me. I want you to know that I’ve been practicing or serving in this court for over 50 years. And I know how that we get at the truth, and you’re not helping me get to add to the truth. You’re giving me press releases — sham documents.”
Editorial credit: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com
Sister duo Tigirlily Gold has already made some of their country music dreams come true, winning ACM new duo of the year on the strength of their hits “Shoot Tequila” and “I Tried a Ring On.”
Back in October, Kelsea Ballerini helped the North Dakota natives check another item off their bucket list.
“You kinda joke about playing those venues – Madison Square Garden, Red Rocks,” Krista Slaubaugh tells ABC Audio. “No matter where you grow up in the United States, you know how iconic Madison Square Garden is.”
As it happened, the call from their manager couldn’t have come at a better time.
“We actually were having a sad day because our family cat died. R.I.P. Paul,” Krista recalls. “He’s like, ‘I know you need some good news. So do you guys want to play Madison Square Garden?’ And we’re like, ‘What?'”
“We’re screaming, crying,” Kendra Slaubaugh chimes in.
Finding out they’d be opening for Kelsea made it even better.
“She’s been so kind to us and gracious to us,” Krista says. “And I mean, the show was so fun for us. Her fans were so good to us.”
The two admit they had to battle their own disbelief, even in the moment.
“It’s really hard to soak it all in while you’re there,” Kendra observes. “But the next morning we had to fly to Birmingham, Alabama, to play a show. And just on the plane ride, like, looking back through all the photos, I’m like, ‘Did that happen?’ It’s so surreal. … There was a picture of us holding hands walking down the catwalk and I was like, ‘Krista, this is so cool!'”
In the months ahead, Tigirlily Gold’s opening for Justin Moore, Carly Pearce and Chris Janson as they promote their new single, “Forever from Here.”
Country music star Eric Church is making headway on his promise to build 100 homes for the people of Avery County in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Through his charity Chief Cares, Eric Church will build homes for 100 North Carolina families displaced by Hurricane Helene last year. The nonprofit has purchased land in Avery County that will eventually be a brand-new neighborhood with 40 to 50 homes for displaced flood victims. Church’s organization hopes to break ground in April to have people in their new homes by June.
Chief Cares was established by Eric and Katherine Church in 2013 to impact lives and make a difference not only in the United States but throughout the world. More than $10 million has been granted to 100-plus charitable organizations around the world, with donations to Chief Cares utilized to provide support to underprivileged families and children throughout Tennessee and North Carolina.
Church, himself a North Carolina native, originally announced the plan during a visit to Banner Elk with former Gov. Roy Cooper last October. He stressed the importance of keeping people in their community rather than relocating somewhere else: “The sense of community, I know how strong that is because I’ve been here. We’re going to try to keep people in their community. Give them a home where their church is, where their school is, so they continue to build it from the inside out.”
As part of his commitment to helping western North Carolina rebuild, Church signed over the publishing rights to his song “Darkest Hour” to the state. Church said: “It’s been a lot of work, but I’m excited to get people back to living a normal life in their community. That was the whole goal for this the entire time. My message of this would be hope, and there’s a line in ‘Darkest Hour’ that says, ‘In your darkest hour, I’ll come runnin’.’ We’re comin’ and we’re closer now than we were.”
Click here to learn more about applying for housing assistance through Chief Cares.
