Month: July 2020

Getty Images for Live NationBrad Paisley, Darius Rucker and Jon Pardi took over Music City this weekend with drive-in concerts as part of Live Nation’s Live from the Drive In series. 

Setting up shop in the parking lot of Nissan Stadium on Saturday night, Brad surprised the crowd with a virtual duet with Carrie Underwood on their hit, “Remind Me,” along with other signature songs “Waitin’ on a Woman,” “Water,” “Mud on the Tires” and more. 

Meanwhile, the “Dirt on My Boots” singer entertained an outdoor crowd at Nissan on Friday before Darius closed the series on Sunday night, performing hits ranging from the chart-topping “Come Back Song” to the Hootie & the Blowfish classic, “Only Wanna Be with You.” 

“Thank you for this weekend everyone. People stayed by their cars, rules were followed, and beer was drank. We will never take the chance to play music for granted,” Brad shared on Instagram.

Live Nation worked with local and state health officials to follow social distancing protocols. Vehicles were placed in separate tailgate zones and fans were encouraged to wear masks and remain in their designated areas.  

The series also spanned to the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in St. Louis, where Brad performed on Friday, and the Ruoff Music Center in Indianapolis that saw performances by Jon and Brad on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Nelly and El Monstero also performed individual sets during the three-night series.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC/Jon LeMayThe 11th annual Darius & Friends concert, a benefit for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital created by Darius Rucker, will be streamed online later this month.

Darius will deliver a social distance-friendly performance on the Grand Ole Opry stage with special guests Clint Black and Tracey Lawrence. The pay-per-view stream will be available to view on July 30 at 8 p.m. ET through LiveXLive, with ticket prices starting at $15, in addition to VIP options.

“Even though we can’t all get together for a normal concert right now, it’s important that we continue to support St. Jude and the amazing work that they do,” Darius says in a statement. “I hope we can bring a fun night of music to everyone watching from home while also raising money for this important cause.” 

Past performers at the event include Brooks & Dunn, Luke Combs, Luke Bryan and Ashley McBryde.

Darius started the event in 2010 and has raised more than $2 million for the hospital that never bills families for their child’s treatment of life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC/Image Group LAGarth Brooks has a new date for his virtual acoustic show. 

Garth and wife Trisha Yearwood were originally scheduled to host the second round of Garth Request Live on July 7, an online acoustic show where the couple performs songs requested by fans.  However, the show was postponed due to the fact that members of their teams may have been exposed to COVID-19.

The country superstar announced on Monday that Garth Request Live 2 will now take place tomorrow night. The couple shared the news on social media, accompanied by a photo of them donning fake mustaches, in honor of Garth’s late friend and former tour production manager, Emmett Gilliam, known for his trademark handlebar mustache.

Garth is inviting fans in on the fun by requesting that they post photos of themselves wearing a mustache, along with their song requests.

Garth and Trisha hosted their first live acoustic show in April that included covers of Little Big Town‘s “Girl Crush,” “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, and “Shallow,” from A Star Is Born.  

Garth Request Live 2 will stream on Garths’s Facebook page on July 14 at 8 p.m. ET. Garth’s weekly show, Inside Studio G, has been postponed for two weeks so he and his team can quarantine.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Comstock/ThinkstockOn this date in 1991, one of the decade’s greatest country performers was at the top of the charts with “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” the hit single off of his album of the same name. Do you know who he is? ANSWER: Alan Jackson.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC/Image Group LAIt’s the end of the line for Darius Rucker and Beth Leonard‘s nearly 20-year marriage. The Hootie & the Blowfish frontman and sol country star announced on Saturday that he and his wife will divorce.

Rucker penned the emotional letter on social media, where he wrote, “Beth and I would like to share that after much reflection we have made the decision to consciously uncouple.”

While the two will no longer be husband and wife, the 54-year-old attests, “We remain close friends and parenting partners and continue to be each other’s biggest cheerleaders.”

“Our priority will always be our beautiful family,” continued Rucker. “We have so much love in our hearts for each other and will continue to encourage growth and expansion in one other.”

Despite writing an open and emotionally vulnerable letter, the Grammy winner confirmed he will not speak further regarding the matter.

“Please be kind as we take on this journey, and we thank you for your love and support always,” he requested, adding that he and his wife co-wrote the statement by signing it from both.

While it is unknown what contributed to the divorce, the language “consciously uncouple” — meaning the separation was amicable as it would lead to better lives for both parties — was made infamous in 2014 when actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin jointly announced their separation. 

Rucker and Leonard met in 1998 and wed December 9, 2000.  They share two children together, 19-year-old Daniella Rose and 15-year-old Jack.

Rucker has a third child from a previous relationship, 25-year-old Cary Phillips.

By Megan Duley
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Country Music AssociationCOVID-19 made Nashville’s annual CMA Fest impossible in 2020, but Monday night on ABC, Luke Bryan will bring fans the next best thing.

CMA Best of Fest collects the highlights from the past sixteen years, and includes special appearances from the likes of Lionel Richie, Gwen Stefani, Peyton Manning and Michael Strahan. 

“What fans can expect from the Best of Fest show is just a glimpse back into the history of CMA Fest,” Luke explains. “I mean, to think about the amazing performances through the years and the fact that we get to kinda go back and cherry-pick and really show the fans some of the most special moments we’ve had — there’s so many great memories.”

Even though every country act you can imagine is part of the three-hour special, Luke says it’s the fans who are really the star.

“Watching the fans react to these performances [is] so special,” Luke reflects. “And I think the energy has always been there in those performances.”

“So it’ll be fun to kind of roll back the clock and watch some of those old magic moments,” he adds.

In addition to reliving the 2012 performance of his smash, “Country Girl (Shake It for Me),” Luke will also debut his new collaboration with Darius Rucker on “Small Town.”

Monday, Luke starts the day with an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan, as his hit “One Margarita” spends its second week atop the country chart. You can watch Live following Good Morning America on most ABC stations. 

Here’s the complete performance lineup for CMA Best of Fest, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Monday night on ABC: 

Jason Aldean — “She’s Country” (2015)
Kelsea Ballerini — “Yeah Boy” (2017)
Garth Brooks — Medley – (2017)
Brooks & Dunn + Brothers Osborne — “Hard Workin’ Man” (2019)
Kane Brown + Lauren Alaina — “What Ifs” (2018)
Luke Bryan — “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” (2012)
Luke Bryan + Darius Rucker — “Small Town” (2020) 
Kenny Chesney — “Summertime” (2009)
Eric Church + Lzzy Hale — “That’s Damn Rock & Roll” (2014)
Luke Combs — “When It Rains It Pours” (2018)
Dan + Shay — “Tequila” (2018)
Sam Hunt — “Body Like A Back Road” (2017)
Lady A — “Love Don’t Live Here” (2008)
Miranda Lambert — “Kerosene” (2007)
Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus, Keith Urban — “Old Town Road” (2019)
Little Big Town — “Pontoon” (2012)
Tim McGraw — “Something Like That” (2010)
Maren Morris — “Girl” (2019)
Brad Paisley — “American Saturday Night” (2010)
Rascal Flatts + Little Big Town — “Medley” (2011)
Thomas Rhett — “Life Changes” (2018)
Darius Rucker — “Wagon Wheel” (2014)
Blake Shelton + Trace Adkins — “Hillbilly Bone” (2010)
Carrie Underwood — “Last Name” (2010)
Carrie Underwood + Joan Jett — Medley (2019)
Keith Urban — “Wasted Time” (2017)
Dwight Yoakam + Dierks Bentley — “Fast As You” (2018)
Zac Brown Band — “Chicken Fried” (2009)

Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockMiranda Lambert turned her song, “Dark Bars,” into a poignant tribute to Nashville with a new lyric video. The clip spotlights Music City’s bars shuttered by both the pandemic and damage from an early March tornado.

Hardy dropped his star-packed Hixtape Vol. 1 last year, and he and Big Loud Records are keeping the party rolling with the new Hixtape store and lifestyle brand. To celebrate, the rising star dropped the animated music video for “He Went to Jared,” his duet with Morgan Wallen.

Margo Price dropped a brand-new album, That’s How Rumors Get Started, last week. The project includes the lead single, “Twinkle, Twinkle.”

Mary Chapin Carpenter released a new song Friday called “Secret Keepers.” The tune comes off her forthcoming album, The Dirt and the Stars, which is set for release on August 7.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.