Comstock/ThinkstockOn this day in 1979, this country and Southern rock band collected a number-one single with the legendary “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Can you name the group? ANSWER: The Charlie Daniels Band.
By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
ABC/Image Group LAChris Stapleton appears to have a new project on the horizon.
On Monday, the Grammy-winning singer stirred fans’ suspicions by wiping his Instagram account clean, leaving behind only a mysterious video that appears to point to a new song or album.
The video calls on the natural elements of earth, wind and fire to help tease the new project. The clip opens with Stapleton’s silhouette cast against a bonfire as music plays, including an exuberant gospel choir singing a steady note that builds throughout the video as images flit past, including butterflies, wild horses and a bird taking flight.
It appears Chris’ wife and creative collaborator Morgane is also involved with the project: as we see a quick snap of the couple performing together, along with Chris shredding on guitar in the studio.
The video ends where it began as Chris places his signature cowboy hat on his head in front of the fire before the date “11.13.20” flashes on the screen.
The powerhouse singer’s last album was From A Room: Volume 2, released in 2017, which includes his most recent solo single, “Millionaire,” which peaked at number two on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
Stapleton’s most recent work includes collaborations with Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars on “Blow,” and with Pink on her song “Love Me Anyway,” both of which were released last year.
Chris was supposed to be on the road with his All-American Road Show this year, but that outing has been rescheduled for 2021.
By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
On Monday, the California Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Scott Peterson, who was convicted in 2004 of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son on Christmas Eve 2002. Peterson, now 47, has been held on Death Row in San Quentin prison since his sentencing in 2005. A California jury convicted Peterson of killing Laci, a 27-year-old substitute teacher, and the fetus of their son Connor in December 2002, at their Modesto home and dumping their bodies from a boat in San Francisco Bay, where they washed ashore months later.
The court on Monday found errors in the trial judge’s jury selection process, including removing potential jurors from the pool because they did not support the death penalty. The court ruled prosecutors may retry the case if they wish, asking again for the death penalty. In 2012, Peterson’s lawyers appealed his death sentence.
Supreme Court judges Monday upheld Peterson’s guilty conviction of first degree murder for the death of Laci and second-degree murder for the death of their unborn son. The trial received widespread publicity for years and was the subject of multiple documentaries and true-crime television shows.
Editorial credit: Eddie Hernandez Photos / Shutterstock.com
Cody VillalobosIs there anything more quintessentially country than a drinking song inspired by your mama?
In any case, it’s a feat Justin Moore‘s accomplished, as “Why We Drink” becomes his ninth number-one hit.
It all started one evening as Justin and his wife were out to dinner with his parents.
“It was taking awhile to get… our meal, and I had ordered two or three beer[s] before the food even got there,” he explains. “And my mom just simply looked at me, and she goes, ‘Why do you drink so much?'”
“Now she’s drinking a margarita at the time, mind you,” Justin adds. “But anyway, it gave me the idea to write this song.”
The moment of genius came when Justin took the idea to the man behind “Dust on the Bottle.”
“I threw out this idea and David Lee Murphy… said, ‘Because it’s Friday, because it’s Monday, because my team lost, because my team won,'” Justin recalls. “I go, ‘That’s it! That’s how to do it.'”
“And we wrote it probably, in honestly, twenty-five minutes. It was one of those that just kind of fell out. And those don’t come along very often, but certainly we welcome them when they do,” he laughs.
Now all that’s left is for Justin to settle up with his mother.
“I didn’t give her any writing credit,” he admits, “but I’m gonna have to give her a plaque or buy her a purse or something. Out of her and my dad, she’s the one I got my little bit of wild nature from, so she’s gotten a kick out of it.”
You can spot Charlene Moore giving Justin her seal of approval, as she makes a cameo in the “Why We Drink” music video.
By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockLainey Wilson‘s song “Small Town, Girl” was featured in the season three finale of the TV series Yellowstone on Sunday night.
The Oak Ridge Boys will perform the national anthem at The World’s Championship Horse Show during the Kentucky State Fair on August 29. This will serve as the group’s 45th consecutive appearance at the Kentucky State Fair.
By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
A scaled-back Republican National Convention kicked-off on Monday night in in Charlotte, N.C., with a roll call vote to formally renominate President Donald Trump to the Republican ticket this November. Vice President Mike Pence made brief comments at the convention after he was also renominated.
The overall theme of the convention is “Honoring the Great American Story. A Trump campaign official said they will be highlighting “the promise and greatness of America” and the President’s “leadership and what he has planned for the future. Each night will also have a sub-theme; on Monday, it was “Land of Promise.”
In-person events, including Monday’s roll call of delegates, took place at the Charlotte Convention Center. Other events will mostly be virtual, including Trump’s acceptance speech from the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday. Speakers on Day 1 of the RNC included Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who were charged after waving guns at Black Lives Matter protesters near their property; Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina; Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana; former South Carolina Gov. and Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley; and Donald Trump Jr.
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Kane Brown just debuted the video for “Be Like That”, featuring Swae Lee and Khalid.
“Be Like That” is featured on Brown’s recently released EP Mixtape Vol. 1 that also includes a collaboration with Nelly on a “Cool Again” remix, as well as his current single, “Worldwide Beautiful.”
Check out the video for Be Like That at the link: here.
Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com
Morgan Wallen dropped a new video for his current single, “More Than My Hometown.”
“More Than My Hometown” was co-written by Morgan, Michael Hardy, Ernest Keith Smith and Ryan Vojtesak. The track will be included on Morgan’s upcoming sophomore album, which is expected to drop later this year.
Watch Morgan’s new video for More Than My Hometown at the link: here.
Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com
Katy Perry has shared her new song, “What Makes A Woman,” which celebrates the qualities that women bring to the world. And In her new video, directed by frequent collaborator Tim Sekiguchi, Katy performs a stripped-down version of of the track.
“What Makes A Woman” is from Katy’s new album, Smile, which will be released Friday, August 28. Fans who pre-order the album will instantly receive “What Makes A Woman” plus “Smile,” “Daisies,” “Never Really Over” and “Harleys In Hawaii.”
Take a look at Katy’s acoustic performance of What Makes A Woman at the link: here
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Ariana Grande has confirmed that she helped create the upcoming song by BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez titled “Ice Cream”.
Grande spoke about the collaboration on her Instagram Stories, sharing a post from producer Tommy Brown. “[Proud] of the squad, and so proud of this!” Grande said in her Instagram Stories. “So much love for this team and these ladies!” she added, while mentioning the South Korean girl group and Gomez.
“Ice Cream” is set to debut on Aug. 28. You can view a teaser video from Gomez and the K-pop superstars on BLACKPINK’s IG at the link: here.
Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
