Month: January 2021

Big Loud Records Morgan Wallen continues to dominate the charts, thanks to his new album, Dangerous. 

Morgan is spending his second consecutive week at #1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart that encompasses stats from the Billboard 200, Hot 100 and Social 50 charts, the latter of which tracks artists’ social media engagement. 

The “Whiskey Glasses” hit maker is now the fifth country artist to spend multiple weeks at #1 on the Artist 100.

Jason Aldean holds the record for most weeks at #1 by a country act with three weeks, while Luke Combs, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett and Kenny Chesney trail behind him, each with two. 

Dangerous is also spending its second week at #1 on the Billboard 200 and has logged nine songs on the Hot 100, with current single “7 Summers” and fan-favorite “Wasted on You” both cracking the top 25.

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

David McClisterParker McCollum charmed NBC’s Today show this morning with his breakout hit, “Pretty Heart.” 

The country crooner made his national TV debut while performing with his band inside a vacant Texas saloon, his voice simmering on the slow-burner, heartbreak ballad with neon signs glowing in the background.  

Released as his debut single, “Pretty Heart” also became Parker’s first #1 hit. It’s featured on his EP, Hollywood Gold, which was for the highest-selling debut country EP last year. 

Follow-up single “To Be Loved by You,” co-written by Parker and Rhett Akins, is at country radio now. 

Additionally, Parker was recently invited by Dierks Bentley via video call to make his Grand Ole Opry debut. Dierks will be there cheering him on when Parker performs on the Opry on February 6.

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Valerie Macon/Getty ImagesDolly Parton wants to help get you moving as part of Apple’s new audio fitness experience, Time to Walk, that allows users to exercise while listening to personal stories from major public figures across music and sports. 

Time to Walk episodes range from 25-40 minutes and revolve around the speaker’s life-changing moments as they share words of wisdom, memories, and tokens of gratitude. 

Dolly’s episode finds her reflecting on her illustrious career, her family, and her life growing up in the Smoky Mountains in rural East Tennessee. 

“I’ve loved walking ever since I was a little girl in the Smoky Mountains. I think it’s so important to be able to get out and walk if we can during this time. I do my best thinking when I walk,” she explains in a statement.

“And while many of us feel confined during this time, I’m hopeful that people will take a walk down memory lane with me and we can all feel a little more freedom taking the time to walk together,” she adds. 

The country icon is one of four artists who has recorded an episode alongside Shawn Mendes, Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba, and NBA player for the Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green.

Time to Walk episodes are available now.

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABCKeith Urban is among the many esteemed guests attending the annual Clive Davis pre-Grammy party. 

The famed producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member is known for throwing a lavish, star-studded party leading up to music’s biggest night. But in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, his annual gala is being divided into two virtual events. 

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Keith and his Golden Globe-winning wife Nicole Kidmanare expected to attend as guests to the online soiree on January 30, the night before the Grammys were originally supposed to air on January 31.

Bruce Springsteen, John Legend and Alicia Keys are some of the many stars tapped to perform at the event. benefiting MusiCares.

The Grammy Awards will now take place on March 14 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Miranda Lambert and Ingrid Andress are the most-nominated country acts, with Maren Morris, Dan + Shay and Old Dominion also picking up multiple nods.

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Comstock/ThinkstockTen years ago today, the world was introduced to this deep-voiced country singer from North Carolina when his audition for American Idol‘s 10th season aired. He would go on to be crowned champion and score hits with “Five More Minutes” and “This Is It.” Can you guess who it is? ANSWER: Scotty McCreery. 

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABCGabby Barrett and husband Cade Foehner have welcomed a baby girl. 

The 20-year-old singer shared on Instagram on Monday night that she gave birth to daughter Baylah May on January 18.

“Gotten to spend a very sweet week with our newest addition. Meet our girl Baylah May Foehner,” Gabby writes alongside a photo of the baby in her bassinet, wrapped in a red blanket with a name tag written in elegant script. 

Cade was among the many people who flooded the comment section with congratulatory posts, professing “What an honor to be your husband. Thank you for bearing me a child my Wife.”

Hayley Hubbard, Tanya Tucker and Jana Kramer were among the “I Hope” hitmaker’s peers who also extended well-wishes.

The couple met and began dating while competing on season 16 of American Idol in 2018 and tied the knot a year later. They announced in August that they were expecting their first child.

Gotten to spend a very sweet week with our newest addition.. meet our girl??
Baylah May Foehner
1.18.21 pic.twitter.com/5ZteHwhVj6

— Gabby Barrett (@GabbyBarrett_) January 26, 2021

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Burke/Triolo Productions/Thinkstock UK country duo The Shires have released the video for their song “Lightning Strikes” featuring Lauren Alaina.

Lauren Weintraub has released her debut single “She’s Mine” after the song went viral on Tik Tok, being viewed more than one million times in two days.  

James Robert Webb has released his new single “Okfuskee Whiskey.” It’s featured on his 2020 self-titled album. 

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ABC If you’ve had it with COVID-19 — and who hasn’t? — Darius Rucker‘s latest hit may well be the antidote. “Beers and Sunshine” is the Hootie and the Blowfish front man’s reaction to the coronavirus.

“We’d probably been locked down for a couple of months,” Darius recalls, “and everybody was stir crazy, and we were talking about just how everybody wanted to just get out and do something. And we knew there’s gonna be a whole bunch of songs, a bunch of ballads, and a bunch of really serious songs about what’s going on.”

“But, just the way we are and the way I am I guess, we wanted to write something that was fun and upbeat,” he continues. “And when we got that line, “The only b.s. I need is beers and sunshine,” I knew we had our song.”

In fact, “Beers and Sunshine” may be the first country song to be written and recorded entirely via Zoom. 

“[Producer and co-writer] Ross [Copperman] figured out a way that he just called all the guys that we usually use, and they all had set-ups at their house and the whole song was recorded over the computer. I did my vocal at my house,” Darius laughs. “Yeah, it was crazy.”

Previously, Darius thought he already has his next album figured out.

“Oh, yeah, I thought I had it mapped out, I did…” he reveals. “And that song, when it came along, just threw a wrench into everything because we knew that had to be the first single.”

As “Beers and Sunshine” nears the top of the country chart, we’re still waiting for details on the follow-up to 2017’s When Was the Last Time. Of course, in 2019, Darius also released the Hootie reunion record, Imperfect Circle.

By Stephen Hubbard
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