Month: June 2021

Nine children and one adult killed in multi-vehicle crash in Alabama

Post author By Staff
Post date June 21, 2021
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Nine children and one adult were killed in a multi-vehicle pileup in Alabama. A father and his 9-month-old daughter were killed in one vehicle; Cody Fox, 29, and Ariana Fox were identified as the victims in a small SUV traveling from Marion County, Tenn.

The eight other victims who died were in a bus carrying girls housed at Girls Ranch, a foster home for girls from abusive or abandonment situations. The identities of the girls were not released as many were under the care of the state, however Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock said they ranged in age from 4-17. Girls Ranch wrote on Facebook: “Our hearts are heavy today. Our ranch has suffered great loss. As some of you may have heard, one of our ranch vehicles was involved in a multiple car accident this afternoon. Please send prayers our way as we navigate this difficult time.” A bystander pulled the driver of the Girls Ranch bus from the vehicle but was unable to go back for the children, said Garlock, adding, “It was too late to get back to them because the bus was engulfed in fire.” Garlock said the crash was likely caused by hydroplaning due to storms on Saturday as Tropical Storm Claudette hit the area with heavy rains and strong winds.

Butler County Sheriff Danny Bond said the crash involved a total of 18 vehicles, including two 18-wheelers, and as many as five other people sustained nonfatal injuries. The crash forced both the northbound and southbound lanes of 1-65 to be closed, with parts of the interstate reopening early Sunday morning.

Go Country 105

Brett Young “always wanted a boy,” until he got to be a dad to his little “Lady,” Presley

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 21, 2021
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Brett Young is one of the ultimate girl dads, and he even got the song to prove it when he released “Lady,” a tribute to his wife, Taylor, and their baby girl, Presley.

This summer, he'll double down on his girl dad status, welcoming a second daughter into the mix. But Brett admits that back when he and Taylor first began thinking about starting their family, he was hoping for a son.

“I always wanted a boy,” Brett admits. “I think all men initially think they just want boys. Not to the extent that I was disappointed at all when we found out it was a girl, because, you know, it's your child. You're excited.”

During Taylor's current pregnancy, though, the singer says he started hoping for another daughter early on. It started during a playdate with the country star couple's neighbors, who have three children: A girl, plus two boys.

“And we had just found out Taylor was pregnant again, but we didn't know if it was a boy or girl yet,” Brett recounts. “Their oldest daughter and my nine-month-old daughter just sat on the couch, very chill, while the two boys chased each other around the coffee table for two hours straight and never stopped screaming and throwing things at each other.”

Though he didn't say anything to his wife at the time, that experience was enough to put Brett on Team Girl once again.

“I went, God, I hope the second one's a girl,'” he says.

Brett’s second child is due this July. In August, he's releasing his first-ever children's book, called Love You, Little Lady. Inspired by his relationship with his daughter, it’ll recount some of his favorite memories and pivotal moments from dad life so far.

Country Daypop

Garth Brooks extends his summer stadium tour with additional date in Nashville

Post author By Staff
Post date June 21, 2021
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Garth Brooks has expanded his summer stadium tour, with his first show taking place July 10 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, his first in a stadium since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

Brooks will then be crossing the country to cities such as Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Missouri, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and has now added a show in Nashville, Tennessee, before wrapping up on September 25 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Tickets for Brooks’ newly added Nashville concert go on sale June 25 via Ticketmaster. Seating for his Stadium Tour shows is in-the-round style. Tickets will cost $94.95, inclusive of all taxes and fees, and there will be a limit of eight tickets per purchase.

Editorial credit: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com

Country Daypop

Jon Pardi ordered on vocal rest by doctor; forced to cancel June concert dates

Post author By Staff
Post date June 21, 2021
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Jon Pardi was forced to cancel three June concerts per doctor’s orders. The 36-year-old Pardi said on Twitter: “And it is NOT EASY. I promise to do my part and stay as healthy as possible to continue singing and performing. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Pardi’s tour dates at his official website have been updated to begin with his July 1 show in Durant, Okla.; three shows over the weekend had already been canceled: June 17 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and June 18-19 in Orange Beach, Ala. Pardi has nearly 40 concerts on the calendar through October, including fair or festival dates with other artists.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Pop Daypop

Polo G earns his 1st No. 1 album on Billboard 200 chart with ‘Hall of Fame’

Post author By Staff
Post date June 21, 2021
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Polo G has earned his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Hall of Fame in the U.S. for the week ending June 17. The 20-track Hall of Fame was released on June 11, and features the artist’s first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, “Rapstar,” which spent two weeks at No. 1. The album features collaborations with The Kid LAROI, Lil Durk, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Roddy Ricch, Pop Smoke, Rod Wave and Young Thug.

Migos’ Culture III took the No. 2 spot, with Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour falling from 2-3; Lil Durk and Lil Baby’s The Voice of the Heroes drops to No. 4, and Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album rounding out the Top 5.

K-pop girl group TWICE’s Taste of Love debuted at No. 6, with Bo Burnham’s Inside (The Songs) jumping up to No. 7, and Maroon 5’s Jordi coming in at No. 8. Rounding out the Top 10 are Moneybagg Yo’s A Gangsta’s Pain, and J. Cole’s The Off-Season.

Pop Daypop

Taylor Swift to release re-recorded version of ‘Red’ in November

Post author By Staff
Post date June 21, 2021
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Taylor Swift announced on Twitter she will be releasing a re-recorded version of her 2012 album Red on Nov. 19. alongside a note about the album and a photo of herself wearing a red hat, Swift said: “This will be the first time you hear all 30 songs that were meant to go on Red.” The original Red contained the singles “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.”

Swift said about the album, “Musically and lyrically, ‘Red’ resembled a heartbroken person. It was all over the place, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end. Happy, free, confused, lonely, devasted, euphoric, wild and tortured by memories past. Like trying on pieces of a new life, I went into the studio and experimented with different sounds and collaborators. And I’m not sure if it was pouring my thoughts into this album, hearing thousands of your voices sing the lyrics back to me in passionate solidarity, or if it was simply time, but something healed along the way.”

Red (Taylor’s Version) comes after Swift released a re-recorded version of her 2008 album, Fearless, back in April. Swift announced in November 2020 that she will be re-recording all her old music after Scooter Braun sold her master recordings to equity company Shamrock Holdings.

Editorial credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com

Go Country 105

Ahead of Father's Day, Gabby Barrett shares the best advice her dad ever gave her

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 18, 2021
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During her American Idol days, Gabby Barrett spoke a lot about how much her dad, Blase, a maintenance man for Goodwill, supported her career. He’s the one who booked her gigs singing at fairs, parks, birthday parties, weddings and more when she was just a little kid. Now, ahead of Father’s Day on Sunday, Gabby’s sharing the best advice her father ever gave her.

“One of things he taught me was to use negative as positivity. Especially going through school that was really, really important. and it helped me through so much,” says the “I Hope” singer, who’s also talked about how she was bullied as a student.

“So, to use anything in life that comes at you in a negative way, to use it as a positive and to know that it's happening for our good in the end,” she adds. “So that would definitely be [the best advice].”

Sunday will mark the first Father’s Day for Gabby’s husband, fellow American Idol finalist Cade Foehner. The two welcomed their first child, daughter Baylah, in January.

Go Country 105

Maren Morris, Little Big Town + more stars join Miley Cyrus' Pride Month concert special

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 18, 2021
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Maren Morris, Little Big Town, Brothers Osborne, Mickey Guyton and Orville Peck are all among the lineup for Miley Cyrus' Pride Month concert special, Miley Cyrus Presents Stand By You.

It's no wonder the country genre is so strongly represented on the bill: The special was filmed at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, E! Online reports. The event will stream exclusively on Peacock on Friday, June 25.

“I'm filling up the legendary Ryman Auditorium to celebrate Pride with the power of music,” Miley explains in a trailer for the show. “Tonight will be all about celebration. Everybody is welcome here.”

Earlier this year, Brothers Osborne's TJ Osborne came out, making him the first openly gay country artist to be signed to a major label. The brother duo has since performed at Ty Herndon's Concert for Love and Acceptance, which is an annual partnership between Ty and GLAAD.

In the world of alt-country, Orville Peck has also identified his gay ever since introducing himself to his listeners. He recently collaborated with drag queen and singer-songwriter Trixie Mattel on a version of the country classic “Jackson,” which appears on Trixie's EP, Full Coverage Vol. 1.

Go Country 105

Brantley Gilbert joins forces with Toby Keith + Hardy to create “The Worst Country Song of All Time”

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 18, 2021
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With multiple number-one hits and legions of fans between them, Brantley Gilbert, Toby Keith and Hardy know a little something about making great country music. But this time around, they're going for something different: Their new collaboration is called “The Worst Country Song of All Time.”

It all started during a writing session with Brantley and Hardy, as well as fellow songwriters Will Weatherly and Hunter Phelps.

“Hardy threw the idea on the table, and he said, Guys, I know this is crazy, but I had a title I put down in my phone: The Worst Country Song of All Time.' We all laughed it off because obviously it was a joke,” Brantley remembers. “Then we all were throwing out lines we thought were funny. The next thing you know, we've got this song written, and the rest is history in the making.”

The end result? A tongue-in-cheek tune with lyrics that rattle off all the things that make for a bad country song: Minivans, traffic jams, blue John Deeres, caviar and much more.

For Brantley, the cherry on top was getting Toby to lend his voice to the song. “Toby has written some of the best and put out some of my favorite country songs of all time. So having him on it is kind of like that final seal of approval,” he says.

Go Country 105

Blanco Brown debuts “Nobody's More Country,” a celebration of his roots

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 18, 2021
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Blanco Brown teamed up with a variety of high-profile songwriters, including Florida Georgia Line‘s Tyler Hubbard, to write “Nobody's More Country,” a joyful and groove-heavy ode to his Georgia roots.

While Blanco's song celebrates deep-seated country cred, the lyrics also proudly embrace the genre's diversity, highlighting all the ways he's seen different people unite over their mutual love of country music.

“Nobody's More Country” is also the singer's first new music since his near-fatal motorcycle accident in September 2020, which required hours of surgery to address his life-threatening injuries, followed by weeks in the ICU.

Blanco made his first public appearance post-accident at the 2021 ACM Awards in April, where he shared his excitement at getting back into performing. He has hinted that his recovery period afforded him lots of time to work on new music, and “Nobody's More Country” is the first taste of the chapter ahead.