Month: June 2021

Maren Morris, Ryan Hurd share the “outside the box” country deep cut that was their first dance song

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 25, 2021
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Between the two of them, singer-songwriter and husband-and-wife duo Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd have put out plenty of songs worthy of landing on any fan's wedding playlist.

Maren made major waves with her crossover love song “The Bones,” while Ryan's “Diamond or Twine” is a romantic ode to lasting love. The couple offers a slightly steamier selection with their latest duet, a heady love ballad called “Chasing After You” that they performed together at the 2021 ACM Awards.

But for their own wedding — which took place in March of 2018 — Maren and Ryan say they went with a slightly more off-the-beaten-path song for their first dance.

“Trying to get a little outside the box, Ashley Monroe's Has Anybody Ever Told You' was the song for our first dance at our wedding,” the couple reveal, according to People. That song was part of a larger playlist they compiled on Spotify, which also features songs by Russell Dickerson, Brad Paisley, Dan + Shay and more.

A singer-songwriter who’s written alongside many of the country music industry's A-Listers, Ashley Monroe is perhaps best known for being one-third of country trio The Pistol Annies, together with Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley.

“Has Anybody Ever Told You” comes off Ashley’s third studio album, The Blade, from 2015.

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Garth Brooks breaks another ticket sales record, this time on home turf in Nashville

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 25, 2021
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Tickets to Garth Brooks' Stadium Tour stop at Nashville's Nissan Stadium went on sale on Friday, and within just two hours, the singer has broken an entertainment sales record.

That's the latest in a long string of fast-paced ticket sales for Garth's stadium shows. Last month, fans snapped up 50,000 seats to Garth’s July Salt Lake City show in fewer than 30 minutes after the event went on sale. Not long after, Garth sold 70,000 tickets in the first 47 minutes after sales opened for his Lincoln, Nebraska show.

Meanwhile, fans are continuing to snap up seats to Garth's Nissan Stadium show, which will be held July 31 at 7 p.m. CT. Per Stadium Database, Nissan Stadium has an audience capacity of 69,143.

When he first announced his Nashville show, Garth admitted that playing the country music capital of the world adds some extra pressure to his set.

“Let's face it — where's the one place you really want to shine the brightest? It's in front of all your friends!” he explained during an installment of his Facebook Live series, Inside Studio G. “So we'll be trying way too hard. And I'm just hoping to relax and enjoy it.”

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'Gold Chain Cowboy': Parker McCollum announces his full-length debut, out this summer

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 25, 2021
No Comments on 'Gold Chain Cowboy': Parker McCollum announces his full-length debut, out this summer

Last year, Parker McCollum had one of the most successful years of any rising star in country music, with his EP, Hollywood Gold, coming in as the highest-selling debut EP of 2020.

Hollywood Gold also included Parker's breakout single, “Pretty Heart,” which earned the singer his first number-one at country radio. The song also notched RIAA Platinum certification.

Now, Parker has announced his highly-anticipated full-length debut, a ten-song collection called Gold Chain Cowboy that'll be out July 30. The track list includes “Pretty Heart” and Parker’s current single, “To Be Loved by You.” To celebrate his album announcement, Parker dropped another new song off the project, “Rest of My Life,” on Friday.

“Rest of My Life” is the only song on the project that Parker wrote solo, though he's a co-writer on all ten tracks. To help him pen the album, he enlisted some serious country songwriting muscle: Co-writers on Gold Chain Cowboy include Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley, Randy Rogers and hitmaking songwriter Rhett Akins.

Parker's new album includes a duet, too: Danielle Bradbery lends her voice to a track called “Dallas.”

Gold Chain Cowboy is available to pre-save now. Fans can also catch Parker as one of the opening acts on Dierks Bentley's 2021 Beers on Me Tour.

Go Country 105

Brian Kelley unveils 'Sunshine State of Mind' album, plus an immersive music video for “Boat Names”

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 25, 2021
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Brian Kelley's full-length solo debut arrives on Friday, featuring 17 tracks that all revolve around the Florida native's love of life on the beach and in the water.

“Sunshine State of Mind is a big piece of me and my heart, and I'm so excited for everyone to finally hear it,” says the singer, who's also one half of country superstar duo Florida Georgia Line.

In particular, Brian goes on to say, he can't wait to share some of the backstory behind “Boat Names,” the album's leading track. “…My favorite song on the album and the very first one I wrote for it. It's the anchor and guiding light for this project,” BK continues. “And it's a love song and dedication to my love, Brittney.”

To further bring “Boat Names” to life, the singer has shared a nine-minute, mini-movie music video for the song. It's a cinematic introduction to life in the world of Sunshine State of Mind, co-starring Brian's wife and the real-life boat he bought and named after her: The Brittney Marie.

The singer's new solo album is just the beginning: He's hinted at another chapter ahead, as the subtitle of Sunshine State of Mind is Season One.

Go Country 105

Country star trivia

Happy anniversary to these two lovebirds! One of country music's biggest superstars and his A-List Hollywood actor wife are celebrating 15 years of marriage. The pair share two daughters, hail from Australia and are known for posting sweet messages of love and support for each other on social media. Can you name them? ANSWER: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman.

News Daypop

Florida building collapse: 3 dead, as many as 99 missing as search continues

Post author By Staff
Post date June 25, 2021
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At least three people are dead and as many as 99 are unaccounted for after a 12-story residential building partially collapsed early on Thursday in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

The collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in the small, beachside town of Surfside, about 6 miles north of Miami Beach, was reported around 1:30 a.m. A massive search and rescue operation was launched before dawn and crews are still carefully combing through the wreckage and remaining structure in hopes of finding survivors.

As of press time, crews have rescued 35 people who were trapped in the building and two others from beneath the rubble, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Raide Jadallah. Officials said 102 people have been accounted for. Miami-Dade county officials say it’s been difficult determining how many people were in that section of the complex partly because there isn’t an on-scene management company that keeps track. The condominium is a mix of full-time residents, seasonal residents, renters and short-term visitors, so authorities have been relying largely on neighbors and word of mouth. The oceanfront condominium has 136 units, and approximately 55 of them collapsed along the northeast corridor.

Editorial credit: richard pross / Shutterstock.com

News Daypop

President Biden and bipartisan senators agree to $1.2 trillion framework infrastructure deal

Post author By Staff
Post date June 25, 2021
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President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators announced on Thursday that they’d reached a framework $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal. Speaking in the White House driveway, Biden said, “They have my word, and I’ll stick with what they proposed, and they’ve given me their word as well — and where I come from, that’s good enough for me. We made serious compromises on both ends. They did not — and I understand their position — the Republicans did not want to go along with the human infrastructure that I talk about, and we’ll see what happens in the reconciliation bill and the budget process. If we get some compromise there and if we can’t, see if I can attract all Democrats to the position where they can move it on the dual track.”

Biden said that while the deal isn’t exactly what he wanted, nor is it exactly what Republicans wanted, the fact that they did reach a bipartisan consensus makes their agreement all the more significant. The deal would see $1.2 trillion in spending over eight years, including $579 billion in new spending over the first five years.

However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday there “ain’t” going to be an infrastructure bill in the House unless the Senate passes a broader reconciliation bill that includes progressive priorities. Pelosi said: “We will not take up a bill in the House until the Senate passes the bipartisan bill and a reconciliation bill. If there is no bipartisan bill, then we’ll just go when the Senate passes a reconciliation bill. Plain and simple. In fact, I used the word ‘ain’t.’ There ain’t going to be an infrastructure bill unless we have the reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate.” She did add that she’s “hopeful” for bipartisanship.

Editorial credit: RedhoodStudios / Shutterstock.com

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Tired of being “The Talk of This Town,” Lady A comes through the “Fire” because of 'What a Song Can Do'

Post author By abookbinder
Post date June 25, 2021
No Comments on Tired of being “The Talk of This Town,” Lady A comes through the “Fire” because of 'What a Song Can Do'

Lady A hasn’t said much publicly since shortening their name last year — removing the “Antebellum” reference out of racial sensitivity — only to find that the updated moniker conflicted with another artist, a Black singer, also known as Lady A.

But as their new collection, What a Song Can Do (Chapter One), arrives today, Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley give you a glimpse at what they’re feeling.

“‘Talk of This Town,’ obviously, is about a small town, a relationship,” Charles explains. “But after changing our name…and to feel how something got so twisted in [regards to] our intentions… It was such a hard thing.”

He continues, “You felt like you couldn’t defend yourself or tell your side of the story. I think that was the hardest thing… just feeling like your intentions…are misunderstood.”

Continuing to believe “there’s a purpose to all this,” Hillary took a class in racial diversity, while Charles turned to the writings of Franciscan friar Richard Rohr for guidance.

“Almost every page had something about that you only learn during the dark times and the down times…” Charles reflects. “That’s the only way growth ever really happens. And I started thinking about it and I was like, that’s so true in my life.”

Charles calls “Fire” the track perhaps “most representative of this year for us,” and Hillary seems to agree.

“Not to get super literal with fire,” she adds, “but it’s like, you can either let it burn you up or you can let it refine you.”

Potential legal outcomes aside, it seems clear you can count Lady A among those who’ve come through the fire.

“We leaned on each other so much…” Charles says. “I think we almost bought ourselves more longevity because of going through what we went through.”

Country Daypop

Martina McBride to be honored in new Country Music Hall of Fame Exhibit

Post author By Staff
Post date June 25, 2021
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The Country Music Hall of Fame will celebrate Martina McBride with an exhibition titled Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice, opening July 30, 2021, and running through Aug. 7, 2022. According to a press release, “the exhibit encompasses the singer’s journey from performing in her family’s band as a child to becoming an award-winning country music artist with an enduring career delivering substantive and socially aware hit songs.”

McBride said about the forthcoming exhibition: “Having an exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is something I’ve had on my dream list for a long, long time. Being able to share moments and mementos from my life and career with my fans and country music fans from all over the world is both humbling and exciting. I’m so grateful to be a part of country music.”

McBride has won four CMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards (three consecutively between 2002-2004) and three ACM Top Female Vocalist honors (2001–2003) over her 30 year-long career. In November 1995, she also became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Country Daypop

Carly Pearce invited by Dolly Parton to join Grand Ole Opry

Post author By Staff
Post date June 25, 2021
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31-year-old Carly Pearce received a surprise invitation from country music star and Grand Ole Opry member Dolly Parton to become a member of the Nashville institution. The Grand Ole Opry tweeted: “You’re looking at the next member of the Grand Ole Opry! Official induction date set for August 3!”

As seen in a video, Pearce thought she was giving an interview about Dollywood when Parton surprised her on stage. Pearce captioned the post, “Dreams come true… sometimes even better than you dare to dream. I couldn’t be happier or more honored the be the newest member of the @opry.”

Pearce also wrote on Twitter, “I’ve worked & waited my whole life for that moment right there. What a dream last night was @opry”

Pearce is known for her hit single “Every Little Thing,” “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with Lee Brice, and “Next Girl.” She released her latest EP, titled ’29’, back in February.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com