Month: July 2021

Categories
Go Country 105

Jameson Rodgers to headline Cold Beer Calling My Name Tour

abc-rss-feed-20210727092629

Jameson Rodgers has a cold beer calling his name on the road. 

Next month, Jameson will embark on his headlining Cold Beer Calling My Name Tour, a 27-date trek launching on August 6 in Ohio. The tour marks his first headlining show in New York City with a performance at Bowery Ballroom on October 13.

Along the way, he’ll make stops at the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, The Blue Note in Columbia, Missouri, Mohegan Sun Wolf Den in Connecticut and more. The tour concludes just before Christmas with a two-night run at famed Nashville club, Exit/In, on December 16 and 17.   

Brandon Lay, Jordan Rowe, Drew Parker, Drew Green, Hunter Phelps and singer-songwriter Sarah Allison Turner, who’s also Jameson’s fiancé, will serve as opening acts.

“I've waited 11 years to have a tour of my own like this one. Having my fiancé and some of my best friends opening the shows make it so much sweeter. This will be one to remember,” Jameson shares in a statement.

The Cold Beer Calling My Name tour is named after Jameson’s current top-15 single, featuring Luke Combs. Tickets go on sale Friday. Visit Jameson’s website for a full list of dates.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

“A perfect day”: Brett Young and wife Taylor share pictures from baby sprinkle

abc-rss-feed-20210727080351

Brett Young and his wife Taylor were honored with a baby sprinkle as they prepare for their second child to arrive. 

Taylor recently shared photos from the gathering in April during a family trip to Brett’s native California. A series of snaps show Taylor in a pale pink dress posing with family members at a backyard party at the Sands Hotel & Spa in Palm Desert.

One photo displays a sweet cake with a beautiful pink flower adorned on top, while another pair of shots show the country star holding one-year-old daughter Presley as Taylor cradles her baby bump. 

“Reminiscing about the most special baby sprinkle that my sweet sister and mom surprised me with while we were in California. Baby girl #2 and I felt so loved. Just missing a few important friends and family but otherwise it was a perfect day,” Taylor captions the post. 

The couple announced they were expecting their second child in January, and Brett revealed it was a baby girl during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in March. The baby is due sometime this summer.  

This fall, the “Mercy” singer will embark on The Weekends Tour, kicking off with a two-night stay at Billy Bob’s Texas September 11 and 12.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

Country star trivia

abc-rss-feed-20210727080000

On this day in 1942, this original singer of “Fancy,” also known for hits “Ode to Billie Joe” and a cover of “All I Have to Do Is Dream” featuring Glen Campbell, was born in Mississippi. Can you guess who it is? ANSWER: Bobbie Gentry. 

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

Christmas in July: Carrie Underwood announces 'My Gift (Special Edition)'

abc-rss-feed-20210727070000

Carrie Underwood has a new Gift to offer fans. The superstar singer is releasing a deluxe edition of her 2020 debut Christmas album, My Gift, on September 24. 

My Gift (Special Edition) will include three new tracks: “Favorite Time of Year,” which was originally released in as an Amazon Original and featured in Ring’s holiday commercial; a cover of Michael W. Smith‘s “All is Well”; and a mashup of Carrie’s holiday original “Let There Peace” and hit song, “Something in the Water.” 

“My Gift is an album I've wanted to make from the beginning of my career. It's been such a blessing to share this special music and I'm excited to share even more with the release of My Gift (Special Edition),” Carrie says. 

The trio of new songs join other holiday classics on the standard edition, including “O Holy Night,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “The Little Drummer Boy,” which features an appearance from Carrie’s son, Isaiah, and more. Carrie also collaborated with John Legend on “Hallelujah.”

My Gift reached #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums, Top Christian Albums and Top Holiday Albums charts following its release. It also peaked inside the top five on the all-genre Billboard 200.  

My Gift (Special Edition) will also be available on vinyl on November 5.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
News Daypop

Department of Veterans Affairs mandates COVID-19 vaccine for medical employees

shutterstock_1702125181

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs announced on Monday that it will mandate COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare personnel. The VA secretary said in an announcement the mandate applies to Title 38 VA healthcare personnel, such as physicians, nurses, dentists and chiropractors, “who work in Veterans Health Administration facilities, visit VHA facilities or provide direct care to those VA serves.” The mandate gives each of them up to eight weeks to become fully vaccinated. It’s the first such mandate at a federal agency in the United States.

The announcement comes on the same day over 50 major healthcare groups advocated for employers mandating COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers. Both moves come after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky comes recently warned that COVID-19 was becoming “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” The CDC chief explained that there was a rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths due to the Delta variant, especially among the unvaccinated population.

Editorial credit: Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

President Biden says US combat mission in Iraq will conclude by end of year

shutterstock_1825245746

President Joe Biden said at the White House on Monday alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi that the United States’ combat mission in Iraq will be over by the end of this year. Biden told reporters in the Oval Office the U.S. focus in Iraq will shift to an advisory one before 2021 is over, saying, “I think things are going well. Our role in Iraq will be to be available to continue to train, to assist to help, and to deal with ISIS as it arrives. But we’re not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat mission.”

Biden’s announcement came as al-Kahdhimi visited the White House to talk about the continued presence of U.S. troops in the country, and possibly changing their role. The U.S. military presence in Iraq, which dates to former President George W. Bush, hit a crossroads in January 2020 when a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, leader of that country’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, while he was in Iraq.

Categories
Go Country 105

Nashville notes

abc-rss-feed-20210727030000

Little Big Town‘s “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” has been certified platinum. The group was surprised with a plaque during a performance on the Grand Ole Opry. 

Jimmie Allen is teaming up with country newcomer Ashley Cooke on her new song “Good Goodbye,” out on August 6. Ashley will release her debut EP, Already Drank That Beer, on August 27.

Crystal Gayle will receive the Bill Anderson Icon Award at the fifth annual Love from Music City Gala on October 5.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Country Daypop

Scotty McCreery to release new album ‘Same Truck’

shutterstock_654189361

Scotty McCreery announced on social media he will be releasing his new 12-track album “Same Truck” on September 17th.

Following the positive fan reaction to his new song “Why You Gotta Be Like That”, Scotty decided to move up the album announcement, saying, “It’s gratifying to learn that my fans are so excited about my upcoming new album that they sought out pre-order information before it was ready to be announced….and got it. Thanks to Triple Tigers and the retailers for coming together quickly so we could make this official album announcement. I can’t wait to share this music with everyone.”

Scotty shared: “My last album was about me as a young man getting ready to get married. Same Truck is me three years later, taking a moment to acknowledge where I am now as a 27-year-old, happily married man, sharing both what I’ve learned and where I want to go.”

You can take a listen to “Why Gotta Be Like That” – here.

You can pre-order/save “Same Truck” – here.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Cole Swindell celebrates his tenth No. 1 hit “Single Saturday Night”

shutterstock_1450943360

Cole Swindell is celebrating his 10th No. 1 hit with “Single Saturday Night,” which has earned more than 122 million streams since its release.

Swindell shared about the song: “I knew it was something I wanted to record. I was missing the road and the live shows and wanted my fans to have new music from me. Once we put it out, their reaction was so big it pushed us to release it to country radio. I can’t thank country radio, the fans, and my team enough for making this my 10th No. 1 song. Still hard to believe! I can’t wait to see everyone out on the road.”

“Single Saturday Night” is the first single released after Swindell’s previous album All of It, which featured the hit songs “Break Up In The End” and “Love You Too Late.” He is also scheduled to open for Thomas Rhett on his Center Point Road Tour, which launches Aug. 20 in Bangor, Maine.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Lil Nas X responds to controversy over his ‘Industry Baby’ music video

shutterstock_1998636191

Lil Nas X’s new video for “Industry Baby” portrays the rapper three months into a five-year stint in Montero State Prison, where he dances naked in the shower before escaping with the help of featured artist Jack Harlow. Nas also posted a teaser ahead of the music video that shows him in court over a fictitious Nike case regarding his infamous “Satan Shoes” (which were actually recalled as part of a settlement with the label).

The “Industry Baby” video has obviously sparked controversy. Harlow said that he was “honored to be a part” of the video, writing; “Nas wrote the whole treatment for this video and I followed his lead every step of the way. If he had asked me to be in that shower scene I woulda been in that shower scene. I just let the mastermind cook.”

Nas also responded to a tweet that took aim at his sexuality, comparing him to artists “who happen to be gay” (Freddie Mercury, Elton John, and more) and claiming he’s an “industry plant created for pure shock value”. Said Nas: “Many, if not all, of these artists had to hide their sexuality for majority of their career. You seem to only respect gay artists when the gay part is tucked away. you don’t like me because i embrace my sexuality instead of hiding it and never speaking on it for your comfort.”

Watch the controversial ‘NSFW” video for “Industry Baby” – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com