Month: September 2021

Trace Adkins just released the video for “Where the Country Girls At.” The song, which features both Luke Bryan and Pitbull, is from his latest The Way I Wanna Go album.

Mandy Barnett will be the next member of the Grand Ole Opry. The singer, who turned 46 on the day of her invitation, was invited by Connie Smith, who did so by reading her a birthday card asking if she would like to become a member.

Jessie James Decker will release her new EP, The Woman I’ve Become, on October 22. She wrote two of the seven songs on the project, which boasts an impressive list of writers, including Tenille Townes, Sam Ellis, Jordan Reynolds and more.

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Walker Hayes‘ career has had a big, big boost thanks to the viral success of “Fancy Like,” a move that was anything but calculated. The Alabama native is still blown away by how much the song has propelled him and his music, especially now.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen to a 41-year-old dude with a wife, six kids, two dogs and two gerbils,” Walker concedes to People, adding that it’s really geared to the everyday American.

“It’s a love song for people with mortgages and kids,” he says. “That’s it – that’s what we accidentally did. We wrote about everybody who lives in a strip-mall town, and they’re fine with it. And you know what’s cool about it is, that’s me.”

While Walker might be famous, he insists he’s just like the people he’s singing to on “Fancy Like.”

“My wife and I live in a cookie-cutter suburban neighborhood with a ballpark and a Y and some schools and strip malls – Chick-Fil-A, Kroger, Burger King, Waffle House, Applebee’s …We’re obviously like a lot of people, and really, it’s freeing because, wow, there’re more dudes out there like me,” he says.

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If Scotty McCreery and his wife, Gabi, had been home together in 2019, he would have never had his fourth number-one hit, with “You Time.” Scotty just spoke out about the song’s success on Instagram, after spending more than a year off the road with his adoring spouse.

“2.5 years ago our lives were as busy as ever,” he wrote. “I was on the road, and you were working at the hospital. For a couple that had just been married, it seemed like we never got to see each other. So on March 6th, 2019 I wrote a song called ‘You Time’ about how I wanted the world to slow down so we could spend more time together (I really didn't mean for the universe to take that song so literally..).”

While Scotty calls the pandemic “awful,” he’s grateful for the time he and Gabi spent together.

“One of the silver linings has been being able to actually spend every day together so young in our marriage,” he adds. “I never thought we would get that time until we were both retired.”

“You Time” is from Scotty’s new Same Truck album.

 

 

 

 

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New music is coming from Blake Shelton! The singer just announced a new single, “Come Back As a Country Boy,” out on Friday, October 1. The song will be part of Blake’s new Body Language Deluxe album, which will be released on December 3.

“I think this song is an anthem for everyday hardworking country people out there,” Blake says of the song. written by Michael Hardy, Josh Thompson and Jordan Schmidt. “We have so much pride in who we are and what we do that, if we ever died and got the chance to live life over again, we probably wouldn't do it if we couldn't be country.”

Body Language includes Blake’s recent #1 hit, “Happy Anywhere,” with his wife, Gwen Stefani. A track list for the new album has not yet been released.

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After the success of his number-one hit, “We Didn’t Have Much,” Justin Moore is back with another single. The Arkansas native dropped a snippet of his new single, “With a Woman You Love,” on social media. The song will be out on Friday, September 30.

“I think this song speaks to guys like me, or even my buddies, who used to have a wild side and said they'd never be that guy who does this or that, holding a purse, having a little dog sleep in the bed, etc.,” Justin says. “Until you find the woman you love, then it all changes. For the better!

“Hope y'all enjoy this song, and can relate to finding that special person,” he adds.

“With a Woman You Love” is from an upcoming new album. Justin’s latest record, Straight Outta the Country, was released in April.

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Chris Young doesn’t know where he would be without music education, and he doesn’t want to know. The Tennessee native has been an outspoken advocate of promoting music education in schools, largely because he knows how influential his education in his early years helped inspire his own successful career.

“The reason I'm so passionate about music in schools is that's one of the first things that gets cut and people don't think it's very important,” Chris tells Nashville Lifestyles. “But it is important. It's just not always top of mind.”

Even for those who don’t want to pursue a music career like he did, the Grand Ole Opry member says music education is invaluable in young people.

“That is a way for kids to not only express themselves,” Chris says. “But even if it doesn't become their job, it's a really great way for some kids to learn … It's been proven statistically – and in the real world – that having music as an option in schools only betters [students]. Period.”

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