Month: September 2021

Hardy is ready to keep the Hixtape train rolling with Hixtape: Vol. 2, comprised of 14 new songs featuring more than 30 country artists. A new song will be shared each Friday, beginning tomorrow.   

Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Jimmie Allen, Jake Owen, Lee Brice and Matt Stellare among the many collaborators Hardy worked with on the new project, which sees him performing on six songs, while his fellow artists take on the rest. 

Midland, Justin Moore, Lainey Wilson, Chris Lane and Travis Denning are among the many other names who appear. The first track, which arrives Friday, is titled “Hometown Boys” and features Dierks and Matt.

“I am beyond excited about this release. I think it’s really the first one that’s going to truly introduce what HIXTAPE is all about, how it can take on a life of its own, and just be the first original country mixtape with all different artists,” Hardy explains. “I think the songs are great and everybody involved from the singers to the songwriters to the Big Loud family are some of my favorite people in the world. I’m just happy to be part of such a cool project and I have really high hopes for it.” 

Hardy dropped Hixtape: Vol. 1 in 2019. That album included the chart-topping hit “One Beer” with Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson. 

The new series concludes with a final song release on December 10. 

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CBS is throwing a country music-filled New Year’s Eve bash. 

To ring in 2022, CBS is presenting New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash featuring performances by Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini,Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett. Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Brooks & Dunn, Elle King, Cole Swindell and Zac Brown Band also slated to perform.  

The five-hour show will see the stars taking the stage at multiple locations across Music City in nearly 50 performances, including Dan + Shay, Dierks and Zac Brown Band headlining at Bicentennial Capitol Mall. 

The new year will officially be rung in when Nashville’s signature music note drops at midnight.  

Additional artists will be announced in the coming days. The star-studded event airs at 8 p.m. ET on December 31 on CBS and will be available to stream on Paramount+.

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Dan + Shay are looking back on their humble beginnings ahead of their arena tour launch. 

As the Grammy-winning duo of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney prepares to embark on the new leg of The (Arena) Tour, they’re sharing a throwback video from their debut show as a duo. The video shows them performing at a venue in Austin, Texas, Dan on guitar and Shay taking lead vocals, revealing in the caption that the audience contained fewer than five people.

“We were just two songwriters who loved country music and wanted to sing for whoever would listen, so we hopped in a car and drove through the night to get there. Almost 10 years later and we still feel the exact same passion and excitement for what we get to do,” they say in the caption. 

“We're so grateful that y'all have stuck with us on the journey and gotten us where we are today. Playing arenas has always been a dream of ours, and after a slight year-and-a-half detour, IT'S FINALLY HERE,” they add. “We're infinitely grateful for each and every one of you and can't wait to say thank you in person.” 

The (Arena) Tour was originally scheduled to take place in 2020. Dan + Shay performed three shows before the tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour resumes tonight in Greenville, South Carolina and continues until December.

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There’s nothing like waking up to the news of multiple 2021 CMA Awards nominations, which Luke Combs got to experience Thursday. 

Luke is up for the night’s biggest honor, Entertainer of the Year, along with Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year, for “Forever After All.” 

The superstar singer turned to social media to thank everyone who made the nominations possible, including his team members and fellow co-writers. 

“WOW. What an amazing thing to wake up to. Thank you @CountryMusic Association for the consideration,” Luke declares, acknowledging “Forever After All” co-writers Drew Parker and Rob Williford. “Shout out to my team, my band & crew, my beautiful wife, my family, and last but not least, the FANS.” 

“Forever After All,” which was inspired by Luke’s wife, Nicole, was an instant success following its 2020 debut, leaping to the #2 slot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 behind Ariana Grande‘s “Positions.” It also reached the pinnacle spot on the Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts. 

Luke ties with Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris and Chris Young, who also have three nominations apiece. Eric Church and Chris Stapleton lead all nominees, with five each, including Entertainer of the Year.

The 2021 CMA Awards premiere on November 10 on ABC.

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Gabby Barrett got the best wake-up call on Thursday morning with the announcement of the CMA Awards nominations. 

The newcomer is the most nominated female act at the awards show and the second-most nominated overall, scoring four nods in the categories of New Artist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Single of the Year and Song of the Year, for “The Good Ones.”  

The hitmaker and her husband, Cade Foehner, along with their nine-month-old daughter, Baylah, woke up early on the tour bus for the occasion, with Gabby learning the news from an early-morning phone call from her manager. 

“Most nominated female, are you kidding me?!” she squeals in an Instagram video, shaking with excitement. “Thank y’all so much. I was feeling a little bit tired this morning getting on the road, but that just woke me up and made me feel better.” 

Joking about the couple’s “morning hair and swollen faces,” Gabby profusely thanked the country industry for being “so kind” to her songs “The Good Ones” and breakthrough hit “I Hope.”

“I am so excited…I am just blown away,” she concludes the video, adding in the caption, “CANT HANDLE IT!!!!!! Thank you is an understatement. 4 CMA nominations. Dream come true. God is gracious.”

The CMA Awards air on ABC on November 10.

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Carly Pearce has crossed a major career threshold with her two nominations at the 2021 CMA Awards. 

Carly is nominated for the first time for Female Vocalist of the Year, alongside Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Gabby Barrett and Ashley McBryde.

She’s also a first-time nominee for the coveted Album of the Year award for her critically acclaimed 29. Carly’s the only woman in nominated the category, a point she acknowledged in a celebratory post after the nominations were unveiled.

“ALBUM OF THE YEAR NOMINEE. To see 29 recognized like this, it blows me away,” she writes on Twitter. “To be the only woman in the category, well, that speaks to the hunger people have for real life… even when it's the tough stuff.” 

“To be included this year with so many incredible peers and vocalists makes me feel like people can hear the truth I try to carry in my voice. I am so honored,” she adds of her Female Vocalist of the Year nod. 

Carly took home her first CMA win in 2020 for Musical Event of the Year for “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” featuring Lee Brice. 

The CMA Awards air on November 10 on ABC.

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Sam Hunt remains “23” in his new single. 

The sweet song finds Sam observing “real love” and “real life” as he reflects on a relationship when he was 23 years old, a moment frozen in time. Throughout the song, the singer reflects on the former couple’s first trip to New Orleans and a visit to Folly Beach while looking ahead to the future, imagining his past love working at an office job and longing for their past adventures.

Though the singer tells his lover that she’s free to move on in life, the two will always have the memories made together when they were 23. 

“No matter where I go/No matter what I do/I’ll never be 23 with anyone but you/You can marry who you want/Go back to Tennessee/But you’ll never be 23/With anyone but me,” Sam professes over a summery guitar melody. 

“23” is Sam’s first single since “Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90s” topped the country charts earlier this year. He also released an acoustic version of “23,” recorded at Ocean Way studio in Nashville.

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Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood shine in spite of heartbreak in the video for “If I Didn’t Love You.”

The visual follows Jason as he sits alone in an empty house, the remaining items covered in white sheets to hide the memories of a past love. Meanwhile, his duet partner finds him singing inside the lavish Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, where the two belt out the song onstage between clips of Jason bringing some music back into the house again, letting out his emotions as he plays the piano. 

“Carrie was made for this song, but also for this video,” Jason says in a statement. “I’m glad that she was down to get together to make it. It's something that turned out a little outside of what I’d normally do, which is always cool.”

“If I Didn’t Love You” is racing up the charts, currently inside the top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and the top 15 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

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Reigning Entertainer of the Year Eric Church is tied for the most nominations at the upcoming 55th Annual CMA Awards, alongside Chris Stapleton, who’ll compete for the night’s biggest honor as well. Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood round out this year’s contenders for Entertainer.

Female Vocalist nominee Gabby Barrett grabs four nods, while Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Miranda, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris and Chris Young all nabbed three.

Miranda also maintains her impressive streak as the most-nominated female artist in CMA history, with 58 total. That puts her neck-in-neck with Brad Paisley for the third-most all-time nods overall.

Perhaps the most interesting nomination of 2021 comes with the return of Morgan Wallen, who’s nominated for Album of the Year, for Dangerous: The Double Album, which happens to be music’s best-selling project in any genre this year. 

Though Morgan has been widely dropped from country radio and awards shows since being caught using a racial slur earlier this year, the CMA opted not to exclude him, which would’ve taken his collaborators out of the running as well. Producers Dave Cohen, Matt Dragstrem, Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome and Joey Moi could therefore take home trophies as well.

The 55th Annual CMA Awards air Wednesday, November 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. So far, the Country Music Association hasn’t revealed who’ll host this year’s show. 

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Thursday morning, the Country Music Association revealed the nominees for the 55th Annual CMA Awards.

Chris Stapleton and Eric Church lead all nominees, with five nods each, including Entertainer of the Year.  Gabby Barrett has the second-highest number of nominations, with four, including Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year.

The CMA Awards will air Wednesday, November 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.  Here’s a complete rundown of the contenders: 

Entertainer of the Year
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood

Single of the Year
“Famous Friends” — Chris Young with Kane Brown
“The Good Ones” — Gabby Barrett
“Hell of a View” — Eric Church
“One Night Standards” — Ashley McBryde
“Starting Over” — Chris Stapleton

Album of the Year
29 — Carly Pearce
Dangerous: The Double Album — Morgan Wallen
Heart — Eric Church
Skeletons — Brothers Osborne
Starting Over — Chris Stapleton

Song of the Year
“Forever After All” — Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Robert Williford
“The Good Ones” — Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis, Jim McCormick
“Hell of a View” — Casey Beathard, Eric Church, Monty Criswell
“One Night Standards” — Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde
“Starting Over” — Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton 

Female Vocalist of the Year
Gabby Barrett
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris
Carly Pearce

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton

Vocal Group of the Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

Musical Event of the Year
“Buy Dirt” — Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan
“Chasing After You” — Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” — Elle King & Miranda Lambert
“Famous Friends” — Chris Young with Kane Brown
“half of my hometown” — Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)

Music Video of the Year
“Chasing After You” — Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Famous Friends” — Chris Young with Kane Brown
“Gone” — Dierks Bentley
“half of my hometown” — Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)
“Younger Me” — Brothers Osborne

New Artist of the Year
Jimmie Allen
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Mickey Guyton
HARDY

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