Month: March 2022

There’s many reasons for Carly Pearce to be excited about the ACM Awards, but perhaps the biggest one is that her idol, Dolly Parton, is co-hosting. 

As a teenager, Carly and her family moved from their native Kentucky to Pigeon Forge, TN, where she became a performer at Dollywood, an experience that trained the “Every Little Thing” singer for her future success.  

“Dolly Parton has always been a huge inspiration in my life ever since I was a little girl,” Carly tells Hello! magazine. “She has taught me so much over the years from her kindness and the way she treats others, to her incredible songwriting and her ability to speak from the heart in all of her songs. Her impact on myself and country music as a whole is something I'll always cherish.”

The country legend is co-hosting the 57th annual ceremony with Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett, where Carly is nominated for four of the night’s awards: Album of the Year for 29: Written in Stone, Female Artist of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Video of the Year, the latter two for her duet with Ashley McBryde on “Never Wanted to Be That Girl.”  

Carly and Ashley will perform the track when the ACM Awards air live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video.

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As he gears up for the 2022 ACM Awards, Chris Young is looking forward to a great memory in the making. He's the most-nominated artist at tonight's awards show, with seven nominations in total.

Several of those mentions come courtesy of “Famous Friends,” his chart-topping duet with Kane Brown, which was the most-played country radio song of 2021. Chris' nods are spread over four categories, with double nominations in three of those, thanks to his role as a producer on the song.

“It's just been such a wild journey with that song,” Chris notes ahead of the show. “Obviously, we're sitting there hoping it blows up and does really well, but you never know that it's gonna be the most-played song of the year, and get the most nominations. It's just a lot to celebrate, and to be able to share that with a good friend is pretty cool.”

Chris is a dark horse at the ceremony: If he wins in any of the categories in which he's nominated, it'll be his first ACM trophy ever.

“Just absolutely amazing,” he marvels, when he thinks back on all the ACM recognition he's received this year. “And getting to perform on that stage and make a memory at Allegiant [Stadium.]”

Playing at this year's ACMs venue in Las Vegas is another first for Chris, he adds. “I've actually never been there before. So my first memory, that's gonna be a really cool awards show,” he says.

The ACMs will stream at 8 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video. Dolly Parton is hosting the show, along with Gabby Barrett and Jimmie Allen.

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Brothers Osborne reclaimed their status as Vocal Duo of the Year at the CMAs last November, beating out Dan + Shay — a group who'd previously won the award two years in a row.

But can the brother duo repeat their success at the 2022 ACM Awards? Dan + Shay have had a tight grip on the ACMs Duo of the Year title ever since the Brothers last won in 2018.

“I hope so!” TJ Osborne says cheerfully. “We haven't yet been back, coming back on an ACM. But that's the plan.”

The brothers and band mates joke that they're visualizing a win ahead of the big night — so much so that they left a little extra room for a trophy in their luggage. “I packed a little light this time, left a little room in my suitcase,” TJ adds.

But the competition between the duos is all in good fun. In fact, TJ's joking about his extra trophy space, too.

“That's also a total lie!” He clarifies, admitting that he might even have overpacked for his trip to Vegas. “I was, like, jamming that thing together.”

The 2022 ACM Awards are streaming tonight on Amazon Prime Video beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Dolly Parton will co-host the event with Gabby Barrett and Jimmie Allen, live from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

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Maren Morris is set to take her new album, Humble Quest, on a headlining tour. 

The superstar will hit the road for roughly five months, beginning in June. Along the way, she’ll make stops at Red Rocks Amphitheater, the Greek Theatre, and the famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The 41-date tour wraps on December 2 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. 

Maren is bringing a crew of Americana artists with her as opening acts including Ruston Kelly, The Highwomen costar Natalie Hemby, Brittney Spencer, Joy Oladokun, Brent Cobb and Lone Bellow. 

“Oh, how I've missed you. I can't wait to see you out under the stars,” Maren shares.

This serves as her first tour since GIRL: The World Tour in 2019. She was supposed to headline RSVP: The Tour in 2021, but it was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Maren’s third studio album, Humble Quest, will be released on March 25. Its lead single, “Circles Around This Town,” is climbing the top 30 on country radio.

Tickets go on sale to the public on March 11 at 10 a.m. local time. Visit Maren’s website for a full list of dates. 

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These days, Jason Aldean is celebrating the release of Macon, Georgia, a double album and the 10th full-length project of his career.

The star is one of country music's veterans, with a total of 14 ACM trophies — including three Entertainer of the Year wins — under his belt. But he still remembers how he first got to know the awards show as a fan, when he was a little kid.

“I remember when this show would come on at my house as a kid,” Jason tells ABC Audio. “It was a big deal. Big night. We didn't have YouTube and all these things to go and watch our artists whenever we wanted to. That was a chance for us to see them on live TV, that one time of year.”

Seeing artists like George Strait and Garth Brooks on the big stage also spurred on a then-young Jason hoping to pursue country music. Now, Jason's paying it forward, returning to the stage as one of the genre's biggest stars himself.

“[To] get to come back and be part of that legacy, to me, is just so cool,” he continues.

“Sometimes I don't even know how I got here,” Jason reflects. “But I'm just thankful to get a chance to be here and be around as long as I have been.”

Jason is a three-time nominee at tonight's show, and he's also performing. The 2022 ACMs air tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video. Dolly Parton is co-hosting the show with Gabby Barrett and Jimmie Allen.

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Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney have ascended to #1 on the country charts with “Half of My Hometown,” and it’s got Kelsea all in her feels. 

The personal song chronicles Kelsea’s upbringing in Knoxville, TN and marks her seventh #1 hit on country radio, and Kenny’s 35th. 

To celebrate its success, Kelsea posted a sincere reflection on Instagram about why “Hometown” is her “favorite” among her hits. “Sometimes leaving is the only way you understand the importance of where you're from. If you want to know more about yourself, go back and find it. Wherever you put your roots down, honor them. Water them. It doesn't have to look like your neighbors,” she shares in a series of bullet points. 

“My years in Knoxville shaped my creativity, my drive, and my sense of self. I wouldn't be doing this had I grown up anywhere else,” she continues. “Leaving at 15 to go chase this dream down was the hardest and best decision I’ve ever made.” 

Kelsea goes on to praise her duet partner and fellow Knoxville native, recalling how she used to listen to Kenny’s 1996 cover of “Back Where I Come From” in her parents’ Jeep growing up. “@kennychesney you showed up in every way for this song and have become such a friend and brother through it,” Kelsea praised, also thanking country radio, her team and co-writers Shane McAnally, Nicolle Galyon, Ross Copperman and Jimmy Robbins. 

“Half of My Hometown” is nominated for Music Event of the Year at the ACM Awards, airing Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video.

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The search for the next American Idol continued Sunday night, with host Ryan Seacrest and judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie leading the hunt.

Here are some of the night’s highlights, which include giving away the second out of three coveted Platinum tickets for the milestone season 20.

Kicking things off was 27-year-old Betty Maxwell, who some might recognize as Miss Georgia 2015 and Miss America 2016. Now, she’s after the American Idol crown, and after singing Kelly Clarkson‘s “A Moment Like This” and Carrie Underwood‘s “Jesus Take The Wheel,” she’s well on her way with a ticket to Hollywood. 

Leah Marlene, 20, from Illinois admittedly has some “questionable fashion choices” but the judges didn’t have to question anything when it came to whether or not they were sending her through to the next round. She performed One Direction‘s “Steal My Girl” and Katy even drew a comparison to former Idol contestant Catie Turner, who made it to season 16’s top seven.

Unfortunately, the same fate wasn’t in the cards for 17-year-old Skylie Thompson, who shared an original song called “Buckle Bunny” followed by a cover of Zach Bryan‘s “Oklahoma City.”  Although the trio of judges enjoyed her energy and performance, they ultimately sent home with an optimistic “not yet.”

Luke Taylor‘s deep voice took the judges by surprise. After having a few laughs, which included him singing “Frosty the Snowman,” Luke and Lionel voted him through to Hollywood. 

Kenedi Anderson, 17, took home a Platinum ticket, impressing the judges with her rendition of Lady Gaga‘s “Applause.” She had the judges praising her, even saying she was “born to be a star” and top ten material. 

Other notable auditions included, 18-year-old Kelsie Dolan, who was praised by the judges for hitting “no bad notes” after taking a swing at Kelly Clarkson’s “Piece by Piece,” and Adele‘s “When We Were Young.” 

Mike Parker, 27, sang his heart out as his family grapples with his mother’s health issues. He sung Deana Carter‘s “Strawberry Wine” and had Katy saying he’s potential “Top 24.” Also winning the judges compliments was Christian Guardino, singing Donnie Hathaway‘s “A Song For You” and Lady K, who took a stab at Katy’s song “Wide Awake.” Both had the judges saying that they’re “magic.”

The auditions continue when American Idol returns Sunday, March 13 at 8 p.m ET on ABC.

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