Month: April 2022

Alabama's Randy Owen contributes his voice to “Hope of Alabama,” the new theme song for The Music of the World Games, which he co-wrote with his daughter Allison and World Games Artistic Director Dr. Henry Panion III. Other country artists singing on the track include Sara Evans, Jamey Johnson and more.

Blake Shelton this week released an acoustic version of “Austin,” his hit debut single from 2001.

Parker McCollum has released an Amazon Original cover of John Mayer's “Perfectly Lonely.” John's original version of the track came out in 2009.

On Friday, Shy Carter released a steamy music video to go along with his country-soul slow jam, “Hurry.“

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Raising children while also managing a busy country music career is no joke.

Fortunately, Mickey Guyton's got a strong support system that “absolutely” includes fellow moms like Carrie Underwood and Maren Morris, the “Black Like Me” star tells People.

“I talk to my friend Maren about it, Carrie Underwood about it,” Mickey explains. “It's just interesting. Once you become a mom, the moms find you. Moms really rally around you because they get it.”

Having that support system is crucial. “You need that support because none of this is easy. It's the greatest, hardest thing you'll ever do,” Mickey adds.

Mickey and her husband, Grant Savoy, are parents to 14-month-old Grayson, and the birth of her son has shifted her perspective entirely.

“I saw kids [and thought], Oh, they're cute. Move on.' Now, I'm like, That's somebody's child.' There's a mom on the other end of that, or dad or two moms on the other end that are important…I just have a whole different respect for mothers.”

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It's been just over two years since Ingrid Andress put out her Grammy-nominated debut album, Lady Like. Now, she's back to kick off album two.

First up off the as-yet-unnamed new project is “Good Person,” a self-reflective song that explores what it means to be “good” — and how to define “goodness” in ourselves and others.

“I wrote Good Person' when I was starting to question a lot of things,” Ingrid explains. “What makes somebody good and what does that look like, and in a world of being so judgmental of other people, what makes you better than them?”

Along with her new song, Ingrid put out a music video that contrasts footage of her dressed in black and waking up in a trash-strewn hotel room against more ethereal clips of her wearing white, against a backdrop of a blue sky.

“With the video, I really wanted to mesh these worlds of light and dark and highlight the parallels between the two,” the singer continues.

As she embarks on a busy summer, including a run as a support act on Keith Urban's 2022 tour, Ingrid says she's got big things in the works.

“Stay tuned fam. This is just the beginning,” Ingrid hints.

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“I Hope” you’ll tune in when Gabby Barrett makes her return to American Idol.

The genre-busting country star came in third on the ABC show in 2018. Since then, she’s scored massive hits with her breakout single, “I Hope” — which was followed by a remix with pop sensation Charlie Puth — and “The Good Ones.”

The latter song is inspired by her husband, Cade Foehner, a fellow top 10 American Idol finalist whom she married in 2019.

Billboard reports that Gabby will return to American Idol as a mentor to this season’s top 14 contestants, in an episode airing April 24.

The show is now in its 20th season, and to celebrate, it's hosting a reunion special this year. Among the alumni returning to the stage are Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina and Laine Hardy. The reunion will air on May 2.

Meanwhile, Gabby's keeping busy on the road: She was just announced as one of the performers at this year's CMA Fest, and she's got tour plans with Brooks & Dunn and Jason Aldean this summer.

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With 10 number-one hits to his name and another — “Never Say Never,” with Lainey Wilson — quickly ascending to the top of the chart, Cole Swindell knows first-hand that songs can change lives.

But when he was making his new album, Stereotype, the power of music took on a whole new meaning for Cole. He got to know his now-girlfriend, Courtney Little, after he asked her to play the role of his love interest in the music video for his song, “Some Habits.”

“That was kind of like our first date,” the singer tells People, admitting that being in an on-screen relationship with someone he didn't yet know well in person was “pretty awkward.” Still, they hit it off, and went out after filming wrapped.

“And we've been together ever since,” Cole continues. “It's a pretty, pretty wild story, but you never know. They say songs are powerful. I feel like now, after meeting her, I can finally check all the boxes.”

Stereotype came out earlier this month.

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There was a time when Dierks Bentley wasn't sure if his Colorado-based music festival, Seven Peaks, would ever return.

Dierks launched Seven Peaks in 2018 and it had its second year in 2019, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After canceling in 2020, Dierks planned to bring it back in 2021, but those plans fell through due to local capacity restrictions in the festival's home of Buena Vista, Colorado.

“To lose two years back to back, it’s hard,” Dierks admits. “And I honestly wasn’t sure whether we were gonna get our shot to do the festival, between that and having to change locations.”

Now, with a new location in Villa Grove, Seven Peaks is making its triumphant return over Labor Day weekend 2022. As always, the lineup will feature some bluegrass-leaning acts and 90s hitmakers, plus the best of today's country star power — including controversial hitmaker Morgan Wallen as a co-headliner, along with Dierks.

Explaining why he chose Morgan to split his headlining duties with him, Dierks says that he's got his eye on Seven Peaks' longevity.

“It only works if you have a guy or girl coming in the night opposite of me that can carry the weight,” he reasons. “Morgan more than carries the weight…[he’s] one of the biggest stars in country music right now, driving the most folks ever out there.”

But Morgan's massive popularity isn't the only reason Dierks selected him as a co-headliner.

“I love his music…it just has a very country feel to it,” he describes. “The instrumentation is beautiful, and of course, great songwriting.”

Passes to Seven Peaks go on sale to the general public April 22.

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