Both Dolly Parton‘s classic “Hard Candy Christmas” and her more recent collab “Faith” with Galantis and Mr. Probz have been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Josh Turner kicks off the Long Black Train 20th Anniversary Tour March 4 in Dothan, Alabama, commemorating the two-decade anniversary of his breakthrough song.
You can check out Tyler Hubbard‘s birthday-morning performance of his latest hit, “Dancin’ in the Country,” Tuesday on ABC’s GMA.
It’s been a big week for HARDY, whose sophomore album just made an impressive debut at #4 on the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart.
the mockingbird & THE CROW also managed to land at #1 on seven of the publication’s other tallies: Top Country Albums, Top Album Sales, Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Current Album Sales and Independent Albums.
HARDY’s second record does have a bit of an edge when it comes to expanding his horizons: it’s half country and half rock, so it qualifies for some charts that a straight-up Nashville album ordinarily wouldn’t.
“It’s just beyond every expectation that we ever had,” he says. “To have the #1 album in both country and rock at the same time is so crazy and validating. I’m grateful to country and rock radio, our partners, everyone for embracing these songs and this record. Most of all, thank you to the fans for getting it and responding like this, it means the world to me.”
Meanwhile, HARDY’s country single “Wait in the Truck” with Lainey Wilson just broke into the top 10.
The cover of Morgan Wallen‘s new album shows him standing outside his late grandmother’s house in his hometown of Sneedville, Tennessee.
“My Mamaw Boots helped raise me,” he explains. “I had such a special bond with her, so I wanted to honor her with this new record.”
Morgan also showcases some of his other influences on One Thing at a Time, which arrives March 3: he works The Allman Brothers‘ “Midnight Rider” into the track “Everything I Love” and samples Young Thug‘s “Lifestyle” on “180 (Lifestyle).”
Quite a few cuts from the gargantuan 36-song album are already out: “Last Night,”“Everything I Love” and “I Wrote the Book” came out Monday. The record also includes Morgan’s chart-topping “You Proof,” as well as his top-five “Thought You Should Know.”
Their name already includes the word run, so who better to play for a marathon than Runaway June?
The “Buy My Own Drinks” hitmakers will be the post-race entertainment Saturday, April 22, after the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Nashville. The music will go from 10:30 a.m. CT until noon just outside Music City’s Nissan Stadium.
Last year Runaway June released their latest single, “Broken Hearts Do Broken Things,” as well as the new holiday song “Cowboy for Christmas” with new lead singer Stevie Woodward. Just last week Natalie Stovallrevealed she’d been in the hospital, but is now on the mend from serious fibroid surgery. Meanwhile, group founder Jennifer Wayne‘s busy with her daughter Lily Maria, who’ll be 1 in April.
Of course, the race raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Memphis nonprofit founded by comedian Danny Thomas that works to cure childhood diseases – and famously never gives families a bill.
Right now, the future location of Garth Brooks‘ Friends in Low Places honky-tonk is simply a souvenir shop that sells memorabilia from the superstar and his wife, Trisha Yearwood. But the kitchen seems to be getting closer to opening, he shared on Monday night’s edition of Inside Studio G.
“Get ready! The first round of menus came out just last week,” Garth revealed. “The whole eatin' thing's what it's all about! Got a lot of good options.”
He also reminded folks to bring their good vibes when they come visit the spot along the famous Nashville strip known as Lower Broadway.
“We're getting that place lined up for people who like to eat [and] drink. Hopefully what we're getting the place lined up for [is] people who like to come there and have fun and treat other people with respect while they're doing it,” he added. “This oughta be pretty cool.”
If you want to be among the first to know what’s happening with Garth’s new Music City honky-tonk, you can sign up for updates at FriendsBarNashville.com.
The Memphis Police Department said a seventh police officer has been relieved of duty regarding the Jan. 7 death of Tyre Nichols. In a statement, the seventh officer was not identified, and it was not indicated whether that person would face departmental or criminal charges.
The department had previously confirmed that a sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, had been relieved of duty, saying: “Officer Preston Hemphill and other officers’ actions and inactions have been and continue to be part of an investigation since its inception” on Jan. 8, the day after Nichols’ traffic stop and the day all seven officers were relieved of duty. The statement added that “numerous” impending charges are developing: “We expect the next phase of personnel actions in the coming days … Hemphill’s actions and involvement has been under investigation as he participated in the initial traffic stop and the use of a TASER.”
In addition, three members of the Memphis Fire Department were fired after an investigation concluded they violated department policies when they responded to the scene. The department announced on Monday that EMTs Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge, as well as Lt. Michelle Whitaker, were fired following an internal investigation. Fire Chief Gina Sweat said in a statement that the department received a call from police to respond to a report of a person who had been pepper-sprayed, and that the workers arrived while Nichols was handcuffed and leaning up against a squad car. Long and Sandridge, based on the nature of the call and information they were told by police, “failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols.” An investigation determined that all three violated “numerous” policies and protocols.
Editorial credit: Christopher V Jones / Shutterstock.com
On Monday, a federal appellate court rejected a bankruptcy filing from Johnson & Johnson, in an attempt to protect itself from thousands of lawsuits claiming its talcum-based powder causes cancer. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the pharmaceutical giant erred when it put its subsidiary LTL Management into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. J&J created the subsidiary in 2021 to specifically handle the thousands of lawsuits against its baby powder. The court ruled “only a putative debtor in financial distress” is able to file for bankruptcy protection. Monday’s ruling means the subsidiary is ineligible to file for bankruptcy protection from some 38,000 lawsuits. Had it ruled differently, the majority of lawsuits against the company would have been protected from financial penalty.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by Johnson & Johnson in June 2021, letting a lower court verdict stand and awarding nearly $2.1 billion to a group of 22 women in a class action lawsuit. The women contended the talcum powder contained asbestos and was the cause of their ovarian cancer. Overall, the company faces costs of about $3.5 billion related to verdicts and settlements.
The Jersey-based company originally said in 2020 that it was discontinuing the talc-based baby powder product, amid the thousands of claims filed by customers in North America alleging it causes ovarian cancer and other illnesses. J&J then said last August it would end sales of the product at some point this year. Johnson & Johnson said in a statement Monday: “As we have said from the beginning of this process, resolving this matter as quickly and efficiently as possible is in the best interests of claimants and all stakeholders. We continue to stand behind the safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder, which is safe, does not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.”
“It Matters to Her” is Scotty McCreery‘s sixth top 25 hit in a row. In fact, his five previous hits have all topped the chart, starting with 2017’s “Five More Minutes.”
But this one in particular is a nod to his wife, Gabi, whom he married in 2018. Last October, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Avery.
“This was a song that I loved writing, and I love the message behind it,” Scotty says of the latest single from his album Same Truck. “And when I first got the demo back, I was in the gym.”
“And I typically have a playlist going for the gym,” he continues, “but I just listened to this one on repeat for like 20 times before I was done. I was like, ‘Man, I really love it. Gotta get it on the record!'”
As you might expect, Mrs. McCreery is a fan of the song, too.
“I played it for Gabi and she loved it, as well,” Scotty recalls. “She particularly liked one line and that was the ‘shut up and listen to what she has to say’ line. She was like, ‘Now that’s a winner right there!’ So she did love the song for sure.”
Scotty’s currently on the Damn Strait Tour, named for his previous #1. Later this year, he hits the road with Brooks & Dunn on the Reboot trek.
Jake Owen is sharing his latest single “My Boots Miss Yours,” written by Blake Bollinger, Brad Clawson, and Brett Sheroky and produced by Joey Moi. Owen says of the track: “It’s a new year, so it’s only appropriate that we put out some new music to go with it. I’ve loved this song from the moment I heard it; excited to finally share it with you today.”
To celebrate the release of the new song, Owen has partnered with Lucchese to give away an engraved pair of boots, four tickets to any of his 2023 headlining shows with meet and greet passes, and a Jake Owen-autographed guitar. Check out Owen’s Instagram for more details.
