Month: June 2023

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Go Country 105

Lauren Alaina gets 'Unlocked' with new EP

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Lauren Alaina‘s getting some help from her superstar friends on her first new collection of music since changing record labels.

The six-song Unlocked drops June 9 and features a collaboration with Lainey Wilson on “Thicc as Thieves,” which Lauren co-wrote with Luke Bryan. Lauren also had a hand in writing “A Walk in the Bar,” which arrives Thursday night, along with the track titled “Hangovers.” Cole Swindell help craft “Smaller the Town.”

The American Idol runner-up hopes the new music will help her fans get to know her a little better.

“It’s been 13 years since we first met, and until a couple of years ago, I don’t know that I ever slowed down for more than a day or two at a time,” Lauren says. “I spent more time with the people that matter most to me — my family, my fiancé, my friends — during that period than I had in years.”

“This music comes from my heart and my hometown,” she continues. “I am who I am because of where and who I come from, and I’m more me today than I’ve ever been. I can’t wait to unlock this next chapter with you.”

You can get a sneak peak of the record via a new YouTube video Lauren posted on her socials on Thursday.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Music is Universal for Jordan Davis, Brothers Osborne and many more

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If you’re lucky enough to be headed to Music City for the 50th anniversary of CMA Fest, you can add one more spot to the places you’ll want to hang out.

UMG Nashville will take over Skydeck at Broadway June 8-11 to host four days of free events with its artists, including live performances, fan club parties, listening events, writers rounds and more.

Brothers Osborne, Jordan Davis, Priscilla Block, Travis Denning, Maddie & Tae and Tanya Tucker are just a handful of the stars who’ll be there. You can check out the full lineup for the event, called Music Is Universal, online.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Dierks Bentley's about to become the hockey host with the most

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Self-professed hockey fanatic Dierks Bentley‘s on tap to host the 2023 NHL Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

“Hockey plays a big part of my daily life,” the “Gold” hitmaker says. “I've been to rinks all over the country with my travel hockey son. I coach his spring league games and spend hours in the local hockey store, telling him, ‘No, you do not need a new stick!’ We love watching YouTube highlight reels, the whole family loves going to Nashville Predators games and watching the Stanley Cup Final together.”

“And, I am a proud member of a beer league team here in Nashville,” Dierks continues. “To get to add NHL Awards host to this list is truly an honor.”

You can watch the show Monday, June 26, starting at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, Sportsnet and TVA Sports in the U.S. and Canada.

If you’d like to see it in person, you can check out tickets online for the event that kicks off a week of hockey festivities in Music City, including the Upper Deck NHL Draft.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Tanya, Jo Dee, Josh and Tracy set for the big stage at CMA Fest

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Jo Dee Messina, Tanya Tucker, Josh Turner and Tracy Lawrence have all been added to the main stage at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest 2023.

King Calaway will kick off the nightly festivities on the big stage with the national anthem on Thursday, June 8. You can check out the full lineup for the shows, which run through Sunday, June 11, at CMAfest.com.

Four-night passes, as well as single-night tickets, are still available online for the 50th anniversary of the country music festival formerly known as Fan Fair. 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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News Daypop

Oklahoma high court strikes down 2 abortion bans; procedure remains illegal

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On Wednesday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that two state laws banning abortion are unconstitutional. However, abortion remains illegal in the state in nearly all cases, except life-threatening situations. The laws struck down on Wednesday both included a civil-enforcement mechanism that allowed citizens to sue someone who either performed or helped someone perform an abortion. The high court said in a 6-3 ruling that the two bans are unconstitutional because they require a “medical emergency” before a doctor can perform an abortion. The court said this language conflicts with a previous ruling it issued in March that determined the Oklahoma Constitution provides an “inherent right of a pregnant woman to terminate a pregnancy when necessary to preserve her life.”

Doctors specializing in obstetriccs and gynecology had said uncertainty about the state’s abortion laws often forced them to make women facing severe medical complications and nonviable pregnancies to wait for their condition to worsen before they could perform an abortion. Dana Stone, an Oklahoma City obstetrician and gynecologist, said: “In our practice we had cases where we would just have to tell women who we would normally offer a (pregnancy) termination to protect her health … ‘We have to let you go home and monitor your condition and if you start showing signs of infection or worsening blood pressure, then come back and we have the ability to legally treat you.’  Otherwise, we’re at risk with these laws of going to jail for 10 years, having hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and losing our medical licenses.”

Oklahoma’s 1910 law makes it a felony crime punishable by up to five years in prison for anyone to perform an abortion or help a woman obtain an abortion unless it is “necessary to preserve her life.”  Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement: “Despite the court’s decisions today on SB 1603 and HB 4327, Oklahoma’s 1910 law prohibiting abortion remains in place. Except for certain circumstances outlined in that statute, abortion is still unlawful in the state of Oklahoma.”

Editorial credit: Rena Schild / Shutterstock.com

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News Daypop

Actor Danny Materson found guilty on two counts of rape

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Actor Danny Masterson was convicted on Wednesday on two counts of rape during his retrial in Los Angeles. The Associated Press reported that the seven-woman, five-man jury deadlocked on the third count after deliberating for over a week. The actor has been free on bail since his June 2020 arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division.

Wednesday’s verdict was delivered nearly six months after Masterson’s first trial ended with a mistrial, with jurors leaning towards acquitting the now 47-year-old star of “That ’70s Show”. Masterson was accused of raping three women he met through the Church of Scientology (to which Masterson still belongs) – identified at trial as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2 and Jane Doe #3 — at his Hollywood Hills home from 2001 to 2003. He faced up to 45 years in prison if he was convicted on all three counts.

Masterson has denied all the allegations leveled against him by the women. Masterson never took the stand in either the first trial or retrial, and his defense attorneys declined to call any witnesses. The actor also denies assaulting a fourth woman, identified as Jane Doe #4, who told the court during his first trial he had raped her; Masterson has not been criminally charged with raping her. Both of Masterson’s trials have focused on the Church of Scientology, which Masterson’s accusers all said tried to cover up the allegations against the actor. The judge again allowed witnesses to testify how they were pressured by church officials not to talk to police about the rape allegations. Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw has denied the allegations, saying that church doctrine requires members to “abide by all the laws of the land.”

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

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Go Country 105

Dylan Scott's “Can't Have Mine” was inspired by his best friend, Micah

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Dylan Scott is rising up the country charts with his single “Can’t Have Mine (Find You A Girl).”

Penned by Dylan, Dallas Wilson, Josh Melton and Matt Alderman, the track, as Dylan recalls, was very much inspired by a real-life situation.

Dylan’s longtime best friend, Micah, was having trouble finding the love of his life and decided to seek advice from the singer/songwriter.

“He’s like, ‘Man, you’ve been with your wife since you were 15. What do I got to do, man?’ So I just gave him a laundry list of things, like, ‘Hey, you got to find you one like this and maybe one like this and not like this and like this,'” Dylan shares with ABC Audio. “When I got off the phone with him, I told myself, ‘Dang, I just described my wife to my best friend.'”

This heartfelt conversation later sparked the inspiration for “Can’t Have Mine (Find You A Girl).”

“I started thinking about it, I was like, ‘Man, he needs to find a girl, but he can’t have mine.’ I wrote that in my phone and it turned out to be great,” he adds. 

Today, Micah is not only in a relationship, he’s gearing up to tie the knot in September. “(Micah) did find him a girl. I’m going to take full credit for that. I am the matchmaker,” Dylan boasts. 

Dylan is currently top 30-bound on the country charts with “Can’t Have Mine (Find You A Girl).”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Country Daypop

Miranda Lambert and Leon Bridges team up for “If You Were Mine”

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Miranda Lambert and Leon Bridges are teaming up for the new duet, “If You Were Mine.”  Lambert shared a preview of the track, co-written with Pistol Annies bandmate Ashley Monroe and Jesse Frasure, on social media along with the caption: “Two Texans. One song. June 6. Presave at the link in my bio ✨🌕”

According to a press release, the song centers around the theme of “unrequited love”. Lambert said in a press release: “I have been a big fan of Leon for a while because he is very authentic as an artist and I love his music. Since we are both from Texas, we threw in a few Texas references, of course – the Frio River being one. When we finished this song, we sent it to Leon in hopes that he would want to collaborate and we were so glad that he said yes. I have really enjoyed getting to know him and I’m happy to have him as a new friend.”  Bridges adds: “I was humbled to have Miranda ask if I’d join her on this beautiful duet she wrote. Getting in the studio with her in Nashville to sing this song together was magic. There’s nothing better than two Texans on one mic!”

To pre-save “If You Were Mine”, head here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

‘CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair’ documentary to premiere July 5th on Hulu

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The Country Music Association (CMA) announced that the feature-length documentary film ‘CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair’ will be released on Hulu this July 5th. Running 75-minutes, “CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan Fair” highlights the festival’s origin in 1972 as ‘Fan Fair,’ taking place at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. It later moved to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds by 1982, and then to downtown Nashville two decades later.

CMA Fest celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, taking place June 8-11 in Nashville. CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern said of the documentary in a statement: “CMA Fest has taken several shapes throughout its storied history. As we step into our 50th year, our hope with this film is to underscore the one thing that has remained with the festival—its heart. We are thrilled to share the evolution and magic of this incredible event with the Hulu audience.”

Added Kelly Striewski, CMA’s Senior Vice President, Marketing, Content & Communications Strategy: “What better way to tell the story of CMA Fest than through the eyes of the artists, our industry and the fans. This film highlights the truly unique connection that exists within CMA Fest and how this festival has continued to grow the Country community throughout its 50 years. We couldn’t be happier to have this story debut on Hulu.”

ABC will air its annual “CMA Fest” network primetime special later this summer. For more information on CMA Fest, visit www.cmafest.com.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

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Pop Daypop

Selena Gomez to launch two new series with Food Network

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Food Network announced in a press release that Selena Gomez will launch two new series at network. The singer/actress stars with Steve Martin and Martin Short on the popular Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.

The 30-year-old Gomez is developing two new projects, including a celebration-focused series for the holidays. She will launch a second series in 2024 that will see her meet up “with some of the best chefs in the country in a quest to cook their most popular dishes when she visits their kitchens.”

Warner Bros. Discovery chairman Kathleen Finch said in a statement: “The holidays are always huge for Food Network, reaching nearly 60M P2+ viewers, and having Selena kicking off the nearly 100 hours of new and returning holiday programming will certainly make this coming season one to celebrate.” Gomez previously collaborated with Warner Bros. Discovery on the cooking series Selena + Chef for Max, (formerly known as HBO Max).

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com