Month: October 2023

The Voice‘s season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood has signed a joint record deal with Universal Music Group Nashville and Republic Records. “Not only am I excited to start putting music out to my fans, but I'm looking forward to writing some kick-ass songs with the incredible writers here in Nashville. I'd like to thank God, my family, and all of my supporters for getting me to this point,” shares Bryce. His debut release, “The Finger,” drops Friday, October 27.

Ricky Skaggs has announced his 2023 Christmas tour, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder Christmas with Special Guests. The nine-date trek kicks off in Cincinnati on December 7 with stops in Chattanooga, Nashville, Atlanta and more. For tickets, visit Ricky’s website.

New sister trio The Castellows has inked a joint record deal with Warner Music Nashville and Warner Records. The group comprises lead guitarist Ellie, banjo player Powell and vocalist Lily. Their debut song, “No. 7 Road,” is out now.

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If you’ve been wanting to try your hand at designing an album cover, you’re in luck. 

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is holding an Album Collage family event on Saturday, November 4, at its Taylor Swift Education Center. 

Magazines, fabric and other supplies will be provided to visitors to make a collage of an album they like. Feel free to take inspiration from iconic country album covers like Dolly Parton‘s Jolene, Johnny Cash‘s At Folsom Prison, Reba McEntire‘s Rumor Has It and Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller. 

Entry to the event is included with museum admission. 

For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.

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Darius Rucker was presented the 2023 CMA Humanitarian of the Year award while on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

The honor came as a surprise to Darius.

After Darius recounted the charitable life lessons his mom instilled in him, Kelly told Darius, “Well, I have a surprise for you and I was very excited to do this.” “Really?” asked Darius. “Yeah, he really doesn’t know about it. This is not TV, this is real,” she tells the audience before presenting a shocked and elated Darius with the award.

“When I was a kid, [my mom] instilled in us that you help people – not people that are less fortunate; you help people that need help,” Darius told Kelly before the surprise. “We grew up in a really poor neighborhood with not much and, you know, there was no reason for me to believe that I was gonna be here and make it. But she always instilled in me ‘believe in yourself, you can do whatever you want.'”

Darius’ latest album, Carolyn’s Boy, which he named after his mom, is available now wherever you listen to music.

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When Dierks Bentley is off the road, he’s carrying out duties as the head of the house. Sometimes, that includes driving his children to school, and other times, it’s teaching them how to drive.

Dierks shared an Instagram video on October 24 of him giving his 14-year-old daughter, Evie, driving lessons. “Driving lessons with @eviedayb8 begin [facepalm emoji],” he writes in the caption.

The clip opens with Evie remaking, “OK. Gas, break, gas, break, gas. OK,” to which he responds, “Where’s my break?” with a face-palm and a look of horror.

He then tells Evie to push the brake before shifting the gear to drive. She stumbles a little before finally driving the car forward.

“This is so cool, this is so cool!” Evie notes. Her dad then replies in slight trepidation and jest, “Yeah, so cool.”

The full video is up on Dierks’ Instagram.

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Jason Aldean has notched his 28th #1 single with “Try That in a Small Town.”

The Kelley Lovelace, Kurt Allison, Neil Thrasher and Tully Kennedy-penned track sits atop the Mediabase Country chart after first topping the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year.

“To me, this song summarizes the way a lot of people feel about the world right now,” says Jason. “It seems like there are bad things happening on a daily basis, and that feels unfamiliar to a lot of us. This song sheds some light on that.”

“Try That in a Small Town” is the lead single off Jason’s forthcoming album, Highway Desperado. The 14-song project arrives November 3 and is available for preorder and presave now.

To see Jason on his ongoing Highway Desperado Tour, visit his website.

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Garth Brooks gave fans a preview of two new songs off his forthcoming as-yet-untitled album during the October 23 episode of his Inside Studio G Facebook livestream.

Garth performed the two songs, “Pleasure in the Pain” and “Saint Paul Minneapolis (A True Story),” on acoustic guitar.

He also announced that the merch store of his Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk will be opening again Friday, November 24, the same day the Dive-Bar concert will kick off the bar’s official launch.

“How do you open a Friends in Low Places bar??? With a Garth concert!” Garth shared in a press release. “This is going to be off the chain. Black Friday, brand new bar, in the home of Country Music … Hollywood couldn’t write a better script. I can NOT wait!”

Garth’s seven-disc box set, The Limited Series, will include a brand new studio album and is also set to arrive November 24. Preorder yours now at basspro.com.

The full Inside Studio G episode is available to watch on Garth’s Facebook.

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Jon Pardi has revealed the track list for his upcoming holiday album, Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi.

Arriving October 27, the 12-track project includes festive staples like “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Winter Wonderland, “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow,” “Please Come Home for Christmas” and Buck Owens‘ “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy.” Rising country singer/songwriter Pillbox Patti is featured on “I’ve Been Bad, Santa.”

“We went about 75% Christmas; that way you still get a little bit of the country, rock-and-roll, jazz, reggae, all the stuff that's in this record,” says Jon.

Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi is available for presave and preorder now.

Coming up, Jon will officially join the Grand Ole Opry as a member on October 24. 

Here’s the Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi track list:

“Beer for Santa”
“400 Horsepower Sleigh”
“All I Want for Christmas Is You”
“Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow”
“Merry Christmas From the Keys”
“Please Come Home for Christmas”
“Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy”
“I've Been Bad, Santa (and Pillbox Patti)”
“Reindeer”
“Swing on Down to Texas”
“Winter Wonderland”
“A Long December”

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction gala has added nine new performers and presenters to its star-studded lineup.

Stevie Nicks, Maroon 5‘s Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, LL Cool J, Sia, Miguel, Queen Latifah, Common and Ice-T will join a lineup that already includes Elton John, Dave Matthews, St. Vincent, H.E.R., New Edition, Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile.

This year’s inductees are Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Rage Against the Machine, Willie Nelson, the late George Michael and The Spinners, plus Link Wray and DJ Kook Herc in the category of Musical Influence and Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin in the category of Musical Excellence. Soul Train creator Don Cornelius will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will stream live coast to coast on Disney+ from Brooklyn, New York, on November 3, starting at 8 p.m. ET, and will be available to stream on demand following the ceremony. 

A primetime special, 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring highlights of the ceremony, will air on ABC on January 1 at 8 p.m., and will be available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

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