Month: November 2023

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Go Country 105

Lee Brice plots 2024 tour

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Lee Brice is hitting the road in 2024 for his Me & My Guitar tour.

The trek kicks off February 1 in Beaver Creek, Colorado, with stops in Kansas City, Missouri; Nashville; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and more. Lee will wrap things up in Ivins, Utah, on March 30. 

Tickets go on sale Friday, November 10, at 10 a.m. local time. Friends can text (615) 802-9923 for presale access ahead of the general sale.

Lee’s latest album is 2020’s Hey World, which featured “Save the Roses,” “One of Them Girls,” “Memory I Don’t Mess With” and the Carly Pearce-assisted “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”

The full Me & My Guitar tour schedule can be found at leebrice.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Gabby Barrett shares sophomore album details

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Gabby Barrett has shared exciting news about her sophomore album.

The forthcoming record is titled Chapter & Verse and is set for arrival on February 2.

The announcement arrived November 4 on social media, alongside a blurred-out photo of the album cover. “Chapter & Verse New album out 2.2.24 [white heart],” Gabby captioned her Instagram post.

Gabby is currently #30 and ascending the country charts with “Glory Days,” the lead single off Chapter & Verse. Earlier in October, fans also got another preview of the upcoming project with “Cowboy Back.”

Gabby’s debut album, Goldmine, arrived in 2020 and spawned the #1 hits “I Hope” and “The Good Ones.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Miranda Lambert + Jon Randall launch new label imprint, Big Loud Texas

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Miranda Lambert and hit songwriter/producer Jon Randall have teamed up with Big Loud Records to launch a new label imprint, Big Loud Texas.

Miranda and Jon will be directly involved in the signing and development of artists on their label’s roster, with Jon also serving as president of A&R and producer.

“As a teenager chasing my dreams in the honky-tonks of Texas, Nashville seemed so far away,” Miranda recounts. “Every time I’m back home I get to hear the incredible talent our state produces, and I feel a responsibility to help get more of those Texas voices heard. I’m really excited to team up with my buddy Jon Randall and Big Loud to do just that. Get ready, y’all – we’re bringing even more Texas to town!”

“When I was a kid playing in bands and kicking around Texas, I knew that making music was all I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Jon recalls. “Since then, I’ve gotten to play with so many of my heroes[,] produce legends and friends and travel all over the world . but all those roads lead right back home. I feel very blessed to share this full circle moment with one of my best pals, Miranda Lambert, and help some other dreamers chase their song around the world.”

“I’ve admired what Miranda and Jon have done – both as musicians and as champions of young talent – for many years, so it’s an honor to join forces in this way,” adds Big Loud CEO/partner Seth England.

For more information on Big Loud Texas, visit its website.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Keith Urban, Lady A, Darius Rucker + more to present at 57th CMA Awards

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The Country Music Association has revealed its star-studded list of presenters for the 2023 CMA Awards.

Keith Urban, Lady A, Darius Rucker, Parker McCollum, Chris Young, Brian Kelley, Jordan Davis, Hailey Whitters, Martina McBride, Bill Anderson, Sara Evans and Craig Morgan will present at Country Music’s Biggest Night. 

Also joining them are Paula Abdul; Grammy-nominated comedian, podcaster, director and producer Nate Bargatze; Tony Award-nominated actor Kevin Cahoon; 2023 World Series MVP Corey Seager; and The Golden Bachelor‘s Gerry Turner.

To see the full list of performers, presenters and nominees, visit cmaawards.com.

The 57th CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, November 8, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Michael Ray drops “Spirits and Demons” video

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Heartbreak comes to life in Michael Ray and Meghan Patrick‘s “Spirits and Demons” music video.

Directed by Sean Hagwell, the visualizer captures Michael and Meghan delivering their aching post-breakup sentiments surrounded by empty glasses, alluding to how alcohol can’t ever mend a broken heart.

“There's great contrast in the video between my individual shots and Meghan's shots,” shares Michael. “It shows how people handle the end of a relationship differently, but the result is the same: we can't drink away our heartbreak.”

“Spirits and Demons” is off Michael’s Dive Bars & Broken Hearts EP, which arrived in June. The song’s currently approaching the top 40 on the country charts.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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News Daypop

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Palestinian Authority President Abbas in West Bank

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday during his visit to Ramallah, following stops Blinken made in Israel and Jordan.

Abbas and Blinken met twice in Jordan during the latter’s trip to the region last month after the attack. According to a senior State Department official, Blinken thought it was important to update Abbas “on a lot of the work that we have been doing in some of our meetings with the government of Israel,” saying that Blinken told Abbas “how we, in our meeting on Friday, pressed Israel to minimize civilian harm; gave him an update on our work to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza (and) get essential services restored; and (described) our conversations with Israel about implementing a humanitarian pause.”

The meeting between the two was focused on Gaza’s present situation and the situation in the West Bank, amid escalating settler violence following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. Abbas had held a similar position to that of the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan on the need for a ceasefire in Gaza; however, the U.S. has been calling for “humanitarian pauses” to allow increased aid to flow into the area According to a State Department readout of the roughly hourlong meeting, Blinken and Abbas “discussed efforts to restore calm and stability in the West Bank, including the need to stop extremist violence against Palestinians and hold those accountable responsible,” while Blinken “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance and resumption of essential services in Gaza and made clear that Palestinians must not be forcibly displaced.”

Blinken had met with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Friday, and said he heard “a clear commitment from the government to deal with extremist violence in the West Bank, to condemn it, to take action to prevent it, to take action against those who perpetrate it … This is important, and we will be looking closely to ensure that our friends make good on that commitment.”

Editorial credit: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com

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News Daypop

Seattle Metro bus crashes into building killing one pedestrian, injuring 12

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Authorities say that a Metro city bus in Seattle crashed into a building on Saturday afternoon after a collision with another vehicle, killing one woman who was outside, as well as injuring 12 others.

According to a release from the Seattle Police Department, the fatal crash happened around 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Battery Street in the Belltown area when a red sedan collided with the King County Metro Bus and sent it careening off the road and into the building. Seattle Police said it appears the driver of the red sedan was heading south on 5th Avenue before crashing with the Metro Bus, which was eastbound on Battery Street.

A female pedestrian was found dead outside the building, police said, adding that the bus had struck her as it came to a stop after leaving the road. Eleven passengers on the bus, including the driver, sustained non-life-threatening injuries from the collision and were in stable condition, with eight of them hospitalized. The Seattle Fire Department said that the driver of the sedan, a 31-year-old man, was pulled out of the car by firefighters and taken to a hospital in critical condition  No one was inside the part of the building the bus crashed into, and there was no significant structural damage to the building.

The cause of the crash is now being investigated by police, with a release stating: “A Drug Recognition Expert officer will evaluate the male driver of the sedan for any signs of impairment.”

Editorial credit: Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock.com

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Go Country 105

Lainey Wilson talks full-circle moment with CMA nominations + Entertainer of the Year nod

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Lainey Wilson was once a young, wide-eyed girl dreaming of being part of the historic CMA Awards. Fast-forward to 2023, she now leads this year’s nominations with nine nods, including one for the coveted Entertainer of the Year.

“Watching the CMA Awards was a big deal in my house as a child. We would sit around the TV, we knew when they were coming on we would be, I mean, eyes glued to it,” Lainey recalls. “I would dream about just being a part of the industry and being down there on the floor with these people who I look up to and people who have paved the way.”

“It’s crazy how life works because the truth is, I think sometimes you got to envision yourself in certain places and sometimes pretend you are what you’re not really so one day you can become that,” she posits.

As a first-time Entertainer nominee, Lainey says she’s humbled and grateful for the recognition, especially after an extensive touring schedule.

“Of course, [there are] times I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, how did that happen?’ But when you think about the amount of shows that we have played this year and last year, we have played a lot,” says Lainey, who’ll also perform “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” on the awards show.

“We started playing a club to the top of the year. We went out with Luke Combs, we did a stadium tour. We’re out on the road with HARDY right now. Every fair and festival in between, we have done it,” she notes. “So when you think about the amount of people that we have entertained, then I guess it’s not that crazy.”

The 57th CMA Awards airs live from Nashville Wednesday, November 8, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Country Daypop

Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow and more are inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2023

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Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, Missy Elliott, and Rage Against The Machine were in attendance as the newest honorees inducted during the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City. George Michael, who died at age of 53 in 2016, was inducted posthumously. In addition, also honored at the event were The Spinners, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray, Al Kooper, Bernie Taupin and Don Cornelius.

New inductee Kate Bush posted a message on social media explaining she would not be able to travel from her home in England for the ceremony: “I am completely blown away by this huge honor — an award that sits in the big beating heart of the American music industry. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me. I never imagined I would be given this wonderful accolade. Last year was such a surprisingly successful time for my track ‘Running Up That Hill’ and I’m sure that a lot of you who’ve voted me in to the RRHOF also drove that track up the charts. Thank you!”

Elliott, 52, received the honor of becoming the first female hip-hop artist in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as she was inducted by Queen Latifah. Crow, 61, who was first joined on stage by 20-year-old pop star Olivia Rodrigo to perform her 1996 hit “If It Makes You Happy.”was inducted by friend Laura Dern and was later also joined on stage by fellow inductee Nelson, 90, and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Peter Frampton. Khan, 70, was inducted by singer Jasmine Sullivan, and Andrew Ridgeley honored his partner in Wham!, the late George Michael: “His music was key to his compassion … George is one of the greatest singers of our time.” Ice-T presented activist punk-rockers Rage Against the Machine, with RATM’s guitarist Tom Morello urging the crowd to fight for a world “without compromise or apologies.”

A special featuring highlights from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gala is set to stream on Disney+ on Jan. 1.

Editorial credit: f11photo / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Eric Church, Hardy, Jelly Roll headlining Pepsi ‘Rock The South’ 2024

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Eric Church, Hardy and Jelly Roll are headlining the Pepsi Rock the South 2024 Festival on July 18-20, 2024 in Cullman, Alabama. The festival posted on social media: “We’re baaaaaaaack! The 2024 Rock the South lineup is stacked with heavy hitters. @ericchurchmusic, @hardy, and @jellyroll615! 🤘 Now that’s what we call the #BiggestPartyintheSouth. Tickets go on sale November 3, and the presale starts on November 1—sign up now at the link in our bio!”

Also set to perform at Rock the South 2024 will be Parker McCollum, Oliver Anthony, Warren Zeiders, Nelly, Flatland Cavalry, Priscilla Block, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Nate Smith and more. Additionally, artists performing throughout the three-day festival include Oliver Anthony, Parker McCollum, Warren Zeiders, Big & Rich Ft. Gretchen Wilson, Priscilla Block and many more.

Shane Quick, Partner of Pepsi Rock the South, shared in a statement: “Crafting the lineup for Pepsi Rock the South 2024 has been an incredible journey. We’ve listened to our fans and aimed for the stars. This year, we’ve brought together an amazing lineup of artists that truly reflects what our fans want to ensure they have an unforgettable three days. We have so many great things in store for Rock the South 2024.”

Tickets go on sale Nov. 3; for information head to rockthesouth.com.

Eric Church, Hardy, Jelly Roll to headline 2024 Pepsi Rock the South

Editorial credit: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com