Month: December 2023

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News Daypop

Indictments of 17 Austin police officers dropped over tactics used during 2020 George Floyd protests

Austin^ Texas police officers w/protesters demonstrating against police brutality outside of City of Austin Police Department headquarters; May 30^ 2020:

A Texas prosecutor dropped most of the indictments against more than 20 Austin police officers over tactics used during the 2020 protests that followed George Floyd’s killing. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, who was elected months after the protests and said he would hold police accountable for their actions, said he would dismiss indictments against 17 officers but still move forward with prosecuting four others.

The indictments followed nationwide protests in 2020 over racial injustice and police brutality; in Austin, police officers fired beanbag rounds in the crowd, critically injuring one teenager. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said: “This has been a difficult chapter for Austin. I look forward to turning the page. These announcements will allow police officers, whose lives were upended by the indictments, to return to their services to our community.”

In a statement, Garza did his office “would continue to hold law enforcement who break the law accountable,” and in a letter to the Justice Department, Garza asked prosecutors to review Austin police’s use of force for crowd control during the protests. The City of Austin has paid out more than $18 million to settle lawsuits brought by protesters injured during the protests, including a college student who suffered brain damage after an officer shot him with a beanbag round. Eight other lawsuits are still pending, according to the city.

Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock said prosecutors had yet to prove any case where any officer committed wrongdoing: “Our officers were faced with incredible and unprecedented challenges. In those extremely difficult times they acted within the law and upheld their oath to keep our city safe.”

Editorial credit: Poli Pix Co. LLC / Shutterstock.com

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Go Country 105

Chris Janson talks Christmas decorations + covering “Holiday Road”

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Chris Janson and his son, Jesse, are avid fans of Christmas decorations. They love it so much that they have no qualms about leaving the festive decor up for the full 365 days in a year.

“I could leave them up all year long. It does affect your mood, I will say. I love it. It makes me very happy,” Chris tells ABC Audio. “My kids love it. Jesse, my youngest, he loves it. He really loves decorating for Christmas. So he’s really stoked to do it. He could care less about Halloween. He’s straight into [Christmas].”

This year, Chris is celebrating the festive season with his cover of Lindsey Buckingham‘s jaunty “Holiday Road.” The release, as Chris recounts, happened serendipitously.

“It’s wild. I mean, really, I just did it because [my record label was] like, ‘You need to do a Christmas song.’ And then we recorded and I was like, ‘OK, it’s pretty rockin’,” Chris recalls. “I played drums on it, played guitar on it, and then recorded it and it came out really smashing, you know?”

“Gosh. I mean, we’ve been on television a lot for it and people really like it,” he shares. “I guess it was a good choice.” 

??In case you missed it, you can watch Chris perform “Holiday Road” on ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration now on Hulu and Disney+.

Coming up, Chris will also deliver “Holiday Road” and “Run, Run Rudolph” on the Wynonna Judd-hosted Christmas at the Opry, airing December 7 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Country Daypop

Miranda Lambert announces final shows of her Las Vegas Residency

Miranda Lambert at the 53rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 15^ 2018 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas^ Nevada.

Miranda Lambert has announced the final dates for her Las Vegas Residency, ‘Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo’ at Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, slated to take place in early 2024. The final nine shows will take place in March and April of 2024. Said Lambert on her socials: “I’m adding 9 FINAL SHOWS to my Las Vegas residency in March/April 2024!!!! Last round. Let’s do this yall 🔥 Fan club presale: Dec 5. Join at the link in my bio for access. Onsale: Dec 8”

Designed exclusively for Bakkt Theater, Lambert’s residency has given fans an up close and personal opportunity to experience Lambert’s stage performances. Lambert kicked off her residency in September 2022, deeming it a “one-of-a-kind” experience. Said Lambert of the residency: “As someone who’s lived on a bus and toured from city to city for more than half my life, having a Vegas residency has been such a fun change of pace creatively. The band and I are excited to keep this party going!”

Lambert will close out 2023 with a few more Velvet Rodeo shows in December, which will then resume in 2024. The final nine performances going on sale include March 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, and 30th; and April 3, 5, and 6th. A limited number of tickets are available for the following previously-announced performances for December 7, 9, 10, 14 and 16 are still available. Tickets may be purchased via Ticketmaster.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson hit No. 1 on country radio with ‘Save Me’

Jelly Roll at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth TX

Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson’s duet, “Save Me”, has hit the No.1 spot at country radio, earning 60 first-week adds on stations around the country. Additionally, the song has officially risen to the top of Billboard’s Country Airplay charts, marking Jelly Roll’s third No.1 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart and Wilson’s fourth.

Jelly Roll originally recorded “Save Me,” co-written by Jelly Roll (real name Jason DeFord) alongside David Ray Stevens, as a solo single for his 2020 album, Self Medicated. He re-released it as a duet with Wilson following their surprise performance of the song at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards.

The new reimagined version of “Save Me” featuring Wilson appears on Jelly Roll’s latest album, WHITSITT CHAPEL, which dropped on June 2, 2023. WHITSITT CHAPEL, which is named after the church that Jelly Roll grew up attending, features 13 tracks, including his current single “NEED A FAVOR” and the previously released tracks, “SHE” and “Unalive.”

Jelly Roll And Lainey Wilson Score #1 Hit As “Save Me” Tops The Country Radio Charts

Editorial credit: Grindstone Media Group / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Blackpink announces immersive VR concert experience

Blackpink Design^ Lightstick Banner. Jennie^ Jisoo^ Rose^ Lisa

K-pop stars BLACKPINK will be hosting their first-ever virtual concert in partnership with Meta and production company T he Diamond Bros. BLACKPINK: A VR Encore will be a recreation of the group’s special finale show for their ‘Born Pink’ world tour in Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome. Check out the trailer for the virtual concert event: here.

The group posted on their official YouTube page: “BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA! 🎶 Join us for a JAM-PACKED, VR concert experience in @MetaHorizon’s exclusive NEW venue – MUSIC VALLEY! We’re bringing you front row as we perform some of our biggest hits, like you’ve never seen before! HOW YOU LIKE THAT?! 😉 We’ll see you 12/26 only in Meta Horizon Worlds! “

The 70-minute concert for VR will be made available exclusively in VR inside the Meta Horizon Worlds’ Music Valley, with Meta Quest VR headset owners in select regions are privy to front-row tickets to the experience.

To RSVP for the BLACKPINK: A VR Encore, head to the link here: Oculus.

Editorial credit: MrRakesh / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Jennifer Lopez shares new song, release date for ‘This Is Me… Now’ LP, and companion film

Jennifer Lopez at the Regency Village Theatre LOS ANGELES^ CA. March 27^ 2023

Jennifer Lopez shared the release date for her new album, This Is Me… Now, along with its lead single and a companion film co-written with her husband, Ben Affleck. The 54-year-old’s new single, “Can’t Get Enough,” the first single from the album will be released on Jan. 10, 2024; to pre-save, head here.

This Is Me… Now (the album and the film) will be released on Feb. 16, 2024. Lopez also shared the trailer for the short film, directed by Dave Meyers and co-written by Lopez, Matt Walton, and Affleck, which will stream on Prime Video. The trailer shows JLO tossing a letter into the fire as she says, “When I was a little girl, when someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always… in love.” The handwritten letter is dated Dec. 24, 2002, seemingly from Affleck back in the early days of their relationship.

According to a press release, This Is Me… Now: The Film offers “the truth behind the headlines surrounding Lopez’s personal life as told through the star’s personal creative vision … Unlike anything you’ve ever seen from Jennifer Lopez, This Is Me…Now: The Film is a narrative-driven, intimate, reflective, sexy, funny, fantastical and highly visual musical reimagining of her publicly scrutinized love life.”

The album This Is Me… Now celebrates the anniversary of its 2002 sister album, This Is Me…Then, completing a 20-year journey. The new LP, Lopez’s ninth studio album and her first in nearly a decade, was written and executive produced by Lopez and Rogét Chayed, along with Angel Lopez, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, HitBoy, Tay Keith and INK among others.

Take a look at the teaser trailers for ‘This Is Me… Now’: Teaser 1 and Teaser 2.

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Go Country 105

Nashville notes: Walker Hayes' festive jammies + Wyatt Flores on tour

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In search of new Christmas pajamas? Fret not, Walker Hayes has you covered. You can shop Walker’s new Xmas sweater, PJ pants and more at his merch store now.

Up-and-comer Wyatt Flores has announced his Life Lessons 2024 Tour. “I’m so excited to be able to be able to play these shows with the Life Lessons project out,” shares Wyatt. “Life Lessons is my story through the rear view of the last year, and I can’t wait to see what life lessons come from this next tour.” Tickets go on sale Friday, December 8, at 10 a.m. CT.

Chris Stapleton, Wynonna Judd, Kip Moore, Dwight Yoakam and more are slated to perform at the 2024 Railbird music festival. For ticketing information and the full lineup, visit railbirdfest.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

Grab tickets to Cirque du Soleil's Live Country Experience in Nashville

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Country music and acrobatics are coming together for a special show.

Cirque du Soleil and Universal Music Group Nashville have teamed for Cirque du Soleil’s Live Country Experience. The show will launch in Nashville July 2 and run until July 28, before beginning its North American tour.

“There is nothing purer at heart than a Country Song in its honest expression of humanity,” shares show director Amy Tinkham. “Values of family, love, hard work, incredible challenge and strength, fantastical dreaming, true delight, and unadulterated fun, all of which connect deeply with Cirque du Soleil.”

“Stories that come from down to earth hardworking people are the root of Country Music, and similarly, stories that come from the streets of the world are the root of Cirque du Soleil,” she adds.

Presale tickets are available now to Club Cirque members. General sale starts Wednesday, December 6.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit cirquedusoleil.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

Brett Young's headed across the pond

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Brett Young has announced his third European concert tour.

The trek kicks off May 8 in Oslo, Norway, and will hit Sweden, Germany, Netherlands and more, before wrapping up in Belfast, United Kingdom, on May 24.

“We love getting to play for the fans in Europe and these are some of my favorite places to visit,” Brett says. “I'm especially honored to get to take the stage at the legendary Royal Albert Hall for Highways 2024 – performing at that historic venue is definitely a bucket list moment.”

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 8, at 10 a.m. local time.

Brett’s currently climbing the country charts with “Dance With You,” the lead single off his latest album, Across The Sheets.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Go Country 105

Let's be jolly: Brenda Lee makes history as “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” hits #1 for the first time

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Music legend Brenda Lee will turn 79 on December 11, and she’ll have a lot to celebrate: Her classic holiday song “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” has just topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the very first time – 65 years after its release.

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is now only the third holiday song in history to top the Billboard Hot 100, joining Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and “The Chipmunk Song” by The Chipmunks with David Seville. Written by Johnny Marks, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” was released in 1958, but it only hit the chart in 1960, peaking at #14 that year. Last year and in 2019, it climbed as high as #2.

Lee’s song sets another new record: the longest wait between a song’s release to hitting #1. Mariah previously held the record of 25 years, between her holiday hit’s release in 1994 and its ascent to #1 in 2019.

And finally, Brenda is now the oldest woman to hit #1 on the chart, surpassing Cher, who was 52 when “Believe” topped the Hot 100. Brenda was 13 when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

This is Brenda’s third Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit, following 1960’s “I’m Sorry” and “I Want to Be Wanted.” In the ’60s, she scored 46 Hot 100 hits, the most of any female artist.

And that isn’t the only holiday hit in this week’s top 10. Mariah’s song is #2, Bobby Helms‘ “Jingle Bell Rock” is #3, Wham!‘s “Last Christmas” is #5, Burl Ives‘ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” is #6 and Andy Williams‘ “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is #10.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.