Month: March 2024

If there’s a song that’s taken Conner Smith‘s career to new heights, it’s “Creek Will Rise.”

“It’s been crazy. That song has changed my life,” Conner tells ABC Audio. “It was really cool to watch the song as it was growing at radio. First top ten single that we’ve had and still going. But as it would go on at radio, you could feel it growing in the live set.”

“There was like a moment where it just took over and it became the biggest song of the show,” he says.

With crowds singing along to “Creek Will Rise,” Conner’s also realized the relationship radio and live shows share. 

“There’s that line at the end of the bridge, ‘Radio won’t even let me tell you the rest,’ that the fans just scream and it’s like, undoubtedly the best part of every show,” shares Conner. “So, it’s fun to see the way that fans and radio kind of correlate. That song has definitely moved the needle for us.” 

You can find “Creek Will Rise” on Conner’s debut album, Smoky Mountains.

To see Conner on his ongoing headlining Creek Will Rise Tour, visit connersmithmusic.com.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Dylan Marlowe has announced he’s dropping a new song, “Bat Outta Hell (With a Boat on the Back),” on March 15. You can check out its cover art now on Dylan’s Instagram.

Maren Morris is playing a benefit show in Nashville to raise funds for the rebuilding of Camp Wayfarer “after a tragic fire took their dining hall, kitchen and lodge.” “Camp Wayfarer is a special place for our band family as it is for so many families. it's owned by my guitar player @bennettdeanlewis's family and was the beautiful backdrop for Humble Quest: In Rare Form,” says Maren. Tickets go on sale on Ticketweb Friday at 10 a.m. CT.

Lainey Wilson and Kelly Clarkson recently performed a duet of Lainey’s “Country’s Cool Again” on The Kelly Clarkson Show‘s Kellyoke segment. If you missed it, it’s available to watch now on YouTube.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Dollywood’s springing into spring with its new I Will Always Love You Music Festival.

Kicking off Dollywood’s reopening on Saturday, the event will offer visitors an immersive experience of “larger-than-life performances, colorful and interactive installations,” per the attraction’s website. There’ll be singalongs to Dolly Parton‘s timeless hits, numerous photo opportunities, glittery pink displays via the new Celebration Sky and more.

Additionally, visitors can enjoy mouthwatering food via a tasting pass.

Dollywood’s I Will Always Love You Music Festival runs March 9 to April 14. For more information and to grab tickets, visit dollywood.com.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Hailey Whitters is teaming up with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Ben Rector for a new song, “Color Up My World.”

The announcement arrived via Ben’s Instagram alongside a snippet of the upbeat, banjo-driven track and its music video. 

“Color Up My World with my lovely tourmate @haileywhitters, March 15th. It feels unexpected and wonderful and I am so, so stoked,” Ben captioned his post.

Additionally, the “Love Like This” singer shared a video of him and Hailey performing the track onstage.

“Tour so far has been a blast, maybe my favorite moment of the night is getting to play this with @haileywhitters, and it's so rad to see people connecting to it,” Ben wrote. “I love this song.”

Hailey and Ben are currently on the road opening for Dan & Shay on their Heartbreak On The Map Tour. For tickets and a full list of dates, head to Dan & Shay’s website.

Hailey’s new single, “I’m In Love,” is currently making its way up the country charts.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Chief’s On Broadway is more than just Eric Church‘s, it belongs to his Church Choir members too.

The “Drink in My Hand” singer recently gave Choir members a deed to the bricks of his bar’s physical building and the first rollout of a series of digital collectibles, including a digital version of their brick that offers exclusive content and fan perks.

“You've helped me build my career brick by brick, and I want the whole world to know that the building is yours,” Eric told fans. “This is not just another club downtown. This is our house.”

He continued, “I've been involved in every step of restoring this historic building into a place we can call our own and, because you've been with me every step of my career, I'm proud to dedicate a physical brick of the Chief's building to each and every one of you.”

“Once Chief's opens, it's not mine anymore. It belongs to the Choir. It belongs to the fans. It belongs to the patrons,” Eric added of his downtown Nashville bar. “It belongs to the stories they create there. It belongs to the music they listen to there and share from there. So, my story ends where theirs begins and that's the essence of what you do musically and what we're trying to do at Chief's.”

Chief’s On Broadway is set to open soon. For more information, including a sneak peek of the bar’s setup, head to its website and Instagram.

On the music front, Eric and Morgan Wallen are approaching the top five of the country charts with “Man Made a Bar.” 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Brian Kelley is set to drop his sophomore album, Tennessee Truth, on May 10.

The 12-track project will feature its lead single, “See You Next Summer,” and the newly released autobiographical tune, “Kiss My Boots.”

“It was healing to write. I feel released now,” Brian says of the song, which he penned with Blake Redferrin and Dylan Guthro. “Everyone processes things differently. I went inward. I went to work and stayed busy. I'm proud of myself for doing it that way. It was worth it. Now, I have a song that helped me through a tough time.”

“Hopefully, ‘Kiss My Boots’ can help a lot of people,” he adds. “Give them some confidence and help them get their power back.”

Tennessee Truth is Brian’s Big Machine Records debut album and the follow-up to 2021’s Sunshine State Of Mind, which he released with Warner Music Nashville.

Tennessee Truth is available for preorder and presave now.

Here’s the full track list for Tennessee Truth:

“Acres”
“How We're Livin'”
“King Ranch”
“Trucks, Ducks, Bucks & Beer”
“Goin' Places”
“Barefeet Or Boots”
“Dirt Road Date Night”
“10 O'Clock On The Dock”
“See You Next Summer”
“Doin’ Nothin'”
“Dirt Cheap”
“Kiss My Boots”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.