Month: June 2024

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Go Country 105

Jordan Davis + NEEDTOBREATHE to drop two-song collab

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Jordan Davis and rock group NEEDTOBREATHE are dropping a two-track set, Among Friends, on Thursday.

The collab will feature studio-recorded duet renditions of Jordan’s “Buy Dirt” and NEEDTOBREATHE’s “Banks.” 

Their joint effort arrives in conjunction with CMT Crossroads: NEEDTOBREATHE & Jordan Davis, which will also premiere on CMT on Thursday.

“It wouldn't be right to work together on all these performances in these past few months and not give y'all some new music,” Jordan tells fans on Instagram. “‘Banks’ is my favorite @needtobreathe song and ‘Buy Dirt’ is their favorite of mine, so we grabbed at this opportunity to share these reimagined versions with y'all.”

Among Friends and CMT Crossroads: NEEDTOBREATHE & Jordan Davis arrive Thursday at 8 p.m. ET; the former project’s available for presave now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Maren Morris comes out as bisexual in Pride Month post

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Maren Morris is sharing some personal news this Pride Month.

The “My Church” singer took to Instagram on Sunday to share that she’s bisexual.

“happy to be the B in LGBTQ+,” Maren captioned a photo of herself. “happy pride [rainbow emoji].”

The “B” in LGBTQ+ stands for bisexual.

“HAPPY PRIDE!!!!! thanks for being an inspiration and what a special pride this one is,” commented musician Allison Ponthier, who’s opening for Maren on her RSVP Redux tour.

Maren’s been a longtime supporter and ally for the LGBTQIA+ community. In 2022, she criticized Jason Aldean‘s wife, Brittany, for her transphobic Instagram caption, and in 2023, she teamed with Billboard to author a reflective essay on inclusivity in country music.

“The way the country music industry has treated LGBTQ people has been awful – there's been almost no representation,” Maren said. “There are people like Ty Herndon, who wasn't able to come out until he was basically not in the industry anymore. But there is progress being made: T.J. Osborne, one of my closest friends, came out a couple years ago, and there's such support behind him because it's like, Yeah, it doesn't matter.'”

“When I was a guest judge on Drag Race, I did feel like I just wanted to speak from my heart and apologize [for country music's treatment of the LGBTQ community] as an artist that comes from the genre,” she shared. “No ‘sorry’ is going to undo the decades of harm that the country music industry has done to LGBTQ people in terms of representation.”

Maren filed for divorce from Ryan Hurd in 2023 after five years of marriage. They share a 4-year-old son, Hayes.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Megan Moroney leaves her “Man on the Moon”

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Don’t go breaking Megan Moroney‘s heart – she just might leave you on the moon.

That sentiment’s evidenced in Megan’s new song, “Man on the Moon,” which she wrote about a half-hearted lover.

“‘Cause he wants me, and he needs space/ Someone take this cowboy away/ Somewhere far, let him fly/ Out of this world and off my mind/ Come on there’s gotta be a rocket somewhere takin’ off soon/ I think it’s time we put another man on the moon,” Megan sings in the chorus.

“Man on the Moon” is the latest preview of Megan’s sophomore album, Am I Okay?, arriving July 12. The project will also include earlier releases “28th of June,” “No Caller ID” and “Indifferent.”

A full track list will be revealed soon. While you wait, you can preorder and presave the project now.

Megan’s currently opening for Kenny Chesney on his Sun Goes Down Tour. For tickets and a full list of dates, visit her website.




Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Little Big Town unveils track list for “carefully curated” 'Greatest Hits' album

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Little Big Town has shared the track list for their Greatest Hits album.

Arriving Aug. 9, the 12-track record will feature notable chart-toppers “Pontoon” and “Better Man,” as well as fresh duet renditions of “Little White Church” with Miranda Lambert and “Shut Up Train” with Kelsea Ballerini. The latter track is out now.

“Kelsea is a dear friend of ours and has been telling us for years that ‘Shut Up Train’ is one of her favorite album cuts. When we asked her to add her voice to the song, we were blown away by the nuances she added. She made this song all the more special,” shares Little Big Town.

Of their forthcoming collection, the band adds, “As we embark on the next 25 years of Little Big Town, we wanted to reflect back on our catalogue and really honor the songs that have had the greatest impact throughout this incredible journey. This Greatest Hits album was carefully curated by all four of us and is a love letter to our fans who have been there for every reason.”

This fall, Little Big Town will hit the road on their Take Me Home Tour with Sugarland. For tickets and the full tour schedule, visit littlebigtown.com.

Little Big Town’s Greatest Hits album is available for preorder and presave now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Go Country 105

Lainey Wilson's officially an Opry member: “I dreamed about this right here”

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Lainey Wilson is officially the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year was inducted into the hallowed institution on Friday by fellow Opry members Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks.

“You know what it means to love country music,” Trisha told Lainey onstage. “You love the Grand Ole Opryand that's really what it's all about. I will tell you this, I know this, when I think about the future of country music, I know with you in it we are going to be OK.”

“I would say I'm so happy for you, but I'm so dang happy for the Grand Ole Opry. I really am,” Garth added. “It's just really rare that you find somebody at your age that already gets it.”

After being welcomed into the Opry family by Trisha, Lainey shared, “Honestly, it feels like the biggest night of my life. We have had a crazy couple of years and all the awards and everything but this right here feels like the highest honor for me. It feels like the stamp of approval from everybody that stood right here. That just lights another fire under my butt.”

“I want my family to be up here because this is theirs, too. They have worked so hard for me to have opportunities,” Lainey said with her family standing beside her. “As a little girl, I didn't dream about my wedding day. I didn't dream about what song I'd play at my wedding, I dreamed about this right here. I dreamed about what song I would play in the circle if I got the opportunity.”

You can check out photos from Lainey’s big night on her Instagram.

Lainey’s Whirlwind drops Aug. 23 and is available for preorder now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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News Daypop

Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz resigns over PM Netanyahu’s handling of war in Gaza

Israeli Minister of Defense Benjamin Benny Gantz speaks during annual Jerusalem Post conference at Gotham Hall. New York^ NY - September 12^ 2022

Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz announced his resignation on Sunday over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza. Gantz had threatened to depart the government by June 8 if it didn’t adopt a new plan, giving them a three-week deadline.

Gantz announced his resignation in a televised news conference on Sunday, stating that Netanyahu stood in Israel’s way to “a real victory… that is why we are leaving the emergency government today with a heavy heart, but with a whole heart.” Gantz is a popular former centrist military chief, and one of the prime minister’s most prominent critics. He joined Netanyahu’s government shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in a show of unity. However, he said at the news conference that Netanyahu is making “total victory impossible” and that the government needs to put the return of the hostages seized Oct. 7 by Hamas “above political survival .. that is why we are leaving the emergency government today, with a heavy heart but with full confidence.”

Gantz also called for new elections this fall that will “ultimately lead to the formation of a government that has won the trust of the people and be able to face the challenges” and encouraged the third member of the war Cabinet, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, to “do the right thing” and resign from the government as well. Gallant has previously said he would resign if Israel chose to reoccupy Gaza, and encouraged the government to make plans for a Palestinian administration.

During his resignation address, Gantz said there should be elections this fall “that will eventually establish a government that will win the trust of the people and be able to face challenges. I call on Netanyahu: set an agreed election date. Don’t let our people be torn apart.”

Netanyahu had urged Gantz not to leave the emergency wartime government, saying: “this is the time for unity, not for division. This is not the time to abandon the campaign — this is the time to join forces.” Netanyahu still controls a majority coalition in parliament, but will now need to more heavily rely on his far-right allies.

Netanyahu addressed Gantz in an X post following his resignation: “Citizens of Israel, we will continue until victory and the achievement of all the goals of the war, primarily the release of all our hostages and the elimination of Hamas.”

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

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News Daypop

Body of missing British TV presenter Dr. Michael Mosley found on Greek island

Colored houses village in Symi island^ Dodecanese islands^ Greece.

According to officials in Greece, the body of missing British TV presenter Dr. Michael Mosley has been found. Mosley, a TV doctor in the U.K., was reported missing on Wednesday, June 5, after he did not return home from a hike on the Greek island of Symi. His body was discovered days later on Sunday, June 9, on a beach in Agia Marina, a Greek island, spotted among rocks on a rugged stretch of coast by a party on a boat that included the local mayor and journalists.

Mosley’s wife Dr. Clare Bailey Mosley said that Michael, 67, had gone missing on Wednesday after going on a walk from the Agios Nikolaos beach. It is not known what happened, but Clare reported Michael missing within hours. According to CCTV footage, a man presumed to be Michael was spotted walking on the other side of the coast amid intense heat and rocky terrain.

Dr. Clare Bailey Mosley said in statement (per BBC.com) that her husband took the wrong route on a hike and collapsed just short of reaching a marina in a place where his body couldn’t easily be seen: “We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it. He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team. Michael was an adventurous man, it’s part of what made him so special. It’s devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband. We had an incredibly lucky life together. We loved each other very much and were so happy together. We are so grateful to the extraordinary people on Symi who have worked tirelessly to help find him. Some of these people on the island, who hadn’t even heard of Michael, worked from dawn till dusk unasked.”  Michael and Clare shared four children, who joined the couple on the Grecian holiday: “I am incredibly proud of our children, their resilience and support over the past days. My family and I have been hugely comforted by the outpouring of love from people from around the world. It’s clear that Michael meant a huge amount to so many of you. … I feel so lucky to have our children and my amazing friends. Most of all, I feel so lucky to have had this life with Michael. ”

Per ABC News, Mosley was well known in Britain for his many programs on the BBC, regular appearances on television and radio and his column in the ‘ Daily Mail’ newspaper.  Michael was also a pioneer of the 5:2 Diet, which he started amid a diabetes battle and promised to help people lose weight quickly by minimizing their calorie intake two days a week while eating healthily on the other five. His 2013 book “The Fast Diet,” was co-authored with journalist Mimi Spencer. Spencer told BBC Radio 4: “In person he was very much the sort of figure that you would see on television: immediately likeable, genuinely funny, enthusiastic, he had this innate enthusiasm about life and he was always very generous with his time. He never blew his trumpet, he was quite a humble person.”

Editorial credit: Georgios Tsichlis / Shutterstock.com

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Go Country 105

For OD, CMA Fest is “what we do all this for,” and it's “one big ole celebration” for Lainey Wilson

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Even with the threat of storms looming, the final night of CMA Fest 2024 went on Sunday night. Bailey Zimmerman, Megan Moroney, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce, Jackson Dean and more took the festival’s main stage, with HARDY closing things out at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium.

Earlier in the weekend, CMA winners Lainey Wilson and Old Dominion played for the crowd of devoted country fans, something they both consider the ultimate reward for what they do.

“This is what we do all this for,” OD’s Matthew Ramsey reflected. “CMA Fest is, you know, all the fans and they’re coming here for what they love, which is country music, and we’re so happy to be a part of it.”

“No special guests. There’s enough of us on stage,” he joked before the night’s set. “Our drummer’s gonna be there again, which is crazy,” Brad Tursi added. “He keeps showing up!” Trevor Rosen chimed in, referring to Whit Sellers, who often skips the band’s interviews. 

For Lainey, it’s her first CMA Fest appearance since becoming Entertainer of the Year.

“Now you’re making me nervous…” she told ABC Audio backstage. “Now I gotta pull it out and show the folks why we are.”

“I’m so thankful that I’ve been given the opportunity to come here and play in front of a bunch of people that love country music just as much as I do,” she continued. “And so it just feels like one big ole celebration.”  

You can check out all the big performances when Jelly Roll and Ashley McBryde host ABC’s annual CMA Fest special, which premieres Tuesday, June 25 at 8 p.m. ET. 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Categories
Country Daypop

See the trailer for Reba McEntire & Melissa Peterman’s new NBC sitcom ‘Happy’s Place’

Reba McEntire at the CMT Giants honoring Reba McEntire. Kodak Theatre^ Hollywood^ CA. 10-26-06

The official trailer for Reba McEntire’s new NBC sitcom ‘Happy’s Place’ was released, giving fans a first look at McEntire and her former Reba co-star, Melissa Peterman.

‘Happy’s Place’ stars McEntire as Bobbie, who inherits her father’s restaurant and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in her half-sister Isabella, played by Belissa Escobedo – whom she never knew she had. Per the official series synopsis, “Isabella is an enthusiastic 20-something, who has studied psychology and loves to analyze people. She is thrilled to start working at the tavern and is full of “great” ideas about how to bring it to life.” Peterman plays Gabby, described as ‘a bartender who has worked at the tavern for quite some time. She is a bit needy and dramatic and would have loved to be Bobbie’s sister.’  The series also stars Pablo Castelblanco, Tokala Black Elk and Rex Linn.

Happy’s Place is set to premiere this fall on NBC, with a specific premiere date still  TBD; check out the trailer – here.

Editorial credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Tyler Hubbard earns third consecutive No. 1 on Country Airplay with “Back Then Right Now”

Tyler Hubbard with Florida Georgia Line performing during the "Can't Say I Ain't Country" Tour on July 20^ 2019 at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater.

Tyler Hubbard has earned his third consecutive solo No. 1 on the Country Airplay charts with his single “Back Then Right Now”. The song landed on top of the Country Aircheck and Billboard Country Airplay charts after spending two weeks at the No. 1 spot in Canada.

“Back Then Right Now” is co-written by Hubbard, Jessie Jo Dillon, David Garcia and Geoff Warburton, and co-produced it with Jordan Schmidt. It’s the lead single from Hubbard’s sophomore LP, Strong, and has amassed more than 78 million cumulative streams to date.

Hubbard said: “I’m so thankful to have my third consecutive No. 1 single on country radio, and it feels surreal to have it happen on the second anniversary of starting this journey with the release of ‘5 Foot 9.’  The past two years have been amazing, and I’m grateful for all the support from country radio, the fans, and my UMG Nashville/EMI team. I’m excited to keep it going and keep telling my story through my music, songwriting, and live shows, and I’m happy we’re all on this ride together.”

Hubbard also recently announced his headlining Strong World Tour, kicking-off in Indianapolis on September 6th and ending with a hometown show at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium on November 21st. Hubbard is also touring with Kane Brown as part of the In The Air Tour. 

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com