Month: February 2025

Lainey Wilson to embark on 2025 Whirlwind World Tour

Post author By Staff
Post date February 28, 2025
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Lainey Wilson at the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year Honoring Jon Bon Jovi at the Convention Center on February 2^ 2024 in Los Angeles^ CA

Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind World Tour is set to launch in March. The nearly 50-date trek will feature openers Maddox Batson, Kaitlin Butts, Ernest, Zach Meadows, Drake Milligan, Muscadine Bloodline and Lauren Watkins at various shows.

The Whirlwind World Tour, which takes its name from Wilson’s 2024 album, will include stops at Zurich’s X-TRA, Paris’ Elysée Montmartre, New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Austin’s Moody Center, Baton Rouge’s Raising Cane’s River Center Arena and Denver’s Ball Arena among many others along the way.

For ticket information, head to Lainey’s website.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Pop Daypop

2025 Love Rocks NYC Benefit to feature Cher, Beck, Alicia Keys, and more

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Post date February 28, 2025
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Cher arrives for Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love on April 26^ 2023 in Hollywood^ CA

The 2025 Love Rocks NYC benefit concert will feature artists including Alicia Keys, Beck, Cher, Kate Hudson, Mavis Staples, Michael McDonald, Peter Frampton, Phish’s Trey Anastasio and many more.

The ninth annual benefit for God’s Love We Deliver — an organization that cooks and delivers medically tailored meals for people too sick to shop or cook for themselves — will take place at New York’s Beacon Theatre on March 6. God’s Love We Deliver was founded in 1985 as a response to the AIDS pandemic and now serves people living with more than 200 different diagnoses. The organization has served more than 40 million meals to date, with this year marking the group’s 40th anniversary. Since launching in 2017, the annual event has raised $50 million and helped fund more than five million meals. This year’s show will support God’s Love as well as their Food Is Medicine Coalition peer organization ‘Project Angel Food’ in Los Angeles (as part of a response to the LA wildfires).

Executive produced by fashion designer John Varvatos along with New York real estate broker Douglas Elliman and concert producers Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter, the show will also include performances from Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart featuring Vanessa Amorosi, the Black Pumas’ Eric Burton, Grace Bowers, Jesse Malin, Struts singer Luke Spiller, The War and Treaty and more; and will also feature appearances by comedians Alex Edelman, Amy Schumer, Susie Essman and Tracy Morgan.

God’s Love We Deliver CEO Terrence Meck in a statement: “As we prepare for the 9th Annual LOVE ROCKS NYC concert, we’re reminded of the power of music and community to create change. This year is especially meaningful as God’s Love We Deliver celebrates having delivered more than 40 million meals since our founding in 1985. We are so proud of our work nourishing our neighbors affected by severe and chronic illness, and we are grateful to Love Rocks NYC for the visibility and funds it raises for God’s Love We Deliver.”

Available tickets can be found at the link: here.

Editorial credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com

Pop Daypop

Doja Cat, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and more to perform at 2025 Oscars

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Post date February 28, 2025
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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande at the premiere for Wicked at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. LOS ANGELES^ CA. November 09^ 2024

Doja Cat, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, BLACKPINK’s LISA, Queen Latifah and Raye are all scheduled to perform at the 2025 Oscars, taking place live on Sunday, March 2 from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Erivo and Grande are Oscar nominees for their roles in Wicked, which received a total of 10 nominations. The other women are expected to participate in “performances celebrating the filmmaking community and some of its legends.”

Erivo and Grande are rumored to be opening the telecast with one or more songs from the movie musical. While of the songs featured in Wicked were taken from the Broadway musical, none were eligible for nomination for ‘best original song’; but the score to Wicked by John Powell and Stephen Schwartz was nominated for best original score.

The artists behind the Oscar-nominated songs from Emilia Pérez, The Six Triple Eight, Sing Sing, and Elton John: Never Too Late will not be performing their original compositions. Instead, the ceremony will devote time to “highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry” in light of the recent California wildfires.

Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the 2025 Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the official live red carpet show airing at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Go Country 105

Nashville notes: HARDY's new label + Dollywood's 500,000 blooms

Post author By abookbinder
Post date February 27, 2025
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Dollywood kicks off its annual Flower & Food Festival April 18, boasting half a million blooms and food ranging from the Honey & Peach Bar-B-Q Sandwich to the zesty Lemon Cannoli. It runs through June 8.

HARDY‘s launched his own rock label called Crow Records, in partnership with his record company, Big Loud. Sikarus is the first artist he’s signed.

Craig Morgan‘s new EP, American Soundtrack, drops Friday, just as he hits the road on Blake Shelton‘s Friends & Heroes Tour.

Go Country 105

Darius Rucker follows in the footsteps of presidents – onto the golf course

Post author By abookbinder
Post date February 27, 2025
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Darius Rucker loves to hit the links, so it only seems fitting they should name him the Ambassador of Golf.

This summer, the Northern Ohio Golf Charities & Foundation will do exactly that at a fundraiser for the foundation. The ceremony‘s set to take place June 19 in Akron, Ohio, and includes dinner, entertainment and the chance to rub elbows with the Hootie & the Blowfish frontman.

Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Presidents Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush have all received the honor.

Go Country 105

The Opry mic's getting an update Saturday night

Post author By abookbinder
Post date February 27, 2025
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Vince Gill will unveil a new update to the Grand Ole Opry’s iconic mic stand on March 1.

“Like the Opry's famed Circle center stage and its signature barn backdrop, the show's familiar microphone stands have been a key part of our iconography for decades,” Opry executive producer Dan Rogers says. “This celebration of 100 years is all about celebrating our past and opening wide the doors to the next century of music, and these stands will be a testament to that for as long as they are featured on the Opry stage.”

The Opry 100 celebration continues all year, with the Oak Ridge Boys, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith, Bill Anderson and more set to join Vince on Saturday night.

Go Country 105

'What Ifs': Diamonds are Kane Brown's best friend

Post author By abookbinder
Post date February 27, 2025
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Kane Brown‘s picking up a Diamond, but this one’s not for his wife.

Actually, he shares it with his school pal Lauren Alaina, as their duet “What Ifs” reaches Diamond status, having sold and streamed 10 million units. The 2017 single was also Kane’s first #1.

It’s his second Diamond single, following the certification of “Heaven,” also from 2017.

Kane released his fourth studio album, The High Road, in January, which features his 12th #1, “Miles on It,” along with his current single, “Backseat Driver.” He’s set to kick off The High Road Tour March 13 in San Diego.

Go Country 105

Brad Paisley's dignity's on the line with upcoming benefit

Post author By abookbinder
Post date February 27, 2025
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Brad Paisley‘s ready with another night of Groceries with Dignity & Comedy Without.

He’ll host the cleverly named benefit with his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, with proceeds going to their neighborhood nonprofit The Store.

The Sunday, April 13, event will take place at Zanies in Nashville, with tickets going on sale Friday, Feb. 28, at 10 a.m.

This will be the third year for the event, which has already raised $225,000 and featured big names like Nate Bargatze, John Crist, actress Bonnie Hunt, Kevin Nealon, Dusty Slay and The Groundlings.

The event’s name is a reference to The Store, a community resource that’s set up like a grocery store so that low-income residents can shop without feeling like they’re at a food bank.

Go Country 105

'Future Tripping': Kelsea Ballerini's ready with 'Patterns (Deluxe)'

Post author By abookbinder
Post date February 27, 2025
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Kelsea Ballerini promised a surprise during her Wednesday night show in Fort Worth, and she delivered, announcing the expanded edition of her latest album and debuting the new track, “Future Tripping.”

You can check out Kelsea’s big reveal and the new song on her socials.

Patterns (Deluxe) adds five new cuts and is set to arrive March 7. “To the Men that Love Women After Heartbreak,” “Put it to Bed,” “Cut Me Up” and “Hindsight is Happiness” are the other four tracks that round out the new version of Kelsea’s 2024 album.

Kelsea’s fifth effort is her first to top Billboard‘s Country Albums ranking and includes her current hit, “Cowboys Cry Too,” with Noah Kahan.

News Daypop

Death of unvaccinated Texas child is first U.S. fatality from measles outbreak in a decade

Post author By Staff
Post date February 27, 2025
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child with measles lying on the bed /asleep.

State and local health officials announced Wednesday that an unvaccinated school-aged child who was hospitalized with measles has died from the illness in West Texas. It is the first U.S. death reported from a measles outbreak since 2015.

In a press release, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said the child was hospitalized in the northwestern city of Lubbock last week and tested positive for measles. According to data from DSHS, as of Wednesday, 124 cases of measles have been confirmed associated with the outbreak that began in Gaines County (which has become the epicenter) with 80 cases confirmed among residents. Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or individuals whose vaccination status is unknown, and 18 people have been hospitalized so far. Children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make up the majority of cases with 62, followed by 39 cases among children ages 4 and under.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) said in a statement that the outbreak has since spread to several counties in the region and is “suspected” to have spread into New Mexico. The NMDOH said that nine cases have been confirmed in Lea County, which borders Texas; of the nine cases, four are among children.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, said during a meeting of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet members on Wednesday that the HHS is “watching” cases, and that the Texas outbreak as “not unusual … We’re following the measles epidemic every day.”

Editorial credit: Aleksandr Finch / Shutterstock.com