Category: Go Country 105

With 10 number-one hits to his name and another — “Never Say Never,” with Lainey Wilson — quickly ascending to the top of the chart, Cole Swindell knows first-hand that songs can change lives.

But when he was making his new album, Stereotype, the power of music took on a whole new meaning for Cole. He got to know his now-girlfriend, Courtney Little, after he asked her to play the role of his love interest in the music video for his song, “Some Habits.”

“That was kind of like our first date,” the singer tells People, admitting that being in an on-screen relationship with someone he didn't yet know well in person was “pretty awkward.” Still, they hit it off, and went out after filming wrapped.

“And we've been together ever since,” Cole continues. “It's a pretty, pretty wild story, but you never know. They say songs are powerful. I feel like now, after meeting her, I can finally check all the boxes.”

Stereotype came out earlier this month.

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There was a time when Dierks Bentley wasn't sure if his Colorado-based music festival, Seven Peaks, would ever return.

Dierks launched Seven Peaks in 2018 and it had its second year in 2019, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After canceling in 2020, Dierks planned to bring it back in 2021, but those plans fell through due to local capacity restrictions in the festival's home of Buena Vista, Colorado.

“To lose two years back to back, it’s hard,” Dierks admits. “And I honestly wasn’t sure whether we were gonna get our shot to do the festival, between that and having to change locations.”

Now, with a new location in Villa Grove, Seven Peaks is making its triumphant return over Labor Day weekend 2022. As always, the lineup will feature some bluegrass-leaning acts and 90s hitmakers, plus the best of today's country star power — including controversial hitmaker Morgan Wallen as a co-headliner, along with Dierks.

Explaining why he chose Morgan to split his headlining duties with him, Dierks says that he's got his eye on Seven Peaks' longevity.

“It only works if you have a guy or girl coming in the night opposite of me that can carry the weight,” he reasons. “Morgan more than carries the weight…[he’s] one of the biggest stars in country music right now, driving the most folks ever out there.”

But Morgan's massive popularity isn't the only reason Dierks selected him as a co-headliner.

“I love his music…it just has a very country feel to it,” he describes. “The instrumentation is beautiful, and of course, great songwriting.”

Passes to Seven Peaks go on sale to the general public April 22.

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By the time Carly Pearce was in first grade, she was already in training to be a country singer — and she owes a lot of that drive and ambition to LeAnn Rimes.

Ahead of tonight's premiere of CMT Crossroads: LeAnn Rimes & Friends, Carly says that her admiration for LeAnn runs deep.

“When I say I imitated her in my childhood years, it's the truth. I won talent shows at school singing versions of her songs. My mom had to push to try and find a vocal coach at six, seven, eight years old because LeAnn was a 14-year-old doing it,” she recounts to CMT.

Now, Carly's one of a stellar lineup of country's new female acts tributing LeAnn on the special, alongside Mickey Guyton, Ashley McBryde and Brandy Clark.

“When this came up, my little childhood self was so excited,” Carly adds.

The special will review LeAnn's storied career in country music, dating all the way back to her 1996 breakout hit, “Blue,” which came out when she was just 13. Onstage, she'll revisit those early hits as well as previewing material from her new album, god's work, which features Mickey.

LeAnn began her career so young that the artists celebrating her tonight grew up with her music, even though they're not much younger than her themselves.

“To hear her story of how she put the yodel on Blue' when she was 13 years old, she's a mastermind,” Ashley marvels. “She's a prodigy. She's been doing what I wanted to do my whole life already for 25 years.”

The CMT Crossroads episode premieres tonight at 8 p.m. CT on CMT.

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In case you missed it, Breland led a sold-out benefit show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium earlier this week, featuring appearances from Sam Hunt, Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown and many others. The event raised over $140,000 for Nashville's at-risk youth.

After airing on the Circle Network back in February, Randy Travis' More Life documentary is on its way to YouTube and iTunes. It'll premiere as a seven-part series with a roll-out lasting through July 7.

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As promised, Garth Brooks unveiled the name of his downtown Nashville entertainment complex this week, and the moniker is an homage to one of his biggest hits of all time.

The venue is called Friends in Low Places, named after Garth’s classic breakout single from 1990. In true Garth fashion, he found a creative way to share the name of his new hot spot with fans, slowly assembling the letters in the windows of the second and third stories of the building.

That means that fans walking down Nashville’s bustling Lower Broadway could see Friends in Low Places slowly emerging, and after the full reveal, Garth posted a time-lapse video of the process to his socials.

Just a couple of weeks after he officially confirmed the opening of his new entertainment complex, Garth is already bringing Friends in Low Places to life. The downstairs merch store is open for business, and fans have been posting their snapshots of the inside — and their purchases — to Twitter, using the hashtag #FILPonBroadway.

Meanwhile, Garth’s gearing up for a two-night stand at Music City’s Nissan Stadium. Those shows, which take place Friday and Saturday, are both stops on his Stadium Tour.

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Maren Morris got to play the role of surprise guest at a John Mayer show in Nashville on Wednesday night, stepping onstage to sing two duets with the star singer-songwriter.

One of those was “Last Train Home,” a song off John's recent Sob Rock album. Maren provides backing vocals on the studio version, so it's no surprise they'd choose that tune to perform in a live setting.

Maren also duetted with John at the Grammys in 2021, performing her cross-genre mega-hit, “The Bones.” But even though she's gotten a few different opportunities to sing with him, Maren's as starstruck as ever: A fact she made clear during a post to her socials after the show.

“Hello, Maren can't be reached right now because she went back to 2006 and told her younger self that this would happen in year 2022 and her brain exploded,” the singer wrote, alongside video of her and John onstage together.

“Thank you [John Mayer] for bringing your new light to Nashville & blessing our ears,” Maren continued. “WHAT a band.”

When she's not being a fan, Maren's hard at work on her own tour plans: She launches her Humble Quest Tour in June.

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Lady A is headed out on the road this August, and it'll be a tour unlike none other: This time around, they're counting on fans to help determine their set lists.

Dubbed the Request Line Tour, the trek will allow fans to interact with the band in real time during their performances and request the songs they want to hear. It's an idea that came up during their Las Vegas residency, the trio's Dave Haywood explains.

“We've been touring for over 15 years and have played some of the biggest venues in the world but there's something truly special about being close to your audience and having the flexibility to include the fans in how the show goes,” Dave says.

True to the tour's name, Lady A has set up a special number for fans to call to request their favorite songs. It's (615) 882-1975.

“During our Vegas residency, our favorite moments allowed the three of us to talk with the fans and play what they wanted to hear,” he continues. “So we're taking that spirit and making it a regular part of our shows this year.”

The Request Line Tour launches August 13 with a two-night hometown stand at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, and it'll extend through the end of October, wrapping with a stop in Indianapolis.

Tickets go on sale on April 22, but members of Lady A's fan club will have access to a special presale starting April 19.

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Ironically, Miranda Lambert and Elle King just scored a big ol' chart-topping country hit about something they haven't been able to do together since before the song came out.

“Her and I haven't gotten to get drunk and not go home since we cut this song, because she got pregnant,” Miranda explains to ABC Audio, laughing. “So I was, like, drinking for two.”

With Elle's baby boy, Lucky, now over seven months old, perhaps a little partying to celebrate the milestone is in order. “Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)” is Elle's second number one at U.S. country radio — following “Different for Girls,” a Dierks Bentley duet — and Miranda's ninth.

Every number one is a major accomplishment, especially since, even though Miranda's career dates back to the mid-2000s, many of her singles have never reached the top spot at radio.

“I haven't had that many number ones…That's always like, Oh my gosh, we got a number one?'” Miranda notes,  adding that it’s especially nice “to share it with a friend.”

Reflecting on Elle, Miranda says, “[S]he just has great energy and we have great chemistry together.”

The win is worth celebrating on a larger scale, too. Not only is “Drunk” the first time a duet between two women has topped the charts since Reba McEntire and Linda Davis' “Does He Love You” in 1993, but it's also the first time that two all-female duets are in the top 10 at country radio at the same time.

The other song, of course is the Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde's ballad “Never Wanted to Be That Girl.”  The milestone didn't slip past Ashley, who brought it to Miranda's attention on social media.

“I was like, Yeah…that's awesome,'” Miranda marvels. “Like, we're finally getting somewhere, you know what I mean?”

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Sure, Cody Johnson owes a whole lot of success to his song, “Til You Can't” — the song was a number-one country radio hit, and earned him one of his two trophies at the 2022 CMT Awards. But it might have had an even greater impact on who he is as a person.

“It gave me a new perspective of, I'm only here for a little while,” Cody explains to People about the song's significance. “I've got to do the things that matter. Spend time with your wife, spend time with your kids, push your career, do it while you're here. Don't wait for the next chapter. Make it the next chapter.”

Cody was living out those words of wisdom at this week's CMT Awards, soaking up the milestones as he claimed his trophies for Male Video of the Year and CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year.

The night out also doubled as date night: Cody brought his wife, Brandi, to the show with him.

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90s hitmaker duo Shenandoah signed a new record deal with 8 Track Entertainment this week, with new music expected soon. The country pair are currently on a tour that celebrates their 35th anniversary.

Lindsay Ell has new music on the way. Her next single, “Right on Time,” will be out on April 27.

Willie Nelson joins singer-songwriter Tammy Neilson on a new song, called “Beyond the Stars.”

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