Comstock/ThinkstockThe powerhouse lead vocalist of country trio Rascal Flatts is celebrating his 50th birthday today. This Columbus, Ohio native has also been teasing a potential solo career lately. Can you name him? ANSWER: Gary LeVox.
By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Big Machine Label GroupIt’s been five years since Tim McGraw fans got a new album from the country superstar, but that’s all about to change. This week, he officially announced that his next 16th studio project, Here on Earth, will arrive on August 21.
To celebrate the news, he shared the dazzling title track with fans, along with a music video that underscores his album’s focus on the things that bring people from all walks of life together, instead of on the differences that drive them apart.
The song takes a birds-eye view on different kinds of people, from young couples welcoming their first child to alcoholics getting sober. No matter the situation, over the course of their journeys, they all find a new reason to be “here on earth.”
Previously, Tim described the album’s track list as being full of “vignettes of life.” Another of those vignettes is “I Called Mama,” which is Here on Earth’s lead single and the 13th of 16 tracks on the album.
The singer shared the complete list of song titles, too, and it looks like many of Here on Earth’s tunes are entirely brand-new and unheard by fans. When it’s released in August, Tim hints that he’s planning a one-of-a-kind livestream experience to celebrate his album.
Here’s the full track list of Here on Earth:
“L.A.”
“Chevy Spaceship”
“Here on Earth”
“Damn Sure Do”
“Hallelujahville”
“Good Taste in Women”
“Hard to Stay Mad At”
“Sheryl Crow”
“Not from California”
“Hold You Tonight”
“7500 OBO”
“If I Was a Cowboy”
“I Called Mama”
“Gravy”
“War of Art”
“Doggone”
By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
President Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, was taken back to a federal jail on Thursday after refusing to agree to a gag order as a condition of serving his criminal sentence under home confinement. Cohen’s lawyer, Jeffrey Levine, said that his client was taken to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.
Cohen, 53, had been released from a federal prison in upstate New York in May due to concerns over possible exposure to the novel coronavirus. He had completed about a year of a three-year sentence for his role in hush money payments to two women, as well as for financial crimes and lying to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen had originally been eligible for release in November 2021.
On Thursday, he was ordered to a federal courthouse in Manhattan to convert his furlough to home confinement. Levine said they were presented with an agreement that barred Cohen from having any contact with news media organizations, TV, film or book publishing outlets, or from posting on social media. After objecting, Levine said the U.S. Marshals Service came with “shackles” and ordered Cohen remanded to the jail in Brooklyn because he failed to agree to the terms.
Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com
BBR Music Group When Jimmie Allen released “This Is Us” with Noah Cyrus — daughter of Billy Ray, sister of Miley — back in February, little did we know that it was only the tip of one very star-studded iceberg.
“It was written by Noah, a few other writers, and my buddy Tyler Hubbard from FGL,” Jimmie tells ABC Audio. “I love the song, and just sound-wise, it just fits right in with what I do anyway, like a mix between, like country and pop and rock and with some R-and-B inflections.”
Jimmie’s connection with Noah came through the music business, but it was just one of many more to come.
“That one happened because my manager actually does business with her record label head,” Jimmie explains. “They sent the song down and asked if I wanted to be a part of it.”
It turns out “This Is Us” is the lead single from Jimmie’s seven-track EP of celebrity collaborations, titled Bettie James, in honor of his beloved grandmother, Bettie Snead, and his dad, James Allen.
It includes non-country stars like rapper Nelly, actress Rita Wilson, and worship leader Tauren Wells, alongside country icons Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, and The Oak Ridge Boys.
Even so, there are a couple tracks that are extra special.
“Has there ever been two Black country artists doing a duet?” Jimmie asks. “Has that ever been done?”
It’s a feat Jimmie accomplishes by teaming up with Mickey Guyton on “Drunk and I Miss You,” and snagging both Darius Rucker and Charley Pride for “Why Things Happen.”
Bettie James is available to stream or download now, on the heels of Jimmie’s first two singles, “Best Shot” and “Make Me Want To,” which both topped the country chart.
By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockAXS TV has announced a special programming block of interviews and performances to honor Charlie Daniels, which is set to air this Sunday beginning at 11AM ET. The country legend died on July 6 at the age of 83.
Ahead of his next album, Blue Eyes, the Harlot, the Queer, the Pusher & Me, Waylon Payne has shared a small handful of new tracks. One of them, “All the Trouble,” was co-penned by Lee Ann Womack, who also cut it for her 2017 album, The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone.
By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Tropical Storm Fay has developed off the coast of the Carolinas, adding to an already busy start of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. In an update late last evening, the National Hurricane Center said Fay was located about 70 miles south of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and about 140 miles south-southeast of Ocean City, Md. The storm was traveling north at 8 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. A tropical storm warning was in effect for the coast, from Cape May, N.J., to Watch Hill, R.I., including Long Island and Long Island Sound.
Already the sixth named storm in the Atlantic this year, Fay also holds the record as the earliest named “F” storm to form in the basin in the satellite era, which dates back to the 1960s. “Fay will be a mostly heavy rain producer but could still bring wind gusts of 50-60 mph along coastal areas of eastern Long Island and over eastern coastal areas of New England,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist and lead hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said.
Story developing….
Editorial credit: Hayden Stirling / Shutterstock.com
Darius Rucker isn’t letting the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic stop him from raising money for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Rucker will be holding his “11th Darius & Friends” benefit concert virtually, taking place on the Grand Ole Opry stage on July 30 at 7 p.m. CT. Fans will be able to view the show via a pay-per-view live stream. The annual concert has raised more than $2 million for St. Jude over the years.
Said Darius, “Even though we can’t all get together for a normal concert right now, it’s important that we continue to support St. Jude and the amazing work that they do. I hope we can bring a fun night of music to everyone watching from home while also raising money for this important cause.”
This year’s show will feature Darius, Clint Black and Tracy Lawrence. Tickets to the pay-per-view event start at $15 with VIP options offering limited-edition and signed posters priced at $50 and $100, respectively. Tickets go on sale TODAY, July 10 at 10 a.m. CT – information can be found at the link here.
Editorial credit: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com
Blake Shelton is the latest artist to plan a drive-in concert series in order to safely bring live music to fans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country star will take the stage for the Encore Drive-In Nights concert series with special guests Gwen Stefani and Trace Adkins. The concert series will debut on July 25 at over 300 locations across the U.S., features new performances filmed exclusively for the one-night-only event. The concert event was filmed exclusively for drive-in theaters across North America.
Shelton said in a press release: “This is such a great way to enjoy music with your family and friends and stay safe. I’m excited we’re getting the chance to perform a concert for fans and we’re going to go back and play old hits like ‘Austin,’ newer songs like ‘God’s Country’ and we might even introduce something brand new! So fill up those popcorn tubs and get ready for some country music!”
Tickets go on sale on July 14 (at 12 p.m. local venue time) via Ticketmaster. Admission costs $114 per vehicle (up to 6 people.)
Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com
Diplo is shares the new video for “On Mine” featuring Noah Cyrus. The song is from Diplo’s country album, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 1: Snake Oil, out now. Directed by longtime collaborator Brandon Dermer, “On Mine” was shot at Far West Farms in Calabasas, where Cyrus grew up riding horses, and follows Diplo’s videos for “Do Si Do” featuring Blanco Brown and “Dance With Me” featuring Thomas Rhett and Young Thug.
Snake Oil featuring new collaborations with Zac Brown & Danielle Bradbery, Cyrus, Peck and includes the double Platinum single “Heartless” with Morgan Wallen (and its alternate version with Julia Michaels, which is climbing pop radio charts), “Lonely” with Jonas Brothers, “Do Si Do” with Blanco Brown and “So Long” with Cam.
Take a look at the video for ‘On Mine” at the link: here
Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com
Harry Styles is teaming with meditation app Calm to record himself narrating a 30-minute sleep story, “Dream With Me,” which is available now on the Calm app.
Styles said in a statement, “Sleep and meditation are a huge part of my routine, whether I’m at home, in the studio, or out on the road. Rest and recovery is as important as doing the work. Finding a balance has been endlessly beneficial to both my physical and mental health. It’s changed my life. I’m so happy to be collaborating with Calm at a time when the world needs all the healing it can get. Treat people with kindness.”
Michael Acton Smith, Calm co-founder and co-CEO, added, “Harry’s voice usually electrifies audiences around the world but his unique Sleep Story will help millions of people drift off to dreamland every night. His mellifluous voice is the perfect tonic to calm a racing mind.”
Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com
