What would the Christmas season be without music? It’s the soundtrack for trimming the tree, wrapping presents and cooking Christmas dinner. While those activities are fun for a lot of folks and Martina McBride’s White Christmas is must-have musical accompaniment, I decided to create the manliest of holiday playlists, perfect for listening to while splitting…
Jim Casey talks with Chris Young about the rapid success of his duet with Cassadee Pope, “Think of You,” his CMA Award nomination, how he got in touch with Vince Gill for “Sober Saturday Night,” the daunting challenge of picking songs for his new Christmas album, It Must Be Christmas, his favorite Christmas albums and more.…
In 2015, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson teamed up for the duets album Django and Jimmie, which featured the tune “It’s All Going to Pot.” Their art is imitating life. Willie introduced his new marijuana brand, Willie’s Reserve, earlier this year, and now Merle, who passed away in April 2016, will soon have his own…
Making your debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage is both a career-defining and nerve-racking moment for almost every artist who gets the honor. You can add Kiefer Sutherland’s name to that list. After Kiefer stepped onto the famed Grand Ole Opry circle to make his debut on May 31, the Emmy-winning actor, who has…
Billy Ray Cyrus is a busy man these days. Writing and starring in his own sitcom, Still The King, which was picked up for a second season by CMT, would keep anyone busy enough. On top of that, Billy Ray decided to release a brand-new album, Thin Line—which drops Today (Sept. 9)—chock-full of guest appearances…
It’s time to clock in—we’ve got the 40 Hardest Working Songs in Country Music. Today, Sept. 2, we’re featuring #1–10. Country music throughout the decades has not only embraced its working class roots, it’s made a point to praise them. Yes, work is tough, as Merle Haggard wrote in “Workin’ Man’s Blues” or as George…
Sturgill Simpson, much like Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, was “just getting warmed up” yesterday with his initial Facebook post in which in bashed the ACMs, Music Row and “Garden & Gun” magazine. In an update to his initial Facebook post, Sturgill clarified that he has no problem on a personal level with…
In a lengthy Facebook post today (Aug. 29), Sturgill Simpson unleashed a powerful diatribe against the ACMs, Music Row and Garden & Gun magazine. Sturgill’s main bone of contention stems from the fact that the ACMs created the inaugural Merle Haggard Spirit Award, saying “I find it utterly disgusting the way everybody on Music Row…
Miranda Lambert may not be an Okie from Muskogee, but the Texas spitfire will do Merle Haggard proud when she receives the inaugural ACM Merle Haggard Spirit Award at the ACM Honors ceremony on Aug. 30 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The award honors uncompromising artists in the spirit of Merle Haggard while acknowledging a man…
Just because they sing country music, doesn’t mean that artists like Joe Nichols listen to just country music. His tastes are as varied as many of ours. Joe released a second single, “Undone,” from his untitled album due out later this year and talked to Nash Country Daily back in May about the single. “Sometimes…
Chase McDaniel believes that listening to music in real-time can have a significant impact on listeners, rather than letting an algorithm choose what they hear. The new country artist recalls three life-changing moments he’s had while hearing songs on country radio, and McDaniel hopes his first radio single, “Burned Down Heaven,” has a similar effect…
Lainey Wilson will make her feature film debut in the Universal adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, Reminders of Him. The Grammy-winning country superstar will join a star-studded cast that includes Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, and Lauren Graham, with the film set to be directed by Vanessa Caswill. This won’t be Wilson’s first…
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kacey Musgraves clarified her previous comments on her marijuana use, revealing that she still smokes, though not to the extent she did when she was younger. “I never said I don’t ever partake,” says the 36-year-old singer. “I just don’t wake up and hit a gravity bong…
Reba McEntire has been one of the top female country stars since the ’80s, but she realizes she wouldn’t be anywhere without the support of her dedicated fans. In the new Variety cover feature on McEntire as part of their Power Of Women Nashville issue, the 70-year-old country music icon says she owes everything to…
In a new interview with Variety for their Power of Women Nashville issue, Sheryl Crow reflected on the evolving landscape of women in music, while celebrating the rise of young and talented female musicians. “The caliber of writing is just so good with Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, and Phoebe Bridgers, and these women are not…