Fifty-five years ago today (Jan. 7, 1967) was an historic day for country music: It was on that date that Charley Pride became the first Black singer to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Pride was only the second Black performer ever to play at the Opry, following harmonica player DeFord Bailey, who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry from
Music
On Jan. 28, Morgan Wade‘s breakout debut record Reckless will be rereleased with six new tracks, including the standout new single “Run.” Wade gently describes the heaviness of trudging through another day while wanting to break out of the situation that’s been weighing her down. She contemplates her yearning for change, along with the path that
Lucinda Williams, Wilco, and Alejandro Escovedo were all inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame back in October. On Saturday, the ceremony premieres on PBS stations with a special episode of the long-running live-music series. Jason Isbell does the honors of inducting Williams, whom he credits with creating a map for other singer-songwriters
Three of Chris Young‘s last four chart-topping singles have been duets, so it’s hard to blame him for trying for four of five, especially with a song as radio-ready as “At the End of a Bar.” This new collaboration with Mitchell Tenpenny is likely to be among the most played songs of 2022. He delivered
Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs are known as pioneers of bluegrass music and their band, the Foggy Mountain Boys, is considered one of the most iconic groups in the genre’s history. Formed in 1948, the band and its leaders became household names in the 1960s, thanks in large part to their song “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,”
Tom T. Hall, the Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter who died last August at 85, took his own life at his home in Franklin, Tennessee, the Williamson County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed to Rolling Stone on Wednesday. When reached on the phone by Rolling Stone, a spokesperson for the Medical Examiner’s office said the
Tom T. Hall — the legendary singer-songwriter who wrote hits like “Harper Valley PTA” and “That’s How I Got to Memphis” — died by suicide, according to new reports from the Tennesseean and Rolling Stone. The Country Music Hall of Famer died at the age of 85 in his Franklin, Tenn., home in August 2021. No cause of
Thirty-seven years ago today (Jan. 5, 1985), George Strait was starting a new year on a high note. It was on that date that his single “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind” soared to the top of the charts. “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind,” which was Strait’s sixth No. 1 hit, was the title track of
Billy Strings was forced to cancel a number of multi-night shows in December because of positive Covid cases within his circle. Undeterred, the bluegrass singer and guitarist just announced a new spring tour that includes residencies in California, Florida, and at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The performer’s spring trek kicks off April 9 and 10 with
Carly Pearce is a woman scorned, and she didn’t hold anything back during her appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night (Jan. 3). It was the kickoff musical performance of the year on the late-night show, and the reigning CMA Female Artist of the Year opted for her smoldering breakup song “Diamondback.” Watch her
Sixty-three years ago today, on Jan. 1, 1959, Johnny Cash kicked off the new year on a high note: It was on that date that the singer performed at the famous San Quentin State Prison in California, beginning a series of concerts held at various prisons throughout the rest of his career. Cash, who was arrested
The 64th annual Grammy Awards are set to take place on Jan. 31, but it’s possible that that date will get pushed back. According to Billboard, a source close to the Recording Academy says it’s “looking likely” that the Grammys will be postponed due to increasing concerns surrounding the COVID-19 omicron variant. A spokesperson for
Seventy-two years ago today (Jan. 3, 1950) was an historic day for country music, although no one was aware of it at the time: It was on that date that the famous Sun Studio — home of future recordings from Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, among others – opened in Memphis, Tenn. Sam Phillips,
Fans got quite the end-of-year surprise from Kane Brown and his wife, Katelyn on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) when the couple revealed the newest addition to their family: Baby girl Kodi Jane, who was born a day earlier (Dec. 30.) Katelyn and Brown — who are already parents to two-year-old Kingsley — made the
Twenty-eight years ago today (Jan. 1, 1994), Faith Hill started off the new year on a high note: She scored her very first No. 1 hit with her song “Wild One,” from her debut album, Take Me as I Am. “Wild One” stayed at the top of the charts for an astonishing four weeks – the first
Brian Fallon was planning to begin his North American tour with his band the Howling Weather on Jan. 11 in Portland, Maine. But as the U.S. sets daily records with Covid cases fueled by the Omicron variant, the Gaslight Anthem frontman is canceling his first two weeks of dates. The tour will now begin Jan.
January 1, 2022 FEATURED, Music News Katy Perry and Alesso Bring In The New Year With Their Dance Anthem ‘When I’m Gone’ Katy Perry and Alesso have released a new single right in time for the New Year called “When I’m Gone.” It’s a electro-pop dance track that marks the first collaboration between the DJ and pop
The wife of Country Music Hall of Fame singer and songwriter Ray Stevens has died. Penny Jackson Ragsdale died on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31), shortly before midnight. Ragsdale’s death comes two days after the singer alerted his fans that her time was short. In a note on Facebook, the 82-year-old canceled his New Year’s
Little Jimmy Dickens was born James Cecil Dickens in 1920, in the tiny town of Bolt, W. Va. Dickens may have been small in stature — he was only 4 feet, 11 inches — but his presence was larger than life. Originally performing for local radio stations under the stage name Jimmy the Kid, Dickens
On New Year’s Day 1964, Connie Smith — then still an aspiring singer — met Grand Ole Opry star Bill Anderson at a concert in Canton, Ohio. It was actually their second meeting: The first followed Smith’s victory in a talent show in Columbus, after which Anderson invited her to perform on the Ernest Tubb
Canadian country artist Ryan Lindsay and New York folk artist Lizzie No have teamed up for a breathtaking version of Lindsay’s powerful tune “You, Me and the Mountains.” The live, off the floor version and its accompanying music video are premiering exclusively on The Boot; press play below to listen. The raw, intimate performance was recorded in Orange Lounge
You know what they say: A pandemic brings a baby boom. Okay, maybe no one says that — but it’s proving true in 2021, after the COVID-19 pandemic kept many country artists off the road and at home for much of 2020. The country music community is expanding in a big way this year, with several
Zac Brown Band have canceled their scheduled appearance at Nashville’s New Year’s Eve party after the group’s namesake singer tested positive for Covid-19. Brown previously contracted the virus in September, forcing the country music band to scrap a string of shows. “Despite taking precautions, I’ve tested positive for COVID-19. While we were very excited to
2022 is shaping up to be a busy year in the world of country music. Many artists are planning tours and new albums, and it appears that Maren Morris is throwing her hat into the ring. The “My Church” singer posted a video on Instagram on Dec. 23, teasing fans that something new is coming
Joe Diffie‘s songs weren’t the biggest hits of the 1990s, and he wasn’t the ’90s most well-known country star, but in so many ways he defined the decade with lyrics born out of the American experience and a simple, straight-forward and often clever approach to storytelling. Diffie, who died on March 29, 2020, at age
The next season of the Netflix self-improvement series Queer Eye premieres Dec. 31 and takes the cast to Texas to continue their mission of encouragement and empowerment. Texas native Miranda Lambert has recorded a new song called “Y’all Means All” for the series, a snippet of which can be heard in the show’s teaser. While
Mickey Guyton is excited to share a new side of her artistry and her heart with fans as she prepares her next country project. The 2022 Grammy Award-nominated singer isn’t going to simply repeat what worked in 2021. Remember Her Name was released in September 2021 and heralded for its social importance and the artistic courage Guyton
On Dec. 28, 1956, a young Charley Pride and his wife, Rozene, got married. They’d just met earlier that year: He was playing Negro League baseball for the Memphis Red Sox and she was a dedicated baseball fan. Although the couple were only in their early 20s at the time, and married after a whirlwind
By the time Emmylou Harris released Luxury Liner, the third and most successful LP of her career-defining “honky-tonk angel” period, on Dec. 28, 1976, the vocalist had cemented a reputation for combining vintage country with impeccably chosen covers from outside the genre. Harris had been famously mentored by the late Gram Parsons, but by now
Bluegrass and banjo legend J.D. Crowe has died. In a post shared to his Facebook fan page, Crowe’s family announced the news of his passing at the age of 84 on Friday (Dec. 24). “This morning at around 3 a.m., our dad, JD Crowe, went home,” they wrote. “Prayers needed for all during this difficult time.” Crowe’s son,