Reyna Roberts is a self-described “really shy and awkward, and just really nerdy” — which is somewhat hard to believe coming from such a talkative, bubbly and fashionable person, but talk with her a little while and she’s sure to drop a Star Wars reference or two. It’s not too surprising, then, to learn the inspiration behind
Music
Dale Ann Bradley has turned some of her earliest musical memories into a new performance of her own. Her version of “L.A. International Airport” appears on her latest album, and its music video is premiering exclusively on The Boot. “This is such a classic country song,” Bradley reflects. Leanne Scott wrote the song, which David
After releasing the solo project And It’s Still Alright in 2020, Nathaniel Rateliff will reassemble his band the Night Sweats for a summer and fall tour. The Americana soul singer announced the 24-date trek on Monday. Rateliff’s tour kicks off July 20th in Charlotte, North Carolina, and runs through mid-October, with an array of rotating
During the first installment of The Voice season finale on Monday night (May 24), each contestant was asked to selected a “dedication song” honoring something or someone. For staunchly country contestant Kenzie Wheeler, who hails from Team Kelly, that meant tipping his hat to his hometown with a Tracy Byrd cover. Wheeler selected “The Keeper
In hindsight, Blake Shelton was an unlikely choice for one of four high-profile coaching jobs on NBC’s The Voice. Ten years later, however, he’s the face of the show, to the point that it’s impossible to imagine the reality show continuing without him. How did that happen? In 2011, Shelton was a rising star with potential,
Dustin Lynch and Chris Lane splash into summertime on their new track ”Tequila on a Boat.” Penned by Hillary Lindsey, Justin Ebach and Matt Alderman, the summer party anthem is carried by a feel-good beat and has sunny lyrics to match. Lynch and Lane break down the elements of their perfect summer boat day in the track’s chorus. “Tequila
Joshua Ray Walker kicked off a tour with the duo Carolina Story on Wednesday night at City Winery in Nashville, delivering a tight 30-minute set of songs off his two stellar albums, Wish You Were Here and Glad You Made It. Alas, the Texas singer-songwriter’s cover of Lionel Richie’s “Hello” didn’t make the set list.
Luke Bryan briefly swapped his judge’s chair for a spot on the stage — and his country twang for glam rock – during the American Idol finale on Sunday night (May 23), inviting recently-eliminated contestant Casey Bishop back to the stage for a duet performance of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” The 15-year-old Florida native was a standout Idol
The Wreckers were officially a band for only two brief years, but fans freaked out when the country-pop duo teased a reunion in late 2020. Clearly, their debut — and, thus far, only — album left a mark. Stand Still, Look Pretty, the Wreckers’ first full-length project, arrived on May 23, 2006 — 15 years ago
Rising country stair and 2019 American Idol winner Laine Hardy has just released his new feel-good single, “Memorize You.” The grooving summer jam is available everywhere. “Let’s go!” Hardy says of the new song. “I’ve been so excited to get this out since the moment I heard the mix. I’ve been asking and asking when we
We’ve had three presidents and two popes since Jamey Johnson last released an album of original songs. The double-LP The Guitar Song arrived in 2010, just two years after Johnson’s breakout record That Lonesome Song shattered Nashville’s glossy façade with a return to rough-and-tumble outlaw songwriting and production. But the Alabama native has been in
Forty years ago today, on May 23, 1981, Rosanne Cash earned her first No. 1 single with “Seven Year Ache.” The song, written by Cash, was the title track of and debut single from her third studio album. At the time, Cash was married to Rodney Crowell, who produced the Seven Year Ache album. With
Just over halfway through John Hiatt‘s new album Leftover Feelings — produced by dobro great Jerry Douglas and featuring Douglas’ band — comes a musical gut punch: “Light of the Burning Sun,” a solemn story-song that recounts in stark detail the suicide of the singer-songwriter’s oldest brother and the fallout in his family after the death of
Joshua Ray Walker‘s cover of Lionel Richie’s ’80s hit “Hello” has become an oft-requested live song, but he’s never officially released the cover until now. The Texas singer and songwriter officially shared his rendition on Friday (May 21). In Walker’s hands, Richie’s 1984 No. 1 turns from a piano-driven ballad with the musical flourishes of
Old Dominion have released their first new music since 2019. The breezy new single “I Was on a Boat That Day,” out Friday, is the ACM-winning group’s lead offering from an upcoming project. With its appropriately buoyant rhythm and hum-along melodies underpinned by accordion, “I Was on a Boat That Day” nearly masks the fact
Morgan Wallen is “back” on his record label’s website and he was “back” at Kid Rock’s Big-A– Honky-Tonk Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse on Wednesday night (May 19). After three and a half months, is the singer slowly stepping “back” into the spotlight? Whatever the answer, he won’t be “back” in major categories on the 2021 CMA Awards
On May 22, 2012, Pistol Annies singer and solo artist-on-the-rise Angaleena Presley married Jordan Powell, whom fans might recognize from his work as a producer on American Middle Class, Presley’s blockbuster 2014 album. The two wed in a private ceremony in Jackson Hole, Wyo., after getting engaged in 2011. It’s unclear exactly how Powell and Presley met, though no doubt, fate
Cody Johnson selected a classic from Willie Nelson‘s early-1970s discography — “Sad Songs and Waltzes” — to include on his upcoming double album, which is due out in the fall of 2021. But Johnson’s newest release is more than just a cover: The rising country artist snagged the ultimate duet partner, trading verses on the song
Singer-songwriter Dylan LeBlanc will look to his musical influences on the new EP Pastimes, due in June. The first release from the project is a sweeping cover of “Gentle on My Mind,” originally penned by John Hartford and made famous by Glen Campbell. LeBlanc doesn’t mess too much with the arrangement of “Gentle on My
Superstar county band Old Dominion’s new single, “I Was on a Boat That Day,” starts and ends sounding like a party, complete with joyful ad-libs, raucous instrumentation, and those sweet, classically Old Dominion rhythms and rhymes. According to lead singer Matt Ramsey, the new song isn’t a new idea for the band. In fact, he
The Hobbs Sisters aren’t ready to be tied down just yet, and they’re offering a warning to anyone who might try with their single “Starting Fires.” The brand-new song is premiering exclusively on The Boot; press play below to listen. Written by Hannah and Lauren Hobbs with Joe Ebach, “Starting Fires” cautions potential paramours against getting
Tigirlily are betting on themselves in their latest single, “My Thang.” Come what may, the sister duo are “still gonna love me,” they profess. Krista and Kendra Slaubaugh bring energy to their follow-your-arrow anthem with a new acoustic performance, now available exclusively on The Boot. Keep reading to watch the pair perform the song from
Anderson East reckons with a collective need for clarity in “Drugs,” the funky new release from his upcoming album Maybe We Never Die. The follow-up to 2018’s Encore, Maybe We Never Die will come out August 20th. Veering away from the retro R&B sounds that have been a mainstay of his albums, East cooks up
The Voice fans’ favorite bromance will be back in action during the Season 20 finale on Monday and Tuesday (May 24-25). Former coach Adam Levine and his band Maroon 5 will be guest performers during the two-night event, reuniting the frontman with his favorite faux frenemy, Blake Shelton. A short promo video for the finale
When you think of traditional country music signifiers, you might think of ten-gallon hats, cowboy boots and big belt buckles — accessories you might see at rodeos in, say, Texas. Randall King dons them all, and, yeah, he’s dang Texas. Now signed to Warner Music Nashville, King has opened for Garth Brooks, and co-written with
Miranda Lambert sticks with a very stripped-down vibe for a new solo track that she released online early Tuesday morning (May 18). The country superstar offers up a very traditional country approach to “They’ve Closed Down the Honky Tonks,” which fans can check out below. The new song is very much in the same vein
Southern rockers Blackberry Smoke have announced new dates for an extensive tour giving praise to their musical heritage. The Georgia group’s headlining Spirit of the South Tour: A Celebration of Southern Rock N Roll will kick off July 30th and feature guests the Allman Betts Band, the Wild Feathers, and founding Allman Brothers Band member
Jordan Matthew Young secured a last-minute place in The Voice‘s season finale during the semi-finals episode on Tuesday night (May 18). That means that not only will there be two country-leaning contestants in the show’s Top 5, but also Team Blake will have two chances to win this season, giving Blake Shelton a leg up over all
Priscilla Block‘s single “Just About Over You” is the song that took her career to new heights. After going viral on the video-focused app TikTok in the summer of 2020, Block released the song and watched her fans push it to the top of iTunes’ all-genre sales chart and Apple Music’s streaming chart. “Just About
Son Volt are reviving their signature blend of country, infused with folk, blues and rock, for their latest album, Electro Melodier. It will be their 10th album release. The band has announced a July 30 release for the album, titled after the names of vintage amplifiers from the 1940s and ’50s. The first track released from the album is