Music

Thirty-four years ago, on Jan. 29, 1988, Randy Travis achieved a new career milestone: It was on that date that the singer-songwriter earned his first double-platinum album, signifying sales in excess of 2 million copies, with his disc Always & Forever. Always & Forever, Travis’ sophomore release, came out in 1987 and spawned four No. 1 singles, including

Miranda Lambert has a habit of taking unexpected departures with her music, whether it’s the sneering attitude and edge of her trio Pistol Annies or something like the ultra-subdued Marfa Tapes collaboration from 2021. Even more unlikely was her 2021 dance remix of “Tequila Does” that cast the boozy country tune in sun-soaked tropical house

Sara Evans and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine might not outwardly seem like a musical match made in Heaven, but they teamed up for a very convincing performance of a classic Stevie Nicks song on Jan. 29, 2008 — 14 years ago today. Evans paired up with Maroon 5 for an episode of CMT Crossroads,

Put down whatever you’re doing, because the first booming notes of celebrated Canadian musician Matt Andersen‘s bourbon-infused voice are sure to stop you in your tracks. Belting in the style of R&B’s most beloved legends, Andersen stuns with his timeless breakup anthem ”Other Side of Goodbye.” In a statement, Andersen notes that “breaking up is sometimes the easiest part, the

Back when variety television shows were all the rage, few came out of central casting quite like Glen Campbell. His musical appeal and down-home personality crossed genre and generation gaps without compromise, pleasing fans of such varied talents as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Andy Williams. Toss in the success of the Grammy-winning album Wichita

Morgan Wade mixes the King of Rock & Roll with a little Electric Light Orchestra on a new cover of the evergreen “Suspicious Minds.” The track appears as one of six new songs on her LP Reckless (Deluxe Edition) that was released Friday. Like many of Wade’s original songs, there’s a less-is-more approach to the

When you hear the name David Lee Murphy, the first thing to pop into your mind might be his 1994 country hit “Dust on the Bottle.” That track was the fourth single from Murphy’s debut album Out With a Bang and became one of the most recognizable country hits from the 1990s. That record’s title

Maddie & Tae and Morgane Stapleton are sending a warning to all heartbreakers with their new song, “Don’t Make Her Look Dumb.” The song appears on M&T’s new collection, Through the Madness Vol. 1, out Friday (Jan. 28). Skirt-chasers have been wrecking hearts, and the singers are done witnessing their sisters go through yet another heartbreak. “Bad boys seem like

Singer-song writer Chelsea Cutler has released her brand new single ‘The Lifeboat’s Empty’. The new track is one of 3 added to the deluxe version of her current album. Chelsea spoke to Variety in which she said was inspired by Titanic; “You know how they sent a ton of lifeboats off before they were fully

Sam Elliott plays the ultra-gruff Shea Brennan on 1883, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone origin story. While praised for his kindness and patience by his fellow castmates, he’s not one to take every opinion sitting down. During conversations with media ahead of the premiere of 1883, the veteran actor volunteered his thoughts on comparisons between the two

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion will return to northeastern Tennessee in late summer 2022. Set for Sept. 9 to 11, the annual music festival presented by the Birthplace of Country Music museum will include performances by headliners Rosanne Cash and JJ Grey & Mofro. In addition to Cash and Grey, the festival in downtown Bristol

The Chicks‘ major-label debut album, Wide Open Spaces, turns 23 on Jan. 27, 2021. Formed in 1989 by Laura Lynch, Robin Lynn Macy and sisters Martie and Emily Erwin (these days, they’re Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer), the band known as the Dixie Chicks until the summer of 2020 released three albums as an independent band, in

Ian Noe is back with his first new music since 2019. The Kentucky native’s upcoming album, River Fools and Mountain Saints, is out on March 25 via Thirty Tigers, and fans can hear a sneak peek of what’s to come via his first single, “Pine Grove (Madhouse).” It feels a bit more upbeat for Noe, whose

If you are an avid listener of Neil Young’s extensive songbook, you’ll soon have one less way to access it. The singer-songwriter says he is pulling all of his music from Spotify after accusing the streaming platform of promoting and spreading COVID-19 “misinformation” via the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Earlier this month, a group of scientists and health

Kacey Musgraves got at least one enthusiastic “yas!” on Monday night when she surprised an intimate Philadelphia gay bar with a musical performance. Musgraves is set to play Philly’s Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night. Standing in the corner of Tavern on Camac — Philly’s longest running gay bar, according to its Instagram —  and

Look in the dictionary under the phrase “whirlwind romance,” and chances are you’ll find a photo of Miranda Lambert and Brendan McLoughlin: The couple met in November of 2018 and secretly got married on Jan. 26, 2019, at Cogan’s Farm, which is located in Henderson, Tenn. “I feel like I’ve been through enough in my

Stephanie Jacques‘ road to country music has been a winding one. Before her single premiere at CMT for “Because of That,” a heart-rending rally cry for justice, she first found her roots in the Bay Area’s opera scene, where she began vocal training at the age of eight. “It just made sense to go the classical route,” she

Jason Aldean is being recognized for his continued philanthropy. The “Night Train” hitmaker has been named the 2022 recipient of the Country Radio Broadcasters’ Artist Humanitarian Award. Aldean will accept the honor during the annual Country Radio Seminar, which will be held Feb. 23-25 in Nashville and virtually. The country star — a multi-Platinum artist with two dozen No. 1 hits

Texas rebel Cody Jinks, L.A. rock band Lord Huron, and reunited Red Dirt heroes Turnpike Troubadours will headline the 2022 installment of Under the Big Sky. Set for July 15 through 17 in Whitefish, Montana, the festival boasts an eclectic lineup of Nashville radio stars like Midland and Lainey Wilson, rough-hewn songwriters like Jamey Johnson

Since her 1993 debut, Faith Hill hasn’t just been one of the most successful recording artists in country music: She’s been one of the most successful recording artists in any genre. For the past 28 years, Hill has put out hit after hit; they’ve spanned styles, from traditional country to pop to adult contemporary. In

Erin Rae has released “Cosmic Sigh,” the fourth single from her forthcoming sophomore album Lighten Up, due out on Feb. 4 via Thirty Tigers. The first two singles, “True Love’s Face” and “Modern Woman” were immersed in Laurel Canyon country, while both “Cosmic Sigh” and its predecessor “Candy and Curry” find ways to blend dream

When Kelsea Ballerini stepped onto the Grand Ole Opry stage on Saturday night (Jan. 22), she brought an unreleased new song with her. From the stage, the singer asked her fans for their feedback as to whether or not she should put the song on her next album, crossing her fingers in nervousness as she

Hugh Prestwood needed help. The country music songwriter and his wife Judy came to the sobering realization that they could no longer afford the rent at their Long Island, New York, home. Nor could they scrounge together the money to move back to Prestwood’s native Texas, even if the state’s lower cost of living might

Country music came into its own in a big way during the 1990s. With more FM radio stations offering artists exposure, blockbuster album sales followed — as did superstardom for acts such as Shania Twain and Garth Brooks, both of whom had multiple full-length projects be certified diamond, for shipping in excess of 10 million

Bluegrass legend Del McCoury will turn 83 years old just days before the release of Almost Proud, The Del McCoury Band’s 17th studio album. Due out on Feb. 18, the record will include a collaboration with his longtime friend Vince Gill called “Honky Tonk Nights.” Though the duo have been friends for years, this is the first time

CMT has named 10 of country music’s most promising rising female acts to its 2022 Next Women of Country class. Launched in 2013, the prestigious Next Women of Country (NWOC) program spotlights talented female acts on the verge of stardom; alumni include  Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Carly Pearce and Kacey Musgraves. Joining the NWOC ranks

Eric Church paid tribute to Meat Loaf — who inspired the country singer’s Heart & Soul triple album — by covering “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” during his Detroit concert Saturday, one day after news of Meat Loaf’s death at the age of 74. Billboard reports that, prior to performing

Fifty-three years ago today (Jan. 22, 1969), Glen Campbell struck gold for the first time. It was on that date that the singer earned the first gold single of his career, signifying sales of 500,000 copies, with “Wichita Lineman.” “Wichita Lineman,” which was the title track of Campbell’s 12th studio album, was written by Jimmy

Amythyst Kiah’s newly released cover of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is a striking choice. The original version, a 1980 single from British synth-rock legends Joy Division, was released six years before the Chattanooga native was born. The vocals were muddled on Joy Division’s, as much was during the height of their genre’s era. But