Music

For the week starting Feb. 10, 1979, Eddie Rabbitt hit No. 1 on the charts with “Every Which Way But Loose.” Co-written by Steve Dorff, Snuff Garrett and Milton Brown, the mid-tempo, pedal steel-adorned song stars a protagonist who can’t shake the memory of someone from his head. In fact, the narrator of “Every Which Way

Jeremy Ivey “Trial By Fire” The latest cut from Jeremy Ivey‘s upcoming album Invisible Pictures, due out March 11, is an especially personal one. The singer-songwriter was inspired by his wife and talent in her own right, Margo Price‘s decision to cut alcohol out of her life. The two openly discussed the decision and Margo’s

Thirty-six years ago today (Feb. 10, 1986), the Highwayman record was certified gold, for sales of 500,000 units. The album, released in May of 1985, was recorded by country superstars Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, collectively known as the Highwaymen. The Highwaymen formed in 1985 to release the album Highwayman, which features

Eric Church says fans should look out for a series of new concerts this summer. The North Carolina country singer, currently on his Gather Again Tour, announced the first of those shows on Tuesday morning. Church will headline Milwaukee’s American Family Field — the home of the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers — over Memorial Day weekend.

These days, it’s not uncommon for country artists’ debut albums to be blockbusters. For example, Garth Brooks‘ 1989 self-titled debut record was certified diamond (that’s 10 million albums shipped), while Taylor Swift‘s 2006 self-titled effort went seven times platinum. Historically, however, not all first releases have been hot sellers — even albums by artists who would

David Quinn‘s new single “Down Home” is a honky tonk homecoming, a celebration of leaving city life behind for the return to one’s country roots. “Down Home” is the first single from Quinn’s upcoming album Country Fresh, due out on April 15. The track opens with a rollicking guitar riff and Quinn’s declaration that he’s packing his bags

Twenty-one years ago today (Feb. 9, 2001), the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou? earned gold certification, for sales of 500,000 units. The album, which was produced by T Bone Burnett, includes songs by Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Ralph Stanley, the Fairfield Four and others. O Brother, Where Art Thou? is based on the story of three

Last May, Florida Georgia Line announced plans for their triumphant return to the live stage with the I Love My Country Tour. But in August, a month before the duo was slated to hit the road, they scrapped the tour, citing rising Covid cases. Now Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley say they’re

Eleven years ago today, on Feb. 8, 2011, Thompson Square released their eponymous debut album via Stoney Creek Records. Thompson Square includes the first chart-topping hit for the married duo, made up of Keifer and Shawna Thompson. “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” written by Jim Collins and David Lee Murphy, was Thompson Square’s second single from

Jesse Daniel may be a new voice in country music, but that doesn’t mean he’s one for contemporary country’s hallmarks. Daniel’s original music is steeped in tradition, so it only makes sense for him to cover one of the greats that he owes his debt to: Waylon Jennings. Daniel’s latest single is his rendition of

Twenty years ago today (Feb. 8, 2002), Jo Dee Messina earned her second platinum album with Burn. The album was her third with Curb Records. Burn was released in 2000 and produced by Tim McGraw and Byron Gallimore. The record followed the success of Messina’s platinum-selling sophomore project, I’m Alright, and produced five singles, including the No. 1 hit

Joshua Ray Walker, the 29-year-old Texas songwriter who’s turned heads with his sharp wordcraft and pliable falsetto voice, made his late-night TV debut on Tuesday, performing with his band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. (Walker was supposed to play the Tonight Show last month, but according to the Dallas Morning News, the in-person

Glen Campbell‘s name is legendary in country music thanks to his iconic hit songs, but he’s also a major figure in music as a whole due to his crossover hits and, especially, because of his work as a session musician. Whether fans know it or not, Campbell left his mark on myriad songs in the

Garth Brooks took country music by storm in the late 1980s, eventually shattering album and concert ticket sales records all over the world. But that’s just one small part of Brooks’ titanic story. The following are 25 of the more noteworthy — and newsworthy — events related to one of the most successful artists of

By the time night fell on Feb. 3, 2021, the career of Morgan Wallen, country music’s next superstar, was in freefall. Just 24 hours earlier, a video of Wallen casually using a racial slur outside his Nashville home appeared on TMZ. The next morning it was everywhere, and Wallen was in the eye of an

Sara Evans songs are some of the most-played at radio over the course of the last decade. The singer has scored hits in a wide variety of styles, from fairly traditional country to more contemporary, pop-leaning material and ballads. From fun, uptempo songs to slower, more serious message songs, and everything in between, Evans has

New music from rap superstar and producer Dr. Dre has arrived in the online video game, Grand Theft Auto Online: The Contract. Dre plays himself in the GTA extension, with Anderson .Paak and other cohorts in the mix. Members of the Aftermath Entertainment family and Dre affiliates Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Eminem and others supply the soundtrack to the

Sam Williams, the son of country legend Hank Williams Jr., turned to social media to post a plea to be released from what he says is a conservatorship his famous father and sister placed him in more than a  year ago. As TMZ reports, Williams — himself a singer whose credits include working with Dolly Parton

In a pivot as dramatic as Hulk Hogan turning heel, Joshua Hedley eschews the Eddy Arnold Countrypolitan sounds of his 2018 debut Mr. Jukebox for the equally glossy but more contemporary sheen of the Nineties on his new song “Neon Blue.” Driven by chicken-picked Telecaster, sawing fiddle, and a full-throated chorus, it’s the sonic equivalent

Sometimes, elevator music can turn into wedding bells — at least, that’s the case with Patty Loveless and her husband, Emory Gordy Jr. The couple met in an elevator at MCA Records, but at the time, it wasn’t love at first sight. “He had on some white overalls and I thought, ‘THIS guy is a producer?'”

Since the late 1990s, Sara Evans has made an impact on the country music scene with her upbeat hits, deeply emotional ballads and relatable lyrics … and her music videos are pretty sensational as well. Evans isn’t afraid to show her vulnerability; she wears her heart on her sleeve in a few videos that deal

Nashville singer-songwriter Caroline Spence offers a meditation on intimacy with the National’s Matt Berninger in “I Know You Know Me.” The new collaboration follows Spence’s 2019 album Mint Condition. Built around a set of thick acoustic guitar chords, “I Know You Know Me” is heavy on atmosphere and gradually brings in subtle synth and plaintive

It feels like everyone is itching for a bit of comforting nostalgia these days, but it’s easy to fall short when trying to rekindle the magic of another time. With his new boot scootin’ new track “Neon Blue,” Joshua Hedley masterfully magnifies the sound of early 90s country through a modern lens. “Neon Blue” is the title track and

The Cactus Blossoms‘ colorful, retro-inspired new video for “Is It Over” finds the duo reflecting on when it’s time to take a final bow. Directed by Joshua Shoemaker, whose previous work includes music videos for Margo Price, Erin Rae and Marcus King among others, “Is It Over” uses follows The Cactus Blossoms on a journey to and

In the 1990s, Clint Black was a trendsetter in country music. When he released his freshman album, Killin’ Time, in 1989, Black — along with fellow then-rising stars Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks and Travis Tritt, among others – ushered in a new style of music for the new decade. Together, they were known as the Class of ’89.

One day after earning a nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dolly Parton has been announced as the new host of the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards. The annual event is set to return to its longtime home of Las Vegas on March 7. Parton, who previously co-hosted the

Although Morgane Stapleton has earned widespread admiration and acclaim for her incredible backing vocals on most of her husband’s biggest hits, she’s much more than just Chris Stapleton‘s talented other half. Along with her powerhouse voice, Morgane has proven herself to be one of country music’s most talented and sought-after songwriters. She’s penned tracks that have been

California country soul outfit Wreckless Strangers bring the heat in their brand new track “Sun State,” which is premiering exclusively at The Boot today. The sexy, fiery track was co-written by all six members of the group and features the incomperable Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica. With a mixture of powerhouse vocals, clever lyrical imagery and richly layered

Sixty-three years ago today (Feb. 3, 1959) was an incredibly tragic day for music fans: It was on that date that Buddy Holly was killed in an airplane crash, attributed to poor weather and pilot inexperience, near Mason City, Iowa. The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens were also passengers on the private flight and died