Music

Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Ray Stevens‘ contributions to the genre span over 60 years and include his work as a songwriter, session musician, producer and businessman. These varied roles remain no laughing matter for the namesake of Nashville venue the CabaRay Showroom. That said, any collection of Stevens’ most memorable tunes should be

Floyd, Va., native Morgan Wade generated quite a buzz with the release of her song “Don’t Cry” just before Christmas, and her debut album lives up to it. Reckless is due out on March 19, the singer announced on Friday (Jan. 22). Ten gorgeously crafted tracks await listeners on Reckless, combining Wade’s ace songwriting skills with lush, but not

Singer-songwriter Amanda Shires released the song “The Problem” in September as a duet with her husband Jason Isbell, but she had also conceived its frank discussion of abortion as being a conversation among several women. That idea is now a reality with a new version of the song titled “Our Problem” commemorating the anniversary of

Thirty years ago today, on Jan. 22, 1991, Aaron Tippin released his debut album, You’ve Got to Stand for Something, on RCA Nashville. The debut single from You’ve Got to Stand for Something, which was its title track, was written by Buddy Brock and Tippin, the latter of whom wrote or co-wrote all 10 songs on the

Scotty McCreery may be longing for a little “you time” in his newest single, but his nearly non-existent tour schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic has meant he and his wife Gabi have gotten plenty of it in recent months. They’ve enjoyed each other’s company, spoiled their dog Moose — and, the country star says, picked

Kylie Frey revels in her roots throughout her new EP, Rodeo Queen — a project that spotlights fiddle, steel and the real-life rodeo dreams that even won her a Louisiana High School state goat tying championship back in 2011. But while much of the six-song project centers around Frey’s identity and where she comes from, her new single, “I

The Country2Country Festival in the United Kingdom and Ireland was one of the first major events to be postponed in 2020 due to Covid-19 concerns, with promoters making their announcement on March 12th just before it was set to begin. With infection rates now spreading uncontrollably in the United States and positive cases spiking again

Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard brought their message of unity to American televisions on Wednesday night (Jan. 20). The pair performed “Undivided” during Celebrating America, a 90-minute special hosted by Tom Hanks and featuring a multitude of celebrities eager to celebrate President Joe Biden’s inauguration. The two men stood bundled up from the Nashville cold on

Devin Dawson‘s Pink Slip EP finds the singer-songwriter broadening his sound and style through six songs, including the cheeky, beat-heavy “Range Rover,” a song about a relationship that failed because she was in it for the status, not the love. Throughout the song’s three-ish minutes, Dawson name-checks Keith Whitley and Lee Greenwood over a plinky, trap-esque beat

Singer-songwriter Ray Fulcher may appear to be living the high life in his song “I Got It All,” but as its newly released music video reveals, that’s not quite the full story. The clip is premiering exclusively on The Boot; press play above to watch. Fulcher is hanging out in a dream world in his “I

No one can dispute the artistic, humanitarian, and philanthropic legacy of Dolly Parton. Her $1 million donation last spring to Vanderbilt University to develop a Covid vaccine has all but helped save the world. But a recent proposal to honor the Sevierville, Tennessee, native with a statue on the capitol grounds in Nashville is premature.

Hugh X. Lewis, the country singer-songwriter who wrote numerous charting hits of the 1960s, has died at the age of 90, according to Music Row. His death was announced on Tuesday (Jan. 17), though he died on Dec. 29, 2020. Born on Dec. 25, 1930, Lewis was a Kentucky native who worked in coal mines early in

She’s not just one of country music’s most legendary divas; no, Reba McEntire is a renaissance woman, who has sung, danced and acted her way into the hearts of millions of fans over the years. From a gun-slinging cowgirl to the voice of a cow, from a coma survivor to a small-town deputy, and, most recently,

Avenue Beat, the all-women trio that shot to viral stardom with a hilariously irreverent anthem about the disappointments of 2020, are kicking off the new year with a fresh dose of poppy energy. “Woman,” their latest tune, shows the outfit’s power goes well beyond complaining. Indeed, unlike the relatable bemoaning of the TikTok sensation “F2020,” “Woman” takes Avenue Beat’s

There’s been a thread of Christian spirituality running through Carrie Underwood’s work since the beginning, whether explicitly as in “Jesus, Take the Wheel” or more ambiguously in “See You Again.” In March, Underwood will devote an entire album to her faith as she sings her favorite Christian hymns on My Savior, arriving March 26th. The

Glenn Frey carved out one of the most important careers in modern music history before his death at the age of 67. The Eagles singer, songwriter and guitarist died on Jan. 18, 2016 — five years ago today — leaving behind a vast musical legacy. Born in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 6, 1948, Frey grew

Throughout a career that has spanned nearly three decades, Garth Brooks has provided no shortage of memorable moments — especially in his live shows. Over the years, Brooks has brought (sometimes hundreds of thousands of) country music fans together — even during his “retirement.” In fact, when Brooks performs for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday

Hunter Hayes debuted his new song “The One That Got Away” on Good Morning America on Thursday (Jan. 14). It’s a song about moving on and freedom, he says. The “Wanted” hitmaker’s new digital single is a part of Red Sky (Part II), his upcoming album on LP Entertainment. It follows the 2019 album Wild Blue

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Louisiana country singer Willie Jones is releasing his poignant new song “American Dream,” recorded during the midst of Black Lives Matter protests this past summer. “Proud to be a black man/Living in the land of the brave and the free,” Jones sings during the song’s chorus. “Yeah

Jason “Rowdy” Cope, co-founder of the country-rock band the Steel Woods, has died. His bandmates shared the sad news on social media on Saturday (Jan. 16). Cope was 43 years old. His bandmates did not offer any further details about his death, simply marking the news “with a broken and heavy heart.” “We are writing this

On this day, 35 years ago (Jan. 17, 1986), Reba McEntire fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. McEntire’s induction was part of a big milestone for the Opry: The Oklahoma native became an official member of the revered organization during a televised special honoring the Grand Ole Opry’s 60th anniversary.

Kip Moore‘s ”How High” celebrates that euphoric feeling a good love can bring. The country star released the new song early Friday morning (Jan. 15). Written by Moore with Bobby Terry, Luke Dick and Westin Davis, “How High” features a twinkling melody, unique from any of Moore’s previous work. That’s not to say it’s completely out of

Willie Nelson was a young country music and western-swing fan when he heard Frank Sinatra on the radio for the first time. “Though he was a million miles from western swing, he had a sweet swing of his own,” Nelson wrote in his book It’s a Long Story: My Life. “There was a tenderness to

Twenty-one years ago today (Jan. 17, 2000), Garth Brooks kicked off the new millennium on a high note: It was on that date that the singer was named the Artist of the Decade for the 1990s at the American Music Awards, proving that his star power crossed all genres. “I’d like to dedicate this award

Happy birthday to Ronnie Milsap! The singer was born on Jan. 16, 1943, in Robbinsville, N.C. While Milsap has led an extraordinary life, his humble beginnings were anything but promising. Almost completely blind since birth due to a congenital disorder, Milsap was abandoned by his biological mother and raised by his grandparents until the age

Danielle Bradbery lost her dear grandmother just over eight years ago. But to this day, the country singer finds herself surrounded by reminders of her spirit — from the tattoos she sees in the mirror, to the sound of her grandmother’s voice in her head, which, thankfully, has never left her. “I remember her voice like

On Thursday, President-elect Joe Biden outlined a stimulus plan that included, among other things, increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Later the same night, Blake Shelton’s auspiciously titled new song “Minimum Wage” was released to the public — not surprisingly, it doesn’t attempt to unpack the vital issue of income inequality in

Morgan Wallen celebrated his new album, Dangerous, with a performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Tuesday night (Jan. 12). The full show is now available for fans to watch and relive. Wallen’s 75-minute set opened with “Sand in My Boots,” “Somebody’s Problem” and other cuts from the 30-song double album, released on Jan. 8. The No.

Devin Dawson last released a single in 2018, but his voice hasn’t been wholly absent from country radio since then. In 2019, “God’s Country” — a song he wrote with Hardy and Jordan Schmidt — became a massive hit for Blake Shelton; in 2020, he, Hardy and Lauren Alaina celebrated a No. 1 single with “One