Music

Country artists from Carrie Underwood to Runaway June to Dolly Parton have already put out festive Christmas albums this year, but before we get to December, singer-songwriter Ben Rector is making sure to give Thanksgiving its due. The Oklahoma native — who has been making waves on Americana and folk charts over the past several years

Bobbie Gentry and Steve Earle are two of five 2020 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees, the organization announced on Monday (Nov. 2). The two artists will join the hall in the Veteran Songwriter/Artist and Songwriter/Artist categories, respectively. Gentry rose to widespread acclaim in the late 1960s and throughout the ’70s, making waves in the country mainstream

“You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone,” Billy Joe Shaver sang in his signature anthem “Live Forever.” The Texas songwriter died October 28th at 81 after suffering a stroke, immediately casting that lyric into stark reality. Just a few days prior, Jerry Jeff Walker died at 78 after a long bout with cancer. Both men

Cam considers songwriting an integral part of her album creation process, so she isn’t usually one to take outside songs. However, her sophomore album, The Otherside, includes two cuts she didn’t have a hand in writing — but two pop names did. One of those songs is “Happier for You,” written by Sam Smith, Mitchell Rowland and Tyler

The Avett Brothers‘ new “This Land Is Your Land” cover aims to prove that America is for everyone. Despite the division within the country, the song and its accompanying music video offer comfort and show off the diversity that makes United States great. Directed by Emmy-winning Samuel Bayer (the director behind, among others, Nirvana’s “Smells

Kelsey Waldon is advocating for equality with her forthcoming new EP, They’ll Never Keep Us Down. Each of the project’s seven tracks is a cover of a song that pushes for change. Waldon’s EP opens with Kris Kristofferson’s “The Law Is for Protection of the People.” Neil Young’s “Ohio,” John Prine’s “Sam Stone” and Bob Dylan’s

Each week this list assembles songs from the country music and Americana spheres that we think deserve your attention. This edition does that too, but also serves a purpose unique to this 2020 Election Day by compiling exemplary songs of change, protest, compassion, and comfort. Here’s the tracks to get you through the week. The

Don’t call it a quarantine — at least, not in front of Wynonna Judd. “I tried to come up with some words that were sort of alternatives for ‘quarantine,’ because that, to me … felt like a prison sentence,” Judd shares in a phone call from her Tennessee farm. “It just felt like, ‘Oh my God,

Lady A rediscover the magic of the holiday season in “Christmas Through Your Eyes,” a newly-released, festive original song that all three of the bandmates co-wrote as a tribute to their kids. “I’m seeing Christmas through your eyes, yeah, it’s been a while / The joy and wonder of your smile, Such a precious child,” the

Luke Bryan and his wife, Caroline, are known for going all out when it comes to costumes for their infamous prank war, but they like Halloween, too. In 2020, the country power couple used their well-honed skills for shenanigans to come up with a truly “cheesy” couples costume. The pair showed off their finished product on video via Instagram

After his last album Concrete & Mud was released in 2018, Sam Morrow found that he was often getting tagged with the “outlaw country” label. That album’s brawny mix of country-funk and retro boogie nodded to the influence of Waylon Jennings and Jerry Reed, undoubtedly, but the Houston native wasn’t entirely comfortable with the categorization.

“Barrel-chested range” becomes “quiet resignation” in this Guest Room Sessions performance from the Reverend Shawn Amos. His longtime collaborator Doctor Roberts joins him on a performance of “Troubled Man” from a very special spot in Amos’ home. Amos and Roberts are seated around Amos’ kitchen table for this rendition of “Troubled Man,” from his newest

The first look at Olivia Lunny’s new video for ‘Bedsheets’ [embedded content] “Bad Witch” is about money-hungry gurus, and the poor, unfortunate fools that fall for their schemes. When people are vulnerable they are most susceptible to following the advice of self-proclaimed healers and spiritual leaders, what I dub “bad witches”. This song is about

BlackPink – “Lovesick Girls”: “Lovesick Girls” is a song by South Korean girl group Blackpink, released through YG and Interscope. It was released on October 2, 2020, as the third single off of the group’s first Korean-language studio album, The Album. Blackpink members Jisoo and Jennie are credited with writing lyrics for the song. “Lovesick Girls” is a dance-pop and electropop track with an acoustic guitar and EDM sound. Lyrically, the

Hailing from the tiny blue-collar town of LaGrange, GA, Philmon Lee emanates raw soul without a filter and a whole lot of fire. As a kid, he learned piano, guitar, and drums and even toured with pops. Putting his head down and adopting the blue collar work ethic of his hometown, he devoted years to tirelessly honing

The Drive-By Truckers chronicle the unrest that has filled the United States in 2020 in the new music video for their song “The New OK.” The clip features footage from protests in Portland, Ore., all taken this past summer. Truckers co-founder and songwriter Patterson Hood now lives in Portland, and penned “The New OK” after

Happy birthday, Lyle Lovett! The singer-songwriter was born 63 years ago today (Nov. 1) in Klein, Texas. Lovett was born to William and Bonnie Lovett; his father was a marketing executive, while his mother was a training specialist. He grew up on a farm and experienced an idyllic childhood, which Lovett says fostered his creativity.

Amanda Shires is one of Nashville’s most celebrated singer-songwriters, winning widespread acclaim for such releases as 2018’s To the Sunset and last year’s debut from The Highwomen, the all-star group she founded with Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, and Natalie Hemby. Last month, Shires released “The Problem,” a single recorded with her husband, Jason Isbell, that depicts

Brothers Osborne‘s third album Skeletons includes a number of nods to real-life brothers John and TJ Osborne’s supportive family, a creative bunch that have fostered their love of music and stood behind them as they’ve pursued their career. However, the record concludes with what is perhaps its most personal song: “Old Man’s Boots.” John Osborne wasn’t planning on

Kane Brown‘s wife and daughter are his muses in his new “Worship You“ music video. Katelyn, married to the singer since October of 2018, and Kingsley Rose, who turned one year old on Thursday (Oct. 29), star in the new clip, released on Friday (Oct. 30). Brown kept the concept for his new music video simple:

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s engagement caught fans by surprise when they announced their happy news on Tuesday (Oct. 27), but at least a few people reportedly knew what was happening ahead of time — specifically, Stefani’s three sons. According to Entertainment Tonight, 14-year-old Kingston, 12-year-old Zuma and 6-year-old Apollo — Stefani’s children with her ex-husband,

This weekend, Steve Earle devotes an entire episode of his Hardcore Troubadour Radio show on SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country to the memory of Billy Joe Shaver, who died Wednesday at 81. Earle wrote the liner notes for Shaver’s last album, 2014’s Long in the Tooth, and he reads from those words in tribute to the Texas

Garth Brooks pleased longtime fans when he finally released the studio version of his cover of A Star Is Born‘s “Shallow” as a duet with his wife, fellow country singer Trisha Yearwood. But have the co-stars behind the 2018 remake of the classic American film and musical — who are also the original tune’s first singers — pop

Brandi Carlile and Alicia Keys celebrate the power inside each and every one of us in their new duet “A Beautiful Noise.” The pair debuted the song on Thursday night (Oct. 29), during the Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy television special. “I have a voice / Started out as a whisper, turned into a

Thirty-five years ago today, on Oct. 30, 1985, the Judds dropped their sophomore album. Naomi and Wynonna Judd‘s Rockin’ With the Rhythm was released via RCA / Curb Records. Rockin’ With the Rhythm shot straight to No. 1, as did all four of the singles released from it: “Have Mercy,” “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days),” “Rockin’ With the

Singer-songwriter Kelsey Waldon has announced plans for the new covers EP They’ll Never Keep Us Down, her first release since 2019’s White Noise/White Lines. Out November 20th, the project includes versions of Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam,” featuring Adia Victoria and Kyshona Armstrong, and the title track, originally by bluegrass great Hazel Dickens. Waldon’s choice of

Eleven years ago, the 43rd Annual Country Music Association Awards were held on Nov. 11, 2009. The show was hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, back for their second year as co-hosts, at the Bridgestone Arena (known then as the Sommet Center) in Nashville, Tenn. Back then, Taylor Swift was still very much a country

MartiJane honors her late father with her new song “Haunted House.” The mournful, reflective track — premiering exclusively on The Boot — looks at how her family is coping since losing its patriarch in May, and how what’s happened throughout our lives stays with us all. Written by the artist and produced by Troy Harmon, “Haunted House”

Wynonna Judd has a half-sister, actor Ashley Judd, but it turns out she also has a half-brother. After learning about her biological father’s son, the singer recently called him up to meet — at least over the telephone. Wynonna Judd was born Christina Claire Ciminella, and for years she thought her father was Michael Charles

Billy Joe Shaver, who died Wednesday at 81, wrote country songs about what he knew firsthand: sin and heartbreak, hard living and hard working, and ultimately salvation. Waylon Jennings famously cut a bunch of them for 1973’s Honky Tonk Heroes, and Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash would all record some too. Even Elvis