Music

Miko Marks understands if you’re a bit confused about her new cover of “Hard Times.” Originally published in 1854, the song was written by Stephen Foster, an American songwriter whose well-known songs also include, among others, “Oh, Susanna” and “Camptown Races.” Perhaps you’ll be familiar with the versions by Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan or, perhaps

Last October, Texas lost two of its biggest musical legends: Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver. Walker wrote some of country music’s funniest, most heartbreaking songs, including 1968’s “Mr. Bojangles.” Shaver pioneered outlaw country, writing classics like “Georgia on a Fast Train” and “Ride Me Down Easy,” recorded by Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and

Morgan Wallen likely would have been among the top nominees at the 2021 ACM Awards, but not anymore. The Academy of Country Music has ruled the singer ineligible for this year’s awards show after he was caught on video using the N-word. The ACM announced its decision on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 3), the latest in a swift

It all happened so fast. On Tuesday morning (Feb. 2), Morgan Wallen was country music’s fastest-rising star, but come Wednesday (Feb. 3), you can’t even find him on the radio. What, exactly, did Morgan Wallen say? Per TMZ, Wallen returned home from a night out in Nashville on Sunday (Jan. 31) and was saying goodbye to friends outside in his driveway,

Put on your dancin’ shoes: Mac Leaphart‘s new song “Honey, Shake!” will have you ready to groove. It’s premiering exclusively on The Boot; press play below to listen. Leaphart wrote “Honey, Shake!” alone, “out of necessity,” he explains. He was living in Charleston, S.C., playing hours-long bar sets, and while his setlists were largely made

Morgan Wallen is experiencing major blowback from country radio after video of him using the “n-word” surfaced on TMZ. According to a report in Variety, Cumulus Media directed its more than 400 stations around the country to remove Wallen’s songs from rotation. “Team, unfortunately country music star Morgan Wallen was captured on video Sunday evening

Morgan Wallen has issued an apology after he was caught using a racial slur on video. The country singer tells TMZ he is ”embarrassed and sorry” after footage surfaced of him using the N-word in a video a neighbor captured. TMZ broke the news of the video on Tuesday night (Feb. 2), posting a clip that

Darius Rucker caught a mood at his hometown IHOP and bought everyone breakfast. The “Beers and Sunshine” singer didn’t expect his gesture to make national news. “I was just looking around … and there was just a bunch of families, a bunch of kids,” he shares with Taste of Country Nights hosts Evan and Amber. “I really just

Luke Bryan‘s latest single, “Down to One,” is a mellow love song tinged with R&B, reminiscent of his early-to-mid-2010s catalog, and the track now has a music video that adds visuals as lush and spine-tingling as the tune’s lyrics. In the video, Bryan takes a backseat to a young couple who wander in and out

During an appearance on NBC’s Today on Monday, Dolly Parton said she was offered the Presidential Medal of Freedom two different times by former president Trump. The country music icon said she had to decline. “I got offered the Freedom award from the Trump Administration. I couldn’t accept it because my husband was ill and

When Blake Shelton returns to his coaching role on Season 20 of NBC’s The Voice, he’ll have some serious star power in his corner: Superstar duo Dan + Shay will be Battle Advisors for Team Blake this season. On Monday (Feb. 1), Shelton remarked during an interview with Access that bandmates Shay Mooney and Dan Smyers will provide invaluable

Negro spirituals sung by enslaved African-Americans are categorized as the oldest American folk songs. Thus, because country music is a descendant of blues and folk music, the Black musical tradition in the genre extends to the 17th century, well before the genre’s established 1920s roots. The inspirational fiber of country music was expertly refined and

All-vocal country group Home Free try their hand at one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest classics with their take on “American Pie,” singer-songwriter Don McLean’s beloved hit from 1971. Home Free’s version commemorates the 50th anniversary of the song’s original release, and includes a guest spot from none other than McLean himself. “Being in the studio

Whether it’s coming out of Nashville, New York, L.A., or points in between, there’s no shortage of fresh tunes, especially from artists who have yet to become household names. Rolling Stone Country selects some of the best new music releases from country and Americana artists. Jake Hoot featuring Kelly Clarkson, “I Would’ve Loved You” Jake Hoot’s debut

Tanya Tucker‘s older brother, Don, has died. The country icon revealed her family loss in a post to social media on Friday (Jan. 29), writing that he “got his wings” on Jan. 12. According to his obituary, Jesse Donald Tucker was 76 years old when he died on Jan. 12 after battling dementia and COVID-19.

Twenty-eight years ago today (Jan. 31, 1993), Garth Brooks took his turn at one of the most coveted performance slots of all time: singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. But according to former NFL executive director Don Weiss’ book, The Making of the Super Bowl: The Inside Story of the World’s Greatest Sporting Event,

Miranda Lambert‘s song about tequila is presented in a music video that is giving us major live music withdrawals. “Tequila Does” is a fan-favorite moment from her Wildcard album, and her concerts. The just-released live performance clip uses concert footage and behind-the-scenes shots of Lambert socializing with friends, her band and fans. The amount of tequila sipped during

Singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz has released a pair of stripped-down cover songs, including a take on Billie Eilish’s “My Future” and U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” The tracks were originally recorded late summer 2020, when the I’m With Her member was promoting her latest solo album World on the Ground. “When the

Eleven years ago today (Jan. 31, 2010), Taylor Swift made musical history: It was on that date the then-20-year-old became the youngest country artist, and, at the time, the youngest act of any genre, to ever win Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards. Swift received the honor for her sophomore album, Fearless, which was released

The states of Florida and Georgia are known for their oranges and peaches, respectively, and that’s almost how Florida Georgia Line got their name. As this installment of Taste of Country‘s You Think You Know Country? series reveals, the country hitmakers almost named themselves Orange Peach. “We lived together for two years in Nashville and were hanging out

Hailey Whitters got a big break from Brent Cobb in the fall of 2019, when he asked her to open his Sucker for a Good Time Tour. Now that she’s “living the dream” — finding acclaim with her newest album — she simply had to enlist her fellow singer-songwriter for a song. Cobb joins Whitters

“More Than My Hometown” and “7 Summers” may have been the radio hits so far off Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album, but it’s the LP’s opening track “Sand in My Boots” that is breaking out as a viral hit. On Friday, Wallen made the nostalgic tale of a fleeting beach romance even more irresistible

Twenty-one years ago, on Jan. 30, 2000, Faith Hill had the distinct honor of opening Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta by singing the National Anthem. Hill’s version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” is widely considered to be one of the greatest Super Bowl anthem performances of all time. The vocalist took a

Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces” is the grandmother of generations of moments that honor the affecting power of female voices singing country music. Released 60 years ago, on Jan. 30, 1961, the song teaches listeners that for as much as an artist believes they know about their voice, it’s their listeners who always knows

Impatience got the best of Morgan Wallen, so he dropped two bonus tracks off his wildly popular new album, Dangerous: The Double Album on Friday (Jan. 29). Wallen shared “Bandaid on a Bullet Hole” and “This Side of a Dust Cloud,” which were previously offered only as Target-exclusive tracks, adding to his collection of 30 songs on

Singer-songwriter Allison Russell will release her debut solo album in 2021. But before any details of that project emerge, the Birds of Chicago and Our Native Daughters member has offered fresh, moving covers of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” and Sade’s “By Your Side.” Russell, who grew up in Montreal but now resides in Nashville, sings “Landslide”

Country singer Kelsey Lamb is unapologetically going back to an ex in her new song “Come Here to Talk.” Lamb pitched the title “Come Here to Talk” to co-writers Taylor Goyette and Joe Tounge during a Zoom-based writing session early in the COVID-19 pandemic. “[I] immediately fell in love with what we started. We wrote the

Songwriters put a lot of time and energy into crafting the perfect lyric: Every word is important when it comes to using a song to tell a story or evoke a feeling. And, usually, professional songwriters are able to pull it off — unless, of course, their lyrics are misheard. How do misheard lyrics happen?

Nickel Creek and I’m With Her member Sara Watkins‘ forthcoming new album is for families. Under the Pepper Tree finds the Grammy-winning musician revisiting the music of her childhood and reimagining it in her own way. Due out on March 26, Watkins’ new record features 15 songs for listeners of all ages. In addition to two

Kris Kristofferson quietly announced his retirement on Wednesday via a clause buried in a press release detailing the future management of the songwriter’s estate. “In addition, in the wake of his father’s retirement in 2020,” it read, “Kristofferson’s son John steps in to oversee all of the family’s business.” Kristofferson’s spokesperson confirmed the Country Music