Music

Gary Rossington, a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd whose ethereal slide guitar helped make the Southern rock band’s song “Free Bird” an indelible anthem, died Sunday at the age of 71. “It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist,

Vevo, the world’s leading music video network, announces Macklemore as the next artist in their Ctrl. series with a performance of his latest single, “HEROES,” taken from his forthcoming studio album BEN, set for worldwide release on March 3rd. Vevo’s Ctrl series highlights the work of hard-hitting, cutting-edge musicians making an impact in today’s music scene –

Kelsea Ballerini extended her Heartfirst Tour once again on Thursday (March 2), booking 10 new shows for June and early July. The just-announced shows kick off June 16 in Santa Barbara, Calif., and they’ll keep the singer busy through July 1. The singer’s tour is currently in full force, and in addition to performing the

Alabama native Jessie Wilson’s show-stopping vocals and thoughtful lyricism have been winning over listeners with a recent stream of stellar cuts from her upcoming debut EP. Today, the rising talent is giving The Boot an exclusive first listen to a tune that taps into the magic and mystery of a slow-burning attraction ready to spark. Set for

Jennifer Nettles will return to the big screen with a role in The Exorcist, a 2023 update on the original 1973 horror classic. Variety announced Nettles’ participation in the film, also reporting that while it’s not yet clear which part she plays, it will be a “primary role.” Acting is not a new gig for

Thirty-five years ago today (March 2, 1987) was a great day for fans of strong female voices in country music. It was on that date that the Trio album, a collaboration between Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, was released, uniting three of the most angelic voices of all time on one 11-track record. The three longtime

Singer-songwriter Peter One left his home in Côte D’Ivoire in 1995 amid rising political unrest in the West African country that eventually boiled over into two civil wars in the 2000s. His life in the United States began in New York and then Delaware, before landing in Nashville, where he now lives. Along the way,

Over the decades, music lovers have been enchanted by the stories and harmonies of talented trios, from Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris (who released their iconic Trio album on this day 36 years ago) to Phoebe Bridgers, Julian Baker and Lucy Dacus, who perform and record together under the moniker Boygenius. That type of shared creative synergy comes

Dierks Bentley is hitting the road for an extensive summer tour in 2023. The veteran country hitmaker has announced his 28-city Gravel & Gold Tour, which is set to launch in June. Bentley’s Gravel & Gold Tour kicks off June 1 with a concert date in Toronto, and it’s slated to run through Aug. 26,

Twenty-seven years ago today, on March 2, 1996, Martina McBride hit a new career milestone. It was on that date that the singer scored her first No. 1 hit, with “Wild Angels,” her 10th single and the title track of her third studio album. Written by Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison and Harry Stinson, “Wild Angels” was unlike

It’s time for a fresh edition of The Boot’s Weekly Picks, which highlights great new tracks from the world of country, Americana, folk and everything in between. This week’s edition features a rock-edged ode to rural living from Jericho Woods, a painfully beautiful tale of unrequited love by The Storm Windows, and a Western swing gem from The Shootouts joined

Born March 2, 1990, in Charlotte, N.C., Luke Combs expressed an interest in music at an early age and followed that passion throughout his adolescence. That love for music inspired him to join various vocal groups and even lead to a solo at New York City’s iconic Carnegie Hall. During his time at Appalachian State University, Combs

Jaimee Harris looked quite at home in the hotel room she called in from last week. She was in Santa Monica, having just played at McCabe’s, the guitar shop and venue. She’d made a fan of Frank, the legendary folk singer, and was buzzing with her praise. “It’s just the tour that never ends, which I

Kelsea Ballerini wrote her very first song at twelve years old. Nine years later, she would become a country music hitmaker. She was born and raised in Knoxville, Tenn., but unlike many aspiring musicians with Tennessee roots, Ballerini didn’t grow up listening to country music. Instead, her radio was tuned to Top 40 pop music, and

Johnny and June. You don’t even need to say their last names; the love story of Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash is one of the most iconic of all time. Cash and Carter met in 1956 at the Grand Ole Opry; Carter was singing background vocals for Elvis Presley at the time … and Cash

One of the wildest divorce sagas Nashville has seen in a minute just got another chapter. On Tuesday, Morgan Evans released a new online docuseries centered around his song, “Over for You,” which he wrote about his split from Kelsea Ballerini. The series comprises five YouTube videos, all under 10 minutes, and starts with a

Over the years, Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire have undoubtedly proven that their voices are great on their own, but they somehow sound even better when collaborating. From reimagining each other’s hits to putting their spin on holiday classics, the pair have racked up quite the praise and a few accolades along the way — including a Grammy nomination for Best

The 1990s are seen as one of the golden eras of country music. It was the decade that marked the emergence of a new generation of country stars who often mixed traditional country sounds with a modern, more pop-friendly edge. Many of country music’s most successful and prominent stars still reference the genre and its breakout

The Judds‘ farewell tour came to a conclusion on Saturday night (Feb. 25) in Hollywood, Fla., and Wynonna Judd hopped on social media to express her gratitude to her friends and collaborators for their role in celebrating the final chapter of the legendary country duo. “The most unbelievable tour,” a post-tour message on The Judds’

“Thank God” singer will reprise his role alongside Kelsea Ballerini and also make his acting debut in Fire Country The CMT Music Awards is moving to a new location this year, but some familiar faces will be along for the ride. Kane Brown announced on Thursday that he would be returning as the fan-voted event’s

Kip Moore will release his first new album in three years this spring. Due out April 28, Damn Love will mark the genre-bending country act’s fifth studio album. Moore co-produced the upcoming 13-track project alongside The Cadillac Three‘s Jaren Johnston. The record will explore the complicated dynamics of relationships formed while still trying to hold

On the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Brad Paisley has shared a new song, “Same Here,” which features a conversation between the country star and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.  The song isn’t explicitly about Ukraine or the ongoing war, but rather finds Paisley meditating on the similarities that link people around the world,

Ashley McBryde is taking listeners on a trip back home with her heartwarming new single, “Light on in the Kitchen.” The stirring song, which McBryde co-wrote with Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck” co-writers Connie Harrington and Jessi Alexander, highlights the simple joys of returning home to one’s family. Picture this: You’ve spent far too

Singer-songwriter offers the first glimpse of her musical direction in the wake of Lindeville Ashley McBryde has offered the first glimpse of her post-Lindeville era mere days after a thrilling two-night staging of that collaborative album at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter released her new song “Light On in the Kitchen” on Friday, expressing

Fifty-four years ago today (Feb. 22, 1968), Johnny Cash was one happy man. It was on that date that the Man in Black proposed to his then-girlfriend, June Carter, while they were performing together onstage in London, Ontario, Canada. Cash and Carter first met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in 1956, when Carter was singing background

Dalton Dover “Giving Up on That” Up-and-comer Dalton Dover has just released “Giving Up on That,” his debut single with UMG Nashville and Mercury Records. Written by Dover, Adam Craig and John Pierce, this heartbreak track has all the makings of a country radio hit. “Cause girl, I’m giving up on / Drinking as much

Acclaimed singer-songwriters and musicians Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires took to social media to celebrate ten years of marriage on Feb. 23. Shires spotlighted the couple’s milestone anniversary by sharing an adorable picture that appears to be from when she accepted Isbell’s proposal in 2012. Isbell had planned a trip to visit his then-girlfriend at Sewanee: The University of the South,

Collaborators perform “Maybe Love” from their Broadway show, which begins previews on March 8 Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally offer a succinct exploration of the agonies and joys of the heart in “Maybe Love,” the first taste of their upcoming Broadway musical, Shucked. The show begins previews on March 8 at the Nederlander Theatre in

Keith Urban has built a career as one of the most consistent hitmakers in country music over the past several decades, but he was just a young, rising country singer when he changed his career by scoring his first No. 1 hit. Urban first topped the charts with “But for the Grace of God” on