Music

With house lights turned all the way down, and a steady fog machine masking the glow of several hundred smartphones, Evan Felker stepped onto the Cain’s Ballroom stage in Tulsa. He did a quick double-take when his eyes caught the 1,800 fans fortunate enough to have made it inside on Friday night, who roared at

On April 9, 1969, Bob Dylan released his ninth studio album, Nashville Skyline. Like his previous studio album, 1967’s John Wesley Harding, the effort was produced by Bob Johnston, and leaned toward freewheeling country music. Those only familiar with Dylan’s folk- or rock-leaning output might be shocked by his clean-cut vocals — a sweet tenor with

Pop artist Leah Haywood is back again with another hit single entitled ‘Human To Fall Apart’. She took to her social media accounts to make the announcement. The new single is written and produced by Haywood, which details the experience of falling apart is necessary for human growth. ‘Human To Fall Apart’ is out now

Thirty-one years ago today (April 9, 1991) was a day of celebration for Patty Loveless. It was on that date that Loveless earned her first gold album with her 1988 record Honky Tonk Angel. Patty Loveless Honky Tonk Angel album coverMCA Nashville loading… Honky Tonk Angel was Loveless’ third album; it followed her self-titled freshman record, which

You can hear the fruits of Jess Harp‘s choral training in their voice. With an unquestionably ethereal tone, Harp honed their talent in Bentonville, Arkansas’ high school music programs and church choirs. They taught themself guitar in their late 20s, drawing on influences as disparate as Chet Baker, Angel Olsen, and Chris Owens. Harp played

After the pandemic forced it online in 2021, Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic, a regular concert tradition in Texas since 1973, returns live this summer. Set for Monday, July 4th, at Austin’s Q2 Stadium — the home of the city’s soccer team — the 10-hour concert features nine acts, plus headliners Willie and his Family

Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart have different recollections of how their musical collaboration and friendship began, but Stuart’s version has more detail. In 2017, Stuart told Weld for Birmingham: “The first time I heard [Tritt’s] voice was in a drive-thru in a Burger King in Bessemer, Alabama,” Stuart said. “I had this song called ‘The

Thirty-two years ago today (April 8, 1989), Keith Whitley earned his third consecutive No. 1 hit with his single “I’m No Stranger to the Rain,” from his Don’t Close Your Eyes album. The song followed both the title track of the album and Whitley’s big hit “When You Say Nothing at All” in reaching the top of the charts. Unfortunately, while

Every week, The Boot highlights recent favorites from country, Americana, folk and everything in between. In every list, you’ll find picks from our contributing team that we think you’ll love. Keep reading to check out the latest installment of The Boot’s Weekly Picks. Fern Maddie “Hares on the Mountain” Vermont’s Fern Maddie has a knack for powerful storytelling

Miranda Lambert has released another track off her upcoming album Palomino, ahead of its April 29 drop date. “Actin’ Up” is a swaggering slice of woozy country-rock, with Lambert dropping a wealth of pop-culture references in the lyrics. In the first two verses alone, she alludes to Tommy James and the Shondells’ 1968 hit “Mony

Nashville singer-songwriter Caroline Spence will release her fourth career album, True North, on April 29. In the meantime, the album’s lead single “Clean Getaway” prepares us for what’s in store from Spence: nothing short of catharsis. On the new track, Spence’s soprano reigns over introspective lyrics and a soft, windows-down groove. The song — which celebrates the power of self-acceptance — doesn’t

A future folk legend was born in Maywood, Ill., on Oct. 10, 1946: John Prine. Although he didn’t find much chart success, the singer leaves behind a legion of fans and artists influenced by his incredible, unique talents as a songwriter and in love with his quirky and kind personality. The son of Muhlenberg County, Ky.,

Indie folk foursome River Whyless’ love for nature is evident in everything they do, including their latest album Monoflora, out April 8 via Soundly Music. In addition to songs like “Heaven and Light,” which features sounds that emulate birds chirping, the record’s cover illustrates a patch of wildflowers, a person looking across a body of water, staring at

Cody Jinks deviated from his set list of outlaw-country tunes like “I’m Not the Devil” and “Must Be the Whiskey” during his weekend show in Round Rock, Texas, weaving in a Foo Fighters cover to pay tribute to the band’s drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died March 25. Around the halfway point of his concert at

Tammy Wynette, also known as the “First Lady of Country Music” and the “Heroine of Heartbreak,” was an icon, a trailblazer and a hitmaker. Throughout her illustrious career, she scored 20 No. 1 hits and recorded dozens of studio albums. Wynette’s most beloved songs include iconic solo tunes, classic duets with longtime musical partner George Jones (also

John Prine had been married twice before he found his wife Fiona. The pair met in 1988, in Dublin, Ireland — far away from Nashville — and their relationship was a bit of an uphill battle at first, Fiona Prine admits. “There were a lot of things stacked against us,” she told Rolling Stone in 2017. “He

Independent artist Corey Kent is cruising in to the country mainstream with the early March release of his new single “Wild as Her,” which quickly amassed over 5 million streams and shot to the top of Apple Music’s Country Chart. The song beat out multiple Morgan Wallen tracks to get to the No. 1 spot,

Garth Brooks insisted someone bring him two boozy rum drinks — “One for each hand!” — in his 1998 drinking anthem “Two Piña Coladas.” Now he’s building his own Nashville bar for his friends in low places to knock ’em back. On Tuesday, the country singer announced plans for a “new entertainment concept” in the heart

Two country singers went head to head on Monday (April 4) with hopes of making it through to the next round of Season 20’s American Idol. Dan Marshall and Dakota Hayden, who were last to perform on the two-hour Showstoppers episode, found themselves coming face to face vying for the final slot in the Top

Georgia-born country artist Kip Moore grew up being more interested in golf than guitar (which he began playing in high school); he even received a golf scholarship from Valdosta State University. Eventually, though, music moved to the forefront of his mind, and after a brief stint in Hawaii, he decided to take the risk and moved to Nashville to

For their single “Outsmart Love,” Brontë Fall singer-songwriter Teri Bracken teamed up with Isaac Slutsky to explore love and love lost. The track is the fifth track from Winter, Brontë Fall’s latest EP, released earlier this month. “When I wrote this song with Isaac, we were in the middle of the pandemic and both going through

Mimi Webb projects a voice as magnetic, massive, and magical as her personality. As “the girl next door” with a hell of vocal range, she’s quick to laugh, will let you know precisely what’s on her mind, and isn’t afraid to be heard. Originally hailing from the UK town of Canterbury, the pop singer and

Bob Weir and the Wolf Bros played two nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York this weekend, bringing out an all-star list of guest performers that included Tyler Childers, John Mayer, Brittney Spencer, and bassist Ron Carter to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Weir’s album Ace. For one of Childers’ appearances, the Kentucky

Chris Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, were in Las Vegas for the 2022 Grammy Awards over the weekend, where Stapleton picked up three trophies, including the award for Best Country Album. But in between all their Grammy-related duties, the Stapletons found time to go see Billie Eilish’s Friday night arena show in Vegas. “We went

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum first opened its doors on April 1, 1967. Now located in downtown Nashville, Tenn., the country music Mecca has welcomed countless visitors in its five-plus decades of existence. In addition to its revolving exhibits, the 350,000-square-foot Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum boasts nearly 200,000 sound

In 2020, Ray Wylie Hubbard rounded up some of his closest friends for Co-Starring, a collection of duets that featured an eclectic supporting cast, including Ringo Starr, Pam Tillis, Ronnie Dunn and Aaron Lee Tasjan. He liked the result so much that he released a sequel, Co-Starring Too, on March 18. The record’s first single and stand-out track

A belated birthday party is better than no party at all. A few days after Willie Nelson turns 89, a group of friends and disciples will join the Red Headed Stranger at his Luck Ranch outside of Austin for a May 1st tribute concert. “To Willie: A Birthday Celebration,” produced by Luck Presents and the

When Thomas Rhett was putting together his latest album, Where We Started, there were no plans to make the title track a collaboration. It was a member of Rhett’s team who sent the song over to Katy Perry to see if she was interested. “I was like, ‘Yeah, but they’re not gonna respond.’… And literally within

On April 3, 1948 — 74 years ago today — the influential radio program Louisiana Hayride premiered. The weekly Saturday night country music show was recorded live in front of an audience. Louisiana Hayride broadcast from Shreveport’s Municipal Auditorium and aired on the 50,000-watt AM radio powerhouse KWKH — meaning it could be heard in faraway places such as

Bryan Martin “Everyone’s An Outlaw” Finessing top 40 country sounds with the gritty distortion of outlaw country, Bryan Martin‘s new song goes down easy amidst its message of defiance. A former “roughneck” oil rig worker turned TikTok sensation, Martin’s upcoming album Self Inflicted Scars is a culmination of his dreams. “Everyone’s An Outlaw” espouses typical country music