Music

Forty-nine years ago today (June 8, 1974) was an historic day for Dolly Parton: It was on that date that the country legend landed at the top of the charts with her song “I Will Always Love You,” from her Jolene album. Chances are, Parton had no idea how monumental “I Will Always Love You” would

Christian Lopez recorded his just-released album Magdalena in self-imposed exile in a remote corner of New Mexico. But for his new video “Harpers Ferry,” the singer-songwriter-guitarist went home again. [embedded content] A West Virginia native, Lopez would frequently visit nearby Harpers Ferry, a historic site in the U.S. Civil War and beyond, as a kid.

Is there anything Dolly Parton cannot do? At 77 years young, the veteran country singer has been hosting awards shows, writing books and singing in holiday specials. And lately, she’s been setting new world records. There’s not too much empty space on Parton’s list of accolades, but there’s certainly room for not one, not two, but three new

Twenty-four years ago, Garth Brooks pivoted at the height of his fame to do something … uh, let’s call it “unexpected.” Instead of forging ahead in his unbridled country music success, he decided to create new music under the name of a fictitious rockstar, the brooding, soul patch-sporting Australian named Chris Gaines. If you’ve heard of

Maren Morris is on the cover of Billboard‘s 2023 Pride issue, along with four of today’s most renowned drag queens: Eureka O’Hara, Landon Cider, Sasha Colby and Symone. As part of the cover story, Morris moderates a conversation between the four performers that dives into the recent onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ bills aimed at limiting and

On June 7, 1969, The Johnny Cash Show premiered on ABC. The country icon co-hosted the hour-long show with his wife, June Carter Cash, at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Naturally, Johnny Cash performed during each show — both solo and with special musical guests — and there were also appearances from comedians, as well as skits courtesy

Eric Church is not a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee just yet, but the Nashville institution will preview the inevitable with a new exhibit dedicated to the platinum-selling artist known as “Chief.” Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul, opening July 13, will chart Church’s rise from late-night bar gigs to sold-out stadiums, with the North

America’s Got Talent returned to NBC on Tuesday night (June 6), and the second Golden Buzzer of the season has already been awarded! Golden Buzzer slaps are dealt out by one of the judges who is particularly impressed by a contestant. Judge Simon Cowell hit his Golden Buzzer for Putri Ariani, a singer and songwriter from Indonesia

David Nail has been married to his wife, Catherine Werne, since 2009. The singer says that he knew soon after he met his now-wife that she was the one for him; in fact, he even went as far as to boldly proclaim his intentions to her parents right after they started dating! “I was on the road, promoting my

Luke Grimes is taking a deeper look at his outlaw ways in his new song, “Playin’ on the Tracks.” The Yellowstone star co-wrote his new tune with Brent Cobb, and the rootsy, mid-tempo number finds Grimes pondering on his life voyage and decisions made. “Try to keep my mind on the present time / My pride

Fresh off her historic ride into the Grand Ole Opry, Tanya Tucker wrapped up a whirlwind weekend with a stellar Sunday night performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on June 4. The 64-year-old talent was in high spirits as she celebrated the release of her twenty-sixth studio album, Sweet Western Sound, during the last of two consecutive headlining

Seventeen years ago today, on June 1, 2006, Josh Turner earned the first gold certification of his career — the first two, in fact. On that date, Turner’s then-recent single “Your Man,” as well as his 2003 single “Long Black Train,” was certified gold, for sales of 500,000 copies. Turner had released “Your Man” just over

Taylor Swift brought an extra dose of country to her Chicago, Ill. show on Saturday night (June 3), thanks to a surprise appearance from Maren Morris. Morris hopped onstage with Swift for a live rendition of “You All Over Me,” which is a From the Vault track off of Swift’s 2021 Taylor’s Version of her

Thirty-seven years ago today, on June 2, 1986, Randy Travis dropped his major-label debut album. Storms of Life was released on Warner Bros. Records. Storms of Life includes a re-release of Travis’ first chart-topping single, “On the Other Hand,” as well as “Diggin’ Up Bones” and “No Place Like Home,” two additional No. 1 hits for Travis. When the label first released

When Dolly Parton turned her country career toward the pop charts, she did it with a Cynthia Weil song. The legendary songwriter died on Thursday (June 1) at age 82. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and her husband Barry Mann were behind dozens of hit songs. They were a force in the

Country music fans have been blessed over the past 30-plus years with some great debut albums by budding stars. Selections range from Garth Brooks and Toby Keith’s opening statements to the more recent tides of change represented by Maren Morris and Luke Combs’ mainstream arrivals. The standard by which those artists get judged were set in

“Cuz I Love You” announces the Texas songwriter’s new album What Is It Even?, a collection of songs by powerhouse women vocalists For those who’ve seen Joshua Ray Walker perform, they know his voice can alternately hush and rouse a crowd. (Catch him perform “Voices” if you ever get the chance and be amazed.) The

If the rest of Ashley McBryde‘s new The Devil I Know album is as raw as the song she released on Friday (June 2), her fans might need to ask for the day off work. The Devil I Know is McBryde’s fourth studio album on WMN, following Lindeville from 2022. In April she released the title track.

On June 2, 2003, Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett teamed up to release the pint glasses-clinking ode “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.” The song appears on Jackson’s Greatest Hits Volume II album; the two men had also teamed up in 1999 to cover Buffett’s beloved “Margaritaville” on Jackson’s covers album, Under the Influence. “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” was

Platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and producer Madison Beer has released her new single “Home To Another One” – listen HERE. The summer anthem showcases Madison’s ethereal vocals across dynamic, upbeat production. The song was written and produced by Madison and Leroy Clampitt. The single is accompanied by the aptly aesthetic video, directed by Madison & Aerin Moreno,

Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh has just bought a bungalow in California, and pictures show a luxurious property fit for a rock star — or his son. The legendary singer-songwriter and instrumentalist plunked down $2.345 million for a 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 2,446-square-foot bungalow in Sherman Oaks, and though it’s not a massive mansion, the home has all

Twenty-four years ago, singer, songwriter, guitarist, awards show host and insurance pitchman Brad Paisley was a 26-year-old dreamer with hopes that his debut album, Who Needs Pictures (released June 1, 1999), might someday launch him into the same stratosphere as such quirky, multi-talented heroes as Roger Miller and Little Jimmy Dickens. Paisley entered country music’s family

Lindsay Ell appeared on the song “Tequila Talkin’” with Jimmie Allen last year. Now, the singer-guitarist is speaking out on allegations of sexual assault made against Allen by his former manager. In a new interview with Taste of Country, Ell, who was signed to Allen’s label home BBR Music Group, said she supports the woman

Lindsay Ell says she was shocked to learn about the sexual assault allegations against Jimmie Allen earlier in May, after Variety published an extensive report detailing a civil lawsuit leveled against the singer by a former member of his day-to-day team. The woman, who identifies herself as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, is suing Allen

Jessye DeSilva isn’t defined by your perceptions. In their new song “Dysphoria,” premiering exclusively at The Boot today (May 31), the burgeoning singer-songwriter comes to a breaking point, exhausted from maneuvering through others’ perceptions and pre-conceived notions of their own identity and experience. “Sometimes it can be hard enough to see myself as a trans

America’s Got Talent returned for Season 18 on Tuesday night (May 30) and there are already a few contestants who have made a mark on the competition. One of those contestants is comedian Orlando Leyba, who used his time on stage to reflect on a recent trip he took to Yellowstone National Park to celebrate his friend’s marriage

When I first heard “In Spite of Ourselves,” I thought my neighbor George —the one who brought his guitar to every 4th of July bonfire and made our spirits sing with a worn outlaw voice and worn, outlaw country songs — was making it up on the spot. Such a display would have been in character,

The ACM-winning duo release a new track from upcoming project produced by Mike Elizondo Brothers Osborne describe the feeling of a big loss starting to sink in with their new track “Goodbye’s Kickin’ In.” The song is set to appear on the duo’s as-yet-unannounced follow-up to 2020’s Skeletons. “Goodbye’s Kickin’ In” is the groovier, funkier

The best Memorial Day songs focus on the men and women who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice. These 20 country songs do that in deeply personal ways. Well-known titles by Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and the Statler Brothers are the go-to songs for any Memorial Day songs list. For this Top 20, we went deeper. Find