Music

Wes Freed, the visual artist whose surreal Southern-gothic images of shadowy figures, ominous owls, and black flamingos adorned album covers by Drive-By Truckers, has died at 58. Freed was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in January and a GoFundMe campaign was underway to help pay for his treatment. The band’s publicist confirmed Freed’s death to Rolling

While September is known as the month of backpacks, sharpened pencils, early alarm clocks and kids across the United States returning to school, it’s also a month in which many, many country stars celebrate with cake — because it’s their birth month! September is quite the month for country music stars to be born; from

It’s been two decades since Kelly Clarkson‘s life-changing American Idol victory, and she’s marking the occasion with gratitude and an emotional message of hope and love for everyone who supported her during her Idol years. On social media, the singer shared a lengthy message reflecting on the ways in which Idol jump-started her career and continues

It is difficult to envision the moment playing out any other way. Robert Earl Keen, seated onstage at Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas, had been playing for 3,000 people for nearly two-and-a-half hours. Only a single chorus remained between him and retirement after 41 years of playing shows. The Americana icon is 66 and

Sixty-one years ago today, on Sept. 3, 1961, Loretta Lynn‘s life changed forever: It was on that date that the then-22-year-old signed with Decca Records, with which she released 18 studio albums, three gospel albums, two collaborative records with Ernest Tubb, a Christmas project and a greatest hits disc. By the time that Lynn signed

Kenny Chesney and Old Dominion have been touring across the United States over the last few months on Chesney’s headlining Here and Now 2022 Tour. Now, to punctuate their celebrated trek in style, the country stars have teamed up for their first-ever collaboration, “Beer With My Friends.” The spirited David Lee Murphy, Shy Carter and

Carrie Underwood is the latest celeb to hop on the viral “Teenage Dirtbag” trend, posting a compilation video of some of her most epic and unrecognizable shots as a teen. Underwood was 22 when she got her start on American Idol in 2004-2005, so she was only a few years removed from her teens when

Email: neill@outloudculture.com Socials: @neillfrazer PRMSE, pronounced Promise, (@prmsemusic) is a Zimbabwean-born UK artist, who is no stranger to the world of music, working on campaigns for artists such as: Madonna, Stefflon Don, David Guetta, Kehlani, Ella Mai and Pop Smoke. PRMSE grew up in a household listening to an eclectic collection of legendary artists such as

The 1974 summit of country music and rock is finally available to stream This Oct. 4 marks 48 years since the very first Volunteer Jam, Charlie Daniels’ Nashville celebration of Southern music. The Allman Brothers’ Dickey Betts and Marshall Tucker Band’s Toy Caldwell both performed at the War Memorial Auditorium that Friday night, coming together

Deana Carter‘s classic song “Strawberry Wine” wasn’t yet a country chart-topper when she released her debut album, but it didn’t take too much longer. Carter’s Did I Shave My Legs for This? arrived in the United States on Sept. 3, 1996 — 25 years ago today — and by Thanksgiving that year, she was celebrating a multi-week No. 1

Ben Gallaher “Still a Few Cowboys Left” Ben Gallaher brings a cowboy’s story to life in his anthemic new single, “Still a Few Cowboys Left.” The soaring country-rocker is a blue-collar anthem and ode to all who stay true to the cowboy way of life. Gallaher penned the imagery-packed song with Neil Thrasher and Tony

Maren Morris is putting her money where her mouth is when it comes to supporting transgender youth. The country singer has raised $100,000 in just one day, after announcing a new line of T-shirts on Friday (Sept. 2) to support the Trans Lifeline and the GLAAD Transgender Media Program. Morris turned to Twitter late Friday

The song is the title track of the country singer’s new LP Amanda Shires appeared on The Late Late Show to perform her recent song “Take It Like a Man.” Playing with her band, the singer offered an emotive take on the anthemic track. “Take It Like a Man” comes off Shires’ recent LP of

There’s no one in country music quite like Loretta Lynn. The genre-defining legend made a name for herself, starting in the 1960s, with songs that tackle topics women simply weren’t expected — or allowed — to sing about: abortion, divorce, the genuine difficulties of motherhood and more. Lynn’s career has spanned decades and has never really

Kelsea Ballerini has dropped a powerful and ruminative new song, “What I Have.” The emotional track, which Ballerini co-wrote with Cary Barlowe and Alysa Vanderhym, arrives on the heels of her recent announcement of her divorce from Morgan Evans. Opting for a stripped-back production, “What I Have” boasts diary-entry lyrics that vulnerably and beautifully chronicle Ballerini’s thoughts

Maddie & Tae are looking to rid themselves of ex lovers in their new song “Spring Cleaning.” The track is from their upcoming album Through the Madness Vol. 2, which is set to arrive in full on September 23. The breakup song is the perfect anthem for those who are sick of being on the same

Luke Bell’s family is speaking out for the first time since the untimely death of the 32-year-old singer near Tucson, Ariz., in late August. In a statement issued via People, Bell’s family says they are “heartbroken” after the loss of their “beloved son, brother, and friend.” They also shed light on Bell’s battle with mental illness

The 1975 have released their brand new single, ‘I’m In Love With You’, which comes from the band’s forthcoming fifth album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language. The Album is set to drop October 14th. The single comes with a black-and-white visual directed by Samuel Bradley. In the video we see front man Matt Healey taking on

Deluxe version of Carlile’s In These Silent Days, titled In the Canyon Haze, features updated versions of the songs Brandi Carlile has often shown the influence of Joni Mitchell and the Laurel Canyon singer-songwriters in her work, with cuts like “You and Me on the Rock” nodding to the era’s style and tone. To mark

Country music’s history is full of iconic duos — Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Brooks & Dunn, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, to name just a few — but we’d be hard-pressed to think of a pair more iconic than Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty. Between 1971 and 1988, Lynn and Twitty released

Amy Martin has no need for hiding. Growing up in Harrisonburg, Va. as a queer Christian, Martin felt isolated from the community she loved so much. Martin’s album, Travelin’ On, is being released as a series of singles from now until January 2023. It focuses on reconciling that love with the rejection of others, and

Florida Georgia Line played the final show on their concert itinerary on Wednesday night (Aug. 31), and they ended the performance with an emotional thank you to their fans for their years of support. Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley shared the stage for one final time at the Minnesota State Fair on Wednesday night, and

Jason Aldean’s wife is totally over Maren Morris calling her “Insurrection Barbie” Brittany Aldean, the wife of country singer Jason Aldean, has turned the controversy over her recent transphobic remarks into new t-shirts that incorporate references to Barbie and some favored right-wing slogans.  On Instagram Wednesday, Aug. 31, Aldean and her sister-in-law, Kasi Wicks —

Fifteen years ago today was an unforgettable day for Taylor Swift: It was on that date (Sept. 1, 2006) that the then-16-year-old made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. At the time of her Opry debut, Swift was just beginning her rapid ascent to stardom: She had recently signed to Big Machine Records, a

Hardy and Lainey Wilson have officially joined the list of country stars with murder ballads in their catalog — a list that includes Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Garth Brooks and the Chicks. On Friday (Aug. 26), the singers are sharing their brand new collaboration, a murder ballad titled “Wait in the Truck.” Hardy co-wrote the song with

Ashley Judd says that she felt like a “possible suspect” during authorities’ initial investigation into her mother Naomi Judd‘s suicide, in an op-ed calling for privacy for her family in their time of grief and loss. In an impassioned editorial for the New York Times, the actor and activist writes that standard police procedures following

“I have a love/hate relationship with the term ‘outlaw,’” Eric Church says in the opening moments of the the trailer to They Called Us Outlaws: Cosmic Cowboys, Honky Tonk Heroes And the Rise of Renegade Troubadours, a six-part documentary due next year. Executive produced by country music luminaries Jessi Colter, Ray Benson, and Jack Ingram

On Aug. 31, 1999, the Chicks (then known as the Dixie Chicks) released their second major-label album, Fly. The album, which was also their second one recorded with Natalie Maines in the lineup, built on the success of 1998’s Wide Open Spaces. Fly spawned a staggering eight country radio singles. Even more impressive is the fact that six

Camille Parker‘s voice has been turning heads across the country music industry recently, but her roots have ran deep within the genre for years. She’s always had a love of music, instilled in her by her grandfather, Mr. Charles. “Mr. Charles was just so great at showing me that (artists) start in small places,” she told UNC’s MediaHub. “It’s

Willie Nelson is 89 years old, and it seems he’s accomplished everything anyone could dream of: He’s acted in more than 30 films, received a fifth-degree black belt in the martial art GongKwon Yusul, co-authored several books and been heavily involved in pushing for the legalization of marijuana. And that doesn’t even begin to cover his 60-plus-year music career.