Music

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

Harry Styles has released the lead single from his forthcoming album ‘Harry’s House’, which is due out May 20th. The song entitled “As It Was”, is the first music he’s released since his 2019 blockbuster, Fine Line. It’s one of the most emotionally powerful songs he’s ever done. Check it out below. neillfrazer@hotmail.com

C.W. McCall, an adman who found fame as a country music singer with songs about 18-wheelers, including the 1976 crossover No. 1 “Convoy,” has died at 93. According to his son Bill Fries III, McCall had been battling cancer and was in hospice care in his Colorado home when he died Friday, April 1. “Breaker

The Judds are reuniting to perform on television together for the first time in 20 years. People reports that the mother-daughter duo of Naomi and Wynonna Judd are slated to reunite for a live performance during the 2022 CMT Music Awards. The Judds will sing their 1990 hit “Love Can Build a Bridge” in front

Sixty-six years ago today (April 2, 1956) was a career-changing day for Johnny Cash: It was on that date that he recorded “I Walk the Line,” for his freshman album, With His Hot and Blue Guitar. “I Walk the Line,” which became the third single from Cash’s debut record, shot straight to No. 1 when it was

Lyle Lovett is returning with his first new music in 10 years. A new album, 12th of June, is set for release on May 13. Produced by Lovett and Chuck Ainlay, the project features 11 tracks — a combination of originals, standards by Nat King Cole and Dave Frishberg, and an instrumental track by Horace Silver. In preparation

Shawn Mendes finally dropped his new single, “When You’re Gone,” after teasing the track on Instagram earlier this month. Mendes wrote the new single about his break up with Camila Cabello, the pair dated for two years before calling it quits in November 2021. Mendes co-wrote and produced “When You’re Gone” with Scott Harris and

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees the Judds are set to reunite and perform at the 2022 CMT Music Awards. The annual fan-voted event takes place April 11 in Nashville. It’s been more than 20 years since the mother-daughter duo of Naomi and Wynonna Judd last played an awards show stage. This time they’ll reprise

Billy Ray Cyrus is once again making a foray into genre-crossing collaboration with “A Hard Working Man, his new duet with rapper Snoop Dogg and the Avila Brothers. The song is called “A Hard Working Man,” and it’s out as of Friday (April 1). The cross-genre pack of artists teased it heavily on social media, with

Fifty-five years ago today (April 1, 1967) was a big day for country music and the genre’s fans: It was on that date that the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Nashville, Tenn. The Country Music Association (CMA) originally established the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 and spent six years

With just over a week left until he releases his new album, Cole Swindell says he couldn’t wait to release the title track. “Stereotype” arrived on Thursday, March 31. The song is a declaration to the love of his life, and it’s hard not to assume his girlfriend Courtney Little was his muse. After all,

Lyle Lovett will release 12th of June, the Texas singer-songwriter’s first album in a decade, on May 13. The project’s title track and first single is out now alongside an accompanying video of Lovett recording in the studio. The 11-track 12th of June features a mix of Lovett’s originals as well as interpretations of songs

The title of Michael Ray‘s latest single sounds like a typical church song. However, “Holy Water” is not the story of redemption or saving grace — it’s the opposite. The song centers around a preacher who’s caught up in a scandalous side hustle selling moonshine. When he rolls up to the church in a new Lincoln,

Few people would know it now, but John Moreland‘s Oklahoma origins began in punk and hardcore bands. He even released a couple of punk albums with his Black Gold Band, with Things I Can’t Control being a collaboration with legendary punk producer and guitarist Stephen Egerton (Descendents, All). Since those early days, however, he has

Elliah Heifetz (pronounced “High-fits”) knows the value of a good song. He wouldn’t be here without one. The New York-based lyricist is releasing his debut country album, First Generation American, this Friday, April 1. Produced by Andrija Tokic, the album defiantly claims country music on behalf of people whose authenticity within the genre are questioned.

Miranda Lambert is not used to sitting still, so a few months into pandemic quarantine she and her husband, former NYPD officer Brendan McLoughlin, bought a shiny silver Airstream and headed up the East Coast from Nashville. They made “campfire casserole,” a specialty of Lambert’s dad, drank wine on the pop-up table, and named the

Fans holding tickets to see Eric Church‘s Gather Again Tour stop at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, got a surprise from the Chief this week — a cancellation. Church sent out a message to his fan club, the Church Choir, informing them that he was canceling the April 2 show. Tour stop cancellations and postponements

Since launching her career in 1971 with her self-titled debut, Bonnie Raitt has established herself as one of the greatest blueswomen – and guitarists – of all time. Come April 22, Raitt will release Just Like That…, her twenty-first album to date. With such an extensive discography to her name, there’s no shortage of essential listening.

Rhyan Sinclair may only be 21, but she’s far from being a new face in the country and Americana music scenes. The Lexington, Ky. native has been writing, recording and touring since she was 11 and has found a tight groove in recent years with her backing band The South 65. Sinclair documents her past decade

Brad Paisley has announced his return to the road. The country music singer-guitarist will kick off his World Tour 2022 over Memorial Day weekend with a show in Uncasville, Connecticut. The tour runs through the fall and includes a European leg — Paisley’s ninth tour of Europe — and his first tour of Australia. The international

Kelsea Ballerini has announced a new partnership with beauty brand CoverGirl. The singer shared her news in a statement, explaining that for her, the new venture marks the culmination of a dream she’s had ever since she was a young girl. “I’ve been a fan of CoverGirl for as long as I can remember,” Ballerini

With 25 studio albums released, 26 career Billboard Hot Country No. 1 singles, and over 150 major music industry awards to date, not many artists can beat the illustrious career of country superstar, Alan Jackson. Launching into the scene in 1989 with “Blue Blooded Woman” off his debut album Here in the Real World, it

Kacey Musgraves, Turnpike Troubadours, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, and Willie Nelson will all perform at a new California country music festival. The Palomino Festival is set for Saturday, July 9, at the Brookside grounds at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The lineup leans hard into the alt-country sound, highlighting artists who mainly work

Live in the Vineyard Goes Country is coming in April, and you’ll want to be there for this three-day, ultra-personal concert experience. Enter to win a trip for two to fly to Napa Valley for the April 26-28 concert series that will feature Lee Brice, Joe Nichols, Chase Rice and more. You must be 21 years old

Happy birthday to Reba McEntire! The singer was born on March 28, 1955, in McAlester, Okla. McEntire is the third of four siblings born to Clark and Jacqueline McEntire, the latter of whom aspired to be a singer but became an elementary school teacher instead. However, Jacqueline McEntire passed on her love of music to