“The way music brings emotion out of us is so cool. It’s the reason why I love it.” Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Month: July 2025
“Just some rest and extra lovin, he’ll be healed before we know it.” Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Hudson Westbrook gives fans another taste of his swoon-worthy songwriting and Texas roots with his new single, “Damn Good Taste In Whiskey.” The mid-tempo track is the latest glimpse into his highly anticipated debut album Texas Forever, arriving July 25.
Co-written by Westbrook and Randy Montana, the tenth track on the album uses humor to disguise the pain of heartbreak. Leaning into clever wordplay and a smooth, country-rock groove, Westbrook lays it all out in a barstool confession as he admits to having a weakness for the kind of women who he knows will leave him with a hangover of regret.
“Well, damn, it looks like I’ve gone done did it again/ I’m sippin’ Tennessee with a Texas ten pullin’ me in/ I like ’em smooth, I like ’em top shelf/ They get me high, and I can’t help,” he admits in the opening lyrics.
Westbrook’s warm and soothing vocals shine throughout the track, but especially soar in the chorus, where they ride over a steady guitar strum and fiddle-laced instrumental. He goes on to say that while his taste in women might be questionable, at least he knows he’s got “damn good taste in whiskey.”
He sings, “I’m a fool on a stool for some baby blue eyes/ Steal a kiss from their lips while they’re tellin’ me lies/ You’d think I oughta know by now, but it’s too late when it hits me/ I guess I like things that burn my chest/ Leave a heart full of hurt with a shot of regret/ If love’s a game, I sure ain’t winnin’, got a bad taste in women/ But a damn good taste in whiskey.”
“Damn Good Taste In Whiskey” joins Hudson Westbrook’s previously released fan-favorites that will also appear on the upcoming record, including “Funny Seeing You Here,” “Texas Forever,” “Mine Tomorrow,” “Weatherman,” “Sober,” “Dressed Down,” and current his Top 25 single at country radio, “House Again.”
The 17-track project was co-written entirely by Westbrook and is expected to be “a captivating, easygoing tribute to growing up in Texas.” It will also offer an official introduction into his signature sound.”
Texas Forever Tracklist:
- Darlin’ (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton, Neil Medley, Beau Bailey)
- Texas Forever (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Andrew DeRoberts)
- Painted You Pretty (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Beau Bailey)
- Funny Seeing You Here (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Dan Alley, Ryan Beaver)
- Fool (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Dan Alley, Ryan Beaver)
- Momma Raised a Winner (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton)
- House Again (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Dan Alley)
- Lie To Me ft. Mackenzie Carpenter (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Mackenzie Carpenter)
- Burning Love (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Summer Overstreet)
- Damn Good Taste In Whiskey (Hudson Westbrook, Randy Montana)
- Only Girl (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton, Neil Medley, Beau Bailey)
- First Time (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton)
- Weatherman (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton, Neil Medley, Beau Bailey)
- Sober (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Neil Medley, Beau Bailey)
- Dressed Down (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton)
- Mine Tomorrow (Hudson Westbrook, Dan Alley, Ryan Beaver)
- Hill I’ll Die On (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Reid Haughton, Beau Bailey)
Fresh off a packed spring run on his Take Your Time Tour, Hudson Westbrook sold-out a Fourth of July show at New Braunfels’ Whitewater Amphitheater, which drew over 5,600 fans. Now, he’s in the midst of a buzzed-about summer trek and is set to bring his high-energy live show nationwide with the newly announced Texas Forever Fall Tour, with tickets on sale now.
The post Hudson Westbrook Owns His Heartbreak in New Song, ‘Damn Good Taste In Whiskey’ appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Greylan James delivers the ultimate plot twist in his clever new song, “Water At A Wedding.” Co-written by James alongside Chase McGill and Matt Dragstrem, and produced by Jason Massey, the slow-burning track tackles the emotions of heartbreak while detailing the struggles of small-town drama.
The ACM Award-winning singer-songwriter sings from his perspective of a guest at a wedding where he believes that the bride, who also happens to be his ex, may be hiding a life-changing secret on her big day. From the first verse, James begins to carefully peel back the layers of an emotional history shared between the narrator and the bride.
“Well I didn’t want to show up/ But our families go way back/ So, when you said your vows that’s exactly where I sat/ Thank God for open bars/ ‘Cause watching this shit ain’t easy/ And in the middle of y’all’s first dance/ Couldn’t help but see you see me,” he sings on the opening verse.
James continues to deliver lines that reference past late-night rendezvous between them all while exchanging stolen glances during the reception. This leads James to reveal more than just a broken heart, but possibly at a love that never fully ended.
“And in a flash I’m back to sippin’ Jack with you/ Before you found Mr. Ole Miss/ You tipped your glass at me behind his back and/ I couldn’t help but notice…” he sings over the delicate melody before letting his smooth vocals ignite the chorus.
At this point in the emotional track, James comes to the realization that the woman standing before him in the white dress may not actually be tying the knot for love, but rather out of necessity for getting pregnant before marriage.
“You’re drinking water at your wedding, girl/ Ain’t no bubbles up in that drink/ If I’m a betting man I’m betting, girl/ You’re scared to death of what this small town would think/ Well, I think them tears ain’t happy tears/ I think you don’t love him at all/ I think that two pink lines appeared/ Now you can’t have no alcohol/ Daddy’s shotgun and your momma’s pearls/ Drinking water at your wеdding, water at your wedding, girl.”
The biggest twist of all comes at the very end of the track when thoughts begin to race through his mind leading him to question, “What if?” He particularly recalls one night about two months ago when the same woman who has just said “I Do” showed up at his place drunk and the two of them ended up doing more than just talking. While James admits they haven’t “talked about it since,” he’s now wondering if he could be the father of the child she’s secretly carrying rather than the man she just married.
“What if I’m the reason that you’re up there drinking?” he asks himself.
James also changes up the final chorus to say, “If I’m a betting man I’m betting, girl/ Your secret’s gonna have my eyes.”
All the shocking drama that ensues throughout “Water At A Wedding” has quickly caught fans’ attention. Prior to its release, Greylan James saw his social media numbers skyrocket. The teasers have garnered over 10M views across platforms, with 6M total views on TikTok alone, thus earning James his highest pre-save count to date, peaking at 25k ahead of the release. His follower count across all platforms have also seen exponential growth.
Plus, fans have become so entranced by the narrative that users have started putting their own spins on the song, sharing their own versions of different perspectives such as “the bride’s POV.”
@ambermarie.music THIS SONG DROPS THIS WEEK LETS GOOO can’t wait to hear it. I wrote this girls pov and hope you like it #wateratyourwedding #greylanjames #countrymusic #trending ♬ original sound – Amber Marie
“I’m proud of this one on many levels,” said James. “The production feels like it really lets the story stand on its own. And the content around it, that was a process of its own. My entire team crushed it on the rollout of this one, and seeing people’s reaction to every piece of this song has been amazing.”
The rising star is currently booked to play various fairs and festivals throughout the summer before joining Cole Swindell’s Happy Hour Sad Tour this fall.
The post Greylan James Tells a Scandalous Small-Town Love Story in ‘Water At A Wedding’ appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
When it comes to performing live, Keith Urban doesn’t take a single moment for granted. With decades of touring under his belt, the country superstar has played to millions of fans across the world, and he knows just how special that connection between the artist and the audience truly is.
Whether he’s playing to a packed arena, an amphitheater, or an intimate crowd, Urban says it’s the fans who bring the energy and make every night unique. During a recent conversation, the former ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year opened up about just how important the audience is to the overall live experience, not just for the fans, but for him as well.
”First of all, without the audience, it’s just one long soundcheck, so the audience is everything, everything,” Urban urged. “The audience has so much power to make or break a show. We as a performer can only do so much, and I’ve watched our audience night after night after night just give so much to me on stage. When that happens, you can just play forever. If we didn’t have curfews, we’d play way longer.”
Urban also recognizes how much goes in for fans attending concerts, including added expenses like babysitters and parking, so he wants to make sure he gives every crowd everything he’s got.
“The other thing that I really am aware of, especially having kids, when you want to go to a concert, it’s a big deal. It’s not like going to the movies. It’s a very different thing (with) parking and babysitters and like, are we going to carpool and tickets… We’ve got to get there two hours to line up. It’s a big, big deal, and then parking — all the expenses, it goes through the roof,” he pointed out. “So, my want is to give them the greatest night and to give them everything I’ve got to not take that for granted.”
After spending over two hours fired up on stage, Keith Urban takes time to wind down once the crowd starts filing out. He says it takes about an hour to fully come down from the high of a show.
“I’ll come off stage and be so fired up and wired that I’ll sit on the bus just thinking, ‘Man, I’m not going to sleep for hours and hours. I couldn’t be more wide awake. I could go and play another show right now.’ And then an hour later, I’m just done. Everything. I’m done. I’m toast. It’s crazy,’ he said.
A true road warrior, Urban is in the midst of his High and Alive World Tour with special guests Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen and Karley Scott Collins on select dates. The trek will come to a close on October 17 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
The post Keith Urban Says The Audience Is ‘Everything’ When It Comes To Live Shows appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Jason Aldean’s son, Memphis, is recovering after spending several hours in the emergency room overnight with a fractured collarbone.
His wife, Brittany, took to Instagram Tuesday afternoon to reveal that their oldest child had suffered the injury.
Alongside a photo of the 7-year-old in a hospital bed, Brittany wrote, “It was a long night in the ER, but Memphis is ok. He fractured his collarbone and will be in a sling for a couple weeks. Just rest and extra lovin, he’ll be healed before we know it.”
She also posted a video from the ER, sitting by his side as he joked about creative ways to explain his fractured collarbone instead of telling the real story.
From behind the camera, his country star dad could be heard asking him, “How you feeling, buddy? Better, you feel better?” I hope it’s not broke, but I think maybe you’re probably gonna have to get a little sling.”
Jason’s dad then joked that Memphis should tell his friends he got jumped and that he “beat ‘em all up.”
“Still making us laugh even in the ER,” Brittany captioned the clip.
Memphis was born on December 1, 2017, the couple’s first child together and Jason Aldean’s third child overall. Brittany and Jason are also parents to daughter Navy, who joined the family the following year.
Jason Aldean’s FULL THROTTLE Tour continues this week in Tulsa, Oklahoma and will make its way to New Zealand and Australia this winter. Prior to kicking off the tour in May, Aldean opened up about lie at home with his family, revealing that much of his time spent off the road was spent as a chauffeur to his children.
“Yeah, I mean right now kids are all playing sports. So Memphis is in baseball, Navy’s and softball. Kendall’s playing flag football at her school and so they’re just kind of all over the map,” he explained during an interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal. “So we’ve spent a lot of time going to practices and games and doing all that kind of stuff…”
While he loves his life at home, Aldean admitted hew as “ready to go back to work,” which includes touring and recording a new album.
“Trying to finish up an album while we’re off, not touring. So kind of wrapping that up. Got some new music coming this year, so that’s about it,” Aldean revealed at the time.
He recently had a break in the tour and jetted off to Europe with Brittany for a quick vacation. Now, the couple’s focus is on Memphis and his fractured collarbone.
The post Jason Aldean’s Son Memphis Recovering After Overnight Emergency Room Visit appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Ty Myers lets his charming vocals and clever storytelling shine on his new release, “Leaving Carolina,” out now via RECORDS Nashville/Columbia.
The rising star is credited for co-writing “Leaving Carolina” alongside Braydon Watts. He then recorded the song at the legendary FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL, alongside producer Brandon Hood. That time in the studio led Myers to take a big step forward in his career as a dynamic storyteller who continues to pave his own path in the industry.
Amid the twang of steel guitar and steady percussion, his soulful vocals shine through, carrying lyrics that wrestle with the heavy emotions of saying goodbye. The raw and reflective narrative hones in on a Carolina love that didn’t go the distance as he paints a picture of the fleeting romance while pondering the gut-punching question, “Am I leaving Carolina / Or is Carolina leaving me?” And instead of letting the breakup drag on, he ultimately lets the silence do the talking.
“When I crossed that line/ I was feeling bold/ Ornery and tired/ Beating up that road/ You caught my eye it was no surprise/ It was your plan I suppose/ Sayin ‘I just wanna love you slow.’”
The chorus leaves the biggest impact, as the character portrayed by the Austin-born singer-songwriter-guitarist finds comfort in the familiarity of the situation, yet also feels sadness knowing things didn’t turn out as he’d hoped.
He continues, “We had our fun/ And there was plenty to be had/ Now the day’s begun/ To make it the past/ Before I turn right on 46th Avenue/ In the rearview I look behind/ Not a tear was in her eye.”
The new song is accompanied by a John Park-directed visualizer.
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The release of “Leaving Carolina” is further proof that Ty Myers is showing no signs of slowing down in 2025. This song serves as yet another glimpse into his much-anticipated sophomore LP that is currently in the works. Once released, this project will follow his milestone debut album, The Select.
Out of the 16 tracks that appear on the debut collection, Myers is responsible for penning 12 on his own and co-writing two. He continued to gain traction among his listeners with The Select (Deluxe) and The Select (Acoustic). The Select spawned his breakout smash, “Ends of the Earth,” which notched his first RIAA GOLD certification, earned a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and scored Myers his first placement in the Top 3 most added at Country radio.
Now, the fast-rising act is spending his nights serenading packed rooms full of fans screaming his name on his SOLD-OUT headline run, The Select Tour. Within just minutes, the first 45 dates of the trek were sold out and the success continued when he sold out the rest of the dates with the expanded 66 stops. Due to overwhelming demand from fans coast-to-coast, Myers was forced to upgrade multiple venues with several second shows added along the way.
The tour is currently scheduled through November 8, when he wraps things up at Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, MI.
The post Ty Myers Grapples With Goodbye In Soulful New Track, ‘Leaving Carolina’ appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Kim Kardashian addressed a long-standing rumor about a 2014 moment in Paris, where she appeared to leave her daughter, North West, behind at a hotel while heading to her car.
The viral clip from nearly 11 years ago shows Kardashian exiting a Paris hotel alone, walking toward a waiting vehicle, then turning around and reentering the building.
Moments later, she reemerged holding North, who was just a toddler at the time. The footage sparked speculation that she had forgotten her child inside.
Now, Kardashian is setting the record straight. In a recent Instagram Story, she explained the real reason for the brief solo appearance.
“I wanted to show off the look before holding her bc (because) her outfit didn’t match mine!” she wrote. “I didn’t forget her!!!!”
This isn’t the first time she’s responded to the incident.
Shortly after the video made the rounds in 2014, she tweeted, “Do u guys really think a 1 year old would be inside the lobby by herself! Oh wait, she was waiting to check out lol (sic).” She added, “I went to the car to make sure the car seat was in because the day before, we had a car seat issue.”
Kardashian shares North, now 12, with ex-husband Kanye West. The two finalized their divorce in 2022. They also co-parent three other children: Saint, 9, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 6.
The original footage was filmed in October 2014 during Paris Fashion Week.
AllHipHop
The Fyre Festival brand, the one that left rich kids crying in FEMA tents, has officially been auctioned off on eBay.
The bidding started at one cent and after 175 bids and 42 people fighting over a brand with more lawsuits than performances, the sale wrapped at $245,300.
The winner of this digital yard sale now owns everything from the Fyre name to its social media accounts, domain names, trademarks, and marketing files.
It also includes old promo footage and even the festival’s SMS and email lists. The lucky buyer also gets the rights to host a celebration in the Caribbean.
McFarland originally attempted to sell all this in a private deal that was intended to generate seven figures. But after five days of talks, that whole plan crumbled.
That’s when he tossed the Fyre brand on eBay like a used blender.
The infamous con man is still buried under $26 million in debt to investors from the first time he tried to throw this disaster of a party back in 2017.
If you somehow forgot, the OG Fyre Festival promised luxury villas, gourmet food, and major acts but ended with people stuck on a remote island eating cheese sandwiches and sleeping on wet mattresses.
McFarland ultimately served nearly four years of a six-year federal sentence for fraud.
And the Fyre Festival II—the sequel McFarland swore was happening in May 2025 in Mexico, was axed after officials said they had no clue what he was talking about.
No word yet on who threw down that quarter-mil for the brand or what they plan to do with it.
AllHipHop
Fat Joe is the center of attention again but not for a new record.
The Bronx-bred rapper recently caused conversation after claiming he was once part of the Nation of Gods and Earths, also known as the Five Percent Nation. The group is breakaway sect of the Nation of Islam, but I am not going to get into all of that.
While Fat Joe didn’t offer a full sermon, a single photo did plenty of talking. Here it is:
In it, the rapper stands among a group of people, casually sporting a knit kufi-style hat. This is associated with some form of cultural expression. The post didn’t include a long caption or any direct explanation. But for those tuned into Hip-Hop culture and street history, it didn’t take long to catch the implication. It seems like he was saying this is proof of his claims.
Many raised eyebrows. Fat Joe is Puerto Rican and Cuban! I just found that out. But did he ever officially study lessons or was he acknowledged by righteous teachers within Five Percent circles? While some dismissed it as a throwback to the days when everybody in New York was borrowing slang from the Supreme Alphabet, others went deeper. For more context, read this – “Crack-Kim Great God Allah” and the Value of Community Partnerships.”
Some of these people know being a Five Percenter demanded knowledge, dedication and a lifestyle rooted in divine mathematics.
Critics speculated that if Fat Joe was indeed down, it could have been someone that was not all the way down himself. “There were definitely some dudes out there faking the funk,” one post read. “So maybe Joe got knowledge from a 85er pretending to be righteous.”
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But none of this chatter has stopped the jokes. Memes quickly flooded timelines and group chats. One of the standout nicknames being tossed around? “The God Crakk Kim Great God Allah” Priceless!
Despite the buzz, Fat Joe hasn’t offered any follow-up clarification. I think Joe will be ok in this one!
AllHipHop