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The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Month: July 2025
Luke Bryan’s got some thoughts on Carrie Underwood’s return to the ‘Idol’ stage. Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Today, the Academy of Country Music revealed new details about the upcoming 18th ACM Honors, set for Wednesday, August 20, 2025, including the co-hosts and first round of performers.
Co-Hosted By Carly Pearce and Russell Dickerson
Hosted by Carly Pearce, returning for her fifth year, and first-time host Russell Dickerson, this year’s ACM Honors will celebrate special honorees including Eric Church, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, and more.
“I’m excited to return as host of ACM Honors for the fifth year in a row,” Pearce shared. “This night holds a special place in my heart because it shines a light on the songwriters, musicians, and industry voices who make what we do possible. It’s truly one of my favorite nights of the year. It will be such a full circle moment to co-host with one of my oldest friends in Nashville, Russell Dickerson.”
“It’s a real honor to be hosting ACM Honors for the first time—especially at The Pinnacle, in the heart of Nashville,” Dickerson added. “This night is all about giving credit to the folks who keep the wheels turning behind the scenes, and I’m proud to be part of it. Getting to team up with Carly and celebrate the industry we love so much is going to be one for the books.”
First Round Of Performers Announced
The just-announced performance lineup includes nine-time ACM Award winner and three-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan, four-time ACM Award nominee Russell Dickerson, eight-time ACM Award winner Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town, multi-Platinum and GRAMMY Winning artist Amy Grant, three-time ACM Award winner Ashley McBryde, and four-time ACM Award winner Carly Pearce.
Honorees
These performers will take the stage inside Nashville’s The Pinnacle, located at Nashville Yards, to pay tribute to the following special award honorees: Twisters (ACM Film Award), Eric Church and Ben Vaughn (ACM Icon Award), Luke Combs (ACM International Award), Rissi Palmer (ACM Lift Every Voice Award), Jelly Roll (ACM Lifting Lives Award), Randy Travis (ACM Milestone Award), Mac McAnally (ACM Poet’s Award), Lori Badgett (ACM Service Award), Cody Johnson (ACM Spirit Award), Lainey Wilson (ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year Award), and Jessie Jo Dillon (ACM Songwriter of the Year Award).
“This year’s ACM Special Awards honorees each have played an essential role in Country Music’s success,” Kerri Edwards, Chair of the ACM Special Awards committee, previously shared.. “From some of Country Music’s legendary artists to the incredible songwriters and powerhouse executives, we are so excited to celebrate these well-deserved recipients next month at The Pinnacle in Nashville. Congratulations to all the honorees.”
“We are thrilled to bring the Country Music industry’s favorite night, ACM Honors, to The Pinnacle, Nashville’s newest live music venue, next month,” added Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “This is an exciting time for the Academy as we reimagine this special night through new partnerships and a new format that will elevate the show’s impact. We look forward to celebrating our Studio Recording and Industry Award winners, alongside our soon-to-be-announced Special Award Honorees, whose vital contributions make the music we love possible.”
More performers, presenters, and event details will be revealed in the weeks ahead. A limited number of tickets and premium seating options are available now via AXS.
The post Carly Pearce and Russell Dickerson to Co-Host 2025 ACM Honors: Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, and More Set to Perform appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Cole Swindell is happily married to his wife, Courtney, and has his first baby on the way, but there was once a time when he thought he might never get to settle down with a family.
In a candid conversation with Apple Music’s Kelleigh Bannen on Today’s Country Radio, the country star opened up about the ways his past shaped his outlook on relationships and how he’s come to understand that timing, growth, and finding the right person can change everything.
How Divorce Impacted His View On Relationships
According to CMT, Cole Swindell was just 11 years old when his parents, Carol Rainey and William Swindell, divorced. Years later, in December 2023, he gave fans a glimpse into what that experience was like through his emotional song “3 Feet Tall.” Looking back on his childhood, Swindell now recognizes that going through something like that at such a young age definitely had a lasting impact on how he viewed relationships for a long time.
“I think I just never wanted to really hurt anybody or get hurt, and that was a big step. But they say, ‘The right person,’ and they kept saying that. And I’m like, man, ‘I’m thirty…I don’t know if I’m going to know.’ They were right. But I think a lot of that,” he acknowledged.
In those 10 years between feeling defeated over never finding “the one” and then tying the knot with Courtney, Cole Swindell experienced a lot of growth, which he says was necessary for him to finally feel ready to settle down.
“I mean, it’s timing too. I mean, I would not have been… I needed time to grow and I still do. You know what I mean? It’s just I wouldn’t have been ready. I was so focused on my career and so just trying to get to where I was going to even have time for anything like that,” he admitted. “And just you meet somebody and then you realize why it didn’t work out with everybody else and also a lot of that was I wasn’t ready and it’s just to be in this stage, I didn’t know if it was in the cards.”
Feeling Grateful For The Journey
Ever since saying “I do,” Swindell admits his life has been on an upward trajectory as he’s learned to balance a happy and healthy personal life with his thriving music career.
“They say life comes at you fast and [the] past few years have been like the good stuff, man. This is the stuff that I feel like I’ve been waiting on and I feel like the people that close to me that have known me for years, you can just tell they’re excited that I’m in this stage because I think they were probably like, ‘You probably need to grow up a little. You need to settle down. You’re going to miss out on a lot of stuff.’ And it’s just to finally be here, but I wouldn’t do anything different,” he said.
Now that he’s on the other side of all that waiting, Cole Swindell is taking it all in and feeling incredibly grateful for the chapter he’s in. Plus, the timing couldn’t have been more right to release his fifth studio album, Spanish Moss, as it contains stories and emotions that perfectly capture his current stage of life and the moments that led him to this point.
“I might not have ended up right here. It’s a crazy feeling, but I am. I feel super blessed and somebody said the other day, ‘You’ll always remember this album when it came out around what a special season of life.’ So I’ve only had song babies until now so now this is going to be special.”
A Lot To Look Forward To In 2025
Cole Swindell and the former NBA dancer and the 2017 Miss Teen North Carolina tied the knot on June 12, 2024 in an intimate wedding ceremony set in Sonoma County, California, at Château de Ninis. Then in March of 2025, the lovebirds announced that they are expecting their first child, a baby boy. Their caption revealed that “Baby Swindell” will be coming sometime this year.
The ”She Had Me At Heads Carolina” singer will continue to celebrate the recent release of his new album throughout his 2025 headlining Happy Hour Sad Tour. The highly anticipated trek will launch on September 4 in Toledo, OH and continue through October 26 with stops across Georgia, Colorado, Washington, Florida and more.
The post Cole Swindell Reveals Why He Once Believed He Might Never Get Married: ‘I Didn’t Know If It Was In The Cards’ appeared first on Country Now.
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Tim McGraw Debuts New Look In Nashville
After taking time to recover from recent surgeries, Tim McGraw is stepping back into the spotlight this weekend and he’s debuting a fresh new look.
Country Now has just obtained a set of new images, captured by photographer John Shearer, offering the first glimpse at McGraw’s summertime image. With the southeast regions facing record high temperatures this week, it appears the country icon has shaved his head in an attempt to beat the heat.
McGraw was spotted confidently strutting around Music City with his newly buzzed head, fully embracing the summer heat with style that featured a simple tee, cargo pants and a pair of dark shades.
Based off the photos alone, McGraw also seems to be recovering well from his recent health battles that forced him to dedicate his time to healing with some doctor-ordered rest. He recently revealed that over the past two years, he has undergone four major surgeries including a double knee replacement, back surgeries, and a shoulder surgery.
The “Paper Umbrellas” singer has been putting in the work to regain movement and strength through physical therapy in attempt to avoid having to cancel any shows this year. While he did unfortunately have to step back from his July 21 performance at Canvas Stadium as part of Colorado State University (CSU) and the Professional Bull Riders’ Last Cowboy Standing Event, McGraw is ready to return to the stage this weekend.
He is next set to appear at the Bristol Motor Speedway on August 2 as well as the first-ever concert at the iconic Field Of Dreams on August 30.
Plus, after scoring his 47th No. 1 hit with single “Standing Room Only.” With this milestone achievement, McGraw has officially earned over 69 Top 10 radio hits throughout his unmatched career and extended his Mediabase record for the most weeks at No. 1 with all titles to 74 weeks.
Once this news broke, we also learned that he set another new record for having the longest duration between his first No. 1 to his latest. With an impressive 29 years and 6 months, Tim McGraw has now surpassed the record held by the king of country music, George Strait.
The Louisiana native is said to be back in the studio and working on brand-new music in Nashville this week along with rehearsing for his upcoming summer concert dates. These forthcoming releases will follow 2023’s Standing Room Only album.
The post Tim McGraw Debuts New Look In Nashville appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Move over, CoJo Nation: there’s a new Cody Johnson superfan in town, and he’s had four legs and he’s covered in fur. Meet Maverick, the 2-year-old golden retriever who can’t stop howling along to Cody Johnson’s music.
Arielle, Maverick’s owner, is proving her pup might just be Cody Johnson’s biggest fan on TikTok, where she shares videos of him barking and howling along to the Texas native’s songs.
From “Dear Rodeo” to “Long Live Cowgirls,” Johnson’s duet with Ian Munsick, this four-legged fan simply can’t get enough. He even caught the attention of Munsick, who pointed out, “Maverick might be an Ian Munsick fan too?”
@ariellepetrucci @Cody Johnson he’s not a swifty he’s your biggest fan. Tag Cody and follow along for more !#longlivecowgirls #cojonation #codyjohnson #countrymusic #trending #trendingvid #fyp #foryoupage #viral #goldenretriever #maverickthegolden ♬ original sound – Arielle Petrucci
His favorite song appears to be “By Your Grace” off Johnson’s Human: The Double Album. In a recent TikTok clip, Maverick can be seen “singing” along to the faith-filled tune
Arielle says that Maverick has enjoyed listening to Johnson’s music since they got him at 8 weeks old.
“I’m positive his love for Cody came from my husband, David,” she tells us. “David is a HUGE fan, he goes to all of Cody’s concerts when he’s in New England. He’s taken our two middle boys to the shows. Really our family is a big part of Cojo Nation.”
When the family has to leave Maverick and his best friend Ana behind, Arielle says they often play Johnson’s music to keep them company.
“It’s always Cody Johnson on the Alexa so they have music,” she says.
In her latest TikTok video, Arielle decided to put Maverick’s love for Cody Johnson’s music to the test. First, she played Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” which didn’t get any reaction from Maverick. Moments later, she switched to “Long Live Cowgirls,” and he immediately perked up—turning his head, whimpering, and howling. As the first verse began, Maverick barked along to the music and wagged his tail with excitement.
@ariellepetrucci @Cody Johnson meet your biggest fan. He sings to more than this CoJo song. Everyone tag Cody so he sees his biggest fan. #codyjohnson #byyourgrace #cojonation #goldenretriever #golden #dogtok #fyp #viral ♬ original sound – Arielle Petrucci
“We discovered [it when] he sang along on a road trip down south last year. His favorite song, ‘By Your Grace,’ came on and he just started howling. He hasn’t stopped since. Even before he started singing, when any Cody song came on he would stop in his tracks and listen. A lot of the times, he will run over to David and sit with him or jump up and stand with his paws on his shoulders..Ana even gets excited when he starts singing, I can tell she really loves to listen to her best friend.”
While concerts may not be the most dog-friendly place, Arielle says they hope Maverick gets to meet the country star one day.
“I’m almost certain if Maverick saw Cody in person he’d know that’s his idol. We’d love to get Mav on stage with Cody,” she said.
Cody Johnson is spending the summer on the road and will soon appear at Band Together Texas alongside Parker McCollum and Miranda Lambert in support of flood relief efforts in the Love Star State.
The post This Singing Dog Is Cody Johnson’s Biggest (And Furriest) Fan appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Jordan Davis recently welcomed his fourth child, Sadie, with wife Kristen and while they may be seasoned parents at this point, the country star admits that nothing quite prepared them for the chaos of adding one more to the mix.
“Everybody always asks, ‘what was the toughest jump? Was it one to two? Was it two to three?’ The toughest jump is three to four hands down, and before that it was two to three. I think anytime you add another one to it, it gets wild,” Davis told Country Now and other outlets.
The couple got their first taste of life as parents of four as soon as they brought their newborn home from the hospital. Davis shared he expected the homecoming to be a picture-perfect moment; however, he revealed that the introduction to their three other kids was anything but that.
Davis’ Kids React To Their New Sibling
As they walked through the door, they called over their 5-year-old daughter, Eloise Larkin, 3-year-old son, Locklan Joseph, and their youngest, Elijah Patrick, who was born in June 2023. It turns out their excitement over having a new sibling was short-lived and it didn’t take long before they were ready to jump right back into their usual routine with their parents finally home.
“We get home, it’s like five o’clock, which is getting close to dinnertime, and we bring ’em home. We’re like, ‘Hey, here’s baby Sadie. Y’all come meet your new sister.’ We put her down and expect them to just be all like, ‘oh my gosh, look at our new sister. This is awesome.’ And I mean, within five minutes, it’s like one of them is back upstairs playing with trucks. My daughter’s in the backyard messing with chickens, and they’re like, ‘Hey, what are we having for dinner tonight?’ It’s just like that fast,” Davis explained honestly. “So I wish it was more of like a movie scene coming home, but it was 100% real life.”
His oldest has taken the most interest in having a baby sister around the house while the boys tend to keep themselves occupied, according to Davis. He’s even said that Eloise has started to act as a “second mom” to Sadie.
“She won’t let her out of her sight,” Davis shared. “It’s been cool to see her become a big sister to her little sister and it’s been cool to see the boys get a little closer too. I mean, yeah, most of the time it’s them fighting over a truck or whatever, but it’s at least a good dynamic to where mama’s getting some rest. I can kind of handle some stuff and it’s not just complete chaos.”
Feeling The Strain Of Being Away From Home
Now that his kids are starting to get older, the Louisiana native has discovered how much harder it’s been having to be away on the road for work. Just as he sings about in his forthcoming album, Davis has had to “Learn The Hard Way” that life isn’t all about his career at the end of the day.
“It used to be easy to leave and go do stuff and work when nobody really knew what was going on. But now my older two are getting to where it used to just have one kid sad whenever I leave now I got two and I soon to have three…As much as I love music sometimes I’ve got to tone that back and be at the house.”
Finding Support In A Country Music Dad Group
Luckily, Jordan Davis isn’t alone in this struggle. He’s got several fellow country acts, like Russell Dickerson, Tyler Hubbard and Thomas Rhett, who have formed their own version of a dad support group. Davis shared that Rhett has become an especially important figure in his life as both of their families grown.
“Thomas is kind of my therapist. I talk to Thomas a pretty good bit, and it’s never about music… T-Hub, Russell, it’s a cool little group that we’ve all been able to come together on and become closer friends through that,” he explained. “And I’m actually so blessed to have those guys to be able to just stop the music thing for a minute and be like, ‘Hey, man, how’s your family?’ And that’s a super important thing, not just for obviously being a better dad and husband, but also for the music side of it. I think you got to have somebody that can always keep you in check and call and check in on like, ‘Hey, man, I saw you.’”
He went on to note that Rhett has always been more focused on their friendship than keeping tabs on each other’s careers and that’s exactly what he admires most about his “Ain’t a Bad Life” duet partner.
“It’s like, ‘Hey, man, I saw you have a song in the top 10. That’s awesome, dude. But I could care less about that. How’s your wife doing? How’s the kiddos? How are you doing?’ And I love TR for that. And he probably gets tired of seeing me call him or asking him to go to breakfast, but he always picks up. So I’m grateful that I’ve got that little group.”
The post Jordan Davis Admits Going From Three to Four Kids Is ‘Hands Down’ the Hardest Jump Yet appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Ozzy Osbourne drew tens of thousands to the streets of Birmingham on Wednesday (July 30) as mourners lined Broad Street to honor the late Black Sabbath icon with a public funeral procession following his death on July 22 at age 76.
The hearse carrying Osbourne’s casket passed the Black Sabbath Bridge, where his widow, Sharon Osbourne, and their children Aimee, Jack and Kelly Osbourne stepped out to take in the sea of tributes left by grieving supporters. Sharon, visibly emotional and looking dangerously frail, leaned on her children as they walked together. After a few quiet minutes at the bridge, she turned to the crowd and raised Ozzy’s trademark peace sign.
The crowd erupted into chants of “Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, oi oi oi!” and “Thank you, Ozzy” as the family returned to the vehicle. Purple floral arrangements spelling out “Ozzy” rested atop the casket. A private memorial was scheduled for later that day at an undisclosed location, limited to close friends and family.
Earlier in the day, a local brass band kicked off the procession with renditions of Osbourne’s classics, including “Iron Man.” The tribute followed Osbourne’s final public appearance in Birmingham earlier this month during “Back to the Beginning,” a farewell concert celebrating Black Sabbath’s legacy. Though seated due to spinal injuries and Parkinson’s disease, Osbourne attended the event and was described as being in good spirits.
Ozzy’s death marked the end of a decades-long career that helped shape heavy metal and redefine rock performance.
Known for his haunting vocals and theatrical stage presence, Osbourne rose to fame in the 1970s as the frontman of Black Sabbath. With tracks like “Paranoid,” “War Pigs” and “Iron Man,” the band laid the foundation for heavy metal. Osbourne later found solo success with hits like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley,” and became a pop culture fixture through his reality TV show, The Osbournes, and his unfiltered public persona.
Concerns have also grown around Sharon Osbourne’s health following her emotional appearance at the procession. Supporters online expressed worry after seeing her visibly distressed and physically leaning on her children. Sharon, 71, has previously spoken about her own medical issues, including a hospitalization in 2022. She has lost a drastic amount of weight in the interim, and fans are worried she could suffer further health complications due to Ozzy’s death.
“Seeing Sharon so fragile at the Black Sabbath bench, standing in front of all the tributes, completely shattered it was so hard to watch,” one person wrote. “She looked like a woman holding herself together by a thread, surrounded by so much love and yet completely lost without him.”
Another added, “Sharon Osbourne is inconsolable. Mannnn, i hope she survives the heartbreak. She really loved Ozzy.”
AllHipHop
Shannon Sharpe has officially parted ways with ESPN less than two weeks after settling a civil lawsuit in which a woman accused him of rape and abuse during their relationship, according to The Athletic.
The former NFL star and media personality has not appeared on the network since late April, shortly after the $50 million lawsuit was filed. ESPN has not issued a public statement regarding his departure.
The civil complaint, filed in April by a woman identified as Jane Doe, alleged that Sharpe sexually assaulted her twice—in October 2024 and January 2025—during a relationship that began in 2023, when the two met at a Los Angeles gym. She also claimed he recorded their intimate encounters without her consent and made threats of violence.
Sharpe denied the accusations, calling the lawsuit a “shakedown” and asserting the relationship was consensual. His attorney, Lanny Davis, said Sharpe had previously offered $10 million to settle the matter before it was filed, but the woman declined.
Last week, the woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, announced the case had been resolved and dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. No terms of the settlement were disclosed.
Sharpe had previously stated he intended to return to ESPN in time for NFL training camp. That return obviously won’t happen.
Before his media career took off, Sharpe made his name on the football field. A three-time Super Bowl champion, he retired in 2003 as the NFL’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns—milestones later surpassed. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Following his retirement, Sharpe transitioned into broadcasting, gaining widespread attention as co-host of FS1’s Undisputed alongside Skip Bayless. After leaving that show in 2023, he joined ESPN and launched two successful podcasts, Club Shay Shay and Nightcap, both of which drew millions of subscribers and featured high-profile interviews.
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Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez will face off with her daughter Demoree Hadley during a hearing in Miami on Thursday (July 31) as part of a high-stakes legal clash over alleged violations of a social media gag order tied to a bitter family lawsuit.
The showdown is set for 2 P.M. before Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis, where Perez‘s legal team will argue that Hadley knowingly broke a court directive by posting restricted content online, including a controversial video and interview clips.
The courtroom drama stems from a lawsuit Hadley filed in May 2025, accusing her mother—the CEO of Roc Nation—of orchestrating her involuntary psychiatric commitment under Florida’s Baker and Marchman Acts.
Hadley claims Perez falsely reported she was suicidal and abusing drugs, which led to her being hospitalized for nearly two weeks.
In the same suit, Hadley also alleges Perez interfered in her marriage by falsely accusing her husband of domestic violence. Perez and Roc Nation have denied all claims and filed motions to dismiss the case and strike specific allegations.
Tensions escalated after the court issued a gag order on June 25, 2025, barring Hadley and her husband from making public statements about the case.
Roc Nation argues that Hadley ignored the order by sharing clips from an interview she conducted with online personality Tasha K, which went viral and drew intense online scrutiny
Roc Nation claims the post was designed to embarrass Desiree Perez and provoke public backlash.
Hadley insists the post was an accident. She says Tasha K tagged her as a collaborator, which automatically published the video to her Instagram page. According to Hadley, she removed the post as soon as she realized it violated the order.
Roc Nation contends the move was intentional and claims it led to a surge in threatening messages directed at Perez and her legal team, including death threats.
The situation worsened when Hadley posted a second video featuring a private conversation between Perez and her stepsister.
The footage, allegedly obtained through a home security system owned by Perez, included discussions about Roc Nation and personal matters unrelated to the lawsuit.
To support their case, Roc Nation plans to call multiple witnesses, including Alistair Thompson from Guidepost Solutions LLC and a representative from Meta Platforms Inc.
Hadley and her husband, Javon, may also be asked to testify to verify the authenticity of the social media posts.
Hadley’s attorneys argue the post was not deliberate and say their client acted quickly to comply with the court’s order. They plan to challenge the severity of the accusations and oppose any disciplinary action.
Perez is asking the court to issue a new order forcing Hadley to delete all related posts and banning her from sharing any further content about the case.
The court may also impose sanctions on Hadley, including possible contempt charges.
The outcome of the July 31 hearing could influence the direction of the broader lawsuit, which is scheduled for a jury trial on October 5, 2026.
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