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The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Day: September 9, 2025
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The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Megan Moroney took home her first-ever MTV Video Music Award on Sunday, earning the title of Best Country for “Am Okay?” She also hit the stage at New York’s UBS Arena to perform her latest hit, “6 Months Later.”
Moroney was surprised with the iconic Moon Person trophy on the red carpet ahead of the star-studded CBS broadcast.
The Georgia native, who accepted the fan-voted honor with gratitude, admitted she has “the best fans in the world” when receiving the award.
“It’s amazing. I am feeling really at home. I have a song called ‘Man on the Moon’ that was on my album, Am I Okay? So getting a real Moon Man is way cooler than the HomeGoods one I got at an white elephant party this past Christmas,” Moroney shared with a laugh during an interview with Entertainment Tonight following her big win.
The 27-year-old took the Extended Play Stage, where she delivered a shortened performance of “6 Months Later.”
“I mean, we’re bringing some pedal steel and some country music to this stage. My outfit is inspired by the cover of six months later, so I’m really excited and it’s just going to be fun,” she teased. “Hopefully everyone’s going to be singing along.”
For her performance, Moroney wore cowboy boots and a lavender-and-white gingham dress, bringing her signature emo cowgirl energy to the stage.
Alongside Moroney’s set, the VMAs spotlighted performances from Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, and J Balvin. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry joined Yungblud and Nuno Bettencourt for a tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne.
Hosted by LL Cool J, the show honored several music icons throughout the night. Ricky Martin received the first-ever Latin Icon Award, while Busta Rhymes was recognized with the MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award. Earlier in the evening, Mariah Carey was presented with the prestigious Video Vanguard Award by Ariana Grande.
Top winners of the night included Lady Gaga, who earned four trophies, Ariana Grande with three wins, and Sabrina Carpenter, who also walked away with three awards.
Following her big night at the VMAs, Moroney will return to the road on her sold-out Am I Okay? Tour. Next up, the superstar will perform at Credit One Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, and Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The trek runs through mid-October.
The post Megan Moroney Wins First MTV VMA, Performs ‘6 Months Later’ appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Bailey Zimmerman surprised fans Monday morning with the announcement of his 2026 Different Night Same Rodeo Tour, launching February 19 in Estero, FL.
The trek will hit more than 30 cities across the U.S. and Canada, including Knoxville, Boston, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Nashville, Toronto, and more, before wrapping June 20 in Ottawa, ON. See below for a complete list of Zimmerman’s 2026 tour dates.
Joining Zimmerman on the trek will be rising stars Hudson Westbrook and Blake Whiten.
The upcoming tour marks Zimmerman’s first time headlining arenas.
“This year’s tour has been nothing short of unbelievable y’all… LIKE THE CRAZIEST SHOWS OF MY LIFE… and I thought why would we stop now?! LETS KEEP IT GOINGGG…,” he shared on social media.
Tickets go on sale Friday, September 12 at 10 a.m. local time via baileyzimmermanmusic.com. Fans can register for the Artist Presale now through Tuesday, September 9 at 11:59 p.m. CT, with access running Thursday, September 11 from 10 a.m.–10 p.m. local time.
The tour also offers exclusive VIP packages, featuring a ticket, access to the Bailey Zimmerman VIP Soundcheck Party, a limited-edition tour poster, a VIP-only gift, and more. Details at vipnation.com
The tour news follows Zimmerman’s sold-out New To Country 2025 Tour and the release of Zimmerman’s sophomore album, Different Night Same Rodeo. The 18-track project features the country radio No. 1 “Backup Plan” with Luke Combs, fan favorites like “Lost” with The Kid LAROI, “Holy Smokes,” “Holding On,” and more.
Last week, the Illinois native marked his latest No. 1 hit, “Backup Plan” with Luke Combs, by celebrating with steak and chocolate milk.
Zimmerman has continued to make major career strides in 2024, including his April release “All The Way” with BigXthaPlug, which earned 5.46M streams globally in its first 24 hours, debuted at No. 1 on Spotify’s U.S. Top Songs Chart, and landed at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking BigXthaPlug’s first top 10 and Zimmerman’s second after “Rock and a Hard Place.” In March, he was also named one of Billboard’s five biggest artists of the 21st century born in the 21st century, joining Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, The Kid LAROI, and Benson Boone.
DIFFERENT NIGHT SAME RODEO TOUR 2026
Thu, Feb 19 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena
Sat, Feb 21 – Athens, GA – Atkins Ford Arena
Thu, Feb 26 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Fri, Feb 27 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
Sat, Feb 28 – Pikeville, KY – Appalachian Wireless Arena
Thu, Mar 5 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Thu, Mar 12 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
Fri, Mar 13 – Moline, IL – Vibrant Arena
Sat, Mar 14 – Evansville, IN – Ford Center
Fri, Mar 27 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
Thu, Apr 2 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Fri, Apr 3 – Baton Rouge, LA – Raising Cane’s River Center
Sat, Apr 4 – Corpus Christi, TX – Hilliard Center Arena
Thu, Apr 9 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
Fri, Apr 10 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
Sat, Apr 11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
Thu, Apr 16 – Toledo, OH – The Huntington Center
Fri, Apr 17 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center
Sat, Apr 18 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
Thu, Apr 30 – Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center Propst Arena
Fri, May 1 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
Thu, Jun 4 – Airway Heights, WA – Northern Quest Amphitheater
Fri, Jun 5 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
Sat, Jun 6 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Wed, Jun 10 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Centre
Thu, Jun 11 – Kelowna, AB – Prospera Place
Sat, Jun 13 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
Thu, Jun 18 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Fri, Jun 19 – London, ON – Canada Life Place
Sat, Jun 20 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
The post Bailey Zimmerman Announces 2026 Different Night Same Rodeo Tour appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
The Country Music Association announced the nominees for The 59th Annual CMA Awards on Monday afternoon during a livestream hosted on the CMA’s Facebook and YouTube.
Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson lead the pack with six nominations each. Close behind is Zach Top with five nods, followed by Riley Green and Cody Johnson with four apiece. Kristian Bush, Carson Chamberlain, Luke Combs, Charlie Handsome, Chris Stapleton, and Morgan Wallen each earned three nominations.
Competing for the night’s top honor, CMA Entertainer of the Year, are Combs, Johnson, Stapleton, Wallen, and Wilson.
First-time CMA Awards nominees include Johnny Clawson, Jon Decious, Jessie Jo Dillon, Josh Dorr, Alexandra Gavillet, Lalo Guzman, Jimmy Harnen, Brandon Lake, Micah Nichols, John Park, Aaron Raitiere, Matt Rovey, Kyle Sturrock, Wales Toney, Tucker Wetmore, and Stephen Wilson Jr.
“Each year, the CMA Awards shine a light on the creativity, passion and dedication of our community,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “The nominees announced today represent some of the most impactful work happening across Country Music, and we are deeply appreciative of our voting members for lending their time and expertise to this process. Their commitment helps ensure the CMA Awards remain a true reflection of the genre’s excellence. On behalf of CMA, congratulations to all of this year’s nominees.”
The 59th Annual CMA Awards broadcasts live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, Nov. 19 (8:00 – 11:00 PM/EST) on ABC and next day on Hulu.
The 59th Annual CMA Awards are determined by 7,132 voting-eligible CMA members, representing all facets of country music, from artists and songwriters to producers, musicians, and industry professionals.
Details surrounding the show, including hosts, performers, presenters, and more will be revealed in the coming weeks.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
“4x4xU” – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
Producer: Kristian Bush
Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
“I Never Lie” – Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
Producer: Kristian Bush
Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey
F-1 Trillion – Post Malone
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
Mix Engineers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriter(s)
“4x4xU”
Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
“Am I Okay?”
Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney
“I Never Lie”
Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
“Texas”
Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock
“you look like you love me”
Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Lainey Wilson
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
Morgan Wallen
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
“Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green (featuring Ella Langley)
Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll
Producer: Micah Nichols
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with Carrie Underwood)
Producer: Trent Willmon
“Pour Me A Drink” – Post Malone (feat. Blake Shelton)
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome
“You Had To Be There” – Megan Moroney (feat. Kenny Chesney)
Producer: Kristian Bush
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Brent Mason – Guitar
Rob McNelley – Guitar
Derek Wells – Guitar
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
Directors: Alexandra Gavillet, Megan Moroney
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with Carrie Underwood)
Director: Dustin Haney
“Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson
Director: TK McKamy
“Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton
Director: Running Bear
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ella Langley
Shaboozey
Zach Top
Tucker Wetmore
Stephen Wilson Jr.
The post Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson Lead 2025 CMA Awards Nominations appeared first on Country Now.
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Carrie Underwood returned to Sunday Night Football this weekend, kicking off her 13th season as the voice of the show’s iconic opening.
Her performance of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” premiered ahead of the Ravens-Bills playoff rematch during the SNF season opener on NBC and Peacock.
The high-energy opening featured a brand-new video showing Underwood backstage, stepping into an elevator, and making a grand entrance to the stage. Surrounded by cheerleaders and background performers, she strutted confidently as flashing lights, cityscapes, and game-day footage of the Ravens and Bills were interwoven throughout the sequence.
According to The New York Times, Underwood recorded the vocals for the new opening over the summer on a rainy day in a Nashville studio. She laid down 80 different variations of the song, each with subtle lyric changes. For instance, one version shortened “Jacksonville Jaguars” to “Jags,” while another added “the” before “Dolphins” when referencing the Miami Dolphins.
“It’s just all about flow and the rest of the sentence,” Underwood explained. “You get in there and sometimes you’ll sing something and it sounded clunky, and then somebody will be like, ‘Why don’t you switch the names or switch the order?’”
Underwood shot the new Sunday Night Football opening at The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, the same venue where she made history with her record-breaking residency, REFLECTION. Now in its third year and selling out shows through April 2025, it stands as the longest-running Las Vegas residency by a solo female country artist.
“For the 20th season of SNF, we wanted to set the tone for the night by reimagining the anthem sound in a way that plays to Carrie’s powerhouse vocals, while visually creating a seamless blend of stylized shots and behind-the-scenes moments evoking the national roadshow that is Sunday Night Football, week after week in the fall,” Tripp Dixon, creative director of the SNF show open for each of the past 13 years, shared.
“We had a blast shooting the new opening at The Resorts World Theatre again,” Underwood said. “As always, Tripp and the creative team continue to raise the bar, bringing the high energy and stunning visuals that the Sunday Night Football audience has come to expect year after year. I can’t wait for the world to see it!”
Underwood will return to Sunday Night Football next week.
The post Carrie Underwood Marks 13th Season on Sunday Night Football with New High-Energy Opening appeared first on Country Now.
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Darius Rucker just gave fans a peek into his love life with what you might call a “hard launch.” The country star went Instagram official with his girlfriend, Emily Deahl, marking the first time they’ve shared a post together.
According to her bio, Deahl is a singer, songwriter, and content creator who splits her time between London and Nashville. Rucker’s pups, Larry and Freddie, often make appearances on her page, and he hasn’t been shy about engaging with her posts.
Rucker’s caption read: “Wizard of Oz at @spherevegas with my love & my boys. 1000/10!!!!!” He also tagged Deahl in the post, seemingly making the relationship social media official.
This comes as Rucker has been spending time abroad. Earlier this year, he revealed that he’d moved to London, following a string of cryptic posts about his new chapter.
Rucker was previously married to Beth Leonard. The couple wed in 2000 and announced their split in 2020. The couple announced their split in 2020. Together, they share two children: Daniella (born in 2001) and Jack (2004). Rucker also has a daughter, Carolyn, from a prior relationship.
He opened up about the painful end of his marriage in his book Life’s Too Short, later telling Tamron Hall that writing about it was difficult “because to realize how awful I was as a husband was hard to write. To realize she did everything she could. She’s so wonderful, she’s still an amazing human, amazing person. I love her so much. But I was just, a rockstar, and I lived that life.”
He later added, “I wanted to tell the truth, but sometimes the truth sucks. It sucks for me and in writing about her, I just wanted the world to know that it was all me. She was awesome. It was all me.”
When Rucker set out to write his memoir, he vowed to be completely honest, no matter how hard it was.
“I always said that if I ever wrote the book, I was going to be honest as I could be,” he shared during a conversation with Country Now and other outlets. “There’s some stuff that’s over the top, but I just wanted to tell the story and I wanted people to understand the hard stuff and the good stuff. All this stuff made me who I am today and so when I was writing the book, I wanted it to be you to read it like we were sitting at a bar and I telling you my life story and so that’s how we wrote it.”
The “Beers and Sunshine” singer is back in the states and has a full list of tour dates planned throughout the fall.
The post Darius Rucker Goes Instagram Official With Girlfriend Emily Deahl: ‘My Love’ appeared first on Country Now.
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‘Word Up!’: Cameo’s Funky Commercial Apex
Cameo was remarkably prolific through the 1970s and ’80s, churning out a dozen albums within an initial nine-year run rife with R&B hits. Originally a sprawling funk ensemble before gradually downsizing, the New York City group’s sustained success under the leadership of vocalist/drummer/producer Larry Blackmon reflected an uncanny ability to pivot and evolve. Cameo made its name with consummate dance floor funk so aggressively syncopated (“I Just Want to Be,” “Shake Your Pants,” et al.) the records felt like they might fly off the turntable. But the group could also adroitly dabble in disco (“Find My Way”), take stylistic cues from electro (“Single Life”) and new wave (“Alligator Woman”), boast proto-broken beat jazz-funk chops (“The Sound Table”), and excel with gorgeous falsetto ballads (“Why Have I Lost You”) all while remaining faithful to a core template of Blackmon’s Clinton-esque frontman persona offset by Tomi Jenkins’ silky smooth vocals.
Listen to Cameo’s Word Up! now.
Featuring a Blackmon rap in praise of a peculiar femme fatale, 1984’s slinky “She Strange” even found the group assuredly harnessing hip-hop’s influence – a trick that confounded most of its longstanding Black music contemporaries. This willingness to embrace the burgeoning art form rather than deride it as trend (or worse, fumble in the face of its existential threat) wholly informs 1986’s “Word Up,” Cameo’s commercial apex. Its angular funk – in the form of chunky power chords and horn charts – selectively incorporates rap’s parlance (e.g. the title refrain; “wave your hands in the air like you don’t care”) and attitude (see disparaging references to “sucker DJs who think [they’re] fly”) into Blackmon and Jenkins’ own proven songwriting and arranging acumen, yielding one of the catchiest and quirkiest crossover singles of the decade.
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That said, it wouldn’t necessarily surprise anyone if Word Up! was little more than a vehicle for its titular hit. Fortunately, its seven songs include some of the finest by the group (by this point officially a trio of Blackmon, Jenkins and vocalist Nathan Leftenant). “Word Up’s” immediate follow-up, “Candy,” is a rhythmically infectious, earworm-laden masterpiece that perfectly plays Blackmon’s exaggerated, nasal delivery against Jenkins and Leftenant’s sweeter vocal attack. Additional songs spotlighting Jenkins’ singing nearly match this standard. “Back and Forth,” the album’s third substantial hit, playfully laments relationship ups and downs over a buoyant track punctuated by classic period guitar shredding and drum machine claps. “Don’t Be Lonely” exhibits the trio’s knack for romantic material undiminished.
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Thematically, the motivational “You Can Have the World” seemed an apropos album closer. Word Up! became Cameo’s highest charting LP, going number one R&B and top 10 pop. It was also essentially the group’s last hurrah in the face of a sea change. As the ’80s drew to a close, young hip-hop and New Jack Swing R&B artists supplanted Cameo and other veteran groups as the pacesetters within Black music. Yet Blackmon’s signature hi-top fade became the adopted look of this youth movement – symbolic of Cameo’s longevity even as the baton passed to the next generation.
Listen to Cameo’s Word Up! now.
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