The awards show will also include a tribute performance in his honor. Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Day: November 11, 2025
DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old boy battling cancer, won the Young Patriot Award at the ceremony. Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
McLoughlin is so proud of how his country star wife is never afraid to try new things. Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
The man who wrote ‘Sling Blade’ and the Man In Black were very good friends! Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
The country star and actor have reunited after a brief split — and sources say the romance picked back up “very naturally.” Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
During a Las Vegas show, Kelly Clarkson shared what she told a former manager who suggested she get plastic surgery — and her fiery response had fans cheering. Continue reading…
The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Ella Langley wrapped her Still Hungover Tour with a sold-out, two-night finale at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium, delivering star-packed surprises and proving exactly why she’s one of country music’s most exciting rising storytellers, artists, and entertainers.
Thursday’s show set the tone with unexpected appearances from ERNEST and Jo Dee Messina, but Langley took things even further on Friday night, closing the run with a long list of surprise guests and career-defining moments.
She kicked off the evening with “Country Boy’s Dream Girl,” commanding the room from the first note, then rolled straight into “Better Be Tough,” working every inch of the historic stage with confidence.
A few songs in, Langley paused to take in the moment.
“Two nights in a row, sold out shows here. Cloud nine feels like an understatement,” she told the crowd. “This is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do with my life. On my first tour I opened for Randy Houser, and the last show of that run was right here. That was the last time I played this stage. So we’ve been thinking a lot about how far it’s come and how hard we’ve worked to get here.”
Langley showed her softer side on “Love You Tonight” and “Girl You’re Taking Home,” before leading the room in massive sing-alongs on her chart-topper “You Look Like You Love Me” and her newest single, “Choosin’ Texas.”
Then came the surprises.
First up was Gretchen Wilson, who charged onto the stage for a rowdy duet of her 2004 smash “Here for the Party,” a song Langley has been covering since her earliest gigs. Before walking off, Wilson gave Langley the ultimate stamp of approval: “This girl right here is filling them shoes,” nodding to the George Jones classic “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes.”
Next, HARDY strolled in from the wings to join Langley on their co-written “Never Met Anyone Like You,” bringing his signature rock edge and the scream from the studio version that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
But the loudest eruption of the night came when Morgan Wallen stepped onstage. Fans lost it as he joined Langley for a cover of Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up.” Wallen joked it “takes more than an award show” to get him back on Broadway, while Langley revealed she had spent “two whole tours” trying to convince him to sing the song with her. Their voices blended seamlessly, sparking fan pleas for an official collaboration.
Langley closed the night with her No. 1 hit “Weren’t for the Wind,” sending the crowd home buzzing and teasing what’s next, hinting that new music is coming in early 2026.
It was a massive ending to a massive, sold-out tour and a powerful preview of Ella Langley’s next chapter.
Up next, Langley is gearing up for a milestone moment at the 59th Annual CMA Awards, where she’s among the night’s top nominees and will take the stage to perform “Choosin’ Texas.”
The post Ella Langley Wraps Sold-Out Tour With Epic Ryman Shows Ahead of Her Big CMA Awards Week appeared first on Country Now.
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Everyone has to start somewhere, and for Cole Swindell, that meant selling merch for Luke Bryan before launching his own career. In addition to giving him the chance to experience a taste of life on the road as a country artist, Swindell also says Bryan also offered him some solid advice he still looks back on to this day.
During a recent interview on the Like a Farmer podcast, Swindell shared that while he was in college, dreaming of a career in country music, he had the idea to email his fellow Georgia native hoping for some guidance on making into the industry. Now, having built his own success, he receives similar messages every day from aspiring singer-songwriters. This makes him wonder what Bryan must have thought back then.
“I can only imagine, now that I’ve seen all these, what he was thinking when I sent that. ‘What do you say to this college kid?’”
It turns out, Luke Bryan knew exactly what to say, something that was simple yet incredibly impactful.
“He wrote back one word. I said, ‘to be a better songwriter to write songs, what do I need to do?’ And he wrote back, ‘Live’ and it crushed me. I’m like, wow he sent back one word. And the older I get, the more I wrote songs, I was like, that’s the best advice as a songwriter you could ever give is to live. How are you going to write about it if you don’t live it?”
That one word would go on to shape the way Swindell approached songwriting. It became the motivation he needed to experience life fully so he could pour real stories into his songs.
“I’ll always say that helped me light a fire in my songwriting career…but I remember being so butt hurt. He said one word, live. ‘Thanks, dude. I’m trying to live in Nashville, if you’ll help me’” Swindell added with a laugh.
Later on in the episode, Cole Swindell explained how he landed his gig with the “Mind Of A Country Boy” singer. He had only been living in Nashville for about a month before hearing that Bryan needed someone to sell merch for him on tour. Swindell quickly jumped at this opportunity because he knew, before the rest of the world, that Bryan had the talent to take his career far.
“I was like, this guy is a huge star. And to get to see how he treated people, the way he handles things, it was just what a blessing looking back,” he admitted. “I didn’t want to be behind the merch table. I dreamed of being up there on that stage, but little did I know I was getting to watch one of the best to ever do it the way he went about things. And I thank God that I got to learn from somebody that kind of took me in and treated me like a little brother, man.”
Now, it’s Swindell’s mission to give back to the next generation of up-and-coming acts in the same way Bryan did for him.
“How do you thank somebody for something like that other than the buddy of mine out here, Greylan James on tour, stuff like that, finding people I believe in and just seeing myself in them where I was at that time. It’s like, man, I think that’s how we say thank you sometimes…to see him at this point right there, writing hit songs, he’s got his own songs that are doing great out there, it’s exciting to see,” he added of James.
The “Make Heaven Crowded” singer also acknowledged how incredibly grateful of how far he has been able to take his dreams over the years.
“To be able to do what I love for a living, man and have people that support me is just, I don’t know. It’s incredible.”
Last month he wrapped up his Happy Hour Sad Tour with support from Greylan James, Logan Crosby and Priscilla Block. There are a few remaining shows on Swindell’s calendar before he wraps up for the year.
The post Cole Swindell Reveals The One-Word Advice From Luke Bryan That Changed His Career appeared first on Country Now.
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After a breakout year that included a Grand Ole Opry debut and a standout first performance at Stagecoach, Maddox Batson is preparing to take his music global. He has announced the Maddox Batson Live Worldwide Tour 2026, a 46-show trek that kicks off in the United States and continues with stops across Canada, the U.K., Germany, Norway, and Sweden.
Born in Nashville and now based in Alabama, the 15-year-old rising star first gained attention on social media, covering songs from Zach Bryan, Red Clay Strays, and other country acts. As he transitioned into writing his own music, early releases like “Tears In The River” and “I Wanna Know” showcased his songwriting talent. He later went on to develop his skills as a co-writer on Lana Del Rey and Quavo’s hit collaboration, “Tough.”
Building on that momentum, Batson is taking his music to fans abroad with his upcoming trek that features support from Baylee Lynn, Jenna Davis, Just Jayne, and Timmy McKeever on select dates.
“A lot of people might not remember I got my start on TikTok Live, so this tour name is a nod to those early days,” Batson shares. “We love bringing our live shows to fans – it’s crazy to me that it now means we’re playing around the world. What a blessing to share this journey and new music with y’all!”
How to Purchase Tickets
The pre-sale for Maddox Batson Live Worldwide Tour 2026 begins Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 12 p.m. local time via MaddoxBatson.com. Spotify pre-sale kicks off Thursday, Nov. 13 at 12 p.m. local time, and public on-sale occurs on Nov. 14 at 12 p.m. local time.
Fans also have the chance to access another presale that will be offered exclusively to Citi cardmembers. These tickets will go on sale Tuesday, November 11 at 12 p.m. local time until Thursday, November 13 at 10 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program. More details can be found at www.citientertainment.com.
Supporting Music Will
Today’s announcement also reveals that the upcoming tour has pledged to donate $1.00 from every North American ticket sold to Music Will, the largest music education nonprofit program for schools in the United States. Music Will’s innovative modern band curriculum aims to boost student involvement in school music programs while fostering lasting academic, social, and emotional development.
Maddox Batson recently wrapped his 29-city I Need A Truck Tour and joined Lainey Wilson on select dates of her Whirlwind Tour. The buzz-worthy singer has also been making waves with new music, including “Coincidence” and “No More.”
Maddox Batson Live Worldwide Tour 2026 Routing:
Feb. 17 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | Revolution Live
Feb. 18 | St. Petersburg, FL | Jannus Live
Feb. 20 | Atlanta, GA | Coca-Cola Roxy
Feb. 21 | Augusta, GA | Bell Auditorium
Feb. 22 | Macon, GA | Macon City Auditorium
Feb. 28 | Allentown, PA | Archer Music Hall
March 1 | Montclair, NJ | The Wellmont Theater
March 4 | Stamford, CT | The Palace Theatre
March 6 | Syracuse, NY | Landmark Theater
March 7 | Schenectady, NY | Proctors Theatre
March 8 | Providence, RI | The Strand Ballroom & Theatre
March 11 | Montreal, QC | Beanfield Theatre
March 12 | Toronto, ON | The Danforth Music Hall
March 14 | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo Riverworks
March 15 | Cleveland, OH | The Agora
March 18 | Detroit, MI | Royal Oak Music Theatre
March 20 | Chicago, IL | The Salt Shed
March 21 | Madison, WI | The Sylvee
March 22 | Minneapolis, MN | The Fillmore Minneapolis
March 26 | Calgary, AB | Grey Eagle Event Centre
March 28 | Vancouver, BC | Vogue Theatre
March 31 | Portland, OR | Crystal Ballroom
April 1 | Seattle, WA | The Showbox
April 3 | Sacramento, CA | Channel 24
April 4 | San Francisco, CA | The Fillmore
April 8 | Los Angeles, CA | The Wiltern
April 11 | San Diego, CA | The Observatory North Park
April 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | The Complex
April 18 | Phoenix, AZ | The Van Buren
April 19 | Albuquerque, NM | Revel Entertainment Center
April 22 | Austin, TX | ACL Live at The Moody Theater
April 24 | Houston, TX | Bayou Music Center
April 26 | Tulsa, OK | Cain’s Ballroom
April 29 | St. Louis, MO | The Factory at The District
May 3 | Nashville, TN | The Pinnacle
May 12 | Dublin, IE | 3Olympia Theatre
May 13 | Glasgow, UK | SWG3 Galvanizers
May 15 | Manchester, UK | Manchester Academy 2
May 16 | London, UK | O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
May 19 | Cologne, DE | Die Kantine
May 20 | Amsterdam, NL | Paradiso Amsterdam
May 21 | Hamburg, DE | Gruenspan
May 23 | Oslo, NO | Vulkan Arena
May 24 | Stockholm, SE | Fryshuset Klubben
The post Maddox Batson To Take His Music To The U.S. And Beyond In 2026 With Live Worldwide Tour appeared first on Country Now.
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Lainey Wilson is reflecting on her massive headlining Whirlwind Tour as the North American leg came to a close over the weekend.
The superstar took to social media to share her gratitude for all the fans who showed up this year on what has become the biggest tour of her career.
“And just like that, the North American leg of the Whirlwind World Tour is all wrapped up,” she wrote. “I don’t even know where to begin to say thank you for making this one of the greatest highlights of my career so far. Thank you for letting me pour my heart and soul out to more than 400,000 of y’all.”
Her post featured photo and video highlights from the final shows, including an epic prank from special guest ERNEST, who surprised Wilson by showing up dressed just like her, complete with bell bottoms and a blonde wig.
“Are you kidding me,” she said as he appeared on stage wearing her clothes.
“He got that from my bus,” she revealed, adding “literally those pants and that jacket is from my bus, I’m gonna kill him.
“If my pants don’t get back to the normal size, I’m gonna be mad as hell.
“I definitely owe you a pair of pants,” he laughed.
The tour wrapped with shows in Tampa, Florida (November 7) and Orlando, Florida (November 8). The Whirlwind World Tour brought Wilson to arenas and amphitheaters across the country, marking the biggest headlining dates of her career so far. She played venues like New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, and Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, captivating sold-out crowds with her signature charm and powerhouse performances.
Now that the road run is complete, Wilson will return to Nashville, where she is set to host the 59th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 19. She’ll become the first woman to host the show solo since Reba McEntire in 1991.
“I grew up watching the CMA Awards like it was the Super Bowl, so to be hosting for a second year is a true honor,” said Wilson. “I’m humbled that CMA has trusted me with this role, and I can’t wait to love on this genre that has given me so much.”
The Louisiana native will also perform during the broadcast, joining Luke Combs, Megan Moroney, Ella Langley, Zach Top, and more. Heading into the show, Wilson was nominated for six awards, including the night’s top honor of CMA Entertainer of the Year.
“Country Music’s Biggest Night” broadcasts live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, Nov. 19 (8:00-11:00 PM/EST) on ABC and will be available the next day on Hulu.
The post Lainey Wilson Reflects on Whirlwind Tour: ‘One of the Greatest Highlights of My Career So Far’ appeared first on Country Now.
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