Month: December 2025

Last night (Dec. 10), Trisha Yearwood brought the holiday spirit to Atlanta with a show fans won’t soon forget. As part of her Christmastime Tour, the country music icon delivered all the elements of a perfect holiday performance, from her signature vocals to the stunning arrangements from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and plenty of festive cheer. But the biggest highlight of the night was the surprise appearance from Yearwood’s husband, Garth Brooks.

Yearwood has been touring in support of her new holiday album, Christmastime, on what she deemed to be her own “12 Days of Christmas celebration.” Beginning November 2 and 3 with back-back-nights in Nashville, each stop on the run has features a setlist blending holiday classics as well as some original tracks from her latest project.

One song in particular on the album titled, “Merry Christmas, Valentine,” was co-written and recorded by Yearwood and her husband Garth Brooks. This heartfelt track has already become a standout among listeners, and it took on an extra special meaning during her stop in Atlanta and the pair took to stage to perform it in honor of their 20th wedding anniversary.

Just as the concert was nearing the end, the audience was caught completely off guard when Brooks walked onto the stage and began delivering stunning harmonies alongside his wife. Their love was palpable throughout the venue while singing the love-filled story about celebrating their “true forever love” while warmth and intimacy that perfectly captured their life together. The audience responded with loud cheers of excitement as the listened to the couple deliver the final notes.

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The song paints a cozy, romantic winter scene, with Yearwood’s warm vocals describing the glow of a fire and the gentle fall of snow. She goes on to set the mood by singing, “There’s a heart-shaped wreath beneath the mistletoe/ Spelled out in chocolates are the words “Be Mine”/ Merry Christmas, valentine.”

The lyrics continue to celebrate the kind of love that’s everlasting as they come together on the chorus and reveal that the ultimate gift isn’t wrapped in paper, but found in simply in each other’s hearts.

“To celebrate this true forever love/ One holiday is just not grand enough/ So let the days of love and joy combine/ The greatest gift is still your hand in mine/ Merry Christmas, valentine,” they sing on the chorus.

The combination of the holiday season magic, a live orchestra, and the couple’s 20-year love story created a memory that fans will be talking about for years.

Trisha Yearwood’s Christmastime Tour is set to continue with select dates through December, offering more festive performances, holiday favorites, and maybe even a few more surprises along the way.

Tonight, she will make her way to Clearwater, FL for a performance at the Ruth Eckerd Hall followed by a visit to Naples, FL on December 12 and Ft Lauderdale, FL on December 13. Her final round of stops will take place across Michigan, Pennsylvania and Michigan before wrapping up at the Palace Theatre in Louisville, KY on December 20.

The post Trisha Yearwood And Garth Brooks Surprise Fans with Romantic ‘Merry Christmas, Valentine’ Performance in Atlanta appeared first on Country Now.

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2025 shaped up to be the biggest year of Riley Green’s career so far. He headlined a massive tour, took a few songs to the top of the charts, and walked away with multiple major industry honors, including three CMA Awards at last month’s ceremony. And as he looks toward 2026, he’s feeling more motivated than ever to top it.

Calling in from sunny Los Angeles, Green reflected on his standout night at the CMA Awards and the opportunity to perform during “Country Music’s Biggest Night.”

“Well, for one, it’s always nice to have an award show like that towards the end of the year. You get to catch up with everybody and celebrate this cool thing we all get to do, which is traveling around playing country music. And to be able to go to those things is always fun. But to be nominated, and then to have a night we did, me and Ella [Langley] win three awards,  it’s a pretty special thing. I’ve been around long enough to know it doesn’t happen very often.”

Green has now earned CMA wins in back-to-back years (one in 2024 and three this year), a streak he doesn’t take lightly.

“I didn’t think I would get to go. It never crossed my mind that I would ever be up for an award or win an award, or much less win three,” he admitted. “It’s great, and to be able to perform at the award show is a big deal, so it was a great night all the way around.”

Ahead of the big show, Green stopped by Riley Green’s Duck Blind in Nashville, where he hopped onstage for a surprise performance celebrating his partnership with HEYDUDE. He said it was a fun way to give back to fans and let them be part of the moment.

“Well, that’s the coolest thing about having your own bar in Nashville, aside from being able to eat and drink for free, is whenever you have an event like that, you get to do it right there at your bar and it’s always cool,” he pointed out. “At this point, we’ve kind of got people that have been listening to me for a long time, and regulars even that come in the bar. So letting them be involved in something like that, and kind of sneak in and feel like they’re getting something a little special that everybody can’t be a part of, is a pretty cool thing. So HEYDUDE did a great job with the event, and it was obviously fun for me to get to do it right there at my bar.”

For Green, working with HEYDUDE was a no-brainer. He says the shoes fit seamlessly into his lifestyle.

“For one, comfy dad shoes is probably my style more than anything, so when they reached out about doing a partnership, it was a pretty easy ‘yes’ for me,” he shared. “I grew up going down to the beach and doing offshore fishing, and the lifestyle of lounging around the farm or around the beach house or whatever it is, is certainly what I do when I have time off. So it was a great bunch, and more than anything, when you do a deal like that, it’s about meeting the people and seeing that you all have similar goals, and they’re all just good folks and they’ve been really great to work with.”

His HEYDUDE partnership may also score him some points with his nieces and nephews this holiday season.

“I’ve got a lot of nieces and nephews now that I need to hook up with some HEYDUDEs. I think that’d be a great idea for Christmas.”

Speaking of the holidays, if you want to know what Christmas is like for Riley Green and his family, just go listen to his song “Christmas To Me.”

“That might be the most accurate and true song I’ve ever written,” Green declared, and with a laugh added, “except for my sister doesn’t have a tattoo. That’s the only part that’s not true.”

He described his Christmas as a “little bit of chaos” but also “really special,” and just like the song, if you pull up to his grandma’s house, you can bet it’s going to look “like a parking lot.”

“You run into the Bass Pro Shop, you get a last-minute gift, we forgot somebody or whatever it is. And we have such a big family. Somebody’s always got some kind of emotional breakdown it seems like at Christmas. And I got two sisters and two girl cousins that were always around, so it was a lot of females and that drama going on. So it was a really cool thing growing up with a really close family like that. And I think the chaos of family get-togethers is kind of what makes it fun and keeps it exciting.”

With his final two shows of 2025 taking place this weekend, Green is already looking ahead to 2026 and feeling more inspired than ever.

“When you have a year we did, some people might think there’s a feeling of like, ‘Oh, well, I can relax now. I’ve accomplished this.’ But it is really the opposite,” he revealed. “It’s such a motivating thing when you’re writing songs and people are relating to ’em and it really seems to be working, and you’re getting recognition from the industry and your peers. And for me, it just makes me want to go put out more music and play more shows.”

Green told us that fans can expect more new music at the beginning of next year and, of course, plenty of shows around the world, with dates planned in the U.S., Canada, and Australia throughout the year.

The post Riley Green Reflects on a Breakout Year and Heads Into 2026 More Motivated Than Ever [Exclusive] appeared first on Country Now.

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Clint Black will give fans an intimate look into his life with the upcoming release of his memoir, KILLIN’ TIME: My Life and Music, arriving May 19, 2026.

Named after his hit song and 1989 debut album, the book finds the ’90s country icon reflecting on his journey as a singer, songwriter, husband to Lisa Hartman Black, and father to Lily Pearl Black. Starting with his Texas upbringing—marked by “near-death” experiences as a child—it follows him through his rise in music, including dropping out of high school to pursue his dream and eventually becoming a country hitmaker. The memoir also features a 16-page color photo insert, offering fans a visual glimpse into his life and career.

The 2025 BMI Icon Award recipient shares behind-the-scenes stories of his life and career, giving readers a candid look at the highs, lows, and pivotal moments that shaped him. 

“This is the story of a dreamer with a persistent soul. After ten years of playing clubs in Texas, I never knew if I’d get the chance to record my music in Nashville. And then, in one year, my life changed forever,” Black shares. “If my story—this crazy, 40-year rollercoaster ride—can inspire that young singer-songwriter grinding every day, or support someone struggling through a seemingly endless pursuit of a dream, then I’ll know my life has made a difference.”

“Clint Black is part of the fabric of America. An icon in the world of country music, his talent spans nearly 40 years of our culture,” Harper Influence Publisher Lisa Sharkey added. “His tough Texas upbringing and rise to the pinnacle of his craft, coupled with his love story with wife and actress Lisa Hartman, will leave readers with a new appreciation for this extraordinary man and his music.”

“This is more than a musician’s memoir; it’s the definitive account of a transformative era in country music,” said Maddie Pillari, Editor.

With over twenty million records sold, twenty-two number-one singles, including “A Better Man,” “When My Ship Comes In,” and “Summer’s Comin’,” 31 top-ten hits, nearly two dozen gold and platinum awards, countless CMA and ACM honors, a Grammy Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Clint Black’s career stands as a testament to his enduring impact on country music and his status as one of the genre’s true icons.

Clint Black continues to tour, launching his Back on the Black Top Tour February 12 in Nashville, TN, with three shows and continuing around the U.S. through the spring. Full details are on his official website.

The post Country Legend Clint Black to Share His Life Story in New Memoir, ‘KILLIN’ TIME: My Life and Music’ appeared first on Country Now.

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Throughout this year, fans saw Dylan Scott tackle some of his biggest venues yet, including first-ever arena show and performed in front of record-breaking audiences on his Country Till I Die Tour followed by his recently wrapped Easy Does It Tour. A brand-new announcement from the country act reveals he’s ready to bring that momentum into 2026 with his Till I Can’t I Will Tour.

“Had so much fun in 2025, we gotta run it back for ‘26,” he shared on Instagram.

The upcoming trek will launch March 12, 2026, at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, N.Y. and continue through the end of May with stops in major cities like Chicago, Fort Worth and Las Vegas and more along the way. Scott will be joined by a rotating lineup of special guests including 12/OC, Kelsey Hart and Lauren Watkins, who will take turns appearing on select dates.

Fans hoping to snag tickets for a show in 2026 can take part in the general onsale beginning tomorrow, Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. local time. Tickets can be purchased here.

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Along with announcing new tour dates, the “Livin’ My Best Life” singer also shared a heartfelt family moment this season. Back in the ’80s his father wrote a powerful holiday track that centers around the emotions of growing up in a divorced household. This year, Scott decided to surprise his dad by bring the song to life in the studio and even made it a three-generation moment by featuring his young son Beckett on the final verse.

Scott might not have personally had to navigate divorce through his upbringing, but it always held meaning in their home as it was a tradition for the song to be played during the holiday season.

“My dad wrote it in the ’80s, I’ve heard it my whole life and I’ve always thought it was such a cool song when I was kid,” Scott told Country Now backstage at the CMA Awards. “It’s special to me not only because of my dad but to have my son on it as well.”

With “Two Christmas Trees,” the multi-Platinum singer expands his holiday collection that already includes classics like “Jingle Bell Rock,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Mary, Did You Know?” and “Winter Wonderland.”

Both sets of news comes amid a landmark year for Scott, who kicked things off with the release of his third studio album, Easy Does It. Among the project’s 11 tracks is his single, “What He’ll Never Have,” which now sits inside the Top 20 at Country radio and continues to rise. The track was recently recognized by ASCAP as one of the year’s most-performed country songs.

Another standout, “This Town’s Been Too Good To Us,” earned him his sixth career No. 1. And the wins didn’t stop there because also Scott found his way onto the top of the charts earlier this year with “Boys Back Home” (featuring Dylan Marlowe), marking two No. 1s this year alone and positioning him as the third most-played artist on Country radio in 2025.

Now with his new tour on the horizon, we’re ready to see what else is in store for Dylan Scott in 2026.

Till I Can’t I Will Tour Dates:

March 12, 2026 in Syracuse, N.Y.at Landmark Theatre*

March 13, 2026 in Bensalem, Pa.at Parx Casino – Xcite Center

March 14, 2026 in Bangor, Maineat Cross Insurance Center*

March 20, 2026 in Orillia, Ont.at Casino Rama*

March 21, 2026 in Ottawa, Ont.at Hard Rock Ottawa*

March 27, 2026 in Tallahassee, Fla.at Kleiman Park#

March 28, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.at TBD

April 11, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.at Boots In The Park#

April 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohioat Agora Ballroom●

April 18, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla.at Bulls, Boots & Barrels#

April 23, 2026 in Louisville, Ky.at The Palace Theatre●

April 24, 2026 in Mount Pleasant, Mich.at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort●

April 25, 2026 in Windsor, Ont.at Colosseum Windsor●

May 8, 2026 in Sacramento, Calif.at KNCI’s Country In The Park#

May 9, 2026 in Henderson, Nev.at Green Valley Ranch●

May 15, 2026 in Rosemont, Ill.at Joe’s Live●

May 29, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texasat Billy Bob’s Texas+

May 30, 2026 in Helotes, Texasat Floores Country Store+

* with special guest 12/OC

● with special guest Kelsey Hart

+ with special guest Lauren Watkins

# festival

The post Dylan Scott Wraps 2025 on a High, Announces Till I Can’t I Will Tour for 2026 appeared first on Country Now.

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