Luke Bryan is bringing one of his most meaningful and most anticipated traditions back in 2026. The country superstar has confirmed plans for his 17th annual Farm Tour, continuing his longtime mission of honoring America’s farmers by taking live music straight to local farms and giving back to the communities.
For the second year in a row, he will kick things off with a run of spring shows in California before expanding to traditional farm stops in the fall. The three-show run out West will take place this spring on May 14, 15, and 16, 2026. Special guests for these dates are set to be announced at a later date.
Luke Bryan; Photo Courtesy of Facebook
Bryan admits the decision to return was an easy one after seeing firsthand the impact the shows had on the farming communities last year.
“We had such a great response to the shows out West last year that we decided to come back. It was so impactful to learn from the farmers about what affects their operations and families, and our hope is to shine a little spotlight on them for all they do for America,” he shared.
More details regarding dates and locations for Bryan’s traditional Farm Tour will be revealed this spring.
Luke Bryan Farm Tour 2026 West Coast Dates
Tickets for Farm Tour will go sale February 5 at 8AM PT at LukeBryan.com.
Nut House fan club members and users of Luke’s fan app will have access to tickets starting February 2 at 8 a.m. PT through LukeBryan.com/all-access-pass.
Farm Tour 2026 West Coast Dates:
May 14 Shafter, California Sillect Farms
May 15 Clovis, California Owens Mountain Parkway/ 168 Triangle
May 16 Elk Grove, California coming soon *
* location and on sale date coming soon
Farm Tour 2026 will once again be supported by longtime partners Bayer and Fendt. Giving back has always been at the core of this unique trek as it brings awareness to a cause the five-time Entertainer of the Year holds close to his heart as a son of a peanut farmer.
Since launching the tour in 2009, Bryan has taken his music directly to farms across the country while creating real impact in rural communities. Through the Farm Tour scholarship program, he has awarded 90 college scholarships to students from farming families attending local colleges and universities near the tour stops.
Additionally, in partnership with Bayer’s “Take Care, Now” campaign and the #HerestotheFarmer initiative, more than 10 million meals have been provided. Through these efforts, Bryan has helped raise awareness for the farming communities and the importance of agriculture, support farming families and expand access to nutritious food, vitamins, and minerals nationwide.
Luke Bryan Farm Tour; Photo Courtesy KPEntertainment
Farm Tour won’t be the only way for fans to catch Luke Bryan live throughout the year. He also just announced his Word On The Street Tour, which begins with back-to-back shows on May 29 and 30, 2026, in Gilford, New Hampshire. He will be joined on the run by openers Drew Baldridge, Karley Scott Collins, Lanie Gardner, Randall King, Zach John King, Shane Profitt, Raelynn, Lauren Watkins, and Jake Worthington.
Beyond these shows, his 2026 calendar is filling up with several other major appearances and festival dates including the Extra Innings Festival on February 27, the Houston Rodeo on March 9, and a show at Sanford Stadium (Dooley Field) at the University of Georgia on April 25 with Jason Aldean.
He and the “How Far Does A Goodbye Go” singer previously made history at the venue in 2013 during Aldean’s Night Train Tour, which at the time marked Sanford Stadium’s only concert event. The upcoming show will also feature support from Zach Top, Lauren Alaina, DJ Rock, and Dee Jay Silver as part of the “Live Between the Hedges” concert series presented by Pruitt Health.
Luke Bryan will also appear on ABC every Monday night for a new episode of American Idol alongside his fellow judges, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood. The new season premiered on Monday and will continue through the spring.
In recent years, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing Super Bowl commercials jam-packed with celebrities, but at times, viewers almost missed their famous faces.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Kid Rock, born Robert Ritchie, testified before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, January 28. Speaking as a successful artist who is well-versed in the entertainment industry, he addressed the skyrocketing cost of concert tickets and advocated for legislative reforms aimed at benefiting both fans and artists.
Photo Courtesy of Kid Rock
The country rocker began by sharing his background in music and the business side of the industry and explained why the years of experience gives him a unique perspective on the issues at hand. He emphasized that his long career touring and connecting with fans has shown him firsthand the challenges and frustrations that both artists and concertgoers face on a regular basis.
“I’m proud to say I’ve been packing arenas, amphitheaters and stadiums with the greatest fans on earth for over 25 years. I’m also a capitalist. I’m here today because I love God. I love this country. I love live music and sports, and I believe music fans and artists have been getting screwed for far too long by the ticketing system,” he admitted.
Kid Rock also pointed out that he is able to speak freely on the problems at hand because unlike many in the industry, he operates independently. This allowed him to sit before Congress and offer a passionate statement, critiquing the current ticketing system that is negatively impacting the “hardworking Americans” who share a love for live music.
“To put it plainly, I ain’t scared. I ain’t scared to speak out on these issues like many artists, managers, and agents are for fear of biting the hand that feeds them. I’m here because hardworking Americans who love live music deserve better and because artists deserve control over their own work.”
The Michigan native then reminded congress that these problems with ticketing aren’t new. He noted that 30 years ago, members of Pearl Jam raised similar concerns about the industry. He pointed to the 2009 merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which was promised to benefit artists and fans, but in his view, “failed miserably.”
“The CEO of Live Nation called the merger an experiment and promised it would increase competition and power artists and lower costs. He also said, and I quote, ‘A system that empowers artists benefits everyone.’ The CEO of Ticketmaster at the time also testified in 2009 and said, ‘We believe the combination of our two companies will benefit artists, fans, theaters, sports teams, museums, and all the other facilities, performers, and spectators who use our services.’
“The economic foundation that supported artists in the past is crumbling. Piracy is threatening their livelihood. Secondary ticketing is driving up prices for the fans with absolutely no benefit to the artist,” he added.
These system failures, from what Kid Rock has witnessed, has caused independent venues to suffer, artists to lose leverage in their own careers, and fans having to pay more than ever to see their favorite artists live on stage. He emphasized that artists should have a say in how their tickets are sold as well as who sells them, something that hasn’t happened under the current partnership between Ticketmaster and Live Nation.
Photo Courtesy of Kid Rock
He then posted the question, “What other business in America doesn’t control or at least have a say in their own inventory?”
Without real choice and competition, tickets are ending up in the hands of scalpers and brokers, leading fans pay the inflated prices. Kid Rock feels that a lot of the scamming could have been avoided by using technology and “proof of humanity tools.”
“It hasn’t happened yet because there’s just too much money in the secondary ticket market. Ticketing companies didn’t fail to stop this. Seems they chose not to.”
There are currently solutions being put in place to address these problems overseas that have proved to be successful. He explained that some European countries have capped resale ticket prices and that strategy that appears to be working in favor of fans and artists. This idea is something that the “All Summer Long” singer says he has been advocating for in the states as well, suggesting that there should be a 10% price cap placed on resale tickets.
Ticketmaster and Live Nation have supported this plan, however he remains confused as to why these companies haven’t acted upon this potential solution yet.
“I don’t think Ticketmaster needs a law passed to do this. If that’s true, then it only proves these companies have been reactive, not proactive,” Kid Rock continues. “I would implore Congress, this is important to subpoena the contracts and deals between artists, promoters, buildings, ticketing companies, agencies, and vendors, because as I understand it, you will find mountains of fraud and abuse.”
Kid Rock; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
In his final remarks, the artist outlined a clear set of solutions for fixing the ticketing system, which includes giving artists control of who sells their tickets, putting a cap on resale ticket prices to protect fans and enforcing laws like the Bots Act that aims to stop brokers and bad actors.
“All in pricing is great, but it doesn’t fix the system. Outlawing speculative ticketing is obvious,” he shared. “The problem is that ticketing lobbyists push these reforms as cover while fighting to keep tickets in an open market and lets them exploit fans under the guise of capitalism. Do not be fooled by these tactics. Congress and many others have been fooled since the mid 1990s, fooled again in 2009 and so on. This wasn’t an experiment. It was a monopoly dressed up as innovation.”
Kid Rock closed his well-prepared statement with a quote from one of his favorite rock bands, The Who, stating “’It as my sincere hope. We won’t get fooled again.’ Thank you. Rock on.”
How does a family react when both murderer and victim are siblings?
Jack Joseph Ball killed his pregnant sister, even dismembering her body.
His motive was unhinged. Their own mother discovered the horrific scene of the crime.
He has now pleaded guilty. What’s next?
Jack Joseph Ball will likely never be free again after killing and dismembering his sister. He has pleaded guilty to the charges. (Photo Credit: Dakota County Sheriff’s Office)
This is an immensely upsetting crime
24-year-old Jack Joseph Ball has pleaded guilty to the murder of his pregnant older sister.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office announced his guilty plea to the premeditated first-degree murder of his sister and to the premeditated first-degree murder of an unborn child.
These pleas came on January 21 — over a full year after the grand jury indictment came down on January 9, 2025.
Initially, the charges also included two counts of intentional second-degree murder.
Reportedly, prosecutors agreed to drop the lesser charges and recommend a life sentence as part of Ball’s plea deal.
On May 23, 2024, Bethany Ann Israel went to visit her younger brother’s home for dinner.
She was 30 years old. And she was also between 17-18 weeks pregnant.
Several hours later, family members had not heard from her and grew concerned.
The mother of both Israel and Ball drove to his house to check on them. Ball apparently fled his own home upon his mother’s arrival.
Inside, their mother discovered a grisly scene.
Bethany Israel is remembered by her family for her âradiant spirit and unwavering kindness.” (Image Credit: KSTP 5 Eyewitness News)
No mother should have to see a gruesome scene like this
Their mother discovered a large amount of blood. She immediately dialed 911.
When first responders arrived at the scene, the investigation began.
Police uncovered both bloody knives and dismembered body parts.
Soon, another 911 call came in, this time from a neighbor.
The witness described seeing a man place a body part on his front steps.
When authorities located Ball, he was in the backyard of a nearby property. He had sliced his own neck to some degree.
The investigation discovered a journal in which Ball had written about his desire to kill his sister.
The alleged motive was because his 30-year-old sister was pregnant and therefore “no longer innocent.”
However, it also sounds like the mad ravings of someone who has lost touch with reality on multiple levels. (These are not mutually exclusive)
Bethany Ann Israel’s death was a tragedy. (Image Credit: KSTP 5 Eyewitness News)
Life in prison seems likely, given the guilty plea
Indeed, the county attorney’s office confirms that Ball has asserted a mental illness defense.
If successful, it would mean that the court determines that he was, at that time, unable to form meaningful intent to commit a crime. (Placing a random body part on a neighbor’s porch could work for the defense, in that regard)
While most of the mentally ill are not dangerous and are more likely to be victims, there are rare but serious instances of mental illness leading to tragic violence.
Despite the plea and the prosecutor’s agreement, he has not yet been sentenced. He is facing a possible life sentence.
It sounds like he’ll be in court again on May 21. Perhaps the family will be able to find closure after that.
In Detroit, Mich., volunteers with the Detroit People’s Assembly put together whistle kits designed to alert the community when immigration agents are nearby. Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
From coast to coast, groups of people are springing up to protect members of their communities as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents threaten them with violent enforcement.
As someone who for two decades has studied nonviolent movements in war zones, I see many parallels between these movements abroad and those that have been organized recently across the U.S. The communities I have studied – from Colombia to the Philippines to Syria – teach lessons about surviving in the midst of danger that Americans have been discovering instinctively over the past year.
These experiences show that protection of their neighbors is possible. Violence can bring feelings of fear, isolation and powerlessness, but unity can overcome fear, and nonviolence and discipline are key for denying the powerful pretexts for further escalation and harm.
But at the same time, the deaths of Americans Renée Good and Alex Pretti, who were part of a nonviolent movement and were killedby immigration agents in Minneapolis, make it clear that acting to protect neighbors requires courage, and prospects are not always certain.
Here are the core lessons I have learned from the people and the groups I have researched.
Members of the public take videos and blow whistles at what they think are Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in unmarked cars driving by in South Portland, Maine, on Jan. 23, 2026. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
1. Organizing is the first step
Community organizing is the act of building social ties, setting decision-making procedures, sharing information and coordinating activities.
In Colombia, I found that it was the more organized communities with vibrant local councils that were better able to protect themselves by avoiding or opposing violence when caught between heavily armed insurgents, paramilitaries and state forces. These organizations provide reassurance to the more hesitant and encourage more people to join in.
America has a strong civic culture and history of organizing, dating back to the Civil Rights Movement and long before, and Minnesota is known for its strong social cohesion. It’s no wonder so many Minnesotans, as well as Chicagoans, Angelenos and other Americans have organized to aid their neighbors and press for justice.
Make no mistake, the act of organizing itself is powerful. I found that insights from the combatants of armed conflicts shed light on this. A former insurgent I interviewed in Colombia quoted to me an adage of Aristotle and Shakespeare: “A single swallow doesn’t make a summer” – meaning there’s safety in numbers.
A mass of people on its own can shift the calculus and behavior of those with weapons and deter them. It’s why there are now many visuals of ICE agents leaving the scene when outnumbered by community members.
2. Adopting nonviolent strategies
Organizing also enables communities to adopt nonviolent methods for accountability and protection without ratcheting up conflict.
These strategies are less political or partisan, since there is usually consensus around promoting safety, which makes it difficult for political figures to oppose. While recent polling on presidential approval and immigration policy still shows a partisan split, ICE is widely unpopular, and a large majority opposes its aggressive tactics.
Americans have taken up many of these nonviolent strategies. They have established early warning networks just as communities did in the Democratic Republic of Congo to guard against attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel group.
Whether with whistles or WhatsApp, such networks of protectors are sharing information with each other to identify threats and come to each other’s aid.
A Facebook post from the ACLU of Maine notes the large turnout for a ‘Know Your Rights’ training event on Jan. 23, 2026. Facebook
3. Setting up safe zones
Communities in places such as the Philippines have also set up safe zones or “peace zones” to publicize their desire to keep violence away from their residents. This is akin to the declaration of “sanctuary cities” in the U.S. for the issue of immigration.
Communities may also apply different kinds of pressure on armed aggressors. While protest is the most visible approach, dialogue is also possible. Pressure can take the form of persuasion as well as shaming to make trigger-happy agents think twice about what they’re doing and use restraint.
In the U.S., protectors have shown great creativity when it comes to exerting pressure. Grandmas and priests are visible symbols who have influence through their moral and spiritual status. The use of humor and farce – such as protesters dressed in frog suits – can help to de-escalate tensions.
It may not always seem like it, but reputations and concerns about accountability matter, even to bullies. That’s why ICE agents don’t want to be seen enacting violence. Hence the face masks, the snatching of protesters’ phones and the misleading statements by officials about violent encounters.
A large group of protesters, including clergy, gather at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in frigid temperatures on Jan. 23, 2026, to demonstrate against immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities metro area. Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images
4. Finding the facts
In the “fog of war,” the powerful may try to twist the facts and mislead and stigmatize communities and individuals to create pretexts for even greater uses of force.
In Colombia and Afghanistan, armed groups falsely accused individuals of being enemy collaborators. Communities addressed this by conducting their own investigations of those accused, after which community elders could vouch for them.
For example, international humanitarian staff and volunteers have gone to communities in places such as Colombia, Guatemala and South Sudan to let armed groups know that outsiders are watching them and acting as unarmed bodyguards for human rights defenders.
In the U.S., volunteers, citizens and religious leaders have used their less vulnerable social statuses to stand up for noncitizens who are under threat, even positioning themselves between immigration agents and those who may be at risk. People from around the country have also sent messages and traveled in solidarity to the cities and states where operations have been carried out.
Yet that can have consequences even for those who believe themselves less likely to be attacked. An ICE agent on Sept. 19, 2025, shot a clergyman in the head with a pepper ball while he was protesting at an ICE detention facility in Chicago.
Acting to protect oneself, other people and communities can involve risks. But civil society has power, too, and many communities in war zones in other countries have outlasted their oppressors. Americans are learning and doing what civilians in war zones worldwide have done for decades, while also writing their own story in the process.
Oliver Kaplan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
We learned this week that actor, comic, and pro-MAGA firebrand Rob Schneider is headed for divorce after 15 years of marriage.
Now we have new details about the split. And it sounds like the decision to end things was not made by Rob.
According to a report from People magazine, Patricia filed for divorce in Arizona in December.
Patricia Maya Schneider and actor Rob Schneider attends the premiere of Netflix’s “The Ridiculous 6” at AMC Universal City Walk on November 30, 2015 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Her reason for doing so?
Well, it’s a little vague, but in her filing, Patricia stated that the marriage is “irretrievably broken and there is no possibility of reconciliation.”
She and Rob have two daughters together, ages 9 and 13.
We don’t know exactly why the marriage reached the “irretrievably broken,” but it seems to have happened rather quickly.
Rob Schneider and Patricia Azarcoya Schneider attend the 24th Annual Mark Twain Prize For American Humor at The Kennedy Center on March 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
“I look forward to spending the rest of my life laughing and loving you and raising our niñas!” he wrote on Instagram on the occasion of their anniversary in 2023.
It’s worth noting that Rob has a long history of alienating the women in his life.
This will be his third divorce, and his tempestuous relationship with his daughter, singer Elle King, has made headlines.
In one interview, King revealed that she had cut off contact with Schneider due to his “toxic” behavior.
Actor Rob Schneider (L) and Patricia Maya Schneider attend American Friends Of The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Benefit Honoring Hans Zimmer at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on July 16, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra)
The Saturday Night Live alum, who has also starred in films like Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo and The Waterboy, rebranded as a social media political pundit in recent years.
And the shift from wacky comic to furious MAGA cheerleader seems to have cost him quite a few fans.
Patricia was obviously okay with some of Rob’s content, as she stuck with him through numerous controversies.
But when they first got together, MAGA was not yet a thing, and no one knew anything about Rob’s political views.
Again, we don’t know if Patricia felt alienated by Rob’s turn toward the far-right, but his views have come to overshadow every other aspect of his career in recent years, so it’s a safe bet that many are jumping to that conclusion.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
Kid Rock’s Congressional testimony about unfair ticketing practices was personal and persuasive. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Kid Rock’s Congressional testimony about unfair ticketing practices was personal and persuasive. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Country artists across Music City are among the tens of thousands impacted by the ice storm that swept through Middle Tennessee over the weekend of Saturday, Jan. 24, and Sunday, Jan. 25. As of Thursday morning, more than 90,000 Nashville Electric Service (NES) customers remain without power, despite NES crews restoring electricity to approximately 140,000 homes and businesses.
On Thursday morning, Meghan Patrick revealed that temperatures inside her home had dropped to 41 degrees and that she had been advised their power may not be restored for “another week.”
Meghan Patrick; Photo via Instagram
“Thank God for good friends giving us a safe, warm place to stay,” she wrote. “Praying for those spending money they don’t have on hotels or riding it out.”
James Otto, known for his hit “Just Got Started Lovin’ You,” was also affected by the widespread outages and damage left behind by the storm.
“We are going on our fourth day without power here in my part of Nashville,” Otto shared. “As a veteran of many North Dakota and Washington state winters, I’ve seen a ton of bad storms, but the widespread devastation from this ice storm is unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed. The amount of downed trees and massive limbs breaking off from the weight of the ice is crazy. Virtually every yard in my neighborhood has severe damage. I’m hoping that we’re getting close to having power back, but who knows. I’m grateful for all the crews out there cleaning up fallen trees and the linemen working to get us back online.”
RaeLynn with Daughter Daisy; Photo via Instagram
Several artists were forced to seek refuge outside their homes as conditions worsened. RaeLynn stayed with Summer Pardi, while HARDY and his wife, Caleigh, relocated to a local hotel. Drew Baldridge shared that his family is currently staying with his manager while they wait for power to be restored.
“We’re right now going on day five of no power at our house,” Baldridge said. “We’ve been to a couple friends’ houses, and right now we are staying at my manager’s house, which has power, which is amazing. But there are so many people all over Nashville who are staying in their homes. Their homes are 40 degrees. Mine is currently like 43 right now. We were there this morning—still no power. Just sending out thoughts and prayers to everybody out there that’s struggling in the Nashville area and all around the country. This ice storm has really put us down.”
The outages have also disrupted local live music staples, including the iconic Bluebird Cafe, which remains without power. In a social media update, the venue shared that the storm resulted in the loss of food stored in coolers, and restocking the kitchen will “take time.”
Teresa Broyles-Aplin, CEO and President of Nashville Electric Service, released a statement early Thursday acknowledging the “significant hardship” the prolonged outages have caused for residents.
“This storm was unprecedented for Nashville and our country, affecting almost half of the U.S. Its icy layers caused widespread damage across our service area to transmission lines, substations and distribution networks,” she wrote. “At this storm’s peak, 230,000 Nashvillians were without power, the largest number ever. Today, we have less than 90,000 homes remaining without electricity.NES has brought in partners from around the country to engage additional available, qualified crews.”
Broyles-Aplin added that power is expected to be restored to thousands more households over the next two days; however, “for many, power will not be restored through the weekend or longer.”
Despite the challenges, the community has stepped up in true Nashville fashion. Local businesses like Edley’s Bar-B-Que are offering free meals to those impacted by the storm.
As Tim McGraw recently shared, “Woke up to the damage across Nashville this morning and my heart sank. So grateful our family is safe, but I know a lot of folks are hurting—homes damaged, power out, trees down. If you need help, ask. If you can help, go. That’s how Nashville works. We take care of our own.”
