Author: alaskaadmin

It’s the perfect fall-like day in Nashville when Ashley Cooke joins us in the studio for the latest edition of the Country Now Pupdate. As she walks through the door, her smile lights up the room. After greeting everyone, her attention quickly shifts to the family of puppies from Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Within seconds, she’s on the floor, surrounded by wagging tails, ready to soak up all the puppy cuddles she can get.

As the three pups – Kobe, Karl, and Kaleb – bounce around in playful chaos, occasionally stopping to curl up in her lap, Cooke opens up about her life over the past few years. In between laughter and puppy kisses, she reflects on how much has changed and shares insight into her upcoming project, ace, arriving Friday, November 14.

The nine-track collection finds Cooke diving deeper than ever before, revealing her most personal moments and emotions while pouring her heart into the lyrics. The project is aptly titled ace, a name that carries a special meaning for her, one that traces back to her childhood.

“My dad nicknames everything, I think most dads do,” she says with a smile. “He nicknamed me Ace when I was younger, and it’s always stuck with me. It just makes me feel like my kid self whenever I hear it from him.” 

She pauses for a moment before continuing. “And ace… it’s a really personal story about a lot that happened with my family over the last two and a half years: my dad’s cancer diagnosis, my mom’s heart attack, my own heart stuff… a lot went down.”

Cooke explains that everything she went through led her to create this project, and naming it after her dad’s nickname “felt fitting.”

With nine tracks, including five brand-new songs, ace gives fans an intimate look at what will eventually lead into her sophomore album. As Cooke describes it, the project is “bridging the gap” between her debut record and what comes next.

Every detail of ace was intentional, from the emotional lyrics to the carefully arranged track list, which unfolds in chronological order.

“[It’s] all about my life over the last two and a half years since my debut record came out,” she 

shares. “It captures the hardships and the amazing moments. It’s a story you can listen to from top to bottom and really hear my heart in it. Honestly, it’s probably the thing I’m most proud of in my career so far.”

Among the track list are fan-favorite titles like the highly anticipated “baby blues” and her current country radio single, “the hell you are.” Another standout moment comes at the very end of the project with the powerful closing track, “my worst fear.”

“I’ve become a little more bold with being vulnerable,” she admits. “The last song, ‘My Worst Fear,’ is written from the perspective of if my worst fear actually came true — what it would feel like to live through that. You’ll learn through the project that my worst fear is being alone, experiencing all of this and having no one to share it with. It’s really raw and vulnerable and talks a lot about my breakup with my ex of two years.”

Reflecting on the full body of work, Cooke declares, “It just feels like me in an EP, if that makes sense.” 

Ashley Cooke will celebrate the release of ace with a performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday, followed by an appearance on NBC’s TODAY show on Monday (Nov. 17), and a special performance of “God Bless America” at Madison Square Garden for WWE Raw.

Kobe, Karl, and Kaleb are still looking for their forever homes. Those interested in adopting should contact Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue, a foster-based 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Middle Tennessee and run primarily by volunteers. Proverbs is fully dedicated to the care and well-being of every animal they rescue. To learn more or make a donation, click HERE.

The post Ashley Cooke Gets Cozy With Adoptable Puppies While Discussing Her Most Personal Project Yet, ‘ace’ appeared first on Country Now.

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Darius Rucker recently surprised fans with an engagement announcement, revealing that he popped the question to his longtime girlfriend, Emily Deahl, in a sweet, unexpected proposal. Now, he’s opening up about their wedding plans…or, more accurately, the fact that they don’t have many just yet.

“We don’t really have any plans. We’re not gonna plan,” Rucker shared during an interview with NBC’s TODAY earlier this week. “We’re just gonna get married. Have a big party somewhere.”

Looking at TODAY’s Craig Melvin, Al Roker, and Dylan Dreyer, he added, “You guys will be invited.”

Additional details about the couple’s nuptials are unknown as it appears they are taking the time to simply enjoy their engagement. 

Rucker did take a moment to praise his fiancée, admitting that she is “an amazing human being.”

On the morning of Wednesday, October 8, the country star shared the exciting engagement news with fans on Instagram. The post opened with a black-and-white photo of Rucker down on one knee on what looks like a beachside boardwalk, while Emily gazes at him lovingly. A second photo shows the couple beaming in their new role as fiancés, with Emily highlighting a side view of her stunning diamond ring.

In the caption, he wrote, “Thank you for showing me a level of happiness I have never known. The day I met you I knew I didn’t want to go another one without you. Now I don’t have to.”

The couple has largely kept their relationship private, rarely sharing moments together on social media. Fans first got confirmation of Rucker’s romance in early September, when the pair went Instagram official with a smiling selfie outside the Sphere arena in Las Vegas.

The South Carolina native’s TODAY show appearance came in support of his new rock supergroup, Howl Owl Howl, formed with R.E.M. co-founder/Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Mike Mills and The Black Crowes co-founder/former drummer/lauded media personality Steve Gorman.

“It feels great to be singing with a rock band again. It’s like buddies getting together, but also getting to play with your idols,” Rucker, a Grammy winning Hootie & the Blowfish frontman/multi-Platinum country star, previously  “The stuff we’re writing is so different than anything I’ve tried to do before.” 

The band’s debut track “My Cologne,” was released on October 31 and they are currently on tour. 

The post Darius Rucker Taking a Laid-Back Approach to Wedding Planning with Emily Deahl appeared first on Country Now.

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Chris Stapleton enlists an A-list lineup of stars to bring his GRAMMY and CMA-winning song “White Horse” to life in a cinematic music video.

Filmed against the open landscapes of Marfa, Texas, the music video, produced by Strange Arcade and directed by Running Bear Films, stars acclaimed Hollywood actors Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men, True Grit) alongside Mae McKagan and Tommy Martinez. Stapleton himself also makes appearances alongside his wife and collaborator, Morgane, adding a personal touch to the narrative.

The video follows a couple on the run after robbing a bank, with Brolin’s sheriff character caught in the middle. Despite his commitment to the law, he develops a protective, almost paternal bond with the young woman, watching over her as she navigates the chaos. The video concludes with the couple tying the knot and riding off into the sunset, leaving their past and their trouble behind.

Speaking on the video’s concept, Running Bear’s Stephen Kinigopoulos and Alexa King Stone explain, “Listening to ‘White Horse’ over and over again, we visualized a couple on the run and wanted to add some complexity with the parental sheriff relationship between Mae and Josh’s characters. What was just going to be an action-packed love story, also became a story about letting go and trust.”

The powerful scenes aligns with the song that Stapleton co-wrote with Dan Wilson over 12 years ago. At the time, the pair of songwriters were asked to pen a track to potentially be used in the soundtrack of in the 2013 Lone Ranger movie starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer. They had little to no information on what the movie was about, so the simply went off the title and ended up writing a track filled with electric guitar riffs alongside Stapleton’s soulful voice.

The result is a dusty western sound that elevates the kind of love story that feels like a fairytale as a cowboy rides off into the sunset on a white horse. 

While “White Horse” did not make the cut for the movie, it did appear Stapleton’s full-length project as well as on country radio airwaves. It went on to become the Kentucky native’s fourth No. 1 hit and received 135 adds, marking the biggest add day of 2023 of country radio. Additionally, it was named the highest chart debut for the country superstar at Mediabase with an entry at No. 31.

The new music video comes amid another milestone year of nominations for the superstar. He’s currently up for four awards at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Country Song for “A Song To Sing” (with Miranda Lambert), Best Country Solo Performance for “Bad As I Used To Be,” and two nominations for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “A Song To Sing” and “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame” (with George Strait).

Plus, he’s heading into next week’s CMA Awards with nominations in the categories of Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year for “Think I’m In Love With You.” The upcoming country music award show marks 10 years since Stapleton’s unforgettable CMA duet with Justin Timberlake and a decade since his breakthrough debut album, Traveller.

As 2025 comes to an end, Chris Stapleton gears up to extend his “All-American Road Show” into 2026 as well as deliver his sold-out “An Evening with Chris Stapleton” shows in Las Vegas, NV, Thackerville, OK and Uncasville, CT. These Sin City shows will feature Stapleton alongside his full band with no opener. 

More information can be found on his official website.

The post Chris Stapleton Channels A Classic Western Tale In Star-Packed ‘White Horse’ Music Video appeared first on Country Now.

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Last night, HARDY made his third appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, this time to perform his deeply moving song “Bottomland” from his latest album COUNTRY! COUNTRY!. The special performance took place in front of an audience of veterans and active-duty service members in honor of Veterans Day.

After being introduced by the show’s host Jimmy Fallon, the camera panned to HARDY, who was seated on a tree stump beside a simple wooden chair draped with a camouflage shirt. Dressed in a casual look of blue jeans, a button-down shirt, and a camo hat, he delivered a powerful performance in front of a rustic forest-inspired background. The dim blue lighting and scattered leaves on the floor created a haunting, natural atmosphere that matched the song’s raw emotion.

With his band out of site, HARDY belted out the heartfelt country story, capturing the spirit of tradition, simplicity, and pride in where you come from. Told through the eyes of a humble man from small-town roots, the lyrics paint a picture of someone who deeply values the people and place that raised him. He even admits that when his time comes, he doesn’t want a fancy funeral or to be buried in a suit and tie, he just wants to go as he is.

With authenticity and sincerity rippling through his vocals, the Mississippi native sings, “I don’t care which box, I don’t care which stone/ All I care’s what I got on/ Don’t need no suit, don’t need no tie/ I don’t wanna be hard to recognize/ Bury me in bottom land/ With my grandpa’s rifle in my hand/ Lord, just take me as I am/ And bury me in bottom land.”

“Bottomland” is one of 24 tracks that appear on HARDY’s COUNTRY! COUNTRY! projectand its deluxe edition, COUNTRY! COUNTRY! COUNTRY!. With his most past albums, HARDY heavily leaned into his country-rocker sound, but with this collection, he took a step back from the more hard-hitting energy and tapped into his Mississippi roots resulting in some traditional country music storytelling.

Along with “Bottomland,” other standout tracks include “Good Ole Boy,” “Dog Years,” as well as collaborations with ERNEST (“Bro Country”) and Stephen Wilson Jr. (“Bedrooms In The Sky”), and his single, “Favorite Country Song.”

HARDY will close out the year by hosting Country vs. Cancer. Presented by the American Cancer Society, the charity concert will unite The HARDY Fund and Whiskey Jam on December 2 to benefit the ACS. HARDY will headline alongside Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Lanie Gardner and McCoy Moore at The Pinnacle in Nashville. 

In the new year, the “Truck Bed” singer will kick off THE COUNTRY! COUNTRY! TOUR!, hitting arenas and amphitheaters across North America. Cameron Whitcomb, Tucker Wetmore, Mitchell Tenpenny, Muscadine Bloodline, Jake Worthington and McCoy Moore will join the tour for select dates.

The post HARDY Delivers Powerful ‘Bottomland’ Performance On ‘The Tonight Show’ appeared first on Country Now.

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Bobby Bones took home the iconic Mirrorball Trophy after his Dancing With the Stars win back in 2018, but the criticism surrounding his big win never really stopped. In a new video, Bones opens up about still receiving backlash years later and gets honest about why he no longer has his trophy or feels welcome in the DWTS community.

New comments have emerged from the show’s former host Tom Bergeron that Bones admits were painful to hear.

“I try not to get my feelings hurt, especially about stuff like this, but this was hurtful and not because of what was said, but really who said it,” Bones shared in an Instagram post.

The country radio personality then played a small clip of Bergeron’s interview with Parade, in which he revealed that the most shocking thing he witnessed during his time on the show was Bobby Bones’ win on Season 27. Bones explained that while Bergeron is someone who he admires from the show, his statement was disheartening.  

The former DWTS host said, “It’s funny you’re asking about eliminations. The thing that shocked me most was a win…Bobby Bones was the first time I kind of, it was like, ouch.”

Bones clapped back saying, “What was I supposed to do on that show? I didn’t even want to be on the show. I had no intention of being on Dancing With the Stars. I was working on a different show at the network. They asked me to go on the show to promote. Am I supposed to not show up and work hard? Am I supposed to not give it freaking everything that I have? Am I supposed to throw it and not win? It’s crazy the amount of hate I get, even from people that I respect, like Tom Bergeron on there and Julianne Hough.”

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A post shared by Bobby Bones (@mrbobbybones)

As the dad-to-be pointed out, Bergeron isn’t the first person to express disappointment in his win on the ABC dance competition series. The controversy began over the fact that Bones and his pro dancer partner, Sharna Burgess, received low scores throughout the majority of the competition, but still managed to advance as a result of the overwhelming amount of votes he received from viewers at home. This prompted outrage in viewers and fellow competitors.

Former DWTS pro Julianne Hough also previously named Bobby Bones as a champion who’s win she “strongly disagreed” while appearing on a Watch What Happens Live. She stated that he won “because of the fanbase” and he “was not the best dancer.”

On top of the fact that he saw success on the show sheerly because of fans, Bobby Bones recently appeared on an episode of Jason Tartick’s “Trading Secrets” podcast, where he admitted that in a way, he “cheated” while on the show.

“They give you a limited amount of time with your partner, like four hours a day, they say,” he explained. “So, we would do our full work. I would record the session and then go by myself and rent a studio myself and train myself to, illegally, like spent time over.”

Back in 2018, he also told PEOPLE that he made every effort during his time on the show to do his best and unfortunately, he still received plenty of negative feedback throughout the season

“The people on the internet that loved that show were brutal to me,” he said at the time. “If people love dance, you didn’t love me on that show. If people love people going on and trying something new and putting their heart on their sleeve and being uncomfortable, then I think that’s who I was able to connect with.”

“No one who was a ballroom fan was ever going to like me,” he added.

Unfortunately, that negativity still follows Bobby Bones to this day. It even got to the point where he decided to give back the trophy in an attempt to put an end to the never-ending backlash.

“I felt like a sixth grader and all the ninth grade dancing kids are shoving me in lockers. It is crazy. Was I supposed to show up and go, ‘well, since I didn’t have any training as a kid, I should just not win this competition.’ What did I do? I had a great attitude. I worked hard and here we are six years later, I’m still catching strays out of nowhere, so I sent the trophy back. 
They don’t want me to be a part of the show, obviously, so I don’t want to be somewhere that doesn’t want me to be there. So I sent the trophy back to ABC. I no longer have the Mirrorball trophy,” he admitted.

What was once a highlight of his career now feels bittersweet, as Bones says the comments have changed the way he looks back on that experience.

“I loved my time there, but I would say things like this, Tom or Julianne or, there are even people that I work closely with, taking random shots at me this week that have just taken all the joy away from my time on that show, which is crazy,” he said with a sadness in his voice. “It was such a great joyous time, even though I was the only one in the whole crew that was dancing that had a full-time job at the same time. So I’m out. Nobody wants me there anyway, so go where you’re celebrated, not tolerated.”

The Bergeron thing hurt a little bit, I’m going to be honest with you. And I have super thick skin, but, alright, that’s all. Just wanted to say that final thing,” he added.

His latest set of criticism surrounding the competition arose following the show’s 20^th anniversary celebration on Tuesday night, during which several alum, past winners, former pros and even Tom Bergeron himself made an appearance back in the ballroom.

Despite his disconnect from Dancing With the Stars, Bobby Bones has found success through his nationally syndicated radio program, The Bobby Bones Show, his podcast, Bobbycast, and other projects.

The post Bobby Bones Gets Honest About ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Backlash and Why He Gave His Trophy Back appeared first on Country Now.

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