Category: Music

Kip Moore sheds light on a pressing issue in country music, revealing how the industry often overlooks its own talent for the next big thing. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

Kip Moore sheds light on a pressing issue in country music, revealing how the industry often overlooks its own talent for the next big thing. Continue reading…​The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs

We knew Carrie would want to jump in on this song. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

We knew Carrie would want to jump in on this song. Continue reading…​The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs

Riley Green, Zach Top, Priscilla Block, Jordan Davis, Zach John King, and more stepped up to the plate at Nashville’s First Horizon Park on Monday, June 1 for Folds of Honor Tennessee’s sixth annual Rock ’N Jock* Celebrity Softball game, sponsored by Black Rifle Coffee Company. More than 9,000 fans gathered at Nashville’s First Horizon Park for this year’s event, which generated an all-time high of $701,460 to support educational scholarships for the spouses and children of fallen or disabled military personnel and first responders. 

Country artists joined forces with other celebrities, athletes, first responders and veterans for the friendly competition, which found Team Military facing off against Team First Responders all in support of Folds of Honor’s mission.  

Team Military featured Team Captain Riley Green, Mat Best, Gavin Adcock, Ryan Ellis, Danae Hays, RaeLynn, Jordan Davis, McCoy Moore, Warren Zeiders, JC Latham, Jessie James Decker, Eric Decker, Cooper Alan, honorary military members Sergeant First Class Joseph C. Ervin and Army Officer Lauren Warner, and honorary base coach Special Forces Assistant Detachment Commander Dean Goble.  

Team First Responders featured Team Captain Zach Top, Roger “The Rocket” Clemens, Jay Cutler, HARDY, Ashley Cooke, Priscilla Block, Zach John King, Parker McCollum, Chris Lane, Travis Pastrana, Waka Flocka Flame, Jermaine Johnson, Robert Rausch, honorary first responders Firefighter Travis Merryman and Officer Alicean Stottlemyer, and coach Ross Chastain. 

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Ashley Cooke, who has taken part in the event for several years now told us it’s her “favorite way” to kick off CMA Fest week. 

“Every CMA Fest week is always chaos, but something about…playing a sport with people in country music. It’s fun. It’s very camaraderie based and also it’s just doing something to give back at the beginning of the week for CMA Fest. It’s a lot of shows and chaos and promotion and all this stuff, but it just feels like a cool way to give back and do something that feels good for the soul at the beginning of the week,” she shared prior to the game. 

Priscilla Block echoed her sentiments, telling us, “This is my second year back doing this so I’m pumped that they invited me again. It’s awesome to come back here. I love that everything that they do to give back and being a part of tonight is awesome and we’re excited for CMA Fest.” 

For Zach John King, the cause behind the game made it especially meaningful. 

“I have a family full of military and first responders, so it’s super close to home for me. And any way, shape, or form I can help, in my opinion, the greatest Americans in the country, is what I’m going to do. So it happened to be that we get to play a little softball today, but I’m honored to do it. The organization is insane,” he shared. 

Jordan Davis has participated in the game a handful of times and tells us he views it as a way to say “thank you” to those who give so much. 

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“I say it every year, but it’s like we get a chance to say thank you to the people and the families that are … I’m not brave enough to do what they do. And so this is my chance to come out and say thank you. Have fun and bring some lightness into what I know is a very, very heavy time for them.” 

Team Military edged out Team First Responders in a nail-biting 9-8 victory, with Danae Hays crossing home plate for the game-winning run. Eric Decker earned Defensive Player of the Game honors, while Golden Tate was recognized as Offensive Player of the Game. Fans were treated to several long balls throughout the evening, with home runs coming from Gavin Adcock, Eric Decker, Golden Tate, and Jay Cutler. 

Off the field, Riley Green and Black Rifle Coffee Company co-founder Mat Best each pledged $50,000 to Folds of Honor, contributing a combined $100,000 to support the organization’s mission. 

The event also featured several patriotic moments, including a performance of the National Anthem by Captain Jackson Perkins and a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Marine Corps veteran Rocky Sickmann, who survived 444 days in captivity during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. 

Through a partnership with Jockey International, Inc., 200 military and first responder families were able to attend the game free of charge, further cementing this year’s Rock ’N Jock as one of the event’s biggest and most meaningful editions to date.

The post Over 9,000 Fans Pack Nashville’s First Horizon Park as Riley Green, Jordan Davis and More Lead Record-Breaking Rock ’N Jock Event appeared first on Country Now.

​Country Now

If there was any question about whether Cody Johnson deserved his recent ACM Entertainer of the Year title, it was answered the moment he stepped onstage at Allstate Arena on Saturday, May 30.

The country hitmaker brought his 2026 headlining tour to the home of the Chicago Wolves just two weeks after taking home one of the biggest honors at the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. The night turned the venue into a true country gathering spot, with cowboys and cowgirls, families, veterans, active-duty service members, first responders, and longtime fans all packed in together celebrating a shared love for true country music.

The night began with strong opening sets from Emily Ann Roberts and Clint Black, both setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable show. By the time Cody Johnson took the stage, the anticipation inside the arena was already at an all-time high.

Backed by his powerhouse band, The Rockin’ CJB, Johnson launched into a set that stretched from 9:30 p.m. until just after 11. From the moment he stepped on stage, he made it clear the night wasn’t just about the music: it was about connecting with the fans who have supported him every step of the way, from his early days selling self-burned CDs for $5 to becoming one of country music’s biggest stars.

He came out swinging with “That’s Texas,” “Me and My Kind,” and “Dance Her Home,” setting the stage for an unforgettable night before addressing the audience for the first time.

After thanking every single person in the room for showing up that night, Johnson took a moment to reflect on just how far his career has come. Fresh off his ACM Entertainer of the Year win, he acknowledged he was still riding that momentum, admitting he felt “on fire” coming off the award show and that energy definitely shined through every part of his performance.

“I walked up on that stage to accept that Entertainer of the Year award and I’ll be honest with you, it was tough for me to hold it together because all I could think about was all those years of grinding it out for $500 bucks a night for 400 shows and nobody in the bar really cared that you were there,” he admitted. “I’m so thankful that you chose to be a country music fan and I’m so grateful to God that I get to play country music for a living…I’m coming off a pretty big high from all of that.”

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The excitement from fans was already palpable, but it was further elevated when Johnson noted that his mission for the night was to have a good time and if that meant playing a bit longer than usual, he was more than willing to make that happen.

“I need you to give me all the energy you have for the next 90 minutes,” he told the screaming crowd. “If you do that for me, I give you my word I’m going to leave every ounce of energy and sweat right here on this stage for you tonight.”

With that, the Texas native broke out into a powerful rendition of “Dear Rodeo.” For his next performance of “Nothin’ on You”, the lights in the building went dark with just the flashlights from everyone’s phones illuminating the room. While this is the kind of moment that you could find at most country concerts, it felt like something more on this night. Maybe it was the power behind the song, or maybe it was a testament to Cody Johnson’s ability to captivate a crowd with nothing more than his steady vocals and undeniable authenticity.

Midway through the set, Johnson paused and asked the crowd, “Y’all wanna hear a new song?” The arena answered with a roar as he introduced “Take Me Back (Leave Me There), from his upcoming Banks Of The Trinity album dropping June 26.

The night continued with another run of fan-favorites including “Human,” “The Fall” “People In The Back” and “I’m Gonna Love You” featuring a pre-recording of Carrie Underwood singing her part in the No. 1 hit duet.

Then it was time for Johnson to continue what has become a tradition in his show. He stops the music and asks all first responders, active-duty military members, and veterans in the crowd to raise their hands, prompting a loud wave of applause across the arena. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving us a job tonight,” he told them amid a heartwarming and moving speech that prompted a sing-along of “God Bless America.”

He then moved into the final stretch with some of the hits that fans had waited all night for: “Dirt Cheap,” “The Painter,” and “’Til You Can’t,” each met with loud cheers and the packed arena singing back every word. But the night wasn’t over yet.

After tossing out a few merchandise items, handing out a drumstick, and signing a few items from the crowd, Johnson made his way offstage, only to return moments later to a crowd that hadn’t budged. The anticipation paid off with an encore featuring his rendition of “Travelin’ Soldier” and “Diamond in My Pocket,” sending fans out on a high after nearly two hours of a performance that was equal parts electrifying, emotional, and unapologetically country.

Cody Johnson will continue his 2026 run this week when he makes his way to Nashville to perform at Nissan Stadium on Friday, June 5 as part of CMA Fest. His schedule of headlining shows and festival appearances are set to run through November.

The post Cody Johnson Proves Why He’s ACM Entertainer of the Year During Sold-Out Rosemont Concert appeared first on Country Now.

​Country Now

Several fans of Cody Johnson’s were upset after he shared photos from a grizzly bear hunt in Alaska. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

Several fans of Cody Johnson’s were upset after he shared photos from a grizzly bear hunt in Alaska. Continue reading…​The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs

Ironically, one of its writers had to be talked into working on the song at all. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

‘Even though I can’t touch you, I hold you in my heart forever, Kenny,’ the singer’s widow Wanda wrote on what would have been their 29th anniversary. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country