Category: Music

Who’s got your vote this week? Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

Riley is been on a rocket ship to stardom for the last few years. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

Riley is been on a rocket ship to stardom for the last few years. Continue reading…​The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs

After stepping off one of television’s biggest singing competitions, American Idol’s Lucas Leon is taking a moment to look back on the whirlwind of a journey. From long rehearsal days and live show pressure to once-in-a-lifetime mentorship moments, the experience pushed him in ways he says he never expected but ultimately helped shape the artist he’s becoming today.

Hailing from Gallatin, Tennessee, the Season 24 contestant took a leap of faith and auditioned for the show, winning over the judges with his original song, “Fall in Love Someday.” He made his mark on the show through powerful performances before finishing in the Top 7, but his journey is just getting started.

During the season finale, Leon had the pleasure of returning to the stage with one of the show’s guest mentors, Brad Paisley. Following their performance, the country music hitmaker surprised Leon with the news that he had been invited to make his Grand Ole Opry debut, a dream come true for the young singer. While an official date for his Opry debut has yet to be announced, Leon says he’s looking forward to the opportunity to step inside country music’s most iconic circle.

Fresh off graduating high school, Leon is already keeping his momentum going. He’s set to take the stage with fellow American Idol contestants in Nashville on Wednesday, June 3, as part of the 19 Recordings showcase ahead of CMA Fest. Plus, he just released his newest tune, an upbeat, head-over-heels love song, “The Crazy Kind,” setting the tone for even more new releases ahead.

With the American Idol competition officially behind him, Lucas Leon is opening up about his experience on the show, what’s next, and the lessons he’s carrying forward.

How would you sum up what your experience was like on American Idol?

I mean, it was a lot of hard work, but it was an awesome experience. Bottom line, I’d do it again. It was a lot of fun. I made a lot of really good friends, had a lot of great experiences. I mean, that experience that you get from having to be on a live show every week, it builds you a lot and I feel more prepared for whatever comes my way in the future. 

What was it like behind the scenes, the side that fans don’t get to see on TV?

I think it looks more glamorous than it is. Not to say that it’s awful working conditions. It’s not at all, but it is just a lot. It’s stressful. It’s, all of the above, in terms of mental game. You got to be all there and ready for everything and a lot of rehearsals and just making sure everything is good to go because once you get on that live show, you’re in front of millions of people and you better be prepared. 

What did a typical day look like for you and the other contestants on live show days?

Show days obviously are the craziest days. During the week, it’s a lot of just vocal coaching and outfits, your wardrobe, planning the look, planning the background, planning the arrangement for the songs, all that kind of stuff, blocking for the stage. But show days, it’s real early. We even got as early as 5:30 call time in the morning. It’s a lot and you get there and you try to take a nap. They did feed us really, really good. It was always really good food. So at least there’s that. Pretty much right away, as soon as you got there, get into wardrobe for the day and you wouldn’t take that off until an hour or so after the show. And then you’d go and do a full dress rehearsal. You’d do it just like they do it on TV. If you get out as I did, eventually, as everyone did, except for Mrs. Hannah Harper, you go straight to wardrobe, take it off and you’re pretty much on your way. And it’s pretty simple once you get out, but if you go through, you go through press and those kind of things and it’s a big, long day. 

You had a lot of amazing performances throughout the show and met some pretty amazing people, like Brad Paisley. How was it being mentored by him in Hawaii?

It’s insane to me that I kind of got to just hang out with Brad. What a legend. As a guitar player, I hope to have a morsal of his talent. And I mean, come on, just the magic that he brings to the stage every week is unreal and it was really cool to be able to get to meet him in Hawaii. I think he soft launched the whole Opry thing there. He said, ‘Hey, maybe come hang out with me.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, sweet. I could see this potentially down the road turning into actually getting on the stage.’ And sure enough, we got to sing together and yeah, got the invite, still working on that date, but hey, we’ll get there. 

What was going through your mind when he officially invited you to make your Grand Ole Opry debut?

I mean, what an incredible honor to be able to be on that stage. I actually just had to do a whole project at school. I’ve just graduated…But I had to do a whole senior project, and you can do it really whatever you want to do on, and I did it on the history of country music. There’s so much appreciation that I have for that stage and that show. And it used to be at The Ryman, which is so cool to me. That’s the original venue…And it’s just so old and it’s got such like an aura of awesomeness. And all the legends that came through there, i’s crazy that I’m going to be able to get to be in there, hopefully this year. 

Without giving away too much, have you thought about what songs you might perform that night?

Well, really the dream is that I get to sort of do my own set. I’m still working on the details. I’d love to play some of my original songs. And obviously, of course, in a perfect world, I get to do my own set and sing with Brad. I’m not going to ask too much though, but I would love to do some originals and one of Brad’s songs. That would just make the day. 

You have a brand-new song, “The Crazy Kind.” Talk about writing this one and the inspiration behind it.

It’s a fun song. I mean, there’s really not that much more to it. I write plenty of very emotionally deep songs and when I went into the writing room that day, I said, “Lighten up a little bit. Just write something fun.” And I feel like we accomplished that goal and that’s really what that song’s all about. And at least I hope it is a good time to listen to…[Songs] always have their own sort of beginning and lifespan. It’s a fun thing to watch. Songs have personality, I promise you. A song can be really easy or a song can be…The song can write you. We’ll say that. There’s some days where you spend five, six, even multiple days writing a song and sometimes they fall out easy. “The Crazy Kind” did not take us very long at all. 

Have you established a core group of co-writers in town yet?

I’ve written with so many people and I’ve narrowed it down to under maybe 15 people that I keep in the rotation and I can mix and match them. And they’re just people that I know I’m going to get quality with every time. It’s people that I work really well with and get along with on a personal level and who I actually have a friendship with as well and it’s just a recipe for success. 

Do you have any artists in mind that you would love to co-write with or have a collaboration with one day?

I want to write with John Mayer really bad. I would love to just sit there and talk about guitars with him really bad. I would love to sit there and talk about watches with John Mayer really bad. He’s my goat, to be honest. In terms of writing and guitar playing, like I was sort of saying about Brad, I wish I could have a morsel of his lyric ability and his melodies and all of that.

Now that Idol is behind you, where do you see your career heading next?

Well, already a lot of hard work. Cook the books. Let’s get it going, get the stone rolling. Shows, shows, shows. I’m trying to get as many as I possibly can and writing as many good songs as I possibly can and hopefully putting out as many of them as I can. I’m doing my best to do the most quantity while also keeping quality. 

Is there anything specific that you learned throughout this entire journey that you will now be carrying with you as you venture out into the next chapter?

Yeah. I’m seeing now more than ever that nothing is going to be given to you at all. And you have your very rare story of a career and amazing legendary status just falling into people’s lap. But for the most part, you got to make it happen. You can’t just sit around hoping that your song’s just going to do all these wonders for you. You got to work it. That’s pretty much what I’ve learned and I can translate that from having to try my absolute best to stand out every week in the competition and I can take that and put it into my every day when I’m writing, when I’m trying to book shows, when I’m doing all of this.

The post Lucas Leon Reflects on ‘American Idol’ Journey, Brad Paisley’s Opry Invite & What’s Next [Exclusive] appeared first on Country Now.

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Tim McGraw is back with his first new music in over a year. The country hitmaker has returned with a fresh batch of songs titled “Pawn Shop Guitar” and “Song for America.” These releases mark the beginning of a new chapter after spending the last few years recovering from serious back and knee issues that forced him to step back from recording music and touring extensively.

During that time, McGraw not only worked through physical obstacles, but he also found himself looking back on his life, which led to him to become more candid in his songwriting than ever before.

“That time was challenging on so many levels, but one of the positive things that came out of it, aside from physically being back to 100%, was that it gave me time to reflect on my life and to write songs. I was able to really dig into some personal stories in those songs for the first time,” he explained.

The first new song that emerged from that reflection is “Song For America,” a pride-filled mid-tempo track that arrives just in time to celebrate America’s 250^th birthday.

The patriotic anthem paints an almost cinematic portrait of America, jumping from coast to coast and city to city, capturing the simplicity of everyday life with vivid imagery that highlights both the beauty and grit of American life. It was penned by JT Harding and Tom Douglas.

Meanwhile, “Pawn Shop Guitar, “ co-written with Tom Douglas takes a more autobiographical approach as the three-time Grammy® Award-winning superstar takes listeners inside his journey of trying to make it in the music industry and the sacrifices he made along the way. McGraw begins by singing about the moment he sold his high school class ring to purchase a cheap guitar from a pawn shop in his hometown.

From there, his dreams led him to Music City, where he learned how to get back up even getting knocked down and told “no” time and time again. The Louisiana native’s signature vocals shine a light on the struggles he faced in his early days, from sleeping in his car to trying to earn money by playing on street corners. The song comes full circle when he explains how one simple action can completely change a person’s perceptive.

“I didn’t know if I would ever write again/ And one night in a bar the old man stumbled in/ Threw a hundred-dollar bill and drew a sharpie heart/ On a note he wrote, “That’s where the good songs are”/ In every airport lounge, street corner, and every bar I put a Ben Franklin in every kid’s pickle tip jar/ And I write a note with a big red sharpie heart/ “That’s where the good songs are,” sings McGraw.

These songs arrive just ahead of Tim McGraw’s 2026 North American trek, named after today’s release, “Pawn Shop Guitar.” The 33-date run kicks off July 9 in Bethel, NY and continues through the summer with three stadium dates at Hersheypark Stadium (Hershey, PA), Fenway Park (Boston, MA), and Target Field (Minneapolis, MN). He will be joined by special guests The Chicks and Lady A, along with tour support 49 Winchester and Timothy Wayne. 

Tickets are on sale now at www.timmcgraw.com.

Fans can also catch McGraw debuting “Song For America” at Nissan Stadium on June 6 as part of this year’s star-studded CMA Fest.

The post Tim McGraw Returns With First New Music in Over a Year, Drops ‘Pawn Shop Guitar’ & ‘Song for America’ appeared first on Country Now.

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American Idol winner Hannah Harper is giving fans a candid update on life after her big win, and she’s keeping it just as real as ever.

In a new social media post, the “String Cheese” singer offered an honest glimpse into what her day-to-day looks like now, pairing studio time with a healthy dose of humor about what life as a rising country artist actually entails.

Alongside a photo of her working in the studio, Harper wrote, “I know y’all picture me winning American Idol and living some fancy celebrity life now. Here I am in the luxurious sawmill studio tracking vocals, spending my lunch break with a big ol’ styrofoam cup of queso from the local Mexican restaurant.”

All jokes aside, Harper made it clear she’s exactly where she wants to be in her career right now. Reflecting on the moment, she added, “honestly, I’ve never felt more successful.”

She opened up about feeling a sense of fulfillment, writing, “Getting to make music with people I love, in a place that means so much to me, and having a hand in EVERY detail of the process—that’s the dream.”

In closing, Harper left fans with a message about what’s ahead, telling them, “I can’t wait for y’all to hear what we’ve been working on.”

Harper has a busy week ahead, kicking things off with a major milestone as she is set to make her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 2. Following the big night, she will appear alongside fellow American Idol alums including Jordan McCullough, Keyla Richardson, Chris Tungseth, Braden Rumfelt, Brooks, Lucas Leon, Rae, and more for the 19 Recordings Presents Your American Idols event on June 3 at 6th & Peabody in Nashville.

The all-ages show begins at 4 p.m. local time and will bring together some of this season’s standout voices for a special celebration in Music City.

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Harper will also headline her String Cheese Tour and will join Lauren Alaina on select dates of her The Stages Tour. 

“Two mommas, a bunch of babies, and a whole lotta miles ahead,” Harper wrote of the chance to tour with her fellow American Idol alum. 

For a complete list of Hannah Harper’s upcoming tour dates, click HERE.

The post Hannah Harper Shares Honest Update on Life After Winning ‘American Idol’ appeared first on Country Now.

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Sam’s Club is bringing a fun summer must-have to the water this year with a massive inflatable cowboy hat that’s basically made for lake days, river floats, and pool parties. 

Available now, the oversized float comes in two designs: a red, white, and blue version covered in stars and a pink version with matching star details. Both are perfect for summer gatherings, holiday weekends, and all-day hangouts on the water (while listening to country music of course!). The pink version also feels like a total win for bachelorette parties if anyone is currently planning one. 

Built with group fun in mind, the inflatable comfortably fits up to six adults, making it ideal for friends or family looking to relax together on the water. It measures 190 inches long, 156 inches wide, and 41 inches high, giving everyone plenty of space to lounge, stretch out, and enjoy the water.

It’s also built to last, featuring heavy-gauge PVC construction for durability and stability while floating. With a weight capacity of up to 1,050 pounds, it’s designed to handle a full group of adults without any issues.

Beyond the size and design, the inflatable cowboy hat is packed with summer-friendly features. It includes six cup holders so everyone can keep drinks close, plus a built-in cooler to keep beverages cold throughout the day. Whether it’s water, soda, or something a little stronger, it makes it easy to stay refreshed without constant trips back to shore.

It’s also designed for convenience, with a quick inflation and deflation system and a safety valve that makes setup and teardown simple. Even with its large size on the water, it’s lightweight and easy to transport once deflated, making it a practical option to take along all summer long.

Recommended for ages 14 and up, the inflatable cowboy hat is made for group lake adventures and brings a mix of comfort, fun, and photo-ready design.

As summer kicks off, this one feels like a no-brainer addition for anyone looking to take their lake or river days up a notch.

The post Sam’s Club Is Selling A Massive Inflatable Cowboy Hat… and It’s Kind of Perfect appeared first on Country Now.

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“I fell off a mountain and tried to reinvent myself as a truly individual artist,” Williams Jr. says of his legacy. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country

Fans attending the first night of the 2026 Gulf Coast Jam got an unexpected surprise when Chris Janson made a special appearance during Keith Urban’s headline set in Panama City Beach, Florida.

As Urban took the stage on Thursday night (May 28), the country superstar once again proved why he’s considered one of country music’s most electrifying live performers. Midway through his set, he welcomed Janson to the stage, and the two made their way out arm in arm, sparking loud cheers from the packed crowd.

The longtime friends performed Urban’s hit “Days Go By” together. The performance quickly turned into a full-blown jam session, with the two country acts showcasing their individual talents. Urban took the lead, delivering his signature guitar licks while Janson ripped through an impressive harmonica solo before making his way off stage, allowing the Australian singer/songwriter to finish off his set.

Following the performance, Janson took a moment to reflect on their time on stage at the festival and his longtime friendship with Urban in a heartfelt social media post. He highlighted how supportive the “Straight Line” singer has been of his career since the start.

“My longest standing friendship within the music business, @keithurban He’s always been in my corner, and i can’t tell y’all how much it means to me. He invited me to be an @opry member a few years back. So many great times together through the years,” Janson wrote. “I was honored to join him tonight in Florida. It’s pure magic when we jam together. Love you KU!”

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The 2026 Gulf Coast Jam is taking place from May 28 through May 31, 2026 at Frank Brown Park. Keith Urban kicked off night one as the first headliner, and will be followed by Chris Stapleton tonight (5/29), Riley Green on Saturday (5/30) and Post Malone on Sunday (5/31).

Urban’s performances comes just a few weeks before he’s set to drop his 13th studio album, Flow State, on June 12 via MCA Nashville. The yacht rock covers project is set to feature collaborations with Michael McDonald, John Mayer, and Little Big Town, as well as one original track, “We Go Back” featuring Michael McDonald.

Produced by Urban and Dann Huff and recorded at his Nashville studio, the album highlights songs like “Baby Come Back” and “Just the Two of Us” and a rendition of “Summer Breeze,” both available now. Keith Urban is next set to perform at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Friday, June 5 as part of CMA Fest.

Meanwhile, Chris Janson has a slew of his own festival appearances on the books. Next week he will be performing at Bottle & Cork at Dewey Beach, DE on June 4, followed by Carolina Country Music Festival in South Carolina on June 6.

The post Chris Janson Shares Heartfelt Message After Joining Keith Urban Onstage At Gulf Coast Jam appeared first on Country Now.

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She was maybe even worse off financially than ever. Continue reading…​Country Music News – Taste of Country