Jordan Davis is gearing up for the television debut of “Ain’t A Bad Life” alongside his longtime friend, Thomas Rhett. The pair are set to take the stage during the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday to deliver a performance of the chart-topping hit.
Moments before rehearsal, Davis spoke with Country Now about getting the chance to bring the feel-good duet to the ACM Awards stage.
Jordan Davis; Photo by Patrick Tracy
“[Our] first big performance,” Davis teased. “I was able to play with him in Nashville. He did a little pop up a couple weeks ago. But man, I’ve just loved this song since the second he played it and Thomas is obviously a really good friend. So us getting to do it together on such an awesome award show is going to be awesome.”
Davis said the plan is to bring the fun-loving energy of the song to the stage, although he admitted he’ll have a better idea of what the performance will look like after rehearsal.
“I just kind of told him, I was like, ‘Man, I’ll do whatever you want to do. If you want to play guitar, let’s do it.’ But yeah, this song to me is kind of more fun to roam around… I haven’t got a chance to rehearse it yet, so we’ll see how it goes,” he explained.
“Ain’t A Bad Life” marked Davis’ 10th No. 1 hit and Rhett’s 25th chart-topper. Davis says sharing that milestone with one of his closest friends makes the achievement even more meaningful.
“I think whenever I found out that it went number one, I sent him a message kind of saying that. It’s like outside of the song, I’m more honored to have it with such a good dude. Thomas has been such a role model to me and a guy that I’ve always been able to call and talk to. So that’s kind of more special to be able to look back and us always have this song together. It’s pretty cool.”
Davis will be joined on Sunday’s red carpet by his wife, Kristen, making the evening a rare date night for the couple and one of their first times away from their youngest daughter, Sadie, who was born last July.
Jordan Davis, Kristen, and Family; Photo via Instagram
He shared that his dad is back home helping keep their four children entertained “so bedtime’s easier” for their nanny.
“This will be a good night for us to kind of hang and enjoy an awesome show,” he said.
Hosted by Shania Twain, the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show will stream live exclusively on Prime Video beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT for viewers in more than 240 countries and territories.
Jordan Davis’ appearance at the ACM Awards comes as his latest single, “Turn This Truck Around” enters the top 5 at country radio.
As the top-selling female country-pop artist of all time, Shania Twain doesn’t have too many things left on her bucket list. She’s toured the world, sold more than 100 million albums, blazed trails for other women in country music, hosted her own Las Vegas residency, written a book, and more. But when she got the call to host the 61st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, she admits it was a “bucket list call” and something she immediately knew she would say yes to.
“It’s a very big deal for me. I’m really honored. I’m especially excited because it’s in Las Vegas. So I feel like I’m hosting the world audience from my stage hometown, my live hometown, Las Vegas. So it’s really great,” Twain told Country Now during an exclusive interview backstage at ACM Awards rehearsals on Friday.
Photo Courtesy Shania Twain
For Twain, the idea of hosting in front of a global audience is especially exciting, as is the chance to meet the new artists creating their own paths in country music.
“I’m excited about bringing all of the worlds together, meaning the global audience, all of the artists together. It is a joy to see all of the new artists coming out to be able to get the chance to meet them and encourage them. I feel my role here is to support all of the nominees, the upcoming artists, and to bring the stage and the audience together.”
The five-time GRAMMY winner is no stranger to the stage. Twain has been performing since she was just 8 years old, but she says stepping into the role of host offers a completely different kind of experience compared to being the artist in the spotlight.
“Hosting is, I wouldn’t say it’s more fun, but there’s less in the role of hosting, you are more there to support. And trust me, when you are the performer, you need the support. So I would say that that’s the biggest difference,” she explained. “When I’m on stage, I need my support system around me. I’m so focused, I’m focused. I need my space. I need everything to be right. I’m preparing really for my moment, whereas to host, I’m really helping everybody else prepare for their big moments. So it takes the pressure off in a lot of ways, which is why the performers and the nominees need support. I want them to know that I’m here and I’m cheering you on.”
Shania Twain – ACM Awards Host
Throughout the star-studded event, Twain will welcome performers including Avery Anna, Blake Shelton, Carter Faith, Cody Johnson, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Lee Ann Womack, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, The Red Clay Strays, Thomas Rhett, Tucker Wetmore, and Zach Top to the stage.
Joining her as presenters throughout the show will be Andrew Whitworth, Ashley McBryde, Carl Edwards, Corey LaJoie, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Michael Bublé, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Shaboozey, The War And Treaty, and TJ Osborne.
The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show will stream live exclusively on Prime Video beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT for viewers in more than 240 countries and territories.
Shania Twain – Little Miss Twain
Twain’s ACM Awards hosting debut comes ahead of the release of her forthcoming studio album, Little Miss Twain, arriving July 24. The project finds the entertainment icon returning to her roots with what she describes as her most personal project yet, blending country, pop, rock, soul, and bluegrass while reflecting on the experiences that shaped her career.
Whenever Blake Shelton takes the stage, fans know they’re in for a performance to remember. This Sunday, May 17, the country superstar is putting together something especially meaningful for the 61st ACM Awards as he prepares to deliver a rendition of “The Gambler.”
After rehearsals at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Shelton shared some exclusive details regarding his upcoming performance with Country Now. He explained that this moment in the star-studded show will honor both the man who made the song famous, the late Kenny Rogers, and the beloved songwriter behind the tune, Don Schlitz, who passed away on April 16, 2026, at age 73 in a Nashville hospital following a “sudden illness.”
Photo Courtesy of Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton Is Honored To Celebrate Two Beloved Members of the Country Music Community
Since this year’s show will once again be streamed live exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music Twitch channel, Shelton is looking forward to having plenty of time to properly celebrate these country music legends.
“I always love it when these award shows take time to honor someone that we’ve lost,” Shelton shared. “The good thing about this thing being on Amazon, like a streamer, is I don’t think there’s really these timing restraints. I think they can just do whatever. And so I was excited that I get to do the full version of ‘The Gambler’ because we lost Don [Schlitz] here, four weeks ago or something like that…It was sudden. It’s really sad. And we lost Kenny [Rogers] four or five years ago.”
Country music fan or not, “The Gambler” is a well-known song to just about everyone. The GRAMMY-award winning tune was released as a single on November 15, 1978 and served as the title track for Rogers’ album of the same name. It quickly gained momentum, claiming the top spot on the country charts and also earned a spot on the pop charts.
Shelton admits “The Gambler” has been a staple song in his life for as long as he can remember.
“That particular song is like two legends came together and made one of the most important pieces of music in country music history…I would say it’s in the top 10, at least it’s in my top 10 of all time.”
In Addition To The Performance, Blake Shelton Released A Cover Exclusively With Amazon Music
The Oklahoma native previously cut his own version of the song in 2006 when he had extra time in the studio with renowned producer, Bobby Braddock. Today, in honor of his ACM Awards performance, Shelton has released a cover exclusively on Amazon Music.
“When this opportunity came up, I told my manager, I said, ‘Man, we cut that a lot of years ago And so Amazon’s doing this exclusive release with it. I think it’s out now and I’m excited. I’m honored to do it,” he admitted. “It’s one of those songs that I think I was born knowing the song already.”
He went on to recall the night Schlitz was honored by the Grand Ole Opry following his death, remembering Vince Gill talking about his friendship that developed with Schlitz over the years.
“He was talking about his relationship with Don and he was at breakfast with him one morning and asked him if he had ever performed at the Opry and Don had said ‘no.’ And so Vince obviously went to work on that and that’s a pretty cool story because then Don became such a regular out there.”
How Blake Shelton Really Feels About Having A Residency In Las Vegas
The 2026 ACM Awards comes at the perfect time for Blake Shelton who is already in Las Vegas for Shelton’s Live in Las Vegas residency for the month of May. He joked that the star-studded award show came to him this year.
“That’s how important I am. It’s amazing,” said Shelton.
His residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace saw such an overwhelming response from fans that he was forced to add eight more shows in May. He is set to take the stage tonight as well as tomorrow, May 16 before making his highly-anticipated ACM Awards appearance. The residency will pick back up for the final shows on May 21 and 24.
Shelton proudly declared that he is having “more fun” on this Sin City run that he did on the other two because he feels more “settled” this time around.
“Vegas was a little bit intimidating at first because when you hear, ‘Okay, I’m going to do a residency in Las Vegas,’ I do shows all the time. Who cares? It’s going to be easy. And then you land here and you start driving down the strip and it’s like, ‘Come here tonight to see Shania. Oh, Garth is over here and oh, the Eagles.’ And you’re going, ‘Oh my gosh, wait a minute, maybe I’m not ready for this.’ Because you do kind of feel like, ‘Man, I don’t know that I’m to that level of what those guys do. I better step it up,’” he admits. “Now I get what people, at least what they expect and want from me at my shows.”
Vegas Shows Allow Shelton To Connect With Fans More Than Other Performances
After serving as a coach on The Voice for 12 years, Shelton has picked up on the fact that people feel like they know him on a more personal level. This has helped him figure out how to cater his shows to make sure his fans leave feeling like they just had an unforgettable night.
“That’s what I think they want from my shows is that interaction. And so I’ve gotten to the point where probably I interact more with fans in Las Vegas than I do on any of my other concerts because I feel like that’s what they come here wanting and they want to have that one-on-one experience. So I’m having a blast with it.”
Don’t miss Blake Shelton’s performance of “The Gambler” taking place this Sunday during the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Hosted by Shania Twain, the event will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show will stream live exclusively on Prime Video beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT for viewers in more than 240 countries and territories.
Even on a Wednesday night, Russell Dickerson proved just how big his impact on country music has become, with fans packing out and selling out his debut show at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
This monumental tour stop on May 13 featured an epic set list of early fan-favorites like “Blue Tacoma,” “Love You Like I Used To,” and “Home Sweet” as well as newer powerhouse tracks such as “Worth Your Wild” and his latest, “BOOTS” featuring Fetty Wap. As confetti filled the air and fans screamed their hearts out, Dickerson brought the show to a close with massive singalong to the multi-platinum selling artist’s sixth career No. 1, “Happen To Me.”
Russell Dickerson; Photo by Thomas Heney
Dickerson learned the news that the entire Colorado venue was sold out just hours before taking the stage. He stood in the audience before any fans made their way in and took in the reality of the career milestone. Later on, the evening kicked off with performances from Niko Moon and Adrien Nunez before Dickerson brought his signature RUSSELLMANIA energy to the crowd.
The night marked a full-circle moment for the “Sorry” singer, who previously visited Red Rocks while working behind the scenes as a guitar tech for Chris Tomlin. Reflecting on the night in a new Instagram post, Dickerson admitted it was hard to express just how much it meant to him to sell out his very first headline show at such an iconic venue.
“SOLD OUT AT RED ROCKS!!! I have no words,” he wrote. “That was the most insane night of my entire life. Thank you thank you thank you for believing in me and making my dreams come true. WHAT A LIFE BABY!!!!
His wife, Kailey commented “I’ll never get over it 😭.”
Dickerson had several fellow country acts joining his wife in the comment section with congratulatory messages.
Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay wrote, “LETS GO 🔥”
Dustin Lynch said “Let’s gooo RD! 📈📈”
“Congrats brother 💪💪💪,” wrote Jordan Davis.
Drew Baldridge added, “That’s incredible buddy!”
Red Rocks will forever be a significant stop on Russell Dickerson’s 2026 RUSSELLMANIA Tour, following his recent performance at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater. He will continue with even more dates amphitheaters and other notable venues throughout the end of May.
Russell Dickerson; Photo by Thomas Heney
Those who are a part of Dickerson’s Blue Tac-homies fan club also have the chance to attend the country act’s CMA Fest fan club party. Those signed up will get a code to redeem a free ticket to the event.
“I’m SO STOKED to hang with yall!!”
A full list of Russell Dickerson’s 2026 tour dates can be found on his official website.
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