Alan Jackson is set to open a Nashville museum later this month. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Category: Music
Koe Wetzel has spent the past year putting together his brand-new record, The Night Champion. Today, June 12, his sixth studio album finally arrives via Columbia Records, giving fans a taste of everything that has led up to him becoming best version of himself.
A few days before the highly anticipated release, Wetzel made the trip to Chicago to give a select group of fans an early listen. He performed a few of the songs that reflect spirit of the project produced by Gabe Simon, and its underlying theme of resilience as he celebrates surviving the “night side” of himself and coming out a champion.
“We’ve been listening to it damn near every day through the mixing process and the master process. But I think we got something really special with this record,” he admitted to the crowd at Carol’s Pub.
While the Texas native taps into his deep thoughts and vulnerable emotions throughout the 11 tracks, he doesn’t lose sight of his signature gritty, hard-edged sound. Listeners will even get a dose of lust, romance and heartbreak come to play with songs like “Magnet,” “I’ll Lock Up,” “Dollar and a Bottle” and more.
“It’s kind of where I am now: an edgy roughness to all of the songs that doesn’t give a f*ck, but there’s a tenderness to it, too. Whatever happens, I’m man enough to deal, but the focus and headspace have shifted; I’ve grown up and become okay with looking back,” he admitted.
Wetzel only included one outside cut on the entire project, “Circus.” While introducing the track to fans in Chicago, he explained it was the only song he didn’t write on the record and said there was a “damn good reason” it made the final tracklist.
The song, penned solely by Sam Harris, taps into the gap between how life was imagined versus how it actually turned out. In this case, Wetzel reflects on the dreams he once had and contrasts them with the reality, which feels much heavier and less glamorous.
Then there’s the “really sad cowboy sh**” on the record, as Wetzel describes, that comes through in songs like “When I Was,” featuring harmonies from Maggie Antone.
“We had her come on and throw some harmonies on it and it really made the song what it is,” he said of Antone’s vocals. “I’ve been telling everybody that this is probably one of the slower, sadder songs that I’ve put out in a very, very long time. I’m really excited about this tune.”
Whether you’re a fan who’s been here since day one or who jumped on the train during Wetzel’s most prominent radio hit is “High Road,” The Night Champion serves as the perfect place for all listeners to meet in one place and experience where the singer/songwriter is at in his life now.
“In a lot of ways, it’s closing a chapter, and opening another one for what’s to come for the next 10, 12 years,” Wetzel admitted.
Following “High Road,” Wetzel returned to country radio with “Hurts Like You,” the lead single from his new project. Now he is gearing up to take the new music on the road during his 50+ date The Night Champion World Tour. The trek launches July 8 in Edmonton, Alb. and will continue with several dates across Canada before returning to the U.S. on July 23 with a show in Nampa, Idaho and running through the fall.
The post Koe Wetzel Celebrates New Era With ‘The Night Champion’: ‘We Got Something Really Special’ appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Fans will soon get the chance to relive the magic of CMA Fest as country music’s biggest stars take over the small screen for CMA Fest presented by SoFi, returning to ABC and Hulu later this month.
As anticipation builds, the Country Music Association and ABC have revealed the star-studded lineup for the three-hour concert special, which will be hosted by country superstar Riley Green alongside Good Morning America co-host Lara Spencer.
The special will feature performances from Bailey Zimmerman, Blake Shelton, The Band Perry, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Deana Carter, Ella Langley, Fetty Wap, Florida Georgia Line, Gretchen Wilson, HARDY, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, Michael McDonald, Molly Tuttle, The Red Clay Strays, Ricky Skaggs, Riley Green, Russell Dickerson, Shaboozey, Shay Morgan, Stephen Wilson Jr., Tim McGraw, Tucker Wetmore, and Zach Top.
Airing Thursday, June 25 at 8/7c on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu, the special will give fans a front-row seat to one of country music’s biggest weekends, all set in the heart of Music City.
SoFi has been named the first-ever broadcast presenting sponsor and Official Bank of CMA Fest, joining the festival in a partnership centered on helping people pursue financial independence through music. As part of the collaboration, SoFi will highlight standout performances, including country icon Deana Carter and the live debut of Shaboozey’s new single, “Cowgirl.”
This year, CMA Fest — the longest-running country music festival in the world — welcomed an estimated 100,000 fans per day to Nashville. Coming from all 50 states and 39 countries around the globe, fans flooded Music City for four days and nights packed with nonstop music and no shortage of surprises.
Country Music fans can already start marking their calendars for next year’s celebration. The 54th CMA Fest will return to Nashville June 10–13, 2027, continuing its run as the longest-running country music festival in the world. Over four days and nights, fans can expect nonstop performances, surprise collaborations, and one-of-a-kind moments only CMA Fest can deliver.
The post Ella Langley, Zach Top, Lainey Wilson, Tim McGraw & More Set for CMA Fest TV Special appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
He’s setting the record straight about some things. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
He’s setting the record straight about some things. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Priscilla Block has never been one to sugarcoat things, and her latest social media update is proof of that.
The North Carolina native recently got candid with fans about the less glamorous side of life on the road, revealing that a packed CMA Fest schedule left her feeling exhausted and under the weather.
“The level of exhaustion at this current moment in time? Very high,” she admitted.
While getting ready for a show, Block opened up about the reality of touring and the challenges artists often face behind the scenes.
“I truly feel like not enough people talk about this. Well, maybe they do whenever they do their documentary down the road, you see the craziness of touring, the behind the scenes of artists losing their mind,” she said. “There are days where it’s just kind of hard.”
Block went on to reveal that she got “pretty sick” after CMA Fest, where she packed in multiple appearances and performances throughout the week.
@priscillablock Farm life farm wife era loading 😂
“My fever finally broke yesterday, but I’ve had a super sore throat, fever-ish, achy all day today. I literally slept till 1:50. I’ve just been trying to take it easy. I got a show tonight and tomorrow. But yeah, I think the hardest part, I guess, of touring is when you’re not feeling good, but you have to just dig deep, find that energy.”
Fortunately, she says her fans help provide the boost she needs to push through.
“And the good thing is, I feel like y’all always give me energy that I don’t have at shows. When the crowd is super hype, I feel like it fuels me,” she shared. “But I feel good enough to go out there. I’m so excited. I’ve already seen so many people out there. It’s nights like these that they’re a little scary because as an artist, you never want to cancel a show. So then you give it and you push and then you hope the next day you don’t have to suffer the consequences of that. There’s so much that goes into putting on a show and bringing the energy and your vocal ability, being where it needs to be. It’s kind of insane.”
Despite feeling run down, Block still found plenty to celebrate from her CMA Fest experience. The singer later shared that she filmed a music video, hosted two fan club parties, took over a karaoke event, performed at Riverfront Stage, and even got the chance to meet reality TV icon Snooki during the whirlwind week in Nashville.
Priscilla Block has plenty of summer tour dates on the books, including a performance at 27LIVE Powered by Country Now in Nashville on July 30. Fans can RSVP for free HERE.
To view a complete list of her upcoming tour dates, visit Block’s official website.
The post Priscilla Block Gets Real About Getting Sick After CMA Fest and the Reality of Life on Tour appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Jelly Roll recently brought his Little Ass Shed Tour to Credit One Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, where he made one young fan’s dream come true, thanks to the efforts of Make-A-Wish.
In a heartwarming video shared across his social media, the genre-bending star was seen spending time backstage with Amelia, who was diagnosed with a brain cancer called Medulloblastoma and has now been cancer free for over a year. Jelly Roll created a memorable experience for the young girl as he answered her important questions before giving her and her family a shoutout during the show.
She made sure to start off with a hard-hitting question, asking what his favorite activity is. Jelly Roll happily responded, “You know my new favorite activity is hiking. You ever been hiking? I used to be a lot bigger and I couldn’t hike. Now that I’m skinny, I’m in love with hiking. I get to go see cool stuff I couldn’t see before.”
He followed up by returning the same question to her, prompting her to share her love for swimming. Amelia also inquired about the story behind why the “Save Me” singer, whose real name is Jason DeFord, goes by Jelly Roll.
“My mama gave me that nickname because I like jelly donuts. You want to hear the funny part? She didn’t know the difference between a jelly donut and a jelly roll. So I might’ve ended up being jelly donut if she’d have known the difference,” he explained, earning a laugh out of Amelia.
@officialjellyroll Kids just have no filter🤣😭 @Make-A-Wish ♬ original sound – Jelly Roll
Once on stage, Jelly Roll made sure to give Amelia and her family a special shoutout, putting them on the big screen and revealing that Amelia had requested a song he hadn’t performed in nearly seven years. The song titled “Only” was released on his 2017 mixtape Addiction Kills.
“She was the sweetest little girl. Her mom and dad were awesome people,” Jelly Roll stated before admitting, “I don’t think I remember the lyrics and only a couple of people in the band might know that we’re to try. And Amelia, if we blow it really bad we’re sorry, but we’re doing this for you.”
Despite his initial concerns, Jelly Roll delivered a standout performance of the fan-favorite track, earning a huge smile from Amelia and a roaring response from the crowd.
@theladiesman2 Jelly roll did a song for this precious little Amelia; she was from the Make-A-Wish Foundation 🥹. He has not performed this song in seven years. P.s This little girl new the song by #JellyRoll #WowMoment #favorite #fypageシ ♬ original sound – 🍭theladiesman3.0🍭
Amelia’s mom first took to Facebook to share her daughter’s diagnosis back in June of 2024. At the time, she was said to be fighting through intensive radiation treatments like a “superhero.”
“Although this type of therapy is difficult to face every day, she always remains positive and keeps a smile on her face,” the post from June 2024 read. “Even though she has lost all of her hair at this point, she doesn’t let anything stop her from being her normal, happy, sociable self. When she notices other children looking at her a little extra longer, or maybe looking at her curiously, she’s always brave enough to say, ‘Hi, I’m Ameliah! And you can ask me questions if you want to!’”
Since the concert, Amelia’s mom has released another statement to Facebook giving followers an update on her health.
“She’s cancer free today, all glory to God! After bravely battling medulloblastoma, she is now a little over a year cancer-free. Her family is so grateful for every prayer, every bit of support, and every ounce of strength that has carried her this far.”
The post goes on to celebrate the fact that her last MRI in April showed no signs of the cancer returning, which is “a blessing her family don’t take for granted.” Her family is praying for “good news and continued healing” leading up to her next scan at the end of July.
Jelly Roll’s Little Ass Shed Tour continues tomorrow, June 13 in Grand Rapids, MI.
The post Jelly Roll Dedicates Rare Performance of ‘Only’ to Make-A-Wish Recipient After Heartwarming Backstage Meeting appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Chris Young isn’t quite ready to leave I Didn’t Come Here To Leave behind. Just months after releasing the 14-track album, the country star is expanding the project with a deluxe edition, out today, June 12 via Black River Entertainment.
The newly expanded collection features three additional tracks, including collaborations with Shaylen and BRELAND, giving fans an even deeper look into a record Young considers to be one of his “favorite” collections yet.
“Everybody always says it’s, ‘Oh, this is the favorite record I’ve made,’ because they’re trying to push it and they want people to listen to the songs. But for me with this record specifically, I really do think we made something that as a whole project is really, really special,” he previously told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “There are meaningful songs on here. There’s meaningful songs to me. There’s meaningful songs about my family members that are on here. It’s very open, very straightforward, very honest as a project.”
Listeners got an early preview of the added tracks with “One of Us” featuring Shaylen. The song tells the story of a breakup from both sides of the relationship. Shaylen takes on the half of the relationship that appears to be moving forward, getting dressed up, going out, and trying to embrace her newfound freedom. Meanwhile, Young’s character is struggling to cope, spending his nights drinking and replaying what went wrong, proving that heartbreak isn’t always experienced equally.
Today, on his 41st birthday, Young releases the final two tracks following “One Of Us,”: “If You’re Lucky” featuring BRELAND and “Wedding Band,” making the project feel complete. The expanded collection was co-produced by Young and collaborator, Andy Sheridan.
Co-written by BRELAND and Young along with Matt McVarney, “If You’re Lucky” offers a flirtatious, feel-good tribute to the kind of woman who effortlessly captures everyone’s attention. The upbeat track displays vivid details about her personality and favorite things, from wine and cheap champagne to dancing in the rain and wearing sundresses in the spring.
“We wrote this, I think, almost five years ago together. And when I was working on the song, the thing that I would put my finger on and say, this is what makes it different from music that I’ve released in the past is really we sort of have an overlap, but he’s more of a tenor 2. I’m more of a baritone. And I think it really compliments the song with our voices being just slightly different,” Young said, reflecting on why their voices work so well together.
Last but not least, fans finally get their hands on “Wedding Band,” which takes on a much more heartbreaking tone as the Tennessee native depicts the sadness and regret of never telling the “girl next door” how he truly felt. While Young admits he is genuinely happy for the bride, he can’t hide the heartbreak of realizing that the person he always dreamed of being with is starting her forever with someone else.
“I sing a song/ He takes her hand/ Just the two of them/ For their first dance/ I’ll try and fight back the tears even though I know I can’t/ We’re both here tonight for her/ He loves her now, but I loved her first/ Her better half and her best friend/ We’re both leaving with a wedding band,” Young sings.
Each of the new songs brings its own level of heart and emotion, finding Chris Young tapping into different aspects of his artistry to show just how versatile he is as a storyteller.
I Didn’t Come Here To Leave (Deluxe) arrives as the title track prepares to head to country radio on June 15th. The song has already been streamed more than 24 million times.
The country star revealed he started off 2025 with plans to not do anything and then suddenly he found himself diving headfirst into this collection and in the end, he’s “really proud” of what was created.
The post Chris Young Adds New Depth To ‘I Didn’t Come Here To Leave’ With Deluxe Release appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Fans have never heard Chris Young quite like this before! Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Fans have never heard Chris Young quite like this before! Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs