“I live my entire life somewhere between two middle fingers and the grace of Jesus Christ. And I learned that from Johnny Cash.” Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Category: Music
Christian Brown first introduced himself to the world during his audition for Season 24 of American Idol. He won over viewers and the judging panel with his talent and the heartfelt moment shared with his father, Marty Brown, a Kentucky Music Hall of Famer and accomplished songwriter. While he appeared eager and ready to begin the journey of a lifetime, a far greater challenge was waiting for him back home.
The hopeful singer chose to sing a song his father wrote, titled “Wildest Dreams,” and earned a golden ticket to Hollywood week. There, he got one last chance to fight for his spot in the competition but was ultimately eliminated after the first round. Even though his journey on the show came to an end, Brown agreed to take part in a months-long press tour to help promote the new season into the spring.
What many fans didn’t realize was Brown had just welcomed his newborn son, Isaiah, only four days before stepping into the audition room in front of judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
As he kept up with the press tour, things back home in Kentucky took an unexpected turn. Brown tells whas11 doctors discovered his baby boy had a serious heart condition called coarctation of the aorta, “that would require life-saving surgery.”
Hearing this news, Brown’s priorities suddenly took a complete 180. In a short time, he went from pursing his dreams in front of a national audience to fearing for his son’s future. The 23-year-old and his family made the two-hour drive from Franklin to Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville so that Isaiah could undergo the necessary surgery to try and mend the defect.
“He has to have this fix, or down the road he could have a heart attack or something happen to him,” Brenda Brown, Christian’s wife, told the outlet.
This unfortunately was not the first time the family had been to Norton Children’s Hospital for life-saving care. Brown shares when he was 3 years old, his brother was also treated there for a congenital heart defect.
“I remember being at the Ronald McDonald House in Louisville,” Christian said. “Now we’re here with our son, and it’s this full circle moment.”
He took to Facebook on March 4 to share an update with his followers. The aspiring artist was pleased to say that his “strong” “Little angel” had made it through surgery and was in “perfect condition.”
“His mommy and daddy sure did miss him while he was with the surgeons that took excellent care of him. Thank you to Norton Children’s Hospital Downtown for taking the time to help our little guy,” he added.
With Isaiah is now recovering surrounded by family, Christian Brown’s music career is taking a backseat and there’s no place he’d rather be than by his little one’s side.
“If I had a record deal sitting in front of my face and my son in the other hand, I’d choose my son any time over anything,” Christian said.
This isn’t the end of his music journey, just a pause. In fact, he notes how his love for his son has inspired him to want to get back to songwriter. Brown also admits he now understands the place his father was in when he wrote the song that would later become his heartfelt audition track, “Wildest Dreams.”
“He makes me want to write again. He’s bringing the words back to the music. I know how my dad felt back then. I do now.”
Fans will not see Christian Brown continue his journey on American Idol, however he did tease plans to return to Nashville and hints that a new opportunity is on the horizon, with more details to come.
The post Christian Brown’s Journey on ‘American Idol’ Ends Amid Newborn’s ‘Life-Saving’ Surgery appeared first on Country Now.
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Who is Jelly Roll’s Mom, Donna DeFord?
Jelly Roll says his mother was the one who first introduced him to country music. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
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Who is Jelly Roll’s Mom, Donna DeFord?
Jelly Roll says his mother was the one who first introduced him to country music. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Nicole Kidman is breaking her silence about her divorce from Keith Urban, calling the past year “rough” while saying their family remains her top priority. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Clint Black’s decades-long impact on country music will soon be celebrated in a major way. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has announced a new exhibition dedicated to the iconic singer-songwriter that will give fans a deeper look into the life and career that made him one of the genre’s most respected artists.
Titled “Clint Black: The Hard Way On Purpose,” the upcoming exhibit will take visitors on a journey through the Texas native’s rise in country music, from a determined, hopeful musician to a chart-topping star who built his career on his own terms.
Fans will have the chance to stop by and celebrate his contributions to the genre when the exhibit opens to the public on April 22, 2026. It will remain on display through August 2027 and is included with museum admission.
“Black’s decades-long determination to write and perform his own songs, and to advocate for artists’ rights, marked him as a maverick and proved causes worth standing up for,” Kyle Young, chief executive officer of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, stated. “His voice, words and melodies have added immeasurably to country music’s rich history — etched on the hearts of millions.”
Upon hearing the news that the museum planned to recognize him in this way, Black said he was deeply honored and admitted it was something he never expected.
“When I was told the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum wanted to create an exhibit about my life and career, I truly was surprised and moved,” Black shared. “I wouldn’t have expected it, and I feel so fortunate to have such an incredible team of talented people working so hard to bring my story to life in this exhibit. I wanted to do everything I could to support their efforts and share anything I could with the fans from my journey in music, movies and life in general. I’m very excited to be a part of the greatest museum in the world.”
Various pieces of memorabilia, including stage wear, instruments, memorabilia, manuscripts, photographs, videos and more will be on display in the exhibit, showcasing how Black carved out his place in the industry as a singer, songwriter, player, actor, and label head, to name a few of his many roles.
Below are some examples of the items that will be available to view:
- The second-place trophy Black won for selling newspaper subscriptions to the Houston Post —one of his first jobs — in the paper’s annual Top Salesman contest in 1978.
- One of three Martin guitars that Black purchased after receiving his first substantial paycheck from RCA Records in 1990.
- Lyrics Black wrote on his summer 1991 tour itinerary when his musical hero Merle Haggard appeared as a special guest. Backstage one night, Black offered to help Haggard finish a song he was working on. “Untanglin’ My Mind” became a Top Five country hit for Black in 1994 and was recorded by Haggard two years later.
- The desert camouflage fatigues Black wore during his 1993 USO tour of Somalia where he performed for American troops at base camps and other locations in the war-torn east African nation.
- The playing cards Black used in his acting debut in a brief but memorable appearance as the “Sweet-faced Gambler” in the 1994 Hollywood film “Maverick.” Caught cheating at poker in a scene with the movie’s stars Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Garner, his character’s stunt double is thrown overboard from a riverboat.
- The director’s chair Black used while filming the video for his song “Summer’s Comin’,” a #1 hit in 1995.
- A draft of handwritten lyrics by Black for his chart-topping 1996 single, “Like the Rain.” Using the working title “I Never Liked the Rain,” this manuscript includes some different lyrics to the version he recorded and was co-written with his friend and long-time bandmate, guitarist Hayden Nicholas.
- A copy of the “Larry Sanders Show” script from the show’s final episode in 1998 — signed by the cast including Tom Petty. Comedian and actor Gary Shandling had invited his good friend Black to appear in the program and Black and Petty staged a fight scene in the episode, with Petty calling Black “Roy Rogers.”
- Lisa Hartman Black’s Brides International dress — with floral embroidery and tulle skirt and shawl — and Black’s Versace jacket that the married couple wore in the music video for “When I Said I Do.” The duet topped Billboard’s country singles chart in 1999 and was named the Top Vocal Event of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.
Clint Black has remained one of country music’s most notable figures since emerging in the late 1980s. Over the following decade, he wrote or co-wrote 29 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and has sold more than 20 million records. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1991 and continued to rack up major milestones throughout his career, including performing the halftime show at the Super Bowl XXVIII and earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Aside from the music, he also married actress Lisa Hartman in 1991 and they welcomed their daughter, Lily Pearl Black, on May 8, 2001.
Black has accomplished so much in his lifetime both personally and professionally and he’s not slowing down yet. Last month, he launched his 2026 Back on The Blacktop Tour, bringing him across the country with headline dates through September, as well as a few supporting dates with Cody Johnson along the way.
The post Clint Black To Be Honored With New Exhibit At The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum appeared first on Country Now.
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Jelly Roll was officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday evening, welcomed into the family by his longtime friend, collaborator, and fellow member, Lainey Wilson.
The multi-GRAMMY award winner was joined by Wilson as well as his friend and mentor, Opry member Craig Morgan, along with friends Leanne Morgan and ERNEST during the celebration, making it a truly memorable night in his career.
The evening also included several deeply meaningful guests in the crowd. Among them were Sheriff Daron Hall and Davidson County Juvenile Correctional Professional Yolanda Hockett, two people who played a pivotal role in Jelly Roll’s life during his time at a local juvenile detention center. Members of the Judge Dinkins Educational Center, an organization he now partners with to uplift underserved youth, were also in attendance. He made sure to recognize them all from the stage, while also sharing a special moment with his mom, who sat proudly in the front row seeing him perform at the Opry for the very first time.
Following performances of some of his biggest hits, like “Liar” and “Need A Favor,” Wilson returned to the stage to welcome Jelly Roll into the Opry family. She reflected on his journey in country music and praised him for being a voice for so many people who feel like they don’t have one.
“This is such an honor for me to be able to do this for you tonight,” Wilson began. “There are some people in this business who are great singers. There are some people in this business who are great songwriters and storytellers. And then every once in a while, somebody comes along who is something even bigger than that. They’re a voice for people who feel like they don’t have one.”
She went on to explain that with Jelly Roll, what you see is what you get and applauded him for being a man of faith.
“That’s exactly who Jelly Roll is. And if you ever met Jelly Roll, the guy who stood on this stage tonight is the same one that’s backstage, the same man at the grocery store. He’s the same man talking to the fans that needed to hear that they were not beyond saving. And I just want to say your love for Jesus Christ radiates from you and I’m just so proud of you. I’m so proud to watch your journey. It is inspiring. It really is inspiring,” she said. “Country music has always been about telling stories, telling the truth, the good, the bad, the ugly, the messy. It’s about redemption. And tonight we are welcoming a man who has never been afraid to tell the truth about his life and that is powerful. He turned pain into purpose, mistakes into music and somehow managed to make millions of people feel like they were just a little less alone. And I’m so proud to know you. I’m so proud to call you my friend. Jelly Roll, because of your heart, your story, and the way that you have used your voice to lift everybody up, it is my honor to welcome you into the Grand Ole Opry family.”
The platinum-selling star stepped into the Opry Circle and delivered a message of faith and gratitude.
“To take a convicted felon from Music City, who found country music. I didn’t find Nashville because of country music, y’all. I found country music because of Nashville, because I’m from here. And you take that kid that’s been in that local juvenile with Ms. Hockett, it’s been in that local county jail with Sheriff Hall, and you bring him here and you give him Grammys, you give him awards, platinum plaques, and you make him a member of the most prestigious group. Less than 230 people are members of the Grand Ole Opry, y’all,” he shared from the stage.
“Every word that I said sounded like I was telling you a lot about myself, but that is a story that only God can be the author of. Some stories only God can write, this is truly one of those stories..I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve to be on this stage. I don’t deserve the grace that God gave me, but I think that’s the best part. None of us do, right? And yet he gives it all the time. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can show up on his doorstep with all of your problems. You can have your own relationship with him. You don’t have to listen to the judgmental Christians about how you’re living your life. You can reach your own Bible and you can have your own relationship with Jesus. Amen!”
Following the presentation, Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson joined forces to close out the Opry show with a performance of their chart-topping duet, “Save Me,” bringing the curtain down on an incredible evening.
The post Jelly Roll Inducted Into The Grand Ole Opry By Lainey Wilson In Emotional Ceremony appeared first on Country Now.
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