Keith Urban is handling the news with class. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
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Keith Urban is handling the news with class. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Ashley McBryde is opening up about a very unexpected and magical moment that came during a recent visit to the Grand Ole Opry, where she met a young fan named Sawyer June. In a new video, she recalls their chance meeting backstage, harmonizing together and experiencing an important reminder about the power of music.
Sawyer first caught McBryde’s attention during her performance in the coveted circle on Sunday, February 22. While delivering her heartfelt song “Light On In the Kitchen,” McBryde noticed a young girl, around 10 or 12 years old, and her mom make their way to the front of the audience and begin singing along to every word. This alone was special for McBryde, who admits she couldn’t watch them during the performance knowing it would cause her to get emotional.
The night carried on and she and her band packed up, ready to head out for the night. However, they stopped when they ran into a tour group, which just so happened to include Sawyer and her parents.
“I stopped and said hello to everybody. And the front of the tour was the young girl and her mom and her dad. I went over and shook her hand, and I found out her name and they gave me some pecans from their farm, which I love pecans,” McBryde shares. “And then they let me know that she is a singer as well. And her mom said that she sings ‘Bible And A .44’ really well.”
This prompted Ashley McBryde to immediately take out her guitar and sing a few lines of the song with the fan she had just met. In the video that she embedded into the recap, we see the two of them sitting on the floor and connecting as they harmonized so effortlessly, without missing a single note.
The Arkansas native admits she was instantly blown away by how much talent and passion the girl possessed at such a young age.
“She didn’t miss a breath and her agility and vocal, just the quality of her voice was so good. And that’s not even the most magical part. She sat there and I sang harmony with her. And then the last chorus of ‘Bible and a .44,’ I asked everybody to sing and you can’t plan moments like these. But I knew it was important to sit down with her and told her that she’s a star, that I will see her on the Opry stage someday because I believe that.”
She says everything else that happened that night in the historic Nashville venue is now basically a blur, as it was all overshadowed by this one encounter. McBryde then pledged to follow Sawyer on social media in order keep up with her musical journey, knowing that she has a bright future ahead.
Seeing the spark in the young singer’s eyes moved Ashley McBryde so much as it reminded her of why she does what she does as an artist.
“I talk about it often, having the chance to make records that might make people want to make records and write songs that make people want to write songs, to sing songs that might make somebody want to sing songs…she looked at me and said, ‘you’re my favorite singer and you always will be.’ And I said, ‘same,’ but I wanted you to hear that from me. That was a magical, magical, moment. That’s the whole point. The fire might’ve gotten lit tonight. That’s why we do anything we do. Only at the Grand Opry folks,” she said, concluding her message.
In a following post, McBryde shared the full video of them singing together. She let Sawyer take the lead, chiming in occasionally to harmonize and eventually invited the rest of the tour group to join them, making the moment even more special. As the camera panned around the room, it was clear that tears were being shed among those silently watching the magical performance.
At the very end, they shared a hug and each took a moment to thank the other for creating a lifelong memory.
“y’all, you’re gonna want to remember the name Sawyer June. I know I’ll never forget singing with her,” McBryde wrote in the caption. “I hope I’m there on the night you walk across the Opry stage, Sawyer June.”
The post Ashley McBryde Tears Up Over Magical Opry Moment With Young Star In The Making appeared first on Country Now.
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Eric Church’s life changed forever in 2018 when his brother Brandon suddenly died. In the weeks that followed, he was in a very vulnerable state, struggling to make sense of it all, but then he received a call from country legend Vince Gill who offered him a perspective on the situation that he would never forget.
The North Carolina native’s brother died at age 36 on Friday, June 29, 2018. According to an autopsy report obtained from TMZ, Brandon suffered two seizures, one of which led to cardiac arrest. Many of his health issues were reportedly tied to years of alcohol use, which had damaged his heart and liver, and left him with a history of seizures triggered by alcohol withdrawal.
During an appearance on the CNN Podcast All There Is with Anderson Cooper, Church opened up about this tragedy and how it impacted his life.
“When my brother died, I didn’t comprehend that it’s never going to be the same again — with my parents, with their relationship, with the whole family, the family dynamic. When my brother died, I wasn’t prepared for that part,” he admits.
He went on to recall a conversation he had with Gill shortly just a few days after the loss. The pair of artists had met before, but they weren’t close friends at the time. Gill could relate to what Church was going through as he had unfortunately also lost his own brother, Bob Gill, to a heart attack in 1993. While sharing their stories of grief, the Grand Ole Opry member offered some guidance to Church that has stuck with him to this day.
“I didn’t really know Vince very well. I’d met him. And he actually was the first one that said to me, he said, ‘You don’t understand this now, but you’re never going to be the same. Your mom and dad are never going to be the same. Your sister’s never going to be the same. Y’all are never going to be the same as a unit. Nothing’s ever going to be the same. And the quicker you understand that, the better you’ll deal with it.’”
The “Hands of Time” singer explained that at the time, he wasn’t quite able to grasp what Gill was telling him. Eventually, he came to understand just what those powerful words meant and realized that he spoke nothing but the truth in that moment.
“I was sitting there thinking, well, it was grief. We’ve always been the family. But looking back on it…he’s exactly right. It never is the same. When something like that happens, it changes everything. And it becomes a new normal,” Church added.
The critically acclaimed country star and his brother always shared a love for music. They started off in a band together, and then once Church embarked on his solo career, his brother became a huge supporter. Brandon is even credited on at least two of Church’s songs: “How ‘Bout You” and “Without You Here.”
All these years later, Church says that he might not have ever gotten to this point if it weren’t for Brandon’s encouragement during the difficult moments of his musical journey.
“When I came to Nashville, like any experience for a young artist and Nashville songwriter, it’s tough. You think you’re really good, I would say this to any artist out there: you think you’re really good till you get to Nashville and you see what really good looks like. And I went through a couple of years of trying to make it and it wasn’t working.”
He revealed that one night, he was feeling extra defeated and was ready to throw in the towel and give up on Music City all together. First, he called his brother, who ended up doing everything in his power to make sure that Church didn’t give up on himself.
“He said, ‘What’s going on?’ I said, ‘Man, it’s not gonna work.’ I said, ‘I feel like life’s passing me by. I feel like all my friends and everybody back there is moving on with their life. They’re getting married, they’re doing this stuff. I’m out here treading water,’ right? And the next day he showed up in Nashville. We drove and I had a one-bedroom apartment,” he recalled. “He slept on my foldout couch for a year, just to keep me there. And he just moved in and we found our own rhythm and our own life, but he wouldn’t let me go. He said, ‘No, you’re not. You don’t come here. I’ll come to you.’ And he moved out and it kept me in town.”
A year of living together changed everything. Slowly, Church began to see movement in his dreams, and looking back, he realizes just how pivotal that support was.
“I don’t tell a lot of people that, but I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him doing that, because that was an ultimate commitment. He dropped everything where he was and said, ‘Pack a bag, I’ll sleep on your couch.’ And that’s what he did.”
Losing his brother was obviously a major moment in Eric Church’s life. Since then, he has witnessed several other losses and tragedies. Church not only opened up to Anderson Cooper about his brother’s death but also about the grief he dealt with after the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting and the 2023 Covenant School tragedy, which hit especially close to home since his own children attended school nearby.
This conversation found Church opening up in a way he doesn’t often do publicly, while reflecting on how loss has changed the way he views life, family, and the world around him.
The post Eric Church Opens Up About Losing His Brother And The Call From Vince Gill That Helped Him Heal appeared first on Country Now.
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Jelly Roll just revealed 11 new tour dates for this spring and summer. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Jelly Roll just revealed 11 new tour dates for this spring and summer. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Just when it seemed like 2026 was already packed for Jelly Roll, he decided to give fans even more to look forward to. The hitmaker has added a second headlining run to his calendar, announcing a special limited trek dubbed The Little Ass Shed Tour.
Produced by Live Nation, The Little ASS Shed Tour will launch on May 28 in West Palm Beach, FL, and continue with stops in select cities across the U.S., including Orange Beach, Charleston, Virginia Beach, Grand Rapids, Saratoga Springs, Bangor, and more. The tour will conclude with a show in Walla Walla, Washington on July 22.
Joining the 3x GRAMMY winner on the road as support throughout the run will be rising star Kashus Culpepper.
The name of this smaller trek offers a nod to his upcoming stadium run, The Big Ass Stadium Tour Part 2 alongside Post Malone. As it suggests, he will be making his way to smaller venues, promising a more intimate experience before hitting bigger stages nationwide.
Tickets for The Little Ass Shed Tour will first be available through various artist and venue presales before going on sale to the general public. Additional presales, including a Citi cardmember presale, which allows Citi cardmembers to have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, February 24 at 10am local time until Thursday, February 26 at 10pm local time through the Citi Entertainment program. More information can be found at www.citientertainment.com.
Fans can also upgrade their concert experience with a range of VIP packages and experiences. Options vary, but may include premium seating, a guided backstage tour, a limited-edition Jelly Roll tour poster, and more. VIP package details differ by package, with more info available at vipnation.com.
Before embarking on either of the tours, Jelly Roll will be inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, March 10. His friend and duet partner, Opry member Lainey Wilson, will be on site to induct him during the milestone night.
The evening at the historic venue will feature performances from Craig Morgan, as well as fellow artists Leanne Morgan, ERNEST, and more.
THE LITTLE ASS SHED TOUR 2026 DATES:
May 28 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
June 2 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
June 7 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium*^
June 8 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park
June 10 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
June 13 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
June 18 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Albany Med Health System at SPAC
June 20 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
June 21 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion
June 23 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
July 22 – Walla Walla, WA – Wine Country Amphitheater*^
*Not a Live Nation Date
^Support TBA
The post Jelly Roll Adds Special Limited Headline Run to Busy 2026 Tour Plans appeared first on Country Now.
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Imagine writing a song in your home gym, thinking it’s just a joke, and then it becomes a hit. Aaron Tippin’s story is a wild ride. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country