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Carly Pearce came to Chicago, IL on Thursday, Sept. 17, ready with a set list full of fan-favorites and brand-new tracks off her new album, Honest Woman. But along with the music, she also brought plenty of honesty, which was fitting for a trek named the Honest Woman: Up Close Tour.
Fans packed the award-winning Joe’s on Weed St. to see Pearce up close, and from the very beginning, she made it clear that the night would be centered on vulnerability and personal storytelling. She delivered a 20-song set list that gave a real look at the woman behind the glamor and the seemingly perfect life that comes through on the Instagram photo dumps, which Pearce admitted are “as real as my hair tonight.”
“I have to say this is one of my absolute favorite places in the world to play so thank you for showing up tonight,” she began in her introduction. “Tonight, we celebrate whatever place of life you’re in because there are no stereotypes, there are no timelines, there is no right way to do it. You could be messy you can be a little behind in your friend group, you’re not behind you’re right where God wants you. So tonight we are gonna have a really, really fun time.”
She began the show by delivering a few songs off her just-released fifth studio album, Honest Woman including “Leave My Heart Alone” “How Long” and “She Don’t” then mixed in a few timeless tracks from her catalog, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” “Should’ve Known Better” and Every Little Thing.”
Pearce truly did not hold back as she introduced some of her more recently released songs and opened up about the stories that inspired them. One of the most heartwarming moments was when it was time for Pearce to perform “Why God Why Me.” Before unleashing the faith-filled lyrics, the Kentucky native explained that her mother, who has been dealing with some health challenges lately, was present for the show in Chicago.
Fans have heard Pearce express how difficult it has been to pursue her career while feeling the guilt of not being able to be there for her loved ones as much in her song “Dream Come True.” And then there’s “Why God Why Me,” which taps into another part of that journey, as she has the realization that even the highs, lows and most challenging days have a purpose.
“We really believe that my mom received a miracle from God in her healing in the last year. And I tell you that because our faith in our family is so important and it’s quite honestly the only thing that has gotten me through this season in my life of just making this album and trying to understand why things happen and watching what has happened with my mom has made my faith even stronger. And so this song, it felt like the only way that I could end this album,” she explained.
“You go through seasons, you go through good times, you go through bad things, but if any of you are not a believer, I want you to know that God, he’s taking you through a journey because he just wants a relationship with you and he wants you to trust him fully in the seasons that feel really dark. And for me, that has been the pillar of my life. And I completely understand now why I had to go through the hard things.”
The next portion of the show put Carly Pearce’s fiery side on display as she explored the complicated sides of love and relationships. She offered a few different perspectives on navigating messy situations with “Truck on Fire,” “WWJD” and “Same Circus” and then brought her opener onstage Belle Frantz back to the stage for “You Can Have Him,” adding another layer of female empowerment to the stage.
The intimate format of Pearce’s Honest Woman Tour allows her to create an environment where it almost felt like a room full of friends listening to music in a living room. In order to make it truly feel like a community, the songstress even allowed fans to help build the setlist by voting on two songs they wanted to hear prior to the concert.
Last night, the two most voted songs ended up both being particularly meaningful to Pearce. The first was “We Don’t Fight Anymore,” her collaboration with musical hero Chris Stapleton, and the second was “29,” which felt especially fitting given that it has been five years since the song and album were released.
“That album is really the album that I feel like changed my whole life. And if you’re going through something that’s hard and you don’t really understand why, just hang on for a second because I wrote this song in the saddest place of my life and it has given me so much power and so much strength and so much affirmation that I did the right thing…So don’t ever be afraid to leave something that you know in your gut is not right. This is my story when I was 29 and damn is 36 better.”
Those might have been the official fan requests chosen for the night, but Pearce didn’t stop there. She watched as fans held up suggestions for songs that didn’t make it into the setlist and she couldn’t help but sing a few lines from each one, turning the moment into what she called “Carly-oke.”
Another way that Pearce put her fans at the center of the evening was by inviting them to submit themselves or someone they believed deserved to be celebrated, for a special moment during the show. The idea tied directly into “Happy for Myself,” a song Pearce introduced by sharing how difficult it can be to genuinely celebrate a close friend while simultaneously struggling yourself. With that sentiment in mind, she wanted to recognize someone who had done exactly that in their own life.
She ultimately chose a fan whose story reflected that same spirit. This fan named Ally lost her dad to ALS when she was just 13 years old and all these years later, she has grown up and is now using that difficult chapter to do good for other people through her work as a social worker.
“I can only imagine Ally, watching your friends have dads throughout their teenage years and all of the things that you probably felt like you missed out on could be hard…being a voice to other people that maybe will look at you as somebody that they can look up to, I think that’s a really beautiful thing to be able to be vulnerable enough to share your story,” Pearce told her. “And so we want to celebrate you tonight because I think vulnerability is the whole reason that I’m standing up here. And if we can have more moments like what Ally shared tonight with me, I think that’s the whole reason that we’re all going to get a little closer and share a little bit more love.”
Pearce closed out the nearly two-hour show with “I Hope You’re Happy Now” and “What He Didn’t Do,” two songs that have become defining moments in her story of heartbreak and healing. Before wrapping up the night, she thanked the Chicago crowd for allowing her to live out her dreams in country music, supporting her along the way and coming together for an unforgettable night.
“Chicago, I love you so much. Country music fans, you’ve completely changed my life over the last 10 years and I’m so grateful. Thank you for loving ‘Honest Woman.’ Thank you for just being honest and vulnerable and willing to show up for me all the time,” she stated.
She left the room full of fans with the very important reminds in honor of her final song of the night, “What He Didn’t Do.”
“This song I feel like is the moment in the show where I just say, know your worth, know you’re beautiful, know you’re worthy, know that you are special and never settle for anything less.”
The post Carly Pearce Gets Vulnerable During Intimate Chicago Show On Honest Woman Tour appeared first on Country Now.
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There are several exciting all-star collaborations on the new project. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
There are several exciting all-star collaborations on the new project. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
With his new album, Silver Sands Marina, set to drop in one week, Kenny Chesney is opening up about the new project, admitting the 11-track collection is a true reflection of where he’s at in his life right now.
During an appearance on The TODAY Show, the Country Music Hall of Famer shared that the album is a reflection of his life and explained that he didn’t feel rushed throughout the album-making process.
“Well, I mean, you hope that the record that you put out is a reflection, is a mirror of where you are in your life. And I feel like this record is,” he said. “The thing that I love about it, I was afforded the gift of time for this one. Usually when an artist has a record and they put it out and it does well, the label kind of wants another one..In a 12 or 18 month period. But I wasn’t on that treadmill. I was at The Sphere for two years. I wrote a book. I was doing stuff. And so it took about three years to get this album where I wanted it. And I was very thankful.”
Silver Sands Marina is the follow-up to 2024’s Born and is fueled by the chart-climbing lead single, “Carry On.”
When assembling the project, Chesney says the thread holding everything together is joy, and he hopes fans feel that when listening. He was inspired to create that feeling when he thought about the fans who show up and sing his songs back to him each and every night.
“I think there’s a lot of emotions on this record that make you feel really alive and I’m very proud of that. That’s one thing that I try. When we’re up there on stage, sometimes I edit myself to a fault because I’m constantly going, ‘okay, well, if I record this song, is anybody out there going to care the way I think they’re going to care?’ And sometimes, like I said, sometimes it’s to a fault. But being up there on stage and seeing everybody out there and see their eyes and how they react to a certain song, you can’t help but edit yourself like that. So it took me a minute to get this there. But when I did, it was joy. And I think about the audience when I look at their faces every night when I’m out there because it’s a real special thing to see.”
Chesney’s appearance on the TODAY Show also included a performance at Rockefeller Plaza, where he performed “Goldfish” and “Carry On” live for the first time ever.
Fans will soon have the chance to hear more of the new album live when Chesney plays a special pop-up show in Nashville. For one night only, the superstar will take the stage at The Pinnacle on Friday, Sept. 25, in celebration of the new project.
“This new music – maybe because we’ve had so much time to get it to this place – has taken me back to when albums mattered, the songs kind of spoke to each other, and we found some really special, unusual things,” he shared in a statement early Friday. “Between loving this record and just getting to play a little bit at ‘TODAY,’ I figured we should keep rocking – and maybe make it a little bit bigger than a Keg in the Keys or Keg in the Closet show.
“So, we got everybody together… and we’re taking over the Pinnacle in Nashville. One night only, probably not more than a couple thousand tickets, and we’re trying to make it fun and fair to get in. If the band and I can get it together, we’re gonna play five, six, maybe even seven of these eleven songs, and I can’t wait.”
Limited tickets to the highly anticipated event will be available for $10 through Fair AXS. Fans can register for the opportunity to purchase tickets through tomorrow, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. CT at THIS LINK. Selected fans will receive a private ticket purchase link connected to their AXS account.
This exciting Nashville show comes just days after Chesney unveiled plans for his 19-city Original Vibe Room Tour for 2027.
The post Kenny Chesney Opens Up About New Album ‘Silver Sands Marina’: ‘I Was Afforded The Gift Of Time’ appeared first on Country Now.
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Lainey Wilson recently put her husband, Devlin “Duck” Hodges’ singing skills to the test while she took on the role of vocal coach. The couple posted a hilarious moment to social media that captures Wilson attempting to teach Hodges how to sing her current single, “Phone, Keys, Wallet.”
“Alright, I’m with the music. She’s gonna teach me how to sing,” Hodges told the camera.
With her guitar in hand, Wilson began playing and singing lyrics from the first verse of the catchy tune.
“When I’m 10 minutes late/ Rushing like a hurricane through the house/ Might leave the iron plugged in/ But I got the sure-fires ironed out,” she sang.
When it was Hodges’ turn to sing the, he explained she needed to slow down and do one line at a time. So, she put the guitar down and instead used her fingers to snap along with the beat. This time, she challenged him to just sing the first line, “When I’m 10 minutes late/ Rushing like a hurricane through the house.”
Before even attempting, Hodges admitted, “I can’t do it.”
“Yes, you can,” Wilson encouraged him. “I’ll do it with you.”
The former NFL player gave his best attempt but only made it midway through the line before breaking into laughter. He then decided instead of singing, he would try whistling along to the tune instead while the country superstar delivered the lyrics.
“Look, I’m a whistler. Let me whistle it,” he joked.
Wilson gave her husband some honest feedback afterward.
“Little flat, but that’s alright,” she teased before adding, “That a** ain’t flat.”
Hodges later returned the joke in the comments section, writing, “No that ass ain’t 😂❤️.”
At the end of the day, Hodges knows where his musical talents lie. He noted that he can blow a duck call and that’s about as close as he’s going to get. It’s safe to say Hodges might need a few more lessons before he’s ready to take the stage.
Life as newlyweds seems to be looking pretty good for Wilson and Hodges as they two always appear to be having a good time together, especially in the quiet moments at home together.
The couple said “I Do” at the Ruskin Cave in Dickson, Tennessee back in May, surrounded by loved ones and fellow country music stars like Luke Bryan, Ian Munsick, Lauren Alaina, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Wynonna Judd, Ashland Craft, Drew Baldridge and Jelly Roll.
Their wedding ceremony took place a little over a year after Hodges proposed to Wilson on the doorstep of George Jones’s renowned estate in Franklin, Tennessee in February of 2025. Their first love story began in 2021 when they were set up on a blind date. The two had dinner outside of Nashville at Moby Dicky’s Hendersonville and later ended up at the bar, Silverado’s. The rest was history.
Lainey Wilson only has a few more festival dates on the books for the year, but she has another big night ahead as she has been tapped to return as the host of the CMA Awards.
The CMA and ABC announced that the 12-time CMA Award winner will host the 60th Annual CMA Awards, marking her third consecutive year at the helm of the show and her second time hosting solo. Wilson previously shared hosting duties with Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan.
Wilson is also heading into the night a three-time nominee in the categories of Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Single of the year with “Somewhere Over Laredo.”
The star-studded event will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18, at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+, with the broadcast available to stream on Hulu the following day.
The post WATCH: Lainey Wilson Hilariously Attempts To Teach Husband Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges To Sing appeared first on Country Now.
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![<a href="https://countrynow.com/drew-baldridge-was-told-he-wasnt-cool-enough-now-hes-embracing-who-he-is-on-farm-faith-family-exclusive/" target="_blank">Drew Baldridge Was Told He Wasn’t ‘Cool Enough,’ Now He’s Embracing Who He Is On ‘FARM FAITH FAMILY’ [Exclusive]</a>](https://countrynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Drew-Baldridge.png)
It’s the morning of his album release, marking his first full-length major-label album, FARM FAITH FAMILY, and fittingly, Drew Baldridge is on his farm in Illinois, surrounded by his family as he prepares for a big album release show on Saturday.
The 16-track collection is out now, and he admits he is feeling “all the feels” as the album is officially in the hands of fans everywhere.
“It feels like Christmas, but all my presents are open,” he shared with Country Now over the phone.
Baldridge spent years pouring “a lot of blood, sweat, and tears” into his career. With a No. 1 single under his belt and a major label now backing him, he says this release feels different.
“We’ve worked years for this…And now it’s just kind of out there and you just hope it does what you think it can do. You hope it touches people. You hope it makes an impact. I mean, we worked hard on these songs and in the studio and getting everything right, all the little pieces to make it perfect…I put out a record solely by myself, but this is the first with a major partner. And that comes extra weight, I guess,” he explained. “People expect it to do more. People really want to see it to do more. There’s a lot more people involved. And I was just telling my wife the other day, I was just like,’I just want it to win for everybody around me.’ You start looking around and you got all these new people, you got managers, you got your band guys, you got your producer, you got your label, you have your radio team. And I just want to win for them. I want this record to do some amazing things for them.”
When you talk about an artist experiencing the highs and lows of the music industry, Baldridge has seen plenty of both. He faced rejection, persevered when his label closed its doors in 2019, and kept going. Along the way, he also heard plenty of opinions about what he needed to do to make it in Nashville. One of the comments that stuck with him came from a record executive who told him he simply wasn’t “cool enough.”
Instead of changing who he was, Baldridge leaned into the man he had always been: a small-town guy who loves God, enjoys the rural way of life and values his family.
He channeled that experience into “Cool Enough Now,” a song he co-wrote with Tim Nichols and Monty Criswell that captures that pivotal chapter in his career, from being told he needed to become someone else to finding the confidence to stay true to himself.
“I’ve never really been cool my whole life. I’m just a small town boy, blue jeans, t-shirt kind of kid. And I think a lot of it built up over years, but it really hit me when I was sitting across from a record guy and I played him some music and he’s like, ‘Man, it’s just not cool enough. You need to listen to this artist and this artist. And that’s what’s happening right now. Look at this guy.’ And I had somebody one time told me, ‘Look at this artist. He’s got tattoos. He’s got a cool vibe. He’s got this cool look.’”
Baldridge immediately knew he wasn’t going to sacrifice who he was to potentially further his career.
I’m like, ‘I’m not those people. I’m never going to be that. I am who I am and I’m going to stand for what I’m going to stand for.’ And if that doesn’t work out for me in the end, I’m not going to chase something that I’m not.”
For fans wanting to know exactly who Baldridge is, all they have to do is listen to FARM FAITH FAMILY. From top to bottom, the album is a reflection of the man he has become and the things that matter most to him.
The 16-track project is intentionally divided into three sections, with each one representing a different part of Baldridge’s life and identity.
“Farm, Faith, Family are three words that just really built me and really built who I am…The first third of the album is Farm. It talks about where I come from. It talks about the country boy that I am. The middle third is faith, snd it’s all songs about not only God, but faith in yourself and faith in other people. And then the last is family. It talks about my wife and my kids. So it’s fun how it’s broken down into three different tiers and I think when people walk away from this, they’ll be like, ‘oh, we know Drew. We know what he stands for.’”
That sense of authenticity carries throughout the album, particularly on songs that tackle difficult subjects that some artists may shy away from. Baldridge addresses domestic abuse on “Him For Her,” suicide awareness on “Flowers On A Stone” and redemption on “People Can Change.”
For Baldridge, these aren’t simply songs with important messages. He believes they are part of the reason he was given this opportunity to make music in the first place.
“Those are messages that I feel like God gave me to give to people. I really am lucky that I’m with a label like BMG that lets me put out the kind of music that I want. And it’s not like, ‘Well, it doesn’t sound like what’s on the radio. It’s too this, it’s too that. Put out what you want and hit home with the people that you think it’ss going to hit home with.”
That freedom to make music on his own terms is something Baldridge doesn’t take for granted. After years of setbacks, including losing his first record deal and spending time pursuing opportunities that never quite worked out, he now looks at this chapter of his career as a second chance.
“I feel like my life, my music career right now is, I’ve got a second chance here. I had a record deal for four years and I put out songs and they didn’t work. I had four failed singles and Nashville was like, oh man, I don’t. I tried to get record deals and I couldn’t until we did it independently. And then we got a deal now with which is really cool. But I feel like God gave me this second chance and he’s putting songs on my heart for a purpose that people need in their lives.”
The post Drew Baldridge Was Told He Wasn’t ‘Cool Enough,’ Now He’s Embracing Who He Is On ‘FARM FAITH FAMILY’ [Exclusive] appeared first on Country Now.
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![<a href="https://tasteofcountry.com/jason-aldean-clothing-10stone-truetimber-walmart-photos/" target="_blank">Jason Aldean’s New Clothing Line is Called 10Stone [Photos]</a>](https://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2026/09/attachment-social-image-204-2026-09-18-10-39-20.jpg?format=natural)
Jason is expanding his entrepreneurial empire! Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Jason is expanding his entrepreneurial empire! Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs