Category: Music

Luke Combs just dropped a new three-song EP, The Prequel, giving fans a sneak peek at his next album, due out early next year.

Produced by Combs and Chip Matthews, The Prequel features “My Kinda Saturday Night,” “15 Minutes,” and “Days Like These.” Each of the songs tap into a different corner of the North Carolina native’s artistry.

“My Kinda Saturday Night” stands out as the rowdy party-starter while the other two tracks tap into more emotional narratives. “15 Minutes” tells a powerful story of one’s longing for redemption as he sings from the perspective of someone stuck within the confides of a prison. Meanwhile, “Days Like These” finds Combs offering an ode to the simple joys in life with a reflective and optimistic reminder to cherish every moment because time moves by too fast.

With this being the country star’s first new project since 2024’s Fathers & Sons collection, he admitted he was feeling “nervous” to get feedback from his listeners. Luckily, it’s clear that fans have his back as his comment sections are overflowing with love for the new music.

“Gosh, it’s crazy. I just feel like it’s the first time I put music out in quite some time and I am nervous about it. I’m nervous to see what you guys will think about it,” he said in a new Instagram post addressed directly to fans.

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In the candid post, Combs went on to explain that while he’s feeling nervous, he’s also confident in the songs he’s recorded. He acknowledged that it’s not lost on him that fans have been eager for new music, but balancing life as a dad of two with a third on the way and touring the world has kept him busy.

“I know you guys have been waiting for music for a long time and I’ve just been kind of doing as much as I can raising the kids and I mean, you can see these gray hairs, man. They’re coming in and it’s just wild. It’s just wild,” he admitted. “Time flies and it feels like I’ve been doing this for and for six months at the same time, if that makes any sense. So sometimes I feel like, I don’t know what it even takes to promote your songs anymore as far as this stuff goes. It can be so complicated at times, but I just want you guys to know that I do have some new songs out today. I’m super, super excited about ’em. Super excited about the rest of the stuff.”

Combs ended the post by recapping a bit of what his day will look like with tonight’s headlining slot at Austin City Limits Music Festival. He also made sure to say “thank you” for all the love and support and teased that “tons of new music” is on the way.

In another statement, Combs noted that he “couldn’t wait” to share this glimpse into his next project. He also let fans know that one of the tracks, “My Kinda Saturday Night” will be the name of next year’s tour, which he will share more details on “very soon.”

THE PREQUEL TRACK LIST

1. My Kinda Saturday Night

2. 15 Minutes

3. Days Like These

Following tonight’s performance at Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL), Luke Combs will take the stage at Country Calling on October 5 and return to ACL on October 10. Fans can also look forward to seeing him at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville, where he’s nominated for three awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Single of the Year for “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma.”

As the year winds down, Combs’ latest single, “Back In The Saddle,” continues its climb, currently sitting at No. 8 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. With The Prequel offering a glimpse into his next full-length album and the promise of more new music on the horizon, it’s clear that fans have plenty to look forward to in 2026.

The post Luke Combs Gets Honest About Releasing First New Music In ‘Quite Some Time’ appeared first on Country Now.

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Country superstar Tim McGraw is set to headline a limited engagement at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace this December during the National Finals Rodeo. Tim McGraw: Live in Vegas will take place on December 4, 6, 12, and 13, 2025.

Several of these dates were originally scheduled for Dolly Parton’s limited engagement, Dolly: Live in Las Vegas at The Colosseum. Parton was forced to postpone her shows until 2026 due to “health challenges.”

“I want the fans and public to hear directly from me that, unfortunately, I will need to postpone my upcoming Las Vegas concerts. As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” she recently revealed.

McGraw will now take on some of those available dates at the iconic venue. A longtime rodeo supporter, McGraw recently brought the first-ever rodeo to Nashville with the inaugural Music City Rodeo. He also released a heartfelt single performed live at the event, King Rodeo (Live from the Inaugural Music City Rodeo).

These special, only-in-Las Vegas shows will offer fans a rare opportunity to experience McGraw performing in an intimate setting, delivering his chart-topping hits and fan favorites spanning more than 30 years of his celebrated career.

McGraw is known for his dynamic live shows and admits that no two performances are ever the same.

“You know, it’s different every night. You sort of feel the crowd and figure out what they’re like and what they want you to do. And sometimes it’s more running around. Sometimes it’s more standing in one spot singing, which is hard for me to do. It’s hard for me to stand still and sing one verse,” he explained. “So, it’s a matter of what the crowd’s feeling and what you’re feeling. I don’t know if I have any tricks. The tricks I use are usually when I do private shows that everybody’s just sitting at a dinner table and sort of just politely clapping. And then you sort of jump out in the audience and start high-fiving people tryin’ to get ‘em out of their chairs.’”

Tickets go on sale Saturday, October 4 at 10 a.m. PT at Ticketmaster.com.

The post Tim McGraw Steps In for Dolly Parton’s Postponed Dates with Live in Vegas Residency appeared first on Country Now.

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The Red Clay Strays are back with a brand-new single, “People Hatin’,” out now via RCA Records.

The band announced the track earlier this week during an extended conversation on The Joe Rogan Experience, where they opened up about the song’s meaning and the decision to release it. Lead singer Brandon Coleman revealed that Charlie Kirk’s death and the events that followed played a role in shifting their release plans.

“We got so sick of seeing people put politics above humanity, we actually, we had wrote a song about it in April in the studio, called ‘People Hatin’,’” Coleman told Rogan. “We weren’t going to put it out as a single, at first, we were going to do another song, but after the Charlie Kirk thing it was just like, we got together … I think we need to put ‘People Hatin’’ out instead for the first single.”

The song’s lyrics capture the frustration of division while holding onto hope that we can still coexist, even with different beliefs.

I’s a little boy, my mama told me
Better keep my politics to me
Never really bought the things they sold me
But now I’m starting to believe
Seeing everybody going crazy
Every time they go and disagree
This animosity is got me thinking
We all could use some harmony

Hey, people hatin’
You’re not listening to what I’m saying
I’m sick of waiting
All this arguing is aggravating
Hey, you people hatin’
You’re not listening to what I’m saying
I’m so sick of waiting
All this arguing gets aggravating

Coleman explained that the song ultimately calls for empathy and understanding.

“We’ve got to stop killing each other over beliefs, and hating each other over beliefs,” he said. “Everybody’s race is different, everybody’s experiencing life different, and trying to figure it out the same as you are.”

Paired with a powerful message, the release also arrives with a new music video directed by Matthew Coleman.

Since forming in Mobile, AL in 2016, the Red Clay Strays have continued to carve their place in the music scene. Their 2022 debut album, Moment of Truth, featured the breakout hit “Wondering Why,” which broke into the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart and top 20 on the Hot Country Songs Chart.

The momentum carried into 2024, when they signed with RCA Records and released their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Made by These Moments, produced by Grammy-winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell). Blending electric rock & roll with Southern soul, the project solidified the group’s reputation as one of the most exciting genre-defying acts in country music.

The Red Clay Strays earned back-to-back CMA Award nominations for Vocal Group of the Year in 2024 and 2025.

The post Red Clay Strays Release Powerful New Single ‘People Hatin’,’ Inspired by Division and a Call for Unity appeared first on Country Now.

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With his new album 17 Problems out now, Walker Hayes finds one track in particular taking him on a trip down memory lane. Using the tune of “I Still Do,” Hayes gives fans a glimpse into his personal wedding album, sharing the moments from the day he tied the knot with his wife, Laney.

The new Instagram post finds the country star flipping through the pages of the sentimental book titled “Our Wedding” with his and Laney’s names written at the bottom above the date they said “I Do,” June 12, 2004.

He first opens to individual photos of him and Laney dressed up in their best wedding attire with big smiles on their faces, followed by the moments captured after they walked down the aisle and officially became husband and wife. He encouraged fans to make similar videos using the song to showcase their own powerful love stories.

“Do this with your wedding album🥲 been through some stuff but I still do ❤️🙏 #istilldo,” he wrote in the caption.

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The tender tune penned by Hayes with Dan Henig, Dylan Guthro and Shane McAnally hones in on the lovebirds ability to stick by each other through the harshest realities of life and marriage. Through deeply honest lyrics, he captures the grit and struggle that often comes after the honeymoon phase of a relationship, like the long, draining work, financial strain, parenting, and personal battles like addiction or emotional scars. Yet, their commitment remains strong.

Within the chorus, Walker Hayes shares that maybe they should have incorporated some of those real-life moments into their promises to each other on their big day, instead of the traditional vows.

He sings, “We said for better we said for worse/ But we didn’t know what worse would mean/ We said for richer we said for poorer/ But we didn’t know how broke we’d be/ Just a couple of kids just sayin’/ What the preacher told us to/ Didn’t know what we were doin’/ Man but baby I still do.”

“I Still Do” appears on the Alabama native’s new album, 17 Problems.  The collection dives into deeply personal topics including family life, faith and stories from his upbringing. “I Still Do” isn’t the only track that showcases Hayes’ immense love for his wife. He also speaks to their relationship in tracks like “100 Pencils” and the comedic “Next Wife.”

Walker Hayes and Laney have been married for 21 years, but their love story began long before that. They first met in elementary school in their hometown of Mobile, Alabama and started dating in high school when Walker was a junior and Laney was a senior.

There was a brief period of time after college when they spent about 10 months broken up, however they eventually found their way back to each other. In June 2004, the couple got married and had six children. Unfortunately, they suffered great tragedy with the loss of their seventh child, Oakleigh Klover, in June of 2018. The couple has remained each others strongest support system through those tough moments as well as the brighter days. Laney often joins Hayes at shows and various red carpet events while touring has become a full family affair with all of their children and pets joining them on the road.

When speaking to American Songwriter and reflecting on his latest project, Hayes revealed that if he could go back and change anything from his younger years, it would be to marry Laney sooner.

“…I would meet her sooner, probably just be a little bolder about, ‘Hey, you want to go on a date.’ I probably would say, ‘Hey, Laney, we need to skip college and just go to Nashville,’ because I would’ve loved to fall in love with songwriting sooner. I didn’t write a song until we were married, so I was late with that,” he admitted.

Despite getting a later start to his songwriting career, it’s safe to say Walker Hayes has made up the time with his growing collection of viral hits and fan-favorites.

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In support of the album, Walker Hayes will be hitting the road on the Unplugged Tour. This 18-date, stripped-back acoustic experience is said to offer fans an up-close look at the man behind the music. He will showcase his vulnerable storytelling through soul-stirring performances in an effort to connect and share experiences with his fans.

He will launch the run on Friday, October 17 in Duluth, MN and continue through November with support from Shane McAnally and Harper Grace.

The post Walker Hayes’ ‘I Still Do’ Inspires Him To Share A Look Inside His Personal Wedding Photo Album appeared first on Country Now.

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Gabby Barrett is leading with her heart once again in her brand-new release, “Ain’t Supposed To Be,” out now via Warner Music Nashville. Today’s drop marks another look into a fresh chapter as it flips the script on the typical love story to show how the best relationships often form in the most unexpected places.

The new track was penned by Barrett with Nashville elites, Jon Nite, Ross Copperman, and Chase McGill and produced by Copperman and Zach Kale. The Pennsylvania native’s knack for powerful storytelling comes to life as her rich vocals swiftly graze over the warm and intimate melody.

Following the soft piano chords and delicate guitar strums, Barrett’s vocals emerge to begin the story of two people who weren’t looking for anything more than some fun somehow find the love of their lives in a “last call bar.” This narrative hits close to home for the country singer who’s own love story with her now husband Cade Foehner took on a similar course. While they didn’t meet in a bar, their connection did form unexpectedly during their indivudal journeys on Season 16 of American Idol.

“Ours was supposed be just for fun/ Yeah, you were never supposed to be the one I wasn’t either, but before I knew, we were, oh, oh/ Wildflowers growing through the cracks of the concrete/ In the downtown sea of lonely Baby/ I found you, and you found me,” she sings in the opening verse.

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The song gradually unfolds, moving from reflective verses into a soaring chorus that captures the incredible feeling of unexpectedly finding a lifelong connection.

She continues, “And we found love where it ain’t supposed to be/ In a last call bar where we were supposed to leave/ We were two lost hearts unbreaking broken things/ And we found love where it ain’t supposed to be/ Supposed to be, supposed to be.”

The vivid tune feels like a natural progression in Barrett’s string of 2025 releases. “Ain’t Supposed To Be” continues building on the momentum of “The Easy Part,”her bold breakup anthem that arrived in August, and comes as 2020’s 8X PLATINUM “I Hope” recently landed at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Hot Country Songs of the 21st Century.

This weekend, Gabby Barrett will wrap up her 30-date headlining run, the LIFE I’M LIVING TOUR 2025. She kicked off the trek on September 6 with a milestone headline show in her home state at Timber Rock Amphitheater in Farmington. Getting to perform to a packed out crowd of fans who have been behind her career since day one was something the singer says was “really special.”

“To come back now to Pa. with my family, singing these songs for people who believed in me first, that’s something that’s really special to me. And it feels like I’m coming home to celebrate with everybody, not just perform for them. And I think Pa. crowds just go harder. I do,” Barrett told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “I just swear they are the loudest. And I think it’s because it just feels more like family when people know your roots and your story. It’s not just another show. You know, it’s pride. You feel like the whole city is pulling for you.”

To top it all off, she had the pleasure of welcoming some local talent, the PennWest California Drumline of Pennsylvania Western University. Under the direction of Dr. Frank Stetar, the band kicked off the memorable evening with an epic performance that started inside the venue and traveled to the stage.

Throughout Barrett’s set, she kept the crowd captivated with her run of top-charting hits performed with her husband and guitarist Cade Foehner and later welcomed a second special guest, a Competitive Team from First Position Dance Academy. The group performed a choreographed routine behind her during “Cowboy Back.”

Fans have one final chance to catch Barrett this Sunday, October 5 in Ocean City, MD.

The post Gabby Barrett’s New Song, ‘Ain’t Supposed To Be’ Proves Love Can Bloom In The Most Unexpected Places appeared first on Country Now.

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