Cody Johnson's love for country songs & cattle inspire his cowboy dreams
In November, just after winning CMA Album of the Year for Leather, Cody Johnson was ready to get back to his life on the ranch in Texas.
"We just shipped out a bunch of calves last week, and [we're] getting some new cows pulled in: a couple of new bulls and we're going with some different breeds," he explained. "Like, I breed Braford cows, which [you get from] a Hereford bull and Brahman cows. And I think we're fixing to get into the black Angus business a little bit for some more beef-type cattle."
"And that's when I go home and flip the switch off," he told ABC Audio. "I mean, I'm not Cody Johnson the singer. I'm the rancher, the husband, the dad and, you know, I take my kids hunting and fishing and all that. And then whenever I get to come out here [to Nashville], I flip the switch and turn into this guy."
In 2024, Cody topped the chart with both "The Painter" and "Dirt Cheap," accomplishments that are equally close to his heart.
"Country songs are what I live for," he said backstage after picking up his CMA trophy. "Besides [my wife] Brandi, besides our two beautiful daughters, it's the only thing in life for me that's a constant. It's in my blood. It's in my DNA. I wake up with it every day in the forefront of my mind, trying to make country music that means something."
That night as the Country Music Association handed out its Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, Cody felt a kinship to the honoree onstage.
"To be a guy that comes along and says, 'I want to change country music for the better,'" Cody said, "I want 35 years from now to be that guy that's sitting up on stage like George Strait, where they say, 'He did something.' And that's it for me."
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingThomas Rhett hopes he'll collaborate with this pop superstar in 2025
If there's an artist who sits atop Thomas Rhett's collab bucket list, it's pop superstar Bruno Mars.
Thomas has been a longtime fan of Bruno. He already recorded a cover of Bruno's "When I Was Your Man" in 2015 and has named Bruno as a dream collab several times.
As the new year approaches, Thomas keeps his fingers crossed for studio time with Bruno.
"Is there an artist I'd love to collaborate with in the new year? It was and forever always will be Bruno Mars," Thomas shares in a recent interview. "I'm just going to keep saying it in interviews until it happens."
But looking back on 2024, Thomas says his onstage collaboration with Teddy Swims at the CMA Awards takes the crown as the "most memorable moment of his year."
"It was just kind of electric to me. I love getting to collaborate. I love the process of that. It kind of takes so much of the pressure off of you and kind of allows you to be doing it with somebody," shares Thomas. "Teddy has that energy, there's kind of this carelessness but also so much swagger, and he kind of dripped some of that onto me."
"I would say getting to watch that back has been one of my favorite things to do this year," he adds. "That'd be my favorite moment of this year onstage."
You can catch Thomas and Teddy on ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, airing Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Other artists on the bill include Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, HARDY, ERNEST and Dasha.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingCarnivore diet, horse riding + more duets: Cody Johnson's goals for 2025
Cody Johnson's got quite a few goals for 2025, and that includes some diet changes and professional endeavors.
When asked what he's plotting for the new year, Cody says, "Go back to my carnivore diet, get in better shape and ride more horses."
But that's not all.
He's also hoping to record duets with two of country music's biggest stars.
"You know, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with a lot of people. Luke Combs is one of my good buddies. We still haven't done a collaboration," Cody shares. "Luke, I mean, I don't know how many more invitations you have to have."
He continues, "I'd really like to record something with Lainey, Lainey Wilson. I'm a big fan. She's a great person. She's got a beautiful heart and a beautiful voice. I'd love to sing with her."
Cody's closing out 2024 with a bang on ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, which airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Other artists on the bill include Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Megan Moroney, HARDY, ERNEST and Dasha.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue Reading'Smile': Morgan Wallen surprises fans with new heartbreak song
Morgan Wallen has surprised fans on New Year's Eve with a new song: "Smile."
Written by Morgan, ERNEST and others, the moody heartbreak number chronicles Morgan's forlorn feelings following a romantic split.
He sings in the opening verse, "I can't remember the last time/ You looked as happy as you did tonight/ Your tipsy friend grabbed that bartender/ Gave him her phone and pulled us over there with her."
"It was good to see you smile/ Girl you know it’s been a while/ It was good to see you smile/ Even if it was just for the picture," Morgan continues in the chorus.
But wait, there's another surprise in the music video.
Instead of performing "Love Somebody" on a fictional late-night talk show, Morgan sings "Smile," leaving the host, audience and production crew shocked and puzzled.
Looking all woebegone, Morgan delivers his tune as everyone behind the camera starts panicking. Fortunately, ratings start soaring and those frowns turn into smiles.
Morgan, however, remains stuck in his melancholy state when he's hit with a curveball at the end of his performance. What exactly happened? You'll have to watch the video to find out.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingThe Year in Music 2024: 'Pretty Little Poison' is just a hunk of Warren Zeiders' success
For newcomer Warren Zeiders, 2024 brought his first #1 with "Pretty Little Poison," as well as a CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Male Video of the Year for the same track.
Along the way, he also developed a reputation as a bit of a hunk, thanks in part to a memorable appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
"I was nervous going into that interview," Warren admits. "I had no idea what to expect. Lo and behold, we are 10 seconds into the interview and there's a shirtless photo of me playing lacrosse on the screen, and she's left speechless in a sense."
"And yeah, it definitely made me blush, that's for sure," he adds.
Warren also earned a mention in People magazine's annual Sexiest Man Alive issue.
Along the way, the Pennsylvania native also put in the miles in 2024 on one of country's biggest tours, Jelly Roll's Beautifully Broken trek.
"We played, I think it was 39 shows in 60 days," Warren tells ABC Audio. "We played some amazing venues. We played Madison Square Garden, played out in LA. Aw, man, we played all over the place. Delta Center in Utah."
"A surreal place for me was in State College, Pennsylvania," he continues, "being a Pennsylvania boy, going up to Penn State and playing there at the arena, Bryce Jordan Center. There was just so many family members and so many friends there."
Perhaps Warren's only regret is that it went by too quickly.
"It was a blur. As fast as, you know, it started, it was over before you knew it," he reflects. "But it was honestly just a blessing and such an awesome opportunity."
On the calendar for 2025: his headlining Relapse Tour, as well as his first string of shows in Europe.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingThe Year in Music 2024: 'Holy Smokes,' it was a religious experience for Bailey Zimmerman
In 2024, Bailey Zimmerman finally had the chance to reflect on how his life has changed. Just a year earlier, he had three chart-topping, multi-Platinum hits with "Fall in Love," "Rock and a Hard Place" and "Religiously."
"Now that I've been slowing down a little bit, it's so hard to not just sit around all day and reminisce on the stadiums we've played and the shows we've gotten to headline and the music that people have really taken to," he tells ABC Audio. "And, you know, it's like saved people's lives. It's just crazy, dude. It's unbelievable."
In fact, Bailey can't help but see it as a spiritual experience.
"I was at this softball game and I was around a lot of people that I looked up to growing up," he recalls. "And just looking around and seeing everybody so happy, and I guess just feeling included really just made me start crying."
"And it was one of those moments where I just was like, 'God is real. Like, this doesn't happen without God, man. Like, there's just no other explanation,'" he continues. "So that is a moment I'd like to relive, you know, over and over again, is just the feeling of finding God, man. It's awesome."
Bailey was nominated for Best New Artist at November's CMA Awards, after "Where It Ends" became his fourth #1. His current single, "Holy Smokes," looks poised to continue his string of successes.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingKatelyn Brown, Bunnie Xo, Alana Springsteen + more added to Nashville's NYE special on CBS
Singers, comedians, actors and more have joined the lineup for CBS' New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.
Katelyn Brown will perform onstage with her husband, Kane Brown; Alana Springsteen will sing with Keith Urban; and Jelly Roll's wife, Bunnie Xo, will make a special appearance.
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage and Young Sheldon actor Montana Jordan, and comedians Bert Kreischer and Leanne Morgan are also set to take the stage.
The star-studded five-hour special will feature performances from Urban, who will also host, as well as Jelly, Kane, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Parker McCollum, Tyler Hubbard, Shaboozey, Zach Top and Brittney Spencer.
Additionally, Dustin Lynch and news anchor Lonnie Quinn will serve as New York correspondents.
New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash airs Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingWatch Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Lady A, Mickey Guyton & more in two CBS Grammy specials
The Grammys are coming up on Feb. 1, but before we find out the 2025 winners, CBS is giving viewers a look back at winners past with two Grammy specials, airing Friday and Sunday.
Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs, hosted by Mickey Guyton and Gayle King, focuses on past winners of the Song of the Year category. Song of the Year and Record of the Year are different because Song goes to the people who wrote the song, while Record goes to the artist, the producer and the engineer. Stars like Lady A, Adele, John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald are all featured on this special. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. ET.
Sunday's special is called Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments, focusing on those special duets and other events that only seem to take place on the Grammy stage. Among the artists featured in this special: Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Brandi Carlile, Dua Lipa, Elton John, Ricky Martin, Melissa Etheridge and Joni Mitchell. It airs at 9 p.m. ET.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingThe Year in Music 2024: Dasha moves into the house that 'Austin' built
In 2024, a newcomer named Dasha metaphorically took both the country and pop worlds to "Austin."
"I believed in the song so much, but obviously it had like 3,000 streams, and now we're sitting at a billion overall, which is insane," she remarked on the one-year anniversary of the track's release in November.
And while Dasha created the viral TikTok line dance that propelled the song forward, she's quick to share credit with her youngest listeners.
"The kids have carried this song this year," she told ABC Audio. "So many young fans at the shows just riding the rail in their cowboy hats with their dads behind them. It's so cute. It's so cool to see, like, this new generation, like, falling in love with country music."
Quite literally, this was the year Dasha finally got invited to the party.
"Things I didn't even think that could happen have happened this year," she reminisces. "[Jimmy] Kimmel [Live!], my Opry debut, playing at the CMT Awards, playing the CCMAs, attending the CMA Awards."
"I snuck in last year," she reveals. "I was not supposed to be at the awards show last year, and I finessed my way into the WME after-party, and I got a free tattoo and now they're my agency."
Just days after wrapping her headlining tour, Dasha was ready to head home and reflect.
"I just bought a place. I'm, like, moving in and, like, got a couch two days ago, finally," she said. "And it's been a whirlwind to say the least. But I'm really grateful to even, like, have — I mean, sold-out headline tour. That's not normal. It's really cool. I'm really, really grateful."
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingA real-life ho-ho-hoedown: Beyoncé slays Christmas Day halftime show with Post Malone, Shaboozey + more
Beyoncé, or should we say Cowboy Carter, took the stage at NRG Stadium on Christmas Day performing the halftime show at the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens game, live on Netflix.
The 32-time Grammy-winning artist began the performance by singing "16 Carriages" while riding a white horse into the stadium. She was joined by the four Black female country artists -- Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts and -- who harmonized on her cover of The Beatles' 1968 classic, "Blackbird."
Beyoncé also "had some help" from Post Malone for their hit song, "LEVII'S JEANS." Posty matched her white ensemble with his own white bedazzled blazer and blue jeans.
The halftime show in Beyoncé's hometown wrapped with her first live performance of "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," while line dancing alongside her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. Blue Ivy had previously joined her mom onstage during her Renaissance Tour in 2023.
Shaboozey also joined the halftime show; he appeared twice on the Cowboy Carter album. So did nearly 200 members of Texas Southern University's Ocean of Soul Marching Band.
Other songs Bey performed included "AMERIICAN REQUIEM," "YA YA" and her reworking of Dolly Parton's "Jolene."
Beyoncé is no stranger to NFL halftime performances. In 2013, she headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans, and in 2016, she took the Super Bowl halftime stage again alongside Bruno Mars and Coldplay in Santa Clara, California.
Wednesday's Christmas Day halftime show marked the first time Beyoncé performed songs from her Cowboy Carter album, which was released in March and has received 11 Grammy nominations. With those nominations, Beyoncé became the artist with the most Grammy nominations of all time, with 99 in total.
The performance will stream on Netflix as a standalone show later this week.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingThe Year in Music 2024: With a 'World on Fire,' Nate Smith couldn't be more grateful
"World on Fire" spent 10 weeks at #1 in 2024, leaving Nate Smith in utter disbelief.
"It went to like two weeks #1," he recalls. "I'm like, 'Wow, that's insane. Oh my gosh. Two weeks.' Then it went three, then went four, then it went five. It went to seven weeks, and my team surprised me with a plaque."
"'Seven weeks, number one!' I'm like, 'That's so awesome!'" he continues. "The next week it went eight. I was like, 'OK, I don't know now. I have no idea.' And then it went to 10. Like, I literally can't even believe that. I don't know how it happened. It's insane."
A 10-week number one was just the beginning of the highlights 2024 had in store for Nate.
"[Touring] Australia was amazing," he tells ABC Audio. "I mean, the tour with Morgan Wallen was crazy, winning the ACM Award, New Artist of the Year, getting [the equivalent] nomination for CMAs. I got to do Jimmy Kimmel [Live!]. I did TODAY show. I did [Live with Kelly and Mark]."
"This is actually insane," Nate reflects. "Like my family's so proud and excited. There's just too many things. So this holiday season, I'm going to do some real sitting down, and just spending some time in gratefulness and really processing what the hell just happened, you know?"
Nate heads into 2025 with "Fix What You Didn't Break" climbing the chart. It's from his sophomore album, California Gold.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingGifts Stop Workin': Dasha reflects on Christmas presents past and present
One of this year's breakout stars was Dasha, whose song "Austin (Boots Stop Workin')" was a major hit on country radio. Now that her touring is finished for the year, the singer can focus on the holidays, and on her new house, which she began moving into in November. But she took a look back at Christmases past for ABC Audio.
Asked to name the best gift she ever received, the California native told ABC Audio, "My dad took me hot air ballooning one year [in Albuquerque] ... I love adventures or things we can do together as gifts, so that was pretty cool."
And what about the best gift she ever gave? Well, it was sort of one-sided on her part.
"I gave my mom a really nice purse one year, and I thought it was so kind," she laughs. "She has not worn it once! So I think we have different styles, so that was kind of a bummer."
Next up for Dasha, you can see her perform Dec. 31 during the West Coast Party segment of ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest. The show will also feature performances from Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Cody Johnson, HARDY, Megan Moroney and ERNEST.
In March, she'll hit the road with Kane Brown for his The High Road Tour.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingHow Dan + Shay really feel about having a Christmas album out
Releasing a holiday record has been a long time coming for Dan + Shay.
Their first Christmas song, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," arrived in 2013. And since then, they've dropped several standalone tracks, including "It's Officially Christmas," the spirited title track of their 21-track double album.
"This has been 10 years in the making of actually having a double Christmas album," Shay Mooney tells ABC Audio. "It's amazing, man. The reception [to it] has been incredible already."
"We've had some original Christmas songs out the past few years and there's a few of them that are [RIAA-certified] Platinum, and it's just like, 'man, this is so cool to be able to kind of be in that Christmas world,'" he says.
Shay hopes their record expands beyond this calendar year and truly becomes a multigenerational holiday mainstay.
"I think that, you know, this is going to be a big part of our legacy," he shares. "I feel like for the next 50 years, our hope is that that's going to be a part of this next generation, you know, coming [out] of growing up listening to this Christmas album, including my kids."
"I don't know, it's something really, really special that hopefully will continue to build on for the next 50 years," says Shay.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingKoe Wetzel + Jessie Murph ride their 'High Road to #1
Christmas came early for Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph.
The genre-bending newcomers scored their first #1 on the country charts with "High Road."
"#1 on Country Radio.. [rock on emoji] @jessiemurphhh," Koe shares with fans on Instagram.
George Birge, who earned his second #1 with "Cowboy Songs" earlier this month, commented, "TX boys on top, congrats bubba."
Jessie also shared an Instagram carousel to celebrate her latest achievement. One of the slides featured a screenshot of a Billboard story, which underscored that "Murph is the first woman in a lead role to top the list with a rookie entry since Gabby Barrett with 'I Hope in 2020."
You can find "High Road" on Koe's latest album, 9 Lives, out now.
If you're looking to expand your Christmas playlist, check out Koe's recently released seven-track holiday project, Koe Wetzel Presents…Wetzel’s Wonderland Chapter 2.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingNewlywed Cole Swindell eyes first-year married ornament + family time for Christmas
It may be Cole Swindell's first Christmas as a married man, but he's not feeling the pressure of coming up with plans and traditions.
After all, this isn't his first holiday with his wife Courtney.
"[I] have spent every one of them with her since we started dating. I mean, from, we were pretty newly dating when I went to Thanksgiving and Christmas the first year. So that was a little uncomfortable," Cole tells ABC Audio. "But her family's so great."
"I mean, that's part of it all for me," he says. "Just to have another side of the family almost, it's just amazing, you know? And to see who raised her and her siblings. I mean, everybody's so cool, so [I'm] looking forward to that."
Since Cole's already familiar with the family gatherings and traditions, he's not planning to shake things up.
"Probably not a whole lot of change," the "Forever to Me" singer says. "We'll probably have some first-year married ornament or something on the tree. Other than that, I don't know. I'm here to see where it takes us."
"Forever to Me" is currently in the top 20 and ascending the country charts. It's the lead single from Cole's forthcoming as-yet-untitled new album.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingNashville Notes: Drake Milligan's 'Christmas Cookies' + Ryan Larkins' surprise 'Gospel Takes'
Drake Milligan's saddled-up, holiday style. The America's Got Talent alum covered George Strait's "Christmas Cookies" and Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas" as part of his Living Room Sessions series, and you can watch the performance videos now on YouTube.
Ryan Larkins has surprised-dropped a new album, The Gospel Takes. Spanning 10 tracks, the project features Ryan's acoustic covers of gospel classics including "Victory in Jesus," "I'll Fly Away" and "Old Rugged Cross."
Carly Pearce hosted a girls' night on Thursday for her friends, and on the invite-list were fellow country singers Kelsea Ballerini, Tigirlily Gold and Ashley Cooke. "Last night was one of my favorite nights ever. I hosted so many of my favorite gals in this business who need to be reminded that we are freaking DOING IT and that girls can support girls!!!!" Carly captioned her Instagram carousel featuring photos from their get-together. "So proud of everything these bada** babes have accomplished this year and I can’t wait to see what they all do in 2025."
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingNashville Notes: Drake Milligan's 'Christmas Cookies' + Ryan Larkins' surprise Gospel Takes
Drake Milligan's saddled-up, holiday style. The America's Got Talent alum covered George Strait's "Christmas Cookies" and Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas" as part of his Living Room Sessions series, and you can watch the performance videos now on YouTube.
Ryan Larkins has surprised-dropped a new album, The Gospel Takes. Spanning 10 tracks, the project features Ryan's acoustic covers of gospel classics including "Victory in Jesus," "I'll Fly Away" and "Old Rugged Cross."
Carly Pearce hosted a girls' night on Thursday for her friends, and on the invite-list were fellow country singers Kelsea Ballerini, Tigirlily Gold and Ashley Cooke. "Last night was one of my favorite nights ever. I hosted so many of my favorite gals in this business who need to be reminded that we are freaking DOING IT and that girls can support girls!!!!" Carly captioned her Instagram carousel featuring photos from their get-together. "So proud of everything these bada** babes have accomplished this year and I can’t wait to see what they all do in 2025."
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingRemember when Randy Travis narrated Annabelle’s Wish? Parker McCollum does
Parker's McCollum's got three favorite movies, and one of them's a 1997 animated film featuring Randy Travis.
"Favorite Christmas movie – this is gonna sound kind of goofy, but one of them is definitely Annabelle’s Wish, because Randy Travis narrates it," Parker shares in a recent interview. "I used to watch that when I was really little with my mom."
The "Handle on You" singer also enjoys universally beloved classics.
"I mean, Christmas Vacation is a phenomenal movie. And I always really liked The Santa Clause series with Tim Allen," says Parker. "I always thought those were really good, even the newer ones."
Coming up, Parker will cap 2024 and ring in 2025 with a performance on the star-studded New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash. You can tune in beginning 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingNat King Cole has Jordan Davis' favorite Christmas song
Picking a favorite holiday song can be tough for some. Simply put, the options are endless.
But when asked in an interview to pick one, Jordan Davis swiftly picked a jazz music icon's tune.
"My favorite Christmas song is Nat King Cole's 'Buon Natale.' I don’t know the record it’s on it, [but] we would just play that song over and over and over," Jordan shares. "That's by far my favorite, but anything from Nat King Cole. I mean Nat King Cole is Christmas to me."
Jordan's also a big fan of the good ol' yuletide tunes, so much so that he's picked up a festive habit from his mother.
"I remember growing up, my mom would start on Thanksgiving. We would start listening to Christmas music and anytime you walk into the house, if mom was home, there was Christmas music playing," Jordan recalls. "It was just background music, and it’s something I’ve carried over."
"There's Christmas music that is played all the time," he says. "If we’re home, there’s Christmas music on."
Meanwhile, on the non-holiday music front, Jordan's currently in the top 10 and climbing up the country charts with his latest single, "I Ain't Sayin'."
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingJoy to the World: CMA Country Christmas reairing Sunday
You'll get to relive the magic of CMA Country Christmas when it reairs Sunday.
The Country Music Association has announced that its annual holiday special will return to ABC with an encore broadcast at 10 p.m. ET.
Trisha Yearwood and Amy Grant will be your hosts, and they'll take the stage to perform alongside Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Jon Pardi, Gospel music icon CeCe Winans and more.
Here's a list of songs that'll be performed:
Trisha Yearwood and Amy Grant - "Sing Your Praise to the Lord" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
Amy Grant - "Tennessee Christmas"
Trisha Yearwood - a Christmas medley
Cody Johnson - "White Christmas" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
Jon Pardi - "400 Horsepower Sleigh"
Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer - "Man With the Bag"
For KING + COUNTRY with Carin León - "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
CeCe Winans - "Joy to the World"
If you're not able to watch CMA Country Christmas' encore presentation, fret not. The show's available to stream now on Hulu and Disney+.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingCatch Trisha Yearwood on CBS' 'National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony'
Trisha Yearwood will perform "My Favorite Things" on Friday's 102nd National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Other acts tapped for the star-studded holiday special include James Taylor, The War And Treaty and Trombone Shorty.
Trisha's been busy this year with other holiday shows. She recently co-hosted and performed on ABC's CMA Country Christmas and was featured alongside Keith Urban, Pat Benatar, Neil Geraldo and more on PBS' documentary Rockin' Around, which chronicles Brenda Lee's life, music and storied career.
National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingBrett Eldredge's Glow Tour is going digital and you're invited
Missed Brett Eldredge's Christmas tour this year? Fret not, he's got you covered.
Brett will livestream the final show of his GLOW: Welcome to the Family Tour from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Friday.
"Don't miss out on the magic of The Glow Tour! Join me virtually from Bridgestone Arena on Friday, December 20 for an unforgettable night!" Brett shares on social platform X.
Mr. Christmas also hopped on Instagram Thursday to reflect on his festive run on the road.
"I am not gonna lie, playing this many shows in the small window of time of the holidays can be extremely intense mentally for me, at times I find myself pacing back stage wondering how can I go up there and do it again night after night," Brett says of his 12-date trek.
"Then I put on my tux, pin up the cuff links, throw on the bow tie, drink a hot tea and dance with the band backstage…I feel the spirit of everyone out here on the road giving everything they’ve got whether they are tired, anxious, feeling down, sick etc.," he shares.
"It’s a wild ride but when that curtain opens and the horns punch and drums hit, our spirit comes alive…I see your faces light up and my heart races as I step up to the microphone…we ARE alive!" Brett adds. "What a miracle, what a gift, THIS is why we do this!"
Tickets to Brett's Glow Tour livestream are available now at veeps.com.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue Reading"Maybe This Christmas" Michael Buble will talk Carly Pearce into a holiday album
First Carly Pearce and Michael Bublé debuted their new holiday tune, "Maybe This Christmas," on The Voice. Then the Canadian icon wasted no time getting the country star to bring him to the Grand Ole Opry.
And it was all at Michael's insistence, Carly reveals.
"He loves classic country music. He's a fan. I feel like a lot of people just come in because they're very just like, 'Oh, country's easy. We can do country. Put a banjo on it and it's fine,'" Carly asserts as Michael laughs.
"And I take great offense to that," she continues. "I take great offense to people that don't understand the importance of our town. This is not one of those people. This is a global icon who absolutely understands what this genre is, what these songs mean. And I think that says so much about who he is as an artist and why he's one of the greats."
Michael feels just as strongly about Carly's musical gifts, urging the 2021 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year to get busy and make a full Christmas album.
"People are just clamoring for this," Michael tells ABC Audio. "Like I've been with [her] for two days here, and this is like the 11th person that's asked about a Carly Pearce Christmas album. I believe you need to get your stuff together."
"I need to do one," Carly acquiesces. "At least an EP, right?"
That's high praise, considering Michael's sold more than 6 million copies of his Christmas album.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
... Continue ReadingNashville Notes: Patrick Murphy covers The Script + Jameson Rodgers' acoustic 'River'
Patrick Murphy has dropped his cover of The Scripts' "For the First Time." "I’ve always loved this song and @thescriptofficial and getting to go on tour with them this year was a dream come true," Patrick shares on Instagram. "The piano is a huge part of who I am as an artist and seeing how they used it in their music really influenced how I wanted to use it in mine." You can watch Patrick's full cover video now on YouTube.
The Band Perry's Kimberly and Reid Perry have shared a clip of them performing "Better Dig Two" with Kimberly's husband and their new member, Johnny Costello, who replaces Neil Perry. Kimberly, Reid and Johnny will take the stage together Jan. 25 for a sold-out homecoming show in Greeneville, Tennessee, to raise money for Hurricane Helene relief.
If you love Jameson Rodgers' new song, "Down By the River," you're in luck. Jameson has uploaded a video of him performing it acoustically, and it's available for you to watch now on YouTube.
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... Continue ReadingLove a laid-back holiday season? So does Luke Combs
Between a stadium tour and releasing a new album, it's safe to say that Luke Combs has had a very busy 2024.
That's why, when it comes to the holidays, Luke's all about slowing down and enjoying quality family time.
"A lot of family [members are] around [for the holidays]. ... My parents, the in-laws, the kids, my wife's sister and her boyfriend, and [it's] just a lot of fun," Luke tells ABC Audio.
"It's good times. We're laid-back," he says. "We don't go over the top and just enjoy each other's company."
Luke will return to headlining act mode in January and February as he travels to Australia and New Zealand for more stadium shows. Luke's next U.S. dates are currently slated for April, when he performs at Tortuga Music Festival and Stagecoach.
For Luke's full tour schedule, visit lukecombs.com.
Meanwhile, on the music front, Luke and Post Malone are currently in the top 10 and making their way up the country charts with their single "Guy for That."
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