Country music in the 1980s found the genre stretching: Some artists experimented with synthesizers, saxophones and pop sensibilities while others continued to produce firmly traditional country tunes. The decade also introduced a class of future superstars of country music: Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Travis Tritt and Alan Jackson, among others, are part of a group of
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Laine Hardy performing new music from behind an acoustic guitar is a special thing. The singer and Season 17 American Idol winner dropped “Memorize You” in July and recently sang it live at the Taste of Country Nights studio. He didn’t write it (credit Eric Arjes, Michael Tyler and Steven Dale Jones for that), but he certainly
After making a career in the military, Jamey Johnson transitioned to country music. His first single, “The Dollar,” debuted in 2005. Johnson’s songs haven’t done particularly well on the charts — “The Dollar” and “In Color” are his only two Top 20 hits — but the artist has earned a reputation for writing high-quality songs with
Ashley Monroe has been diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer, the singer shared via Instagram on Tuesday (July 13). Her post reveals her positive mindset about her prognosis, and that she’ll begin chemotherapy on Wednesday (July 14). It’s been “a few months,” Monroe explains, since her doctor did some routine lab work and
Kane Brown is no stranger to collaborations with out-of-genre artists, and on Friday (July 9), he dropped his newest joint effort: a duet with Florida-based pop producer and singer-songwriter Blackbear called “Memory.” “I wanna live life fast, I don’t know how to slow down / Wanna get high, I don’t know how to come down
Margo Price has shared plans for a live audiovisual EP called Live From the Other Side, and fans will only have to wait a few days to hear it. Featuring three tracks and an assembly of special guests, the collection will arrive on Friday (July 16). The idea for the live EP emerged after Price
A decade after she signed with UMG Nashville, Mickey Guyton is set to release her debut album. Remember Her Name is due out on Sept. 24, the singer announced on Monday (July 12). A 16-track album, Remember Her Name is nearly completely co-written by Guyton: She has a writing credit on 15 of its songs. Her co-writers include Parker Welling,
Jake Owen is saying goodbye to a beloved family member. The singer lost one of his German Shepherd dogs, Slash, on Saturday night (July 10) due to a sudden medical event. Owen paid tribute to his four-legged companion on social media on Sunday. “I lost one of my best friends last night unexpectedly. The drs
Thirty-four years ago today (July 11, 1987) was an important day for George Strait: It was the date that the singer took over the No. 1 spot on the charts with his single “All My Ex’s Live in Texas.” “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” was the second single from Strait’s Ocean Front Property album, which was
Lady A have canceled their planned appearance at the Lakefront Music Fest in Minnesota on Saturday (July 10) after singer Charles Kelley suffered appendicitis. Kelley’s bandmates, Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott, turned to social media on Saturday morning to deliver the disappointing news to fans, writing, “After such a long wait, there isn’t much that
Seventeen years ago today (July 10, 2004), Toby Keith stormed to the top of the charts with his song “Whiskey Girl.” The tune was the third and final single from Keith’s multi-platinum 2003 album Shock’n Y’all. Keith co-wrote “Whiskey Girl” with his good friend and frequent collaborator, Scotty Emerick. The song features lines such as “She ain’t into wine
Dierks Bentley‘s 2021 Seven Peaks Music Festival has been canceled. ”Current capacity restrictions put in place by local health officials” are to blame, per an Instagram post on the festival’s official account. Seven Peaks organizers announced the news on Friday (July 9). Passes already purchased for the 2021 festival, which was set for Labor Day weekend
Rocking guitars and upright saloon piano riffs set up Eric Church’s nostalgic new song about young love, “Heart on Fire.” With a jangly John Mellencamp kind of organic-feeling drive, the song tells a heartfelt story that sounds like a good time. The narrator recalls the small details, from driving an old truck down a bumpy road,
Rare is the carefree, summer song that doesn’t lean heavy on rhyme, but Walker Hayes has one with his viral smash, “Fancy Like.” There more brand references than actual rhymes in this song, but that doesn’t mean his phrasing won’t stick in your ears until the leaves fall. Take the first verse, where “bangin'” and “maintenance” are coupled.
Southwest Nebraska native Ro Myra grew up watching her father struggle to keep alive the family farm that had been passed down for generations. Falling corn and wheat prices, and rough weather, made it hard to make ends meet as an independent and organic-focused farmer. “If you want to know what it’s like to be a farmer,
Gwen Stefani turned to social media on Wednesday morning (July 7) to share another stunning photo from her weekend wedding to Blake Shelton. The pop superstar posted the first picture of herself, her new husband and her sons as an official family, with her boys looking sharp in suits. Stefani has three sons with her
Hunter Thomas finds freedom and clarity in his brand-new song “Go for a Drive.” Press play below to hear the brand-new track, premiering exclusively via The Boot. Thomas explains that he found the inspiration for the peaceful, fiddle-flecked “Go for a Drive” on a summer night. Alone, he wrote the song “about that moment when you
“That’s What I’ve Been Told” is the song to start with on Riley Green‘s new Behind the Bar EP. The acoustic, fiddle-led rambler strikes many of the same tones his signature song “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” hit in 2019. Green has a way of serving fans a muted form of melancholy that takes several
Nashville is the undeniable home of country music, and it’s also a very popular tourist destination. While there are plenty of reasons to visit Nashville even if you’re not a country music fan — including world-class dining, a top-notch symphony orchestra and first-rate theater and visual arts experiences — it’s not called Music City for nothing. A
Gwen Stefani has shared the first official pictures from her Saturday (July 3) wedding to Blake Shelton, including multiple looks at her wedding dress. After nearly six years of dating, Shelton and Stefani married at the chapel on his Oklahoma ranch. These pictures are the first official confirmation from the couple that a wedding took place, though Page