Country

Sometimes you don’t know how good you’ve got it — or how things differ around the world — until you leave. Michael Ray‘s song “Didn’t Know I Was Country” explores that theme through the lens of his hometown of Eustis, Fla. “I didn’t know I was country / Thank God I am,” Ray sings in the chorus,

Forty years ago today, on Sept. 4, 1981, George Strait released his debut album, Strait Country. The record was released on MCA Records. Three singles were released from Strait Country: “Unwound,” “Down and Out” and “If You’re Thinking You Want a Stranger (There’s One Coming Home);” both “Unwound” and “If You’re Thinking You Want a Stranger” landed

Keith Urban has an inspiring message for anyone who’s been put down or told not to chase their dream. The country singer turned to Twitter to share a motivating throwback clip from 1983 that shows him as a shaggy-haired 16-year-old performing as a contestant on the Australian talent show, New Faces. After the performance, one of the judges,

Nine years ago today (Sept. 6, 2012), Vince Gill achieved yet another career accolade. It was on that date that the Grand Ole Opry member received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I loved my years in southern California,” Gill said during the ceremony. “They were probably the most important years I ever spent, because

Elvis Presley‘s former wife, actor Priscilla Presley, is opening up about some of the highs and lows of being married to such a high-profile figure. In a new interview, Presley says she was always “nervous” about his female fans — so much so that she went to some pretty extreme lengths to keep tabs on him.

Twenty-nine years ago today (Sept. 5, 1992), after releasing 19 Top 40 singles, Vince Gill finally scored his first No. 1 hit. The song, “I Still Believe in You,” was the debut single from and title track of his sixth studio album. Gill reportedly penned “I Still Believe in You” during a time of marital

Reba McEntire is coming to Lifetime in a new Christmas movie this holiday season, and she shared a first look with her fans in a post to social media. The country superstar and actor turned to Instagram on Friday (Sept. 3) to share a new Lifetime commercial that first aired on Friday, advertising the network’s

Thirty years ago today, on Sept. 4, 1991, the country music community was in mourning: It was on that date that Dottie West died, from injuries sustained in a car crash. West was 58 years old at the time of her death. In her early 20s, West became friends with several up-and-coming singers and songwriters, including

Everyone knows the feeling of waking up for a big day only to realize you’ve got a huge pimple, or your hair won’t cooperate. Well, for Keith Urban, his big day nemesis was a subconjunctival hemorrhage. “I wake up this morning, doing the Today show … big television moment, and I got this going on,”

Dan + Shay will join Carrie Underwood for a song on the Dear Evan Hansen movie soundtrack. Both artists have teased clips of “Only Us” on their respective Instagrams. The movie Dear Evan Hansen (Sept. 24) is a film adaptation of the Tony Awards-winning Broadway musical. After premiering in 2015, the music was specifically hailed, winning Best Score

Billy Ray Cyrus leads a group of country hitmakers committed to helping Waverly County rebuild after torrential rains flooded the middle Tennessee county last month. James Otto, Meghan Linsey, Drew Baldridge and Eric Paslay are also slated to play Waverly Strong: A Concert for Disaster Relief next Tuesday (Sept. 7) at Nashville’s City Winery. Actor

Interviews with country music’s hottest hitmakers and biggest stars are now available for you to hear all day, every day. Taste of Country’s newest on demand offering is Taste of Country Nights, On Demand, hosted by ToC Nights‘ Evan and Amber. The two radio pros have formed great relationships with the biggest names in country

Michael Ray has a great Kid Rock story, although the rap-rocker-turned-country-artist may not agree. Talking to Taste of Country Nights, the “Whiskey and Rain” singer explained how he hooked the multi-genre veteran for “Higher Education,” the title track from his new EP. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Lee Brice and songwriter Tim Montana also join Ray on the

Fifteen years ago today was an unforgettable day for Taylor Swift: It was on that date (Sept. 1, 2006) that the then-16-year-old made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry. At the time of her Opry debut, Swift was just beginning her rapid ascent to stardom: She had recently signed to Big Machine Records, a

For the second straight year, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn., has been canceled. Heavy rains brought about by Hurricane Ida forced the cancelation of this weekend’s (Sept. 2-5) event. Jason Isbell, Breland, Grace Potter and Niko Moon were among the country artists set to perform at Bonnaroo this year. A lengthy Twitter thread

It’s somehow been more than two decades since the Chicks (then known as the Dixie Chicks) released their iconic sophomore major-label studio album, Fly, on Aug. 31, 1999. The album produced an astounding eight singles, four Grammy Awards nominations, two Grammy Awards victories and some of the country trio’s most iconic songs. From “Goodbye Earl” to

Chris Young‘s crew knew Kane Brown was there. His crowd knew it, too, but somehow the singer was the last to be let in on a big surprise in Pennsylvania on Sunday night (Aug. 29). Prior to Sunday, Brown and Young had never shared a stage to sing their chart-topping hit “Famous Friends,” and Young didn’t

Aug. 30 marks a big anniversary for Kenny Chesney: It was on that date, 24 years ago, that the Tennessee native reached a career turning point with “She’s Got It All,” from his fourth album, I Will Stand. The song became his first No. 1 Billboard hit on Aug. 30, 1997. Written by Craig Wiseman and

Rising artist Drew Parker can count country star Luke Combs among his close friends. Parker — who co-wrote Jake Owen‘s hit “Homemade” and is currently promoting a single of his own, “While You’re Gone” — co-wrote Combs’ song “1, 2 Many,” but their friendship dates back well beyond their time as co-writers. Parker and Combs have known each other for

Jason Aldean has been forced to postpone a concert that was originally slated to take place in Alabama on Saturday night (Aug. 28) due to Hurricane Ida, which threatens a storm surge, heavy rain and the possibility of tornadoes. Aldean and his band were set to perform at the Wharf Amphitheatre in Orange Beach, Ala.,