Over 350,000 people were at the drive-in watching GARTH BROOKS' live stream simulcast concert on Saturday.  That was enough to make it the largest one-night show ever at outdoor theaters in North America.

All the drive-ins followed the local CDC guidelines that included staff wearing personal protective equipment . . . vehicles parked six feet away from each other . . . and limited capacity in restrooms.

 

 

 

 

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Last night I saw everything great about the old days, but it happened right in the middle of the most uncertain times I have known in my life. #ThisIsAMERICA ????????! I can’t thank you enough!!! love, g #GarthDriveIn

A post shared by Garth Brooks (@garthbrooks) on Jun 28, 2020 at 7:56am PDT

KANE BROWN performed "Worldwide Beautiful" on Sunday's "Black Entertainment Television Awards".  Hard to believe, but it was the first time the show featured a performance from a black male solo country artist.

It was a two-part segment that started with gospel singer JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS doing his song "People".  Then he made way for Kane who performed "Worldwide Beautiful" with his full band.

(Here's the video.  Kane's song starts at 2:44.)

CHASE RICE posted a video addressing the controversy about his non-social distancing concert on Saturday.  It's mostly an account of what happened, and how he's planning to move forward.

He started by saying everybody had a blast, and it wasn't until he posted a clip from the show that people had a "big problem."  He said he understands that "there are a lot of different opinions on COVID-19" . . . and his biggest concern are his fans.

Quote, "You guys are everything, and your safety is a huge priority.  So moving forward, I have a drive-in show on Friday.  Take your trucks, take your cars.  You have your own space, you can get out of your cars, you can get out of your trucks and party with me. 

"But stay in your own space, stay with the people you came with.  The biggest thing for all of us is the safer we are now, the quicker we get to actual, normal live shows.  Thank you for understanding, please go by the rules." 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by CHASE RICE (@chaserice) on Jun 29, 2020 at 2:53pm PDT

Kenny Chesney just can't stop dropping hits.

After the title track from his latest album Here and Now became his 31st #1 single this week, the country superstar is hoping for more of the same with the release of the next single off the project, "Happy Does."

Chesney says about the upbeat tune, “Being happy, and being thankful, and being humble, and having gratitude--those are the things I try to lean on, and when I heard ‘Happy Does,’ it made me smile a lot. And I really believe it’s the kind of song my audience will gravitate to.”

Happy Does" was written by Brad Clawson, Brock Berryhill, Greylan James, and Jamie Paulin.

CHASE RICE and CHRIS JANSON did shows in different parts of the country on Saturday . . . and people are mad at both of them for, well, acting as if there's no pandemic.

They each posted videos that didn't show much, if any, social distancing.  Chase's show was at Tennessee's Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.  It used to be a maximum-security prison, but now it's a concert venue. 

There were around 1,000 people, and the video on his Instagram Story showed the audience jammed shoulder-to-shoulder and singing along at the top of their lungs.  It's hard to find anyone wearing a mask.  He took the clip down yesterday. 

(You can still check it out, here.)

Chris was part of the Highway 30 Music Fest in Filer, Idaho and his video showed him playing to a "sea of fans."  He also deleted his clip yesterday.  (Here's a different video from the fest that shows fans and other acts.)

KELSEA BALLERINI hit up Twitter to call out Chase.  She said, "Imagine being selfish enough to put thousands of people's health at risk, not to mention the potential ripple effect, and play a NORMAL country concert right now.

"@ChaseRiceMusic, we all want [and need] to tour.  We just care about our fans and their families enough to wait."

Imagine being selfish enough to put thousands of people’s health at risk, not to mention the potential ripple effect, and play a NORMAL country concert right now. @ChaseRiceMusic, We all want (and need) to tour. We just care about our fans and their families enough to wait. ????????‍?? https://t.co/eJaLnGu28k

— Kelsea Ballerini (@KelseaBallerini) June 28, 2020

MICKEY GUYTON saw Kelsea's post and wrote this in the comments section, "An absolute selfish act.  Shame on him."  

Oh look, Chris Janson also doesn't care about the health of his fans! I used to work for his management company but they laid me off in April so now I can come right out and say that this is reprehensible, yay! pic.twitter.com/5LFeTpeYRk

— whitney pastorek (@whittlz) June 28, 2020

On Twitter Sunday, Reese Witherspoon wrote, "To the woman in the parking lot who just asked me if I was Carrie Underwood, you officially made my day!"

To the woman in the parking lot who just asked me if I was Carrie Underwood : You officially made my day ! ????

— Reese Witherspoon (@ReeseW) June 28, 2020

After the country star caught wind of the Little Fires Everywhere actress' tweet, she replied, "YOUR day?! That lady just made my whole life!"

YOUR day?!?!?!?! That lady just made my whole life! ??????

— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) June 28, 2020

But wait, there's more: The woman in the parking lot who allegedly mistook Witherspoon for Underwood took to TikTok to explain that Witherspoon was wearing a mask and cowboy hat, so she couldn't recognize her fully.

OMGGGG! That was ME. Haha, I swear when I walked away I was like wait, that was totally Reese Witherspoon! I could barley see your face cause the mask and hat but I knew you looked so familiar haha. I LOVE YOU ?? @ReeseW pic.twitter.com/Kvy9RcDtMv

— Noha Hamid (@nohaehamid) June 29, 2020

Kenny Chesney's latest single, "Here and Now," has risen one slot to claim the top spot on Mediabase's country radio singles chart, toppling Scotty McCreery's "In Between," which fell nine spots to #10.

Headline Planet reports that Luke Bryan’s “One Margarita” rose one spot to #2 this week, while Sam Hunt’s “Hard To Forget” ascended one place to #3 and Miranda Lambert’s “Bluebird” and LoCash’s “One Big Country Song” rose one place each, landing at #4 and #5, respectively.

Zac Brown Band will kick off Fourth of July weekend with a livestreamed performance for a good cause.

People reports that ZBB's free "4th With the Family" event on July 3 will raise funds for frontman Zac Brown's Camp Southern Ground and its programs supporting U.S. veterans. 

“We are so proud to present this livestream," Brown says in a statement. "Not only do we have the opportunity to perform for our fans for the first time in a while, but more importantly, we can raise crucial funds that support the mental health and well-being of our veterans." 

Donations will be accepted up to and during the event, with donors even have an opportunity for a special livestream shoutout.

The livestream will also mark the first time ZBB performs live together since canceling their spring 2020 The Owl Tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The "4th With the Family" will be available to stream on the band's YouTube and Facebook pages on Friday, July 3, starting at 8 p.m. ET.

On Monday, Live Nation announced that it would be putting on nine drive-in concerts from July 10-12 in amphitheater parking lots in Nashville, Tennessee; Maryland Heights, Missouri; and Noblesville, Indiana.

With two empty parking spaces between each "individual tailgating zone," attendees will take in tunes from the likes of Darius Rucker, John Pardi, Nelly, and Brad Paisley, the latter of whom will perform at all three locations.

In the wake of her surprising split with husband Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson says she's determined to spare her kids the emotional wounds she suffered from her parents difficult divorce, People reports.

A source says the singer and TV show host is now back in Los Angeles with daughter River Rose, 6, and son Remington Alexander, 4. "She had to work through a lot of hurt from her childhood," says a source, adding, "Her priority is making sure her children grow up in a stable, loving environment."

The source says she also wants to stay close to Blackstock's children from a previous marriage, 13-year-old Seth and 18-year-old Savannah. "She's always thought of Seth and Savannah as her own too, and she has a special relationship with both of them," says the source. "Kelly wants to remain close with her step-kids." 

Garth Brooks is determined to entertain fans despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis, announcing a one-night-only concert event that will take place at 300 drive-in theaters across North America on June 27.

"This one guy came to me and said, 'Hey, look, we can put 300 drive-in theaters together if you will create a concert solely for the drive-ins. We can have families jump in the car, get them out on Saturday night,'" Brooks said Thursday on Good Morning America.

"They're going to run it just like a regular concert, but this is going to be all over North America, one night only.

We are excited because this is a reason to get out of the house, but at the same time you get to follow all the COVID rules... We're calling it 'social distancing partying.'"  

The event will take place rain or shine and will begin at dusk. Tickets will cost $100 apiece and will admit one passenger car or truck.

They go on sale Friday, June 19, at 12 p.m. ET at ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks, with a list of participating theaters available that day.

Currently the following Drive-In Theaters are participating in our area:
 

Hummel Drive-In, Winchester IN

Tibbs Drive-In, Indianapolis IN

Starlite Drive-In, Bloomington IN

Moon Lite Drive-In, Terre Haute IN

Holiday Auto, Hamilton OH

Dixie Twin, Dayton OH

On Thursday, Lady A announced that they are formally dropping the "Antebellum" from their name due to its "associations" to slavery and the racial injustices of the South.

In an announcement posted to Twitter, the band said they chose the name after the antebellum-style home where they shot their first band photos, but that they decided to change it after having their eyes opened to "blindspots we didn't even know existed" in recent weeks.

Lady A went on to apologize for any hurt they have caused; their name change was applauded on Twitter by leading black country artist Mickey Guyton, among others.

Dear fans... pic.twitter.com/7JlcH2NMl6

— Lady A (@ladya) June 11, 2020

On Thursday, The Blast reported that Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock after nearly seven years of marriage on June 4 at a Los Angeles courthouse.

The Blast notes that "it's interesting timing," considering the duo recently put their San Fernando Valley home on the market for nearly $10 million.

Last December, Clarkson said her sex life with Blackstock, whose dad was once married to Reba McEntire, was "on fire," and just two months ago, her Instagram account made it clear that she was quarantining on her Montana ranch with Blackstock, their two kids (5-year-old daughter River Rose and 4-year-old son Remington Alexander) and Blackstock's two teenagers from a prior relationship.