Country Music 411 Archives for 2020-09

Blake Shelton Dyed His Hair During Quarantine to Stop Looking Like a Game Show Host

Blake Shelton made an appearance on yesterday's (Monday, Sept. 28th) The Ellen DeGeneres Show where he revealed that his girlfriend, Gwen Stefani, colored his hair during quarantine.

 

Blake told Ellen that it wasn't until he saw a recent picture of himself that he realized his salt-and-pepper hair was "just salt," adding, "I look like a game show host all of a sudden."

 

The couple first tried Just For Men hair color but according to Blake, it was looking blue or purple so Gwen became in charge of dying his hair herself.

 

Blake said "I actually really liked it. I would have really liked it better had I not gained 117 pounds during quarantine."

 

Blake and Gwen sit inside the Top 10 and climbing with their latest duet, "Happy Anywhere."

 

 

FGL's Tyler Hubbard's Family Is Now A Party Of Five

Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard and wife Hayley welcomed their third child--a boy named Atlas Roy Hubbard--last week, People reports. 

 

"Atlas stands for strength," the couple says in a statement. "For us, this name also represents our family's passion for travel and experiencing different cultures."

 

Tyler also says about his son's middle name, "Roy was the name of my dad, who passed away when I was 20. Getting to name our son after him is so special to us. Atlas will carry on my dad's legacy and will always be a reminder of how well he loved everyone."

 

Atlas arrived weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 21 inches long back on Thursday, September 24--more than a week past his due date.

 

In fact, on his due date, the family still wound up visiting the hospital after 2-year-old big sister Olivia Rose needed stitches in her chin. Atlas also has a 13-month-old brother, Luca Reed. 

 

Scotty McCreery Shares Tender New Single, "You Time"

Scotty McCreery is ready for his next #1 single after dropping his new tune, "You Time," on Wednesday.

 

The tender ballad about his wife, Gabi, is expected to serve as the lead single on McCreery's upcoming fifth studio album, which had yet to be officially announced. 

 

“I am so excited about releasing new music, especially a song that makes me think of Gabi and puts me in a joyful mood,” McCreery says in a statement. “I think we can all use a smile right now.”

 

Co-written with Frank Rogers and Aaron Eshuis, "You Time" follows McCreery's three consecutive #1 singles—“Five More Minutes,” “This Is It,” and “In Between”—from his most recent studio album, Seasons Change.

 

Blake Shelton Is Developing a TV Drama Based on His Hit Single, "God's Country"

Call it all part of "God's" plan. Deadline reports that Blake Shelton is developing a drama series at NBC based on his hit single, "God's Country."

 

He's collaborating on the project with TV producer Gary Scott Thompson, who co-wrote The Fast and the Furious and created the NBC drama Las Vegas, which ran from 2003-2008.

 

The outlet reports that the show would focus on "the patriarch of a hardworking Midwestern farm family [who] dies mysteriously in a car accident. His grown children [then] discover he was keeping a devastating secret they could never have imagined."

 

Also working on the project?

Narvel Blackstock, who produced Shelton's 2012 Christmas special and is the father of Kelly Clarkson's soon-to-be ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.

 

 

Chris Stapleton Shares Video for "Starting Over" Title Track

This past Friday, Chris Stapleton dropped the official music video for the title track to his upcoming album, Starting Over.

 

The visual features footage of Stapleton in the studio with his collaborators, including wife and bandmate Morgane Stapleton.

 

The Country Daily notes that Stapleton co-wrote "Starting Over" with Mike Henderson in late February, just days before the coronavirus shutdown began.

 

As for Starting Over the album, it features 14 Dave Cobb-produced tracks, with contributions from Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, and arrives on November 13.

 

Here's the video and you can listen for the song to be playing on Kicks96!

 

Luke Combs Reveals 5 New Tracks Set to Appear on "What You See Ain't Always What You Get" Deluxe LP

Luke Combs has revealed the titles of the five new tracks set to appear on the upcoming deluxe version of his hit album What You See Is What You Get.

 

The Country Daily reports that the new songs on What You See Ain’t Always What You Get are called "Cold as You,” “The Other Guy” “My Kinda Folk,” “Forever After All,” and the Amanda Shires-featuring track, “Without You."

 

Combs had teased "Forever After All" back in August on TikTok, hinting that it was part of a storyline trilogy that included his previously hits "Beautiful Crazy" and "Better Together.

 

"What You See Ain’t Always What You Get will also contain all 18 tracks on the original LP and will arrive on October 23.

 

2020 ACMs End in Historic Tie as Thomas Rhett & Carrie Underwood Share Entertainer of the Year

Wednesday's Academy of Country Music Awards was a night to remember, as the ceremony ended with a historic tie for its top Entertainer of the Year honor--shared by Thomas Rhett and Carrie Underwood. 

 

People reports that it was the first EOTY tie in ACMs history. Both Rhett and Underwood were blown away by the outcome, with a bewildered Rhett asking, "What is happening right now?" and Underwood declaring, "2020, man!"

 

It was Underwood's third ACMs EOTY win, but Rhett's first; still, many fans were disappointed that Underwood didn't win outright. "I’m furious. You couldn’t let a female win on her own. This is ridiculous and so embarrassing," one viewer said, while another added, "They know @carrieunderwood is so gracious; I would’ve told them to take their award and shove it."

 

One country fan even suggested, "Have another round of voting where people chose between Carrie and Thomas Rhett. Imagine the Super Bowl or a World Series game ending in a tie."

 

Here is the list of 2020 ACM Awards winners:

 

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett (tie)
Carrie Underwood (tie)

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris (won)
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs (won)
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

DUO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay (won)
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion (won)
The Highwomen

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Lindsay Ell
Caylee Hammack
Tenille Townes (won)

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Jordan Davis
Russell Dickerson
Riley Green (won)
Cody Johnson
Morgan Wallen

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Center Point Road -- Thomas Rhett
GIRL -- Maren Morris
Heartache Medication -- Jon Pardi
What You See Is What You Get -- Luke Combs (won)
Wildcard -- Miranda Lambert
 
SINGLE OF THE YEAR

"God’s Country" -- Blake Shelton (won)
"One Man Band" -- Old Dominion
"Rainbow" -- Kacey Musgraves
"Rumor" -- Lee Brice
"What If I Never Get Over You" -- Lady Antebellum
 
SONG OF THE YEAR

"10,000 Hours" -- Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber
"Girl Goin’ Nowhere" -- Ashley McBryde
"God’s Country" -- Blake Shelton
"One Man Band" -- Old Dominion (won)
"Some Of It" -- Eric Church
 
VIDEO OF THE YEAR

"10,000 Hours" -- Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber
"God’s Country" -- Blake Shelton
"One Man Band" -- Old Dominion
"Remember You Young" -- Thomas Rhett (won)
"Sugar Coat" -- Little Big Town
 
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Ashley Gorley
Michael Hardy
Hillary Lindsey (won)
Shane McAnally
Josh Osborne

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR

10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber
Dive Bar– Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton
Fooled Around And Fell In Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King (won)
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
What Happens In A Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell

Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani's Relationship Reportedly "Stretched to the Limit" in Quarantine

 

Is it "Goodbye Time" for Blake Shelton and longtime love Gwen Stefani?

 

Sources tell Us Weekly the celeb couple's relationship is on the brink thanks to life in quarantine. 

 

“They feel suffocated and stressed. They’re both stretched to the limit," one insider says. Their problems reportedly stem from the $13.2 million mansion they jointly purchased in the L.A. area this past May--suggesting that, unlike their hit duet, they're seemingly not "Happy Anywhere."

 

The insider adds, “Friends say this move has turned into a nightmare. This is the toughest period they’ve had so far without a doubt.”

 

The good news is, “They know how to compromise [and] work through any tension and look at the bigger picture.” The 44-year-old Shelton and 50-year-old Stefani were allegedly planning to tie the knot this fall after five years together.

Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Hillary Lindsey Win Early ACM Awards

On Monday, the Academy of Country Music revealed three winners in advance of Wednesday night's full ACM Awards telecast on CBS.

 

Thomas Rhett won Video of the Year for "Remember You Young," while Hillary Lindsey was named Songwriter of the Year. Meanwhile, Miranda Lambert's star-studded cover of "Fooled Around and Fell in Love"--which features vocal contributions from Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack, and Elle King--was named Music Event of the Year.

 

 

 

Brad Paisley & Wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley Pledge 1 Million Meals

Country star Brad Paisley and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, have promised to donate 1 million nutritious meals nationwide this month, according to the AP. 

 

The couple's Million Meal Donation Tour started in Detroit last week and will visit food banks in 16 major cities, including New York, L.A. and Atlanta, before ending in Chicago on September 21.

 

“We’re just rallying to feed people,” Paisley said in a recent interview. 

The couple's food brand, Tiller & Hatch, are working with Feeding America on the initiative.

 

In May, the couple opened a free grocery store for needy families in Nashville, Tennessee. “So many of us feel helpless during this time,” says Williams-Paisley. "We can’t solve all the problems. But to tackle this issue, it’s been really empowering."

Luke Combs' New Video Features 'Mini Versions' Of Him, His Wife, Band

Luke Combs has released the official video to go along with his current chart-topping hit, “Lovin’ On You.”

 

Of the clip he said, “Man, this was a fun one. It honestly felt a lot like when we filmed ‘When It Rains It Pours’ . . . having the band there, and, of course, my beautiful wife Nicole, was really special. The mini versions of all of us was a huge plus and made it all the more fun for this song. We had a blast doing it and hope y’all love it as much as we do!”

 

Last weekend, Luke won three awards at 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards -- Country Artist of the Year, Country Album of the Year (What You See Is What You Get) and Country Song of the Year (“Beautiful Crazy”).

 

He is nominated for six awards at the 54th Annual CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year, and Luke will perform during the 55th ACM Awards next Wednesday (Sept. 16th) on CBS, where he is nominated in three categories: Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year (What You See Is What You Get).

 

Luke will kick off season 6 of CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with a performance on Monday (Sept. 14th).

 

 

Kane Brown to Perform Drive-In Concert on September 26

Kane Brown is following in Blake Shelton and Garth Brooks' footsteps by staging a one-night-only concert event at drive-ins nationwide on September 26.

 

"Excited to announce my first ever encoredrivein concert, exclusively at a drive-in theater near you ONE NIGHT ONLY on September 26," Brown tweeted Tuesday.

 

CMT reports that Brown's show is being produced by Encore Drive-In Nights and will feature him and his band simulcasting a full-length concert to nearly 300 drive-ins across the U.S. and Canada.

 

Coronavirus protocols will also be put in place at each venue.

 

Attendance will cost $76 per car (up to 6 people) and tickets will go on sale September 10 at 12 p.m. local time via Ticketmaster.

 

Tickets for the show go on sale September 10 here, and the list of venues can be found here, which include Hummel Theater in Winchester IN and Dixie Twin Drive-In in Dayton, OH.

Gabby Barrett Releases Amazon Cover of Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You'

Gabby Barrett released a new Amazon Original cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” yesterday (Wednesday, Sept. 2nd).

 

The song was recorded at her home in Nashville accompanied by her husband, Cade Foehner, on guitar. Gabby also got to meet and chat with Dolly via a video call, which was released at Amazon Music.

 

Dolly said, "I know that Gabby will have a long and prosperous career ahead of her. She has what it takes to make it in our industry . . . talent, she’s hard working, humble and kind."

 

Gabby said, “The thing about this song and about all of Dolly's catalog is that her music is timeless; it comes straight from her heart. You can tell that she's being honest and sincere in every lyric she writes. Every story is genuine to her life. Something I strive for, that she has set such a perfect example of in Country music. I am honored to have covered this song, and I hope you all love it as much as I do.”

 

Amazon Music launched Gabby's Breakthrough campaign as she began prepping her debut album, Goldmine, in early Spring of 2020. The album was released in June.

 

Miranda Lambert Surpasses Reba McEntire as Most Nominated Female Artist in CMAs History

Like a "Locomotive," Miranda Lambert is the little engine that could when it comes to racking up accolades.

 

The blog Country Daily notes that after Lambert racked up seven CMA Award nominations on Tuesday--more than any other male or female artist this year--she's now surpassed Reba McEntire's record to become the most nominated female artist in CMAs history with 55 career nods.

 

Reba now stands second with 51 nominations, but Lambert is still the champ when it comes to CMAs wins, with 13 so far--more than any other solo female artist.

 

She's sure to rack up more when the 2020 CMAs take place later this year on a yet-to-be-revealed date.

Kelsea Ballerini Drops Music Video for "Hole in the Bottle"

On Monday, Kelsea Ballerini dropped the music video for her new single, "Hole in the Bottle," according to Taste of Country. 

 

The quirky tune is about drinking a bottle or two of wine to get over a breakup. "There's a hole in the bottle / Leakin' all this wine / It's already empty and it ain't even suppertime," she sings. 

 

The clip starts out in black and white, inspired by the 1920s, with Ballerini in suspenders. As the chorus approaches, the video turns colorful and Ballerini is in a bright blue two-piece pantsuit. 

 

Once the video is in color, she lays in a bed in a middle of a field, has a good time with friends and even her dog Dibs comes to visit. 

 

"Hole in the Bottle" is the third single from Ballerini's third album, Kelsea

 

For the video premiere, the singer talked to fans about the video and shared details from behind the scenes of the shoot.