The Archives Nashville Returns for Second Annual Artist Closet Sale at CMA Fest

The Archives Nashville, a premium digital archiving and storage company specializing in musicians’ wardrobes, will host the second annual Artist Closet Sale during this year’s CMA Fest, running June 5-8 and providing fans an exclusive opportunity to shop their favorite artists’ closets. A portion of the proceeds will support the CMA Foundation’s mission to provide students with access to high-quality music education and equip educators with the resources needed to sustain thriving programs.
 
The Artist Closet Sale will be held at Fan Fair X, located in Nashville’s Music City Center, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with this year’s activation occupying double the space of last year’s Closet Sale which raised over $30,000 for the CMA Foundation. Fans will have the chance to browse and purchase wardrobe items from a star-studded lineup including Lauren Akins, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, ERNEST, Riley Green, Tyler Hubbard, Wynonna Judd, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Megan Moroney, Thomas Rhett, Jelly Roll, Alana Springsteen and Bailey Zimmerman.
 
“We are excited to bring this unique shopping experience back to CMA Fest and support the CMA Foundation’s incredible work,” shares The Archives founder and longtime celebrity stylist Tiffany Gifford. “Fans will again have the chance to own a piece of their favorite artists’ wardrobe while contributing to a cause that nurtures the next generation of musicians and educators.”
 
With the vast wardrobe that musicians acquire over the years, Gifford realized there were no viable wardrobe archiving solutions, so she created The Archives to help clients not only store their wardrobe safely and securely, but to offer a digital solution to keep all things organized, searchable and accessible to her clients and their respective teams. The Archives functions by taking inventory and digital photos of the desired wardrobe to be archived, giving teams the option to store pieces in their facilities or integrate their system into current storage locations. RFID tracking technology programmed into each piece allows for tracking movement of each garment with the online inventory showing all pieces and their location while allowing movement as needed. 
 
Clients are able to see specific movement of wardrobe between closets to take current inventory in case of loss or damage; ensure proper storage of all garments and accessories to preserve valuable and noteworthy pieces; quickly search and filter wardrobe from garment attributes, events worn, and style details; more easily curate garment displays for museums and private companies or personal showings; and monetize select pieces by making them available for rent through the platform.
 
For more information, please visit TheArchivesNashville.com and follow on Instagram @thearchivesnashville.

Larry Fleet Releases the Groove-Filled "Like You Used To"

Country hitmaker Larry Fleet is back with a brand-new single and even more chances for fans to catch him live. The blues-tinged “Like You Used To” finds Fleet searching for answers on a fading love that once burned with passion. Listen Below.

Co-written by Fleet with Jamie Moore and Ernest K., the mid-tempo groove leans into warm country soul as Fleet reflects on the little things that once made love feel electric – and how to bring that spark back.

“We’ve all been in that relationship where the fire cools off a bit, and you start looking back, wondering where the spark went,” said Fleet. “That’s what ‘Like You Used To’ is about – but it’s got a groove, and I think a lot of folks will connect with this.”

“Like You Used To” follows Fleet’s “Hard Work & Holy Water” and his recent release “A Lotta Women,” a heartfelt tribute to the kind of steady love that holds it all together – both of which showcase the blue-collar ethos and emotional honesty that define his sound.

And fans will have even more chances to hear these tracks live, as Fleet expands his Hard Work & Holy Water Tour with 25 new U.S. dates running through the end of 2025.

Fleet will first take his soulful mix of country, R&B and Southern rock overseas, kicking off the international leg of the tour in Glasgow, Scotland on August 20, followed by shows across the U.K., Belgium and the Netherlands.

Returning stateside, Fleet heads right to the heartland on September 11 in Shipshewana, Indiana, launching a coast-to-coast trek from Georgia to California, with dates extending through December 12 in Las Vegas. On most nights, fans will enjoy a double shot of Fleet – opening with an acoustic set before returning with his full band for the main show. Rising duo The Kruse Brothers will join select West Coast dates.

Fleet’s recent run of sold-out shows and expanding global footprint underscores a breakout chapter in the making. As Billboard praises, he’s an artist who “delves into blues, rock and retro-country with ease,” and with every new release, he proves there’s no substitute for the real thing.

For more information, visit LarryFleet.com.

See Larry Fleet Live:
Aug. 20, 2025 || Glasgow, UK || SWG3
Aug. 22, 2025 || Camden, UK || Electric Ballroom
Aug. 23, 2025 || Bottesford, UK || The Long Road Festival
Aug. 26, 2025 || Belfast, UK || Limelight 1
Aug. 28, 2025 || Dublin, Ire. || The Academy, Middle Abbey Street
Aug. 30, 2025 || Den Haag, Netherlands || Once In A Blue Moon Festival
Sept. 11, 2025 || Shipshewana, IN, USA || Blue Gate Performing Arts Center
Sept. 12, 2025 || Des Moines, IA, USA || Val Air Ballroom
Sept. 13, 2025 || Burnsville, MN, USA || Buck Hill Ski & Snowboard Area
Sept. 25, 2025 || Bloomington, IL, USA || The Castle Theatre
Sept. 26, 2025 || Wisconsin Dells, WI, USA || Crystal Grand Music Theatre
Oct. 2, 2025 || High Point, NC, USA || Cohab Space
Oct. 3, 2025 || Gainesville, GA, USA || Boot Barn Hall - Gainesville
Oct. 4, 2025 || Douglas, GA, USA || Martin Centre
Oct. 5, 2025 || Winnsboro, SC, USA || Field & Stream Music Fest
Oct. 16, 2025 || Saginaw, MI, USA || Red Room at DOW Event Center
Oct. 17, 2025 || Cleveland, OH, USA || House of Blues
Oct. 18, 2025 || Buffalo, NY, USA || Town Ballroom
Oct. 23, 2025 || Cedar Park, TX, USA || The Haute Spot
Oct. 24, 2025 || Houston, TX, USA || House of Blues
Oct. 25, 2025 || San Antonio, TX, USA || Stable Hall
Nov. 6, 2025 || Sioux City, IA, USA || Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City - Anthem
Nov. 7, 2025 || Sioux Falls, SD, USA || The District
Nov. 8, 2025 || Hays, KS, USA || Fox Theatre
Dec. 4, 2025 || Phoenix, AZ, USA || The Van Buren*
Dec. 5, 2025 || San Diego, CA, USA || House of Blues San Diego*
Dec. 6, 2025 || Sacramento, CA, USA || Ace of Spades*
Dec. 10, 2025 || Anaheim, CA, USA || House of Blue*
Dec. 11, 2025 || Bakersfield, CA, USA || The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater*
Dec. 12, 2025 || Las Vegas, NV, USA || Golden Nugget
*with special guests The Kruse Brothers

About Larry Fleet:
Tennessee-born troubadour Larry Fleet grew up on a stack of records spanning Merle Haggard, Otis Redding, Willie Nelson and Marvin Gaye. A thoughtful songwriter with a knack for a one-liner, an ear for a sturdy hook, and a powerhouse voice that strikes like a match, Fleet was working blue-collar jobs to make ends meet long before landing his recording contract with Big Loud Records. Seven years later and again working as an independent artist, the devout family man is turning heads among fans and critics as a songwriter (“Man Made A Bar” recorded by Morgan Wallen featuring Eric Church) alongside his own music, 2021’s tribute to the music that raised him, Stack of Records, his aptly titled 2019 debut, Workin’ Hard, 2023's Earned It, featuring the single “Things I Take For Granted,” and his first latest, 2025’s independently-released “A Lotta Women.” Saving Country Music puts it simply: “If you're looking for the future of traditional country music, then look no further.” 

CONNECT WITH LARRY FLEET
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Kenny Chesney Delivers Blazing Show & Megan Moroney 4 Song Surprise

When Kenny Chesney, recently named Billboard’s No. 1 Country Artist of the 21st Century, pledged that his first ever residency would have surprises, moments no one saw coming and a whole lotta love, he wasn’t kidding. Having kicked off his first set of dates with duet partners and shared award-winners Kelsea Ballerini and Grace Potter, the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar kept the female energy high by welcoming good friend and Sun Goes Down Tour mate Megan Moroney to Sphere Vegas for a high chemistry, big love collaboration.
 
Beyond debuting Moroney’s postcards from No Shoes Nation “You Had To Be There,” which captures her journey from cheap seats to stadium opener, Moroney played her Top 5 smash “Am I Okay?,” which she performed with Chesney’s blazing hot band at Gillette Stadium. The pair reprised their romping “All The Pretty Girls,” plus Moroney’s return-to-the-set-list fave “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.”
 
“No one has more fun onstage than Megan Moroney,” Chesney enthused after the pair’s high velocity duets. “She doesn’t just radiate joy up there, she makes everybody want to experience the amount of fun she is clearly having. Even I want to – and don’t always – maintain that level of feeling good. She just brings it.”
 
Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and uber-manager Shep Gordon (Alice Cooper, Teddy Pendergrass, Ann Murray) were spotted in a decidedly animated crowd. As Chesney noted after the show, “For a Wednesday night crowd, it sure felt like Saturday night! Maybe it was Megan… Maybe we’re really getting the hang of Sphere… Or else it was just meant to be… No matter why, it was an incredible night in No Shoes Nation.”
 
With USA Today headlining their rave review, “Kenny Chesney delivers vibrant, visually arresting feast at Sphere Las Vegas,” they deemed the show “a technicolor wonder” and wrote, “It’s as much a concert as a sonic and visual roller-coaster ride pairing one of the most acclaimed stars of country with the evolving technological wizardry of the Sphere.” With ABC News calling this 15-show residency, “historic” and Parade opining, “Country legend leaves fans speechless during ‘absolutely unreal’ show,” Chesney is creating a show that expands what country music can contain – and delivers on all the songs that contain people’s lives.
 
The only country artist to be in Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Last 25 Years for the last 15 years, Chesney joins a select group of icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees U2, (Grateful) Dead & Company and the Eagles, plus Phish, to play the 17,600-seat spherical venue that deploys next-generation technologies to create an absolutely immersive experience.
 
“I knew this was going to be incredible when I said, ‘Yes,’ when they asked me to do this, but I had no idea how awesome the experience could actually be. More than all the visuals, the dialed in sound, though, it’s getting to share this stage with a lot of people I love, including everyone in No Shoes Nation, who came to Vegas to be part of this unbelievable moment.”
 
Limited tickets remain for the Sphere residency at KennyChesney.com with packages available via Vibee, the official VIP Concert & Hotel Package partner for Kenny Chesney’s Live at Sphere residency, at KennyChesney.Vibee.com. All Vibee packages offer guests a choice of premium tickets including Sandbar (general admission floor) or reserved seating, a collectable laminate and lanyard, access to the No Shoes Island VIP Pool Party, exclusive Kenny Chesney curated gift bag and early access to the Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love experience on show days for crowd-free shopping on exclusive merch items, and access to a dedicated shopping lane during public hours. Vibee Hotel Packages include a two-night stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (The Venetian or The Palazzo) or Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. 
 
Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere Las Vegas is presented by Blue Chair Bay® Rum.

Photo Credit: Alive Coverage

Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere Las Vegas LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN
Friday, May 30
Saturday, May 31
Wednesday, June 4
Friday, June 6
Saturday, June 7
Wednesday, June 11
Friday, June 13
Saturday, June 14

Full Lineup Revealed for Las Vegas Songwriters Festival Aug. 21-24 at Mandalay Bay

The Las Vegas Songwriters Festival presented by MGM Resorts International and Entersong Entertainment officially announced the full lineup for its premiere event taking place August 21-24, 2025 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. This unprecedented four-day celebration will bring together some of the most iconic voices behind today’s biggest hits, marking the largest gathering of hit songwriters in the destination’s history.

Featuring more than 300 No. 1 songs represented through 100 live performances across five stages at Mandalay Bay, the Las Vegas Songwriters Festival will offer fans an intimate and immersive experience to hear the stories behind the songs – told directly by the writers themselves. Performances are scheduled to begin daily at 11 a.m. with select sets to include unique collaborations, one-of-a-kind songwriter pairings, Q&A sessions and more.
 
Hosted by chart-topping songwriter Matt Warren (Darius Rucker, Gary Allan), the Festival was founded by Entersong’s Rob Hatch and Mike Every in partnership with MGM Resorts.

The all-star lineup includes select shows hosted by event partner, The Bluebird Café. These special performances will feature songwriters “in-the-round” at the intimate House of Blues B-Side venue, including:

  • Bob DiPiero, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee with more than 15 No. 1 hits for artists such as Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw and Brooks & Dunn;

  • Dean Dillon, legendary songwriter behind dozens of George Strait’s biggest hits and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame;

  • Liz Rose, GRAMMY-winning co-writer of Taylor Swift’s “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “You Belong With Me;”

  • Victoria Shaw, genre-spanning hitmaker of Garth Brooks’ “The River” and songs for Ricky Martin and Lady A

General admission and VIP tickets are now available. Fans also can purchase a room and ticket package at LVSF at Mandalay Bay, making the Las Vegas Songwriters Festival’s first year an ideal event and vacation getaway.

For more event information, visit LVSF.

About Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is set on 120 lush acres featuring Mandalay Bay Beach, a tropical pool paradise with real sand. The Michelob ULTRA Arena, award-winning restaurants, exhilarating entertainment, unique shopping, Shark Reef Aquarium and the 2-million-square-foot convention center combine to make Mandalay Bay a captivating Las Vegas resort destination. The resort offers three distinct hotel experiences: Mandalay Bay with 3,211 luxurious rooms and suites reflecting a modern tropical ambiance; Four Seasons Hotel, offering 424 rooms and suites; and the luxury all-suite W Las Vegas. Mandalay Bay is operated by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information and reservations, visit mandalaybay.com, call toll free at (877) 632-7800, or find us on InstagramFacebook and X.
 
About Entersong Entertainment
Entersong Entertainment is a premier music event producer specializing in curating experiences that connect audiences with the music they love. From intimate performances to large-scale festivals, Entersong is passionate about celebrating the power of song and the incredible talent behind it. The Las Vegas Songwriters Festival reflects Entersong’s mission to spotlight the artistry of songwriting and create unforgettable moments for fans. Find out more at entersong.com or find us on Instagram or Facebook.

About Bluebird Café (Nashville, Tenn.)
Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe is a small but mighty venue where up-and-coming songwriters and artists build their careers and rise to fame. Over the past 43 years, the tiny room has evolved into one of the most significant music venues in the world, a room where all songwriters are welcomed and supported, from novice to established hit-makers. Artists such as Kathy Mattea, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift have had career moments along with countless hit songwriters whose music is represented on a wide range of charts. Over 80,000 people visit the venue annually; many of them because of seeing the Bluebird on television, in news pieces, The Foo Fighters’ documentary, Sonic Highways, the feature film, The Thing Called Love, or on the ABC hit drama, Nashville. The venue’s history was featured in the 2019 documentary, BLUEBIRD, available on streaming channels including iTunes and Amazon. For more information bluebirdcafe.com.

Jamey Johnson’s 2025 'The Last Honky Tonk Tour'

Award-winning country singer/songwriter Jamey Johnson will launch his 36-city headlining tour, The Last Honky Tonk Tour, on June 4 at Wichita Riverfest in Wichita, KS. Tickets are on sale now and more dates will be announced soon.

“The tour will be a lot of fun,” says Johnson. “It’s a chance for us to hang out every night, where we get to walk onstage and show off what we’ve learned over the past 20 years. This is my 20th year on the road, not counting the road gigs I did in the 10 years before that.”

The tour’s name comes from the song he recently recorded, which was the title track of the 2010 album by The Wayne Mills Band, featuring musician Jason “Rowdy” Cope on guitar. “I thought that the name sounded pretty good as a tour name – The Last Honky Tonk Tour,” he adds.

The tour title’s lyrics include, “I’ll be there when they burn the last honky tonk down/
In body, mind, and spirit, under the table, or under the ground/
The fading echoes of a barroom band might be the only sound/
I’ll be there when they burn the last honky tonk down.”
 
Johnson’s new recording – which was completed with producer Buddy Cannon a few weeks ago – and the tour name are in tribute to Mills and Cope, both of whom were his dear friends. Mills was murdered at a Nashville bar in 2013. Jason “Rowdy” Cope, a member of The Steel Woods who had previously been a member of Johnson’s band, died in 2021 from complications from diabetes.
 
“When Wayne and Rowdy got together and did that record, that song made it on my radar,” he says. “Back then, I played that song several times with Wayne. We would do it at shows. So, it is one I haven’t done in a while.

“And now Wayne’s son, Jack, is a badass guitar player. He says he learned it all from Rowdy. I don’t doubt that at all. Jack really is something else!

“I thought, ‘Man, his dad would be proud. Let’s break that song out and get Jack to play guitar on it.’ I am proud to have him playing on it.”

This is one of more than 50 new songs Johnson has recorded since releasing Midnight Gasoline, his first new solo album in 14 years, in late 2024. He will preview some of the new songs during this tour and begin releasing them later this year.

“We are going to do some of the new stuff,” Johnson adds. “We will do some of the songs from Midnight Gasoline from last year and all the years before. Whatever album you like, we will do some of those songs.

“It’s exciting to play the new songs,” he says. “I like it when people tell me they have heard the new stuff and they like it. I like it when people have something else to listen to. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.”

The Last Honky Tonk Tour Routing:
June 4, 2025  ||  Wichita, KS  ||  Wichita Riverfest
June 5, 2025  ||  Round Rock, TX  ||  Round Rock Amp
June 6, 2025  ||  Bossier City, LA  ||  Paradise Theater at Margaritaville Resort and Casino
June 7, 2025  ||  Lake Charles, LA  ||  Golden Nugget Lake Charles
June 12, 2025  ||  Warren, OH ||  Packard Music Hall
June 13, 2025 ||  Detroit, MI  ||  Aertha Franklin Amphitheater
June 14, 2025  ||  Creighton, PA ||  Pittsburgh Brewing Company
June 20, 2025  ||  Albuquerque, NM  ||  Isleta Resort & Casino Showroom
June 21, 2025  ||  Chandler, AZ  ||  Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino
June 22, 2025  ||  Winchester, CA  ||  Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival
June 26, 2025  ||  Emigrant, MT  ||  The Old Saloon
June 27, 2025  ||  Emigrant, MT  ||  The Old Saloon
June 28, 2025  ||  Whitefish, MT  ||  Big Mountain Ranch Indian Relay Races
July 11, 2025  ||  Danville, VA  ||  The Pantheon at Caesars Virginia
July 12, 2025  ||  Somerset, KY  ||  Master Musicians Festival
July 25, 2025  ||  Franklin, OH  ||  JD Legends
July 26, 2025  ||  Franklin, OH  ||  JD Legends
August 7, 2025  ||  Webster MA  ||  Indian Ranch Amphitheatre
August 8, 2025  ||  Quakertown, PA  ||  Univest Performance Center
August 9, 2025  ||  Charles Town, WV  ||  Hollywood Casino- The Event Center
August 16, 2025  ||  Petros, TN  ||  Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary Distillery
August 23 & 24, 2025  ||  N. Charleston, SC  ||  Marcus King Family Reunion
September 5, 2025  ||  Cherokee, NC  ||  Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center
September 6, 2025  ||  Cherokee, NC  ||  Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center
September 11, 2025  ||  Hot Springs, AR  ||  Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
September 12, 2025  ||  Pryor, OK  ||  Born & Raised Festival
September 13, 2025  ||  Helotes, TX  ||  Floores Country Store
September 20, 2025  ||  New Madrid, MO  ||  New Madrid Riverfront Park
September 21, 2025  ||  Council Bluffs, IA  ||  Harrah’s Stir Cove
September 26, 2025  ||  Durant, OK  ||  Choctaw Casino
September 27, 2025  ||  Fort Worth, TX  ||  Billy Bob’s Texas
October 4, 2025  ||  Atlantic City, NJ  ||  Tropicana Atlantic City
October 5, 2025  ||  Verona, NY  ||  Turning Stone Resort Casino
October 10, 2025  ||  Biloxi, MS  ||  Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
October 17, 2025  ||  Nashville, TN  ||  Schermerhorn Symphony Center
October 18, 2025  ||  Nashville, TN  ||  Schermerhorn Symphony Center
 
About Jamey Johnson:
The 10-time GRAMMY nominee has been called “one of the greatest country singers of our time,” by The Washington Post. His music has garnered international acclaim and is embraced by fans of classic and contemporary country, as well as Americana and mainstream rock.

The Grand Ole Opry member is also widely regarded as one of the greatest country songwriters of his generation. He is one of only two people in the history of country music (along with Kris Kristofferson) to win two Song of the Year awards in the same year – for “Give It Away” and “In Color” – from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. 

A consummate storyteller, his songs have been recorded by George Strait, Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, James Otto, Joe Nichols and others. He is “a first-rate preservationist of classic country songwriting,” says The New York Times.

His 2024 album, Midnight Gasoline is a musical continuation of his last two solo studio albums, That Lonesome Song, which was certified double platinum for 2 million in sales, and the gold-certified 2010 album, The Guitar Song, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Album Chart. Rolling Stone and SPIN named The Guitar Song to their all-genre Top 5 Best Albums of the Year. (He also released a 2012 duets project, the GRAMMY-nominated Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran.)

“In Color” has received a 5X-Platinum certification for sales/streams of five million, and “High Cost of Living” was certified platinum. “Between Jennings and Jones” and “That Lonesome Song” have been certified gold for sales/streams of 500,000.

Morgan Wallen Claims No. 1 Spot on Billboard 200 and Hot 100

With Billboard calling him “one of the biggest stars in the music world right now” and The New Yorker adding “[he’s] popular on a scale that seems to circumvent genre entirely” on the heels of his fourth studio album release, Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem further solidifies his standing, debuting today at No. 1 globally across seven countries.
 
In the U.S., Wallen broke his own record for most simultaneous entries in Billboard Hot 100 history, with all 37 songs off the album charting. He also currently occupies the No. 1, 2 and 3 slots simultaneously with his duet with Tate McRae “What I Want,” “Just In Case,” and the title track “I’m The Problem,” respectively – becoming the first country artist ever to do so. 
 
I’m The Problem became Wallen’s first No. 1 debut on the U.K.’s Official Charts, as Wallen joins a small group of elite artists including Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, Post Malone and Beyonce as the only artists in U.K. chart history to debut No. 1 with a country album. The feat is especially notable as One Thing At A Time previously marked Wallen’s highest debut on the chart at No. 40.
 
“The massive growth that we’ve seen in the UK is truly something special,” Wallen shared with Official Charts. “One Thing At A Time debuted at #40 and I’m The Problem is debuting at #1 only two years apart. I am so grateful and humbled my music is connecting in a place where we have spent time and worked to build a real and meaningful relationship with our fans there. Thank you guys so much.”
 
I’m The Problem additionally debuted at No. 1 across five other countries – including New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Norway and Scotland – and became Wallen’s third album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with the largest streaming week for any album in 2025 so far in both the U.S. and Canada.
 
Wallen’s preceding albums – Dangerous: The Double Album and One Thing At A Time – have resided in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart for more than 100 weeks each, making him the first artist ever to achieve that feat. 
 
Dubbed a “self-examining storytelling extravaganza” by Billboard, I’m The Problem features 37 tracks, and combines Wallen’s country, cross and dirt-rock influences, underscored by collaborations with pop superstars Post Malone and Tate McRae, plus close friends Eric Church, ERNEST and HARDY. The fusion of influences left Grammy.com lauding, “[Wallen] remains as eclectic as ever, shifting easily from R&B-inflected slow jams to rough-and-ready outlaw country stomps.”
 
The album opens with the title track, “I’m The Problem,” a cutting double-edged confession that reveals the complexities of a relationship at its lowest point. It concludes with “I’m A Little Crazy,” a quiet, self-reflective song that looks inward while examining the world outside. As with Wallen’s other albums, his eclectic taste in music creeps into his songs. But with this album, he’s really honed his ability to integrate those influences, drawing on guitar sounds of Indie bands like The War On Drugs, country greats like Keith Whitley and hip-hop drum tracks. Between all of that, Wallen also reaches listeners on a granular level. 
 
While Wallen co-wrote 22 of the tracks, he tapped into 49 songwriters, curating a tracklist that’s both deeply personal and resonant, viewing life events through a different lens than he’s used in the past. Hits Daily Double observes that the result is “a 37-song cycle of self-reckoning,” adding, “he doesn’t sugarcoat or make excuses.”
 
Wallen recently debuted seven of the album’s songs at his inaugural, self-curated and multi-genre Sand In My Boots Festival, including the title track “I’m The Problem;” the Grammy.com-praised “deceptively smooth-sounding” “Kick Myself;” “Don’t We,” declared an “arena-ready track” by Billboard“I’m A Little Crazy,” noted as “a gorgeous paranoiac ballad” by Washington Post“I Got Better;” “Superman” and “Just In Case.”
 
Wallen’s coinciding 2025 I’m The Problem Tour kicks off June 20 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 20-show run will include stops in Seattle, Washington; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Toronto, Ontario and more. With a second stop added in Madison, Wisconsin, Wallen’s appearances will mark the first time an artist has played two consecutive nights at Camp Randall Stadium.
 
A rotating lineup of guests including Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Koe Wetzel join in direct support with Gavin Adcock, Corey Kent, Ella Langley and Anne Wilson as first-of-three across select dates. Coupled with May’s Sand In My Boots Festival and a special one-night-only album release celebration show on May 28 at Roundhouse in London, these 22 shows are the only place to see the superstar in 2025. 

Morgan Wallen 2025 I’m The Problem Tour Dates:
June 20 // NRG Stadium // Houston, TX w/ Corey Kent and Koe Wetzel
June 21 // NRG Stadium // Houston, TX w/ Corey Kent and Koe Wetzel
June 28 // Camp Randall Stadium // Madison, WI w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
June 29 // Camp Randall Stadium // Madison, WI w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
July 11 // Hard Rock Stadium // Miami Gardens, FL w/ Gavin Adcock and Miranda Lambert
July 12 // Hard Rock Stadium // Miami Gardens, FL w/ Gavin Adcock and Brooks & Dunn
July 18 // State Farm Stadium // Glendale, AZ w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
July 19 // State Farm Stadium // Glendale, AZ w/ Ella Langley and Brooks & Dunn
July 25 // Lumen Field // Seattle, WA w/ Anne Wilson and Miranda Lambert
July 26 // Lumen Field // Seattle, WA w/ Anne Wilson and Brooks & Dunn
Aug 1 // Levi’s Stadium // Santa Clara, CA w/ Anne Wilson and Miranda Lambert
Aug 2 // Levi’s Stadium // Santa Clara, CA w/ Anne Wilson and Brooks & Dunn
Aug 15 // Huntington Bank Field // Cleveland, OH w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
Aug 16 // Huntington Bank Field // Cleveland, OH w/ Ella Langley and Thomas Rhett
Aug 22 // Gillette Stadium // Foxborough, MA w/ Corey Kent and Miranda Lambert
Aug 23 // Gillette Stadium // Foxborough, MA w/ Corey Kent and Miranda Lambert
Sep 4 // Rogers Centre // Toronto, ON w/ Gavin Adcock and Miranda Lambert
Sep 5 // Rogers Centre // Toronto, ON w/ Gavin Adcock and Brooks & Dunn
Sep 12 // Commonwealth Stadium // Edmonton, AB w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
Sep 13 // Commonwealth Stadium // Edmonton, AB w/ Ella Langley and Brooks & Dunn
 
About Morgan Wallen:
Morgan Wallen sets the pace in, and beyond, country music – with Billboard calling him “the biggest country star in the world” and The New York Times doubling down, declaring he’s “one of the biggest stars in pop, period.” With 18 No. 1 singles at Country radio, 19 Billboard Music Awards to-date, more than 170 weeks spent atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (the most in country music history), the highest selling country tour under his belt and more, Wallen has propelled country music to a global level in less than five years. As Las Vegas Review Journal puts it: “Wallen’s appeal is remarkable as it is fueled by his ability to connect to a crowd.” 
 
With Dangerous: The Double Album, Wallen solidified his place as country music’s “dominant superstar,” with the project recently being named Billboard’s No. 1 Album of the 21st Century. One Thing At A Time’s groundbreaking success saw Wallen’s crossover appeal reach a global scale, as he topped the Australian ARIA charts for the first time, along with a host of other accolades. With three No. 1’s already hailing from his fourth studio album, I’m The Problem, available now via Big Loud / Mercury, Wallen digs even deeper, uncovering a side that’s both more vulnerable and more resolute than ever before.
 
As Wallen prepares a refreshed setlist for his 20-stadium-show I’m the Problem Tour, kicking off on June 20 in Houston, Texas, he also highlighted some of his favorite artists by bringing the personally-curated, multi-genre Sand In My Boots Music Festival to Gulf Shores, Alabama in May, which sold out in less than two hours.
 
Wallen continues to donate a portion of every ticket sold to his Morgan Wallen Foundation — which supports youth music and athletic programs and gives communities access to essentials in times of crisis. More at MorganWallen.com.

Kenny Chesney is Billboard's No. 1 Country Artist of the 21st Century

Kenny Chesney woke up to some very outrageous news. With a landmark opening week at Sphere in Las Vegas, where he became the first country act to headline, the news broke that the soft-spoken songwriter/superstar was named Billboard’s Top Country Artist of the 21st Century. Recognizing his imprint on the genre across both singles and the larger perspective of his albums, the honor comes on the heels of being a 2025 Country Music Hall of Fame Electee, alongside June Carter Cash and producer/executive Tony Brown.
 
“No one gets up to go the gym and expects to see news like this on their phone,” the clearly stunned Chesney said. “All I was ever trying to do was find the best possible songs, things that spoke to the heart of how No Shoes Nation lives – and then taking that music, those albums that were slices of my life out to everyone who wanted to come out, be a part of the shows, the moments and the memories we made in every city we played.”

Known for spreading positive energy through his singular rock/country hybrid, the man Wall Street Journal crowned “King of the Road” has taken the music to a whole lot of new places, from college bars to major NFL stadiums and now Sphere. Just as importantly, he’s defined the sound of coming of age, finding peace in the whirlwind pace and kicking back when it’s most needed for people living in all kinds of places across the nation.
 
With 33 Billboard No. 1 Country Airplay songs, more than anyone since the chart’s inception, nine all-genre Billboard 200 Albums, as well as all 17 of his 21st century albums topping their Country Albums chart, Chesney’s music has been an indelible part of what country music can contain. Enlisting duet partners Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews, Grace Potter, the Wailers, P!nk and Uncle Kracker on major hits, as well as Mindy Smith, Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Buffett, George Jones and Joe Walsh, Chesney’s country is an expansive place.
 
As Billboard’s Jim Asker noted, “Kenny Chesney rules as the No. 1 country act on Billboard’s recap of the first 25 years of the 21st century… The ranking is based on performance on the weekly is based on performance on the weekly Top Country Albums and Hot Country Songs charts from the start of 2000 through the end of 2024.
 
“After debuting on Billboard’s charts in December 1993 and becoming a format force by 1995, Chesney dominated the first quarter of the 21st century, landing all 17 of his No. 1s on the weekly Top Country Albums chart between 2000 and 2020. With his trademark mix of love songs and breezy beach singalongs, he also ran up 20 No. 1s (of 23 total) on Hot Country Songs in that span. Both totals are the highest among all artists in those years.”

With Heart*Life*Music, his first book, due in November of this year and available for preorder now, it’s been quite a journey. For fans of the leader of the borderless No Shoes Nation, who’ve marveled at his Sphere residency, there’s so much more to come.

Chase Rice Expands 'Go Down Singin' International Tour' with 13 New Dates

After an incredible response to the launch of his already-extended Go Down Singin’ International Tour, which kicked off in Australia ahead of dates across the U.S. and Canada throughout the summer, multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Chase Rice again expands the run with 13 additional dates announced today. Tickets to the newly added shows go on sale to the general public this Friday, May 30 at 10 a.m. local time via ChaseRice.com.
 
Bringing Rice’s critically acclaimed album Go Down Singin’ to audiences across the globe, the remaining stops on the tour see him joined by fellow singer-songwriters Cory Asbury, Wade Bowen, Gritty Flyright, Tyler Halverson, Hannah McFarland, McCoy Moore, Drake White and Charlie Worsham across various dates (see full listing below; support assets available HERE).
 
The international run highlights Rice’s widely celebrated artistic evolution in a live setting. As Billboard declares, “his new music leans toward rootsier, raw-rock driven sounds, trading party anthems for introspective lyrical themes,” while “his voice conveys a crackling warmth of self-reflection and an easy-going comfortableness with his new sound.” Rolling Stone highlights the album as “an excellent collection of poignant, often anthemic country,” noting that it finds Rice “trying to do what creative people are supposed to: grow and change,” while Cowboys & Indians proclaims that “maturity and clarity are the reality on Chase Rice's new album… one of 2024’s most well-received country albums.”
 
Rice further showcased this new direction with surprise follow-up project Fireside Sessions, which features all 25 songs from both Go Down Singin’ and prior album I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell as live, single-take versions with cowriters including Lori McKenna, Jackson Dean, Hunter Phelps, Randy Montana and more as featured artists. 
 
His latest offering, the brand-new Live From Chief’s EP released in Friday, March as a surprise for fans, includes Rice’s takes on two songs from his heroes – Eric Church’s “Carolina” and George Strait’s “I Can Still Make Cheyenne” – as well as the previously unreleased original, “Cowboy Goodbye.” Listen HERE.
 
For more information on all things Chase Rice, visit ChaseRice.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok@ChaseRiceMusic and on Instagram @ChaseRice.

Go Down Singin’ International Tour 2025
support assets available HERE
* denotes newly added dates on sale this Friday, May 30
June 5  ||  Elizabeth, CO  ||  Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo (Festival)
June 7  ||  Myrtle Beach, SC  ||  Carolina Country Music Festival (Festival)
June 8  ||  Norfolk, VA  ||  Norfolk Harborfest (Festival)
June 12  ||  North Lawrence, OH  ||  The Country Fest (Festival)
June 13  ||  Huber Heights, OH  ||  Rose Music Center at The Heights (with Drake White)
June 14  ||  Fishers, IN  ||  Nickel Plate District Amphitheater (with Drake White)
June 19  ||  Sarnia, ON  ||  Bluewater BorderFest (Festival)
June 20  ||  Grand Rapids, MI  ||  The Intersection (with Tyler Halverson)
June 21  ||  Chicago, IL  ||  The Salt Shed (with Tyler Halverson)
June 27  ||  Fort Stewart, GA  ||  Salute to Summer (Festival)
June 28  ||  Charleston, SC  ||  The Refinery (with Cory Asbury & Gritty Flyright)
July 9  ||  Calgary, AB  ||  Calgary Stampede (Festival)
July 11  ||  Great Falls, MT  ||  The Newberry
July 12  ||  Thermopolis, WY  ||  Wyoming Discovery Days (Festival)
July 17  ||  Eau Claire, WI  ||  Country Jam USA (Festival)
July 18  ||  Hastings, NE  ||  Adams County Fairfest (Festival)
July 19  ||  Hartington, NE  ||  Cedar County Fair (Festival)
July 25  ||  Redmond, OR  ||  General Duffy’s Waterhole
July 26  ||  Eugene, OR  ||  Lane Events Center
July 31  ||  Klamath Falls, OR  ||  Klamath County Fair (Festival)
August 2  ||  Cowichan, BC  ||  Sunfest Country (Festival)
August 5  ||  Post Falls, ID  ||  Stateline Speedway
August 8  ||  Sunbury, PA  ||  Spyglass Ridge Winery (with Wade Bowen)
August 9  ||  Oro-Medonte, ON  ||  Boots & Hearts (Festival)
August 13  ||  Point Pleasant Beach, NJ  ||  Jenks Club
August 14  ||  Deerfield, MA  ||  Summer Stage at Treehouse Brewing Company (with Wade Bowen)
August 15  ||  Hyannis, MA  ||  Cape Cod Melody Tent (with Wade Bowen)
August 16  ||  Wantagh, NY  ||  Mulcahy’s (with Wade Bowen)
August 21  ||  Saint-Agapit, QC  ||  Festival Country Lotbinière (Festival)
August 22  ||  Dieppe, NB  ||  YQM Country Fest (Festival)
August 30  ||  Doswell, VA  ||  Atlantic Union Bank After Hours at SERVPRO Pavilion (with Drake White)
August 31  ||  Roanoke, VA  ||  Dr Pepper Park (with Drake White)
September 5  ||  Fargo, ND  ||  UP District Festival Field (with Hannah McFarland)*
September 6  ||  West Des Moines, IA  ||  Val Air Ballroom (with Hannah McFarland)*
September 18  ||  Missoula, MT  ||  The Wilma (with McCoy Moore)*
September 20  ||  Billings, MT  ||  The Pub Station Ballroom (with McCoy Moore)*
September 25  ||  Paso Robles, CA  ||  Vina Robles Amp (with Hannah McFarland)*
September 26  ||  Anaheim, CA  ||  House of Blues (with Hannah McFarland)*
September 27  ||  Modesto, CA  ||  The Fruityard (with Drake White & Hannah McFarland)*
October 2  ||  Hampton Beach, NH  ||  Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (with McCoy Moore)*
October 3  ||  Ocean City, MD  ||  Country Calling (Festival)
October 4  ||  New Haven, CT  ||  Toads (with McCoy Moore)*
October 11  ||  Hiawassee, GA  ||  Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds (with McCoy Moore)*
October 12  ||  Birmingham, AL  ||  Iron Hills (Festival)
October 16  ||  Oklahoma City, OK ||  The Jones Assembly (with Charlie Worsham)
November 13  ||  Minneapolis, MN  ||  The Fillmore (with Charlie Worsham)*
November 14  ||  Sioux City, SD  ||  Anthem at Hard Rock*
November 15  ||  Chesterfield, MO  ||  The Factory (with Charlie Worsham)
November 21  ||  United Central, FL  ||  St. Pete Country Fest (Fesitval)
November 22  ||  Daytona Beach, FL  ||  Peabody Auditorium (with McCoy Moore)*

Dierks Bentley Establishes Broken Branches Fund to Provide Mental Health Resources Through Music Health Alliance

Today, award-winning songwriter and entertainer Dierks Bentley announces the establishment of the Broken Branches Fund with a multi-year financial commitment to provide mental health resources to the creative and touring communities. The Broken Branches Fund will be administered in partnership with Music Health Alliance (MHA)and will provide mental health grants for qualified candidates and their families to cover outpatient counseling, as well as a plan for follow-up care. More information and to apply for access to all resources that MHA’s groundbreaking Music Industry Mental Health Fund provides is available HERE. Additionally, fans will have an opportunity to donate to the fund themselves throughout the summer at tour stops and other activations and online at https://bit.ly/DonateToMHA25.
 
“Making this album and prepping for the tour, I’ve never been more aware of the sacrifice that the people in this town make every day to keep country music playing. Whether you’re sitting in a room all day trying to write the perfect hook or leaving home on a bus for weeks at a time, it can be isolating and exhausting. This just felt like the right opportunity to make a bigger commitment on my part to supporting those folks and their families in a more direct and intentional way,” said Bentley.
 
“Dierks was one of the first artists to believe in and support Music Health Alliance, and from day one, he’s led with both heart and action,” said Tatum Allsep, Founder & CEO of Music Health Alliance. “Creating the Broken Branches Fund at MHA to support music’s mental health shows his deep commitment to the people who power our industry both on stage and off, and to their well-being for many years to come.”
 
Bentley will kick off his 30-city Broken Branches Tour on Thursday, May 29, joined by Zach Top and The Band Loula, ahead of his forthcoming 11th studio album, Broken Branches, out June 13 (MCA). As he leans into this new chapter, Bentley embraces the knots and imperfections that have shaped his journey, proudly honoring the outliers of both country life and country music. The upcoming album’s lead single “She Hates Me,” which features his “trademark humor” (Billboard) while blending elements of Whitley and Weezer, scored Bentley his career highest charting debut with its playful edge to Bentley’s signature country sound. He counts eight Number One albums, 22 Number One songs, and over 9.5 billion global streams to his credit—plus 15 Grammy nominations and membership in the historic Grand Ole Opry. Continuing the path built from the ground up, as an entrepreneur, he has four locations of the gastropub and live music venue “Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row,” has a Flag & Anthem lifestyle collection "Desert Son” and recently released ROW 94 – a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey crafted with only “three ingredients and the truth” at Kentucky’s Green River Distilling Co. For more information on new music and upcoming tour dates, visit Dierks.com.

About Music Health Alliance: 
Music Health Alliance’s mission is to Heal the Music by providing advocacy and access to healthcare and mental health resources that Protect, Direct, and Connect music professionals with medical and financial solutions. Thanks to the direct efforts of MHA, over 32,000 members of the music community across the country have gained access to lifesaving transplants, medicine, health insurance, mental health resources, emergent dental care and end-of-life care, saving over $145 million in healthcare costs. MHA’s services are available at no cost to those who have made a living in the music industry for three or more years. Spouses, partners, and children of qualifying individuals may also receive access to the non-profit’s services from birth to end of life. For more information please visit MHA’s website or contact MHA directly at 615-200-6896 or email info@musichealthalliance.com.

Kenny Chesney Wraps 1st Sphere Weekend: Grace Potter, Island Requests, Boys of Fall

For a man who can’t stay in one place very long, Kenny Chesney is creating an even deeper sense of what one of America’s best loved collection of songs means with each night of his residency at Sphere Las Vegas. Even with the high intensity visual media, the intensely dialed in sound and an intimacy afforded by the immersive venue configuration, what stands out more than anything is the unwavering connection between the high energy East Tennessee born artist and No Shoes Nation.

Early in the show on Sunday night, Chesney stood at his mic and confessed, “I rarely take requests, but there are some people here from the islands… and they said, ‘We’ve heard all the hits, now play us something from the heart.’ Regaling the capacity crowd with the story of how life becomes art, he went completely off-script to deliver a tender take on “Old Blue Chair,” the semi-title track from Be as You Are: Songs from an Old Blue Chair.

With people lining up to get into his Guitars, Tiki Bars & A Whole Lotta Love experience at 3:30 the first few mornings the free activation at the Venetian was open, the fervor for the songwriter/superstar set a bar for opening weekend that was palpable. After Kelsea Ballerini dropped in on opening night, Grace Potter arrived for the weekend and a sultry take on the double GRAMMY-nominated “You & Tequila.”

Dressed in thigh high vintage Ann Klein boots of many colors panels, she embodied the rock & roll spirit expected from the fiery roots songstress. “It’s not often our circles converge anymore,” Chesney says of the woman recently profiled in The New York Times, “because she has a life of her own, but when it does, it’s magical.”

Parade raved, “Country legend leaves fans speechless during ‘absolutely unreal’ show,” while ABC News called it “historic” and even Jambase proclaimed he “doubled down.” But it was USA Today who offered the deepest dive, headlining their review, “Kenny Chesney delivers vibrant, visually arresting feast at Sphere Las Vegas” – and calling the show “a technicolor wonder” and writing “It’s as much a concert as a sonic and visual roller-coaster ride pairing one of the most acclaimed stars of country with the evolving technological wizardry of the Sphere.”

Whether dedicating the power of girls who fearlessly dream rocker “Big Star” to two-time Academy of Country Music Lainey Wilson, who snuck in to see the show on a rare night off, or making an audible and playing “The Boys of Fall,” because Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell were in the house, each night’s shows are being tailored to the moment and the chemistry within.

“Having friends stop by, having friends get up on stage,” Chesney says, “this is about creating a whole new experience for No Shoes Nation. Something that could only happen here – a venue built around this groundbreaking technology – I’m so grateful so many members of No Shoes Nation were willing to travel to the desert to experience this with us. It’s strange in the best way: the intensity, the immersion, the way songs come to life almost literally.  

“The animation with Kracker? The midway for ‘Til It’s Gone’? To literally be in a fish bowl? How could we not habe those experiences? But even more, hearing the audience sing that second chorus on ‘American Kids’ with such joy? You can tell their hitting another gear from the joy in their voices.”

The only country artist to be in Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Last 25 Years for the last 15 years, Chesney joins the very select handful of cultural icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees U2, (Grateful) Dead & Company and the Eagles, plus Phish to play the 17,600-seat spherical venue that deploys next-generation technologies. 

Over a year in the making, Chesney and his team, along with experts from Sphere Studios’ advanced tech and creative teams, captured content. They’ve created and captured myriad worlds, from the University of Tennessee’s Volunteers rushing onto the field to underwater adventures, candy skulls, iconic moments, lighthouse entanglements, NASCAR cams and the rush of being onstage at a stadium show. 

Drawing on songs never performed live, including the sweeping “One Lonely Island” and a mesmerizing “Seven Days,” the farflung show also creates an intimacy never before seen in Chesney’s massive stadium concerts. For all the fans of the man from Tennessee, this is Kenny Chesney as he’s known and loved, but also as he’s never been seen before.

Photo Credit: Allister Ann

Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere Las Vegas Remaining Shows:
LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN
Wednesday, May 28
Friday, May 30
Saturday, May 31
Wednesday, June 4
Friday, June 6
Saturday, June 7
Wednesday, June 11
Friday, June 13
Saturday, June 14
Wednesday, June 18
Friday, June 20
Saturday, June 21

Eric Church Brings “Evangeline vs. The Machine Live” to The Pinnacle for Two Nights Only

When Eric Church’s Evangeline vs. The Machine Live shows at The Pinnacle were announced in March, the superstar and CMA Entertainer of the Year winner told fans it would be a pair of performances like nothing they’d ever seen. The Church Choir quickly sold out the underplays at just 4,500-capacity-times-two before ever hearing the album that was released on May 2, 2025. And the anticipation was at its peak by showtime! With many showing up in “Eric Fucking Church” and “Concert for Carolina” merch, the Church Choir was ready. 

As fans entered the venue, they were met by camera controllers and security in hazmat suits embroidered with Church’s Evangeline vs. The Machine album insignia “M” signifying the “Machine” before a 27-minute visual intro that appropriately included Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine,” played. The crowd erupted upon seeing his 6-piece band, 4-piece horns, 4-piece strings, 8-piece choir and vocalist Joanna Cotten entering the stage to “Run Like Hell” chanting “Chief, Chief” before the North Carolinian appeared up center stage. 

Performing his eighth studio album front-to-back before transitioning into his catalog hits reimagined with this expanded musical collaboation – including “Desperate Man,” “Give Me Back My Hometown,” “Sinners Like Me,” “Mistress Named Music” and “Springsteen” among others – the two-hour set saw Church equally as ardent as the audience. 

“We created a show that’s only gonna be seen for these two nights,” Church said on stage Saturday night. “My favorite times as a music fan is knowing I’m seeing something live. Not on YouTube, not on TikTok, but live, as I knew I’d never be in that moment ever again. And that is the power of music… and the genesis of these shows.” 

Whether transitioning from Evangeline vs. The Machine’s album closer “Clap Hands” to “Desperate Man,” or citing the sax-solo on “Springsteen,” Whiskey Riff notes Church’s album release shows “showed off not only his country music street cred but also wove in the rock, blues and soul sounds that have influenced the man behind the sunglasses.” 

Photo Credit: Nathan Zucker for Alive Coverage

Free the Machine Tour 2025 Dates are as follows: 
Sept. 12  ||  Pittsburgh, Penn.  ||  PPG Paints Arena  ||  Elle King
Sept. 13  ||  Columbus, Ohio  ||  Nationwide Arena  ||  Elle King
Sept. 18  ||  Philadelphia, Penn.  ||  Wells Fargo Center  ||  Elle King
Sept. 19  ||  Boston, Mass.  ||  TD Garden  ||  Elle King
Sept. 20  ||  Brooklyn, N.Y.  ||  Barclays Center  ||  Elle King
Sept. 25  ||  Green Bay, Wisc.  ||  Resch Center  ||  Marcus King Band
Sept. 26  ||  Milwaukee, Wisc.  ||  Fiserv Forum  ||  Marcus King Band
Sept. 27  ||  Des Moines, Iowa  ||  Wells Fargo Arena  ||  Marcus King Band
Oct. 2    ||  Detroit, Mich.  ||  Little Caesars Arena  ||  Marcus King Band
Oct. 3    ||  Lexington, Ky.  ||  Rupp Arena  ||  Marcus King Band
Oct. 9    ||  Indianapolis, Ind.  ||  Gainbridge Fieldhouse  ||  Marcus King Band
Oct. 10   ||  Grand Rapids, Mich.  ||  Van Andel Arena  ||  Marcus King Band
Oct. 11   ||  Cleveland, Ohio  ||  Rocket Arena  ||  Marcus King Band
Oct. 23   ||  Salt Lake City, Utah  ||  Delta Center  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Oct. 24   ||  Boise, Idaho  ||  ExtraMile Arena  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Oct. 25   ||  Spokane, Wash.  ||  Spokane Arena  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 6    ||  Vancouver, B.C.  ||  Rogers Arena  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 7    ||  Portland, Ore.  ||  Moda Center  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 8    ||  Seattle, Wash.  ||  Climate Pledge Arena  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 13   ||  Sacramento, Calif.  ||  Golden 1 Center  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 14   ||  Fresno, Calif.  ||  SaveMart Center  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin
Nov. 15   ||  Inglewood, Calif.  ||  Intuit Dome  ||  Charles Wesley Godwin

About Eric Church
A seven-time ACM Award winner, four-time CMA Award winner (including 2020’s Entertainer of the Year), TIME100Philanthropy 2025 honoree and 10-time GRAMMY nominee – including three nods for Best Country Album, Eric Church has built a passionate fan base through his critically acclaimed catalog of music. Church’s October 2024 release, “Darkest Hour,” saw the superstar signing over all of his publishing royalties to the people of North Carolina to provide immediate relief following the devastation of Hurricane Helene while also providing ongoing funds to support a more resilient future for his home state. The song is featured alongside current single “Hands Of Time” on his brand new album, Evangeline vs. The Machine, marking his first new music since 2021’s Heart & Soul triple album (“Stick That In Your Country Song,” “Hell Of A View”). That project followed prior releases including RIAA Gold-certified Desperate Man (“Some Of It,” “Desperate Man”), Platinum-certified Sinners Like Me (“How ’Bout You,” “Guys Like Me”), Carolina (“Smoke a Little Smoke,” “Love Your Love the Most”) and Mr. Misunderstood (“Record Year,” “Round Here Buzz”), Double-Platinum certified The Outsiders (“Like a Wrecking Ball,” “Talladega”) and 4x Platinum-certified Chief (“Springsteen,” “Drink In My Hand”), as well as 32 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum certified songs. Church is also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, a co-owner of the iconic Field & Stream brand, has his own SiriusXM music channel, “Eric Church Outsiders Radio,” his own liquor offering, Whiskey JYPSI, and recently celebrated the first anniversary Chief’s, his six-story venue on Nashville’s famed lower Broadway. For more information, visit EricChurch.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter/X @ericchurch and Instagram @ericchurchmusic. 

Kenny Chesney Gets His SPHERE On, No Shoes Nation Finds A New Dimension

They came in rhinestones, flip-flops, grass skirts, stilettos, Bermuda shorts, cowboy boots, Hawaiian shirts and a couple Low Key Bob Fan Club tees. Whatever the look, they all had the same mission: to see where Kenny Chesney was taking No Shoes Nation with his 2025 Vegas Sphere residency, his only live appearances this year.
 
Triumphantly taking the stage after a far-reaching DJ set by Brandi Cyrus, the East Tennessean kicked off with the longstanding classic “Beer In Mexico” as sugar skulls rained down and animated skulls danced and drank long neck cervezas from Sphere’s wraparound video wall. Between the rush of the band, the intensity of the visuals and the anticipation in the house, the energy onstage and in the room was palpable. But even more, the anticipation of the fans who’d been in line for several hours was met with an integrated experience of sonics, visuals, musicians and heart that met that built-up excitement straight on.
 
Whether it was the technicolor immersion of cell phones in an aquatic tank in “Welcome to the Fish Bowl,” a song Chesney wrote 15 years ago to take on the invasiveness of social media, the multi-dimensional midway carnival of “Til It’s Gone” or the almost overwhelming swirl of tiles featuring images from the “Noise” video, Chesney and the Revival met the moment – and the increased production values – with a real passion that saw an audience dancing and clapping with stadium-sized abandon.
 
“It’s overwhelming a little,” Chesney says, “beyond the visuals, which build and move, the fans are so close – even in the 400 section – that you’re consumed by all of it when you look up. But it makes you feel so alive to have everyone right there, rocking, singing and almost beyond being in the moment.”
 
When Kelsea Ballerini appeared on top of a small riser in a mirror sequined mini dress and high ponytail, it was clear this will be a residence of real surprises. Reaching out to his friend and “half of my hometown” partner, the pair blazed through an unplanned “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” as well as their No. 1 duet and Ballerini sitting in for Grace Potter on “You & Tequila.”
 
“We have the ability to add things in, change it up,” the artist who’s done surprise college bar tours, beach takeovers on the Alabama/Florida line, two dozen major stadiums a summer and three consecutive nights at Foxborough, Mass.’s Gillette Stadium says of the flexibility. “Even with this 4-D production, we can keep the spontaneity and in the moment magic that have made our shows a revival and right of summer for the last twenty years.”
 
The only country artist to be in Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Last 25 Years for the last 15 years, Chesney joins the very select handful of cultural icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees U2, (Grateful) Dead & Company and the Eagles, plus Phish for four very singular concerts to play the 17,600-seat spherical venue deploys next-generation technologies. The world’s highest resolution LED display wraps up, over and around the audience, creating a fully immersive visual environment.
 
Over a year in the making, Chesney and his team, along with experts from Sphere Studios’ advanced tech and creative teams, captured content, as well deployed cutting-edge animation techniques, to create a whole new experience in how the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar’s music is experienced. It all came together last night in Las Vegas where the crowd roared with delight, took over “American Kids” and “Anything But Mine” with a fervor that matched the largest stadium shows.
 
Drawing on songs never performed live, including the sweeping “One Lonely Island” and a mesmerizing “Seven Days,” the songs also took on an intimacy to match the moment. For everyone who’d traveled to the Nevada desert for the first time ever, not only were their expectations more than met, the window to what’s possible over the next several weeks has been opened. Get ready.
 
“We knew as we rehearsed in Sphere the last couple days this was going to be intense,” Chesney explains. “But nothing can prepare you for seeing No Shoes Nation flying through the underwater landscapes, coming over the top of pirate ships and being dropped into a pin ball machine. The looks of joy, awe and total wow on their faces did all of our hearts good.
 
“I can’t believe we have to wait until Saturday night to do it all over again.”
 
Limited tickets remain for the Sphere residency at KennyChesney.com with packages available via Vibee, the official VIP Concert & Hotel Package partner for Kenny Chesney’s Live at Sphere residency, at KennyChesney.Vibee.com. All Vibee packages offer guests a choice of premium tickets including Sandbar (general admission floor) or reserved seating, a collectable laminate and lanyard, access to the No Shoes Island VIP Pool Party, exclusive Kenny Chesney curated gift bag and early access to the Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love experience on show days for crowd-free shopping on exclusive merch items, and access to a dedicated shopping lane during public hours. Vibee Hotel Packages include a two-night stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (The Venetian or The Palazzo) or Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. 

Photo Credit: Allister Ann

Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere Las Vegas LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN
Saturday, May 24
Sunday, May 25
Wednesday, May 28
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Jamey Johnson Marries Brittney Eakins in Franklin, Tenn. on May 20

Award-winning country singer-songwriter Jamey Johnson married attorney Brittney Eakins on Tuesday, May 20, before 350 friends and family at the lush 160-acre Graystone Quarry in Williamson County. Read the PEOPLE feature here.
 
“Life has come full circle,” Brittney says. “Jamey has a sentimental attachment to the quarry. I let him decide the location of our wedding and that’s where he wanted to go.”
 
The Graystone Quarry was originally used as the limestone source for Interstate 65 from Columbia, Tenn. to Nashville, Tenn., which is the same road Jamey followed from Alabama to Nashville to pursue his dreams of a career in country music.
 
About a year after Jamey moved to Nashville, he worked for a company that pumped out rock quarries and mines so workers could return to work after a rain. “Around 2000-02, I took a pump out to that quarry one day,” he says.
 
In 2016, the quarry reopened as an entertainment venue that featured the FirstBank Amphitheater, where Jamey has performed several times.  
 
Jamey thanked Nancy Jones, the widow of late country legend George Jones, for suggesting the quarry as a wedding venue. “Before I talked to her, I didn't even know they did weddings there. It didn’t cross my mind as a wedding venue.”
 
The wedding was officiated by country singer-songwriter Randy Houser, who is a member of the Traler Park, a group of friends that also includes Jamey, Lee Brice, Dallas Davidson, Rob Hatch and Jerrod Niemann. They have remained friends since their early days of performing on Nashville’s famed Lower Broadway, driven by their shared dreams of a career in music. In addition to the Traler Park members, Blake “Wally” Harris, a friend since college, was also a groomsman.
 
Perhaps ironically, Jamey determined that a rock singer would be the best behaved at the wedding. “For best man, I went with Jeremy Popoff (of the rock band Lit), but only because I figured he would be the least one likely to do something purposely to disrupt the ceremony.”
 
Brittney’s maid-of-honor was her youngest sister, Whittney Eakins, and her matron of honor was her middle sister, Tiffany Arcement, who is nine months pregnant. Brittney says, “That just goes to show you how my family is truly the best. My sisters have shown up for me in a huge way. She is due any day and still came to Nashville to stand by my side. We had to find her an emergency delivery doctor in Nashville just in case she went into labor.”
 
Brittney found her wedding dress at Natasha Marie Bridal in Baton Rouge, La., and had custom work, including a detachable skirt, completed in Nashville by Nina E Designs, who also works with country singer Megan Moroney. 
 
The dress code was “cowboy black tie. “It’s a nod to our Nashville friends and to let them know they could wear their hats and boots,” Brittney says.
 
Jamey says, “It was a way to tell all of my friends who can’t be told what to do or when to do it, ‘This is an idea of what you could wear. Put on the stuff you wear when you want to wear something nice.’” Jamey himself wore Tecovas Boots. 
 
The first dance was to “Look at You Girl,” which was recorded by late country singer Chris LeDoux and performed by ERNEST at the wedding. “That is what I sang at Ira Dean’s wedding,” says Jamey. “Anytime I sing at a wedding, I ask if I can sing that song, and it is always the one the brides land on.” The band Party on the Moon also performed.
 
Wedding guests included Oliver Anthony, award-winning songwriter Dean Dillon, Colt Ford, Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, Kassi Ashton, Zac Brown and jewelry designer Kendra Scott, members of the band Chapel Hart, ERNEST, Randy Houser, Larry Fleet, Gary Allan, Nancy Jones, window of the late George Jones, Marcus King, Multi-ACM Award winner Ella Langley, songwriter and producer Mac McAnally, Grammy Award winner Lukas Nelson, James Otto, Jeremy Popoff, multi-genre artist Kid Rock, Country Music Hall of Fame member Randy and Mary Travis, comedian Ron White and Luke Grimes of Yellowstone
 
The wedding was planned and catered by The Cutting Board of Milton, Fla. There was a heavy seafood presence, including a recipe called the Seafood Sensation, which is a Cajun cream-style sauce with six different types of seafood sautéed in a pan. (The seasoning recipe is patented by the caterer.)
 
The cocktail hour featured a station called Johnson Sliders with three different types of sliders, including a bacon/swiss with maple onion jam, Nashville hot chicken (in honor of Jamey’s city of residence) and a muffaletta (in honor of Brittney’s home state). The couple featured John Schneider’s Revenuer’s Reserve moonshine in a blackberry moonshine margarita and a blackberry Tennessee burnt-end skewer. Jamey’s signature cocktail was a non-alcoholic margarita and Brittney’s signature cocktail was a Hand Grenade, which pays homage to New Orleans and includes vodka, rum, gin and a melon liqueur. The bar service was courtesy The Thirsty Ranch of Milton, Fla. 
 
The traditional wedding cake was an almond flavor with a raspberry filling and showcased the same lace pattern that was on the bride’s dress. “The groom’s cake is his favorite cake flavor, carrot cake,” Brittney says. “I was more excited about the groom’s cake than the bridal cake.”
 
The groom's cake was a surprise for Jamey – a full-scale replica of his beloved guitar, Ole Maple, with every detail, including the autographs from other artists on the front. 
 
The cakes were made by Iris Smith of Cakes by Iris in Mississippi, who is a nationally known cake maker. “She has made us a few cakes already,” Jamey says. 
 
Brittney says, “She was the first vendor we chose for this wedding two years ago. We ran into her at Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’ second inauguration. Jamey asked her on the spot if she would do the wedding cake.” 
 
The theme of the wedding was southern elegance with a white color palate. The florals and decor were by Fresh Cut of Flowood, Miss. 
 
Guests had the option to sign a traditional guest book as well as a custom-made guitar. The guitar was an idea and a surprise from the wedding planner.
 
The bride was born in Slidell, La., and raised in nearby Kiln. She earned a law degree from the University of Mississippi and was a law clerk at the State Supreme Court in January 2019, when she met Jamey at Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’ inauguration. Jamey was so smitten that he proposed the next day in front of Walker’s Restaurant. He said, “How about we skip the dating? Let’s go ahead and get married and have some kids and we’ll talk about a date after that.” 
 
“I couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not,” shares Brittney. “He didn’t laugh. He looked at me and said, ‘You have no idea how long I have been looking for you.’”
 
She politely declined and said, “How about we go on a date first?”
 
For four years, they had a long-distance relationship, seeing each other as much as possible around her work schedule and his touring schedule. Jamey, a licensed pilot who lives in Nashville, made frequent flights to Jackson, Miss. 
 
On March 1, 2023, Jamey proposed on the deck/patio of the Walter Sillers building in Jackson, where she was working for Attorney General Lynn Fitch. When she returned to her office, she was surprised to see him standing there. “He asked me to take a walk with him, so I did. I don’t remember our conversation, but I remember we were right across the street from where we met. He got down on one knee and proposed. I guess I said yes this time!”
 
Concerns about the weather grew as forecasts predicted severe thunderstorms on their wedding day. Indeed, moments after the couple were proclaimed husband and wife, the rain turned into a major storm, complete with baseball-sized hail. Fortunately, the heaviest part of the storm was short-lived and everyone was able to walk to the reception area and enjoy the rest of the evening. 
 
"A lot of people say that a little rain on wedding day is good luck, but not many people can say that they got married during a tornado and hail storm," Brittney jokes.
 
The Johnsons depart for an island honeymoon on Thursday, where they will hopefully have nothing but sunny days ahead. 
 
"The best thing about our wedding is that it has brought together so many people we love. Watching our friends meet and become friends has been the best experience for us," Brittney says.

Kenny's SO Ready for SPHERE: One Day + Counting...

They loaded in at midnight Sunday. They were up and running Sunday evening. They’ve been rehearsing since Monday, feeling the arc of a whole new set list, songs rarely or never before played – and, of course, many of the favorites of No Shoes Nation.
 
Almost a year in the making, Kenny Chesney is ready to kick-off his much-vaunted residency at Sphere. All the technology, the vibrance, the ability to immerse No Shoes Nation in the songs that are their life is finally about to happen.
 
“You can’t truly imagine it,” says the leader of No Shoes Nation. “When people say you have to experience it to really understand, they aren’t kidding. Even with all the simulators, the special editing facilities, the way we have approached rehearsals, it wasn’t until we got inside Sphere that me, the band, the crew and all our road family truly got it. It is a whole other world – and I can’t wait for the people who’ve loved this music so intensely to experience this.
 
“Experience, because it’s so much more than just seeing a concert.”
 
A no-holds-barred musical experience, Chesney has refashioned his notoriously quick-hitting set list to create a new live dynamic for his shows. An energetic and emotional rollercoaster, this residency will take fans deeper into the music through the super-specific mix by legendary sound engineer Robert Scovill, the all-new visual presentation and a few surprises the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar has pulled together for this once-in-a-lifetime kind of concert opportunity.
 
“Keeping the focus on these songs,” the man Wall Street Journal calls “The King of the Road” says, “it made us really creative. Some of what we shot, the way the sound is being sculpted, we’re taking these songs deeper into what they can be – and when we got onstage to start rehearsing, everybody was blown away by how much more every single song seemed to mean.”
 
As Rolling Stone reported, “No Shoes Nation fandom will descend upon Las Vegas in May… The shows will be a rare chance to see Chesney outside of the massive football stadiums he usually hits on tour.” That means anyone who’s ever heard their life or found their meaning in his 33 No. 1’s and myriad Top 5 and Top 10 hits can get ready for a festival that binds what Variety calls “a concert-going community rivaled perhaps only by Parrotheads and Deadheads” together.
 
And that starts before the show. Grab a drink at the Spread the Love Bar, an amalgamation of Kenny’s favorite bars at the end of the world and get your vibe right. Hit Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love to experience his journey, no need to even have a ticket to the show! Free to all, spread the love and take that positive energy into the world – or into Sphere where Brandi Cyrus will be throwing down a DJ set to get people dancing, feeling good and ready.
 
“You really do have to experience it to feel how deep this goes,” Chesney says. “We can’t wait to get everybody into the room to feel that energy. We are always coming to rock No Shoes Nation, and they rock us right back. Something tells me this is going to be even more intense.”
 
Limited tickets remain for the Sphere residency at KennyChesney.com with packages available via Vibee, the official VIP Concert & Hotel Package partner for Kenny Chesney’s Live at Sphere residency, at KennyChesney.Vibee.com. All Vibee packages offer guests a choice of premium tickets including Sandbar (general admission floor) or reserved seating, a collectable laminate and lanyard, access to the No Shoes Island VIP Pool Party, exclusive Kenny Chesney curated gift bag and early access to the Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love experience on show days for crowd-free shopping on exclusive merch items, and access to a dedicated shopping lane during public hours. Vibee Hotel Packages include a two-night stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (The Venetian or The Palazzo) or Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. 
 
Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere in Las Vegas is presented by Blue Chair Bay® Rum.

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond

Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere Las Vegas
Thursday, May 22
Saturday, May 24
Sunday, May 25
Wednesday, May 28
Friday, May 30
Saturday, May 31
Wednesday, June 4
Friday, June 6
Saturday, June 7
Wednesday, June 11
Friday, June 13
Saturday, June 14
Wednesday, June 18
Friday, June 20
Saturday, June 21

Eli Young Band Launches New Era with 'Strange Hours' Album + Tour

After dropping the slinky new single “Strange Hours,” 18x RIAA Gold and Platinum-certified country hitmakers Eli Young Band are back for more, launching a new era with the announce of their Strange Hours album and headline tour. Presave the album HERE.
 
Set for release August 1, Strange Hours finds the trailblazing group returning to the bold creative defiance of their independent roots – and to Panhandle House Studio in their hometown of Denton, Texas, where their debut album Level was born.
 
Reviving the raw, grassroots energy and emotional sting of their early work, a brand new batch of country-rock anthems feature Eli Young Band’s signature live-band philosophy, and their chart-topping sound. Along the way, frontman Mike Eli continues to wield one of the most distinctive voices in modern country, leading a band of brothers who write the majority of their fan-favorite tracks.
 
Featuring 13 songs – all co-written by Eli Young Band members and produced by Jimmy Robbins and Eric Arjes – Strange Hours includes title track with its grooving tribute to a black-magic romance, plus the songs off their  Nothing On the Wild EP. A fearless batch of all new tunes join the previously released “Home In Hometown,” “What Do Lonely People Do,” “I’m Yours Amen” and “Nothing On the Wild.”
 
Looking back over the course of their 25-year career, the band members say they still feel the magnetic pull of sold-out country music crowds. And it still has them keeping Strange Hours.
 
“This is a full circle moment for us. Going back home to Denton, Texas to record the album that is our first independent release in years,” shares lead vocalist, Mike Eli. “It was just us in the studio with our producers and a couple of old friends making music that we love! These songs are special to us and this record is the start of a whole new chapter for EYB!“
 
Pre-save/pre-add Eli Young Band’s Strange Hours via here, or buy the album (8/1) on a signed CD/vinyl at the Eli Young Band store via eliyoungband.com.
 
Meanwhile, the ACM winning and GRAMMY nominated band will also return to the road for their headlining Strange Hours Tour
 
Kicking off June 7 in Cambridge, Idaho, the celebratory run will include 55 stops in cities from coast to coast, before wrapping in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
 
Making six key stops in their home state of Texas, the thrilling foursome return to their element – packing a live-show setlist with No. 1 smashes like the 5x Platinum single “Crazy Girl,” 3x Platinum “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” 2x Platinum “Love Ain’t” and Platinum “Drunk Last Night.” 
 
Tickets for the Strange Hours Tour will go on sale Friday, May 23 at 10 a.m. local time. Select dates offer pre-sale from May 21 at 10 a.m. local time to May 22 at 10 p.m. local time. The complete routing of Eli Young Band's Strange Hours Tour can be found below.

Eli Young Band Tour Routing:
June 7  ||  Cambridge, ID  ||  Hells Canyon Jam
June 13  ||  Milligan, NE  ||  Centennial Garden
June 14  || Karlstad, MN  ||  Kickin’ Up Kountry
June 20  ||  Chisholm, MN  ||  Minnesota Discovery Center
June 21  ||  Chicago, IL  ||  Meltin Margs
June 22  ||  Sauk Rapids, MN  ||  Rollie’s Rednecks and Longnecks
June 26  ||  Sherman, TX  ||  Hot Texas Summer Nights
June 27  ||  San Diego, CA  ||  House of Blues
June 28  ||  Santa Rosa, CA  ||  Country Summer Music Festival
July 3  ||  Simpsonville, SC  ||  CCNB Amphitheater
July 5  ||  Waldorf, MD  ||  Regency Furniture Stadium
July 17  ||  Ludington, MI  ||  Stix
July 18  ||  Paw Paw, MI  ||  Warner Vineyards
July 19  ||  Wyandotte, MI  ||  District 142
July 23  ||  Sherman, NY  ||  Pine Junction
July 24  ||  Washington D.C.  ||  The Bullpen
July 25  ||  Newton, NJ  ||  Newton Theatre
August 1  ||  Prairie du Chien, WI  ||  Country Line Country Fest
August 5  ||  Mentor, OH  ||  Mentor Amphitheater
August 7  ||  Hobart, IN  ||  Art Theater
August 8  ||  Troy, OH  ||  Miami County Fair
August 9  ||  Watertown, WI  ||  Riverside Park
August 14  ||  Troy, NY  ||  Joe Bruno Stadium*
August 15  || Dillon, CO  ||  Lake Dillon Amphitheater^
August 16  ||  Colorado Springs, CO  ||  Ford Amphitheater^
August 17  || Aspen, CO  ||  Belly Up
August 22  ||  Wichita, KS  ||  Equity Bank Park
August 23  ||  Fredericksburg, TX  ||  Gillespie County Fair
August 30  ||  Bedford, TX  ||  Bedford Beats & Eats
September 4  ||  Fort Smith, AR  ||  TempleLive
September 5  ||  Hays, KS  ||  Fox Theatre
September 6  ||  Lampe, MO  ||  Black Oak Mountain #
September 11  ||  Foxborough, MA  ||  Six String Grill & Stage
September 12  ||  Dewey Beach, DE  ||  Bottle & Cork
September 13  ||  Amagansett, NY  ||  Stephen Talkhouse
September 18  ||  Moorhead, MN  ||  Bluestem Center +
September 19  ||  Riverside, IA  ||  Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
September 20  ||  Van Buren, MO  ||  Hellbenders On The Current
September 26  ||  Royse City, TX  ||  Southern Junction
September 27  ||  Cedar Park, TX  ||  The Haute Spot
October 4  ||  Monterrey, MX  ||  Ahuestern Country Festival
October 10  ||  Union Hall, VA  ||  Coves Amphitheater
October 11  ||  New Haven, KY  ||  The AMP at Log Still
October 12  ||  Birmingham, AL  ||  Iron Hills
October 16  ||  Norwalk, CT  ||  District Music Hall
October 18  ||  Chesterfield, VA  ||  Cattle Baron’s Ball
October 24  ||  Broken Bow, OK  ||  Hochatown
November 1  ||  Christoval, TX  ||  Cooper’s LIVE!
November 5  ||  Jacksonville, FL  ||  Decca Live
November 6  ||  Fort Meyers, FL  ||  The Ranch
November 7  ||  Fort Pierce, FL  ||  Sunrise Theater
November 8  ||  Sanford, FL  ||  Tuffy’s Music Box
November 13  ||  Salt Lake City, UT  ||  The Complex
November 14  ||  Denver, CO  ||  Grizzly Rose
November 21  ||  Baton Rouge, LA  ||  Texas Club
 
* with Tyler Hubbard
^ with Billy Currington
# with Dwight Yoakam
+ with Kansas

About Eli Young Band:
Since their formation as college classmates more than two decades ago, the Associated Press has celebrated Eli Young Band as “a smart, relevant antidote” to overdone clichés in Country music. Featuring Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Mike Thompson, the musical band of brothers has charted 14 singles on Billboard, including four No. 1 hits with the aforementioned “Crazy Girl,” “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” 2x Platinum “Love Ain’t” and Platinum “Drunk Last Night.” Additionally, Eli Young Band has earned multiple GRAMMY, CMA, CMT, ACM, ACA and Teen Choice Award nominations. 
 
While selling out venues from coast-to-coast as seasoned headliners, EYB has also shared the stage with Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Chris Young, Darius Rucker and Dave Matthews Band. For current tour dates and more, visit eliyoungband.com and follow along on social media with @EliYoungBand.

Wallen Celebrates Album Release at Multi-Genre Inaugural SAND IN MY BOOTS FESTIVAL

On the heels of his fourth studio album, I’m The Problem, becoming the most-streamed country album of the year so far on Apple, Spotify and Amazon within hours of its release on Friday (May 16), Wallen debuted seven of the albums’ tracks live for the first time last night in Gulf Shores, Alabama for his inaugural Sand In My Boots Festival.  
 
With an entire news vertical from Gulf Coast Media Group dedicated to the sold-out, multi-genre festival, curated by Wallen and produced by AEG Presents, the weekend featured an eclectic mix of more than 30 of his favorite artists and inspirations, including Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn, HARDY, The War On Drugs, T-Pain, Three 6 Mafia and more. Wallen concluded the festival, his first show of 2025, with a 23-song setlist, taking the stage on the final night with his signature “Broadway Girls” walk out.
 
“Me and a couple of my closest friends and teammates, we’ve been throwing the idea of doing a festival around for a long time now, and we just happened to run into the right partner and the right people to work with. With a lot of hard work, and a lot of really great artists to come out here, we got to make that happen,” Wallen stated, as 40,000 fans flanked the 1980s-inspired 160 feet wide by 70 feet tall stage, a fully custom build designed by Clio Award-winning studio Raw Cereal and marking their largest festival build to date. “We’ll try to do it again sometime,” he grinned, before diving into the rest of his setlist.
 
From there, Wallen toggled between certified hits, while testing the waters with live debuts of title track “I’m The Problem;” the Grammy.com-praised “deceptively smooth-sounding” “Kick Myself;” “Don’t We,” declared an “arena-ready track” by Billboard“I’m A Little Crazy,” noted as “a gorgeous paranoiac ballad” by Washington Post; “I Got Better;” “Superman” and “Just In Case.”
 
Bailey Zimmerman and ERNEST each joined Wallen on-stage halfway through his set, the former to perform Wallen’s 5x-Platinum hit “Up Down,” hailing from his debut album If I Know Me; the latter joining for the duo’s Platinum-certified “Cowgirls” off One Thing At A Time.
 
Concluding the night with his breakthrough 2018 hit, “The Way I Talk,” Wallen thanked his fans for their continued support, “Thank each and every one of you guys for making this possible… for supporting me, for supporting my new album. I love each and every one of y’all!”

Photo Credit: Alive Coverage for Sand In My Boots

Dubbed a “self-examining storytelling extravaganza” by Billboard, I’m The Problem features 37 tracks, and combines Wallen’s country, cross and dirt-rock influences, underscored by collaborations with pop superstars Post Malone and Tate McRae, plus close friends Eric Church, ERNEST and HARDY. The fusion of influences left Grammy.com lauding, “[Wallen] remains as eclectic as ever, shifting easily from R&B-inflected slow jams to rough-and-ready outlaw country stomps.”
 
While Wallen co-wrote 22 of the tracks, he tapped into 49 songwriters, curating a tracklist that’s both deeply personal and resonant, viewing life events through a different lens than he’s used in the past. Hits Daily Double observes that the result is “a 37-song cycle of self-reckoning,” adding, “he doesn’t sugarcoat or make excuses.”
 
Wallen’s coinciding 2025 I’m The Problem Tour kicks off June 20 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 20-show run will include stops in Seattle, Washington; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Toronto, Ontario and more. With a second stop added in Madison, Wisconsin, Wallen’s appearances will mark the first time an artist has played two consecutive nights at Camp Randall Stadium.
 
A rotating lineup of guests including Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Koe Wetzel join in direct support with Gavin Adcock, Corey Kent, Ella Langley and Anne Wilson as first-of-three across select dates. Coupled with last weekend’s Sand In My Boots Festival and a special one-night-only album release celebration show on May 28 at Roundhouse in London, these 22 shows are the only place to see the superstar in 2025. 

Morgan Wallen 2025 I’m The Problem Tour Dates:
June 20 // NRG Stadium // Houston, TX w/ Corey Kent and Koe Wetzel
June 21 // NRG Stadium // Houston, TX w/ Corey Kent and Koe Wetzel
June 28 // Camp Randall Stadium // Madison, WI w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
June 29 // Camp Randall Stadium // Madison, WI w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
July 11 // Hard Rock Stadium // Miami Gardens, FL w/ Gavin Adcock and Miranda Lambert
July 12 // Hard Rock Stadium // Miami Gardens, FL w/ Gavin Adcock and Brooks & Dunn
July 18 // State Farm Stadium // Glendale, AZ w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
July 19 // State Farm Stadium // Glendale, AZ w/ Ella Langley and Brooks & Dunn
July 25 // Lumen Field // Seattle, WA w/ Anne Wilson and Miranda Lambert
July 26 // Lumen Field // Seattle, WA w/ Anne Wilson and Brooks & Dunn
Aug 1 // Levi’s Stadium // Santa Clara, CA w/ Anne Wilson and Miranda Lambert
Aug 2 // Levi’s Stadium // Santa Clara, CA w/ Anne Wilson and Brooks & Dunn
Aug 15 // Huntington Bank Field // Cleveland, OH w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
Aug 16 // Huntington Bank Field // Cleveland, OH w/ Ella Langley and Thomas Rhett
Aug 22 // Gillette Stadium // Foxborough, MA w/ Corey Kent and Miranda Lambert
Aug 23 // Gillette Stadium // Foxborough, MA w/ Corey Kent and Miranda Lambert
Sep 4 // Rogers Centre // Toronto, ON w/ Gavin Adcock and Miranda Lambert
Sep 5 // Rogers Centre // Toronto, ON w/ Gavin Adcock and Brooks & Dunn
Sep 12 // Commonwealth Stadium // Edmonton, AB w/ Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert
Sep 13 // Commonwealth Stadium // Edmonton, AB w/ Ella Langley and Brooks & Dunn
 
About Sand In My Boots:
Sand In My Boots takes place on the beautiful white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama, just a short drive from the Pensacola, FL, and Mobile, AL airports. Produced by the teams behind Stagecoach and Hangout Music Festival, this three-day event is equal parts vacation and a deep dive into Morgan Wallen’s musical world and inspirations. Every artist, activity, and detail carefully handpicked by Wallen himself, driven by his excitement to share his passions with fans, friends, family, and peers.
 
Featuring a diverse and intentional lineup of top Country, Hip Hop, EDM, Americana and Indie Rock acts, Sand In My Boots stunning venue also offers an array of amenities, including seaside beach clubs, main stage in-ground swimming pools, hammocks, delicious food, VIP options, and more. This unique concept has been a dream of Wallen’s for as long as he can remember, and he is thrilled to offer his fans this exclusive experience, bringing together artists who have always wanted to perform together but never had the opportunity—until now.
 
About Morgan Wallen:
Morgan Wallen sets the pace in, and beyond, country music – with Billboard calling him “the biggest country star in the world” and The New York Times doubling down, declaring he’s “one of the biggest stars in pop, period.” With 18 No. 1 singles at Country radio, 19 Billboard Music Awards to-date, more than 170 weeks spent atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (the most in country music history), the highest selling country tour under his belt and more, Wallen has propelled country music to a global level in less than five years. As Las Vegas Review Journal puts it: “Wallen’s appeal is remarkable as it is fueled by his ability to connect to a crowd.” 
 
With Dangerous: The Double Album, Wallen solidified his place as country music’s “dominant superstar,” with the project recently being named Billboard’s No. 1 Album of the 21st Century. One Thing At A Time’s groundbreaking success saw Wallen’s crossover appeal reach a global scale, as he topped the Australian ARIA charts for the first time, along with a host of other accolades. With three No. 1’s already hailing from his fourth studio album, I’m The Problem, available now via Big Loud / Mercury, Wallen digs even deeper, uncovering a side that’s both more vulnerable and more resolute than ever before.
 
As Wallen prepares a refreshed setlist for his 20-stadium-show I’m the Problem Tour, kicking off on June 20 in Houston, Texas, he also highlighted some of his favorite artists by bringing the personally-curated, multi-genre Sand In My Boots Music Festival to Gulf Shores, Alabama in May.
 
Wallen continues to donate a portion of every ticket sold to his Morgan Wallen Foundation — which supports youth music and athletic programs and gives communities access to essentials in times of crisis. More at MorganWallen.com.

Bryce Leatherwood's Self-Titled, Debut Album Out Now

For Mercury Nashville singer/songwriter Bryce Leatherwood, his love of country music began with listening to the likes of George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty in his grandfather’s truck. That love and a passion for performing took him from local stages playing for beer in college to being crowned season 22 champion of “The Voice” just over two years ago. But in many ways that crown was just the beginning of his journey. What followed has been years of firsts. His first time in a writers room, first time on the Grand Ole Opry stage, his first headlining tour and now another first…the release of his self-titled, debut album available now with Saving Country Music observing “his voice is definitely a stellar vehicle for delivering country music.”
 
Named a “Best Album Pick” by NPR’s “All Songs Considered,” listen to Bryce Leatherwood HERE.
 
“I’ve been chasing this dream ever since the eighth grade when my daddy handed over his much loved Conway Twitty Greatest Hits CD,” shared Leatherwood. “To finally have my very own album out in the world, I am just over the moon and so excited for fans to hear it. I hope people listen to it and walk away feeling like country music is alive and well!” 

The Woodstock, Georgia native is carrying the influences and country-music foundations built while bumping along in that old pickup on his granddad’s farm with him for the debut LP American Songwriter praises as, “a true 21st-century country music album with flares that pay homage to the past.” A mix of originals and expertly crafted outside cuts, Leatherwood lets his resonate vocal loose over 12 diverse tunes – centered on his rock solid country roots, but ranging from the pure-emotion of classic balladry to an expanding genre’s bleeding edge. Taking a hands-on approach with producer Will Bundy (Riley Green, Ella Langley), Leatherwood threads the needle between the timeless and trendy with surefooted ease.
 
The album, which Country Now notes “introduces Leatherwood in his most authentic form,” features previously released tracks like the rollicking sweep-you-off-your-feet Saturday-night anthem “Neon Does,” “The One My Daddy Found” inspired by the decades-long love shared by his parents, “Where the Bar Is” which pops a country-rock top on a quick-hitting tale of late nights and open tabs, “The Finger” a tongue-in-cheek fan favorite sing-along to getting shafted by love and “Shenandoah" penned by Leatherwood with Jeffrey East and Josh Kelley about love and total romantic devotion. 
 
Unreleased tracks on the debut LP include “In Lieu of Flowers” proclaiming his eternal honky tonk allegiance – requesting Joe Diffie and a longneck toast when his time finally comes, the transformative jam “Something Bout A Girl” tracks the making of a man – with the help of a woman’s touch, while the feel-good “God Made” mixes twangy Telecaster with tasteful beats for a tale of physical perfection, the bluesy vocal stunner “What If She Does” imagines losing it all and “Cheap Cologne” traces the other side of the story – an aching done-me-wrong anthem nodding to Leatherwood’s classic favorites. 
 
Leatherwood  has marked release week with a flurry of activity including a stop at NBC’s “Today with Jenna & Friends” on Wednesday, May 14, to give fans a preview of the album with a performance of “In Lieu of Flowers.” He also received a surprise message on the show from Blake Shelton with his former Voice Coach sharing, “Man, it still seems like literally yesterday that I watched you win ‘The Voice,’ and I’m still just as proud of you today,” Shelton said. “Go get em’ brother.” Watch the performance HERE.
 
Leatherwood will  return to "The Voice" stage for the NBC hit's finale on May 20,  joining a star-studded line-up that will include performances from Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton, Chance the Rapper, Sheryl Crow, Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and more. 
 
And the country crooner is showing no signs of slowing down. Leatherwood will celebrate the new album with a return to the Grand Ole Opry on May 24 and the Good Molecules Reverb Stage at CMA Fest next month. Fans can also find him at festivals across the US this summer with more touring news to be announced soon.
 
To follow along with updates and for more information, visit bryceleatherwood.com or follow along on Instagram HERE, Facebook HERE, X HERE or Tik Tok HERE.

About Bryce Leatherwood: 
Singer/songwriter Bryce Leatherwood aims to carry the torch of country music and continue the legacy of legends prior. Born and raised in Woodstock, GA, his passion for music began at an early age. Working on his grandfather’s farm every summer, Leatherwood was exposed to the classic country hits of George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty. Soon thereafter he began picking up guitars and playing the traditional country music that inspires him today. Leatherwood’s music career began to blossom in Statesboro, GA, where he attended Georgia Southern University. During his time in Statesboro, Leatherwood played college venues and continued to grow his stage presence and his country music repertoire. While in college, Leatherwood formed his band and began playing all around the Southeast. Just weeks after graduating college, Bryce set his mind on a new task. In 2022, Leatherwood competed on the NBC hit television show “The Voice” and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December. Following his success, Leatherwood moved to Nashville where he has been songwriting and recording for his self-titled debut album on Mercury Records, out now. A next generation traditionalist plugged firmly into the modern mainstream, with all the hallmarks of a rising star, Leatherwood concluded his first-ever headlining tour, The Neon Does Tour last year, made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Sept. 14, 2024 and returns to Good Molecules Reverb Stage at CMA Fest this year. For the latest, visit bryceleatherwood.com.

Annie Bosko’s Moving “God Winks

Rising singer/songwriter Annie Bosko releases a poignant and powerful new song with “God Winks,” via Stone Country Records. Inspired by real-life moments of serendipity, “God Winks” is a tribute to faith and divine timing during moments of uncertainty. Listen to “God Winks” below.
 
“‘God Winks’ is the song I’m most proud to have written,” shares Bosko. “I was raised in a home where faith was our foundation, and my mom always used the term ‘God winks’ to describe those quiet signs from above that remind us we’re on the right path. For her, it was hummingbirds – a symbol of her grandmother. This song is about those moments when you feel like giving up, and God says, ‘Not yet. I’ve got your back.’
 
“When we wrote it, it felt like God was in the room and we were vessels channeling something bigger than ourselves,” she adds. “When I sing it live, people cry and to me, that is the greatest gift music can offer: a moment that moves the soul.”
 
Written by Bosko with Rachel Thibodeau, Jet Harvey and Michael Wilkes, and produced by Trent Willmon, the track serves as a tender reminder that even during our darkest or most uncertain moments, we’re never truly alone:

As she continues to build momentum towards her anticipated full LP debut later this year, “God Winks” follows “California Cowgirl,” with Celeb Secrets boasting “Annie is bringing her unique blend of West Coast cool and down-to-earth country to the forefront,” as she’s “rewriting the script with her sun-drenched vocals and authentic country roots, proving cowboy boots and Pacific breezes are a perfect match.”
 
A top 40 hit at Country radio, Bosko’s current single, “Better Than You,” a duet with multi-Platinum selling neo-traditionalist Joe Nichols, landed in the top five most-added songs at Country radio for five consecutive weeks, including one week before impact date, as MusicRow boasts the song is “Terrific listening...Goosebump-thrilling sounding.”
 
Fresh off a Mane Stage performance at Stagecoach and her Rodeo Houston debut, Bosko is set to perform at Country Summer Music Festival, the North Dakota State Fair, CMA Music Fest and Headwaters Country Jam later this summer. For additional information, visit AnnieBosko.com.
 
For more information, visit AnnieBosko.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, X @AnnieBosko and Facebook.com/AnnieBoskoMusic.
 
Lyrics for “God Winks” available HERE.

About Annie Bosko
With a voice that beams like a ray of California sunshine, singer-songwriter Annie Bosko returns to the studio, channeling fresh inspiration into a new chapter of music. Writing alongside David ‘Messy’ Mescon, Jeffrey Steele, Bridgette Tatum, and more, and collaborating with producer Trent Willmon, Bosko is crafting songs that reflect her upbringing as a farmer’s daughter. With “California Cowgirl” via Stone Country Records from her forthcoming debut album, Bosko embraces her west coast roots that run deep in the heart of California’s agricultural country, providing a backdrop that continues to inspire her blend of signature ‘90s country twang and raw, heartfelt storytelling. Her self-titled EP, released via Stone Country Records, saw the Golden State native making her late-night debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with a performance of “Neon Baby” – a track that also marked her first charting single at Country radio. Bosko followed her acclaimed EP with stunning collaborations featuring country icons including Vince Gill on the reflective ballad “Higher Ground” and Dwight Yoakam on the Bakersfield-rooted “Heart Burn.” Current single and top 40 hit duet “Better Than You” with Joe Nichols hit the Country radio airwaves as a top five most-added song for five consecutive weeks, including one week before impact. Bosko broke out in 2014 with the SiriusXM/CMT hit “Crooked Halo,” which has amassed more than 3 million streams, earning her a title as an Artist to Watch from Rolling Stone Country. She went on to write songs recorded by Willie Nelson and Jessica Simpson, tour alongside Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Blake Shelton, sell out the famed Troubadour and perform on the Grand Ole Opry and at Ryman Auditorium while also becoming an in-demand studio vocalist. Fresh off a Mane Stage performance at Stagecoach and her Rodeo Houston debut, Bosko is set to perform at Country Summer Music Festival, the North Dakota State Fair, CMA Music Fest and Headwaters Country Jam later this summer. For more information, visit AnnieBosko.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, X @AnnieBosko and Facebook.com/AnnieBoskoMusic.
 

Bryce Leatherwood Set To Perform On "Today With Jenna & Friends" This Wednesday, May 14

Mercury Nashville singer/songwriter Bryce Leatherwood is set to perform on NBC’s “Today with Jenna & Friends” this Wednesday, May 14. The appearance will give fans a preview of the self-titled debut album arriving this Friday, May 16, from the season 22 winner of “The Voice.” “Today with Jenna & Friends” airs at 10 am local time (check local NBC listings). 

Leatherwood is also set to return to "The Voice" stage for the NBC hit's finale on May 20. He joins a star-studded line-up that will include performances from Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton, Chance the Rapper, Sheryl Crow, Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and more.

The rising country star built his country-music foundations while bumping along in an old pickup on his granddad’s farm, legends like George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty crooned through fuzzy speakers, with their passion and conviction striking a chord. Now, the Woodstock, Georgia native is carrying those influences with him for his highly anticipated debut. 
 
Pre-order Bryce Leatherwood HERE.
 
A mix of originals and expertly crafted outside cuts, Leatherwood lets his resonate vocal loose over 12 diverse tunes – centered on his rock solid country roots, but ranging from the pure-emotion of classic balladry to an expanding genre’s bleeding edge. Taking a hands-on approach with producer Will Bundy (Riley Green, Ella Langley), Leatherwood threads the needle between the timeless and trendy with surefooted ease.
 
“I’ve dreamt of making a record since the first day I picked up a guitar at 12 years old,” reflects Leatherwood. “I’ve spent the past two years developing this album, choosing each song with intention, creating the best introduction to who I am as an artist. I’m beyond proud of how it turned out, and can’t wait to share it with y’all.” 
  
2024 was a landmark year for Leatherwood, which included making his Opry debut and headlining his first tour, the Neon Does Tour. And the country crooner is just getting started. He is set to return to the Good Molecules Reverb Stage at CMA Fest next month and has stops at festivals across the US this summer with more touring news to be announced soon. 
 
To follow along with updates and for more information, visit bryceleatherwood.com or follow along on Instagram HERE, Facebook HERE, X HERE or Tik Tok HERE.

About Bryce Leatherwood: 
Singer/songwriter Bryce Leatherwood aims to carry the torch of country music and continue the legacy of legends prior. Born and raised in Woodstock, GA, his passion for music began at an early age. Working on his grandfather’s farm every summer, Leatherwood was exposed to the classic country hits of George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty. Soon thereafter he began picking up guitars and playing the traditional country music that inspires him today. Leatherwood’s music career began to blossom in Statesboro, GA, where he attended Georgia Southern University. During his time in Statesboro, Leatherwood played college venues and continued to grow his stage presence and his country music repertoire. While in college, Leatherwood formed his band and began playing all around the Southeast. Just weeks after graduating college, Bryce set his mind on a new task. In 2022, Leatherwood competed on the NBC hit television show The Voice and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December. Following his success, Leatherwood moved to Nashville where he has been songwriting and recording for his debut album on Mercury Records. A next generation traditionalist plugged firmly into the modern mainstream, with all the hallmarks of a rising star, Leatherwood concluded his first-ever headlining tour, The Neon Does Tour last year, made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Sept. 14, 2024, and he returns to Good Molecules Reverb Stage at CMA Fest this year. He is set to release his self-titled debut album on May 16, 2025 featuring latest releases “Where the Bar Is” and “Shenandoah.” For the latest, visit bryceleatherwood.com.

Ashley McBryde Receives Doctorate of Music from Alma Mater Arkansas State University

Ashley McBryde joined Arkansas State’s Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony this morning, Saturday May 10, to receive her Honorary Doctorate of Music, with Chancellor Todd Shields recognizing that her “determination and contributions to American Music is a testament to the opportunities that higher education can open and inspire for generations of Arkansas State University alums.” Watch McBryde receive her Doctorate of Music HERE and transcription of her remarks below:

“Earning a degree in music has always been something I've placed a lot of value in. It was something I felt I needed to accomplish. In my time here at A-State, I found my passion not only for performing, but for creating other musicians. The music education program is priceless. I'm so thankful for educators that pushed me to strive for excellence: Greg and Hope Bruner, Robin Dauer, Ed Alexander, Doctor Ken Carroll, Doctor Tom O'Connor and so many more. While my path to music education wound up looking a little different than a traditional one, I never lost my passion for music education, and I work alongside music educators every chance I get. Thank you for shaping me into the advocate I became, the musician I am today and the entrepreneur I didn't know I was going to have to be.

There are doctors in my family, Doctors of Medicine, so I know that when you address someone by that word, you're acknowledging their rank. You're acknowledging a lifetime – time, money, effort, everything they've got that they've spent in pursuit of excellence in their chosen field. The residencies, internships, fellowships, the many accomplishments and the many failures it takes to accomplish them. I have dedicated my life to the pursuit of and the magic of making music, and hopefully I will inspire others to do so.

This stage became my classroom. Board proficiencies were in rooms of tens and then one hundreds and then thousands - those are hard to pass. I've been judged on late night TV shows, morning talk shows, award shows. Those are especially hard to pass because all of social media is there to give you a pass or fail grade on the spot. The people making remarks are the icons and legends of my field, and they just so happen to be names you're familiar with: Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, Hank Williams Jr. My classmates were Luke Combs, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Jon Pardi – it sounds like I'm name dropping, but these are the people I went into the trenches with.
 
I left this campus as a broke, guitar playing, songwriting chick who played in bars for a living, and I stand here today as a GRAMMY-Award winning songwriter. A member of the Grand Ole Opry. And I look forward to being introduced on that sacred stage this week as Dr. Ashley McBryde. Thank you so much.”

McBryde will perform at Opry 100 Honors: Loretta Lynn this Tuesday, May 13. She’s set to perform at CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium; Country Thunder Wisconsin and Alberta; WE Fest; and more festivals this summer among headlining dates. She will also join Little Big Town in West Palm Beach, FL and Orange Beach, AL in August. For tickets and additional information, visit AshleyMcBryde.com.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Worthington

Ashley McBryde Tour Dates
 
May 13            Opry 100 Honors: Loretta Lynn // Nashville, TN
May 15            SKyPAC // Bowling Green, KY
May 16            Peoples Bank Theatre // Marietta, OH
May 17            The Event Center at Hollywood Casino // Charles Town, WV
May 29            American Music Theatre // Lancaster, PA
May 30            Parx Xcite Center // Bensalem, PA
May 31            Paramount Theater // Charlottesville, VA
June 8              CMA Fest – Nissan Stadium // Nashville, TN
June 13            IP Casino Resort Spa – Studio A // Biloxi, MS
June 14            Peach Jam // Clanton, AL
June 20            Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino // Lake Charles, LA
June 21            Wild Adventures Live! 2025 // Valdosta, GA
June 26            Country Stampede // Topeka, KS
June 28            Billy Bob’s // Fort Worth, TX
July 10            Weldon Mills Theatre // Roanoke Rapids, NC
July 12            Country Concert 2025 // Fort Laramie, OH
July 17            Kresge Auditorium // Interlochen, MI
July 18            Country Thunder Wisconsin // Twin Lakes, WI
July 19            The Amp at Log Still // Gethsemane, KY
July 25            Night In The Country Music Festival // Yerington, NV
Aug. 1             Happys Inn // Libby, MT
Aug. 2             Big Valley Jamboree // Camrose, AB
Aug. 7             WE Fest // Detroit Lakes, MN
Aug. 13           Put In Bay // Put-In-Bay, OH
Aug. 15           Country Thunder Alberta // Calgary, AB
Aug. 21           iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre // West Palm Beach, FL (with Little Big Town)
Aug. 23           The Wharf Amphitheater // Orange Beach, AL (with Little Big Town)
Sept. 12           Point of the Bluff Vineyards // Hammondsport, NY
Sept. 13           Spyglass Ridge Winery // Sunbury, PA
Oct. 4              Stars Over Texas Music Festival 2025 // Ennis, TX
 
About Ashley McBryde
GRAMMY, CMA and ACM award winner Ashley McBryde cut her teeth playing country songs in biker bars – and it shows. The Grand Ole Opry member’s 2018 major label debut Girl Going Nowhere (Warner Music Nashville) charmed The New York TimesNPRRolling Stone, Paste, The Washington Post and more, all en route to landing a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album. McBryde closed out 2019 with ACM New Female Artist, CMT Breakout Artist, a New Artist of the Year win at the 53rd Annual CMA Awards and two nominations for the 2020 GRAMMYs for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.” Follow-up Never Will was tagged by Rolling Stone as one of the most anticipated of the year alongside NPR, who also ranked her Top 10 RIAA Platinum-Certified single “One Night Standards” as one of the best songs of 2019. The album earned McBryde a 2021 GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album, making Never Will the only album nominated for Country Album of the Year by the ACMs, CMAs and the Recording Academy in the same award season. Her GRAMMY-winning duet with Carly Pearce, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” went all the way to No. 1 and earned McBryde and Pearce the ACM and CMA award for Musical Event of the Year. McBryde was honored with the 2022 CMA International Artist Achievement Award for the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of the United States. Her collaborative project Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville earned McBryde her third consecutive GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album, making her a six-time nominee. Her latest album The Devil I Know was released to critical acclaim, earning a title as one of the best country albums of the year from Rolling Stone, Billboard, Slate, PASTE, Holler and more. Hailed as “one of country’s most cherished singer-songwriters” by Cowboys & Indians, McBryde offers poetic nostalgia with “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs,” available now. The Arkansas native performs at festivals including CMA Fest; Country Thunder Wisconsin and Alberta; WE Fest; and Country Stampede among additional headlining dates. For more information, visit Ashley McBryde.com or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.