Latest Day In Country News Stories

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Indiana-born, Nashville-based rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. announced a new EP Blankets and released his moving interpretation of Nirvana's "Something In The Way." Arriving on August 29 via Big Loud Records, the four song EP will also feature covers of Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike," The Postal Service's "Clark Gable," and The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight."

About "Something In The Way," Wilson Jr. explains: "I used to listen to this song 100 times a day. There was 'something in the way' it was recorded. Kurt sang it laying down on his back, not an easy thing to do. It's magic. There's also something in the way that he transported this hillbilly kid from southern Indiana to Seattle, Washington." (continue)

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GRAMMY Award-winning banjoists Steve Martin and Alison Brown announced their debut collaborative album, Safe, Sensible and Sane, out October 17 via Compass Records.

Featuring guest appearances from luminaries like Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, the Indigo Girls, Tim O'Brien, Jason Mraz, Della Mae, and more, Safe, Sensible and Sane emerges as a captivating new turn in the evolution of banjo music. (continue)

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Lady A are back for a new season of sonic joy with ON THIS WINTER'S NIGHT (VOLUME 2), gifting new magic under the tree on Sept. 26th. Featuring a cozy-country mix of 11 sparkling singalongs, the new collection marks the first full holiday album from the group in 13 years - a set split between instant-favorite originals, modern-take classics and timeless tradition, all wrapped in a warm harmony and decorated with a splash of frosty fun.

"We're really excited about being on the road in December for our first Christmas tour," shared Lady A's Dave Haywood. "And that definitely calls for some new music too. This album is filled with so much joy and gratitude - I hope it reaches fans this season the way we feel it ourselves." (continue)

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Big Loud / Back Blocks Music's powerhouse country artist, songwriter and breakout star Ashley Cooke releases her latest track, "swear words," available everywhere now. The track was written by Ashley with Johnny Clawson, Joe Fox, Kyle Sturrock, and Seth Ennis.

Says Ashley on "swear words," "This song is realizing that no words, answers, or explanations will be able to fix a relationship that's beyond repair. It's surrendering to the silence because it means finally having peace in the situation." (continue)

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The new deluxe version of Lainey Wilson's award-winning album, Whirlwind, is out today via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. In addition to Whirlwind's original 14 songs, the new extended edition features five additional tracks: "Bell Bottoms Up," "King Ranch, King George, King James," "Yesterday, All Day, Every Day," "Peace, Love, and Cowboys" and Wilson's current single, "Somewhere Over Laredo," which debuted earlier this summer and continues to rise on Billboard's Country Airplay chart. Check it out here

Released to overwhelming attention from fans and critics alike, "Somewhere Over Laredo" was the most added song at country radio at impact, garnered over 1.16 million streams across platforms in its first 24 hours (Wilson's biggest first day of streaming to date) and earned widespread praise from outlets such as CBS Mornings, Rolling Stone and Billboard, who called it "one of her most commanding, dynamic vocal performances to date, crescendo-ing from a soft-focus, tender vocal, before gradually reaching into her upper register for powerful moments that heighten the song's emotional acuity." (continue)

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Beloved musician, singer-songwriter, and producer Mac McAnally was honored with the ACM Poet's Award at the 18th ACM Honors on Wednesday night, honoring a Country Music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career. As part of the ceremony, Amy Grant performed McAnally's song "All These Years" and presented him with the award.

"I have this wonderful circle of family and friends and great storytellers that believed in me before I believed in myself," McAnally said as he accepted the ACM Poet's Award, adding a message for "anybody else that tries to navigate life with their imagination like me." (continue)

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American Idol season 20 winner and emerging artist Noah Thompson officially kicked off his Kids Like Me Tour on Friday evening at the Grand Ole Opry, marking his second performance on the iconic stage. The tour celebrates Thompson's breakout EP Kids Like Me, a heartfelt collection inspired by his Eastern Kentucky roots and true life stories of struggle and perseverance.

"I couldn't be more thankful that I got to kick off my fall shows by returning to the Opry stage on Friday," Thompson shares. "It's always such an honor to stand on that stage and share these songs." (continue)

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Country music's unabashed ambassador, Blake Shelton, is returning to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, with eight performances scheduled from January 15 - 31, 2026.

"We had so much fun earlier this year, I figured-why not do it again," said Shelton. "This time we're gonna do it more country, with more cocktails, and probably make a few more questionable decisions. Let's go, Vegas." (continue)

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will mark the centennial anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry - the longest-running radio show in the world and one of the most important radio programs in broadcasting history - in a new exhibition, The Grandest Stage: The Opry at 100. It will examine notable performers and key moments in the history of the show that has entertained and enthralled millions. The exhibit, which is included with museum admission, opens on Thursday, Sept. 18, and runs until March 2027.

"The Opry's status as America's leading country music radio show, from the 1940s into the 1960s, made possible Nashville's emergence as the undisputed center of the country music industry," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. "This exhibit will survey the enduring history of the program, which has survived a century of evolutions in country music and popular culture, major challenges from new media and sources of entertainment, a catastrophic flood and a crippling pandemic." (continue)

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Rising country/Americana singer/songwriter Kaitlin Butts has released the official music video for her viral anthem, "You Ain't Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me)," a track that has taken on a life of its own across TikTok and streaming platforms.

Recently spotlighted in Variety for its runaway virality, the song has become a favorite for fans and artists alike, amassing over 123 million TikTok views, 8 million global streams, and inspiring thousands of fan-created videos that showcase its biting lyrics. (continue)

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Country music firebrand Gavin Adcock has kicked off a momentous new chapter with the release of his highly anticipated sophomore album, Own Worst Enemy, available now via Thrivin' Here Records/Warner Music Nashville.

The new album, which dropped on August 15, arrives just one year after his groundbreaking debut, Actin' Up Again, and is a testament to the Adcock's relentless work ethic and candid storytelling, capturing the journey he has been on over the past year. Just as Own Worst Enemy made its way into the world, Adcock released TWO new music videos the same day; "Last One To Know" and "Morning Bail." Both videos were directed by Ben Humphrey and filmed near Nashville, Tennessee. (continue)

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Five-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan has claimed the 32nd #1 single of his career with "Country Song Came On." Released via MCA the song, which is also the title of his 2025 headline tour, was written by Ryan Beaver, Dan Alley and Neil Medley and appears on Luke's Mind Of A Country Boy album released last fall.

The video for "Country Song Came On" was directed by Kate Rentz and made its premiere on CMT, CMT MUSIC and CMT Equal and debuted on the Paramount Times Square Billboard. (continue)

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Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Cam has announced a headline tour through the US, UK, and EU, dubbed The Slow Down Tour. The US dates kick off on October 20th at The Gramercy Theatre in NY, making stops in Chicago, Nashville, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and San Francisco, before wrapping on November 17th at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre.

Cam's hometown show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium will be a special night as it marks her third time headlining the beloved venue, where she first took the stage as an opener for Harry Styles. Pre-sales for The Slow Down Tour begin Wednesday, August 20th, with general on-sale starting this Friday, August 22nd, at 10am local. Limited VIP packages will be available. (continue)

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Virginia-based Americana pioneers The Steel Wheels return with new single "Easy," released via the band's own Big Ring Records label. With a placid sound that reinforces the song's title and an earworm of a chorus, the track is deceptively profound, as it finds the band asking whether it's worth the cost to have the world waiting for us on the other side of our screens. Tonight at 8 p.m. ET, the band will release the track's official music video that captures the electric energy that goes into one of their studio recording sessions.

On the new song, frontman Trent Wagler shares: "We live in the future now. Everything can be discovered and solved with the push of a button. It's so easy! And we're so lonely. And it's not easy. But still, we have it pretty good, right?" (continue)

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Dave Lenahan releases new single , "Faces in the Glow." Have you ever been in the same room as someone, yet felt a million miles apart? Dave Lenahan asks that question, bravely and boldly, with his new single, "Faces in the Glow."

Sharing a heartfelt plea for connection with his lover, Dave draws us in with his earnest vocals and swirling guitars, inviting us into the intimate space of his deepest thoughts. He confesses, "We're so far apart together, buried in our phones, we don't talk much anymore, 'cause we're afraid of letting go." (continue)

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Notable Texas artists, actors and athletes joined Miranda Lambert and Parker McCollum at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas Sunday night for their "Band Together Texas" benefit concert, honoring the lives lost in the Central Texas floods, and celebrating the every day heroes and first responders who saved countless others. The event, which benefitted The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and Central Texas Community Foundation, raised over $8.5 million and counting.

The sold-out evening spanned nearly three hours and was livestreamed via iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, YouTube, Facebook and nugs.net, with a call to action directing fans to donate to continued relief efforts. (continue)

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Jason Aldean's FULL THROTTLE Tour made its sold-out stop in Houston, TX Friday (8/15) at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, but not before making a very important local stop.

Before taking to the stage, Aldean joined Devarjaye "DJ" Daniel, members of the Houston Astros baseball team, and families, staff and children from Texas-based non-profit Heroes for Children for a full day of mini-golf at Puttshack and baseball fun before the Full Throttle show that evening. (continue)

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Just a few short days after being inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, legendary Western Swing outfit Asleep At The Wheel have just released a new single from their upcoming album celebrating fifty years of calling the Lone Star State home, Riding High In Texas.

The latest output finds the band, helmed by Ray Benson, taking on "Long Tall Texan," first released by The Four Flickers back in 1959. "I thought this would be a fun one to do, considering I am a 'long tall Texan,'" jokes Benson. "It's been recorded by many and in many different styles. We got our great friend Lyle Lovett to join us, and a great time was had!" (continue)

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Tyler Braden announces his 2026 headline devil and a prayer TOUR, kicking off January 29 in Minneapolis, MN, and set to span across 11 markets. The tour is aptly named after his debut album, devil and a prayer, released in May via Warner Music Nashville.

The 19-song collection blends raw storytelling with high-energy, arena-ready instrumentation. Tracks like "DEVIL YOU KNOW" and "GOD & GUNS N' ROSES" have already made waves, showcasing Braden's powerhouse vocals and knack for writing songs that connect deeply with fans. (continue)

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Country artist Drew Baldridge has announced the upcoming release of his earnest new song, "Deserve Her," available everywhere August 22. Written by Baldridge alongside Harper Grace and Kyle Schlienger, the track reflects the sensitivity and deep appreciation for the women in his life that have become hallmarks of his music.

"When I wrote this song, I knew it would be such a great message for boys and girls to hear," says Baldridge. "It talks about knowing a woman's worth and that you can't just 'want her,' but you gotta 'deserve her.' The second verse might be one of my favorite verses I've ever written. The words are so powerful, and it's a message I look forward to sharing with my fans." (continue)

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