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Darius Rucker shares some "Beers & Sunshine" with Lady A, as he grabs his tenth #1

No Comments Country Music News

David McClisterThis week, it’s all “Beers and Sunshine” for Darius Rucker, as he claims his tenth number one as a solo country artist. 

And if you think he takes it for granted, the pop superstar who most recently reunited with Hootie & the Blowfish for a new album and tour in 2019 says you couldn’t be more wrong. 

“Are you kidding me? It probably means more to me now than it ever has. Man, I’m 54!” he laughs. “It goes back to when [Lady A‘s] Charles [Kelley] called me when George Strait retired, and told me I was the oldest guy on country radio.”

“It’s [even] better now,” Darius reflects. “And after really not being on the radio for two years… I was busy going with Hootie for two years and I didn’t know what was gonna happen when I came back.”

In fact, Darius’ close friend Charles, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood do the background vocals on “Beers and Sunshine.” 

“I remember we finished the demo,” Darius explains, “and I sent it to Charles to find out what he thought of the song.”

“And Charles texted me back,” he continues, “‘Man, you should get us on it.’ I was like… “I was gonna ask you if you guys would come and sing on it.'” 

“… And they do it, and then they make it great,” Darius adds.

Lady A’s also on Darius’ 2013 smash, “Wagon Wheel,” and he couldn’t be happier to share the credit for a couple of his most-loved songs.

“If Lou Rawls had sung with the Jordanaires, it would have been like that…” he suggests. “Dave comes up with some stuff that’s just so great, and I would have never thought of it. And I hear them singing and I get chills. I mean, I really do.”

By Stephen Hubbard 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

'The Bachelor' recap: The hometown dates end in an emotional departure

No Comments Entertainment News

ABC/Craig Sjodin(LOS ANGELES) — It was time for Matt to meet the families on Monday’s episode of The Bachelor, which led to some painful moments — emotionally and physically.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions, Matt and his final four didn’t leave the resort, but their loved ones had safely arrived and were ready to have some serious conversations with the man who could become a part of their families.

First up was Minnesota school teacher Michelle, who started their date with a relaxing bike ride, after which her students, appearing via Zoom, had some tough questions for the two.

One by one, the students “grilled” Matt about whether he and Michelle had kissed yet, how many girlfriends he had and if they were going to have children.

Then, it was off to meet Michelle’s mom and dad, who learned that Michelle was in love with Matt and, despite Matt’s reluctance to fully reciprocate her feelings, promised to respect Michelle’s decision regardless.

The second hometown date went to Rachael, who dared him to join her as she tried skydiving for the first time. The two, escorted by experienced skydivers, plunged 12,000 feet into a field. Ironically, it was Rachael who ended up regretting the decision after being left with a few bruises after a rough landing.  Thankfully, she suffered no serious injuries.

Later, the Georgia native introduced Matt to her mom, dad and sister Trinity, whose main concern was that Rachael was jumping into the relationship too quickly.  They ultimately agreed to support her decision.  However, after Matt left, Rachael, addressing the camera, expressed disappointment that, despite assuring her dad that he was in love with her, Matt was unwilling to take the next step and ask for her father’s blessing.

Bri, whose earlier one-on-one date with Matt ended up with her getting thrown from a four-wheeler, offered a little “payback,” by taking him for a thrilling (and sometimes scary) off-road adventure.

Matt then met Bri’s mother, baby sister and best friend, whose name also happened to be Bri.  The San Francisco native’s’ mom pulled no punches, asking point blank if he was in love with her daughter.  When Matt answered that he “falling for” Bri, her mother framed the question a different way.  “So, you see Bri in your life?” she asked. When Matt replied with an emphatic “absolutely,” Bri’s mom appeared skeptical and replied with a simple, “Interesting.”

Bri’s admission that she’s scared to open up to Matt about her feelings for him certainly didn’t assuage her mother’s doubts, but she ultimately advised Bri to follow her heart.

“Worse case scenario, we are mending a broken heart together,” she assured Bri.

Bri followed her mother’s advice and told Matt she was falling in love with him and wanted more time with him.

The final hometown date went to Serena, who gave him a taste of her native Toronto, Canada, which included a little ice hockey.  She also introduced him to some the local cuisine and a primer on some Canadian lingo.

Matt later met Serena’s mom, dad and sister Talia, who, while conceding that he was “a nice guy,” sensed that Serena didn’t seem “smitten” with Matt and was talking herself into a relationship with him.

Serena’s conversations with her family convinced her that she wasn’t ready for a serious commitment, and addressed the camera afterwards that the date failed to bring her the clarity she’d sought.  Serena eventually made the difficult decision to walk away from the competition.

That set the stage for fantasy suites, but not before Matt made it official by asking Bri, Rachael and Michelle to accept his rose, which they all did.

Here are the women going to fantasy suites:

Bri, 24, a communications manager from San Francisco, Calif.
Michelle, 27, a teacher from Edina, Minn.
Rachael, 24, a graphic designer from Cumming, Ga.

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

New Jersey legalizes recreational marijuana

No Comments National News

iStock/grandriverBy: IVAN PEREIRA, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — New Jersey has officially become the latest state to permit recreational marijuana use.

The New Jersey state legislature approved a series of bills Monday that regulates the sale of cannabis to anyone over the age of 21. Gov. Phil Murphy said he signed the bills later in the day.

“This legislation will establish an industry that brings equity and economic opportunity to our communities while establishing minimum standards for safe products and allowing law enforcement to focus their resources on real public safety matters,” he said in a statement.

Voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure last November that changed the state constitution to allow for marijuana legalization.

Under the new rules, the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) will oversee the applications for licensing of cannabis businesses.

“The legislation further provides for the Legislature to reinvest cannabis revenues in designated “impact zones”; directs the CRC to promote diversity and inclusion in business ownership; and contains critical employment protections for people who engage in lawful behavior with respect to cannabis,” the governor’s office said in a news release.

One of the new laws reforms penalties for low-level marijuana offenses. It “prevents low-level distribution and possession offenses from being used in pretrial release, probation, and parole decisions and provides certain protections against discrimination in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation,” according to the governor’s office.

Another piece of the approved legislation will enforce penalties for selling marijuana to those under 21.

State legislators took weeks to draft the bills and approve them due to some concerns over penalties and ensuring that sales were prohibited to minors.

“Although this process has taken longer than anticipated, I believe it is ending in the right place and will ultimately serve as a national model,” Murphy said in a statement.

Advocates who have been pushing states and the country to legalize and regulate marijuana said the passing of the bills was a major win. DeVaughn Ward, the senior legislative counsel for the non-profit group the Marijuana Policy Project told ABC News that the New Jersey legislation will “create pathways to restorative justice and equity.”

“It took a lot of compromise and hard work on behalf of legislative leaders and Gov. Murphy to get this across the finish line and they should be commended for their efforts,” he said in a statement.

Fourteen states and the District of Columbia allow for the sale of recreational and medicinal marijuana.

The Virginia state legislature is set to vote on a bill that would legalize marijuana in their state and Gov. Ralph Northam has expressed support.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Jason Clarke takes on the hard-to-believe-but true crime thriller 'The Silk Road'

No Comments Entertainment News

Lionsgate(NEW YORK) — The new crime thriller The Silk Road is now available for streaming on Video On Demand platforms. Based on true events, the film stars Chappaquiddick actor Jason Clarke as a veteran detective trying to catch up with the times — when an entrepreneurial college student creates the titular dark web site and gets rich becoming, essentially, Amazon for pretty much anything illegal. 

Clarke, who is an Aussie, but convincingly plays a Baltimore FBI and DEA agent, tells ABC Audio he loved the fact that the movie, like director Tiller Russell’s bonkers Netflix documentary Operation Odessa, seems too crazy to be real.

“I mean, he’s got this way of finding these stories that are unbelievable but true and using a narrative which follows that, but still makes it an enjoyable watch as well,” Clarke says.

The Silk Road isn’t a documentary, however. “You know, it takes a lot of poetic license,” admits the actor. “You know, the front page of the script was, you know, what was it? ‘This is a true story.’ You know, ‘Thanks for believing my lies,'” Clarke laughs.

He says of Russell, “There’s something about the way he weaves a story which…is, you know, this would be a lot of fun to make as well as, you know, showing people something really crazy [that] does happen.”

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Miranda Lambert teases new collaboration with Elle King

No Comments Country Music News

ABCIt appears that Miranda Lambert and Elle King have another collaboration in the works. 

The two singers turned to Twitter on Monday to tease the new song, Billboard confirms, Miranda posting a photo of the two with big hair and puffy 80s style dresses, with Elle wearing a white wedding dress while Miranda dons metallic pink. The “Bluebird” singer tagged Elle in the post, alongside the shifty eyes emoji. 

Meanwhile, Elle shared another shot of the two wearing suits, Miranda in mint green and Elle in powder blue writing, “The whiskey goes down better when they don’t know who you are…” both using #DRUNK in their posts. 

This isn’t the first time the two have worked together. Elle was one of the opening acts on Miranda’s all-female lineup for her 2019 Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars Tour. She was also featured alongside Miranda and fellow opening acts Maren MorrisAshley McBryde, Tenille Townes and Caylee Hammack on “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” which was named Music Event of the Year at the 2020 ACM Awards. 

Elle also has a #1 country hit with Dierks Bentley on “Different For Girls.” 

 

 

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.