October 22, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Courtesy of NetflixDolly Parton is bringing her legendary vocal talents to the small screen this holiday season.

Netflix just released the trailer for its upcoming musical holiday special Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square. In the film, Dolly stars opposite Christine Baranksi in a heartwarming small-town holiday story that takes cues from seasonal classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The special follows Regina Fuller, played by Baranski, a rich woman who returns to her hometown just before Christmas to attend to her recently deceased father’s affairs. The family owned a large swath of the town, and Regina is planning to evict the townspeople in order to sell her dad’s land to a mall developer. To make matters even worse, eviction day is Christmas Eve.  Of course, Dolly appears as a singing angel to change Regina’s mind, and open her heart to the Christmas spirit.

“Find that light and it will lead you to the part of you that you lost,” Dolly’s character tells Regina. “The part of you that can be happy.”

Also starring Jenifer Lewis and Treat Williams, and directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square boasts 14 original songs from the legendary country performer.

Just in time for the holiday season, the special debuts on November 22.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 22, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LACountry trio Lady A are expanding their horizons as they nab their first number-one hit on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart, dated October 24.

The band’s new hit comes courtesy of “Who You Are to Me,” their collaboration with veteran Christian artist Chris Tomlin. It’s the first single off of Chris’ Chris Tomlin & Friends album, a project that sees the singer collaborating with a number of country A-Listers.

The Lady A band mates co-wrote “Who You Are to Me,” which is their first-ever entry on the Christian Airplay chart as well as their first number-one hit. Of course, Lady A’s no strangers to hitting the top spot on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, where they have a total of 10 number-one hits under their belt.

Lady A is only the second act to ever top both the Country Airplay and Christian Airplay charts. They’re following in Dolly Parton’s illustrious footsteps: Dolly became the first-ever performer to hit the number-one spot on both charts only last month, when her Zach Williams duet “There Was Jesus” became a chart-topping Christian Airplay hit.

Meanwhile Lady A’s “Champagne Night” is also climbing the charts over at country radio.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 22, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Capitol Records NashvilleEven though live country music’s been mostly “Gone” since early this year, Dierks Bentley is still right here. Now, he’s giving fans a taste of new music to tide them over until he can get back out on the road again.

“Gone” is an infectious, sing-a-long ode to how a breakup can make you tune out of life without ever leaving the couch. It’s Dierks’ latest single, and the first taste of fresh solo music since his 2018 studio album, The Mountain.

Lyrically, the song uses the metaphor of a failed relationship to speak to the isolation caused by this year’s COVID-19 shutdown, which has kept country artists off the road and “Gone” from their fans.

“A good country show is just about the greatest communion there is out there,” Dierks reflects. “We are all relying on lyrics and melodies at home and trying however we can to find different ways to connect with our fans, so that they know how important they still are to us.”

Until he’s able to see his listeners again in person, Dierks says that he hopes his new single will remind his fans how much they mean to him.

“I’m counting the days until we can all be back together again, beers in the air,” the singer adds.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.