September 9, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Warner Music NashvilleUp-and-comer Gabby Barrett undeniably took her career to the next level this summer when she dropped her debut album, Goldmine.

The 12-song collection scored the highest-ever number of first-week streams for a debuting country act following its June 19 release, and also leapt into the Top 5 on the Billboard Country Albums chart.

Of course, that wasn’t the first time Gabby’s music had broken records: She notched her first number-one radio hit with the album’s leading single, “I Hope,” a song that also scored a record-breaking 10 million single-week streams.

Now, just four months after her massively successful first album came out, Gabby’s revisiting the project in a very special way. She dropped Goldmine on vinyl this week, with the record pressed on a signature gold-colored disc.

Gabby’s newest single, “The Good Ones,” is currently climbing the country charts. She’s also nominated for two trophies at the upcoming 2020 CMA Awards, and there are exciting developments happening in her personal life, too: Gabby and her husband, Cade Foehner, are expecting their first child.

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

September 9, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Rock the South FestivalFor the past three seasons, Hank Williams Jr. has helmed ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” open with a football-themed twist on one of his biggest hits, “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night.”

But according to Sports Business Daily, ESPN has decided to move away from the song. That decision is due to the fact that “all my rowdy friends” will not, in fact, be getting together to watch football this season. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the games will be taking place primarily in empty stadiums.

Instead, the new “Monday Night Football” open will be a variation of Little Richard’s “Rip it Up,” with additional instrumentals from a band called Butcher Brown.

It’s unclear whether ESPN will return to Hank Jr.’s theme song after the pandemic ends.

The country star has a long but somewhat fraught history with “Monday Night Football.” He first adapted his lyrics for the pregame song in 1989, but in 2011, ESPN dropped its association with him after Hank Jr. made a series of controversial comments, including comparing President Barack Obama to Hitler.

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

September 9, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Warner Music Nashville/SpotifyIngrid Andress tries her hand at 2020 pop hit “Don’t Start Now,” by Dua Lipa, in a new cover for Spotify Singles. She pairs that song with a new rendition of “Lady Like,” the title track of Ingrid’s recently-released debut album.

While the cover might seem like an out-of-left-field choice for a country artist, Ingrid has a long musical history with a few different genres. Before finding success as a singer, she was a songwriter who helped pen hits for artists like Charlie XCX.

Additionally, Ingrid’s not the first member of the country contingent to cover “Don’t Start Now.” Keith Urban also covered Dua Lipa’s song for a live video earlier this summer.

It’s been a big year for Ingrid, who notched her first number-one radio hit with “More Hearts Than Mine,” the leading single from Lady Like. In addition to releasing the project as her debut album this year, she’s also planning to drop Lady Like on vinyl on October 16.

Ingrid is also nominated at the 2020 CMA Awards in the categories of New Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (for “More Hearts Than Mine”).

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