November 2, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Sami DrasinAcclaimed actress Taraji P. Henson has been announced as the host of the 2020 American Music Awards, which will air Sunday, Nov. 22 from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC.

“The AMAs brings together the music community to celebrate what really drives all artists — the fans. I’m proud to take the stage as this year’s host -– and also a fan — for what promises to be an electrifying night of music,” the Emmy-winning Empire star and Oscar-nominated actress said in a statement.

This year, Dua Lipa scored an American Music Awards nomination for favorite female artist in the pop/rock category, alongside Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. The 25-year-old is also competing in the favorite pop/rock song category with Lewis Capaldi, Post Malone, Roddy Ricch and The Weeknd.

Malone, Ricch and The Weeknd are also up for up for artist of the year, along with Swift and Justin Bieber. Capaldi and Ricch will also face off in the new artist of the year category, alongside Doja Cat, DaBaby, Lil Baby and Megan Thee Stallion.

The Weeknd and Ricch lead the group of nominees this year, garnering eight each. Megan Thee Stallion follows closely behind, with five nods.

This year’s American Music Awards ceremony will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

November 2, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Triple Tigers/RCA RecordsNearly five years since the release of her debut, Cam‘s sophomore album is finally out.

Along the way, the “Burning House” hitmaker got married, had a baby, and changed record labels. 

“I think The Otherside is such an apt title,” she reflects, “because in the middle of it, just like life, you’re frustrated it’s just not all happening right now… And the truth is, you can’t see the forest from the trees when you’re in it.”

“But when you get to the other side,” she continues, “you can laugh at the parts that made you cry before. You see the meaning kind of running through all of it. You see yourself becoming more of yourself and learning the things you’re supposed to learn.”

As much as Cam wishes The Otherside had arrived earlier, time proved to be a necessary ingredient.

“If I’d put this record out any sooner, you wouldn’t have had ‘Girl Like Me,’ you wouldn’t have had ‘Classic,’” she explains. “And those are really important notes…”

“I love to think of it as… a soundtrack,” she adds. “You have all the different songs for all the different parts of the story.”

Ultimately, Cam believes there’s something here for everybody.

“It reminds me of when Mary Poppins pours her medicine, it’s different colors for different people,” she tells ABC Audio. “If you sit and listen to this record with your friends, you’re not gonna like the same song…”

“And I think that’s the product of having five years of life experience and me doing my own therapy on a record,” she laughs, “that you get to live in each of those moments at different times, when it is right for you…”

“I’m so grateful that [this healing is] a gift I get to give in 2020.”

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 30, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

UMG NashvilleJosh Turner has ended this week on a high note, as he heads into the weekend with two brand-new RIAA 2x platinum certifications.

The new plaques are awarded to two of his biggest career hits, 2006’s “Would You Go With Me” and 2010’s “Why Don’t We Just Dance.” Both songs were multi-week chart-topping singles,  and Josh’s wife, Jennifer, surprised him with the certifications at the end of a livestream event celebrating the singer’s newest album, Country State of Mind.

“There we go!” Josh said with a smile, jutting his thumb toward the plaque for “Why Don’t We Just Dance.” “I might not dance, but I can sell records, apparently. Wow.”

Elsewhere in the hour-long livestream, Josh discusses the making of Country State of Mind, a cover project in which the singer pays homage to the legendary likes of Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, John Anderson, Vern Gosdin and Hank Williams.

To help him create the project, he enlisted fellow stars such as Runaway June, Chris Janson and many more duet partners. Country State of Mind came out in August.

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

October 30, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LAAshley McBryde is the first-announced artist ambassador for the Country Music Association’s Unified Voices for Music Education initiative.

As part of the brand new program, the “Martha Divine” star will work with music educators throughout the month of November in a variety of ways. She’ll create a band-specific video lesson plan, meet virtually with music teachers and share her own experiences to highlight the importance of music education in schools and beyond.

Ashley recently appeared on an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show to discuss her partnership with host and superstar Kelly Clarkson.

“Being in band was really important to me,” the singer says, explaining how she attended college hoping to become a band director herself. “I played the French horn, I played mellophone, and I’ve tried to remind kids that it’s not a nerdy thing at all to play an instrument.”

There’s nothing nerdy about Ashley’s career these days. This week, she was also announced as a performer at the upcoming 2020 CMA Awards, where she’s also nominated for three trophies, including in the Album of the Year category for her latest album, Never Will.

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

October 30, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Jared C. Tilton/Getty ImagesFive years ago, Chris Janson roared into the country mainstream with the release of his “Buy Me a Boat” and a debut album of the same name.

Since then, the singer has amassed four chart-topping singles, a spot as a Grand Ole Opry Member, one billion global career streams and many more accolades. Recently, “Buy Me a Boat” received 3x platinum certification from the RIAA.

But as Chris points out in a video retrospective looking back at his career to date, his brand-new RIAA gold certification for the Buy Me a Boat album is particularly meaningful.

“This is an album, which is ultra-special to me, because this means that you went out and you purchased a CD,” the singer told his fans in the clip. “Or however you did it — you bought the full-length album. So thank you very much for this. This means a lot.”

Chris’ single, “Waitin’ on 5,” is currently climbing the charts.

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