October 29, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Connor DwyerSeveral country artists are using the power of music to show their support for farmers across the country.

Dustin Lynch, Maddie & Tae, Travis Denning, Mickey Guyton and Tyler Farr are all performing at the benefit show The Farm Must Go On, hosted by John Deere, at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville on December 9.

Donations made at the event go toward nonprofit Farm Rescue, which provides aid to farmers across the midwestern region who have been impacted by injury, illness or natural disaster. 

The event is open to the public and tickets are not required, but donations are encouraged and will directly benefit Farm Rescue’s volunteers, who offer a range of skills from operating equipment to accounting services in an effort to help farmers run their business across the board. 

The money will provide volunteers with food and lodging expenses, in addition to supplying fuel for farm tools and machinery.

The Farm Must Go On will also stream on YouTube at 8 p.m. ET. 

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 29, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Sony Music NashvilleLuke Combs continues to break records. 

With his latest project What You See Ain’t Always What You Get, the deluxe edition of his chart-topping 2019 album What You See is What You Get, the superstar continues his reign as the first country artist to reach number one on Apple Music’s U.S. Top Albums chart.

He previously achieved the feat in November 2019 when What You See Is What You Get was released. 

Additionally, Luke scored the most first-day streams for a country album on Apple Music and broke the record for biggest first-day streams for a country song with one of the album’s new songs, “Forever After All,” which debuted at #1 on the platform’s Daily Top 100: Global Songs chart.  

Luke also raced up the charts on Spotify, having the biggest opening day streaming numbers for a country album, with “Forever” also pulling in the most first day streams for a country track by a solo artist. 

What You See Ain’t Always What You Get features five new songs in addition to the original track list including “Forever After All,” “Cold As You,” “The Other Guy,” “My Kinda Folk” and “Without You” featuring The Highwomen‘s Amanda Shires. It was released on October 23. 

What You See is up for Album of the Year at the 2020 CMA Awards, one of Luke’s six nominations. The winners will be announced when the show broadcasts from Nashville on ABC on November 11 at 8 p.m. ET. 

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 29, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

EMI Nashville Brothers Osborne are heading to New York City. 

In celebration of their new album Skeletons being released on vinyl, the CMA Award winning duo of John and TJ Osborne will perform their single “All Night” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight. The show airs at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC. 

The duo co-wrote the dozen songs on their third studio project, which debuted inside the top five on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart following its October 9 release. “All Night” currently sits in the top 25 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. 

Brothers Osborne is nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 2020 CMA Awards, airing on November 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. 

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 29, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Alysse GafkjenFor the first time ever, this year’s CMA Awards will move from its usual home at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena to nearby Music City Center. 

Hosts Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker will anchor the night of star-studded performances fans have come to expect from Country Music’s Biggest Night. The two will do a tribute performance together, while Reba will team up with Thomas Rhett, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin for “Be a Light,” TR’s number-one, nominated song. Lady A will also join Darius for his hit, “Beers & Sunshine.”

Pop star Charlie Puth will make his CMA debut for his first chance to perform “I Hope” with its creator, Gabby Barrett. 

The superstar moments continue from there, with Eric Church set to do “Hell of a View,” Luke Combs on board for “Cold as You,” and Florida Georgia Line on deck for “Long Live.” 

Miranda Lambert will be “Settling Down,” while Ashley McBryde‘s sticking to “One Night Standards.” Maren Morris digs up “The Bones,” while Rascal Flatts will “Bless the Broken Road.” 

Look for more talent to be announced leading up to the premiere of the 54th Annual CMA Awards, which air live on Wednesday, November 11, starting at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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

October 29, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Dove Shore

2020 will go down as a year that held plenty of surprises for everybody, including Lady A.

In January, they were honored for their work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, and by February, they were celebrating their most recent number one, “What If I Never Get Over You,” and preparing for the Ocean cut, “What I’m Leaving For,” to be their next hit.

But an April appearance on an NBC songwriting competition and the non-album track, “Champagne Night,” changed all that.

“It was funny,” Charles Kelley recalls. “We were on that show, Songland, and the reaction to the song was just so amazing that we were like, ‘Gosh, let’s just put this out.'”

“I mean, we live in a day and age where everything is moving so fast,” he reflects. “And it’s like, ‘Listen, if the fans are reacting to this, let’s put it out.'”

“And we had a tour obviously lined up and it was gonna be our show opener,” he laughs. “It would’ve been a great live show song, and it still will be next year.”

As it turns out, the effervescent “Champagne Night” is better suited for life during the COVID-19 pandemic than the emotional longing of “What I’m Leaving For” anyway.

“I think during these times, you need some lighthearted songs, too,” Charles tells ABC Audio. “People don’t wanna be reminded so much about all the heaviness.”

“I think it’s nice to have some songs like that,” he continues. “Like Luke Bryan‘s [“One Margarita”], I just sometimes, I just wanna turn the radio on and just listen to something fun. So I’m glad people are liking it.”  

Friday, Lady A adds four new songs to their Christmas album, to deliver On This Winter’s Night Deluxe just in time for the holidays. 

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