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“Living”: Dierks Bentley’s gratitude-filled single goes platinum

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ABC/Chris HolloDierks Bentley is celebrating a new milestone this week, as the singer’s reflective “Living” officially achieves RIAA platinum status.

It’s the third single from the singer’s 2018 studio album, The Mountain, to achieve recognition from the RIAA. The first two were “Woman, Amen” and “Burning Man,” a duet with Brothers Osborne. Both of those songs were chart-topping country radio hits during Dierks’ latest album cycle, and “Living” became the 19th number-one of his career last September.

Despite its lofty achievements, “Living” began with something small: It started as a simple inside joke between the singer and his band about tour life.

“It started as this joke between the band and me about how little living we were actually doing during the daytime hours before our shows,” the singer explained last year. “It grew into a perspective shift that completely shaped how I choose to live life.”

Dierks has recently been doing some serious “Living” in more ways than one. Earlier this month, he celebrated his 15th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He’s also been using his downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic to focus on his personal life, spending lots of time with his family out in Colorado.

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

“I Should Probably Go to Bed” goes acoustic in Dan + Shay’s stripped-down new version

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Warner Music NashvilleDan + Shay trade their piano for a guitar in their intimate, acoustic new take on “I Should Probably Go to Bed.” The new version relies on clear, simple vocal precision instead of the dazzling production and harmony that the original release offers.

The country duo shared a music video to go along with their new “I Should Probably Go to Bed” version this week, with band mates Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney joining forces for a campfire-style performance of the song at twilight on Dan’s Nashville farm.

With just two microphones, a guitar and a tambourine, Dan + Shay prove that while they can pull off plenty of vocal acrobatics, their voices and songwriting are just as powerful when stripped down and simplified.

It’s already been a busy week for the duo, who brought home two trophies at last night’s Billboard Music Awards. They won in the categories of Top Country Duo/Group and Top Country Song, for their “10,000 Hours” duet with Justin Bieber.

“I Should Probably Go to Bed” seems poised to become Dan + Shay’s next big hit. Since they dropped the original version in July, it’s racked up 85 million streams and is nearing the top 10 on the country chart.

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

Kane Brown and Restless Road are going “Off the Road” for a new CMT double feature

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Kevin Mazur/BBMA2020/Getty Images for dcpKane Brown and rising trio Restless Road will be the subjects of a double feature of CMT’s “Off the Road,” a pandemic-era spin on the network’s tour documentary digital series, “On the Road.”

The network has announced that the two new episodes will air this weekend, following the two acts as they navigate the new normal of life as an artist in 2020.

In his episode of the show, Kane preps for his first-ever awards show hosting gig at the 2020 CMT Music Awards, and also heads to Wyoming to film a music video for his new song, “Worship You.” In his downtime, CMT follows the singer as he spends quality time with his wife and baby daughter.

Meanwhile, Restless Road navigate life as an up-and-coming act who had to put their plans for a critical year on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The group first rose to fame during their 2013 stint on singing competition show The X Factor, and they’ve since scored a publishing deal under Kane’s mentorship.

The country superstar also collaborated on Restless Road’s “Take Me Home,” a take on John Denver’s classic “Take Me Home, Country Roads” that appears on Restless Road’s self-titled debut EP.

The “Off the Road” double feature will premiere on CMT on Saturday, October 17 at 12PM ET.

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

'Billboard' Music Awards 2020: The Backstage Scene

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dick clark productionsWednesday night’s Billboard Music Awards 2020 was unlike any previous installment of the show: Instead of a huge arena in Las Vegas, it took place at the more intimate Dolby Theater, and there was no live audience at all.  The artists gave it their all, but backstage, some remarked at how odd the whole situation was.

“I’m just having to really use my imagination and just think about the fans at home watching,” admitted Swae Lee, who took the stage with Khalid and Kane Brown to perform their hit “Be Like That.” 

For his part, Khalid, who won multiple awards last night, admitted that it felt so “surreal” to be performing live, adding, “I’m so lucky I wasn’t there by myself…that was amazing. It’s good to be back. I loved being on that stage.”  He also gushed over Brandy‘s performance: She performed on the BBMAs for the very first time last night.

Chart-topping A cappella group Pentatonix opened the show by performing “Higher Love” with host Kelly Clarkson and drummer Sheila E. Backstage, group member Scott Hoying said, “We were so excited to sing something and bring joy to people and spread a beautiful message at a time when we really, really need it.”

And speaking of spreading messages, iconic girl group En Vogue closed the show with a fierce performance of the anthem “Free Your Mind,” which is still relevant in these days of injustice and inequality.

By performing that song, the group said they hoped fans took away a message of “freeing our minds about that, and finally, hopefully, evolving into the next greatest version of who we’re capable of being.”

Addressing the problems of injustice and inequality is part of Stephen “tWitch” Boss‘ new job as co-executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which had been damaged by reports of toxic workplace culture. 

Backstage, he talked about the changes the show has made, explaining, “It’s been incredible. It’s been an awesome feeling to get back to the happiness we’ve always instilled, but then also the way that has matured and evolved: We’re bringing on voices that need to be amplified.”

Meanwhile, country superstar Luke Combs, also a multiple winner last night, had some advice for other artists who’ve been sidelined as COVID-19 has shut down the touring industry.  “It’s the perfect opportunity to write the best songs you’ve ever written, to be engaging with your fanbase more than you’ve ever done…that’s all that any of us can do.”

By Andrea Dresdale
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Parker McCollum reaches for 'Hollywood Gold' on new EP, just like his grandpa

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MCA Nashville

Parker McCollum‘s first album for MCA Nashville, Hollywood Gold, arrives Friday, just as the 28-year-old’s debut single, “Pretty Heart,” becomes his first top-ten hit.

The six-song EP from the Conroe, Texas native takes its name from an Australian race horse his beloved grandfather once owned.

“My grandpa had two ranches just two hours north of our hometown,” Parker explains. “So as soon as we got outta school for the summer, we’d be up there all summer working for him.”

“Probably the greatest days of my life, I would say,” he reflects.

The Chris Stapleton-penned “Like a Cowboy” is a tribute to the earlier generation.

“My grandpa — who was one of the first people to ever kinda realize that maybe I should try to do this the rest of my life — he would’ve loved that song,” he reveals. “That song is kind of a pretty good depiction from somebody else’s point of view, of kind of how wild it was at that ranch working for him in the summertime…”

“We were — no lie — drinking beer, pulling gooseneck trailers at 14 years old, down county roads, working for him,” he recalls. 

Now, Parker refuses to let himself sleep in, striving to be the kind of leader his grandfather was.

“Every single morning, he had us up at the crack of dawn, rocking and rolling and working cows, doing whatever that day had in store,” he remembers. “And he never slept in — ever. He always got up early, would go get coffee and start the day…”

“I think that’s why we hustle so hard as a band,” he confesses, “is because, as kind of the one calling the shots all the time, we’re always up early and going and getting it. So I think that pays off.”

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