October 14, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Courtesy of NIVA/YouTube MusicSet times have been unveiled for the multi-genre Save Our Stages Festival, taking place October 16-18. 

Kelsea Ballerini, Brothers Osborne, Reba McEntire and Little Big Town will perform at Nashville venues throughout the weekend-long virtual festival. 

On October 17, Kelsea takes the stage at famed club Exit/In at 5:10 p.m. ET, with Little Big Town also gracing the Exit/In stage the following night at 5 p.m. ET as Brothers Osborne hold down the fort at Mercy Lounge at 5:35 p.m. ET.  

Meanwhile, Reba will head to the Mother Church of Country Music, headlining the Ryman Auditorium on October 18, beginning at 7:50 p.m. ET.   

The three-day event is coordinated by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to support its Save Our Stages relief efforts for independent venues impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The festival features 35 artists including Miley Cyrus, Leon Bridges, Foo Fighters, The Lumineersand many more.

The performances will stream live on NIVA’s YouTube page this Friday through Sunday.

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

October 14, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Eric GebhartThis week, Jason Aldean‘s been in the studio working on his tenth album, as his latest hit, “Got What I Got,” continues on track to be his twenty-fourth number one.

For the ACM Artist of the Decade, it’s important his recordings line up with who he is.

“The one thing I’ve always tried to pay attention to is just what the songs are saying,” Jason explains. “And I feel like that’s what makes it work, is if it’s something that I can relate to or something that’s authentic.”

“If I don’t do those kind of songs that are kind of true to me and who I am,” he continues, “I just feel like people can see through that… It’s just not believable to me.”

For Jason, that often means ignoring trends.

“If you’ve got an artist that has a certain sound,” he reflects, “and it’s working and doing well and it’s the new craze, everybody kind of tries to follow that and do their own version of whatever that is.”

“And that’s just one thing that [I can’t do]…” he adds. “I’ve just always been comfortable in what we do and the kind of music that I make. It’s country and rock and, you know, a little blues and some R-and-B.”

But that doesn’t mean Jason doesn’t have some new tricks up his sleeve.

“You can always sort of tweak on it a little bit and try to make what you do a little better and change it up a little bit…” he says. “But I always thought the core sound of what we do… it’s kind of what got us here… because it was believable and authentic to me and where I’m from. And I think that’s why it’s always connected with people.”

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

October 13, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Hachette Book GroupLittle Big Town‘s Kimberly Schlapman turns a life-changing gift into a Christmas story in her debut children’s book, A Dolly For Christmas. 

Released earlier this month, the book is inspired by Kimberly’s family’s journey to adopting daughter Dolly Grace after Kimberly and husband Stephen Schlapman struggled with infertility.

The singer’s eldest daughter Daisy would write letters to Santa asking him to bring her a sibling — a wish that finally came true when the family welcomed baby Dolly home days before Christmas in 2017.

The book explores themes of hope, love and family, with a foreword written by Daisy and illustrations by Morgan Huff. 

“I just want people to be hopeful and to know that if they’re in the middle of a struggle, they are not alone. We walked those same roads, and they are very, very difficult,” Kimberly shared with People back in March. “But, in the end, there is restoration and there are children who are waiting for them.”

Kimberly has also authored a cook book, Oh Gussie!: Cooking and Visiting in Kimberly’s Southern Kitchen, released in 2015.  

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

October 13, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for The Recording AcademyCould Chris Gaines make a comeback? According to Garth Brooks, the faux rock star’s alter ego, we may see Gaines again soon. 

Longtime fans of Brooks will recall his 1999 album Garth Brooks in… The Life of Chris Gaines.  It featured the country icon transforming into a fictional Australian rock star with dark hair, guyliner, a smoldering glare and a soul patch.

The project peaked at number two on the all-genre Billboard 200 and spawned a top five Billboard 100 hit, “Lost in You.”

Gaines has largely gone into hiding since then, but in a new interview with Billboard, Brooks reveals the rocker may see a resurrection. 

“Trust me, it’s got a whole life of its own and it’s all coming. It won’t be anything predictable, I can guarantee you, because that’s kind of what that character’s thought process was,” he explains. 

“If you know the greatest hits, they had to come from somewhere, if that tells you what’s coming,” he adds. 

While fans wait to see what comes from Gaines, Garth and wife Trisha Yearwood recently recorded a studio version of “Shallow” from the hit 2018 remake of A Star is Born. It’ll be featured on Garth’s upcoming album, FUN.

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

October 13, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

CMTThe CMT Awards final roundup of performers includes rising stars and all-star collaborations. 

Sam Hunt, Gabby Barrett and Morgan Wallen are all slated to take the main stage during the awards show, joining previously announced performers Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, co-host Kane Brown, Dan + Shay, Ashley McBryde and Little Big Town. 

Gabby is also up for Female Video of the Year and Breakthrough Video of the Year for her smash hit “I Hope,” while Sam and Morgan are both nominated in the category of Male Video of the Year: Sam for “Hard to Forget” and Morgan for “Chasin’ You.”

The “Body Like a Back Road” hitmaker also scored a nod for CMT Performance of the Year for his cover of Reba McEntire‘s signature hit, “Fancy,” at the 2019 CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. 

Additionally, fans can look forward to a slew of collaborative performances. Kelsea Ballerini will team up with her pal Halsey, while Jimmie Allen duets with Noah Cyrus and Luke Combs joins forces with Brooks + Dunn. 

Shania Twain will also make an appearance at the CMT Awards ceremony, her first since 2011. 

The entirely fan-voted show airs on October 21 at 8 p.m. ET.

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