August 20, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Zach BroseKane Brown delivers steamy, late-summer retro vibes in the music video for “Be Like That,” his collaboration with Khalid and Swae Lee.

Filmed at a 1940s-era motel in Sun Valley, California, the clip shows the three artists dancing and partying against a variety of vintage backdrops, including a wood-paneled and baby pink motel room, the inside of an empty swimming pool and a neon-drenched diner.

It adds a carefree, tropical visual element to the song, which shrugs off the ups and downs of a drama-filled relationship with the mantra that “Sometimes it be like that.”

“It’s about all the different feelings you can have in a relationship,” Kane said of the song when he first released it. “And trying not to overthink it. When it gets tough, you wanna be on your own, but then you miss the person a second later. I think it’s something everyone goes through.”

Swae Lee and Khalid not only lend their voices to the track, but they also had a hand in writing “Be Like That.” With help from its out-of-genre special guests, the song adds some tropical flair to Mixtape Vol. 1, a collection that Kane put out earlier this month.

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

August 20, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Courtesy of the Academy of Country MusicTenille Townes and Riley Green are officially the New Female Artist of the Year and New Male Artist of the Year at the 2020 ACM Awards. They’re the first winners to be announced ahead of this year’s show.

Host and reigning Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban surprised both performers with the news, crashing a virtual label meeting with Riley and popping up on the other end of a Zoom call when Tenille signed on expecting to do an interview.

“When do you think you’re gonna be playing a show again next?” Keith drily asked Riley in their call, before springing the news on him that he would be performing at the ACM Awards — as a trophy-winning artist.

“I wish I would’ve got a glass of wine!” Riley replied, stunned into silence by the good news.

While he may have been stoic and speechless, Tenille was all happy tears after Keith told her that she’s a winner this year.

“Are you serious? Oh my gosh. For real?” she gushed. “Wow. Thank you so much.”

This year’s ACM Awards ceremony was originally scheduled to take place in April in Las Vegas, the month and city where it’s been held for the past several years. But in light of escalating concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the show was pushed to September 18, where it will be held in Nashville.

The show will broadcast live from the Grand Ole Opry, with additional performances airing from two more historic Music City venues: The Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe.

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

August 20, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC In an ever-changing world, American Idol is staying as much the same as it can, with Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry all set to return for their fourth season of the hit ABC show. Ryan Seacrest continues as host.

But, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and virtual sessions already underway to replace in-person auditions, it’s clear some parts of the show will be different. 

“I would say that there will be significant [new] ways that we have to tape it,” Luke explains, “just based on adhering to social distancing and how we get contestants out there. So you will notice changes.”

“But, you know, at the end of the day,” he adds, “any changes are just simply predicated because we’re doing our best to make the best show [we can].”

Still, Luke’s holding out hope he’ll get to be in the same room with Lionel and Katy, even if they are a little farther apart.

“Currently, I don’t think it’ll be in video land…” Luke predicts. “I think there’s a way that we can integrate video and actually be there…”

“We’ll probably be six feet apart at the judges’ table,” he laughs. 

Right now, you can submit your virtual audition, or perform face-to-face with a producer online during select dates that continue into September. You can find full information on the American Idol site.

While Idol typically premieres in early spring, ABC hasn’t revealed if that’ll be the case in 2021.

Meanwhile, Luke’s career continues going strong, as Born Here Live Here Die Here just became his sixth album to debut at number one on the country chart, while grabbing a top-ten debut on the all-genre ranking as well. 

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

August 19, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Big Machine RecordsThough Tim McGraw didn’t enter the recording studio with the title of his new album Here on Earth in mind, he did have a concept of how he wanted the music to make people feel.  

Tim was looking for “little vignettes along the way that tell a story about certain things that happen in the progression of life and how that can relate to the listener,” he says of the project.

“How everyone can sort of find a way to walk through this life on this album, find a way to relate to the characters in the stories,” he adds.

Tim says his goal was to reflect the vast dynamics of life. But when he was presented with the title track in the middle of the album-making process, he realized that the other songs naturally shaped around it, thus inspiring him to name the project Here on Earth. 

“When we got that song in and we cut it, and started fillin’ songs in around it, it just really made sense that that’s what we were trying to do,” he says. “And that’s somehow Here on Earth became the title because of the idea that I had to start with of what I wanted the album to feel like.”

Here on Earth will be released on Friday. 

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

August 19, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LALike many artists, Thomas Rhett has spent 2020 off the road as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but his wife Lauren Akins reveals that he’s adapting well to the new way of life.  

In an interview with People, Lauren shares that her husband’s transition from nonstop touring to being at home 24/7 was admittedly an “adjustment,” one that’s offered him a new appreciation for parenting. 

“I think it was hard for him to have to go from such a fast-paced life to slowing way down. Then to be in it with me and three kids every single day, every single night,” she explains. “I think he’s like, ‘the moms and dads who are up with their kids every single night, that’s no joke.'”

Thomas and Lauren welcomed their third daughter, Lennon Love, in February. Lauren says the couple is enjoying time with their three girls, all of whom are under the age of five, balancing their time between playing outside, building forts and indulging in movie nights that are often equipped with popcorn and marshmallows. 

“We have had a really sweet last six months with our new family of five. It has been my dream come true having him home. I’ve been really proud of how he has tackled the no-sleep nights, day after day,” she remarks.

“Our kids are honestly really good, but having a new baby in the house is a whole different thing. But it’s been a lot of fun and he’s such a good dad, and he just loves our kids so well,” she continues. “We really had a lot of fun.” 

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