August 14, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Verge RecordsTrace Adkins announced his next musical chapter in style today with the release of party anthem “Just the Way We Do It,” a loud-and-proud tribute to kicking back, country style.

“Well, that’s all right, get ya some ribs / Wash it all down with a couple of beers,” Trace explains in the sing-a-long chorus. “Ain’t nobody getting hurt, don’t be scared / That’s just the way we do it ‘round here…”

With the release of his new tune, the singer had big news to share: He’s planning the release of his next project, an EP called Ain’t That Kind of Cowboy. The six-track collection will be his first since signing to Verge Records, and follows his 2017 album, Something’s Goin’ On.

“Just the Way We Do It” will be on the EP, and so will the two songs that the singer shared earlier this year: “Better Off” and “Mind on Fishin’.”

Ain’t That Kind of Cowboy comes out October 16. It’s available for pre-order now, with autographed copies and other special merchandise items available at the singer’s online store.

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

August 14, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LAUSA Today revealed its list of “100 Women of the Century” this week, and country superstar and Dolly Parton is among the honorees.

The list recognizes not only Dolly’s sizeable achievements as a pop culture icon and status as a songwriting legend, but also notes her philanthropic work with projects like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and her accomplishments as a businesswoman with Dollywood and other tourism efforts.

As one of Tennessee’s “100 Women of the Century,” Dolly is in hallowed company: NASA astronaut Margaret Rhea Seddon, sports legend Pat Summit and the state’s first female prosecutor, Justice Martha Craig Daughtrey, also make the list.

Dolly’s latest honor comes on the heels of her cover profile in Billboard’s Country Power Players 2020 issue, in which she spoke out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The living legend also recently announced A Holly Dolly Christmas, her first album of holiday music in three decades.

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

August 14, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Capitol Records NashvilleJon Pardi fans are in for a surprise: The singer dropped his new Rancho Fiesta Sessions EP today, an eight-track collection of songs pulled from his favorite artists’ discographies.

“All of these covers are of artists that I admire and I look up to,” Jon explains. “There are all kinds of great names and styles of songs on here — from legends. I think the magic and the fun of it all is in these eight covers of songs that I really like or grew up singing.

Unsurprisingly, classic country gold is a dominant theme on the project, with selections from George Strait, Joe Diffie, Dwight Yoakam and Merle Haggard. Jon delivers a faithful take on Diffie’s performance of “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die),” for example.

But the singer also looked outside the country genre for inspiration. He offers his interpretation of “The Waiting” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, as well as a searing performance of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

The Rancho Fiesta Sessions songs were cut in one evening, as the product of a jam session with Jon’s touring band at his home in Nashville.

“We mainly did it to have fun and record, and it sounds like we’re in your backyard playing for you,” Jon reflects. “….It turned into something special because it’s a year where we are off the road, and we recorded it live in real time, out at my house.”

As for the EP’s title? Jon says that’s a nod to where it was recorded.

“I nicknamed my place out here Rancho Fiesta because it was fun and sounded uplifting,” he says.

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

August 14, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Warner Music NashvilleDevin Dawson may have written his brand-new single, “I Got a Truck,” solo, but he had a little extra help from an inspiring conversation with none other than country hitmaker Tim McGraw.

Back in 2018, Devin was the supporting act for the Soul2Soul Tour, headlined by Tim and his fellow superstar wife Faith Hill. A late-night conversation between the two men about how humble beginnings can lead to big accomplishments gave Devin the push he needed to write his dreamer’s anthem.

“As someone who writes songs every single day, I don’t ever take any inspiration for granted,” notes Devin. “Sometimes you use tricks you’ve learned along the way to kick start that inspiration, and other times it just lands right in your lap.”

Over the past year, Devin has kept busy as a songwriter and duet partner, co-penning Blake Shelton’s 2019 multi-week chart-topper “God’s Country” and lending his voice to Hardy’s current single, “One Beer.”

But the “All on Me” is ready to slide back into the spotlight as an artist with the release of “I Got a Truck.”

“I’m fired up that I get to be the one to help tell this story — because when it’s this real, honest and true, the rest is easy,” Devin adds. “I found so much of myself in this story and in this song and I can’t wait to hear how other people find their story in it as well.”

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

August 14, 2020 • No Comments • Country Music News

Big Loud RecordsMorgan Wallen tells the sentimental story of a long-lost love in “7 Summers.” The new tune thinks back on a relationship that feels like only yesterday, even though it ended several years ago.

The singer says he decided to officially prelease “7 Summers” after testing the song out on social media and noticing what a strong resonance it had with fans. At first, he didn’t know if it was going to make the track list of his next album or even see the light of day.

“But when quarantine first started, I was challenged to do a demo on Instagram so I put out the first verse and chorus of ‘7 Summers’,” Morgan remembers.  “I heard a lot of good feedback from it on Instagram and it started making the rounds on TikTok — I saw how much the song was getting played and how much people were enjoying it.”

“Social media played a huge part in me releasing this song, especially so early,” he adds. “It’s a cool thing — me being on the fence about it, then being able to put it out and get people’s feedback. Seeing the response played the biggest part in this release.”

“7 Summers” follows Morgan’s current single, “More than My Hometown,” and another fan-selected release, “This Bar.”

The “Chasin’ You” hitmaker is currently at work on his sophomore album.

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