March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

Courtesy of Warner Music NashvilleChris Janson is headed to Florida’s Lake Okeechobee this weekend to be the celebrity guest at the US Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Championship. He’ll host the weigh-in on Saturday afternoon, followed by the awards ceremony that evening.

While he’s there, Chris will hang out with professional sports fisherman Roland Martin, host of the long-running TV show, Fishing with Roland Martin.

“I can’t wait to get out on the water and see the excitement of all the participants and their families,” says Chris, who’s an avid amateur fisherman himself as well as a brand ambassador for Bass Pro Shops. “I can’t think of a better place to be and I’m humbled to get to share the stage with Roland and be part of such a great event!”

The Lake Okeechobee event is one of eight regional qualifying events being held across the country. It’ll include 250 two-person teams, all competing for a $50,000 prize.

The top 40 teams will qualify for the National Championship, which is going to be held in Missouri in November. That event will be televised, and the winner will walk away with a whopping $1 million cash prize.

As for Chris, he’s currently working on reeling in his next hit. His single, “Waitin’ on 5,” is a top 50 hit and rising.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LAMaren Morris has been vocal about the importance of expanding diversity in country music, particularly when it comes to being more inclusive of non-white artists. During a stop on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week, the singer shared why she believes it’s so important to make room at the table for everyone.

“Even though there is a huge disparity between men and women in our genre, there is even more of a disparity between white women and Black women trying to be in country music,” Maren said, explaining that she had an easier time finding career success as a white artist.

“There are so many Black women and men who adore country music and don’t feel like the door is open for them even a crack,” she continued.

Maren goes on to say that she’s been working to educate herself on this important subject, particularly since the death of George Floyd, the Black man who died while being arrested by white former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May of 2020, who’s currently on trial for murder in Floyd’s death. 

Maren has voiced her support for the inclusion of more Black artists seeking change in the music industry, such as Mickey Guyton. “I feel like country music as a genre — we all have so much room to grow, myself included,” Maren said.

That sentiment is at the heart of Maren’s new song, “Better Than We Found It,” which earned a Video of the Year nomination at the upcoming ACM Awards. The clip features Maren’s infant son, Hayes, and she says that her commitment to social responsibility is partially because she wants him to inherit a better world someday.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABCMiranda Lambert is sharing some details about what she’s planning for her performance of her hit single, “Bluebird,” during this weekend’s Grammy Awards.

“The set is beautiful,” Miranda tells ET Online, adding that she’ll be hitting the stage live with her band.  “It’s very feminine and beautiful. Also, there’s an energy with my band and I because we haven’t played ‘Bluebird,’ really, since it’s been ‘Bluebird.’ So we’re really happy to be up there and playing music.”

Miranda is a Grammy nominee this year, appearing in three of the show’s four country categories. “Bluebird” is in the running to win Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance, while the album on which the song appears, Wildcard, is up for Best Country Album.

As for the look she’ll be sporting as she heads into the Grammys? Miranda says she’s keeping it simple, but definitely not plain.

“I’m going sleek and sexy,” the singer hints, adding that her most eye-catching accessory will be her husband, Brendan McLoughlin. 

“I have a dress, and a really hot husband who has a really nice suit, so we’re good on that. I’m not really a princess gal,” Miranda adds.

The Grammys will air this Sunday night at 8PM ET on CBS.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABCCarrie Underwood celebrated her 38th birthday on Wednesday, and according to her social media posts, she and her family marked the occasion in style.

On her Instagram stories, the singer shared snapshots of flowers with a note addressed to “Mommy” and a pink and white birthday cake wishing her happy birthday. Even sweeter were the cards from her two sons, six-year-old Isaiah and two-year-old Jacob, complete with drawings and a message reading “I love you Mom so so so much,” penned by Isaiah himself.

“That’s a lot of ‘sos’,” Carrie commented, along with an emoji of a red heart.

But one birthday gift the singer received was a little less “aw”-worthy and a little more cheesy, and that present came from her husband, former ice hockey pro Mike Fisher. In his Instagram stories, Mike showed off a selfie of Carrie wearing the T-shirt he gave her, which reads, “I don’t need Google, my husband knows everything!”

“Perfect birthday gift no[?]” Mike wrote alongside the photo.

He had a more sincere sentiment to share in a picture he posted of Carrie, still wearing the T-shirt, smiling next to her birthday cake.

“The boys and I love you like crazy,” Mike wrote. “We are so grateful for you!!”

Carrie also celebrated her birthday with the release of a new song called “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.” That track will be included on her forthcoming gospel project, My Savior, and features backing vocals by Bear Reinhart of Christian rock group Needtobreathe.

I am not 38 years old.
I am not 38 years young.

I am 38 years strong. 38 years awesome! 38 years wise. 38 years accomplished. 38 years happy! 38 years amazing!!!

I am 38 years blessed…thank you, Lord, for all the trips around the sun!

… https://t.co/MVgh7PdJwy pic.twitter.com/YyGoXzXAzl

— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) March 11, 2021

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

Chris CharlesOver a decade since she last stepped on the legendary stage, Rissi Palmer is returning to the Grand Ole Opry on March 19.

Rissi made her Opry debut back in 2007. That same year, she dropped her self-titled studio debut, which included “Country Girl,” her first song to enter the country charts. She went on to make several Opry appearances over the next year.

During the pandemic, the singer has seen something of a career resurgence, thanks in part to her radio show, Color Me Country with Rissi Palmer. Since debuting the show in August 2020, Rissi’s used the platform to spotlight country artists of color who have been marginalized in the genre’s mainstream.

Rissi’s show takes its name from a 1970 album by Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry stage.

“It’s always special to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. I am so excited to return with a renewed sense of what it all means to me as an artist,” Rissi says.

Rissi and her radio show are also going to be in the spotlight as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s new American Currents: State of the Music exhibit.

By Carena Liptak
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.