February 25, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

Monfort CompaniesDierks Bentley officially broke ground on the fourth location of his Whiskey Row gastropub this week, and for the first time, the venue is headed for a place other than Dierks’ home state of Arizona or his adopted hometown of Nashville.

Whiskey Row’s newest iteration will instead be located in downtown Denver, Colorado, in the middle of the bustling Ballpark neighborhood.

As his team was officially breaking ground on the new site, Dierks explained that there’s quite a bit of significance behind the new location for his franchise.

“It’s really meaningful to me to open up a Whiskey Row in Denver, a city I’ve come to love from the many concerts and visits to the Rocky Mountains over the years,” he said. “We’re very selective in the places we choose, and I’m honored to build something that will contribute to what’s happening down here in the Ballpark neighborhood for years to come.”

Dierks has found a lot of reasons to spend time in Colorado over the past few years. His 2018 studio album, The Mountain, was largely written and recorded in Telluride, and his annual Seven Peaks Music Festival takes place in Buena Vista.

Plus, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Dierks and his family took an extended vacation away from Nashville, spending the bulk of the year in Colorado instead.

Dierks adds that his new Whiskey Row location is just another reason to spend time in the state.

“Selfishly, this gives me a great excuse to come back to Colorado to visit, and of course, play some live music here when it’s safe,” he adds.

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

February 25, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

ABC/Image Group LALess than a month after launching his own label, 1021 Entertainment, Kane Brown is adding another new endeavor to his resume.

The country superstar has announced the launch of Verse 2 Music, his own publishing company, which is a joint venture with Sony Music Publishing Nashville. According to Billboard, who broke the news, Kane also signed a worldwide publishing deal with Sony this week.

It’s Kane’s latest step as an entrepreneur: Verse 2 Music will focus on developing a diverse roster of new artists and songwriters across all genres.

Kane’s focus on diversity is at the forefront of 1021 Entertainment, too: His flagship act is Restless Road, a pop-inspired country trio that was also Kane’s opening act on tour prior to the COVID-19 shutdowns.

“I want to provide opportunities,” the singer explains of the motivation behind launching his new venture. “As an entertainer, I love being able to take people I believe in out on the road with me, or be able to help them find a moment that makes a difference in their career. I also want to work with great people. We are a family.”

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

February 25, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

Home Grown RecordsZac Brown Band’s “The Man Who Loves You the Most” was inspired by frontman Zac Brown’s love for his four daughters, but anyone missing family during the COVID-19 pandemic can relate to the song’s new music video.

The clip begins with a young woman sitting at home, reading headlines about increasing COVID-19 shutdowns on her phone. She turns away from the news, opting instead to watch a series of family home movies that focus on her and her dad.

We see her grow up from a little girl to a young woman, ultimately packing for college, moving away from home, graduating and getting married. All the while, her dad is by her side, supporting her and cheering her on.

Between the woman’s smiles and tears — and a heartbreaking twist at the end of the clip — the video adds an emotional visual element to an already powerful song. Zac says that he hopes the video serves as a reminder to all fans to cherish their loved ones, even from far away.

“As a father to four girls myself, I know firsthand how special the father-daughter bond is,” he reflects. “When creating this video, it was important to make something that serves as a reminder of the importance of our loved ones and that, through the good times and bad, a father’s love will always endure.”

ZBB first shared the song in June of 2020, just before Father’s Day.

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

February 25, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

Allister AnnKenny Chesney‘s leaning into the traditional side of country music for the new single from his Here and Now album. 

“Well, it’s one of the reasons I wanted to record ‘Knowing You,’” the superstar from East Tennessee explains.

“It was just the melody,” he says of its appeal. “Look, you don’t hear a waltz every day on the radio now, but this one was written with this beautiful melody twisted within that waltz.”

“Knowing You” pays homage to a relationship you treasured that’s past, be it romantic, familial, or friendly. It’s a sentiment Kenny was eager to express.

“What it says was so important to me, you know,” he tells ABC Audio, “because it just talks about having someone in your life that was very important, that’s not there anymore, but it’s still not a negative thing.”

“Who knows why they’re not there?” he continues. “They could have just moved on, you guys moved on, or they could have passed or whatever.”

“The song is just simply a reflection of how blessed you are to have known that person at all,” he adds. “And hopefully they’re somewhere out there in the universe thinking the same thing.”  

We’ll find out more about Kenny’s interpretation of “Knowing You” in the days to come, as he releases a music video he took a week to shoot last fall. 

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

February 24, 2021 • No Comments • Country Music News

Rick Diamond/Getty Images Trisha Yearwood has tested positive for COVID-19, though her husband Garth Brooks remains clear.

The two had been quarantining together at home in Nashville after a member of their team tested positive for coronavirus, though last week’s severe winter weather in Tennessee delayed their tests until a week after their potential exposure. 

“The Queen and I have now tested twice,” Garth explains. “Officially, she’s diagnosed as ‘on her way out of the tunnel’ now, though, which I’m extremely thankful for.”

The superstar goes on to describe his wife as “tough” and “stronger than me,” while expressing his desire for fans to pray for the Georgia native. 

“If anyone asks, that’s what you can do for her,” he adds. “That’s what I’m doing.”

At the same time, Garth admits he’s concerned about potential long-term effects for the two-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year.

“Living with her, I sometimes take it for granted she’s one of the greatest voices in all of music…” he admits. “We’re very lucky she is currently under the greatest care in the best city for treating and healing singers.”

As Trisha’s on the mend, Garth plans to stay out of the spotlight, forgoing his weekly Monday night Inside Studio G chats until she’s recovered. 

“Anyone who knows me knows my world begins and ends with Miss Yearwood, so she and I will ride through this together,” Garth declares. “And anyone who knows her knows she’s a fighter and she’s been doing everything right, so I know we’ll walk out the other side of this thing together.”

By Stephen Hubbard
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.