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Maren Morris joins husband Ryan Hurd for duet, "Chasing After You"

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Arista Nashville Maren Morris and her husband Ryan Hurd are joining forces for their duet “Chasing After You,” to be released on February 12.  

Though Maren has provided background vocals on Ryan’s previous singles “Every Other Memory” and “To a T,” “Chasing After You” marks the couple’s first official studio duet. 

“Every time you say we’re done/You come back to the love/You were running from/Don’t know why don’t know why I let you/But I do/Cause I love chasing after you,” the couple sings over an acoustic melody in a clip posted to Ryan’s Instagram Stories Monday. 

Maren and Ryan met as songwriters in Nashville in 2013, co-penning Tim McGraw‘s “Last Turn Home.” Ryan is also the co-writer behind Lady A‘s hits “What If I Never Get Over You” and “You Look Good,” as well as “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” by Luke Bryan. 

“Maren and I met writing songs and we’ve sung on each other’s records and written together, but this is the first time we’ve gotten to do an actual duet together. It feels like the timing is really perfect and it’s a full circle moment to get to make music together in this way,” Ryan says. 

“Chasing After You” follows the release of Maren’s new collaboration with JP Saxe, “Line by Line.”

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Miranda Lambert to perform three shows in Texas in April: "We’re doing this safely and right"

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ABCMiranda Lambert is getting back on stage. 

On Monday, the “Bluebird” singer announced on Instagram that she is performing three shows in April at Billy Bob’s Texas, marking her first concert in more than a year. 

Miranda will take the stage at the famous honky tonk in Fort Worth for three consecutive shows on April 22, 23 and 24. Pre-sale tickets for members of her fan club will be available on Wednesday and become available to the public Friday. 

“I can’t wait to come home,” Miranda writes, adding a disclaimer that the shows will be reduced capacity, socially-distanced and follow “strict” COVID-19 protocols. “We’re doing this safely and right,” she says.

Miranda launched her Wildcard Tour last January in support of her latest album, but like many other artists, was forced to cancel or postpone tour plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Mickey Guyton welcomes son Grayson

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Phylicia J.L. MunnMickey Guyton is a new mom. 

The singer announced on Monday that she and husband Grant Savoy have welcomed their first child, Grayson.

“The hardest and most beautiful thing I have ever done. Welcome to the world Grayson!” Mickey writes alongside a photo of the baby, swaddled in a bassinet at the hospital. 

The comment section was quickly flooded with congratulatory messages from fans and peers alike, including the Academy of Country Music, Blanco Brown, Cam and more.

“You are a bad***!! Welcome sweet babe!! Cam writes. “Ohhhh baby baby! Congrats mama- so proud of you,” adds Brooke Eden. 

Mickey announced last summer that she and her husband were expecting their first child. “I just want this baby to just have its own life and have its own choices, and I will accept this baby for who or whatever it chooses to be,” she shared with People. “I just want to support it in every way that I can.”

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Blake Shelton gets rejected by Gwen Stefani in T-Mobile ad

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Emma McIntyre/Getty ImagesIn an alternate universe, Blake Shelton gets rejected by his fiancee Gwen Stefani in a new T-Mobile ad.

The 60-second spot, which debuted during the Super Bowl, reunites Blake with his former The Voice judge Adam Levine, beginning with a faux flashback to Gwen calling Adam over video chat, informing him that she’s finally ready to date.

“I’m sick of L.A. guys,” she declares, explaining that she wants someone who’s potentially from another country, “cultured,” “sensitive” and is “not threatened by a strong, confident woman.”

But due to their poor internet connection, what Adam hears on the other end is “I want someone completely country, uncultured and threatened by a strong, confident woman” — just as Blake is heading back to their table with wings and nachos.

“I have your guy,” Adam chuckles to Gwen.

While Gwen is later waiting at a table at a fancy restaurant waiting for her blind date, she is surprised to see that it’s Blake as he approaches her with his cowboy boots and spurs.

“Did you ride a horse here?” she inquires after playfully rejecting him, to which Blake replies “yeah” in a way that implies it should be obvious. “You need a ride home?” he asks, Gwen tempted by the offer. 

After meeting as judges on The Voice in 2014, the couple got engaged in October. Blake will return to the coaching panel when season 20 of the show premieres on March 1 on NBC. 

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Despite controversy, Morgan Wallen extends lead on 'Billboard' 200 for fourth consecutive week

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Jason Kempin/ACMA2020/Getty Images for ACMEmbattled country artist Morgan Wallen, who suffered an intense falling out after a video surfaced of the singer shouting a racial slur, continues his reign atop the Billboard 200.

The singer, who recently released his sophomore album Dangerous: The Double Album, held onto the number one spot for a fourth consecutive week.  This becomes the first country album to spend four weeks at number one since Shania Twain‘s 2003 album Up! 

Wallen’s album moved an additional 149,000 units, a number that consists of album sales and on-demand streams as his sales of his music dramatically increased amid the controversy.

Billboard reports that sales of the Dangerous album are up 103 percent over the past week.  The publication says the album was streamed 159.76 million times and that he sold an additional 25,000 albums.

While Wallen’s music sales continue to skyrocket, the same cannot be said for the country singer’s professional career.

Last week, the 27-year-old’s recording contract indefinitely suspended by his label, Big Loud Records, and he was dropped by talent agency WME.  In addition, Wallen was removed from CMT airplay, barred from ACM Award eligibility and numerous radio companies dropped his music catalog from airplay. 

While Wallen’s music continues to be available for streaming and download across all major sites, around 30 of the top playlists across Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music have purged his songs from their entries.

Maren Morris, Mickey Guyton and many other country stars have condemned Wallen and racism in country music.

Wallen previously told Good Morning America, “I’m embarrassed and sorry. I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back.  There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word.”

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.