Katie & Company: Recent Episodes
Audacy
ACM-nominated Katie Neal is here to get you through the workday and keep you in the know with all things Country music. She’s always looking for a good laugh and a great deal. When Katie’s not on your radio, she’s probably binging her favorite TV shows, attending a wedding or planning a trip somewhere! Katie was recently recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and won a Gracie Award.
This week during the 'Superstar Power Hour,' Riley Green revealed that he has some new music in the works, but perhaps for fans more importantly, he's heard your concern over his mustache and it's back for now.
"I thought people might mention it," smiles Riley about the reaction to him shaving his mustache earlier this year, having no idea it would make the kind of news it made. "It was nice that day I walked in the bar and nobody knew who I was, like I was about 14 when I shaved it off."
"So I shave every year just to get a little sun on my face," Green explains to Katie Neal. "It just feels nice for a little change, and I didn't realize that I'm like 'mustache guy' now. So people expect a certain level of mustache from me, and when I shaved it really, it hurt some people's feelings."
With his stache secured, the talk turns to Riley's latest song to climb the charts, "Worst Way," from his album 'Don't Mind If I Do.' "I don't tend to write a lot of love songs," he says of the album closer. "I'm always kind of the ballady like, 'I Wish Grandpas Never died,' more sad song guy. You know, people don't wanna just cry the whole concert, I thought I should kind of try something else."
"'Worst Way' ended up being a really forward love song, and when you write songs like that by yourself, you're not bouncing ideas off anybody. So when you get done with it, you're like, 'wait, is this OK?'"
"It was a little outside of my comfort zone, and when I got done with it, I thought there was something cool about it. I think I like most songs I played a little bit of it and posted it on Facebook or Instagram or something, and it blew up. That's how you know when fans kind of let you know you have something and, I think it went platinum before we even sent to radio it was just this huge song. So when fans go and make a song hit like that, it's always so much fun. You kind of sit back and just enjoy playing it, and it's become one of the biggest moments in my live show."
To hear more about the "Worst Way" video, new music, and more, check out the full interview with Riley Green above.
Dustin Lynch returned to CMA Fest this year, with new music and a whole new occupation, pulling double duty as a Country star and resident DJ at some of the country's biggest clubs.
"I'm really proud of the creative process and the flow that I've been in and I'm still in right now," Dustin tells Katie Neal, writing his new song "Easy To Love" and working on his upcoming album. "'Easy To Love' is kind of a little bit autobiographical about a guy that's just going where the wind blows them and where the waves take him, and that's literally the season of life I'm in right now because of, a couple of things. One of those being this DJ set and nightlife set that I'm performing outside of my normal Country touring. We started doing DJ sets in Las Vegas. We have a residency at the Wynn."
"We're performing that show at a bunch of the big nightclubs across the US and Canada," explains Lynch. "That has literally taken my life in a completely new direction. If you'd have told me at last CMA Fest I would be doing this, I would have called you crazy, but here we are."
These new performances have influenced Dustin's upcoming album, as he has a lot of everything on the horizon. "I've got well over an album already recorded," he reveals. "We've been recording as the year's gone and we get songs we love, so lots more new music coming out this year. A lot of Country music coming out, a lot of new Dance music coming out as well. So just working on both projects simultaneously. I'm a mad man. I'm constantly on the phone and in the studio right now doing both projects."
Hear more about both projects from Dustin during his interview above from the Audacy Nashville Sound Space at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Riding high off her new single, "You Had To Be There," Megan Moroney recently joined Katie Neal for the 'Superstar Power Hour,' to talk about working with Kenny Chesney, life on tour, her next album, and the story behind her hit, "Am I Okay?"
"I had only known this dude for like a month," admits Megan about the song's subject. "Mistake number one. Never write a nice song about a man that you've only known for a month because by month 3, they will ruin your life."
"I was like a month in and I was like, 'wait, I'm actually like really happy and this is crazy,' like what's wrong with me? I'm usually so sad, like put me in rice, something's wrong with me. And so that was the sentiment that I went in with. I wrote it with Jesse Jo Dillon and Luke Laird."
"But at the same time... I knew I was going on tour with Kenny, so I wanted it to feel like a stadium song. So when I was having Luke come up with the chords and stuff, I was like, 'this needs to feel really big' because I want to be able to get people up even though I play pretty early. I want people like up out of their seats, just like another good song for my setlist that feels like a party, and we would end the set every night with that one, and mission accomplished, I guess. But yeah, when we wrote it, it was kind of just half of authentic feelings of being like, 'wait, I'm actually happy. Am I okay?' And then paired with the need for a big stadium song, and that's how we got it."
With the tour coming to a close and her star rapidly rising, it's almost the end of the 'Am I Okay?' era, but what's next for Megan Moroney? "Well, I can say that I've been in the studio a lot. I've been writing a lot. I'm just gonna keep the ball rolling, you know, so I'm excited," she reveals. "This next set of music is a lot happier than what you would expect, but I feel like that's just where I'm at in life. I feel like for once I'm just like, chilling."
"I do have one really gut-wrenching song on the album. There's a few sad songs still because I would never abandon my emo cowgirlness, but for the album as a whole, I definitely think it's a lot more carefree and just like, sassy and fun, and I'm excited for everyone to hear what I've been working on."
For more from Megan Moroney, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.
Jason Aldean is currently rocking stages across the country with his 'Full Throttle Tour,' excited to get back on the road after six months away. He joined Katie Neal this week during the 'Superstar Power Hour' and talked about prepping for tour, and how he's spent his time away from the spotlight.
Aldean is "ready to get back to work," he tells Katie, but his time away has produced some new music we'll hopefully hear later this year. "Trying to finish up an album while we're off not touring, so kind of wrapping that up," he says. "I got some new music coming this year."
A new album would be a great accomplishment for anyone, but given the carpool schedule at the Aldean house it's even more amazing. "Right now, you know, kids are all playing sports. Memphis is in baseball, Navy's in softball. Kendall's playing flag football at her school, and so they're just kind of all over the map," he reveals. "We've spent a lot of time going to practices and games and doing all that kind of stuff, and all that's about to wrap up here in the next week or two and get ready for summer."
"Yeah, essentially a chauffeur and just trying to figure out how to get everybody where they need to be and, not really a lot of time for me to do anything right now except be a driver."
Jason says he's "excited to get it out there," with the new music, but still figuring out the best way to present the songs due to the rapid consumption of music these days. "You know, you drop an album and then everybody just consumes it for a month or two and then they're like, 'OK, when's the next one coming out?' You're like, 'man, it took me 8 months to make that thing.' So, I think this go around, trying to figure out how we drop a project and maybe kind of stagger it out where we don't give them everything right off the bat, just enough to kind of say, 'here's a little bit' and then 'here's a little bit more' and then, 'here's the rest of it' kind of thing."
"It's Morgan Wallen's fault," Jason jokes. "Morgan's putting out all these records, 20 songs here, 20 songs there, then dropping like random stuff here and there and it just like seems like the guy's dropping a new record every 4 months or something. The reality is there's a lot of work that goes into that and just writing the songs, and getting to a place to go in and make those records. So to just turn them out like that it's almost impossible. So, just trying to figure out how to extend the life of the album and some of the songs."
Hear more about the new music, the 'Full Throttle Tour,' and more during the 'Superstar Power Hour' interview with Jason Aldean above.
The love story between Tim McGraw and Faith Hill remains a fairytale, and during his 'Superstar Power Hour' interview with Katie Neal, we learned how it all started.
"I remember the very first time I saw a picture of Faith. I fell in love instantly," Tim gushes, after looking back at one of Faith's first award acceptance speeches. "I think she was on Billboard magazine or something. I was walking through my management office, and I'd had like one or two singles out off of my first album, I hadn't really done much, and I was in the process of recording my second album. I walked by and saw the photo of her on it and I'm like, 'oh my God.' I need to find that girl."
The two have now been married for nearly 30 years, sharing 3 kids along the way, and still adding to the family. "We got two new puppies at home, so we're pretty busy right now," adds Tim. "We got Aussie Mountain Doodles. So they're cute as they can be, but they're a handful... She's busy handling them while I'm out doing some work."
In addition to his family update, McGraw also gave us an update on his health, after undergoing several surgeries over the last few years. "Over the last 2 years I've had 4 major surgeries. So it's been a rough go, but you know, I beat myself up over the years pretty badly."
"I'm starting to come around. It's just gonna take a little time, but I've done a lot of PT getting to where I can move a little better. There's setbacks, you know, you go a couple of weeks, everything is really good, then you have a couple of weeks everything goes backwards again, and so it's sort of a back and forth thing, but at least I'm up and going and moving."
"The worst part for me is I'm terrible at sitting still," admits Tim. "I had two back surgeries before the tour last year. And then during the tour, the back started going cattywampus on me and in about 3 weeks in the tour, my knees went out, so I had to do the whole tour with my knee shot, my back shot, so right after I had double knee replacements. So both knees. And that was the worst, having to lay there for 6, 8 weeks and not do much."
"That was the worst part was mentally. I mean, I was warned about it by my doctors that everybody that gets these things, there's of depression that happens. And for me I was saying, 'I not gonna get depressed, you know, it's football season. I'm gonna have my knees replaced and watch football.' But, you know, 3 weeks into it, I was tired of it."
Thankfully Tim is in better spirits now, booked and busy with more music to enjoy. There's the MLB Speedway Classic happing in August, his Field of Dreams concert later that month, the Music City Rodeo later this month, and of course his new take on "Paper Umbrellas" with Parker McCollum out now.
"That song was on my 'Standing Room Only' album, and we were getting ready to pick a new single. I wanted to bring something off of that album, and there were a couple of choices we had, but I always loved that record, one of my favorite records on the album, and I wanted to freshen it up a little bit because it had been out for a while on the album."
"And was looking around at somebody new to put on the record and Parker was the first guy I thought of because I liked his music and the direction that he goes, and the way his voice sounds, and it seemed like his voice would fit perfectly on this type of song," reveals Tim "He did a great job on it and so we decided that, yeah, this is gonna be the single and so it's off and running."
Hear much more from Tim McGraw during the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.
This week on the 'Superstar Power Hour,' Chris Young is in to keep Katie Neal company, talking about the making of his beautiful new ballad, "Til The Last One Dies," his upcoming album, as well as a look back on his career as he approaches his 40th birthday.
"It's almost done," Young says of his upcoming 10th studio album. "Got a whole bunch of stuff tracked, ready to go."
The project is preceded by "Til The Last One Dies," a wedding song if ever there was one, and Chris Young knows it. "I personally, I don't want to be reaching, I don't want to be over ambitious, but like 99% of the people that are getting married this year should use it as their first dance song at their wedding," he shares. "I don't want to say 100% because you don't want to be greedy, but I, I just love this love song."
The song is just one of the tracks that Chris says makes up the "snapshot" of his life for his upcoming LP, a piece of advice that he has carried with him from another artist. "I think something that another artist told me one time, I think is very encapsulating of every single album that you will ever make, if you make one, if you get to make one hundred, It's a snapshot of where you are in time as an artist. What you feel, what resonates with you, what you've written, what you find."
So what are those things for Chris Young as he enters this next era?
"I think this is really just about having a whole lot of freedom," he admits. "The ability to, if I wanna do a song where I've just got steel guitar all over it, that's totally fine. If I want to do something where I'm standing in the studio with two of my good friends, stomping with a mic set up next to our feet to get part of a track that we want like a stomp clap thing, and all of us just like laughing, telling jokes and goofing off, that's totally OK."
"You get to just make art. It's never perfect. It's always abandoned, but you work as hard on it as you possibly can."
Bailey Zimmerman is ready to show the world what he's been working on, and this week he joined Katie Neal for the 'Superstar Power Hour' to offer fans a peek into his next project.
"I really wanna show people that I'm a real artist," Zimmerman explains, visibly stoked about his upcoming project. "I can do anything. I'm doing everything and I wanna show my growth and how hard I've been working to get my voice better, and my production better, and knowing what production is and how to do it. This whole record I helped do almost everything in the studio and I just want people to see my growth as an artist, and I want people to see, like, yo, I'm here to stay. I'm here to like put my name here. I've got a lot to say."
After two years of learning and meticulously sorting through songs, Bailey can't wait to show you where he's at. "This new album is just the last two years of my life and the album itself is where I'm at now, but it also jumps back to how I used to feel, some of the feelings that I didn't get to say on 'Religiously. The Album' are on this album. There's a couple of stories from back in like 2018 that I wrote about that I always wanted to say, but can never do it. And then I finally wrote the song that I loved. So it's a new era of me."
Filled with a few experimental songs and emotional moments that mean a lot to him, Bailey admits it's something new for the new era. "I've got this new sound that I'm really going after that's just something I haven't done quite before, I guess. I haven't done it like I'm doing it on this new record"
Bailey also gave us some insight into his two big collabs, "All The Way" with BigXthaPlug and "Backup Plan" with Luke Combs. The latter with Luke finally coming after months of waiting from a return text from the "Fast Car" singer to jump on the track.
"It's like the testament of the song, you know, the testimony is like, 'Man, there's so many times that I've had in the last 4 years of my being a Country artist, like falling on my face in front of a lot of people and disappointing a lot of people a lot, and learning from that is like the testament of 'Backup Plan,' is like, yo, I could have quit. There's a lot of people that are telling me you should, but I didn't. And I'd have never known. I'd have never had the song with Big X. I'd never had the song with Luke. You gotta keep going, and when people are telling you that you should quit, that's more of a reason to not quit. Don't quit, keep freaking going."
To hear more from Bailey Zimmerman, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.
The 60th ACM Awards are starting in style with an epic 12 minute performance and tribute to 80s and 90s Country. "We're bringing it back," Wynonna tells Katie Neal backstage at the ACMs. "I've been here 42 years, and I'm still here." Judd is just one of the many set to celebrate the 60 years of the ACM Awards, and she's looking forward to seeing old friends from every era. It's a can't miss start to a huge night for Country music.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Brothers, sisters, everybody sing! The Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts are joining forces at the 60th ACM Awards to bring you... Flattsreet Boys, as the two iconic groups will take the stage together for a performance of "What Hurts The Most." Before they take the stage on Thursday night, Katie Neal caught up with members of each to preview the performance, talk about how they first connected before the pandemic, and more.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Hang tight honey, we're making way for 'Entertainer of the Year' nominee Lainey Wilson, backstage at the 60th ACM Awards. The singer sat in with Katie Neal to talk about the big show, the new music she's been teasing on socials, and her amazing feature film debut.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Backstage at the 60th ACM Awards, Eric Church checked in to talk about his performance on the big show, his new album, 'Evangeline vs. The Machine,' and his upcoming tour. The Chief also told Katie Neal about his spot on Morgan Wallen's upcoming album, due out next Friday.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Throughout his career, there's been a few songs that really struck Cody Johnson, but he wasn't sure if they should be singles. Thankfully the fans have the final vote, and have pushed tracks like "'Til You Can't" and the latest single, "The Fall," into the spotlight. Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Cody explained why it's always up to the fans, and shared his excited with Katie Neal for this week's award show.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Tucker Wetmore talks with Katie Neal about the reaction from fans after releasing his debut album, and how it feels to be collaborating with Thomas Rhett.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Our Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Hudson Westbrook, is making the most of first ACM Awards, dipping in and back out immediately to continue life on the road. It's not something he planned for at the beginning of the year, but the success has been "insane" and amazing for the Texas native. The "House Again" singer caught up with Katie Neal backstage to talk about being able to drive his truck to the award show, the things he always forgets at home, and more.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Blake Shelton has a lot to celebrate this week, including his 30th number one single and being back on stage at the 2025 ACM Awards. Backstage he told Katie Neal how "unbelievable" it is to notch his 30th chart-topper, and shared who he won't lock eyes with when performing at the ACMs. "Those Dan + Shay guys, they're pretty idiotic," he joked. "Shay is always doing something stupid."
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Katie Neal caught up with 'Entertainer of the Year' nominee, Kelsea Ballerini, who shared how proud she is of her nomination and also detailed her day out with Noah Kahan at Dollywood.
The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.
Just a few days away from the release of his 13th studio album, and potentially on the cusp of his 30th number one song, Blake Shelton shared with Katie Neal the moment that inspired him to jump back into the album arena.
"I've been so excited and grateful to see the reception that it's gotten because, man, I hadn't even made an album in years," Blake says of the success of "Texas" which continues to climb the charts. "I was kind of OK with that because, I just kind of been in the grind with 'The Voice,' and just my career over the last, you know, now quarter century."
"It wasn't until Post Malone called and asked if I would sing 'Pour Me A Drink' with him for his record, and then it came out as a single, and then we made a video, and just being around him and his excitement for Country music and how much he loves it," shares Shelton. "It truly did. I credit Post all the time. It was the wake up call I needed to realize, 'what am I doing?' I get to be a Country singer and a handful of people in the world get to do what I do, and I need to get back in there and make another record."
First up with his new lit fire was "Texas," which Blake says is a "once in a lifetime" song. "It's just when you hear it, it's it for me anyway, it was impossible to get it out of my mind. I'd wake up in the middle of the night just singing my own song. Like normally if I make a record and by the time I get a mixed version of it, I'm so sick of it. I never want to hear it again, you know, when you work on something like that. And I just still sitting here right now, it's so much fun, that song. I love the George Strait references in there, and 'All My Ex's.' It's just been a blast."
After his collab with Post Malone marked Shelton's 29th number one, could "Texas" be lucky number 30? "if we're able to get to 30, I may lose my mind," smiles Blake. "That might be the thing that sends me over the edge."
To hear more from Blake Shelton about his show, 'The Road,' the title of his upcoming album, 'For Recreational Use Only,' and being mixed up with Luke Bryan, check out the full 'Superstar Power Interview' with Katie Neal above.
It's been a big week for Tucker Wetmore, who just released his album, 'What Not To,' thrilled the Country crowd at Stagecoach, and now is gearing up for a summer tour with Thomas Rhett. Before the whirlwind of the past few days, Katie Neal had a chance to talk with Tucker, sharing some of the stories behind the songs on his latest effort, and how he has felt about his rapid rise over the past year and a half.
"I'm ready to get it out in the world, it's been a long time coming," Tucker shared about his official debut album. "Nothing in my life for the past year and a half has felt real, but yeah, I'm just blessed."
"There's a couple different themes to the album, but I actually wrote 'Goodbye Whiskey' as the outro track, originally when I first wrote it, and that's why it's produced out the way it is and that's why it's set up and it kind of feels like an outro," says Wetmore about one of the three "Whiskey" songs on the nineteen track album. "But it felt like the perfect medium to the next step of the album. So I was like, 'that has to go right there.' It feels like I'm closing a chapter and then opening up a new one and then boom, 'Whiskey Again,'" which closes out the album for Tucker. "I'm right back to square one."
Check out the full interview with Tucker Wetmore above.
It's a coin toss once again when it comes to Cole Swindell. With a big 2025 ahead of the "Forever To Me" singer, we can't decide if we're more excited about his upcoming album, 'Spanish Moss,' or that upcoming baby he's expecting with his wife, Courtney.
"That's kind of taking over everything in our lives, and I'm totally cool with that," Cole tells Katie Neal during this week's 'Superstar Power Hour.' "It's been awesome."
"I think the first trimester was a little rough. She didn't have much energy and I was like, 'wow this is a lot different,' you know. I noticed she does a lot around here," the soon-to-be "girl dad" explains. "But she's feeling good and everything has gone great so far, so we're just, really thankful."
Swindell is also expecting a new album, with 'Spanish Moss' set to be released this June. It took over 2 and half years for Cole to create the album, working with numerous writers and producers, and doing a lot of living that influenced the music. "It's literally different seasons of life happen in between albums and I've always tried to do that," he reveals. "I said, 'you know, the best song wins,' but when you're working on something for over 2 and a half years, I think you build up stuff that you love."
To hear much more from Cole Swindell about the meaning behind 'Spanish Moss' and the stories behind some of its songs, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.
Jon Pardi is back with his new album, 'Honkytonk Hollywood,' and he joins Katie Neal this week on the 'Superstar Power Hour' to talk all about it.
Packed with 17 new songs and produced by Jay Joyce, Pardi returns with his signature blend of soaring guitars and tear-inducing tenderness on 'Honkytonk Hollywood,' an album named for the glitzy glow up that Music City has seen over several years.
"This is not the Hollywood you think about, this is boots and rhinestones and glitz and glamour and every artist has got a bar downtown, and TV and film and the music business, and like 5 star hotels," explains Pardi. "I mean how many fancy restaurants does Nashville have now? We are spoiled. This is the new booming town and it's all a bunch of glamorous rednecks, Honkytonk Hollywood."
The driving force behind the record, Jon co-wrote half the album and was the one who reached out to Joyce to produce, thanks to a sign from Tom Petty. "Tom Petty helped out because at the time I was really like, 'what do I do with the next record?'"
"Tom Petty, they just released last year, the 'Wildflowers' documentary and it was like hidden footage, but it was old footage from when they did the record with Rick Rubin. He was talking about how he likes to switch up producers every 3 or 4 records because it made him a better songwriter, better artist, and a better musician. I was like, 'Tom Petty's doing it!' I think it was a sign from Tom Petty, and I was like, 'I gotta do it, Tom.' Call Jay later that week and he had open the same time that I had opened, and it was like meant to be."
Pardi brings the party per usual on 'Honkytonk Hollywood,' but also hits the heartstrings with a few family songs, "He Went To Work," and "She Drives Away."
"I went on TikTok and I'm like, man, the amount of videos that 'She Drives Away' has been used. I mean like fresh newborn girls, and like it's just kind of sets that mood, and it's really fun to watch that," gushes Pardi. "Just to see everybody being human beings and relating to music. I feel like this is a really emotional and soulful record, it's fun but it's also, sexy and family. I mean, it's got a little bit of everything."
To hear much more from Jon Pardi including tour plans and beyond, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.
Keith Urban invited us into his new Nashville studio space, to talk about the path to his latest single, "STRAIGHT LINE," and his anxiousness to hit the road for his upcoming tour.
Describing it as a bit of a "fixer upper," Urban welcomed Katie Neal into his new studio with a lot of history for the hitmaker. "So I've got a lot of history in this place and can't believe it's now mine," he shares. Joking that he's learned "too much about mold remediation" during the renovation process, Keith explains that he's been looking for a studio for a long time and that the timing was right for this space. "I feel like I bought the school I went to. That's what it feels like."
The lead track from his latest LP, 'HIGH,' Keith explains that his new song "STRAIGHT LINE" was "really born of a spark of energy."
"It was written really from the music outwards, and it just sounded like a song that was breaking out of the monotony and claiming your life back again." But Urban admits that the origin of the song wasn't quite the straight line that you would think, explaining that it actually came from a misheard lyric. "One of the guys was singing so quietly that when he said 'late night lover,' it sounded like 'straight line lover,' and we're like, oh, 'straight line lover's interesting, what's that? And then we just got rid of the lover and it became straight line."
Next up for Urban is his 'High and Alive Tour,' which the GRAMMY winner can't wait for. "I'm super impatient right now. I wish I was touring this tomorrow."
Don't miss so much more from Keith Urban on touring, TV, and Australia on this week's 'Superstar Power Hour' with Katie Neal.
Lainey Wilson stopped by the 'Terra Origin Interview Lounge' on her way to bringing the house down at Audacy's 'Leading Ladies' last week, taking the stage alongside a group of amazing women while sharing songs, stories, and so much mutual appreciation.
"I cannot believe I'm getting to sit on the stage," Lainey gushed about getting to spend time with fellow Leading Lady, Gwen Stefani. The two had only met in passing previously, but were quick to praise each other on stage at the Kings Theatre.
But before the two icons connected in the spotlight, Katie Neal caught up with Lainey about her recent ACM Awards nomination, and her plans for an upcoming wedding to fiancé Devlin 'Duck' Hodges. "I think it's going to be small," Wilson shared, admitting not much planning has taken place quite yet. "We have said everything else is a big old to do. We just want this to be about what it's supposed to be about and have our friends and family there and just really enjoy that moment."
"I definitely, probably will have like a jazz band from New Orleans, something like that. We'll definitely, probably ride off on horses, or ride in on a horse, maybe in on a carriage off on a horse."
As for that ACM Awards nomination, "Oh, my gosh. Girl. I don't think that will ever get old," Lainey exclaimed. "I know that they're not going to always be calling my name like forever, you know? So I soak up those moments. I really do. I have to."
To hear more from Lainey Wilson check out her full interview from the 'Terra Origin Interview Lounge' above and visit audacy.com/leadingladies for more.
Just a few short weeks before walking down the aisle, Kassi Ashton walked onto our 'Leading Ladies' stage at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY. But first she stopped by the 'Terra Origin Interview Lounge' to talk with Katie Neal about sharing the stage with a few remarkable women, her upcoming deluxe album, and how plans are coming together for the big day.
In addition to being an amazing singer, Ashton is known for her amazing seamstress skills. That's why she's handmaking all the dresses for her wedding later this month. "All the bridesmaids dresses are done," Kassi shared, admitting her dress isn't quite finished yet. "Most everything else is done. I'm currently doing the bustle on my bridesmaids dress."
"I got it. Even if I have to pull all-nighters, I signed up for this. It's not like someone else gave me these jobs or these ideas. I did this to myself. So I can't I can't complain because I know it's gonna be great."
Also happening later this month is the deluxe edition release of Ashton's debut album, 'Made From The Dirt.' "I'm putting out a deluxe because the first album wasn't supposed to be 10 songs. They told me I could put as many songs as I wanted to. So I picked 13 songs. And then they were like, 'just kidding, you have to do 10.' And I was like, 'but these songs are so important to me.' So when I got the option to make a deluxe, I was like, obviously that three, and I want two more."
"The movement of the first album was, 'Hey, I was made from crap. and from struggle.' This was not a silver spoon type of situation. This was not an easy breezy A to B straight line. And look, it's been fruitful. And we're going to keep going, and we're going to keep growing, but we're also not going to forget, you know, how to pivot and where we came from."
To hear more from Kassi Ashton check out her full interview from the Terra Origin Interview Lounge above and visit audacy.com/leadingladies for more.
Between rocking the stage and shuttling kids around on Spring Break, LOCASH tapped in to talk with Katie Neal for this week's 'Superstar Power Hour.'
Before tackling the topic of their biggest hits, we had to get a Dad update from Chris Lucas and Preston Brust. While Chris is playing defense between his teenager and a new girlfriend, Preston has things a little different with kids the age of 9, 6, and 1.
"The one year old's throwing me for a loop, you know, she's fun though," laughs Preston. "It's wild and chaotic, but I try to embrace the chaos."
"My daughter's got the daddy daughter dance coming up, so she's gonna make her own dress this year. So she's got her own little dress design going and she's making sure that I see the exact color so that I can go get my suit to match her dress perfectly. So it'll be fun."
"I'm really soaking it up, but you know it does go by fast."
While looking back at some of their biggest hits, LOCASH also admits they are beyond excited for their new album, 'Bet The Farm,' due out on April 18. "I think every song on this album is a hit," notes Chris. "It takes a lot for me to say that because we go through so many songs and, you know, we picked the best songs. Not all of these songs were written by us. Kane Brown has a couple on there without us, and we just picked the best song and I think."
"We've always been those positive guys. So the music where it brings you up, makes you smile, makes you relate, and we try to do that with every song."
This week, Dylan Scott sat in with Katie Neal during the 'Superstar Power Hour,' diving deep into his hobbies, hometown, and headlining tour.
Pausing from his preparation for turkey hunting season, the "Country Till I Die" singer shared an update on building his dream home. "You know, my whole life, all I wanted to do was sing music and make money to buy a farm and build a house and raise my kids." He's finally realized his goal, but his wife remains the project manager. "It's just whatever my wife wants, I just say, 'yes, ma'am.'"
Speaking of his wife, Blair, Scott looked back on the couple's origin story and shared the way it's woven into his hit, "This Town's Been Too Good To Us."
An ode to his hometown and his gratitude for the people there he reveals, "I don't mean this in a bad way, but I don't think I would ever go back there to live there. But I love going home to visit, and I love the people in the town."
It was there that he met Blair in seventh grade, with the two going on to date in high school. "We started dating sophomore [year] in high school. So I was 15. She was 16. So, yeah, she definitely stole my heart."
Dylan also detailed his upcoming Country Till I Die Tour, set to be his biggest headlining trek to date. The singer shares he'll bring his kids along, and try to remember the advice he got from his friend, Luke Bryan. "He just said, 'hey, have fun.' That's all. Just have fun. It's not rocket science."
Hear much more from Dylan Scott on his full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview with Katie Neal above.
Carrie Underwood is back, in a multitude of ways. Back where it all began on 'American Idol,' back to the top of the charts with her Cody Johnson duet, "I'm Gonna Love You," and back in the garden because it's radish season. "My goal is to someday not have to buy anything from the store," she shares, with tomatoes and peppers up next.
This week the ultimate 'Idol' joined Katie Neal on the 'Superstar Power Hour' to talk about it all, especially her latest hit with Cody Johnson. "I feel like it was inevitable that we would sing together at some point, and I love this song so much," shared Carrie. "He's just, he is the real deal, and he's like this cowboy that sings, which I love that,"
It's a season of collabs for Carrie, but also a time to return home to 'American Idol,' where everyone first found the singer. Underwood returns as a judge this season.
"I was nervous coming in because it's it's a different ballgame, you know, and sitting on the other side of the table, more than anything, I want to help all of these people coming through, and help them become better performers and live their dreams. So I want to be constructive and tell them things they can work on, but then you're like, am I coming across mean, or like how is it gonna turn out, that I'm really happy getting to watch the first little bits of it."
"There's so much talent," she gushed. "It's kind of insane how gifted some of these people are."
To hear much more from Carrie Underwood, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.
Downtown Nashville seems to be a hot place to shoot music videos right in the middle of Broadway! Post Malone and Luke Combs shot their video 'Guy For That' last year, and then Earnest and Snoop Dogg shot their video for 'Gettin' Gone' just recently, both driving down Broadway. Little did Katie know that there was a video being filmed just outside our Sound Space studios at the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville for either song!
Cody Johnson sat in with Katie Neal this week during her 'Superstar Power Hour,' between dates for his 'Leather Deluxe Tour,' including a few massive Nashville shows at Bridgestone Arena.
Johnson definitely spread the love on Valentine's Day weekend in Music City, offering fans two shows packed with special guests including Carrie Underwood, Randy Houser, and Luke Combs. "When he shotguns a beer, it like defies science and physics to me," Johnson shared about Combs, who joined him on stage for a "Beer Never Broke My Heart" duet. "Like I'm like, where does the liquid go?"
Could there be more music in the future for two of Country's leading men? "Maybe I'm going in this year to go record a new album. And there's a certain song that I'm pretty certain, we're just, we're kind of playing with it, we're going back and forth," Cody says of working with Combs. "I mean, it could be in the works. I can neither confirm nor deny."
Johnson also talked with Katie about family life, coaching his daughters' softball teams, and sharing the story of how he met his wife, Brandi. Plus hisreturn to a "carnivore 2.0" diet, which has had a positive impact on his health and energy levels. "I'm not eating any bread, anything like that. And it sucks because whenever your daughter wants to go to Texas Roadhouse for her birthday party, and you go in and they lay those cinnamon biscuit roll things in front of you and your mouth's drooling. I would kill somebody for some biscuits and gravy right now."
"I'm 38 years old. I've been doing this for 20 years. I've been on it for four months and been working out really good, and saw some tremendous health improvements, some tremendous body improvements, [and] mental clarity."
For much more from Cody Johnson, listen to the complete 'Superstar Power Hour' conversation with Katie Neal above.
After years in the making, Caylee Hammack is ready to invite you into her 'Bed of Roses,' with a new album and book. A vulnerable new collection of life lessons accumulated through her twenties leads to this fresh set of songs, as the “How Long” singer sat with Katie Neal to talk about her new project and how in intertwines with her romance novel of the same name.
Audacy's Katie Neal welcomed Jelly Roll to our airwaves as this week’s co-host for the 'Superstar Power Hour' on all your favorite Audacy Country stations nationwide, as the GRAMMY-nominated singer spoke about new music, his fitness journey, and his 'Big Ass Stadium Tour' with Post Malone.
Old Dominion has new music on the way and according to them, fans are in for an "eclectic" experience.
During an interview with Katie Neal ahead of their performance for Audacy's 'Totally Private' Concert Series in Nashville, the guys let us in on a few hints surrounding new music, and while it wasn't much, what they did share will have fans excited for the next chapter of Old Dominion.
"It's great, very exciting," frontman Matthew Ramsey said when asked for details surrounding new music. Clearly trying to keep most details under wraps, he went on to share a couple more details surrounding the tracks they're currently working on in studio. "They are just so all over the map. There's every different feel that you can imagine on this album, It's really an eclectic group of songs. There's no real vibe. We're just shootin' for great songs."
Added Trevor Rosen, "It actually has been two of the best days we've ever had [in studio]," he said of their most recent recording sessions. "Three songs each day, which is a quick pace for us and we're going back in tomorrow."
New music isn't the only thing OD fans have to look forward to in 2025, the group also recently revealed big plans for their 'How Good Is That World Tour' with support from Ernest and Redferrin.
"I just miss our tour. We did our last tour in 2023, which was the 'No Bad Vibes [Tour],'" said Ramsey. "I feel like we developed such an amazing relationship with our fans and I've missed it really badly. I'm really looking forward to getting back out there and seeing everybody every night just feeling that energy. It's going to be incredible."
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Blake Shelton has told a lot of hilarious stories across his 25+ year career, but opening up about his "terrible, inappropriate, stupid rap phase" might just top them all.
During an exclusive interview with Katie Neal ahead of his 'Totally Private' concert performance in Las Vegas, Shelton shared how making up annoying rap songs in his truck on his way to the studio turned into a smash for the late, Toby Keith.
“At one point I went through a phase where I was making up these really terrible, inappropriate, stupid rap songs,” Shelton laughed. “Walking into the studio and just [singing] something I made up in the car on the way over just for shock factor for [producer] Bobby [Braddock].”
Little did Shelton know at the time, his raps served up some inspiration for Braddock, who decided to pen a Country-Rap style song to include on Shelton’s debut album.
“I did it so much that he decided he wanted to write me a Rap song and so he went and wrote, ‘I Wanna Talk About Me,’ and when I heard the song, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this song is so funny!’ I actually cut the song… I said I wanted to put it on my album, so we went in and recorded.”
Seasoned Country fans will recognize the song title, but not because of Shelton. The song was later recorded by Country music’s legendary Big Dog Daddy, Toby Keith, who included it on his album. Pull My Chain, which released in August 2001. So how did the song end up with Toby?
“Back then, before streaming and being able to tell which songs were going to be a hit… they used to do these focus groups where they’d get a group of people and play a new artist's album and everybody would vote on the song,” Blake explained. “It [Blake’s version of ‘I Wanna Talk About Me’] scored so bad that they said, ‘Not only do we not want this to be your single, we don’t even think you should put it on your album. Why waste a spot on your record if people hate this song so much?’”
That opened the door for Keith, who immediately released it as a single after hearing it and sat pretty at the top of the charts with it for a healthy few weeks as his seventh career #1.
“The first person they played it for was Toby,” Shelton shared of where his producer took the song after he decided not to release it. “I like to think it was meant for Toby… he was just the one guy that could say that [the lyrics] and we would all laugh about it. I don’t know that it would have worked like that for me.”
He concluded, “He always used to give me crap about it. He’d say like, ‘Man, your version must have really sucked,'” he laughed. “Toby was always that way with me.”
Hear more about Toby and Blake’s friendship, the ETA of new music, his ‘Lost Country’ playlist and so much more by checking out his full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
New music is officially on the way from Jordan Davis and he recently chatted with Audacy’s Katie Neal to fill fans in on what they can expect from the new jams.
While many details surrounding the project are still under wraps, Davis confirmed it is “done” and it showcases a lot of inspiration pulled deep from within his Louisiana Roots. “Being from Louisiana, I’ve always had a rootsy, kind of bluesy bone that’s always pulled me to that sort of music and I don’t know if I really dove into that as much as I have on some of these songs,” he shared.
“I’m proud of the songs that we’ve put together, I’m proud of some of the risks we took on some of these songs… now we’ll put it out and see how it goes.”
While the tracks may include some more sonic “risks” for Davis, they all share the same roots as he used on his debut record, 'Home State,' as a baseline. “My first record, 'Home State,' is still one of my favorites and me and Paul [producer] just talked about, ‘what if we kinda revisit [the] 'Home State' feel and it just sounds like now where you’re at in your career?’ It’s been kind of fun to just go back and give 'Home State' a face lift.”
Davis’ Home State wasn’t the only big inspiration for his creative journey for album three. He also pulled from some of his favorite artists — two of them being Amos Lee and Marcus King.
“I would pick artists that I was really into and I would go into that [writing] retreat pulling from that artist that I was big on,” Davis said of one of his writing strategies for the project. “I’m a huge Marcus King fan,” he said before sharing one writing retreat was all based around Marcus King’s music. “We did one [retreat] in Florida where I pretty much just listened to everything Marcus King has ever put out… it’s been really cool to see the sounds and the songs that came out of those.” He concluded “It’s kind of cool to reinvent and not do the same old thing that you’ve been doing.”
Hear so much more about new music, plus his Mario Kart champion status, how he’s preparing for baby #4, and all about his time touring Australia with Luke Combs by checking out his full interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After releasing his fourth studio album, 'The High Road,' just one month ago, Kane Brown already has album five on his mind and it could be here sooner than we all expected.
Ahead of performing at Audacy’s 'Totally Private' concert series at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville, Brown told Katie Neal he has high hopes of releasing another studio album in 2025.
“We’re trying to put another one out this year,” he said with a smile. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but we’re tryin’.” When asked if there was certain inspiration for two album in one year, Brown simply replied, “I just want to put a new album out. I feel like I’ve just been chillin’ so I’m ready to go. I’m gettin’ hungry again.”
The 31-year-old has had some downtime recently ahead of the launch of 'The High Road' Tour which kicks off March 13 in San Diego and wraps July 13 in Chicago. Along for support on select dates are Mitchell Tenpenny, Scotty McCreery, Dasha and Ashley Cooke.
Brown has some big plans for the trek and shared he plans to take fans on “a roller coaster ride” of emotions throughout his one-of-a-kind set.
“With this album, it’s the most I’ve ever changed my show up of bringing in new songs off the album,” he shared. “We’re going to go through a rollercoaster stage of hype songs and then we’re going to do this really cool thing where we do a campfire and I talk about the songs and I get really personal and close, which is what I used to do at the very beginning when I started out… we’re gonna bring some tears to the show.”
Hear more about his plans for the tour, new music, and more by checking out his entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After closing out 2024 with his first #1 at Country Radio, Texas Country’s Koe Wetzel is keeping the momentum rolling right into 2025 with a new album taking shape, supporting role on the road with HARDY’s 'Jim Bob' tour, and a slew of new fans.
While his single, “High Road” featuring Jessie Murph may have been the first introduction of Koe to several Country fans, it was definitely not the East Texan’s first taste of success as he’s been a well-known name in the Texas Country scene for years. After years of success in the Lonestar music scene, Wetzel saw the opportunity for his music to impact more fans by expanding his reach through Nashville’s scene.
“I think all we’re doin’ is showing the rest of the country, the rest of the world what Texas music is about,” he told Katie Neal ahead of his performance at Audacy’s 'Totally Private' concert series. Making clear he has no intentions of allowing his music to change with the expansion, Koe shared he’s honored to represent the Texas way within Country music alongside other natives who got their start in similar ways including Cody Johnson and Parker McCollum. “It’s cool to see Texas music getting out there a little bit,’ he expressed.
Wetzel will have a big stage to show fans the Texas way as he hits the road with HARDY on the 'Jim Bob' Tour this year which will visit arenas and amphitheaters across the U.S. and Europe. “I’m excited, me and HARDY have been boys for a while,” Koe said of the fellow Country-Rocker, who he did an acoustic tour with in 2021. “Great dude, I love his music… it’s going to be a lot of fun. I hope nobody goes to jail because we’re going to have a good time,” he laughed.
Known for their rowdy ways, exemplified by Koe breaking his shoulder on the last tour, the 32-year-old said they’ll have to tone things down a bit this year. Not only are he and HARDY both expecting baby girls to arrive this year, but Koe admits the “hangovers hurt a little more.”
“We gotta wind it back a little this year,” he laughed. “We’re not as agile… we’re as crazy as we used to be, but we’re a little bit older so, the hangovers hurt a little bit more these days.” Ahead of hitting the road in September, Wetzel shared he’s currently at work on a new album and while he’s not sharing too much about it, he did say it’s more on the Rock & Roll side.
“With the new record I wanted to kind of get a little bit more on the Rock & Roll side, back to that Texas Rock & Roll,” he disclosed. “We’re having a lot of fun with it, we’ll see how it turns out.”
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Katie found a food hack to help give potato chips a longer shelf life: Store them in the fridge!
With 22 #1 singles, Dierks Bentley is no stranger to finding success with his music and now, he’s sharing one of his secret weapons.
During his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal, Bentley said he plays his music for his kids before releasing it to see what they think. It’s a tried and true method for the 49-year-old, which he put to the test most-recently with his fresh single, “She Hates Me.”
“I played it for my kids, they’re always a good barometer. They know music really well,” he told Neal. “They have the shortest attention spans, right? They’re used to like, seven seconds of YouTube shorts and stuff,” he laughed.
After approval from daughters Evalyn and Jordan plus son, Knox, Dierks is feeling good about the tongue-and-cheek anti-love anthem that released on Valentine’s Day. “I’ve never liked Valentine’s Day,” he said of the Hallmark holiday that causes him to overthink. Bentley reminisced on the “anti-Valentine's Day" gigs he used to play as an up-and-comer and says releasing this single on the 14th was a “full circle moment” for him.
“I used to play a gig at the Station Inn just up the street [Nashville] on Valentine’s Day — I did it like three Valentine’s Days in a row, before I had a record deal,” he explained. “It was literally the Anti-Valentine’s Day Show. You had to wear all black to get in and it was all these people who didn’t like Valentine’s Day.”
While the song clearly stays true to Dierks’ dislike towards everything pink, red and heart-shaped, it’s also a song that will help him keep his high-energy engagement on stage with fans on tour.
“I’m always thinking about the live show and the tour,” he said. “Everyone has their own reasons for doing this [music] and for me… my whole dream was just to be on a tour bus, with a band. It was never about the GRAMMYs or any of the award shows or any of that. I just wanted to be the guy on the bus with a band… I’m still getting to do that.”
Dierks will embark on tour this year with his recently-revealed Broken Branches Tour. Kicking off May 29 at the Moody Center in Austin, the trek will travel through more than 30 U.S. cities nationwide. Joining him as support are Zach Top and duo The Band Loula.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Katie and her college roommates had a pet hamster at one time but it died from their overly affectionate care. "We loved Teddy to death."
Dierk's Bentley put out the anti-Valentine's Day song, 'She Hates Me' as part of his own gripe with the Hallmark holiday.
Lainey Wilson shared with Katie Neal how she and her now fiancee Devlin "Duck" Hodges were introduced by mutual friends. "It just felt like I've known him."Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
Rascal Flatts video shoot for their hit song, 'These Days', is where Jay DeMarcus of the group met his now wife! Evidently, he was smitten the moment he met her!
Katie's sports report: The 2025 Puppy Bowl, with the grand prize of the Lombarky trophy (and pet adoptions)!
After being forced to cancel their farewell tour in 2020 due to the global pandemic, Rascal Flatts is making good on their promise to make it up to fans with their 2025 'Life Is A Highway Tour' and it all comes with a revamped perspective and appreciation for their career.
During a recent appearance on 'Superstar Power Hour' with Audacy’s Katie Neal, Rascal Flatts guitarist, Joe Don Rooney, opened up about the five year break they took as a band and how it led to a perspective shift.
“We all kind of went our separate ways and did our own things,” Rooney said before addressing his own struggles throughout that time, which included a DUI in September of 2021. “Obviously, I had to do a lot of things on myself and I’m really grateful for that time.”
He continued, “It was time well spent… to rejuvenate, spend time with my kids, refocus my energy as a father and I’m super thankful for that time. My connection with my kids has never been better.”
Sharing he’s been sober for more than three years, Rooney says he’s grateful to be headed back on tour and experience the music like never before. “For me, now being sober for a little over three years and refocusing my attention to my health and fatherhood and all that, a song like ‘My Wish,’ it hits me different,” he shared when asked which song he is most excited to play. “I’ve got a lot of other reasons I connect with the song now.”
Three of those reasons are his kids — Jagger, Raquel and Devon — who Rooney says are excited to watch dad in his element. “They’re pretty hyped up to see us now since they’re a little older,” he shared, noting his kids were very young the last time he took the stage. “As teenagers they’re like, ‘Let’s see what Dad does for a living now.’ They really want to see what he does on stage. It’s so cool to be able to give this to them.”
While a large part of his heart will be standing side stage, Rooney’s attention will be out to the crowd as he’s excited to reconnect with the fans who he says “don’t get enough appreciation.”
Thankful for their patience, love, and support through a rocky five years, Joe Don is grateful the fans are still excited to come see them and hopes to spread a lot of love to every one of them each night. “It’s incredible to have people that are almost magnetized to the music we’ve been able to create,” he shared. “I don’t think they get enough appreciation and we definitely have always tried to spread love all over as much as we can because they’re the reason that we’re where we’re at and been successful.”
He concluded, “I’m so thankful to be part of Rascal Flatts and so grateful we’re going on tour again — I can’t wait to see the fans. It’s definitely like a second chance.”
According to JD, the tour is just the beginning of an exciting year for the guys who are celebrating their 25th anniversary as a band. Just last week, they released a brand new single with the Jonas Brothers, “I Dare You,” and there also appears to be more collaborations to come.
“I’m not supposed to say much, but I can say this,” Joe Don said when asked about a forthcoming project still under wraps. “I can say there [is] an amazing roster of artists that we have coming in and singing with us. While I can’t tell you the song or songs or who is on it — let me tell you, it is a heavy-hitter project.”
You’ve got our attention!
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Zach Top’s name says it all as he continues to rise to the top of the Country charts with his single, “I Never Lie,” off his debut album, 'Cold Beer & Country Music.' With that, Top has also been tapped as the next Audacy LAUNCH artist, presented by Macy’s.
As a LAUNCH artist, Top and his music will be featured on Audacy Country stations across the nation that are committed to shining a light on his talents.
The Sunnyside, Washington native has captured fans with his distinct, traditional Country sound that’s offered a breath of fresh air in a genre currently overwhelmed by crossover artists and blurred genre lines. While other emerging artists search endlessly for new ways to stand out, Top has done it by standing firm in tradition.
The 27-year-old is the first to admit he’s been surprised by the warm welcome of his conventional sound, especially with current single, “I Never Lie.” With a lyrically sarcastic approach modeled after songs like George Strait’s “She Told Me So,” Top says it was immediately one of his favorites on the album, but he never expected it to take on a life of its own.
“It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written and definitely one of my favorites on the record,” he said before admitting he never saw it being a single or even a fan favorite. “It doesn’t sound like anything that’s working right now. It’s just so hardcore Country compared to even other things on my album and so, I would not have picked that one out to be the big 'hit' off the record, but I was tickled to death when it was.”
Top had the opportunity to see just how much of an impact the song had on Country music fans as he took it on the road — along with the rest of his 'Cold Beer & Country Music' album — opening for Lainey Wilson on her 'Country's Cool Again Tour' in 2024.
“It’s such a blast to play every night,” he said of the single. “People lose their mind at the first little mimics guitar lick It’s so fun!” Fans who didn’t get the chance to catch Zach live on Wilson’s trek will have the opportunity to catch him this spring as he opens four of the five shows on Alan Jackson’s Last Call: One More for the Road tour in 2025.
Kicking off February 15 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, the tour will begin just weeks after social media exploded following a satire-style video that claimed Alan Jackson is Top’s father. Clearly a joke, Top still showcased his great sense of humor playing along with it and even putting his parents on the spot.
“It’s funny as crap, the timing is quite suspicious,” Zach laughed when asked about the claims tracing Jackson back to a show in Top’s hometown nine months before Top was born. “I texted it to my mom and my dad in the group chat and I can’t remember what I said. Something like, ‘Can I get an explanation here?’ My mom’s like ‘That’s ridiculous!’ And I texted her back, ‘Is it so ridiculous?’”
While Mama Top was quick to call fake news, Zach’s dad joked he has questions for Jackson, which he plans on getting answered while visiting Top on tour. “My dad texted… ‘If you didn’t already have it planned, I’m going to need a backstage pass for that show because I’m going to need some things explained.'”
The Top family clearly has a great sense of humor about it all and Zach is hoping Alan does as well. “I hope he’s getting a kick out of it too,” he said of Jackson. “It’s fun that we’ll be on tour together, hopefully we can make a little joke out of that and have some fun with it.”
All jokes aside, Zach is honored to share the stage with one of his musical heroes and takes great pride that he could be inspiring the next generation of traditional Country stars. “It’s pretty weird and crazy and cool to think that I’m that for some other little kid out there,” he said, recalling stars like George Strait, Keith Whitley and Alan Jackson who were role models for him. “Hopefully I can set a good example like a George Strait type ...
Kane Brown shared his experience with depression in his song 'Haunted' with Jelly Roll, off his latest album 'The High Road'. "It came out pretty easy because I opened up with two of my friends in a room, and they're also great writers."
Imagine a day where all the technology in your life is ceasing to work properly. Katie had that day. "Whoever is running The Truman Show version of Katie Neal's life is having some issues today."
It’s been a week since the release of Kane Brown’s fourth studio album, 'The High Road,' and after the widespread approval from fans worldwide, Brown is finally able to take a big sigh of relief.
“I can only be proud of it once it’s out,” Kane told Audacy’s Katie Neal just prior to the album’s release. “If the fans like it, then I can say I’ll be proud of it.... Until then, I just sit here and wait.”
Now that the wait is over, Brown can confidently say he’s proud of the project and has enjoyed observing which songs are resonating most with fans. One of those songs is “Gorgeous,” which some predict could be the wedding song of 2025.
“I think ‘Gorgeous’ could be a big song, we’ll see,” Kane said before sharing that his wife, Katelyn, compared it to a soulful hit from 2004. “Kate says it reminds her of [Jesse McCartney’s song, 'Beautiful Soul’],” Kane shared. "I kind of got side eye whenever she said it — but, it kinda made sense. It was such a big song.”
Another song Kane has seen a big reaction from is “Haunted” featuring Jelly Roll, which tackles Brown’s own struggles with depression.
“It came out pretty easy,” he shared of the deeply vulnerable track which was inspired during a stay in a hotel Brown believes was haunted. “We were in this crazy hotel that I thought was haunted,” he shared of his accommodations during a writing retreat for the album. “My room, you had to walk through a bank vault to get to the door. It was the only suite that was in the hotel and it had these massive, old school keys that I had for my room and there were all these crazy paintings.”
He continued, “I was like, ‘Let’s write a song called, ‘Haunted,’ and then they [co-writers] were like ‘What would we write a song about ‘Haunted?’ And I said ‘Well, what if we just got really vulnerable and just started writing about my depression and how dark it is?’”
If the soul-stirring lyrics don’t grip you, the musical dynamics will, just as they have Brown’s 5-year-old daughter, Kingsley (5) whom Kane says requests the song over and over again.
“The other day I took Kodi and Kingsley to the jump park and Kingsley made me play ‘Haunted’ 10 times,” he shared. “She was like, ‘Can you play it again? Can you play it again?’ I eventually just had to say ‘No,’” he laughed.
Kane looks forward to bringing the above tracks and more to life as he readies to hit the road this year with his 'High Road Tour.' Kicking off March 13 in San Diego and wrapping July 13 in Chicago the show will also feature special guests are Mitchell Tenpenny, Scotty McCreery, Dasha and Ashley Cooke on select dates.
Hear more details surrounding the album, creative process and more by checking out Kane’s full interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Kenny Chesney is taking fans to new dimensions with his recently revealed 12-day residency at Sphere Las Vegas. With it, he looks forward to treating his loyal No Shoes Nation fan base to something new and different.
During his appearance on the 'Superstar Power Hour' with Audacy’s Katie Neal, the longtime Country star shared the residency is a refreshing change of events. After being presented the idea of a Sphere residency in April 2024, Chesney said the thing that appealed to him most was the opportunity to flex different creative muscles.
“It felt like something I was genuinely, really excited about instead of going out on the road and doing the same cities, same show… it was a new thing,” he shared. “It’s going to be a completely different shared experience… Even if they [fans] have been to 100 shows, this is the first time they’re going to see it like this.”
While there’s no doubt next-level technology will play a large part of the high-excitement experience, Chesney also says it will be the song choices. “There’s going to be several songs we haven’t done in years as part of this set.”
“It’s been really stressful in a way because I like for it to be great, so we can’t use any of our previous footage we shot from previous years, which is good and bad.”
“Once we decided we were going to do it this summer, we went to work… there’s only 8 cameras in the world that shoot with that kind of resolution. We got those cameras and we’ve been working now for a while — on the road and off the road — been traveling all over the world filming stuff.”
Only the best for No Shoes Nation! Interested in experiencing the show for yourself? Audacy has your opportunity for first dibs on tickets. While General ticket sales for the residency will begin January 31, Audacy listeners have access to an exclusive pre-sale code that will grant access to tickets NOW.
To access the pre-sale code, listen to your favorite Audacy Country station via the free Audacy app. After you press play, you’ll be presented with the code that will be valid from 1/21 at 5PM ET until 1/31 at 1AM ET, while supplies last.
For more info on the show, how it came to be, and what Kenny is looking forward to most check out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After nearly calling it quits just a few short years ago, Country duo Dan + Shay has found new perspective, purpose and passion behind their career and the sky’s the limit.
While appearing on the 'Superstar Power Hour' with Audacy’s Katie Neal this week, the pair chatted about some of their newfound dreams which, for Dan Smyers in particular, includes writing a musical.
“I’m a super-fan,” Dan said when asked if he’s ever done theater. “Before I die, I want to write a musical,” he added before taking his aspirations up a level and sharing he’d like to reach EGOT status (an an acronym used for individuals who win an Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, and Tony Awards).
“We’ve got a GRAMMY, so we’ve only got three more to get the EGOT,” he laughed. “We got nominated for an Emmy doing The Voice, so we got close, but we didn’t quite get there.”
While the ambitions are bigger than ever for the pair in their mid-thirties, they both admit it stems from a different place than earlier in their career. Their new perspectives shine bright on their 5th studio album, 'Bigger Houses,' which came after a near falling-out for the guys following their 2021 arena tour. They shared their experience in a candid YouTube video where they discussed the darkness they faced individually and as a band just a few years ago, and what pulled them through.
"I was in the lowest low of my entire life," Dan recalled in the video. "Came off the road and I was like, 'Man, I f***ing hate music. I'm ready to quit.'"
Shay Mooney boldly added, “I could feel the separation and I think there was little things between you and I that we never talked about and it was affecting everything. Not just our band — our marriages, everything. I was in a really dark place."
Hitting rock bottom ultimately helped the duo rise together with a new appreciation, spirit, and motivation for music and the result of it all glows in 'Bigger Houses.'
“I feel like that album kinda got us back to the fundamentals and the basics of Dan + Shay and appreciating and loving music,” Dan expressed to Katie. Shay added, “I think we’ve also grown up a lot as people, our friendship has gotten closer… I feel like we’ve learned a lot of things because we’ve made a lot of mistakes.”
After putting it all into practice since the release of Bigger Houses in 2023, the guys say they’re ready to keep the momentum and good vibes going into a new project which they both look forward to creating in 2025.
“I couldn’t be more excited to get back to writing again,” said Shay. “I’m really looking forward to getting back in the studio because we’re intentionally giving ourselves the time to be creative and get into the studio and be like, ‘hey, what do we want to create?’ And just enjoy that process... our fans deserve that — for us to give it everything we have.”
Hear so much more about new music, what Bigger Houses and meant to them, plus their best holiday card tips and tricks by checking out Dan + Shay’s entire conversation on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Katie came up with an idea to soften up her butter: Using a candle warmer! "I'm never going back."
Katie was in awe traveling back home recently noticing the strength that moms have traveling alone with their toddlers like her friend was doing. "Do whatever you can to help her because she is fighting for her life!"
CMA 'New Artist of the Year,' Megan Moroney, has a lot to celebrate this holiday season and she’s making the most of it with her very own Christmas EP, 'Blue Christmas… Duh.'
The project, which Moroney admits was “just for fun” follows a successful year for the 27-year-old who spent a majority of her days on tour with Kenny Chesney, while also promoting the release of her sophomore album, 'Am I Okay?'
“I think they love it, which makes me really happy” Moroney said when asked how she felt fans reacted to the album which released in July. “I’m proud of these songs and I love them too. They’re so fun to perform live.”
Moroney will have plenty of opportunities to relish in the joy of playing each song live as she embarks on her headlining 'Am I Okay?' Tour in 2025. “I’m really excited to just be on a proper headlining tour again,” she shared. “I’m really excited to be with my fans every single night and get to play 90 minutes of all my songs… I feel like there’s less pressure at shows that I headline because I get to kind of do whatever I want.”
The Georgia native continued on to share how she’s currently in the planning stages for her headlining show and has big plans to make it all about the fans — something she learned on tour with Kenny Chesney.
“His [Chesney’s] shows are literally a celebration of No Shoes Nation [his fan club] and that’s how I want my shows to feel,” Moroney expressed. “One thing that I saw that’s kind of crazy to me is that he’s in a stadium, he could have crazy production, but he doesn’t because his songs are that good and he’s that good of a performer. It was kind of a reminder to focus on the songwriting and make sure the songs are good.”
Megan plans to work on writing some of her future hits during downtime she’ll get over the holidays while hinting that album three is on her mind. “When I’m moving a thousand miles an hour, I don’t have as much mental space to be creative,” she said, sharing she’ll be writing a lot over her down time before the new year.
While Megan’s focus is on new music, fans can celebrate the holidays with three new Christmas songs from Moroney featured on her holiday EP, 'Blue Christmas… Duh.' “Because I’ve embraced the color blue so heavily this year, it’s like, what other color would Christmas be?” She shared when talking about finding a title for her Christmas EP. “I didn’t want to just name it ‘Blue Christmas’ because I didn’t want to go over people’s heads. I just wanted to be like, ‘Duh! Obviously it’s a Blue Christmas.'”
As she mentioned, there’s been a lot of blue from Moroney this year who really leaned into the color and made it synonymous with her sophomore album for Country fans all over the globe. So will there be a new color for a new album?
“When I created, ‘Am I Okay?’ and the world around that, everything felt very blue and I’ve definitely leaned into it — I think I went really hard with the blue,” she laughed. “But, blue is my favorite color, so I kind of want this era to last forever.”
Hear more about Moroney’s plans for the new year, her vacation with Kenny Chesney and holiday album by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the 'Superstar Power Hour' above.
Katie Neal's goal for 2025 is to get on a board, as to which board it's anyone's guess. "I don't even know what a board member does! But I have a board meeting!"
Blake Shelton told Katie Neal how he likes to do his Christmas shopping early to make sure if he ordered something that it arrives in time! "It's the worst feeling in the world when somebody gives you a gift and you go, Yours hasn't come in yet."Blake shared that Gwen Stefani can never have enough of flower bulbs or seeds. "I'm the one diggin' a hole for this stuff!"
Blake Shelton has seen a lot of success throughout his more than 20 year career, but the Oklahoma-native says he’s never had more fun than he is right now. After stepping away from the spotlight following 24 seasons on The Voice, multiple hit albums and #1 songs, Blake Shelton is back and he’s living his best life.
“I’m having the time of my life right now, just in my personal life and my music life,” he shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal while co-hosting the Superstar Power Hour,. “[Music] has kind of been of been off the radar for, I guess a couple of years, as far as releasing any new music or anything. It’s exciting, I kind of feel like a new artist again sticking my neck out there. I’m having a blast with it.”
Shelton shared he wasn’t always sure he’d return with new music, but after spending time with one artist in particular — Post Malone — his passion for the craft was reignited. “I credit him for really firing me up again about wanting to get in and make another record and get some music out there,” Shelton shared of his new friend Post.
“I don’t know how he does it. I’ve never been around a more infectious, happy person in my life as Post Malone. I hope everyone gets a chance to shake his hand one day because you’ll have a better day because of it. He’s just the happiest, most gracious guy I’ve ever met in my life. I don’t mean one of, I mean thee.”
Sharing he hopes Post will continue to stick around the genre, Blake shared he’s happy to have some space on the radio alongside artists like Post with his new single, “Texas.” Despite being weary to record the song, Shelton shared he’s more than happy for following through with it as it’s led to some of his greatest memories in the studio.
“I thought, ‘My gosh,’ this song is really special,” he said of the first time he heard it. “I was a little bit nervous about it for me, in fact I told Scott [Hendrix] (producer), I said, ‘I don’t know that I could see myself doing that song…’ but then the more I thought about it, the more I came to maybe that’s exactly why I should go in and record the song.”
He continued, “It’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had in the studio making a record and that’s just because the song is fun. That’s all it’s really meant o be anyway.”
According to Shelton, there’s lots more new music to come as he has plans to release an entire album in the coming year - but he plans on maximizing his time in the creative stages to make sure it’s exactly what he wants. “I have a record ready to go,” he shared. “I would like to keep lookin’ and playin’ with it for the next few months and recording some more things because I feel like I’m just now figuring out — especially with ‘Texas’ — what I want the sound to be like…. just kind of where I want to move to with this next step.”
While fans anxiously await new music, they have the opportunity to pass the time by seeing Shelton in Vegas for a six-night residency in February 2025 where Shelton says he hopes to treat fans to some of the older classics.
“If people are going to travel to come see me, they’re probably fans that… [have] been following along with me for a long time,” he said. “I think maybe the best thing I can do is dig out some of those old songs that I just don’t do anymore for whatever reason that I know were big records at the time — back in the freakin’ ‘90s or whenever they came out,” he laughed.
Tickets for all six shows at Las Vegas’ Colosseum at Caesars Palace are available now. To hear more about Shelton’s plans for the residency, new music and stories behind the classics check out his entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal.
Words by Monica Rivera, Interview by Katie Neal
A new year is upon us and Keith Urban is looking forward to sharing his enthusiasm for one of his favorite holiday traditions with fans across the Country.
Urban is set to help fans across the nation Rock into 2025 as he headlines and co-hosts New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash live from Music City’s Bicentennial Mall and the nostalgia is already strong for the Australia-raised singer-songwriter.
“I’m not a resolutions guy, but I love New Year’s Eve, I love the countdown,” Urban told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his recent appearance on the 'Superstar Power Hour'. I’ve always loved the countdown, it’s a big deal to me. I think it’s because … I quit school when I was 15 and Ive been playing in bands right away… so from the age of 15, I’ve always played in bands and we’ve always played on New Year’s Eve because back in the day, you’d earn like, triple your fee if you played New Year’s Eve…. I’m not used to celebrating New Year’s Eve anywhere but on a stage, so it feels really good to be back on a stage.”
The five-hour, star-studded celebration will air across multiple time zones (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT,10:30 PM-1:30 AM, ET/PT) on December 31st via CBS and Paramount+. Featured performers include Jelly Roll, Kane Brown and more in addition to Urban who is promising some high voltage performances of songs from his newest album, 'HIGH', which Urban says has resonated with fans in a special way.
“I’m feeling it’s the whole record people like instead of just a handful of songs — that’s a really good feeling,” he shared. “I haven’t had that maybe since, Ripcord, to that degree. So, that’s an amazing feeling. I think the songs are really connecting with everybody.”
Nashville’s Big Bash is just the start of a big year of live performances for Urban, who is set to kick off touring in addition to finishing up dates for his Las Vegas Residency.
“I love touring, like, love it,” he shared. “I should’ve been touring in 2024 because I did an album in ’23 that was called '615'… and I ditched that record and ended up doing this album called 'HIGH,' but it meant I had to push off touring into ’24. I feel for like, two years, I’ve been waiting for 2025 to happen so I can get touring.”
Touring isn’t the only thing Urban is looking forward to in the new year as he’s also working on a passion project of bringing a run down Nashville music studio that’s near and dear to his heart back to life. “I’m sort of bringing back to life a really great studio here in town,” he revealed. “Now that I’m pretty much off the road, I’m down there every day and that’s really, an extraordinarily exciting project for me… this is a studio where I made a lot of records over the years. It finally became for sale, so I jumped on it.”
Reviving the studio has Urban a bit outside of his comfort zone as he learns about building codes, treating mold and more, but it’s all worth it for the 57-year-old who says the studio will turn into a second home for him. “I know more about mold remediation then I ever want to know ever again,” he laughed. “I’ve learned about industrial air conditioning units and power and plumbing — I’ve just learned way too much about all these things — but it’s been riveting because at least it’s a studio. It’s an amazing studio and I’ll probably just live there once it’s up and running.”
Hear additional details about the studio project, touring and more by checking out Keith’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the 'Superstar Power Hour.'
Photo: Borman Entertainment
After being around music her whole life and dreaming of her own success as a musician, Ella Langley, is finally experiencing the success she deserves after years of hard work, determination and finessing her talent.
The 25-year-old recently joined Katie Neal at Audacy’s Nashville Sound Space located at the Hard Rock Cafe and dug deep on her Alabama roots, long-awaited success and the song that finally broke through for her.
“I don't remember a day not thinking about wanting to do this [music],” she shared before admitting, “I didn't know how it was gonna happen.” 2024 has been the year “it happened” for the Alabama native who has experienced next-level success with her single “you look like you love me,” featuring Riley Green.
“This song, what it’s doing is insane,” she said of her debut single before admitting she never thought it would even make an album. “I wrote the song with Aaron [Raitiere] at first and we didn’t write it as a duet - we wrote it as just a song for me to play around the bonfires at writers rounds to make everyone giggle.”
After being encouraged by members of her team to submit it for consideration on her first album, Langley still didn’t think the song would resonate. “I loved the song, I just never imagined it coming out because it’s a little bit of a risk.” After one of her team members at the label submitted it anyways, Ella was surprised to get a call from her agent raving about the tune and was finally convinced to move forward with releasing it.
Originally written as a solo, the song quickly turned into a duet when Ella was invited on tour with her longtime friend, Riley Green where she asked him to jump on the tune with her. “I just asked him, I said, ‘What would your opinion be on writing a second verse for this song and then I’ll put it out on my album?’”
After the pair continued to have fun with the song on tour and explore the different creative possibilities, it quickly gained traction thanks to social media and there was no turning back. Confident in the song, it was acceptance from Riley’s fans Ella says she was most worried about.
“Honestly, I just thought it was going to go the complete opposite way,” she shared. “I was worried about putting out a song with him in the first place just because, you know, he’s Riley Green — that’s all I really have to say.”
She continued, “Playing shows this past year, there’s a lot of people who didn’t know who I was and so some of the girls in the front row were like, so annoyed at me. I’m like, ‘Woah, I’m just up here trying to sing my song.’ This was before the song even came out, so I was a little worried all these girls were about to attack me because I’m putting out a song with Riley. But, it went such the opposite way and I was like, ‘the girls have my back! Wow!’”
As of a couple weeks ago, the song is now a CMA Winner for Musical Event of the Year earning both Riley and Ella their first CMA Awards and setting them up for even more success come 2025. Hear more of Langley’s story from her childhood to recent fame by checking out her entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Caylee Robillar
Brooks & Dunn have done it again. The iconic Country duo has welcomed a new generation of music fans to their timeless classics with, REBOOT 2, a sequel to their highly-popular album from 2019, REBOOT.
The project, available now, follows the same format as the 2019 release with several of today’s biggest Country stars joining the duo for reimagined versions of their most iconic songs. They include Lainey Wilson (“Play Something Country”), Morgan Wallen (“Neon Moon”), and Ernest (“Indian Summer”) in addition to some out-of-genre artists like Halestorm (“Boot Scootin’ Boogie”) and The Earls of Leicester (“How Long Gone”). On top of already being timeless classics, the collaborations with artists of other genres and generations have brought the magic of Brooks & Dunn’s music to even more music fans across the globe.
“It’s really fun to ask the audience every night, ‘How many of y’all it’s your first Brooks & Dunn show?’” Kix Brooks told Audacy’s Katie Neal in an interview earlier this month. “About a half to two-thirds raise their hand,” Ronnie Dunn responded. “It’s wild,” added Kix. “The first time I did it [asked] I looked at Ronnie and we just grinned at went, ‘Whattt?! Welcome to the party y’all!’”
Not only is the duo getting in front of new fans at their own shows, but they recently got the spotlight shed on them as newly crowned CMA Entertainer of the Year, Morgan Wallen, featured them as part of his famous “walk out” at a tour stop in Kansas City.
“That’s a trip,” Ronnie said, recalling the experience. “The only hint we got from his people was, ‘OK, Morgan’s gonna walk fast.’ So we were like, ‘OK, we’re gonna walk fast,’” he laughed.
Kix continued, “Theo Von (podcaster) made a great point about Morgan’s walk out. It’s like, he comes, you’re in the hallway, it’s like, ‘Hey dude! So great to see ya, high five, hug it out, c’mon let’s go,’ the crowd’s going wild… everybody going crazy, we’re right there with him and it’s like, ‘OK, you guys are done.’”
He added, “We’re used to going to the stage at that point and I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Back to the dressing room. Thank you, we’ll see you in about two hours. OK, whatever.’”
Come 2025, the duo will get to continue that energy right onto the stage at they embark on their Neon Moon Tour kicking off in Lubbock, TX on March 13. According to the guys, they’re ready to level-up the production after learning some new “tricks” during their Vegas residency, which wrapped in December 2021.
“One of the cool things about being in Vegas for the seven years we were there off-and-on was that we met some serious production people — like, the Cirque de Soleil guys that do all that video and all those effects,” shared Dunn. “So, we get to use them now, which is the cream of the crop.”
It will be quite the change from their touring days in the late ‘90s, early ‘00s when the duo recalls being in charge of all production ideas which resulted in shooting dummies out of cannons and creating “twin tornadoes” on stage.
“We do have a pretty long history of doing some ridiculous, nonsense,” said Kix. “Shooting ourselves out of a cannon was pretty classic… it didn’t last too long because it was really dangerous,” he shared before detailing the dummies that shot out into the front section of the crowd ultimately giving one woman a bloody nose. “It’s like shooting’ a missile into the audience,” Added Ronnie. “This is how stupid we were.”
Many lessons were learned the hard way for the pair, and with that, they’re grateful social media wasn’t around for their climb to success. “We wouldn’t be here,” Ronnie said with certainty when asked if social media would’ve hurt or helped their career in the early days. While the lack of documentation is a relief in many ways for the guys, they also say they believe it would keep them from being able to put together a documentary should they ever have the desire.
“We’d have to have ...
Thomas Rhett joins Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour.
Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Sam Hunt has a lot to look forward to in the new year as he and his wife, Hannah, prepare to welcome their third child in May.
“It’s about to get real,” Hunt said, revealing his wife is pregnant and expecting baby #3 in late May. “I’m elated, can’t wait!”
Baby Hunt will join big sister, Lucy Louise, and brother, Lowry Lee. When asked how 2-and-a-half-year-old Lucy reacted to the news Sam shared she doesn’t fully get it, but he still talks to her about it often.
“We talk about it. I say, Mama has a baby on the way and we’ll point to her belly and she says, ‘No. I have a baby on the way,” he laughed.
In addition to expanding his family, Hunt also looks to extend his music catalog in the new year with some fresh music marked by the release of his recently-released single, “Liberty.”
“I wrote most of it back in 2020,” he said of the track. “This song just kept hanging around and the sentiment, the tone of the song, I felt like was relevant now and so I thought, ‘I’m going to go record it and get it out.’”
He continued, “That song is one of about 4 or 5 songs that I have for my next project whether that’s me putting out songs one at a time or puttin’ them all out at once. I’m still in that phase of putting songs out one song at a time so I don’t go away for too long.”
While new music is promised, future tour dates are not as Hunt prepares to spend more time at home with the family. “I’m hopefully — in the next couple years — going to take a break from touring,” he revealed. “The crowds have been so great and I want to get out there and tour while my kids are really young and they’re able to come with me…. and while people are interested in coming to see us because I don’t want to take that or granted.”
Hear more about the new song, family updates and his reflection on the 10th year of his debut album, Montevallo, by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, and Peyton Manning, will broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20 at 8PM ET/7PM CT on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu.
Words by Monica Rivera, Interview by Katie Neal
Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
Bailey Zimmerman is heading into Wednesday night’s 58th Annual CMA Awards as not only a first-time nominee but a first-time performer as well, and he isn’t too cool to admit he’s got some serious jitters.
“It’s an honor, but [I’m] very nervous,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of the big night where he’s set to perform, “New To Country.” “If I was just coming to hang out — different story — but when you see the show, you’ll understand why I’m so nervous… you’ll see.”
Following the nerve-wracking performance and possible New Artist of the Year win, Zimmerman will have plenty of time to decompress as he enters the holiday season with some downtime and a new lady in his life… Pie, his new Golden Retriever.
“I have a new puppy,” Zimmerman said when asked how his older Golden Retriever, Marley is doing. “I’ve been wanting to get Marley a sister, but I was waiting on like, a rescue… not just be like, ‘I’m gonna go buy a puppy and go buy a puppy.”
He continued, “The story is kind of weird because I was in Southern Tennessee at this truck show and they were like, ‘Hey! These people have Golden Retrievers for sale at the end of the road…’ I drove out there and these puppies were like, not being treated the greatest.”
It was love at first sight for BZ and Pie and after getting some health complications settled, Bailey said sweet Pie is happy as can be. “Something was just pulling at me…. I picked up Pie.. and it was just like, Wow! She took right to me we’re like, best buds.”
He continued, “Turns out, she was really sick… she ended up getting really, really sick and almost didn’t make it. We had to rush her to the ER… [get] all these shots. She was just a champ all the way through it… she’s doing good now. She’s chillin’, running around.”
Hear more about Pie, Marley and of course, Bailey’s music by checking out his entoire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, and Peyton Manning, will broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20 at 8PM ET/7PM CT on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu.
Words by Monica Rivera, Interview by Katie Neal
Photo: Chris Ashlee
It’s a big week for Riley Green who is a first-time nominee at this week’s 58th Annual CMA Awards. Ahead of Wednesday’s show, Green took time to catch up with Audacy’s Katie Neal to catch up on all the week’s festivities including his very first fashion show experience, upcoming CMA performance and more.
Touching quickly on the Boot Barn fashion show that both he and Katie attended Monday night, Riley says he “felt like everybody there was looking at me for my reaction… it was like not laughing in church, you know? It was fun,” he adds. “But, I was like, right there and a lady came out doing splits, interpretive dance, and they were all staring a hole through me when they were walking down. I didn't know where to look.”
Although it was his first fashion show, Riley says, “It won't be the last... I enjoyed it. I wished it lasted about 3 hours and I was drinking. That would have been fun. Here's what was tough: When it started and that girl was doing that dance thing where she was spinning on her head and stuff and it was real quiet. I wanted to clap. Miranda [Lambert] stopped me, because I was like, ‘You don't clap? That was awesome what she did.’”
Getting back to business, Riley shared he's looking forward to his own performance during this year’s CMA Awards. The 36-year-old Riley is scheduled to take the stage with Ella Langley to perform their hit single, “You Look Like You Love Me,” which is also up for Musical Event of the Year.
“This song is proof that I don't know what's a hit because, I mean, it was very organic how it happened" he shared. "[It] has been like [that] a lot of the collaborations I've done. I took Thomas Rhett duck hunting and we came out with ‘Half Of Me,’ and I was on tour with Luke Combs and played him ‘Different 'Round Here,’ and that ended up being a big hit for me. So, Ella was out on tour with me, heard the song -- I don't think they really knew what they were gonna do with it... I said, 'Well, I wonder… What if I wrote it from the guy's perspective? We did it and they liked it… I thought the talking verses were probably a little too traditional, but how awesome is it to see a song that's that Country, that's really that big of a hit.”
“I've never had a viral hit, I guess,” Riley admits, “and that was like kind of an overnight thing… you picked your phone up the next day and you couldn't get away from it. It was on everything, you know, so it's cool to see that. I'm super happy for her success with it too, it's been awesome to watch.”
This year’s ceremony will be Riley’s very first time on the CMAs stage, and although he’s feeling confident about the upcoming performance, there is one person he’ll be avoiding eye contact with. “Well, I didn't even think about that until you said it, I feel like Dierks Bentley,” he laughs. “I saw where everybody's sitting at. If I look at him [I'll laugh]”
Finally, discussing his current single “Damn Good Day To Leave,” Riley describes it as “a fun breakup song if there is such a thing. I love the thought of, you know, the girl left and you're sad, but the fish are biting, and the beer's cold, so it'll be all right.”
“It's a fun song, and it makes you wanna roll the window down and turn it up, so I love to sing that song," he says, "and it's always great when a song's climbing the chart because you get to watch the crowd sing it louder every week.”
Fans can catch Riley on his Damn Country Music Tour along with Ella Langley kicking off next year.
Listen to Katie's full chat with Riley Green above.
Don't miss the 58th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning, and Lainey Wilson on Wednesday, November 20 at 8/7c on ABC, and available the next day on Hulu. Find more of Audacy's CMA Awards coverage at audacy.com/cma.
Words by Joe Cingrana, Interview by Katie Neal
Photo: Jeremy Cowart
It’s a big week for Luke Bryan who is returning to host the CMA Awards for a fourth year. A seasoned pro at leading the festivities by now, the Georgia native says he’s not nervous about much before the big night… except one thing.
“I’m not really nervous about anything,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of Wednesday night’s show. “The main thing is, how will I look?” While Luke might have a few jitters about his appearance, he’s not second-guessing for a moment that fans will be entertained and laugh a lot.
“It’s got us laughing,” Bryan said after sharing he’s already run through the script a couple times over Zoom with Manning and Wilson. “Pretty sure the people at home are going to laugh too.”
While the CMA Awards are only once a year, fans can plan on seeing Bryan a lot more on their television screens come Spring as he returns to host another season of IDOL on ABC. The new season will premiere March 2025 and feature Bryan alongside fellow returning judge, Lionel Richie and new judge, Carrie Underwood as they search across America for the next American Idol.
“We’re doing auditions on Idol,” Bryan shared before detailing how Underwood is fitting into the already tight-knit judging crew. “Carrie’s doing great and she’s not requesting for my removal from the show yet,” he laughed. “No HR flags or anything… so, we’re doing good. She’s had to learn a lot on the fly, it’s a lot to process.”
He continued, “What I’ve learned from her is she’s just got the best heart in the world. When she talks to these kids — it’s hard when you’ve gotta tell ‘em no and she’s learning you just gotta say no, but she’s doing great.”
Hear more about Idol, his hosting duties and new single by checking out Luke’s entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu.
Words by Monica Rivera, Interview by Katie Neal
Photo: Jim Wright
It’s CMA Week and while Luke Combs is up for some of the most prestigious awards come Wednesday night’s broadcast, he’s busy celebrating a different kind of win to start the week.
On Monday (11/18), Combs was crowned PEOPLE’s, “Sexiest 34-Year-Old Man on the Planet.” The award is a branch off the publication's Sexiest Man Alive title, which went to actor, John Krasinski, this year. While Krasinski won the overall title, PEOPLE decided to break it down even further this year by crowing the sexiest man of each age from 20-41.
“1990, [a] down year when it came to sexy guys, but still proud to be at the top of the pile,” Combs laughed before sharing he was “very heavily surprised,” by his new title. “Maybe we’re re-defining sexy,” he laughed. “Guys’ [with] shirts that don’t fit that good, they fall asleep watching football —if that’s sexy, I’m your guy!”
No need to worry about Combs’ ego getting too big from the new title as he shared his young sons currently keep him humble making him watch shows like, Stinky and Dirty, while playing with dinosaurs and tractors.
“We’re into tractors and we’re into dinosaurs and we’re into the pool, we’re into swimming a lot,” Combs responded when asked how his sons, Tex (2) and Beau (1) are doing. “My kid has all the dinosaurs drive the tractors and stuff — that’s what’s going on right now.”
Combs and his wife, Nicole, will have the night off from playing dinosaurs on Wednesday as they attend the 58th Annual CMA Awards where Luke is up for multiple awards including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album Of the Year for his project, Fathers & Sons. Additionally, Combs will take the stage to perform his hit, “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma.”
“It’s gonna be sick,” he said of his plans for the performance. “We’ve got all the crazy effects and everything, which we’ve never done. We’ve never done fire and smoke and all that… We’re doing that this time because I feel like the song warrants it. Usually, I’m like, ‘Let the song speak for itself,’ but this time, I feel like the song would just be better with a bunch of cool fire and stuff, which is usually is not the case.”
Hear additional details about Combs’ performance, plus who he is most excited to see at the show, what fellow artist was an extra in his “Beer Never Broke My Heart” video and so much more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC and stream next day on Hulu.
Words by Monica Rivera, Interview by Katie Neal
Photo: Zack Massey
Catching up backstage during the lead-up to the 2024 Country Music Association awards ceremony taking place on Wednesday, November 20, Audacy's Katie Neal spoke with Blake Shelton about being "fired up" about new music and more.
Of course, Blake is super-excited to see his good friend Luke Bryan on stage as one of this year's hosts, joking that he likely got the gig again, "I think because people love to watch a train wreck on the TV.
“I'm excited about Lainey [Wilson], I think she's incredible, I'm a huge fan of hers,” he adds, “and of course Peyton [Manning] is so funny… and Luke's funny too. I gotta give it to him. They got the right combination there.”
Touching on his own new music, Shelton says he's been thoroughly enjoying all of the fan reactions to his latest single, "Texas." “I was nervous, you know. It's been a while since I've released any new music,” he admits. “When I retired from ‘The Voice,’ I just kind of like went away… 23 seasons I was on that show, so I was happy to get a break.”
““This spring,” he explains, “Post Malone reached out to me and asked if I would be on the record with him, and then that thing took off and now here I am making my own music again and, I'm fired up about it -- I really am. I’m just trying to take it all in this time around. The first chapter of my career, which I think goes from 2001 to probably 2021 or 22 is kind of a blur to me, and to be able to kind of relaunch again, and know how hard it is in this business to have success, and to have a hit song -- and I really enjoy slowing down this time and taking it in, and enjoying these moments for what they are because not a lot of people get to experience it.”
Getting a chance to work with Malone, he says, reinvigorated his love for making music. “I feel like I'd kind of gotten lazy, you know, and I'd kind of taken for granted what I do because I've been staying on the hamster wheel for so long that you just kind of forget… When I was a kid, my only dream was being on the radio, and I mean, a very small, lottery winning percentage of people get to do this. But being around Post, it was like, ‘Look at this kid, man, he's the biggest star in the world.’ He couldn't be more excited about what he does, and what am I doing?”
“I really do credit him for firing me up about it again,” says Blake, “and wanting to make some more music. As long as people want it, and want to at least hear it and give me a chance -- it's actually literally stupid not to do it.”
Looking ahead, Shelton says “I probably have an album's worth of music that recorded that I have. I don't think it's there yet. I'm gonna keep recording and looking for songs until they tell me they gotta start printing albums and I need to turn something in.”
Listen to Katie's full chat with Blake Shelton above.
Don't miss the 58th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning, and Lainey Wilson on Wednesday, November 20 at 8/7c on ABC, and available the next day on Hulu. Find more of Audacy's CMA Awards coverage at audacy.com/cma.
Words by Joe Cingrana, Interview by Katie Neal
Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
After raising nearly $25 million for Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Western North Carolina with Concert for Carolina featuring Luke Combs, James Taylor, Billy Strings and himself, Eric Church says the fight following such devastation in his home state is far from over.
“I realized pretty quick with the funds that we had raised that the biggest problem that we have in this country [is] — we do a pretty good job with the immediate 911 need of food and water and diapers — what we don’t do as well is keeping people in the community from a housing perspective,” he shared ahead of performing at the 58th Annual CMA Awards. “We committed to putting 100 homes in Avery county, which is one of the counties hardest hit. That’s been the big focal point.”
On top of all the efforts he’s shown thus far towards relief, Church has also committed to giving to back “forever” by handing his song, “Darkest Hour,” to the state of North Carolina. This means 100% of the proceeds go to the state and towards those in need.
“‘Darkest Hour’ has helped raise the awareness and keep the attention going,” Church said of the song he released following the hurricane which hit in September 2024. “We tend to move on as a society and those people are going to need help for a long time,” he continued. “It’s more of an anthem and part of the reason I’m doing it on the CMAs is to keep the focal point on those people [that] still need help… There’s still so much need there.”
With a lot of work still left to do, Church continues to be inspired by the impact already made and the strong community within his home state which was ever-present during Concert for Carolina.
“That was just a special night to see all the people — especially being in Charlotte and being in my home state,” Church said reflecting on the night. “I live half my year in Western North Carolina and those mountains mean so much to me creatively, but also as a person. To be there and see that togetherness that happened — to have James Taylor and Luke [Combs] and myself and Billy Strings — it was a special moment.”
Hear more about Church’s efforts towards relief by checking out his entire conversation with Katie Neal above and be sure to catch his performance Wednesday night on the 58th Annual CMA Awards.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on ABC and stream next day on Hulu.
Words by Monica Rivera, Interview by Katie Neal
Photo: Robby Klein
After years of contemplating an acting role, Country star Kelsea Ballerini, has officially made the leap as she appeared as a guest star on the new ABC series, Doctor Odyssey this week (11/7). Playing the part of an over-compensating bride with deep secrets, Ballerini showed the power of her creative depth goes far beyond her music.
“I’ve been dabbling with the idea of getting into the acting space for a couple of years now because I said the hardest ‘no’ to it for so long,” she told Audacy’s Katie Neal during an appearance on the Superstar Power Hour. “I was just scared of sucking. I'm scared of failing, especially publicly, like on a TV film situation, that feels terrifying to me.”
The 31-year-old admits failure seemed especially scary to her now as she’s dating well-known actor, Chase Stokes who stars on Outer Banks, but after self-identifying as a “swing for the fences kind of girl,” she went for it. And while she might’ve had immediate access to her very own acting mentor in Stokes, Ballerini said she wanted to take this journey independently and didn’t rely on him for much help at all.
“I'm so independent... the only time I had seen like a call sheet before was when I would go visit him on set at Outer Banks, so it was just, it was new. So I would ask him logistical questions like, ‘What does this mean, crew call?’ … But as far as helping me, I was like, ‘I wanna do it on my own and then show you,’ you know?”
Ballerini’s episode on Doctor Odyssey — which centers around the medical staff on a luxurious cruise ship — premiered Thursday night (11/7) and featured Ballerini as a Type A-presenting bride who viewers find out at the end is battling deep, dark secrets.
“Quite literally, I am screaming, crying, or throwing up the entire hour, the entire hour,” she shared. “Like, day one, my first scene is just me vomiting over and over and over again. So it was fun, it was an experience and I will do it again if I can.”
While not an acting role, Ballerini already has her next television part on lock as she’s set to appear on season 27 of The Voice this Spring. Kelsea shared she has already started filming alongside fellow judges for that season which include Michael Bublè, Adam Levine and John Legend.
“I knew John Legend, from when I filled in for Kelly [Clarkson], but I had never met [Michael] Bublè, and I had never met Adam Levine,” she shared. “I was nervous, you know, I grew up on their music. So being up there with them and knowing that I had to fight with them to get certain artists from my team was, I mean, that is such a head trip to be like, ‘I understand that you probably want to go to the lead singer of Maroon 5, But here's why you should pick me instead.’ Pick me, choose me, love me,” she laughed.
“Everyone thinks it’s scripted - there’s no script. It requires so much presence,” she continued. “You are there, the camera’s on you 12 hours a day and you are coaching, you are available the whole time… It’s like, in my 10- years what can I give this person? And also, where can I just step back and listen too?”
On top of all her TV time, Ballerini hasn’t abandoned her music as she recently celebrated the release of her studio album, Patterns, which she produced and wrote alongside five of her best, female friends which she takes tremendous pride in.
“I just honestly, I didn't know where to start after [Rolling Up the] Welcome Mat because I didn't make that album to be what it became,” she disclosed. “I’m so grateful, but I was like ‘What do I do now? How do I make a record to follow this up?’” I don't know.”
She continued, “So, I took a retreat and I just asked my friends that I felt safe with that happened to be stupidly talented. So Alysa Vanderheym, Jessie Joe Dillon, Karen Fairchild, and Hillary Lindsey, we all went to this beautiful house in St. Louis. I just knew if there was a way to dip my toe in, it was there. And if we d ...
Tucker Wetmore is on the ride of his life after entering the Country music world with his debut single, “Wind Up Missin’ You” which is currently top 15 and climbing.
While it may look like it’s all success right now, Wetmore recently opened up to Audacy’s Katie Neal revealing his music career is the result of a life-changing injury that kept him from seeing his dreams of becoming a professional athlete.
“I was in Montana, I played a year of football there and I’m gettin’ scout player of the year — they’re like, ‘Hey you’re the number one guy for the next four years — you’re the number one receiver, let’s roll.’ I was like, ‘Alright, let’s do it,’ but it just didn’t feel right for a couple months towards the end.”
The Washington native continued to recall, “I remember sitting down after coming home from practice and… I locked myself in the bathroom and I just started bawling. Like, weeping crying.” In the midst of his meltdown, Wetmore tapped into his church-based upbringing for guidance and confided in God, asking for “a sign.”
“I was just like, I need a sign,” he shared. “The next day, I went to practice like I would any other day and very first play, run a post over the middle and snap my leg in three places.”
A career-ending injury for the now 25-year-old was a tough pill to swallow at the time, but looking back, he says’ it’s “exactly what I needed.” While the sign to part ways from football was clear, the next step wasn’t necessarily revealing itself. That is, until Wetmore’s mom encouraged him to spend time at the piano - a habit that he used to have in his younger years to decompress after school, before homework.
“She was like, ‘just go sit at your piano — that used to ease your mind back in the day,’” he shared before remembering how much music helped him through his childhood after learning to play “by ear” and YouTube tutorials.
“I started to teach myself when I was 11, never had a lesson on anything,” he shared. “I would just sit down and play for hours. Literally every single day I'd come home from practice and before I could wrap my head around homework, I'd have to decompress on piano.”
Mama Wetmore’s advice following’s Tucker’s injury is just what he needed to propel himself to the next step. Later that very night, Wetmore wrote his very first song and a few months after that, he packed up and moved to Nashville to chase his new-found dream of being a Country artist.
“Five months later, I was like, ‘Mom, I want to do this, I believe I can do this.' And then she was like, 'I never doubted you for a second, go do it,'” he said.
It was a big move for Wetmore, who prides himself on being a big family man and moved to a town where he didn’t know a single soul. That didn’t stop him from integrating himself into the town quickly. Twenty years old at the time, and in the midst of a global pandemic, Tucker defied the odds and started seeing things take shape. He was quickly signed to a publishing deal which was later followed by a record deal that he signed Summer 2023.
Just over a year later, Wetmore is celebrating his debut single at Country radio, “Wind Up Missin’ You,” in the top 15 as well as the recent release of his album, 'Waves On A Sunset,' available now.
“First and foremost, I wanted to portray who I am as a person and as an artist,” Wetmore said of his intentions with the project before simply stating he needed more songs to fill his already sold-out shows. Fans will also be excited to know there’s a lot more where this album came from as he shares it is a direct lead into his next project which will dive deep into some of his biggest, present-day challenges and most tumultuous relationships.
While there’s lots to look forward to, Wetmore does his best to take things one day at a time, and recently, that means getting ready to hit the road with Thomas Rhett for the 'Better in Boots Tour' in 2025. Th ...
Audacy's Katie Neal welcomes Kane Brown to our airwaves as this week’s co-host for the 'Superstar Power Hour' on all your favorite Audacy Country stations nationwide.
The new year will kick off with new music for Brown as he recently revealed he’ll release his fourth studio album, 'The High Road,' on January 24, 2025. The project will feature Brown’s most-recent hit, “Miles On It” featuring Marshmello in addition to “Fiddle In the Band,” which he recently performed at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September. Additionally, the album will include the 31-year-old’s new single, “Backseat Driver,” which is available now.
“It’s a beautiful song,” Kane said of the new single that marries his worlds of being a Country singer and girl dad together perfectly. “They said they’ve showed it to everybody and the first time I listened to it, I was like, ‘This is me!’ I think God just held it for me.”
His daughters aren’t the only ones with a “moment” on the album, Kane also highlights wife, Katelyn in a special way as she joins vocals for two tracks as a featured artist.
“We’ve got ‘Body Talk,’” Kane said, sharing the title of the first song he and wife Katelyn sing together. “It’s going to go to Pop radio — super sexy song. Kinda got like a little Latin vibe in the beat,” he shared. “Then you have ‘Do Us Apart,’ which is a Country vibe, which we love to duet,” explaining the inspiration came from Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis’ rendition of “I Told You So.” “We tried to come as close to that as we could. And this song reminded us of it.”
With a wide array of sounds and styles on the project, there’s a little something for everyone and also importantly for Kane — everything is a fit for his live shows.
“This album, I just really wanted to have every song that I could play live,” he shared. “The last couple albums — I like the songs, but some of them were used or years old so I had already grown as an artist so I don’t want to perform them. Or, I feel like they don’t have a big enough message for everybody — but this album, there’s so many great songs. Even the slow songs…. I feel like I could do a whole tour on this album and be happy.”
Kane will take all the songs on the road next year with his recently announced 2025 High Road Tour which kicks off March 13 in San Diego and wraps July 13 in Chicago. Along for support on select dates are Mitchell Tenpenny, Scotty McCreery, Dasha and Ashley Cooke.
Hear additional details about the tour, Kane’s evolving style choices, his new life as a father of three and so much more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Few things are stronger than Country music friendships - Justin Moore and Blake Shelton being a great example.
During his appearance on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal this week, Justin Moore opened up about how much Blake Shelton has helped him with his career and regularly puts friendship over stardom. “He’s always been really, really go to me,” Moore said of his longtime friendship with Shelton. “I went on tour with him, man, it was probably back in ’10, ’11, ’12, something like that and he’s always been really kind to me.”
Beyond their time on the road together, Justin credits one almost-cancelled appearance on NBC’s The Voice for showing him the level of commitment Blake had to their friendship.
“I was on The Voice in — I think it was maybe 2014 or something. Long story short, I was supposed to be on and they had to cancel for — I don’t know if it was another artist — but, what ever happened and he went to them and goes, ‘You’re gonna have Justin on. I called him and asked him to be on — you’re gonna have him on.'”
He continued, “I was on the finale, actually, which was huge at the time for us and that was all his doing. I say that to say, he is probably the most unaffected superstar I’ve ever met. He’s really just a super nice guy.”
Their friendship is also just as strong out of the spotlight, says Justin who calls Shelton a “nut.” “He’s a nut. Some of our text threads are — we couldn’t put them out — they’re pretty funny,” Justin laughed.
While they may not be able to release the texts, what they did release is a brand new song together featured on Justin’s new album, This Is My Dirt, available now. “I sent him a text and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got this song.’ I actually sent him two songs and I said, ‘which one do you want to do?’ He goes, ‘Let’s do the beer one,’” Justin recalled, laughing. “I go, ‘That’s what I figured you’d pick.’ For him to do that, he don’t have to do that.”
Blake wasn’t the only Country pal who fans can hear featured on the album — Justin also shared his gratitude for long time friends, Randy Houser and Dierks Bentley who appear on “The Worst” and “Time’s Ticking,” respectively.
“Same with Randy [Houser] and Dierks [Bentley],” Justin continued. “For them to lend their talents and time and energy to this project is really cool.”
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
It was a wild weekend on the road for Brantley Gilbert who welcomed his third child with wife, Amber, in the middle of a show in Tupelo, MS. Days later, Gilbert joined Audacy’s Katie Neal to share the whole story and praise Amber for her courage and strength.
“She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met, I can’t say enough about her,” he said, still in disbelief of the events. According to Gilbert, he was just four songs into his headlining set when his tour manager walked on stage and pulled at his arm telling him to exit.
“We were four songs into the set and my tour manager comes up and pull on my arm… the first thing that came to mind is, ‘it’s a security threat,’” Brantley recalled, sharing he immediately had concern to take care of his bandmates and the crowd. “He looked at me and he gave me a stern like, ‘come on,’ he was like, ‘baby,’ he mouthed ‘baby’ to me and when he did, I dropped the mic and everything and took off running.”
The 39-year-old had no time to spare as he walked onto the bus and almost immediately, Amber’s water broke. “The minute I walked on the bus, I washed my hands really quick and the minute I knelt beside her, her water broke,” Gilbert shared. “I looked at the midwife and she looked back at me and I was just wide-eyed. She’s like, ‘We’re having a baby.’”
The situation is one Brantley said he and Amber had joked about before, but never actually thought could come true. “We joked that if it happened during a show, I’ll just hop off stage, we’ll have it and I’ll run back up there and I’ll hold the baby up like Lion King, like Simba... none of us thought that was actually going to happen.”
While it did happen (minus the Lion King part), Gilbert credits his wife for keeping her cool and birthing their third child, Abram Howell, like a “soldier.” “She was a soldier - such an understatement,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. She was just so strong. I was such an emotional wreck - it was ridiculous. She handled it a million times better than I did.”
Following the events, Gilbert says mom and baby are doing just fine. “They’re amazing,” he shared. “He’s tiny. He’s 5lb 7oz - he’s got the cutest little cry ever, but he’s precious.”
Hear the full story of Abram’s entry into the world by checking out Katie Neal’s full conversation with Brantley Gilbert above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Many Country stars dream of making it big from the time they’re kids, but for new-comer, Dylan Marlowe, the dream started as a college kid with a competitive spirit.
After realizing he could sing just a few years ago, Marlowe is already on the Country charts with a top 25 single, “Boys Back Home,” featuring Dylan Scott. The young Georgia-native recently sat down with Audacy’s Katie Neal to talk about his expedited journey to the Country music charts and the career he hopes to build.
“I started learning how to sing and write and play [guitar] in college,” he shared. “I didn't really know my whole life that I could do any of that because I always did baseball.” Dylan shared he first got a guitar from a “dude in my neighborhood” and was motivated to try it as he’s “always been kind of a competitive person.”
“There was a dude in my neighborhood, Colin, who pretty much gave me his extra guitar to learn how [to play],” Dylan explained. “ I started kind of writing songs,” he shared before explaining he decided to try some open mic nights. “I would go up there and play two songs and… see what people reacted to. Once I started hearing videos of it kind of sounding decent I was like, ‘Maybe I can work on this you know start taking vocal lessons and really trying like dig in.’”
That’s exactly what Marlowe did after a handful of open mic nights, some encouragement from friends and support from his parents. After trading in his baseball glove for a guitar and college classes for vocal lessons, Marlowe says he hasn’t looked back since. “My Dad was the one that said, ’Hey, if you don’t want to do college, just leave, quit. If you want to go do music, there’s no point in me paying for you to go to college if you’re gonna quit,” he said of his parents’ reaction to him calling it quits after only one year in college.
“I started learning guitar and moved to Nashville and met a guy named Dallas Davidson who's written tons of huge songs for like, Luke [Bryan] and all those people and he signed me and we've just been going since then.”
The 27-year-old’s career has moved at a rapid pace compared to most and now, he’s celebrating the release of his debut album, Mid-Twenties Crisis, just a few years after learning to sing and play guitar. The project features 15 songs featuring his unique sound he describes as “kind of all over, it's like a chaotic mess.”
“Somebody commented on my TikTok yesterday of ‘Heaven's Sake’ and they said, ‘This sounds like Blink-182 went down to Georgia and drank some moonshine,’” he laughed. “I was like, ’Yes, I love that.’” With a sound that’s all his, Marlowe says he’s less interested in trying to define it and more interested in keeping things authentic.
“I’m kind of just trying to make it my own thing,” he explained. “I don't necessarily want to like label it as anything, but I feel like it's just me, just Dylan Marlowe. [It’s] me writing songs that have been fun to write and fun to play live and just aiming for that.“
It’s clear he’s having some fun with a trending song, an opening slot on Dan + Shay’s Heartbreak on the Map tour, and some big time collabs on his debut record including one with Riley Green titled, “Stick to my Guns.”
“I had that song, ‘Stick to my Guns,’ and I knew that it needed a feature and I kind of always knew that it was Riley,” he explained. “I thought in my head like either Riley or HARDY would be sick. The more I listened to it I kept thinking, ‘Riley's got to be the guy,’ so we hit him up first and he said ‘yes’ immediately and went in and sang.”
While “Stick to my Guns,” and the single, “Boys Back Home” featuring Dylan Scott are two songs getting a lot of attention on the new album, Marlowe makes it clear he doesn’t need a established Country star to feature in order to make a song successful. His solo songs are also making big impacts including “Devil on My Shoulder,” “Heart Brakes,” and the title track, “Mid-Twenties Crisis,” which was the last song added to the album.
“It was the last track to like make the record,” he shared. “We were about a week away from having to turn the whole thing in and I still didn't have a title. I wanted it to be special, I didn't want it to just be a random title of a song on the record and I had been praying a bunch about finding the title because I just didn't know what to call it.”
He continued, “I felt like it had to be another song, which is what scared me because I obviously I didn’t had time to record another song. One night, I got up [at] 4am… and it just popped in my head while I was getting up and I knew that was like the title of the record immediately... that was on a Tuesday and then that weekend I ended up writing that song on the road just by myself in the back lounge of the bus and it was really just an honest, open, vulnerable song about kind of what I felt like I was going through probably for the last few months.”
While the song came together with no time to spare, it was well-wroth the hustle and proves it’s meant to be as it ties a perfect bow on the album, available now. Hear more about how the title track came together, stories behind the songs, touring with Dan + Shay and how the “Boys Back Home” keep Dylan humble by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Luke Bryan is celebrating the release of his 8th studio album, Mind of a Country Boy, and while it has a lot of the hip-shaking, dance anthems we love to hear from the five-time Entertainer of the Year, he’s also reminding fans he can still tap into some big emotions.
One song in particular that’s popping off the track list for many due to its emotion is, “For The Kids.” Co-written by Luke, the song brings raw honesty and a relatable message that details the strain parenthood can put on a marriage.
“I think, naturally, there are phases in your marriage that the kids are kind of like the dominating thing of the marriage and a lot of times they're what keeps the marriage going and keeps it together,” Luke told Audacy’s Katie Neal of the idea behind the song. “I want people when they hear it to go, ‘Oh yeah, we forgot that Luke can do this from time to time and really hit us with a big heartfelt emotion song.'”
The track is one of many that Luke co-wrote for the album, which he says resulted in the whole project becoming a direct reflection of where he’s at in life both personally and professionally.
“What I'm proud about is, I think that all the songs on the album… it's where I'm at as a human and as an artist,” he expressed. “I think I can sing any song on this album with a lot of pride and really put my heart and soul in it. I think the fans will hear all that.”
While he surely digs deep with songs like “For The Kids,” Bryan also shows his fun side and that he can stay relevant in the new era of Country music (according to his sons’ playlists).
“'Southern and Slow' is the dude song on the album," and “But I Got A Beer In My Hand,” he said when asked what songs his teenage sons seem to listen to most.
“They're listening to what all the kids are listening to around the world,” he said before sharing it makes him extra proud when one of his songs makes their playlist. “The Dylan Marlowe's and the Dylan Scott's and there's some other Dylan's out there they're listening to,“ he laughed. “And then they're obviously listening to Morgan [Wallen] and Luke [Combs]. So, whenever dad gets in their playlist, that means I'm hitting. I can still kind of sneak one in to the younger places.”
Hear all about the album, creative process, and more by listening to the Superstar Power Hour with Katie & Company every weekday from 2PM - 3PM on your favorite Audacy Country station!
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
New music from Keith Urban is here with the release of his new album, HIGH, and he joined Audacy’s Katie Neal for a conversation surrounding the songs, creative process, and “dark humor” of the title.
After a public battle to sobriety nearly 20 years ago, Keith isn’t hiding from his past with the title, HIGH, which may raise some eyebrows now that he is 18 years sober. “I love the dark comedy of it, given my past. That's very intentional,” Keith said of the title. “But it also means something different to every person that hears the word. I mean, some people immediately think of just great sort of euphoria, or being in a mountain, or being in love, or getting good news, or being fit and healthy, or whatever it is. It's a place…. how we all get there is different but we all agree on the destination.”
With many of the songs capturing the feelings and moments of being “high on life,” Urban does address his dark past head-on with the closing track, “BREAK THE CHAIN.” A song that was born out of his own struggles with drug and alcohol addiction in addition to growing up with an alcoholic father. While the subject matter is heavy, Urban presents pure hope and a refreshing mindset to those that may be going through a hard time.
“That was just one of those beautiful, divine days where a song wants to come out and we happen to be in the right place at the right time portaling it in,” he said of writing the song alongside Marc Scibilia. “That song wanted to be here and I'm grateful that we were able to bring it in because it was not something I had in mind.”
He continued, “I come from a family with an alcoholic father and being raised in that environment… all its challenges aren't really apparent at the time, but as I get older I've got a lot of dysfunctions I'm trying to work through,” he expressed. “I can either keep blaming my circumstance, which is not my fault… it's nobody's fault whose family they're born into, but at some point it becomes my responsibility to change that… No matter what it is, that bit is up to me to be willing to take the steps to change past behaviors and break the chain.”
While clearly unafraid to touch on topics of real intensity, Keith also gives us plenty of his fun, playful, guitar-shredding style on songs like, “LAUGHIN’ ALL THE WAY TO THE DRANK,” where he not only name-checks actor, Matthew McConaughey, but also gives his best impression writing, “alright, alright, alright,” into the lyrics.
“I actually FaceTimed him when I was recording the song,” Keith said, before sharing he asked McConaugheyif he’d be interested in coming in to record his infamous “Alright, alright, alright” line for the track. Unfortunately, McConaughey filming schedule didn’t allow him to make it happen, however, Urban said he was very appreciative for the shout-out.
In addition to brand new songs like “LAUGHIN’ ALL THE WAY TO THE DRANK,” and “BREAK THE CHAIN,” fans will also hear some familiar tunes on the album including current single, “MESSED UP AS ME,” and previously-released tracks, “HEART LIKE A HOMETOWN,” “STRAIGHT LINE,” WILDSIDE” and “GO HOME W U (WITH LAINEY WILSON).”
Experience the "HIGH" of them all by checking out the new album, HIGH, available now.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Country music is having a global moment and Tullahoma, Tennessee native, Dustin Lynch, could not be more proud.
During his time as a guest on Audacy’s Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal, Lynch opened up about the current state of Country music and the excitement he feels seeing others embrace the genre he’s known his entire life.
“With the success of Morgan [Wallen] worldwide and Luke Combs and then the album that HARDY made [Quit!] that was rippin’ and rockin’, it's really opened to a lot of these, ‘I hate Country. I'm a Rock fan. I'm a Rap fan’ people,” Dustin shared of the current expansion of the Country music fanbase. “It’s opened the genre up… some guys and girls that probably had always written Country music off as a whole and dip their toe in it. They go, ‘Oh, maybe I like this.’”
While there’s clearly been a major shift in the acceptance from once-skeptical fans, there’s also been a shift on the artist side as mainstream artists are also taking a dip in the Country pool. With unexpected Country albums from Beyoncè and Post Malone this year, Country music is gaining appeal to more artists and Lynch says he’s witnessed the impact first hand with pal and Alternative Rocker/Rapper, Machine Gun Kelly.
Dustin shared he and MGK have been friends for a few years as they’re both part of an annual group trip to Lake Powell, and the the change in his attitude surrounding Country from their first meeting has been monumental. “The first year that I was on that trip, you couldn't get Kells [MGK] to even give Country the time of day,” Dustin said. “Really, he hated it… Since then, it's evolved. I think the genre has, you know, probably in a way made him respect and recognize.”
It’s been quite the evolution for MGK as he went from not giving Country music the time of day to now having his own Country collaboration with one of modern-day Country’s biggest artists, Jelly Roll. In July, the pair gave one of the genre’s most iconic songs the crossover treatment with the release of “Lonely Road,” which samples John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” from 1971.
Mainstream artists like Machine Gun Kelly aren’t the only ones having fun with the shake-up — longtime Country artists like Dustin himself are also enjoying pushing the boundaries of what Country music has always been and that’s exactly what Lynch did with his most-recent single, “Chevrolet,” featuring Jelly Roll.
“I was scared to death of it.” Lynch admitted when he first heard the song which interpolates Dobie Gray's "Drift Away" from 1973. “Interpolation of a classic song that’s been around forever — it's like, ‘Okay, can we do this again?’”
He continued, “I was just nervous. I didn't want to be judged, you know, and that's probably why the conversation ever started [of featuring Jelly Roll]. Like, ‘Should we bring in somebody else in to soften the blow?’”
With the song recently reaching number one on the charts marking a 10th hit record for Lynch, he’s happy he went for it, but says he’s ready to return to a more original Country sound with his new music, which is in the works.
“There's a song on the Killed the Cowboy album that really inspired, I think, what's going to be the next chapter for me,” Lynch revealed. “And that’s, 'Honky Tonk Heartbreaker,' just musically and sonically, that one excites me a lot. It's fresh and new for me, kind of getting back to where I started with, 'Cowboys and Angels,' a little bit. There's no definite direction yet.”
While all the logistics if the next album are still very much in the beginning stages, Lynch says there’s one thing for sure — he wants it to be fun. “I want to keep it light and fun and make music for guys and girls to dance too,” he shared. “I think that's kind of where I'm at in life right now just providing some fun for some people… I think I want more of those moments in our show right now.”
Hear more about his ideas surrounding a new album, his friendship with MGK, his inability to “veg out” and more by checking out Dustin Lynch’s full interview on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Chris Young is a man of many talents. Not only does he have 14 number ones under his belt at Country radio — including his most recent, “Young Love and Saturday Nights,” but he’s also a closet breakdancer.
Young’s breakdancing talent has been exposed thanks to his mom, Becky Harris, who shared his secret during an appearance on the Got It From My Mama Podcast with Jennifer Vickery Smith which has resurfaced following breakdancing being added to the Olympics this year.
“Down on second avenue [Nashville] there was a group of B-boys that would actually go meet up so i would play shows acoustic and then go down to second avenue and they had cardboard and a drummer.”
He continued “A lot of those guys were really close friends of mine and I just picked it up. It was something that I thought was really fun. I guess that's part of me being a Gemini because that has absolutely no bearing on me being a Country artist.”
While Young seems to have some serious cred, fans shouldn’t expect to see him bust any moves at upcoming shows. “It’s a party trick,” he said when asked if he could bust out some moves on the spot. “Nor will I do it on stage because everybody immediately goes and asks for that.”
Breakdancing may have no place on Young’s current Young Love & Saturday Nights Tour, but he did share some unexpected things that do when asked about his pre-show rituals.
“There are multiple handshakes, there are certain things that I'm just a creature of habit about praying before I go on stage,” he shared. “My stage manager always has a movie quote that he says once we're ready to go for the show — different movie every day and we all have to try and guess what movie it is. I actually love that.”
We’re sure many of those quotes come from sports movies as Young is a known sports fanatic made clear by the bling he sports on his finger which is a legitimate World Series ring for the Texas Rangers. “I know people that know people,” he said when asked how he got the official bling.
“I didn’t think honestly I’d be able to get one,” he admitted. “I was making a casual observation that those rings are really, really cool and I used to live in Arlington, Texas and went to Rangers games.”
Definitely a man of many different hobbies, music still holds the top spot in Young’s heart and he’s feeling extra grateful that his most recent album, Young Love & Saturday Nights, has been received so well by fans. “There's so many songs that people have leaned into,” he said of the project, which released earlier this year. “That's really all you're hoping for as an artist is for people to love your music and relate to it.”
Hear about the music, hobbies, breakdancing and so much more by checking out Young’s full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Music has always been a family affair for Thomas Rhett. From spending his childhood on the road with his Dad, Rhett Akins in the 90s, to his own successful music career today with many of his songs centering around his wife and their four daughters — Rhett has proven himself a true family man and his fans love him for it.
The family inspiration continues with Rhett’s recently released, 7th studio album, About A Woman, which as most could guess is filled with tracks inspired by his wife, Lauren. Also the inspiration behind many of Rhett’s biggest hits including “Die A Happy Man,” “Look What God Gave Her” and “Unforgettable,” Lauren is no stranger to being the subject of a hit song, but this go-around she had a special request for her husband of 12 years.
“She was like, ‘I love when you write songs about me, but can you make me dance this go around?’” Rhett said of his wife’s request for this project. “And so that was kind of my bar, and sort of my benchmark.”
Lauren wasn’t the only one ready to dance — Rhett says his four daughters also helped him select some of the songs for the album and were clearly loyal to the ones that made them want to move including, “Fool,” which Rhett says is their clear favorite.
“I remember playing the demo of that for them,” he shared of the track that sits number one in honor of his girls. “That was Willa Gray's number one of the whole record, like most requested song. That, for me, was enough to be like, ‘Alright, well, this is your track on the record and we'll put it number one for you.'”
Rhett credits the support and fun-loving nature of his wife and kids for helping him accomplish this number one goal with the album, which he shares was to put a smile on every listeners’ face. “The first mission was to bring joy,” he shared. “Like, literally, that was like at the root of every song we sat down to write was like, does this put a smile on your face?”
His second goal was to make the project digestible in a world full of massive music releases including double, triple, and quadruple albums. “I remember the conversation being so long about how many songs makes a record good these days because it's all over the place. Some people are putting out EPs, some people are putting out songs with 40 songs on the project… at the end of the day, I wanted to make a record that… felt digestible, something that you could carve out 36 minutes of your time to listen to, and hopefully it had the repeatability.”
That’s exactly what the 34-year-old served up with 14 tracks encompassing joy, musicality and talent, once again, proving he’s at his best when influenced by the love, inspiration, and support of his family.
Hear more about the album, upcoming live shows and his family by checking out Thomas Rhett’s full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
The wait is over for new music from Lainey Wilson, who is celebrating the release of her newest project, Whirlwind, available now. Just as the title suggests, the Louisiana-native is giving fans a journey through her Whirlwind life with 14 tracks full of fun, funk, and of course, her signature Bell Bottom Country style.
“I think this is truly the best stuff that we've ever done,” Wilson told Audacy’s Katie Neal during her appearance on the Superstar Power Hour. “I feel like I've just got to go so many places and meet so many different types of people that I have a different view of the world.”
The album covers it all from songs about cowboys to upbeat love songs and powerful Country ballads, and according to Wilson the best way to enjoy the Whirlwind journey is by listening exactly the way she did for the first time.
“For me, the first time I listened to it, top to bottom, was in my truck, just riding up and down the road,” she shared. ”I feel like for me, that's a good place for me to take my mind out of everything else and just focus on the road and focus on the songs.”
Listening to her songs through the speakers is a lifelong dream come true for Lainey, and while eternally grateful, the 32-year-old says her Whirlwind life is far from perfect. With the demands of the music industry, being in the public eye and balancing her own personal life, the ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year shares the beautiful chaos can often feel more like a tornado, but she still chooses to embrace very moment.
“It is still chaotic, AF [as f***],” Lainey said of her daily schedule. “Every day I get up, I'm just like, ‘attitude of gratitude, because this stuff right here are all the things that you worked for,’” she reflected. “I would have just given so much to have opportunities like this. And so I'm so thankful.”
Lainey shared she she’s never far from good advice as her fellow Country pals have no problems keeping her in check during when the going gets tough. One of those pals is her “Go Home With You” duet partner, Keith Urban. “Keith Urban told me this one time… I think i was tired from a [tour] run or something and he said, ‘Remember, no whining on the yacht,’ and I was like, ‘But, Keith!!’”
Another familiar face and big-time supporter for Lainey is her boyfriend, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, who she says understands her in a unique way as he had the opportunity to live out his own dreams and a professional football player.
“I will tell you, the reason I know I found the right one is because for years, I mean, since he was five years old, he was trying to play football. And he did whatever it took to end up walking on with the Steelers,” she shared. “I know how hard he worked for that, and he knows how hard I worked for this and so, it’s crazy because when we first met, he was comin’ off of football and I was goin’ in to better things and we learned how to deal with all of it.”
She continued, “We just know how much we’ve had to sacrifice to do it and so he would never, in a million years ever make me feel bad about saying yes to things because we know that we're going to one day, we're going to have the time.”
Lainey’s love for Duck can be felt throughout a number of tracks on the album, including the lead single, “Hang Tight Honey,” in addition to “Counting Chickens,” a playful ode to falling head over heels that pokes fun at Duck’s name. “One chicken, two chickens, three chickens, oh shoot, I think that’s a Duck,” she recites at the end of the song.
“When I tell people, his name is Duck, they're like, ‘Doug?’ I'm like, ‘No, like, quack, quack,’ and they're like, ‘Oh.’ I'm like, ‘Yeah, as soon as you thought I couldn't get any more redneck, I did,’” she laughed.
“I don't think I'm ever going to be the love songwriter that's like mushy-gushy,” she said, referring to the playful nature of the tune. “Like, I am in a happy, healthy relationship with somebody who has got his own thing going on and he's my biggest cheerleader. But we have our own lives and we live them. And then we come together and it's even better.“
In addition to the fun-loving songs on her album, there’s also a good dose of deep Country storytelling, especially noticeable on the final track, “Whiskey Colored Crayon.”
“I just wanted to end on that note of like, ‘This is why I fell in love with Country music.' It's the storytelling aspect of all of it,” she shared. “[The title] came from a word exercise that [songwriter] Josh Kear did. He writes random list of things — like, he might write a list of things that he hates and write a list of things that he loves — and ‘whiskey’ and ‘colored crayon’ ended up being two of the things on the list of like, hundreds of things that he wrote and he just paired it and that’s how he came up with ‘Whiskey Colored Crayon,’ and then we developed the storyline around it.”
The song is one Lainey feels is important to share with her fan base to ensure her commitment to not only keep the storytelling side of Country alive but also reminding listeners they are not alone when they walk through struggles.
“I think there's so many things that happen behind closed doors that people are scared to talk about or admit,” she said. “And the truth is, we all have issues. We all have problems. So let's not act like we don’t.”
In the same breath, Lainey shares beauty can arise from life’s struggles in her new duet, “Nosedive,” with Post Malone on his new album, F-1 Trillion, available now. “Sometimes the picture, it ain’t perfect, but there’s still learnin’ in the hurtin’” she sings in the duet.
While that particular song was written by fellow Country star, Luke Combs alongside Post and more, Wilson got her own time to spend with the icon in studio and ended up writing a tune cut by Dolly Parton and Post Malone titled, “Have The Heart.”
“You can tell a lot about somebody just from sitting around and watching how they treat people. I'm not even playing, we wrote for like 12, 13 hours through the night and even people coming in to like change the trash or whatever — he treated them just like he would treat the CEO,” Lainey said of her time with Post in studio. “Speaking to them and making them feel welcome. I had not spent time with him before then and I was just like, ‘You deserve all the good in the world because you are good in the world.’”
She added, “We wrote a song together that night that Dolly Parton ended up cutting,” before concluding with how well the Pop artist knows his Country music. “He knows his Country music,” she stated. “I could be like ‘hey, who's that who sings that song back in 1951 about blah blah blah?’ I’m telling you, he would know it.”
Post also knows what an amazing friend and artistic collaborator Lainey is, and wasn’t afraid to give her a spotlight during his Grand Ole Opry debut last week where he welcomed Wilson to the circle to perform, “Nosedive” for the first time.
“She is honestly one of then most stunning people I have ever met in my entire life,” he told the Opry crowd of Wilson. “Her heart is bigger than her hat and her writing ability is out of control. She is a hell of a singer and just, so talented.”
We couldn’t agree more and believe Whirlwind is proof of it all. Give it a listen wherever you buy music and hear more from Lainey by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Brantley Gilbert is baring all for his new album, Tattoos, due September 13 and we mean all. One look at the cover and fans will see a bare-chested Gilbert, standing tall with his tattoos on full-display, each one an important part of the forthcoming album.
“If you’ve seen the album cover, I’m topless! I’m about to break 40 and I’m on there with my boobies out,” Gilbert said with a laugh during his recent time on Audacy’s Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal. All jokes aside, the 39-year-old says sharing his tattoos is one of the most personal things he could do. With many of them being faith-based and representing personal stories and reminders, it sets a tone for the album that is highly personal and a little different than what he’s done in the past.
“This is the first album that hasn’t had a faith-based or spiritual title, but… I have a giant cross that goes across the top of my chest… a lot of my tattoos are faith-based.” Writing about his tattoos was an idea that took some serious convincing for Gilbert, who shared he’s never been a fan of songs about tattoos.
When approached by his cowriters at a retreat in Texas, Gilbert says he immediately shot down their idea of writing about tattoos, until one of them made it a challenge. “They were like, we should write a tattoo song and I was like… ‘No. I’m not writing a tattoo song because if you’ve ever heard a tattoo song before this one, they all suck.’ It usually comes from somebody that has one or two like, ‘Look at my tattoo it’s so cool,’ and I remember Randy Montana saying, ‘Well, Hey dude, make it your job to not let this one suck.’”
Challenge accepted, and after reflecting on the stories, reminders and symbolism of his ink, Gilbert says he’s immensely proud of the song and project as a whole. “I really do love that song. It’s extremely personal and literally, every line in that song, I can point to the tattoo on me that it’s talking about. I’ve found in my career, a lot of times if you write a song easy to relate to… the ones that are close to the chest and more personal are usually more relatable, so this one couldn’t be closer.”
Ahead of the September 13 release, fans have gotten a taste of the album with Brantley’s current single, “Over When We’re Sober,” featuring newcomer Ashley Cooke. Written by Gilbert, alongside Jelly Roll, the song continues to climb the charts, a direct result of the power of Gilbert and Cooke’s voices together.
“She’s been awesome to work with, you couldn’t ask for any more out of a duet partner than what she’s bringing to the table,” Brantley shared before detailing there’s a few other duets fans have to look forward to on the project, including one with Rascal Flatts frontman, Gary LeVox.
“This wasn’t on anyone’s BINGO card,” Brantley laughed when asked about how the unlikely pair found one another. “I remember not knowing what to think about the guy ‘cause they had the boy band thing goin’ on, spiky hair and the shirts and whole 9 and I was kind of anti-that,” Brantley admitted of the first time he met LeVox back in the day. That quickly changed after he got to know LeVox and the pair quickly became friends. “Country as cornbread,” he said to describe Gary. “That dude… he’s stays out in the woods and out on the farm.”
Hear more about Brantley’s time working with Gary, how he and his wife are preparing for baby #3, and lots more behind the scenes stories of the new album by checking out his entire conversation on Audacy’s Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
It all started with helping others for Nate Smith, who was a Certified Nursing Assistant before making it big in Country music. At the age of 18, Smith leaned into his love for others by becoming a CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant), but little did he know that road would lead him to Country stardom.
Always full of enthusiasm with a big smile on his face, it’s no surprise bringing joy to those around him is a gift for Smith, but it looks a little different these days as he’s gone from helping people accomplish everyday tasks during their stay in assisted living facilities and hospitals to rocking out on stage and dancing through his sets with thousands of fans.
“I like to help people,” Smith told Audacy’s Katie Neal during the Superstar Power Hour as he recalled his past work in the medical field. “When I was 18, I became a CNA — Certified Nurse Assistant — and I had jobs in convalescent homes [and] acute care. I was working in different hospitals and retirement home sort-of-situations where they require more care than just assisted living… helping them with the activities and daily living… I just love people a lot, I love taking care of people.”
His journey to help people shifted when he was 23 and received an opportunity to spread joy through one of his biggest hobbies — music — by signing a record deal in Nashville.
“When I was 23, I had an opportunity to get a record deal in Nashville and so I moved to Nashville for the first time with Word Records — it’s a Christian company here in town,” he explained. “It sort of fell though after six months of negotiating… I ended up signing a publishing deal as a songwriter so I did that for about three years and I went through a really difficult break-up.”
Navigating heartbreak led Nate to a move back home to California to be with his family, but just as he started healing — more devastation hit. In 2018, Smith lost everything to a wildfire, which sparked a new grieving process where he leaned on music more than ever.
Following the fire in 2018, Nate’s friend sent him a guitar which allowed him to keep making music and ultimately prompted a second move to Nashville, second record deal offer, and so much more for Smith who has now found his own place in Country music after the release of his debut album and EP.
Now, Smith is looking to solidify that space even more as he shares he’s currently at work on his sophomore album. The 38-year-old promises it will include some of the Rocker-Country vibes his fans love so much, while he also says some of the tracks will push the boundaries a bit.
“Yes, there’s an album coming, there’s for sure an album coming,” he promised. “There’s going to be songs on this one that are more in the world that you’re familiar with like ‘World On Fire,’ ‘Bulletproof,’ ‘Whiskey [on You]’ without re-doing the songs… There will also be a lot of songs that push the listener outside of that too. We’re excited to push the boundaries a little bit.”
Smith has teased a taste of the new album with clips of an unreleased song, “Fix What You Didn’t Break,” on socials and it’s clear fans are more excited than ever. “I feel like I’ve had a lot of tempo, tempo and I think it would be good not to go all the way extreme and go super ballad, but find a tough boy love song,” he said when asked about the tune.
“We set out to kind of marry the 2000s with Country,” he said of the inspiration behind the song. “Listening to those songs like ,'I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing' or 'Here Without You' [by] 3 Doors Down, that kind of thing…. I’m so excited about this song, I really believe in it.”
“Fix What You Didn’t Break,” is available for pre-save now while the release date for Smith’s sophomore album remains under wraps. Hear more about what to expect, his past in nursing, time on tour with Morgan Wallen, bromance with Bailey Zimmerman and so much more by checking out Nate Smith’s entire conversation on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After revealing he landed two collaborations on one of the most highly-anticipated records of the year — Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion — Luke Combs opened up about what it was really like working with one of 2024’s hottest artists.
“We’ve written a bunch together this year — probably close to five or six different times,” Combs said of how much time him and Post have spent creating together for the new album.
Combs continued on to described writing with him as “the best,” and even felt like a student at times watching Posty’s creative process. “It was fun. It was stepping outside of stuff that I wouldn’t normally write, but also bringing my little bit of knowledge into his thing. It was really cool because the way those guys write and produce and create stuff is so different from the way I do it and it was just really cool to get to be around that stuff and experience it. It was really a lot of fun.”
He continued, “He’s such a music fan, he just loves music — all kinds of music. He loves making music, he has such good energy, he’s just positive — at least from my experience. He’s just the sweetest dude.”
Mixing their creativity was clearly a recipe for success as Luke is featured on two of the album’s 18 tracks, “Guy For That” and “Missin' You Like This.” And while Luke clearly had his own impact on the album, he says he actually hasn’t heard much of it outside of the songs he recorded. “I haven’t heard a lot of it,” he said, revealing he’ll be listening to the majority of it for the first time along with the rest of us on August 16.
In addition to his newly releases with Posty, Luke has also been teasing some new solo music, which hints at a new album, but according to Luke the main focus is his family.
“Obviously, I have two, young sons… so it’s a crazy ride right now,” he said before sharing splitting his time between his current tour and raising his sons has him completely booked right now. “It goes from back-to-back stadiums to back-to-back bedtime, bath, bottle, diaper. It’s a crazy juxtaposition, but it’s also the best thing in the world.”
Hear more from Luke about new music, his tracks on Post Malone’s new album, plus his involvement on the Twisters soundtrack by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Jordan Davis is taking things back to his musical roots with a new single, “I Ain’t Sayin’,” and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
During his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal, Davis shared the new single captures the exact sound he was going for with his new album, which he says will release within the next year. While he’s surprisingly not a writer on the song, it strongly reminisces his earlier hits like “Singles You Up” and “Take It From Me,” which Davis did have a hand in writing.
“The last couple of singles we changed it up and we did some more traditional sounding songs,” she shared. “I felt like I just needed to go back to something that I did early.”
“It’s kind of cool to not be on one,” he shared, clarifying he will never be too proud to take an outside cut. “To think that your song — the one that you wrote — is always going to be better is not the case, it’s not what this town was built on… [songwriters] work really hard to get songs recorded and I’m really happy that they’ve got a single out — I know how special that is to a songwriter — so I’m excited to see this one climb up the charts.”
Written by Jordan’s frequent collaborators Steve Moakler, Travis Wood, Mark Holman and Emily Reid, the song is the first taste of Jordan’s forthcoming album, which will mark the third LP of his career.
“We’ve recorded 12 songs,” Jordan said of the project’s current status. “The 12 we’ve recorded I’m really proud of and I’d like to think that we’re getting close to wrapping it up. Whether it comes out this year or not, I’m not too sure but it’ll definitely be out if not the end of this year — early next year.”
While Davis continued work on the album, he’s also keeping busy on the road with his headlining Damn Good Time Tour featuring Mitchell Tenpenny and Ashley Cooke in addition to touring with Luke Combs as support on his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour.
“I never thought I’d be playing in MetLife Stadium or SoFi or whatever, I’m so grateful to Luke for giving me that chance, especially after taking me on tour last year,” Jordan shared. “I guess he can put up with me enough to put me on two tours. He’s been so good to us and those shows have just been unreal.”
Hear more about new music from Jordan, his time on tour, family and what sport he’s looking forward to watching most in the 2024 Summer Olympics by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Audacy's Katie Neal welcomed Dan + Shay as the week’s co-hosts for the Superstar Power Hour on all your favorite Audacy Country stations nationwide, getting into their exciting experience as coaches on The Voice, new music, and plenty more during their chat.
Dan + Shay will be kicking off the extension of their Heartbreak on the Map Tour this month, making stops in 30 additional cities featuring special guests Jake Owen and Dylan Marlowe. The tour is named after the third track on the duo’s most recent album, Bigger Houses, which was released in 2023. See a full list of the duo’s summer tour dates below and grab your tickets HERE.
Though plenty of excitement from the stage is certainly expected, we’re not expecting to see any behind-the-scenes pranks going on between the pair while on the road. “We're not prank guys,” Dan Smyers explains. However he remembers, “Somebody sent me a picture from a thrift store and it was somebody who used to work at our record label. It was like, you know, ‘Tequila's gone more than 2X-platinum at this point, but somebody sold it to the thrift store and her name was on it… It was on sale for like three bucks. I was like, ‘Come on, this is unbelievable!’”
Katie recalled a time when she noticed some bar stools at a friend's house which just happened to have belonged to Dan at one point. “I'm slingin’ stuff on Facebook marketplace all the time,” he admits. “I'll go out of my way to get 10 bucks off somebody. You know what I mean? I'll sell like a rug pad or something. My full names on there, like, verified account and everything.” He says once in a while he’ll get noticed, “But I'm just like, ‘I don't know, trying to get rid of it. It's hard to bargain at that point though. They show up and they're like, this guy… he's done fairly well and he's bargaining me for $10 for a rug pad.’”
His secret to negotiations: “Don't show your cards. My wife, she's so sweet. She shows her cards way too early. Like, if somebody comes to give us a quote, she'll give it all away and then the quote comes in astronomically high. I'm like, ‘Yeah, we're still on the fence about getting this pool if you want to give us a quote, you know, we just don't know. There's a bunch of people in the mix.’ She'll be like, ‘We love this and we would love to start as quickly as possible,’ and then the quote comes in double what it should. Then we don't get a pool.”
Looking back on their time on NBC’s The Voice, Dan says he’s not missing all of the travel back and forth from Los Angeles to Nashville. “On the map, it doesn't look that far. But when you're in the plane it's a lot… Might as well go to Europe. It's 100 years away, but we've been raw dogging. Those flights have been raw.”
Shay Mooney tells Katie, “I would say, my favorite part about doing ‘The Voice’ was just meeting the contestants. We get to do music for a living, which is the greatest job. I mean, all of us, we get to be involved in music and we get to do this, which is pretty incredible, but I feel like you can get jaded. You kind of jump on the train and you go down the tracks and it doesn't stop and you're just like, ‘Man, this is, this is so crazy.’ You don't have time to think about the bad things or the good things. We're doing 250 shows in one year, but I feel like you can get very jaded on a very incredible job.”
“This really took that back to the beginning for me, meeting a lot of these people and getting to see the excitement in their eyes just to be there and it made me excited to get to do this again, to be in that position. Not being the one that is sitting there singing to these chairs that are turned backwards is just a crazy thing. I'm excited to be on that side of it and get to share some of our wisdom, some of our failures, some of the things that we got to learn from, and hopefully they won't have to go through some of the things that we had to go through.”
“Getting to help people along like this is such a big moment for them,” Dan adds. “Hearing people's stories, that a lot of them are from small towns. It's like they've never played a show before and here they are with the craziest opportunity… Being on national television with thousands of cameras around you, a whole crew, and then these chairs that are facing backwards. That's tough. If you can overcome that, you can probably make it in the music business.”
Being given the chance to hang out with Reba McIntyre, Dan says, “was a dream for us. She's just the coolest person in the world. We've gotten to know her a little bit over the years. We really got to spend time in L.A. and she's just such a professional. There's a reason why she's had so much success. She still shows up five minutes early to every meeting. Just a pro, sweet to everybody. What you see on TV is who she actually is.”
Offering up some advice for Kelsea Ballerini who will be coaching on the new season, Dan says she should “just approach everything with a little bit of patience, for yourself. I feel like it's a learning curve. She's done a lot of it before. I feel like she, she was maybe a fill in judge for ‘The Voice,’ so she's probably an old pro, she's probably better at it than we are at this point. But, no, I just think go into it and have fun. We didn't know a lot about TV going into it. We just try to be ourselves and I think when you're able to be yourself and feel really comfortable in that moment it comes across on TV.”
The timing of their network TV debut and then hitting the road couldn’t have worked out any better. “Because we've had a few songs out there on the radio, they connect the dots between the music and being on TV,” Dan says. “It's been awesome at shows. People are making signs like ‘Team Dan and Shay’ and wearing the jerseys and stuff. I think it's bringing new people to our shows -- and as many people as we can get to our shows the better.”
Being recognizable can certainly backfire of course. Shay remembers one occasion being in the bathroom when a guy walked up and asked, “Are you famous?” He explains, “first of all, when you get the question, ‘are you famous?’ It's always a weird way to put it. Then you're like, ‘I mean, I guess not if you gotta ask.’” After laughing the question off, he says the guy persisted. “He was like, ‘No, you're famous.’ So then I'm sitting there at the urinal, you know, and I didn't know what to say. It was very uncomfortable. Maybe if you see somebody that you recognize… wait outside the bathroom after you've both washed your hands because it's like, I don't know what you expect to happen here. Like, I'm not gonna shake your hand, we're not gonna do a picture.”
Hear more about what to expect from the upcoming tour by checking out Katie's full conversation with Dan + Shay above, and tune in to the Superstar Power Hour with Katie & Company every weekday from 2PM - 3PM on your favorite Audacy Country stations!
Dan + Shay’s Heartbreak on the Map Tour Dates:
Thu Jul 18 | Cincinnati, OH | Riverbend Music Center^
Fri Jul 19 | Noblesville, IN | Ruoff Music Center^
Sat Jul 20 | St. Louis, MO | Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO^
Thu Jul 25 | Toronto, ON | Budweiser Stage^
Fri Jul 26 | Syracuse, NY | Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview^
Sat Jul 27 | Gilford, NH | BankNH Pavilion^
Thu Aug 01 | Clarkston, MI | Pine Knob Music Theatre^
Fri Aug 02 | Burgettstown, PA | The Pavilion at Star Lake^
Sat Aug 03 | Bristow, VA | Jiffy Lube Live^
Fri Aug 09 | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | Blossom Music Center^
Sat Aug 10 | Wantagh, NY | Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater^
Sun Aug 11 | Bangor, ME | Maine Savings Amphitheater^
Thu Aug 15 | Charleston, SC | Credit One Stadium^
Fri Aug 16 | Charlotte, NC | PNC Music Pavilion^
Sat Aug 17 | Raleigh, NC | Coastal Credit Union Music Park^
Thu Aug 22 | West Palm Beach, FL | iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre^
Fri Aug 23 | Tampa, FL | MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre^
Sat Aug 24 | Alpharetta, GA | Ameris Bank Amphitheatre^
Thu Aug 29 | Rogers, AR | Walmart AMP^
Fri Aug 30 | Dallas, TX | Dos Equis Pavilion^
Sat Aug 31 | Woodlands, TX | The CWM Pavilion presented by Huntsman^
Thu Sep 05 | Phoenix, AZ | Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre^
Fri Sep 06 | Chula Vista, CA | North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre^
Thu Sep 12 | Ridgefield, WA | RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater^
Fri Sep 13 | Bend, OR | Hayden Homes Amphitheater^
Sat Sep 14 | Mountain View, CA | Shoreline Amphitheatre^
Sun Sep 15 | Stateline, NV | Lake Tahoe Harveys Outdoor Arena^
Thu Sep 19 | Nampa, ID | Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater^
Fri Sep 20 | West Valley City, UT | Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater^
Sat Sep 21 | Denver, CO | Fiddlers Green Amphitheater^
Words by Joe Cingrana Interview by Katie Neal
Katie just went on an amazing vacation to Italy all by herself! Naturally, she found some pros, as well as some cons to taking on a solo adventure.
Brantley Gilbert is soon-to-be a father of three and could not be more excited to be blessed with another little one. While he and his wife, Amber, are keeping the gender a secret from the public for now, he did share that one of his kids had a less-than-desirable reaction to the news.
“One of ‘em was really stoked and one of ‘em was not feeling it at all,” Brantley laughed, admitting his daughter was hoping for a girl and his son was rooting for a boy. Regardless of a boy or girl, Gilbert says he hopes his third child doesn’t have the level of attitude his daughter does.
“It’s bad,” he said of his 4-year-old daughter’s sass. “She’s boujee, she’s gangster too all at the same time. There’s a little Al Capone in that child. … it’s something else,” he laughed.
When asked about names, Gilbert said he doesn’t think his wife would ever let him name the baby, so that’ll be a secret for now too.
While he’s keeping a lot under wraps for now, one thing that’s out in the open is news of a new song, “Over When We’re Sober” featuring Ashley Cooke, available June 21. Gilbert revealed the song was originally written by him and Jelly Roll for a different album but eventually found a home on Brantley’s forthcoming, 7th studio album.
“We wrote it for an album that Jelly [Roll] and I were working on for a minute,” Gilbert shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal during an interview at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe during CMA Fest. “That wouldn’t have really been that good with me and him singing that to each other, you know?” He laughed before sharing he and Jelly’s writing sessions are quite a spectacle. “If there was a fly on the wall that could talk, we’d probably have to kill him,” he laughed.
Jokes aside, Brantley says he was excited to present the song to Cooke, who he says slayed the vocals. “We took it to Ashley in studio and she knocked it out of the park. I’m really excited to work with her, she’s a rockstar.”
The song will be the second taste of Brantley’s seventh studio album which he describes as being created with absolutely no rules. “All the rules are changing, which for us is a good thing,” he shared. “Well, there never really have been rules for us, but now there are less than there were … with this record, we really just let things be what they wanted to be, but we’ve got some solid country stuff on there.”
To hear more about the music, family, and Jelly Roll writing session, check out Brantley Gilbert’s entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Riley Green is keeping the good times rolling on his 2024 Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour, most recently by surprising his fans with special guest, John Daly, on stage.
The pro golfing legend hopped on stage with Green during a show earlier this month in Iowa and sang, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” until Green says he physically had to pull Daly off the stage.
“He’s a character,” Green told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his CMA Fest interview at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe. “It’s hard to bring somebody like that out on stage because his personality is so much bigger than mine — he almost enjoys it more than me so it’s hard to drag him back off the stage. [He was out there] as long as I’d let him be. I had to physically go and get the mic from him.”
While Daly brought a new energy to Riley’s show, the good times didn’t stop there for fans as they also got to hear Green’s new single, “Damn Good Day to Leave,” which he describes as a “fun break-up song.”
According to Green, there’s a lot more where that came from as he is already working on music for a new album he hopes to release in the fall. That would be only one year since the release of his latest album, Ain’t My Last Rodeo.
“I’m in the studio, constantly writing and we’re recording some new music. I’m going to try and put out another album later this year,” he shared. “I don’t see why not. While people are listening we’re gonna try to keep ‘em listening.”
The 35-year-old says he’s been paying close attention to fan reactions on the road when it comes to different songs and is doing his best to write more of what he thinks the fans will love.
“I don’t think there’s any better teacher for a songwriter than fans,” he said. “Seeing the reactions and being out on tour — seeing what songs are really resonating. I took that knowledge and tried to write the next album to be a lot of what people seemed to like.”
Hear more about what to expect from the new album and stories from his current tour by checking out Riley Green’s entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal from CMA Fest above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Virginia-born artist Shaboozey is experiencing a new type of heat this summer with the success of his mega-hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
During an intimate chat at CMA Fest with Audacy’s Katie Neal taking place at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe, the 29-year-old shared where he pulled inspiration for the song full of good-time lyrics and boozy references that has music fans of all ages lettin’ loose.
“It’s just a feel-good song,” Shaboozey shared of what he thinks made the tune so successful. “As soon as you hear it, it’s kinda just let go of your worries for a little bit.”
He continued, “I’m gonna tell you this, from the first time that I played that [first] show live when no one has heard it, to now — it’s the same exact reaction,” he shared. “I think that’s when you’ve really made something special… The first time I played it for 20 people and the next time I played it in front of 20,000 people it’s the same reaction… by the end, everyone’s singing the chorus, and everyone’s screaming, like crazy, everyone’s just having a good time the first time they heard it.”
The good times were on full display at CMA Fest over the weekend as numerous stages reached capacity anytime Shaboozey was scheduled. He even played the song twice in a row after fans filled the overflow spaces and packed the surrounding streets and bars for any chance to catch the “good vibes” live. So where exactly did he find the magic mix for this song?
“It definitely started with ‘Everybody in the Club Gettin’ Tipsy,’ [‘Tipsy’ by J-Kwon], he said, recalling the inspiration he felt when hearing the song from 2004. “I think it started there and then… as soon as I said it, It just kind of fell out. It as so fun to write. I have a voice memo of me starting to write the song and you can hear me in real time writing the song… me singing random lyrics and then singing, ‘Me and Jack Daniel’s got a history,’ it’s a really cool piece of archive audio.”
While the song is surely contributing to many good times, Shaboozey says there can also be some major depth to it depending on what frame of mind you are in.
“Not to ruin anybody’s time, but ‘A Bar Song’ is… a song that sounds happy, but if you look at it from a different perspective, it’s also like, a song about someone who is having some struggles that are trying to get through it,” he shared. “And in the moment, it seems like we’re having a great time, but then…. It’s kinda sad. Like, ‘I’m at the bottom of a bottle don’t miss me…. It’s good storytelling.“
There’s a lot more of that depth throughout his newest album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going, whichhighlights his humble beginnings and is proof to everyone of just how far he’s come from “writing music on broken laptops,” to having one of the hottest Country songs of the summer. While many might credit his success mostly to hard work and dedication, Shaboozey says it was mostly “delusion.”
“Making music in a basement and then being like ‘Hey, I want to do this seriously,’ and then just a lot of luck, a lot of delusion,” he said of how he got to where he is. “A lot of delusion, a lot of just, ‘Well, if they did it, why can’t I do it?’ And then just going for it.”
He continued, I didn’t put too much pressure on myself to be like, ‘You gotta be this,’ I’m just having fun and honestly just helping the people around me — helping their dreams come true too. Whether it’s producers or managers or labels, everyone’s got goals and everyone wants to work on something they're proud of so I really just try to work my hardest every time I’m in the studio just to make the people around me proud.”
Safe to say he’s doing just that as he continues to dominate streaming and gains even more traction on the charts. And while all of that is reassuring, Shaboozey says he’s focused on just staying true to himself, his sound and the people who have supported him.
“It’s not about the accolades and the awards… it’s really about how do you feel when you get there,” he concluded.
Hear much more from Shaboozey by checking out his entire interview at CMA Fest with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Post Malone has cannonballed into Country music and couldn’t be receiving a warmer welcome from fans and fellow artists. One of those most excited to welcome him is Jelly Roll, who believes Country music is exactly where Posty belongs.
“He knows so much about Country music,” Jelly told Audacy’s Katie Neal of Post Malone. “This wasn’t like, ‘Oh, Country is hot right now, let me go over there,’ he’s been wanting to do this forever and has been talking about it in interviews forever.”
He continued, “His heart is here. I think they’re going to have a struggle to get him to do a record that’s not Country again.” Surely that’ll be fine by the majority of Country fans who have helped propel his first Country single, “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen to the top of the charts in record time.
While Jelly recognizes Posty creates more of a fight for him on the charts — there is one title he is willing to relinquish to Post — one of the nicest guys in Country music. “He is the sweetest dude, ever, man,” Jelly said. “I thought I was one of the nicest guys in Country music and then I met Luke Bryan and I was like, I’m an a**.’ Now, I’ve met Post Malone and I’m like, ‘I’m just plain rude!’”
Clearly, Jelly is happy to shine the light on Post Malone and credits him for having the song of the summer with “I had Some Help,” but come fall — the 39-year-old says he’ll be ready for his own moment with new music.
“My sound has never fully favored the summer, so I think we’ll be coming out [with new music] around fall,” he revealed of a new project he says is 85-95% done. “It was cool [to write] because I’m in a different headspace than I’ve ever been so I was in a cool place to be able to write like that. I wrote most of my career from extreme, dark, hopelessness, which I still write from… I am now trying to write from the perspective of the people the music helps.”
He concluded, “I didn’t write any song on this album to try to be like, a hit. I wrote every song to be impactful.”
Hear more about the new music to come, his friendship with Post Malone and why he thinks Morgan Wallen is the Garth Brooks of our generation by checking out Jelly Roll’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Bailey Zimmerman bared all last month when he stripped down to his underwear at Stagecoach music festival in Indio, CA. Now, the 24-year-old is sharing exactly what was going through his mind as he unbuttoned and unzipped in front of thousands with freshly spray-tanned skin.
“People buy a ticket and they expect to see a show, so I was like, ‘Take your clothes off, man. Do it!’” Bailey said of what went through his mind when he was told he had to end his set early due to severe weather. Determined to “Give them a freakin’ show,” in any way he could to make up for the shortened set, Zimmerman started to strip, and has absolutely no regrets in his efforts to make people smile in an unfortunate situation.
“I’ve never been scared to be that guy,” he shared of doing something goofy. “I just want to have fun, I just want to make sure everybody is happy, everybody was goin’ home at least goin’ ‘We might not have been able to hear the songs we wanted to, but I got his pants.’”
The confidence to bare all in front of thousands is next level and for Bailey, a large part of that confidence was knowing he had sun-kissed skin to show off underneath his clothes.
“I’m tired of hiding it, I get freakin’ spray tans and that’s fine cause I’m human and I was born with like, the whitest skin, I am like a ghost,” he stated. “Sometimes, I wanna be tan with everybody else and it’s fun to be tan, OK?”
He continued, “Quit thinking it’s weird to get a spray tan. Everybody looks better with a spray tan, you look better with a spray tan and it’s fun. Ernest has been saying, ‘Legalize Country music,’ I say, ‘Legalize men’s spray tans and quit judging me, bro!’”
His spray tan secret hasn’t been the only thing under wraps for Zimmerman, who also shared new music is in the works, but he’s not ready to share it quite yet.
Teasing fans with the first new taste of what’s to come with his new release, “Holy Smokes,” Zimmerman promises when it does come it’ll be fresh, yet familiar to his fans worldwide.
“’Holy Smokes’ for me, was something fresh, that sounded a little different, but also, was still me,” he said of the song, before sharing he’s aiming to release more new music in the fall. “2024 is a time for me to try things that I haven’t tried before [but] also stick on the same things and write… that’s what I’m chasin’ with this new album that’s hopefully coming in the fall. I don’t know yet though, I won’t turn it in if it’s not perfect.”
Hear all about what Zimmerman is working on, his near-naked on-stage appearance and so much more by checking out his entire conversation on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Following the recent release of his new single, “Drinkin’ Buddies,” Lee Brice is excited to share even more new music with a brand new album.
“I say this about every record, but it is the most ‘me’ record, songs, music all of it, that I’ve ever done,” Lee told Audacy’s Katie Neal of the forthcoming record during his time on the Superstar Power Hour.
Nearing the 14th anniversary of releasing his debut album, Love Like Crazy, Lee is reflecting on the new-found freedom he feels while making music.
“[I’m] just kinda at a point in my life where I want to do the music that I want to do and I don’t wanna necessarily feel like there’s boundaries or walls or genres,” he said. “Country music is truth, it’s who I am, so whatever comes out of me — I’ve got everything from Soul to Pop to Rock to Blues to very Country, Country, Country all the way down to the roots, Gospel — but this thing has a lot of all that.”
While it has a little bit of everything, the 44-year-old shared he is most excited about a Gospel-rooted song, "When the Kingdom Comes," that he says represents not only his favorite song on the whole project, but also represents who he is.
“If I had to play you one song from the whole record, it’d probably be this one gospel sort-of song [‘When the Kingdom Comes’] It wouldn’t be the single, just because I care what people know about me and what they think about where I’m at in my life and that’s where I’m at in my life.”
Don’t let the couple of Gospel songs throw you, Lee promises plenty of good time anthems, quick-witted and playful tunes as well. “We have some really, really, really fun stuff [like] ‘Said No Country Boy Ever,’ ‘Drinkin’ Buddies’ is amazing.”
He concluded, “It’s very diverse, I’ve always had kind of diverse records, but it’s got a thread through it.”
Hear more about the new music, family updates and the story behind his tackiest taxidermy by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Cody Johnson is walking into tonight’s ACM Awards with five nominations and every intention of trying to land a spot on Reba’s new television show.
While excited to be up for one of the night’s biggest awards, Entertainer of the Year, COJO is even more excited to be surrounded by his childhood heroes whom he grew up watching on the ACM Awards. That includes tonight’s host, Reba McEntire, who Johnson said he connected with while at various ACM events earlier in the week.
“I was talking to her earlier this week, she’s so sweet,” Johnson said of McEntire. After inviting her to one of his shows in Arlington, TX this November, Johnson said he also took the opportunity to offer himself up as an extra on her new sitcom. “I was like, ‘Hey! If you need any extras, let me know.’” He laughed.
“It’s always great to have people like Reba or like Ronnie Dunn that you can pick up the phone and call and let them mentor you a little bit,” he said on a more serious note. “They were here for the first time too. They know how it feels. I’m doing this all for the very first time — this is all brand new to me... I remember being a kid and watching Reba and Alan Jackson, George Strait, Garth Brooks and all my heroes that were nominated in this category [Entertainer of the Year].”
In addition to catching up with all his mentors and fellow Country pals, Johnson is also set to take the stage to perform his current single, “Dirt Cheap,” a song he said was almost recorded by Luke Combs. “I’ll tell ya what, Luke Combs had this song,” Cody revealed. “He had it in his phone and never clicked on it. So, thank you, Luke!” he laughed. Expressing his gratitude for the tune that he believes will bring him his next number 1 hit.
Catch Cody’s performance of “Dirt Cheap,” on the ACM Awards tonight via Amazon Prime and hear his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Ahead of tonight’s ACM Awards, Russell Dickerson caught up with Audacy’s Katie Neal to talk new music, that viral moment of his son and Thomas Rhett's daughter, and more.
“I just dropped a little piece called ‘Good Day to Have A Great Day,’" Russell noted, “it's my life motto, obviously,” he added, before going on to recall the first time he had the idea for the song.
“I had the idea and I was like, this could be really dumb. You know what I mean?” Katie didn’t, countering that it turned out “dope.” Which Russell agreed with. “Yeah, it turned out dope and yeah, I was just like, why not just drop this song?” And so he did.
Pulling a parent go-to by pulling out his phone to show Katie some pics of kiddos while he gushed about Remington and Radford, Dickerson also discussed that viral moment of his son and Thomas Rhett's daughter holding hands, and how he cant wait for TR to "pay for the wedding.”
“I think there's going to be this wild moment in 15 years when all of them are in high school together,” Russell said. “Because we live literally two minutes from TR, and so they'll probably go to the same school. They'll probably all be in the same class, They’ll probably fall in love, and then Thomas Rhett will have to pay for the wedding.”
When asked who he’s most excited to see and try to find during commercial breaks during tonight's show, Dickerson shouted out his possible future brother-in-law Rhett. “Probably TR honestly,” she replied, “Just find him and Lauren,” before adding the game plan might include finding “everybody,” noting “I’m friends with everybody.”
As for any after parties, that’s gonna be a no go for Mr and Mrs Dickerson. “We have no kids. So that means trying to catch some Zs, mega Zs… The only after party that I'm going to is betwixt my sheets. Do you know what I'm saying?”
Making sure to ask about his plans for more music, Russell shared that he doesn’t know exact dates, but did reveal that “it's getting mixed probably today or this week sometime.”
“So mix, and then we got a master, then we gotta tweak and then we gotta do, and then we gotta eat,” he joked. "That's, all those pro industry terms that you guys don't really understand.”
To hear all that and more, check the entire interview above, and don't miss the ACM Awards on Amazon Prime.
Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Katie Neal
Lainey Wilson has been on a steady climb with her ACM Award wins after winning New Artist of the Year in 2022, Female Artist of the Year in 2023 and is now up for Entertainer of the Year in 2024.
“I wasn’t nervous until I got here and saw all y’all and we started talking about it,” she said ahead of Thursday night’s show. “So many feelings. It’s just hard to wrap your head around all of it, but I’m excited.”
Along with her Entertainer of the Year nom, Lainey is walking into the awards with an additional four nominations. With a big night ahead, Lainey is staying cool calm and collected knowing she has one of the best plus ones ever — her mama.
“My mama has never walked a red carpet,” Lainey said before sharing her mom is embracing the experience to the fullest. “She was at the spa this morning, I didn’t even get my toes done for this and my mama is gettin’ her toes done. She was like, ‘I want the works!’”
Sharing her special night with her mom is just another example of how humble Lainey remains after skyrocketing to fame over the last few years, and also where the 31-year-old drew inspiration for her next album, Whirlwind.
“In the last few years I have said the word, ‘whirlwind’ a million times because that’s what I feel like it’s been,” she shared. “Trying to keep one foot on the ground, trying to make sure that I’m staying true to myself because we are moving at a very rapid pace and I can see where it’s easy to lose yourself.”
“When I was writing this music and even when I was recording this music… I felt at home. I think making this record, it truly, it was the thing that kept me feeling still in a little bit of the chaos.”
Whirlwind is set to release August 23. Hear more about the album, ACM Awards and Lainey’s new Bell Bottom’s Up Bar in Nashville by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Audacy Launch artist Kassi Ashton is going into tonight’s ACM Awards with her very first nomination and she plans on arriving in style. While catching up with Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of Thursday night’s show, Ashton revealed she made her own red carpet outfit and is “stoked” to show it off.
“I’m stoked to wear my outfit, I made it,” she shared before detailing it reflects her personality perfectly. “You know me, I’m not a rhinestones or sequins girly, I’m a leather girly. I’m a chrome, witchy, ‘70s Cher girly. I hope people that know me, when they see the outfit will go, ‘That’s so her!’”
Fans of Ashton know she is no stranger to making her own clothes and this time, she filmed every stage of the process so fans can see exactly what went into the creation. “They make me film everything,” Ashton said of capturing creative process. “The filming part is so irritating… most the time when I’m sewing, I don’t have pants on… because I’m putting the clothes on and off while Im making them so I’m like, s***, I have to put a shirt on, I’m recording,” she laughed.
Ashton is sure to turn heads with her look tonight and pull even more people in to her growing fanbase. Gaining more traction with her music is something Ashton is really excited for this year as she spends 2024 featured as a Launch artist on Audacy Country stations nationwide.
“Every show I play, I know the amount of people that are singing and dancing along and wearing the merch it’s going to go up exponentially for the rest of the year and that’s insane to me because that’s the kind of fuel that helps to balance out all the rest of the things that aren’t great,” she shared. “And that’s what I’m crazy ecstatic for.”
Hear from Kassi about her outfit, music, hearing herself on the radio and more by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
The 59th Annual ACM Awards are upon us and Thomas Rhett is ready to debut his brand new single, “Beautiful As You,” live for the first time in front of everyone but Chris Stapleton.
During his appearance on Audacy’s Superstar Power Hour with ACM Award-winning Katie Neal, Thomas Rhett shared the one person he avoids eye-contact with while performing at awards shows is Stapleton and here’s why. “He’s just so good,” Thomas laughed. “Even though we’re really good friends, I’m just like, ‘You’re on such on a different level vocally than everyone else in this building.’”
While he’ll be avoiding Stapleton, TR is over the moon to share his first new music in two years on such a big stage. “I haven’t put new music out in two years and so it feels really fresh for us,” he shared before shouting out the ACM Awards for supporting his new single. “Getting to debut a new song on an award show is such an honor — it takes a lot of trust, honestly, from the ACM folks. For them to [say], ‘we heard this song, we like it, you should play it!’ We’re very excited.”
After releasing last week, fans everywhere have been dancing it out to the new single, “Beautiful As You,” which stemmed from one of Rhett’s biggest inspirations, his wife Lauren. “I think in a nutshell, for me, this song fully represents who my wife is at the core,” he shared. “People tell me all the time, ‘You don’t give yourself enough credit,’ and it’s like, I don’t deserve any credit for the marriage I’m in. I genuinely, every day wake up and I wonder ‘Why?’ like, ‘How did this happen?’ It really is one of those songs about just lookin’ at the person you’re with and being like, ‘What are you doing with someone like me? Thank God you are — but why?’”
There’s a lot more fun to come as TR says the single is the first taste of his new album, arriving August 23. “It’s done, mixed, mastered, photo, video — all the things,” Rhett said of the new project which has been his main focus while not touring as heavily. “I’ve taken more time on this project than I really have on any project… It been a fun change of pace.”
Taking time away from touring has not only brought what he says is one of his most joyful albums, but it’s also gifted him precious time with his four daughters at home. “It’s been really fun to kind of immerse myself in school and softball and dance and horses and all the things they’re into,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch them really grow up this year and become themselves.”
It’s also given him the opportunity to go full dad mode and have more opportunities than ever to embarrass his girls like only the best dads do. “We’re going to pick them up from school and I’m going to wear my Chewbacca outfit and Lauren’s going to be Darth Vader,” he said of his plans for picking up his two eldest on May 4th, better known as Star Wars day. “They’re going to be super embarrassed, but that’s what a parent’s job is, is to embarrass their children, so… internally, they’ll think, ‘Mom and Dad are pretty rad,’ but they’ll probably [externally] be like, ‘Ugh! Mom and Dad are such idiots.’”
Hear more about Rhett and his adorable family stories, what he’s looking forward to most about the new album and so much more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above, and don’t forget to tune in to the 2024 ACM Awards taking place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on, May 16 at 8PM ET. Hosted by Reba McEntire, the show isfree to stream exclusively on Prime Video. No Amazon Prime account is needed.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Jelly Roll is headed into the 2024 ACM Awards already breaking records as he celebrates being a first-time nominee with not one, but four nominations; Single of the Year (“Need A Favor”), Music Event of the Year (“Save Me” feat Lainey Wilson), Male Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.
“My first thought was, ‘You been nominated four times, what could I have done that justified four nominations?!'” Jelly laughed while catching up with Audacy’s Katie Neal, who is celebrating an ACM win of her own. “The Entertainer of the Year [nomination], that’s crazy talk… I just couldn’t wrap my head around being nominated four times. Before I even seen what the four noms were, I seen the stat that it was the first time someone went from zero nominations to EOTY nomination since Billy Ray Cyrus in 1993.”
Catch all the fun during the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards taking place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on, May 16 at 8PM ET. Hosted by Reba McEntire, the show isfree to stream exclusively on Prime Video. No Amazon Prime account is needed.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
The Grand Ole Opry’s newest member, Scotty McCreery, has a lot to celebrate after being inducted into Country’s most prestigious establishment just one week ago.
“The Opry to me is such a big deal and it’s always been a huge goal of mine,” McCreery told Audacy’s ACM Award-winning, Katie Neal, during his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour. “I’ve got such an appreciation for the history of Country music and the Opry played a very significant role in making Country music popular… I’ve just got so much respect for the artists that have played there. To me, Country music is what I know, what I love, it’s what I will always do — whether 5,000 people show up or 5 people show up.”
Making Country music is exactly what Scotty’s been focused on the past year as he’s put work into his next album, Rise & Fall, due out May 10. “This is me, and where I am today,” McCreery said of the forthcoming album. “Songs I enjoy singin’, songs that feel good to my soul… everything about this record feels right.”
Included in the tracklist he loves so much is a couple of what Scotty refers to as “Daddy songs,” which were inspired by his son, Avery. “I didn’t flood this record with ‘em,” he laughed. “But, there was one song I started writing the night Avery was born, so that song made the record and there’s one that kind of ends the whole album as like, a thought towards Avery.”
Songs about fatherhood aren’t the only new things about the album, so was the creative process. McCreery explained the songs were the product of a songwriting retreat to the mountains of North Carolina with his best songwriting pals — a different approach from writing songs in the city like he’s done for past projects.
“It’s like heaven on earth up there,” he said of the location. “You hear the birds chirpin’ and you’ll see black bears. You’re in the middle of nature and it just puts your mind somewhere different than writing an album at 11 o’clock at an office like I do all the time.”
Hear more about McCreery’s new album, his best Dad fails and so much more by checking out his full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Sam Hunt’s songwriting has visited a wide range of topics over the years. From backroads and house parties to cop cars and outskirts, there’s not much Sam is afraid tackle in a songwriting session, except fatherhood.
“I’m intimidated to write about my family and fatherhood,” he admitted to Audacy’s Katie Neal while sharing he’s been starting to gather ideas and draw inspiration for his next project. While the 39-year-old says he has no intentions of a “Dad song” making the tracklist, he shared hints of his family values will likely be weaved throughout as he is focused on providing a strong foundation for his kids.
“I’ve always been geared more towards progress and pushing the boundaries, [but] the next project — at least from an idea perspective — will be more about roots and foundation... more traditional values,” he said. “The bedrock of how I hope to raise my family. Those things will be there — even if my songs don’t sound like what you would call a ‘Dad song,’ they will be written from a dad’s heart.”
That’ll be a bit of a shift from his most-recent release “Locked Up,” which was inspired by the night Hunt was arrested in November 2019 for driving under the influence and violating open container law in Nashville and the impact it had on his marriage. While resurfacing a deeply personal time in his life, Hunt says he doesn’t mind bringing it back up as it is part of his story.
“I wanted it to feel more like messing up, but having your significant other go through it with you and stand by your side,” he shared. “It’s more symbolic than a specific story about getting locked up, but because of my history — there are dots that can be connected there.”
The song title also serves as the namesake for Hunt’s summer tour, the Locked Up Tour which will travel across the U.S. and Canada through September with special guests Russell Dickerson, George Birge (U.S.) and Dalton Dover. Also along for the ride is Sam’s family who he says make everything more fun.
“Early on I didn’t get out to experience a lot of the places we’d visit,” he said of touring before having kids. “I get up early now and go find a really good breakfast place. A lot of the guys from the band will get up and go with me, or my kids [Lucy Louise (2), Lowry Lee (6 mo.)] and [wife] Hannah. They’re traveling with me so we try to smell the roses… we’ve been going to aquariums and museums and things that I wouldn’t have done years ago, but I’m making a point to do now.”
He continued, “It makes a big difference, it makes the trip feel like a vacation and a big, exciting road trip where I just work for a couple hours a night and I get to be on this road trip with my family and some of my best friends in the world, so it’s the best of both worlds.”
Hear additional details about Sam’s tour adventures, plus his ideas for new music and more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
At the age of 47, Luke Bryan has discovered “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” comes with some personal consequences as he recently found he’s allergic to bass.
Before playing a private show for some lucky Audacy listeners, Luke sat down with Katie Neal and said after years of mystery, he’s found the reason he comes home from fishing trips with red eyes, swollen hands, and a stuffy nose. “If I look like I’ve been smoking pot, that’s not true, I’ve been catching bass,” Luke laughed before detailing his rather serious bass allergy. “If I touch a bass, my eyes will get red, my hands will swell if I have to take the hook out.”
The discovery comes after years of suffering for Luke, who thought he was simply experiencing normal allergies from being outside. “I spent years not knowing. My dad would take me on these fishing trips and I would be in the back of the boat like wheezing, maybe in need of an epipen. But my Dad was just like [suck it up], we just thought it was allergies [to] like, the trees, but it’s actually touching the bass.”
Luke wasn’t about to let his allergies get in the way of making a small group of Audacy listeners dreams come true after they won a Totally Private concert from Luke at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville. The show was his first weekend gig in more than four weeks as he’s recently been striving to find better work-life balance.
“My thing [now] is to just have fun writing songs, have fun doing the shows,” he shared. “I think for ten years I’ve just overworked myself to where all my friends, whenever I see them, they’re like, ‘You’re overworking yourself’ and I’m like, ‘I know, I can’t tell people no.’”
While consciously making an effort to find balance, Luke still keeps pretty busy, especially now as he serves as a judge for his seventh season of ABC’s American Idol alongside Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, who revealed this go-around is likely her last.
“I thought she might be [leaving],” Luke said when asked about Perry’s departure. “She’s been a rockstar on the show and to have developed a friendship… we’ve had a great time together. When I took the Idol gig, I knew that she had already signed up to do it and I didn’t know her. Seven years later, to have spent so much time with her has been pretty awesome. She’s a trip.”
On top of his time with Idol, Luke is also promoting his brand new single, “Love You, Miss You, Mean It,” which he says has a “straight down the middle” Luke Bryan sound and is available now.
“When I look at 16, 17 years of doing this there’s been a lot of songs put out. Sometimes I do some songs where I try something and the fans like it and sometimes the fans are like, ‘What is he up to?’” Luke said, laughing. “But this one is right down my wheelhouse and I’m excited to have that out.”
Hear the new single on Audacy stations nationwide and check out Luke’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above to learn about his bass allergy, Idol, new single and more.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
No Bad Vibes isn’t just a tour name for Old Dominion, it’s a promise they keep with a little help from a tequila shot before every show.
Recently joining Audacy’s Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour, the guys revealed they go through $70,000 worth of tequila per year on tour. A large part of that is due to their pre-show ritual which includes a crew-wide tequila shot which can include up to 200 people some nights.
“A tequila shot has always been the tradition,” Trevor Rosen shared of the group’s pre-show routine “We started when it was just five of us, six of us, and now it’s become a pre-show ritual. We get our whole team there and do a little toast before every show.”
Added frontman Matt Ramsey, “Sometimes there’s like 100-200 people there. We just actually learned our tequila budget this week. It’s like, $70,000 a year.”
Laughing at the amount is easier for the guys after sharing they have a partnership with a tequila company that sponsors all pre-show shots. “Turns out, it was a very smart partnership,” Rosen said of their connection to Cantira Negra tequila. “I don’t think they realized how much tequila we were going to go through,” laughed Ramsey.
Come Summer 2024, tour isn’t the only place you can find OD raising a glass as they ready to open their own bar in Nashville’s Midtown district just minutes from the famed Broadway strip.
“It’s going to be a little different than other artist bars in that we’re not trying to overtly make this the Old Dominion bar,” shared Ramsey. “That’s why we didn’t name it Old Dominion’s Bar. It’s Odie’s, which is sort of a nod to our name, but ultimately we don’t want people to walk in there and feel like they’re going to the Old Dominion show.”
Agreeing on a concept and vibe for the bar came naturally for the guys, but coming up with a name wasn’t their strong suit according to celebrity restaurateur, Guy Fieri.
“We had pretty much decided it was called Memory Lane,” shared Brad Tursi of their original idea. “We were at Stagecoach and we were talking to Guy Fieri [about it]… He looked right at us and said, ‘That’s the dumbest name I’ve ever heard,’” the guys laughed. “He threw a couple F-bombs in there too. He railed us for that,” added Matt.
Needless to say, the guys took things back to the drawing board and decided on Odie’s, which they hope is a place (and name) everyone can enjoy.
“Ultimately, we hope it’s a place locals feel comfortable going to, songwriters feel like they can come and showcase their music or have a #1 party,” concluded Ramsey. “We really want it to be part of the community rather than a tourist attraction.”
Hear additional details about the bar, more stories from tour (including a proposal gone wrong) and Ramsey’s new puppy, Eddy, by checking out the guys’ full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Audacy's Katie Neal welcomes Keith Urban to our airwaves as this week’s co-host for the Superstar Power Hour on all your favorite Audacy Country stations nationwide.
During his time on the The Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal, the 56-year-old shared his next project is a product of a lot of hard-work, soul searching, and honesty.
After one year of working hard on what he believed would be his next studio album, Urban realized he missed the mark while presenting the new music to the team at his record label. “Each song was very strong unto itself, but when I put them together, it wasn’t the album,” Urban said of the first collection he presented to his team in February 2023. While the realization was heartbreaking, Urban knew he owed it to himself and his fans to take things back to the drawing board and make an album he was proud of.
“I could feel, ‘this is not it,’ and I so didn’t want to say that,” he expressed before taking a deep breath, recalling the painful realization. “I so wish I could’ve just said, ‘It’s fine… let’s go.’”
The decision to go back to the drawing board set a lot of original plans back for Urban, including touring. However, by staying true to himself, and buckling down for another year of work — Urban says he now has an album he knows is it and oozes the strong, relentless spirit that lead him to it.
“There’s a spirit on the record that’s through every song — no matter what the songs are — it’s a very strong, through line,” he shared, revealing a lot of it is inspired by ideas expressed in the book The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin.
So what does all of this sound like? Fans can get a taste if what’s to come with recently released, ”Messed Up As Me,” and “Straight Line,” which will both be included on the album in addition to a special collaboration and “more guitar solos” according to Urban.
“This record is full of guitar,” Keith said after sharing his producer, Dan Huff, prompted him to ponder why he doesn’t have as much guitar in his recent songs. “The tracks made me want to play.”
And for the collaboration? Well, Urban is keeping that under tight wraps for now, but it’s a secret he’s ready to spill soon as he’s been keeping it for almost a year. “I did a collaboration with an artist last summer that I think turned out fantastic,” he revealed. “I’ve just been sitting on it since June last year and it’s been killing me.” That’s pretty much all Urban is willing to reveal about the track for now — other than the fact it’s very much a collaboration, not a duet — which makes the possibilities even more endless.
“A friend of mine had suggested a collaboration — it’s not a duet, it’s a collaboration,” Urban said of reviving a song he’s had for some time. “I had somebody in mind, and I sent it to them and they loved it and we did it last summer we were just elated with how it turned out.”
Hear more hints about what’s to come, plus some of his most touching stories from his past by checking out Keith Urban’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
HARDY has officially entered his Rock era with the announcement of his very first Rock album coming soon. While excited to fully step into a new genre, the Mississippi native — who got his start as a Country songwriter — promises fans he’ll never abandon Country music.
“I fully want to balance being a Rock ’n Roll artist and a Country artist at the same time,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour. “I don’t even really know what that means yet, but I love Country music, I will never abandon it or leave it. I always want to make Country songs, I’m just kind of discovering myself and I’ve realized that maybe I do have a bit of a knack for the Rock ’N Roll thing, so I’m just chasing that to see how far it goes right now. Country is coming back, don’t worry.”
HARDY’s Country roots run deep and it’s apparent with his newest HIXTAPE project honoring the late Joe Diffie. DIFFTAPE, available March 29, was previewed at the 2023 CMA Awards as HARDY took the stage with Morgan Wallen and Post Malone to perform “Pickup Man,” the first song to be released from the album. Keeping the tracklist a secret until the release on March 29, HARDY promised some worth-the-wait features.
“It’s by far the biggest star-studded feature list ever. I can’t even tell you — you have no idea. It’s the coolest thing in the world,” he said before detailing the approach. “It’s Joe’s original recordings of his biggest hits and a couple maybe no-so-big hits, but great songs. Joey [Moi] my producer, has the tracks… and we’ve kept all the instrumentation the same and brought in all of either Joe’s friends or, well, everybody. Everybody is on this record and it is so cool.”
Following the DIFFTAPE release, the focus will turn to Rock for HARDY, who says he’s been hard at work on his Rock album that will feature previously released songs “QUIT!!” and “Rockstar.”
“Writing Rock songs is a lot easier than writing a Country song — there’s fewer rules,” he said when asked about the differences in the creative process. “Not that there’s rules, rules, but if you’re tryna write a Country hit, there are rules. That’s no discredit to all the Rock writers and bands out there — writing a song is not as easy as people think it is, but it just is more free [in Rock]. The lyrics don’t have to all tie into this one hook.”
With the new album comes a fresh tour from HARDY, who will hit the road this spring beginning with a show May 30 in Rogers, AR. With a total of 15 dates, fans may notice a major cutback on the amount of shows, which the 33-year-old says is intentional.
“I cut my touring in half this year — I wanted to be home more and feel maybe more like a human,” he disclosed. “I love touring, but it got to a point for me where it was too much… This overload of attention three or four days out of the week and then to come back and try to feel normal and be normal — there’s just a weight that it put on me… the way that I’m wired, it just took a toll on me.”
For more information on his headlining tour, the new album, DIFFTAPE and much more check out HARDY’s full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Kenny Chesney is celebrating another impressive career milestone with the release of his 20th studio album, Born — available now — and the accomplishment has him feeling pretty nostalgic.
“I live in gratitude every day to have had the career and the songs that I’ve been able to write and get my hands on,” Chesney told Audacy’s Katie Neal before reflecting on when he first started in music. “I think about how that kid was so curious and scared, but so determined and wanted this so bad.”
He continued, “I was in college playing a Mexican restaurant and I was carrying my own sound system… I would get free enchiladas and all the beer I wanted and in college, that’s a pretty big deal… To think of where we are now — it’s basically the same person doing the same thing — I’ve just a got a lot more stuff around me and a lot more people around me. The journey has been a beautiful one.”
Inspired by the journey he’s been blessed by and the courage he’s had to chase his dream, Chesney is using his new album to encourage others to get out there and see what they can accomplish.
“There’s several songs on this record that go straight to the heart of living your life to the fullest and just getting off the couch of your life,” he said of the messages throughout the project. “I’m proud of where we are, I think it’s a good reflection of where I am at this part of my life. I think that I was able to make a record that really defines our live element but gives people a glimpse of the person — that’s hard to do both — and I think that we were able to do that with this Born album.”
Live shows were definitely something Chensey took into consideration while crafting the new album, and while he shares he’s excited to play a couple of new tracks on the road this summer with his Sun Goes Down stadium tour, he plans on keeping it mostly to the hits.
“New music is great, especially for us, who have been doing this for a minute because it adds new energy,” Chesney said before detailing what he has in mind for his 2024 setlist. “We’re going to do a couple songs off the record that are pretty rockin’ — we’re going to find out place for those — but for the most part, we’re going to dive into our past. We’re going to do some we haven’t done in a while, but it’s going to be loud, it’s going to be fun, it’s going to be full of connection and love, which is what I love about what we do.“
Anyone who has been to a Kenny Chesney show for any amount of time knows the connection the 55-year-old is referring to as he is widely known for having one of the most electric and tight-knit connections to his fans who he calls, No Shoes Nation.
“I am so in tune with the people that come see us play,” Chesney said. “I have touched so many hands and looked at so many faces and we have just this soulful connection. I know it’s a lot of people, and there’s no way to be kin to all those people, but it feels like a kinship.”
Hear more about that connection, what else Chesney has planned for tour and all about the new album by checking out Kenny Chesney’s full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
With more than 20 #1 singles under his belt, you might believe Thomas Rhett has a sixth sense for hit songs, but according to the 33-year-old hitmaker that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rhett used his latest chart climber, “Mamaw’s House” featuring Morgan Wallen as an example saying he never imagined the song performing on the charts.
“I think because we wrote this song so long ago and when we released it, there was never a plan for it to go on a radio chart of any kind,” Thomas said of the reason why he was shocked the tune — which he wrote in 2020 with Morgan Wallen — was so well-received. “It was just like, ‘This is cool that we did this together — let’s put it out.’ To see it organically making its way up the chart is really special.”
He continued on to share the song was a product of he and Wallen’s first time ever writing together and came to be after Wallen received a call from his Mamaw during the write. “The whole song literally sparked by a phone call that he got in the middle of that write from his grandmother — his Mamaw... We walked away from that like, ‘Cool, man. Glad we wrote a song about our grandparents. Moving on…’” Thomas laughed.
Having written the song in 2020, for four years it sat alongside hundreds of others Thomas says he has in the archives that may never see the light of day. Seeing the success of the song he almost didn’t release has Rhett overthinking (more than he already does) when it comes to the new album he’s got in the works. Typically seeking validation from those closest to him, Rhett says this go-around he’s decided to take a different approach.
“I’ve had it happen so many times where I’ve been like, ‘This song is a smash, this is my favorite thing I’ve ever written in my life.’ Then you play it for a friend and they go ,’Eh.’” Known to take opinions straight to heart, Rhett was very selective about who he shared songs for the new album with and made sure he stayed focused on what the fans would like.
“I was really careful this go-around not to let a lot of people in on the process because I was having so much fun — am having so much fun — making it,” Rhett shared before admitting he’s even kept his wife, Lauren, more on the outs that normal.
“I actually sat my wife down and was like, ‘Hey, let’s make a date for me to play you the album because she’s always gotten to hear it, all the way through but this one it’s sort of like — ‘Hey, these are the decisions that I have made.’”
So, with many on the outs — who did get to have input into Thomas’ new project? “There are three individuals that are not in the music business and they’re between the ages of 18 and 24 that are friends of mine that I sent everything to, in real time,” he shared. “They’re not jaded, they’re not so in the 615 [Nashville]. We can over-analyze a song to death… at the end of the day, people like a song, or they don’t.”
In addition to gatekeeping the opinions, Rhett is also giving himself the gift of time with this project — something that’s never been on his side in the past as he’s written albums while on the road. “I’m doing like, 30 shows this year, so this is the most time — on purpose — that I’ve ever had to actually make an album,” he said. Allowing himself time to get things right, Rhett is excited to uncover the final product.
While time is on his side for once with his career, the father-of-four says it’s a completely different ballgame when it comes to watching his daughters grow up. “It’s starting to get real. It’s starting to get to that point of that parenting bit where time moves fast, but you don’t think it really moves that fast — it’s starting to feel fast!”
While wishing time would slow down at some points, Rhett admits his daughters getting older does have its perks — like his two oldest, Willa Gray and Ada James being old enough to take a duck hunting trip with him.
“Willa Gray has been begging me to go for a couple of years,” he said, before admitting his girls’ tough nature always makes him proud. “It was a blast, Willa Gray got her first duck. It was one of those moments where I wanted everyone who said, ‘man you need a boy, you need to have a boy’ [to see.] I’m like, ‘These girls are tough!’ It may be even more fun [than with a son] to be honest with you.”
Hear more about the trip, new music, how he’s learning to love horses and his some of Thomas Rhett’s favorite memories with family friend, Toby Keith, by checking out his interview on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After welcoming two baby girls, Kane Brown and his wife, Katelyn, are having some fun browsing a fresh list of names as they get ready to welcome their first son later this year.
During his recent appearance on Audacy’s Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal, Kane shared he and Katelyn have narrowed it down to four names, however, his original favorite isn’t on that list.
“We wanted to name him Knight because it starts with a K,” Brown said, admitting the baby will have the initials KB like all their other family members; Kane, Katelyn, Kingsley, and Kodi. “But, it’s just the N. We’d have King and then Knight — for Knight in shining armor — but we need the K [sound]” he said, pronouncing the letter.
Appears the couple hasn’t had too hard of a time moving past the name Knight as they already have a new favorite which they are hoping gets family approval before the baby boy arrives. “We have like four that we’re choosing from. There’s one that I would say is our number one name, but Kate’s [Katelyn’s] brother is not in love with it, so it’s really really [bothering] her…. I don’t know, maybe we will, maybe we won’t go with it.”
While he anxiously awaits the arrival (and we all anxiously await the name), Brown is keeping busy as he climbs the charts with his current single, “I Can Feel It,” a stadium tour and making a new album… and even with all that, Brown says he still desires to do more.
“I’m like, so competitive, I would definitely put me at the top of the list of the most competitive people in the genre,” Kane said, admitting he is always keeping an eye on his peers to make sure he is keeping up. “Like, when I was watching the Super Bowl — just to see some of the artists on Super Bowl commercials and things like that — and I’m sitting at the bar watching I’m like, ‘Man I could be doing something else.’ Sometimes it makes me feel like I’m being lazy.”
Admitting he’s constantly battling thoughts of “never enough” when it comes to his career, Brown shared he received some much-needed clarity from actor and wrestler, John Cena, during a conversation that felt like therapy.
“I had a therapy session with John Cena the other day,” Brown said. “Not really, but I was in the car with him and he was asking me questions — he’s actually a great interviewer — he asked me a lot of questions that I’ve never answered [before]. When I would give the answer, he would kinda tell me how he saw it.”
One of those questions got Brown to open up about his struggles with feeling like he’s “less hungry” than he was in the early days when he had to brainstorm, plan and execute every move surrounding his music in the search for success.
“I have a lot of extra time now, compared to my Facebook days where I had to think about what I was going to sing, time it out, and when I would do it, I would have to look at my social media and analyze and go over the analytics and everything like that. Now, sometimes it makes me feel like I’m not as hungry because I’m not doing as much,” Brown admitted before sharing that a simple statement by Cena made him see things differently.
“He’s like, ‘You have other people do those jobs now,’” Brown said of Cena’s response, which made him recognize his success has grown too large for him to handle on his own.
“It’s cool to see the growth,” Brown said of the times he does sit to reflect on how far he’s come. “I never really sit back and look at it… I’m always a front-lookin’ person, I never look back really, [but] I’ll get a random day where I sit and think about all the things that we’ve done. It’s cool.”
Hear more from Kane about his accomplishments, tour, excitement for baby #3, and forthcoming duets with his wife, Katelyn, by checking out his conversation on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Cody Johnson has shifted the perspective of millions across the globe with his life-affirming hit, “’Til You Can’t,” and according to the cowboy-turned-Country star, that includes his own. While the song has been one of his biggest to date and reached the #1 spot on Country radio, Johnson says the impact on him and his fans was much greater than just topping music charts.
During his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal, COJO shared the song took on a whole new meaning to him shortly after he recorded it when a private jet he was flying in experienced an engine malfunction sending him and his team plummeting mid-flight.
“We were all on a plane coming from Mississippi going to Austin to do a NASCAR Race National Anthem,” Johnson told Katie Neal of being on the jet with his wife, assistant and tour manager. “[We] were going to fly through the night and long story short, the jet stalled, engine failure, and we started plummeting from about 41,000 feet, down to about 10,000 feet and the pilot said, ‘This is it, we’re goin’ down.’”
He continued, “I remember thinking about all the things I’d left unsaid and all the things I’d left unfinished and how angry I was — immediately, I thought, ‘I should have said that, I should’ve did this’ — and I don’t want to live with that regret anymore. Next night, when I sang, ’Til’ You Can’t,’ I was like, ‘This song is for me…’ it changed my perspective and I hope it’s affected other people like it’s affected me and I thank radio for giving it such huge platform.”
While humbled that song in particular reached the top — Johnson is quick to clarify it’s not the #1 status that means the most to him, it’s the message he was able to spread and will continue to share whether he continues to reach #1 or not.
“We followed ’Til’ You Can’t’ with ‘Human,’ which made it into the top 5 but didn’t get a #1 with it. Everybody was so concerned [saying] ‘We don’t think this is going to get #1’ and I was like, ‘It doesn’t matter… so we got a top 5, we didn’t get a #1 — boo hoo!’ I’m never going to chase #1s, I’m here to put out music I believe in and stories that are real.”
Proof of the 36-year-old doing just that is everywhere as he regularly hears stories and meets fans who tell him how his music has changed — and even saved — their lives.
“There was a young lady in Australia that came up to me at a meet & greet and explained to me how ‘Human’ came on as she was about to commit suicide and she decided not to,” Johnson revealed. “She said, ‘Who is this guy Cody Johnson?’ And the next song that comes on is ’Til You Can’t’ and she said, ‘I just want to thank you, it saved my life.’ That’s so much bigger than a Platinum record or a number 1 hit.”
Johnson’s continues to impact listeners with his latest single, “The Painter,” which for him is about the love of his wife, Brandi, but can be interpreted for many other relationships, making it relatable for fans no matter their situation.
“It was so perfect,” COJO said of the first time he heard the song penned by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins and Ryan Larkins. “There are 10 million people out there in the world who feel this way about their spouse — and it may not be your spouse. It may be your daughter or your son or your Dad or your Mom — but somebody painted our lives and that song, where ever it takes you, it paints… such a beautiful picture in your mind.”
Hear about the single, plus stories about Johnson’s rodeo days, songwriting, international tour dates and so much more by checking out his full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Dierks Bentley is honoring the great Tom Petty with the release of his next single, a cover of Petty’s “American Girl.” With his own Country sound and hints of Bluegrass throughout, Bentley says he’s excited and honored to share his spin on the classic with the world.
As Bentley sends the single to Country radio beginning February 26, the song is part of an even bigger project, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, set to release May 31. The tribute album will feature greats like Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton, Marty Stuart, Margo Price and many more as they cover the iconic songs of Petty’s monumental career.
“This idea was presented to me and I was so excited to have a chance to be a part of it.” Dierks told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his time on the Superstar Power Hour. “I jumped on it. I said I’d love to get ‘American Girl,’ and I got it and we went in the studio and I had a lot of the same cast I use on some of the more Bluegrassy stuff, but we also put big drums, electric guitar — so it has a mixture of the two worlds… it turned out great.”
While he never got the chance to meet Tom Petty before his passing in 2017, Bentley says growing up as a fan of Petty’s music, and also inspired greatly by his work as a musician, he feels like he has a strong connection and understanding of the icon.
“It’s one thing to listen to ‘American Girl’ so many times as a fan, but to listen to it as a singer, knowing that this is really going to be out there, I wanted to try and make it as me as possible, but also grab some of the pieces of Tom Petty — just his vocals — there’s so much authenticity to his vocals, so raw, he’s just singing straight from the heart.”
He continued, “I never got a chance to meet him… but that’s the thing about music… you know the artists through the music and you have the relationship there that, to me, that’s good enough. Getting a chance to honor him and be a part of this project, I’m happy with that — more than a handshake would have been.”
Getting to cover one of his biggest inspirations in such a high-profile way isn’t the only plus for Bentley — he’s also excited to play the song live at his shows as well as have the single buy him a little more time to work on a new album.
“It gives me more time to work on my record, coming out sometime next year,” Dierks said of having “American Girl” to promote while he works on a new album. “To be handed this song, an instant hit, you go out there on the road and everyone is excited to sing along to it. It’s actually an incredible gift.”
In between promoting the new single, working on his album and touring on his Gravel & Gold Tour, Dierks says he is also keeping busy as an Uber driver for his kids as he tries to keep up with their extracurricular activities. From his son’s hockey tournaments to his youngest daughter’s tap dancing and eldest’s driving lessons, there’s a lot going on in the life of Dierks.
Here all that and more during his talk with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Chris Young has brought new focus to his health and fitness routine and fans are taking notice. More than 50 pounds down, Young is quick to clarify he isn’t “taking” anything but more trips to the gym.
“Somebody walked up to me like, ‘What are you taking?’” Young shared in a puzzled tone. “Umm, water? Advil, sometimes,” he laughed. “It’s about being more healthy for me. In the gym, on a regular basis.”
A tight gym community has helped Young continue to reach his health goals and while he feels comfortable celebrating his progress with his fellow work-out pals, he sometimes feels awkward sharing it with the world.
He continued, “I work out with a bunch of guys who train tight ends in the NFL and they’re always hyping each other up at the gym and just having a good time, so it’s like, yeah, the workouts suck, but it’s been a lot of fun for me.”
On top of his fitness journey, Young has been hard at work on his ninth studio album, Young Love & Saturday Nights, releasing March 22. His first album since Famous Friends in 2021, it will also will mark his largest collection of songs to date with 18 tracks.
“It’s just time for some new music,” he shared. “Every album is a snapshot in time, right? Of like, where you are as a person, artist, writer, producer… this one in particular has been the biggest sort of labor of love that I’ve ever done.”
He continued, “It’s something I’m really, really proud of. I am so happy that this project is finally coming out and that everybody gets to hear all the songs because I’ve been living with ‘em forever.”
Hear additional details about the new album, Young’s fitness journey and more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Chris Janson got us all excited about the possibility of a duet with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson last October when he posted a video calling out the legendary celeb. Now, he’s giving us an update on the status of that duet.
“I’d say it’s pretty close,” Chris said when asked by Audacy’s Katie Neal how close a duet with The Rock is to happening. “When it happens, it happens, and it can be quick. It can be just like spur of the moment, ‘Okay, we’re gonna do it Tuesday.’ And so I think that’s kind of where it is right now.”
Definitely excited at the opportunity for a collab with The Rock, Janson said he is making sure to still respect the space and time of his high profile pal.
“As I do consider him a friend, he’s also an extremely famous friend, and even though he doesn’t act that way, he is, and I respect that very much,” Chris expressed. “I like to give that space... I’m sure he’s got plenty of buddies who hammer all the time about stuff, and I’m not that guy. I want to be very mindful of his situation, and he has a lot going on - I would say probably ’24 you could probably look [for a song with him] and certainly some live collaboration moments between he and I singing.”
The buzz around Janson and Johnson doing a duet started when Janson posted a video on TikTok dedicating a cover of Hank Williams Jr’s “The Blues Man,” to The Rock and sharing with viewers they’d talked about doing something together.
“This one goes out to my buddy, The Rock,” Janson said to start out the video. “We have yet to sing together live and I know we’re talking about it and I know we’re going to do it.”
Can’t wait!
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After nearly 20 years in the business, 11 #1 singles and 7 GRAMMY wins, it’s safe to say Country trio Lady A has quite the catalog, however, there is one song that “got away” that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Ahead of their performance at Audacy’s Totally Private concert series at the Hard Rock in Nashville, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott revealed they were pitched the song “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” and passed on it, making room for Meghan Trainor and John Legend to swoop in and make it a big ol’ hit.
“Meghan Trainor and John Legend’s [“Like I’m Gonna Lose You”], got pitched to us and we said ‘No,’” Hillary recalled with a stunned look on her face. “What were we thinking?! [That’s] such an amazing song.”
While the trio continues to wrap their minds around what could have been, they were quick to admit they’ve been on the receiving end of the same kind of story with some of their own hits — for example, “Downtown.”
“‘Downtown’ was on hold for Miranda [Lambert],” Charles shared. “Someone had sent it to us… technically, they shouldn’t have sent it to us but we were in the studio and were like, ‘We need a song like this!’”
He continued, “It kind of got back to Miranda that we were thinking about it and she goes, ‘Oh, I love those guys. You know, if they’re going to the studio and cutting it, let ‘em have it.’ It could have been a Miranda hit.”
While no one will ever know what the song would’ve accomplished for Miranda, Charles shared he believes songs have a way of “ending up where they’re supposed to,” which was exactly the case for a number of songs penned by Dave, Scott and Hillary, which found their best life with other artists.
“‘A Little Bit Stronger' [by] Sara Evans” Hillary shared is a favorite song she penned made famous by another artist. “That one — before ‘Thy Will’ was probably the most personal song I’d ever written and so, to let it go, it was OK that we pitched it and I was so excited when she cut it because she’s just a huge, huge influence on me as an artist and a singer.”
Dave then chimed in sharing a favorite from his own catalog, “I think the one with Luke Bryan [that] Charles and I wrote, ‘Do I.’ It was just a special moment in time too — we were early on in our career and just kind of coming up a similar time with Luke and getting to kind of be a part of — a little tiny part — of his star just shooting and rising early on.”
While the song shuffle is all part of the business, Lady A is determined to make sure no song falls through the cracks as they continue work on their next album and plan to take their time to not only write, but explore outside songs.
“I think what we’re trying to do this year is leave some space and margin to just kind of see creatively where we go,” Dave said of the approach the band is taking to work on their next project. “We had a big, busy tour last year, so we’ve got some good time for writing and letting the music dictate where we go. We feel so lucky to be in this spot, 17 years in.”
While the record is still in the very beginning stages, the trio has set the tone for what’s to come with the lead single, “Love You Back,” a song that raised its hand with help from some Lady A experts — the fans.
“Over the summer, we brought in a bunch of fans into a listening space and played a handful of new songs and this was the one that they really gravitated towards,” said Hillary. “This new music is [us] really wanting to put out songs and put on a show that the fans really gravitate towards and they feel is very personal to them.”
As the band continues to keep things loose and let the fans and creativity be their guide for new Lady A music, they’re also excited to foster creativity with other artists as well.
“I’ve been writing too with other artists,” Charles revealed. “Wrote a song with Jake Owen, got one with Carly Pearce that she’s puttin’ on a record, so trying to also branch out into different things and I think that’s what’s fun for us — is if you’re having fun doing it, then you’re doing the right thing.”
“There’s nothing more exciting to me than that pure excitement of you’re working on a project and you have no idea if the song that you’re working on is going to be the next big song for you or not… you just keep showing up and you keep doing it.”
Hear more about what’s to come from Lady A, plus some of the their hysterical memories including Bruce Springsteen, gas station restrooms, and Nahville Snow by checking out their entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
As the GRAMMYs near, Jelly Roll is reflecting on his first-ever nominations and the hard work, dedication and sacrifice it took to get him there.
“It’s the ultimate ultimate,” the 39-year-old told Audacy’s Katie Neal of his nominations for New Artist and Country Duo/Group Performance for his song “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson. “When you get nominated for a GRAMMY, every other accolade you’ve had takes a backseat to just the nomination.”
The pair of nominations is the perfect representation of Jelly’s self-described “ground-shattering year” as he skyrocketed to ultra-fame with three #1 singles on the Country charts and impacted millions with his messages of hope, resilience and faith.
“It’s crazy to be nominated for New Artist at the GRAMMYs and win it at the CMAs going into the year I’ll be 40, It’s insanely unreal,” he said before detailing he’s excited to continue impacting people with his platform. “My thing is, how can I continue to help people? I want to be a man of service more than anything.”
While his impact has been grand, it hasn’t come without sacrifice for the Nashville-native who says his personal goal in 2024 is to spend more time with family. “I gotta get back to my family a little bit. One of the costs of having a stellar year was sacrificing a little bit of personal time with the family. I’m just spread so thin, I want to make sure I can get back to gettin’ in the bunker with them.”
As he works to find a balance between it all, Jelly says he has some good friends and fellow artists helping him find his way and make sure he has support. At the top of that list is Country artist, Eric Church.
“Eric Church has been really good at answering my questions in detail and me being able to kinda talk to him about anything and just really kind of articulate through it,” Jelly said with gratitude for Church’s selfless nature. “He’s really helped me a lot… and he’s just been really cool to lean on. Kid Rock is that way too… Miranda [Lambert] is another one.”
With more support than ever, a solid fan base and a strong drive to continue making a difference, Jelly is fired up about where he’s headed next — not only with his philanthropic efforts, but music as well.
“We’ve been writing a ton,” he said of his work towards a new album. “I’m really fired up about where I am in the writing process for the next album. I’m way far ahead of the hog on this one.”
Hear more about the music, his GRAMMY nominations and more by checking out Jelly’s full interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Plus, be sure to tune into the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards this Sunday (February 4) to see if Jelly’s big-time nominations turn into wins.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Jon Pardi and Luke Bryan’s relationship has gone from “hold my beer” to “hold my baby.”
Ahead of his performance for Audacy’s Totally Private concert at Hard Rock Nashville, Pardi shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal that he and Luke spent some quality time together at Bryan’s recent Crash My Playa festival in Cancún where Luke got to hold his daughter, Presley.
“We had a good time,” Pardi said, while admitting things were much tamer for him since he had his daughter. “Me and Luke hung at his hotel, by the pool and just talked it up. He got to hold Presley. Me and Luke have been friends for a long time, so… he was like, ‘Man, I never thought, Pardi with a kid,’” he laughed.
While Luke wraps his mind around “Pardi with a kid,” Jon is currently wrapping his mind around having two daughters under two as he and wife, Summer get ready to welcome another baby girl in 2024.
“I knew it was going to be a girl, I just knew it,” he said before sharing he and Summer are excited to welcome another little one before they’d originally thought. “We were like, ‘Let’s get it out of the way,’ you know? Instead of us waiting two years, they’re 18 months apart, so they’ll be buds. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
Just after they become a party of 4, the family will move into their dream home, which Jon and Summer have been building for some time. While Pardi says the home is “practical” compared to what people might think they’re building, there are a couple features he’s really excited about — the first being a pool.
“We’re just making a practical house,” he said when asked if his pool would resemble fellow Country artist Jason Aldean’s, which has water slides, waterfalls and more. “Aldean’s pool is amazing, but like, totally irrelevant to me,” he said before admitting they did reach out about the fake palm trees.
“We did reach out to them about their fake palm trees. I was like, 'Man! If we can get some fake palm trees, that’d be very west coast.’ They’re pretty cool.”
The pool isn’t the only place Pardi plants on spending a lot of time — he also shared he’s looking forward to having a home gym where he can continue to better his health — something he’s been working on for a few months now by working out more and temporarily cutting out alcohol.
“For now, I really, really want to look better in photos,” he said of his health goals. “We’re only aging and it’s time to really be healthier. You’ve got these guys like Riley Green showing off six-pack abs. I’ve got tough competition, so I gotta be on it,” he laughed. “I guess all I’ve really done is party, party, party so I’m just trying to learn how to not drink like a 20-year-old anymore.”
In addition to all the new things surrounding his personal life, the CA-native is also starting to work on a new album which he says is on his bucket list for 2024.
“We’re starting to write,” he said of the current album status. “I’m not going a different direction, but I’m going to do something fresh... There comes a time when you gotta shake things up and push yourself.” He continued to share he’ll be working with a new producer this go-around that he hopes will challenge him in new ways and level up his music.
“[I’m going to] work with a guy that I’ve never got to work with, somebody I look up to in the producer world — Jay Joyce,” he revealed. “He’s the guy that’s got something special, and us coming together with the right songs, I feel like is going to be real special. He’s excited, I’m excited.”
While new music is on his mind, he’s also excited to finish out some rescheduled dates from his Mr. Saturday Night Tour after fighting COVID and strep throat last year. See the remaining dates here and check out Jon’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
One week away from the GRAMMYs and first-time nominee, Lainey Wilson, has stars in her eyes.
“My heart just started, whew!” Lainey said after being reminded the GRAMMYs are only a week away. “I didn’t realize it’s so close, but I’m so excited. This is my first time to the GRAMMYs and it’s a huge deal.”
“I’m going to be in a building with people from so many different walks of life and so many different stories and just a lot of hard work in the building… I normally don’t get starstruck, but I’m not gunna lie, if I see Adele or even Bruno Mars… I’ll probably be like, ‘How in the world is this little redneck in a room with these folks?’ It’s gonna be awesome.”
Up for two awards herself, it’s not lost on Lainey that her own hard work is finally getting the recognition it deserves after years of sacrifice and staying the course. “I knew there were a lot of folks back home who just thought I was absolutely crazy, and they were wondering when I was going to pack it up and come back home,” she said of staying the path to living out her Country music dream.
“But I have always had this sense of peace in knowing that I was given this gift and I’m supposed to use it. I’m just so thankful that I stuck in there and I’m thankful I’ve had people in my life who have encouraged me to stick it out.”
While her parents remain her biggest supports, Wilson has gained many more cheerleaders along the way, including Miranda Lambert, who Wilson says watches out for her on a regular basis. “She’s become a dear friend of mine and she checks on me,” Lainey said of Lambert’s friendship. “She’s just a genuine person, what you see is what you get with her, and I can’t help but love people like that.”
She continued on to share a story of visiting Lambert’s farm for a writing session and Miranda forcing her to take a nap. “She said, ‘You need to come out to my farm, and first off, you need to take a nap,’ She said’ I’m gonna make you take a nap.’ And I did,” Lainey laughed.
Following the much-needed nap, Wilson, Lambert and songwriter Luke Dick went on to write, “Good Horses,” a song Wilson debuted at a show alongside Lambert and is excited to share with fans in the future.
“We were writing this song and they [Luke and Miranda] were in the exact same spot where they wrote [the song] ‘Bluebird.’ As we were writing this song, ‘Good Horses,’ three bluebirds flew up,” she shared. “And when they were writing ‘Bluebird,’ three bluebirds had flew up too and I believe in signs like that. I think it’s a really special song.”
As Lainey looks to the future of her music with songs like, “Good Horses,” and celebrates past releases with her two GRAMMY nominations for Best Country Album (Bell Bottom Country) and Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Save Me” with Jelly Roll), Lainey says no matter what, she will always stay true to who she is.
“I will always stay true to myself and my roots and where I come from. I am who I am because of the people and place that raised me.”
Hear more from Lainey about the GRAMMYs, new music, and tour by checking out her full conversation with Audacy’ Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Lady A is headed into the new year with a new album in the works and a whole lot of gratitude.
The GRAMMY-winning trio recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal for a conversation on the Superstar Power Hour and shared the season of gratitude they’re in as a band and how much they’re looking forward to continuing it with a new album.
“For us, we’re in such an appreciation spot in our career,” said Charles Kelley, before revealing some details about the new album. “We’re definitely going in a nostalgic direction, I think we tend to do that a lot,” he shared. “It’s a really warm record. So far, we’ve cut half of it and we’ll just continue to over the early [part] of this year and keep trying to chase what we feel are the best songs.”
Fans can get a taste of what’s to come with the the album’s current single, “Love You Back,” available now, in addition to "A Love Song,” which Hillary Scott saysset the tone of what’s to come perfectly.
“We’re gettin our plans together, we have ‘Love You Back’ out to radio and then ‘A Love Song’ is also another song that’s out and you can stream that everywhere.” She continued, “Those are two, really pillar songs from the project. We’ll just kind of see how it lays out, and then we’ll release the whole thing.”
Hear more about the project, plus the stories behind some of Lady A’s most popular songs and so much more by checking out their entire conversation with Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Jon Pardi may be Country through and through, but that doesn’t stop him from appreciating a good concert — regardless of the genre.
During his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour, Pardi told Audacy’s Katie Neal his best concert experience of all time was Céline Dion.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I was there when Celine Dion came to Bridgestone [Arena]… it was like her first time out of Vegas in a while,” he shared before detailing the experience. “I was there and it was pretty good. Before drones came out, she had like 200 drones, she sang the Titanic song [“My Heart Will Go On”] and it [the drones] made a rose. The production on that show — the band came out of the floor, the drones would do any shape, it was crazy. And of course, she sang her ass off.”
He continued, “I see Country concerts every weekend… you go see something that’s like, not oddball, but oddball for me… I was like, ‘Wow! This is really great’. That’s one show I was like, ‘That’s some heavy-hitter production right there, that’s some real work.’”
Pardi is ready to put in some real work of his own this year as he readies for his own live shows and also promises a new album in 2024. “Making a new record, that’s the most important part…. I think we’re going to record it in May,” Pardi said of the plan for new music.
While music and touring is definitely on his mind, he also has some personal goals for the new year including a better skincare routine, continuing work on his dream home and staying healthy.
“I’m going to keep up on my facial care,” he said when asked about his 2024 resolution. “I was on it, it was going really good and then I got off of it… “Night cream and then the face wash and the little things. Sometimes you just want to brush your teeth and go to bed. At least get brushing the teeth in — not spend 10 minutes like, ‘Oh, I’m going to lather up, exfoliate, and then I’m gonna put this on.’”
Pardi and his wife, Summer have also been eagerly awaiting the completion of construction on their new house, which they began building in 2023. “The house is very practical,” he said, adding its projected completion date is in 2025. “There’s no bowling alleys or anything that’s really complicated… It’s just a nice home that’s thought out.”
Before moving into the new home, the Pardi family will expand by one member as Summer and Jon just revealed they’ll be welcoming their second child in 2024.
Sounds like the new year is set to be an exciting one for Jon Pardi, hear more about it all by checking out his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
As Toby Keith enters his third year fighting stomach cancer, the “Big Dog Daddy” isn’t letting his diagnosis keep him from what he loves most — music.
After taking two years to focus on his recovery, Keith returned to the stage for three sold-out shows at Park MGM’s Dolby Live in Las Vegas earlier this month. The shows marked his first “tour dates” following his diagnosis.
As he brings the focus back to his music, it’s clear the 62-year-old’s battle has brought new perspective to his life as he spotlights songs like his newest single, “Don’t Let The Old Man In.” Following his diagnosis, Keith has found new meaning in the song that he originally wrote in 2018 after being inspired by the legendary Clint Eastwood and his zest for life at the age of 88.
“I’m Clint Eastwood’s partner at his gold tournament —he’s 93 this year, by the way,” Keith shared during his time on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal before telling the story of the inspiration behind the song. “Several years ago at the first event I played with him… I [asked], ‘What keeps you going at your age?’ He said, ‘I try to get up every day and be productive — not let that old man in.’”
He continued, “So I came home and said, ‘I’m going to write him a song.’ I didn’t know I was going to have to live those words in a few years.”
It’s only fitting that Keith performed the song to mark his first return to the stage at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September. Not only did he steal the show with his tear-jerking performance, he was also honored with the night’s Country Icon Award.
“I bet you all never thought you’d see me in skinny jeans,” Keith joked while addressing his thinner appearance due to his treatments as he accepted his award. “I want to thank the almighty for allowing me to be here tonight, he’s been riding shotgun with me for a little while,” he continued before recognizing others.
While Keith has kept detailed updates surrounding his health limited, he shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal he feels he’s “turning a corner” with the new year. “I’m doing really good. It’s been a tough two years, but I think I’m turning a corner,” he shared. “I don’t know if you’re ever done with it [cancer], but I’m trying to be.”
Hear more from Keith about the new single, his health and the 30 year anniversary of “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” by checking out his full conversation on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Over his 16+ year career, Luke Bryan has done a lot of hip-shaking and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
During a recent conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour, Luke shared why he thinks his hip-driven dance moves have become so popular and how he uses it to his advantage on stage.
“I guess it started because I’ve always danced and had fun and been maybe a little over the top with that —even in my college years,” he laughed. “I’ve always felt, if I’m up there dancing and havin’ fun and not tryin’ to be so pre-meditated, that would allow all the audience to relax and be the same.”
If you’ve had the opportunity to see Luke perform live, you’ve definitely experienced the power of the hip rolls which you have to admit — probably brought a smile to your face.
“I think once I started getting some reactions, and as the reactions got louder and everybody reacted more I probably added a little more than I should,” he said. “I’m just doing it all in fun, especially if I see an older lady down there, like a grandma, I’ll give her a little hip-shaking just to have a little fun.”
Safe to say some fun was had throughout Luke’s 2023 Las Vegas Residency, which took place at Resorts World Theatre. And while he says he had a great time performing each night for the fans, he also loved being able to gamble — one of his non-music hobbies.
“Obviously I love to play a little Blackjack and Craps and I pretty much know all the dealers,” he said of how he spent much of his time off-stage in Vegas for shows. “After all the dust settles, I think I’m actually even…. I’ve had some sketchy nights out there where I was down a little bit of money, but somehow climbed back.”
Glad to hear it all evened out for Luke, which means the chances of him going back are higher — an idea he confirmed he was definitely interested in. “I think at some point I’ll probably try to do that [a Vegas Residency] again, or do it at a different capacity.”
We look forward to it! To hear more about Luke’s Vegas Residency, recent Country On Tour, family life and more, check out his entire conversation from the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
All this week, Garth Brooks joined Audacy's Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour, offering up details about his brand new album Time Traveler; the 30th anniversary of his hit single "Ain't Goin' Down 'til the Sun Comes Up;" his new Nashville bar, and a whole lot more.
Garth Brooks is offering up "something from every era of Country music" with his new seven-disc box set, Time Traveler, available now exclusively at Bass Pro Shops -- packed with hits from his legendary career and new music, including his self-produced 14th studio album, as well as 2014’s Man Against Machine, 2016’s Gunslinger, 2020’s Fun, and his 2019 3X Triple Live concert album.
“I think the reason why we call it ‘Time Traveler’ is you could probably take eight of these songs and put them in five or six different decades of Country music,” Garth says of the new album. “I'm a huge fan of Country music. I was raised on Haggard and Jones, Buck Owens, and Charlie Pryde -- that era in the sixties -- guys like Roy Acuff, and Hank Williams Sr. were ghosts that my dad knew about, kind of passed on to us. Then I got to discover George Strait on my own... and then here came quite possibly one of the most awesome decades of Country music ever -- the ‘80s with Randy Travis, Keith Whitley, George Strait, a little girl named Reba McIntyre... It was just so good.”
Listing off even more of his influences, Garth admits “It was fun to now reflect back on that... It's a time machine; pretty much you're just going through decades of different kinds of Country music all on one record. But the crazy thing is -- this is what I love about it -- It's all Garth.”
Getting into the story behind one of Garth’s all-time fan favorites amid the 30th anniversary of his GRAMMY and ACM award-winning 1993 single "Ain't Goin’ Down ‘Til the Sun Comes Up," Brooks remembers he and his friends and fellow songwriters Kent Blazey and Kim Williams writing at Kent’s house which was undergoing construction at the time. “Well, Kent was having construction done on his house and all of a sudden you look, every termite in the place is starting to come out of the house,” he recalls. “So we move outside and it's 100 degrees outside... That's what I remember. We wrote fast because we wanted to get back in the air conditioning. But just that day, and seeing Kim Williams' face, God love him... I miss him so much.”
Garth's latest branded endeavor, his Nashville, TN venue Friends In Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk just had its grand opening, revealing his business plan to Katie, admitting "I know this is crazy... I wanted to be the Chick-Fil-A of honky tonks. We might have to change Wednesday to Friends Day. I just think Friends Day is the perfect day in there. Wednesday was how I got started. Music was playing Wednesdays at a place called Willie Saloon and every Wednesday, that's where you'd find Garth. So, I think Friends Day and Wednesday's gonna have something in the bar, but that's the whole thing. There's so many Easter eggs in this bar... we have a neon sign upside down that says ‘Slip on up to the Oasis,’ which is great. There's a lot of different things that I'm excited about.”
“But what I love most, if I can pick the crowd that's in there, huge military fan,” Garth adds. “I love military families, huge rodeo family fan because they all grew up together and they raised their kids that were in there. So that's what we want. We just want people who love one another in there and hopefully it's gonna be a great time.”
As a special treat this week on the Superstar Power Hour, Ronnie Dunn also joins the show to discuss their new duet, “Rodeo Man.”
"It's a smash... I kept trying to talk to him about it,” says Garth. “I said, don't do it because I'll take it,” he laughs. “It's a fabulous song and he was sweet enough to let me sing.”
“What I love about it is, if you follow any Garth Brooks music whatsoever or any Brooks and Dunn music whatsoever, ‘Rodeo Man’ is right down the center of both of us... it's a lot of fun,” Garth adds.
Get caught up on all things Garth (including a possible Chris Gaines comeback and more) by checking out his full interview with Katie Neal above -- and tune in to the Superstar Power Hour with Katie & Company every weekday from 2PM - 3PM on your favorite Audacy Country station!
Words by Joe Cingrana Interview by Katie Neal
Audacy's Katie Neal welcomes Dolly Parton to our airwaves as this week’s co-host for the Superstar Power Hour on all your favorite Audacy Country stations nationwide.
One year after being inducted into the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame, Dolly Parton has made good on her promise to release a Rock album. With some help from some A-list friends, Dolly’s 49th studio project, Rockstar, features 9 original songs and 21 classic Rock anthems with collaborators including Paul McCartney, Joan Jett, Melissa Etheridge, Lizzo, Pat Benatar and so many more.
“Just hearing them in my headphones when we were singing together was just amazing to me,” Dolly said of all the stars she got to work with for the project. “Just draggin’ some of those people out of retirement [was a good memory]. They thought, ‘Oh, I’m not doing that much anymore,’ and I said, ‘Well, you’re gonna do it now. I need you to do this.’”
Hear all about Dolly’s experience making the album as well as what her husband thinks about her Rock status, her Thanksgiving memories, and other fun stories by checking out the Superstar Power Hour with Katie & Company above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
As Tim McGraw celebrates his 47th song at the top of the charts with “Standing Room Only,” the 56-year-old says he’s still got a lot left to give.
“I feel like I got a lot more in me,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal during the Superstar Power Hour. “ You know, I still feel like I'm still cranking, getting better – hopefully I'm getting better – I try to get better.”
Part of getting better for McGraw includes challenging himself to take risks outside his comfort zone which in the past have included cross-genre collabs, big time tours, acting, writing a book and more. From the looks of it, nothing seems off the table for McGraw, but turns out that’s not true.
During his conversation, McGraw revealed while he loves to read and has even authored a book – writing a memoir is not something he has planned for the future. “It's something that's not on my radar,” he said. “’Cause if you’re gonna do it, I think you gotta go completely all in. I think there’s a lot of stuff that I wouldn’t wanna tell. I think if I did a memoir, it wouldn’t be full and complete.”
In true Tim style, he continued on to clarify you can “never say never,” but for this specific venture, the scenario would have to be perfect. “Maybe down the road we’ll see… When all the principals are dead, so I’m not getting any trouble. Protect the innocent and the guilty,” he laughed.
While his disinterest in writing a memoir might surprise some, no one will be surprised that Tim is only interested in doing something if he’s ready to give it 100% – Take his forthcoming tour, for example.
“Well, it’s a huge stage, huge video, a lot of moving parts,” he said of the set-up, which is one of the biggest he’s had in his career with a “sickening” amount of lights. “I’ve had people tell me, ‘Why don’t you just do all white lights? And you guys do like an MTV Unplugged, sit down and play songs? I guarantee you people would love it,’” he shared before responding. “If you’ve ever tried to see me sit on a stool for two hours and sing a song, it’s impossible.”
There’s no doubts that McGraw’s shows are high-energy and that’s something he’s not ready to give-up as fitness is one of his top priorities. “You feel better, you know, I think you put on a better show,” he said of prioritizing fitness in his everyday life. Yes, even before shows.
“I mean, the band and I talk about it all the time. When we do our workouts during the day before the show, sometimes a day will sneak up on us when we don't have time where I'm busy or they're busy and we don't have time to get a workout in. We don't do as good of shows. Our shows aren't as good."
"We just feel different. Even if we wear ourselves out completely throughout the day, the energy level is so high when we're on stage, when we get a good workout in.”
Tim’s physique has everything to show for his hard work, but he admits he does get a few cheat meals in here and there. “Faith’s Southern cooking is my real true cheat meal. I try to do it once a month, but every now and then, I ask her for twice a month.”
He continued, “[Also] road trips, Faith and I like to take a lot of road trips. And so a Chick-fil-A or McDonald’s, I love a Big Mac every now and then still. So on a road trip, to get a Big Mac is pretty cool.”
While cheat meals and quality time together encompass some of Tim and Faith’s favorite time’s on the road together, Tim also took time to reflect on being on the road together with their Soul2Soul tour in 2006, which featured Taylor Swift as the opener following the release of her debut single, “Tim McGraw.”
“Taylor was one of our opening acts. It was just her acoustic guitar,” he recalled. “We spent a lot of time talking to her in the dressing room and stuff before and after the shows. Faith and I both said, ‘This girl, she’s going to be the biggest star in the world.’ She’s just so curious, which is a sign of great intelligence. We had no doubt she was headed to do big things.”
Hear more about Tim’s relationship with Taylor, what he thought of her Eras Tour, his favorite holiday family traditions, and so much more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
It’s exciting times for No Shoes Nation as Kenny Chesney dropped his brand new single, “Take Her Home,” along with a tour announcement for his 2024 Sun Goes Down Tour.
Both announcements come as Chesney reveals he is hard at work starting to shape his next album. While there isn’t much to share about the album quite yet, Chesney says it will be a product of fully immersing himself in the creative process, something he’s struggled with in the past.
“Sometimes I get so, so involved in everything and it can take away the creative process,” he explained. “When you’re really busy out on the road and you’re exhausted and you’re trying to make a record, but you’re also trying to run a company and you’re also trying to run this and do this — all of a sudden, you’re brain is just in so many different directions. It’s good to focus on the idea of just creating and that’s what I’ve been doing for a while.”
As the album is still taking shape, there’s one thing Kenny knows for sure — and that’s lead single “Take Her Home,” is not only being included, but setting a high bar for the rest of the project.
“When I heard ‘Take Her Home,’ I went, ‘Wow!’ I’ve been looking for this for a while because it’s one of those life moment songs,” he shared. “It’s just that kind of song that everyone can find a piece of themselves in.”
The song, written by HARDY, Hunter Phelps and Zach Abend with Chesney in mind, was an immediate yes for the Country star as it immediately passed his ultimate test — car speakers.
“When this song was sent to me, I drove around in my car and I listened to it — I bet I listened to it 15 times in a row,” he shared. “I said, If I hear this on the radio by someone else, I’m going to be really mad at myself.”
“It’s crazy. You can make these songs up and go in the studio, record ‘em and obviously I listen to it and decide in the studio, but something about getting in your car is where it just feels right.”
Fans all over will join Kenny in blasting the tune in their vehicles as they make their way to one of Chesney’s newly-announced 2024 tour dates. Hitting up 18 stadiums, Chesney will be joined by Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney, and his “When The Sun Goes Down” duet partner Uncle Kracker.
While fans have a new show, new music, and setlist to look forward to, Kenny promises the same type of Kenny Chesney experience they all know and love with big energy, love, and positive vibes.
“We’ve never been very good at bells and whistles,” he said, admitting he focuses more on the energy he gives his audience. “I have never been the kind of guy that did pyro [pyrotechnics] or fire and confetti. I’ve always felt like the energy that me and the band give the audience — that is the the pyro, that is the confetti. That’s just the way I’ve always felt.”
While general ticket sales for the Sun Goes Down Tour are set to begin next Friday, November 17, pre-sale tickets will be available starting at 10AM local time on Friday November 10, through Thursday, November 16 at 10PM local time. Audacy has a chance for you to get a special pre-sale code, and all you have to do is visit any broadcast Audacy Country station on the free Audacy app starting now.
To hear more about the tour, Kenny’s on-stage persona and details on the forthcoming album check out his fill conversation with Katie Neal above on the Superstar Power Hour.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Following the release of his Dive Bars & Broken Hearts EP in June, Michael Ray says there’s more new music on the way and it falls in the same vulnerable category that fans connected with on his last project.
“One of my hardest problems my whole life was just showing vulnerability,” Ray shared, admitting it took seeing other artists open up to help him gain confidence to share his truth . “Growin’ up in a divorced home, it was kinda chaotic there for many years and I didn’t want anybody to ever see that part.”
He continued, “Then I realized through COVID and different things; 1. God’s given me this platform [and 2.] the reason I felt like I could sing [about personal things] is because Tracy Lawrence sang it, or Joe Diffie, or Kenny Chesney, or whomever I was listening to showed some vulnerability. I learned, ‘Oh, there’s somebody else going through that.’ That opened my eyes up.”
After many years avoiding his emotions, Ray says they’re now a large inspiration in his songwriting which will be apparent on the next project with songs like, “Hold.”
“There’s one called ‘Hold’ that I love,” he said of new music in the works. “Life goes by fast and there’s a lot of things that distract us and you put your time into a lot of things that can waste your energy. There’s things you gotta let go of in life, but the things that mean the most you gotta hold.”
“I feel like you don't go through anything in life by accident… I think there’s a reason and I think sometimes you go through those things because sometimes maybe your blind to what you need to be changing. All of a sudden, your foundation gets rocked and you figure some stuff out. I think just lookin’ back on the last 4 years and just goin’ ‘You know what, screw it. I’m just gonna be myself and show this is where I’m at and who I am.’”
While Ray didn’t share any specific dates can can expect this new, revealing music, it’s definitely in the works as he has plans to continue cutting music in February 2024.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Hailey Whitters is sharing her predictions going into next week’s 57th Annual CMA Awards and according to her, the show will be dominated by pone of Country music's newest stars.
“I love Jelly Roll and I know he’s gonna sweep and I think he should because he’s had an insane year,” she said of the singer-songwriter who received a whopping 5 nominations, including New Artist of the Year, which Hailey is also nominated for. “I’m pumped to be there, to be in the category and, I hope I meet Dolly – that’s my goal,” she laughed.
Trophy or no trophy, the year has still been an incredible one for Whitters who celebrated her single, “Everything She Aint” going Platinum, an ACM win and CMA nomination – all milestones she’d just about given up hope on over the last 15 years.
“I’m just so proud,” she expressed before taking the stage at Audacy’s Stars & Strings of the year she’s had. “I have to slow it down and really soak up those moments because it has been a long time for me – I’m like a 15-year overnight success. I’ve been in Nashville for a really long time and I think just so many things have happened this year that I’d kinda given up on happening… It’s been a really special year.”
Another experience adding to the magic of 2023 for Whitters was being on tour with Country icon and co-host of next week’s CMA Awards, Luke Bryan. “He’s like, so funny,” she said of being on tour with Luke. “I would go out every night and do ‘9 to 5’ [by Dolly Parton] with him and he would always just greet me with a shot. He’s just a total ham… he says hilarious stuff all the time. What you see is what you get.”
To hear more about Hailey’s time on tour, new song, “I’m In Love,” and recent accomplishments, press play on her full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Chatting with Brian Kelley ahead of Audacy’s Stars and Strings, host Katie Neal got all the deets about what the Florida Georgia Line member has been up to lately and what he has planned for his next solo album.
Discussing the excitement of seeing his chart-rising track “See You Next Summer” get all the love that it has, and his enthusiasm to “just be out and about” working and playing the track, Brian says he feels “blessed” at this point in his career. Kelley notes, “Coming from FGL and doing everything that we were able to do... to have some more dreams out there to hunt down, it’s just exciting. I don’t take anything for granted, every day is new and every day is an opportunity.”
“I’m grateful to have this season of life and this chapter to be the captain of my own ship… it’s a special time, I’m really enjoying it.”
10 songs into his full-length solo album, BK has plans to step back into the studio, as well as releasing the first little taste of what’s to come with a new song coming out on 11/17, which he dubbed a “party anthem.”
"The track is rippin’, it’s a heavier track in terms of sonically,” he says, which is something you should get used to from BK on at least some of his future tracks. “Thematically and lyrically there’s still a few 'beach, lake, summer-ish' songs, but everything is pretty country-based,” BK revealed. An intentional choice to follow up his first solo release, 2021’s Sunshine State of Mind.
“When I made the first record… we were posted up at the beach, it was the middle of COVID, everything was shut down and I dove into songwriting, I dove into my artistry," he explains, "and not only did I have a blast making it, it helped me get through a time where nothing was really normal.”
Kelley also says he went into it with respect, knowing FGL dates were on the books, “trying to be really respectful of not diving in sonically… anywhere we’ve come from, any of my influences within that group.”
“But now,” he continued, “so much has changed over the past couple of years. I owe it to myself and to anyone that’s gonna listen to my music, to write music, record music, and put out music about where I’m at right now current day, as opposed to what I did two years ago.”
BK’s point is that he doesn’t want to limit himself; he’s not just a beach cowboy churning out summer songs. “I’m way more than that and I think everybody knows that,” he added, revealing he has a slow and sexy song called “Ten O’Clock on the Dock” that he’s excited for everyone to hear, and went on to call this next album his “serious body of work.”
BK also touched on FGL and how the group didn’t end the way he thought it would, noting he had every intention of doing both. To hear everything Brian had to say, listen to the entire interview above.
Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Katie Neal
With the CMA Awards just around the corner, triple nominee Ashley McBryde is gearing up for a fun night amongst her Country music pals. But there’s one friend she knows she most likely won’t be seated next to… and here’s why.
“When you’re in a room full of people that do what you do it’s nice to be able to sit down and talk trash about each other -- because we do,” she said of the playful nature at awards shows. “Especially Miranda [Lambert] and I. I think that’s why they don’t seat us together anymore,” she laughed. “We give each other a hard time, but we’re always cheering each other on. Especially, the women in Country music -- we all are really good at challenging each other and showing up for each other at the same time.”
Trash-talking aside, we all know Ashley has a big heart for connecting with others, especially her fans, which is exactly what she’s done with her current top 20 single, “Light On In The Kitchen.”
“My favorite thing to see is when a Mom or a Dad has their arms around their child -- which is usually like a teenager -- and they’re kind of holding on to them and singing at their head, trying to get the information in there,” she said of witnessing how the song has impacted people every night on tour. “That’s just proof that a song like this, you didn’t write it, you didn’t make it up -- you were just the thing it came through.”
She concluded, “It’s wonderful to watch a Mom or a Dad sing, ‘trust yourself,’ ‘love yourself,’ and hopefully -- for once -- a teenager is listening to their parents.”
For more from Ashley, press play on his entire interview with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
The cat's outta the bag... New music from HARDY is on the way and, according to him, it’s easily the best music he’s ever released.
“Next year I’m gonna be putting out a lot of music,” he told Katie & Co.’s Katie Neal before hitting the stage at Audacy’s Stars and Strings on November 1. “It’s just time. The next record is going to be the best [and] the coolest thing I think I've done so far. Trust me, the title track off the next record is gonna be the coolest thing I've done so far. I guarantee it.”
While he couldn’t elaborate any more on what’s to come, he can finally talk about his newly announced CMA performance alongside Morgan Wallen and Post Malone.
“I’ve manifested this for years,” the 33-year-old said of the live performance scheduled for next week’s CMA Awards. “Slight flex here, but I started following him [Post Malone] when he had like, 300k Instagram followers. I was on the White Iverson terrain, like the first thing that he ever put out and I was like, ‘this is dope,’ and I've been with him ever since.”
The performance will be Posty’s first at the CMAs (no surprise there) and there’s no one better to show him the ropes than HARDY and Wallen. The trio is scheduled to deliver a “Country Medley” of yet-to-be-revealed classics.
“I just like what he’s done for Hip Hop and for Pop music -- it’s just great,” HARDY concluded. “I’ve always said that from the very beginning.”
It's safe to say there won’t be much of HARDY’s famous head-banging during the November 8 performance, but for those curious, the Mississippi native shared how he keeps his signature thick-rimmed glasses on his face when he gets lost in the music.
“There’s like a specific motion I can do to keep them from falling,” he revealed after saying there’s never a strap holding them on. “I can feel them if I go too hard or whatever.”
For more from HARDY, press play on his entire interview with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After recently welcoming a new bundle of joy, Russell Dickerson and family are ready to celebrate their first holiday as a family of four.
With Halloween quickly approaching, Russell admits he’s stuck between two costumes — but either way, he’s goin’ all out and unlike last year, people will have no problem identifying his costume.
“Last year was Trash Truck [children’s show], which like, eight people watch. Nobody knew what we were doing,” he shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal, laughing. “Daniel Tiger is like, the show right now — that’s the show — so Kails [wife, Kailey] was like, ’Cool, let’s get a Daniel Tiger costume.’”
All on board with a children’s theme to make three-year-old son, Remington, and newborn, Radford, happy, Russell quickly learned that even children-friendly costumes can turn a bit…umm...awkward.
“I looked and Daniel Tiger’s Dad wears like, a hoodie with no pants,” Russell said admitting it doesn’t deter him from going for it… tastefully, of course.
“I’m like, ‘That’s kinda funny! I could do that,’” he laughed. “Get some tiger print tights, some yoga pants. That’d be funny.”
While not much seems to top a hilarious, “pants-less” Russell Dickerson, there is one other option and it’s in a completely different ballpark.
“I grew my hair out this year, and people are like ‘Dude, you look like Keanu Reeves,” he said with pride. “I thought it would be funny if they [wife and kids] were like, this cute little children’s show, right? And I just go as John Wick, a straight assassin.”
“Either a hoodie with no pants, or John Wick” RD said, summarizing his options. Guess we’ll just have to wait until Halloween to find out. Which one has your vote?
Want to hear more from Russell? Check out his full interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above to hear about the recent arrival of his second son, how he struggles with comparison and what his first “big boy” tour experience has been like.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
If you’ve been around the Country scene for any amount of time, you know Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany’s commitment to Halloween is next level. With epic costumes in the past tributing Tiger King, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, and more, Jason promises there’s more fun to come this year.
“We got something cooking,” Jason told Audacy’s Katie Neal when asked about his costume for 2023. “We got a little surprise for everybody.”
While he remained tight-lipped about the specifics of his costume with Britt, Jason did share daughter, Navy, is already prepped for the big day while her older brother, Memphis, is still weighing his options.
“Navy wants to be Princess Peach from Mario Brothers,” he shared. “And Memphis wants to be something different every day.”
Before heading home to celebrate Halloween with the fam, Jason has a few shows left to complete on the first leg of his Highway Desperado Tour, which kicked off in July. “Once we got rollin’ it was great,” Jason said of the tour that features fellow artists Michell Tenpenny, Corey Kent and DJ Silver. “I just think it’s a good group of guys, it’s been a fun tour. The atmosphere backstage and just kind of around the tour has been a lot of fun.”
Good tour mates make all the difference and Jason is grateful to have had many over the years including good pal and fellow Georgian, Luke Bryan. After meeting at a radio station in Knoxville as rising Country stars, Aldean and Luke have both gone on to celebrate incredible careers, with Luke recently celebrating 30 #1 singles and Jason not far behind.
“I hate that he’s got a couple more than me because he likes to bring that up,” Aldean laughed after sharing he attended Luke’s 30 #1’s party. “It was fun to be there. I mean, 30 #1’s, that’s a huge deal for him and I was glad to be able to be there and be a part of him celebrating that.”
It won’t be long until Jason joins Luke in the 30 club as he is set to notch #28 with “Try That in A Small Town.”
“Growing up, you have guys like — I remember George Strait putting out his 50 #1 hits [album]. As an artist that’s ever had one of those, you just think, ‘Gah, that’s just impossible. How do you even think about that?’ And for both of us to be sitting here now — him at 30 and me closing in on it — it’s a pretty good deal. It ain’t 50 like Strai,t but it’s pretty good.”
“Try That in A Small Town” is the lead single off Jason’s forthcoming album, Highway Desperado, releasing November 3. Hear more about the project and what to expect by checking out Jason’s full interview with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Dan + Shay are already in the midst of their newest adventure as the history-making, first coaching duo on NBC’s The Voice.
Joining Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour, the guys revealed they’ve already been taping auditions and opened up about the experience thus far, how they got the gig, and their team strategy.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Dan said of being on the show. “Everybody is awesome, it’s just a good crew.”
While the camaraderie is good between the guys and their fellow season 25 judges, which include Reba McEntire, John Legend and Chance the Rapper, they say they have no problem getting competitive to secure the best talent on their team.
“I would say Reba,” Shay said of who they view as their biggest competition. “Because she’s the only other Country act and she’s REBA,” he laughed.
Dan added, “We’re going head to head with her for the Country acts though, it’s ruthless.”
As they celebrate their new adventure, the guys reflected on the process it took to be on the show, which they both admit took a lot of patience. The idea to appear as coaches was first presented to the guys by their manager Jason Owen, who encouraged them to take a meeting with NBC and see where it went.
After connecting well with the folks at NBC, their hopes for getting the gig skyrocketed, especially for Shay.
“Every day I would ask Jason, ‘Hey man, you heard anything?’” Shay shared. “I feel like, before this, I had never even thought about that being a dream of mine. And then they put it in front of me and I was like, ‘I don’t think I’ve wanted to do anything else other than this in my life.’ I was clearly born to do this. I know how to talk — a lot — and you can’t shut me up, this is perfect.”
After months of no news, the guys were ready to admit defeat until Dan got a text while drinking green beer and celebrating St. Patrick's Day at the beach with Country pal, Megan Moroney.
“Jason text us and he was like, ‘Hey, can you guys get on the phone?’ And it was like a Saturday or Sunday — it was St. Patrick's day and I was like, ‘alright this news is either really good or really bad.'”
He continued, “I’m out there, trying to find a quiet spot, we got on like, this conference call and he was like, ‘How would you guys like to be the coaches on The Voice?’ And I was like, ‘No Way!’ We’re on the phone, everybody is super excited and celebrating and then I go back in the bar and I was like, ‘I can’t tell anybody this.’”
While the news is thankfully out in the open now, there are still some details D+S are keeping under wraps — like exactly how they plan to “spin the chair” as two people.
“Tune in [to see]” Dan joked when asked how they actually converse in real time to decide if they want to spin the chair as a team.
“We thought we were going to come up with signs, but we don’t have to,” Shay added. “If the button gets pushed, you’re turnin’. And I feel like we kind of told each other like, ‘Look, if there’s someone that you really, really love — then you get one of those.”
The 25th season of The Voice is scheduled to take place in Spring 2024.
Find out more about their Voice journey, plus details surrounding their forthcoming tour, new album and the tough conversation they had last year by checking out their interview, hosted by Katie Neal, above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Now that Lainey Wilson has introduced fans to her beau of more than two years, the 31-year-old says she’s ready to further express her love for him with new music.
Wilson surprised fans when she walked the carpet at the 2023 ACM Awards last May alongside former NFL player, Devlin “Duck” Hodges — her boyfriend of two years. Wilson had kept their relationship under wraps until that night and now, she’s ready to share their love with the world.
“I am in love… I’m excited to share this side of my life,” Lainey confirmed before sharing her most-recent songwriting is reflecting that. “That’s weird for me, that I’m able to write those kinds of songs. I will say, I don’t think I will ever be the kind of love song writer that’s going to be mushy, gushy, like pour my heart out to ya. I think it’s going to be more of the ‘I’m a strong woman and I gotta man who’s OK with it kind of thing.’”
That’s exactly what Lainey appears to have as she continued on to explain Duck’s support of her career and the respect he has for her chasing a dream. “He knows what it’s like to start from the ground up,” she said, sharing he did the same as he walked on the Pittsburgh Steelers. “He knows what it’s like to have a dream at a very young age… we understand each other. He knows how important this job is to me and this business and he knows I have worked my butt off to be here and ain’t nobody gonna stop me from doing what I need to do.”
That’s never been more clear as Wilson recently made CMA history topping the nominee list for a second year in a row with nine nods at the 57th Annual CMA Awards. This includes a nom for the night’s biggest award, Entertainer of the Year, which recognizes the approximate 160 live shows Wilson has played in 2023 alone.
“We have played every kind of show you can imagine this year,” she reflected. “We started out doing a club tour and then we did the Luke Combs stadium tour and then now we’re out on the road with HARDY. By the time it’s said and done, we’ll have played 160-something shows for the year.”
That’s a lot of shows, and if you know Lainey — you know it’s a lot of bell bottoms as well. Wilson’s love for bell-bottom pants has been apparent since she got her start in the genre and has taken on a life of it’s own as she is never seen without them and has even claimed the space, “Bell Bottom Country” with her latest album. Lainey shared her love for the pants goes way back to her childhood.
“They were blue leopard print,” she said while reminiscing on her first pair of bell bottom pants. “When I put those blue leopard print bell bottoms on I felt sassy, I felt like I could do anything. I didn’t want to take them off, my mama at some point was like, ‘You gotta take ‘em off, we gotta wash ‘em,’” she laughed.
The invincible feeling and unique look the pants gave her continued into adulthood and according to Wilson, helped her stand out as she worked to bust her way into the Country music scene. “2011 is when I moved to Nashville, a few years of being in Nashville, I realized pretty quickly that just being a decent singer-songwriter as well as being a girl is not enough,” she said. “I realized I’ve got to do something that makes people raise their eyebrows a little bit… and for me it was putting those bell bottoms back on.”
Whether you credit the bell bottoms, her stellar talent, or a little bit of both, Lainey has proven to be a force in the Country world and is currently sitting at the top of the charts with her single, “Watermelon Moonshine.”
“This song is something that I feel like everybody kinda wants to feel that nostalgic feeling of like, when it seemed like nothing else in the world mattered. This song takes me back to that time and that moment in my life when I felt like, ‘This is it, I just want to bottle it up.'”
Lucky for us, all that emotion and nostalgia is bottled up and there anytime we need it as “Watermelon Moonshine” plays across Audacy stations nationwide and sits as track 4 on Lainey’s Bell Bottom Country album.
Hear more about the current single, new music in the works and why she still gets nervous before taking the stage by checking out Lainey’s full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Parmalee recently wrapped their time on tour with legendary band, Train, and the guys still can’t get over what a perfect fit it was for them on the road.
“So much fun, such good guys,” Parmalee told Audacy’s Katie Neal during this week’s Superstar Power Hour. “It just made complete sense. We knew when they asked us if we wanted to go on tour with them, I was like, ‘Absolutely!’ Because I knew their audience would be a lot of our audience.”
Not only was it a perfect fit for the fans, the guys were happy to take notes from some of their biggest icons.
“The main thing you learn is what it takes to put on a great 90-minute set… and just performing. Pat [Monahan] is a great performer,” said lead singer, Matt Thomas. “It’s almost like he took us under his wing a little bit,” Josh McSwain added. “He would tell us his stories about coming up and how it used to be before they had all the success and everything. It was really interesting.”
As the guys clearly created a close bond with Monahan, they admit they were still starstruck by being around him every night.
“Passing by [him] in the hallway, it’s like ‘Oh, hey! That’s Pat!’” Laughed Thomas.
Admitting to being starstruck by Pat brought up some other memories for the guys who said people have been starstruck by them… but only because of mistaken identities.
“We were playing this festival with Dierks Bentley and I was in the bathroom,” McSwain shared of one of his fondest memories. “He comes up behind me and goes, ‘Hey, man!’ [and] I was like, ‘No Way! Dierks Bentley knows who we are.’ I turn around and I’m like, ‘Hey!’ And he goes, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you were Gary Allen.”
Not quite, Dierks! A much more common mistake the guys have been running into is drummer, Scott, regular being called Aaron Rodgers.
“Aaron Rodgers back here,” the guys said, pointing to Scott. “He’s getting that a lot these days!”
“I’d say it’s every other day,” responded Scott. “The TSA says it, the stewadess says it — I mean, just a lot of people in general. It’s the hat turned around and the beard, I guess.”
Hear more about the band’s mistaken identities, recent tour dates, new album and more by checking out their full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Four short years ago, Bailey Zimmerman was working on pipelines and building trucks and now, he’s celebrated three consecutive #1s on Country radio in under a year. Clearly a star in his own right, Bailey says he’s the one getting starstruck by the stars he’s had the opportunity to meet thanks to his success.
During a recent conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour, Zimmerman said the last time he felt starstruck was when he met the Jonas Brothers.
“[I] got to meet and hang and like kick it with 'em,” Bailey said of the trio including Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas. “I would say we're kind of like friends. I'm like, ‘Dang dude, these guys are sick!’ They're like really chill and kicking it. And they treated me so good when we came to the show like, ‘Dude, you guys are the bomb man.’ And then the show is like unbelievable.”
The warm welcome to the music industry extended into the Country genre for 23-year-old Zimmerman, who has been taken under the wing of Country pals Morgan Wallen, HARDY and Ernest. Currently on tour with all three, Bailey says the guys welcomed him with open arms and have taught him a lot on the road as they’ve all been part of Morgan Wallen’s 2023 headlining tour, One Night At A Time.
“It just feels good to not have to like work at it and feel like I have to be somebody else because I'm just like, just me all the time,” Bailey said, acknowledging the friendship he shares with all three of his tourmates came very naturally. “They're just like cool and they laugh at me a lot because I'm just like so random and spazzy all over the place.”
He continued on to express his gratitude for their hospitality admitting he wasn’t sure how welcomed he’d be as a new member of the Country music scene and rather inexperienced. “I was really — not really nervous — just like, ‘Man, I really hope everybody's really cool with me and like just takes me in as like this young kid that's trying to do something out here.’ And that's what it was. Heck, I met Morgan in Big Loud [label] parking lot and he was the coolest dude. He was like, ‘Yeah, I've been listening to your song ‘Fall in Love.’ And I'm like, ‘What?!’”
Bailey’s rise to fame is expedited compared to most in the industry as he learned to sing just a few short years ago. With overnight success in such a public profession, Zimmerman has experienced his fair share of criticism, but the optimistic Illinois-native says he’s never let it make him feel unworthy of his accomplishments.
“I’ve always believed in myself,” Bailey said when asked if he’s every struggled with imposter syndrome. “I preach that every single night on tour and all the time, really in life. Is that like believing is 80% of the whole battle. If you believe in something… that’s the main part, just believe. I’ve got it tattoo’d on my arm.”
Hear more about Bailey’s incredible rise to fame, the stories behind his three consecutive #1’s at Country radio and more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
In the midst of wrapping up his Home Team ’24 tour, Thomas Rhett is reminiscing on his highly successful career after accomplishing 21 #1 singles on Country radio in just 10 years.
“I can’t fully fathom it,” he said of the accomplishment. “It feels like 20 years and [also] a day because I can vividly go back to the moment every single one of these songs came out and put myself into that anxious feeling of like, ‘Is this one going to work?’”
After hitting #20 with the success for “Half of Me” feat. Riley Green, Rhett announced plans to release a retrospective vinyl collection titled, 20 Number Ones. Leading up to the vinyl release, Thomas has been having some fun walking down memory lane via social media as he revisits some of his favorite songs, moments, and phases of his career.
“Anything that I get into, it can’t just be a sorta thing… When it get into something, it has to be a million percent” he said, poking fun at some of the phases he went through, specifically his jeans phase.
“I got into the whole raw denim phase, like the real hipster phase where you’re like, ‘hey, you can’t wash these, only wash these once a year or stick them in the freezer,” TR laughed. “My wife was just like, ‘will you just stop and just wash your freakin’ pants?’”
While his jean phase may be concluded, Thomas’ hit-making stage seems to be far from over as he shares plans and expectations he has for himself to keep releasing quality music. “It’s kind of an interesting time in my career because a decade solidifies like, OK, that was a thing, that was a moment, that was a story, and now it’s like, how do we begin to write the next chapter of the book?” He expressed.
“I can’t just release songs that sound like hits for the sake of it’s a hit. What does that do? It’s gotta be something new and unique and fresh for me for it to matter.”
We look forward to hearing what comes across our speakers in the next decade! To hear more about Thomas’ 20 Number Ones album, his family and some of the stories behind his music hit play on his conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
As an ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee and recent CMA Musical Event of the Year nominee, Kane Brown says, while honored, award nominations are not what motivate him most.
“I was very happy that I got nominated for it, but to be completely honest with you, I forget all the time that I was even nominated,” he said of the ACM recognition. “I always go out and I just try to put the best show on that I can. I feel like that’s what I want to perfect the most out of anything in the career, is just me performing.”
Known for his humble, easy-going spirit, Kane’s on-stage performances may surprise many as he lights up his sets with boundless energy, passion and literal fire.
“I remember, I used to be that scared kid and now I just realize the more fun I have, the more fun everybody else has,” he said, revealing he studies performances of several different artists to perfect his own shows . “If people saw me six months ago, I’m like ‘Wait until you come to the next show.’ Me and my band and my team and the production — everything just keeps getting better.”
The fun he’s having has made Kane more confident than ever as he’s branched out and tried some things out of his comfort zone. For example, taking an acting role on the CBS drama Fire Country. “It’s hard,” he said of his experience acting. “I was in seven minutes… I was there two days for that seven minutes.”
While he may have not been as comfortable on set as he is on stage, Brown says he received unexpected compliments from his fellow co-stars. “I don’t know if they [everyone on the set] were blowing smoke or whatever, but they said that I was a natural. But the guy that they had me playing was kind of me, just low-key and whatever, but they said I was just natural.”
So what’s the dream role for this natural actor? “I would love to be an Avenger,” Kane shared without hesitation. “That would be sick. Or, I’ve always wanted to play in a scary movie.”
As Kane manifests those roles, he continues to remain busy working on new music. Sharing “Bury Me In Georgia” is his last single from the Different Man album, Brown shares he’s ready to get fans some new tracks. “I have been working on new music and I’m really excited for what’s to come.”
So are we!
Hear more about new music, his live shows, and more by checking out Kane’s entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Luke Combs and wife, Nicole, are expecting baby #2 any day now and according to Combs the couple is “very excited, but not ready.”
“Ready is not the word,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal during this week’s Superstar Power Hour. “It’s not twice the work, it’s like, five times the work,” he said of going from one child to two.
“We’re like, ‘Man, we got the one kid and are so dialed in to what that’s like,” he shared. “I know when this is going to happen, [and] when this is going to happen. When I’m home, we just know how it’s gonna go, me and my wife have such a great system down.”
While their solid routine may be disrupted with a new bundle of joy, Luke says he and Nicole will happily work their way towards finding a new routine without the help of a nanny or sitter.
Declining to hire help despite Luke’s crazy schedule is something the couple has been vocal about in the past and according to Luke, their philosophy hasn’t changed as they ready for #2.
“It’s going to be a challenge because we don’t have nannies or any of that stuff,” he told Katie. “We’ve thought about it, and it’s not a question of ‘Can we afford that?’ It’s a question of ‘Do we want that for our kids?’ And right now, at this time, I don’t think that’s something that we’re really interested in because I want our kids to have as normal of a life as possible considering the circumstances. I’d rather them be riding bikes than riding a tour bus.”
Luke continued on to share his new-found respect for artists like Garth Brooks, who took time away from his career to be as present as possible in his kid’s lives. “No doubt people thought he was nuts,” Combs said of Brooks’ decision to leave music while his kids grew up. “But it all makes sense once you have kids… I’m not saying that’s what I’m going to do.”
He continued, “My kids didn’t ask to be born. It was our choice to have them so it would feel pretty selfish to not give them all the attention.”
Aside from welcoming a new child, Combs is also readying to open a multi-level entertainment complex in downtown Nashville in partnership with Opry Entertainment Group. The bar is expected to open in Summer 2024.
“I’m stoked about that,” he said of the venue’s approaching opening. “It’s gonna be a big project, for sure. Obviously partnering in this with Ryman Hospitality and the Opry and stuff is a dream come true.”
He continued, “They care about it a lot. I knew that if I ever was going to do something like that [open a bar] with somebody, I would want it to be with them — and that was without even thinking it would be a real possibility.”
Hear more about plans for the bar, the arrival of baby #2 and the possibility of a collaboration with Tracy Chapman by listening to Luke’s entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Jon Pardi is preparing for the night of a lifetime as he will officially become not only the newest member of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry during an official induction ceremony on October 24, but also the very first Californian to become a part of the famed Country music family.
Pardi was surprised with the invite to join the establishment while onstage at Stagecoach Music Festival in April 2023. The invite was delivered by Guy Fieri, who joined him on stage along with Alan Jackson who appeared via video message, extending a formal invite for Pardi to become the next Opry member.
“It was awesome, I didn’t see it coming,” he said of the moment he was asked to be a member on the stage at Stagecoach. “They said it took two years of planning between the Opry, Alan [Jackson] and getting Stagecoach… it worked out, it was great.”
He continued, “I told the Opry, that is going to be a tough one to top right there — 80,000 people screaming for the Grand Ole Opry and Alan and me… it was awesome.”
In addition to readying for the big induction ceremony, Pardi is heading out on his headlining, Mr. Saturday Night World Tour this month with shows in the U.S., Canada as well as several across Europe. Furthermore, Pardi is also in the midst of putting together his very own Christmas album which is expected to be ready for the 2023 holiday season.
“I’m really excited for the Christmas record, I think people are really going to enjoy it,” he said of the project which will contain four original songs. “It’s a very fun Christmas record to where, I think people who have parties and stuff — it’s definitely going to be on their mix.”
Hear more about the Christmas album, his first six months of fatherhood, and the stories behind some of his most popular songs by checking out his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Jelly Roll has come a long way since his days behind bars, reading magazines to pass the time. Now, the subject of those magazines, Jelly says it’s far beyond anything he ever could’ve imagined.
“I grew up reading magazines, so I romanticized that as a child, like, that was one of my dreams,” he told Audacy's Katie Neal of being in a big-time publication. “As a kid, reading Billboard magazine in juvenile — because we’d get that kind of reading material — [and] now, having little, small pieces of Billboard history… that’s crazy, dude,” he continued. “I never thought I’d be in [it],” he laughed before joking “at best” he saw himself in Ripley’s Believe it Or Not for “[eating] the most donut holes or something.”
The 38-year-old has always been open with fans surrounding his troubled past including his struggles with addiction and the legal system. Instead of hiding from his truth, the Nashville-native has boldly stepped up to inspire, connect, and educate fans all over.
“I would have never been confident to dream this big,” he stated. “That’s why now, my preach pitch to kids is, ‘whatever you’re dreamin’ right now is too small, man. You have no clue.’ Things I thought were mountains, God made look like speed bumps… I couldn’t have even dreamed the success that’s happened in my life right now.”
The success has been major and continues to grow as he recently celebrated his second single to Country radio, “Need A Favor,” going #1 after it already spent two weeks atop the Rock charts and is now being played on Pop radio.
“I’m elated,” he said with a huge grin. “These moments, they keep getting more unreal to me. Every day when I think this thing can’t get no bigger, something crazy happens,” he continued, before diving into what he’s dreaming up next.
“Madison Square Garden,” he exclaimed. “I keep thinking about going to MSG. I just keep having this dream of being like a fat Billy Joel… he just has so many iconic Madison Square moments.”
It doesn’t stop there. Jelly also listed playing a show in his hometown stadium and acting in a movie as top goals for himself. “I told you, I’m dreaming big,” he smiled before sharing he’d like to act in a comedy. “I’d want to do something funny… I believe that the two greatest medicines are music and humor.”
Until the acting opportunity comes — because we know it will — Jelly is focused on the music as he is currently on his 44-date, headlining Backroad Baptism tour. The trek is bringing the highly personal music from his debut Country album, Whitsitt Chapel, to fans all over and showing him first-hand how much of an impact his music has made on the lives of others.
“It just feels like I’m living a purpose, it’s a constant reminder,” he said. “Some days you get so muddled with the stuff in the business that even as you get more successful, sometimes your purpose can get lost. I’m one of the lucky artists that gets to constantly be reminded of my purpose and my reasons which is why when I write songs it’s so fresh in my mind.”
He continued on the share some of the moments he carries with him from the current tour that inspire him on a daily basis. “I think of that woman that just told me that story backstage, or I think of the sign at the Valparaiso [Indiana] Porter County Fair 3 nights ago, 4 nights ago, a woman held up a picture of her daughter who died of a fentanyl overdose, an accidental fentanyl overdose, and the sign that the one next to her held said, ‘we had tickets to your show, she couldn’t make it, we came,” he said, before tearing up.
Stories like the above continue to motivate Jelly to reach new audiences who may need to hear his deeply personal messages and that’s exactly what he’s doing with the re-release of his song, “Save Me,” as as duet with fellow Country artist, Lainey Wilson.
“To see the impact it’s had… and then Lainey coming in… Even the people the song had already touched heard it differently from the perspective of a woman,” he expressed.
“I think Lainey has the ability to put this in households it hasn’t been to yet,” he continued. “My thing was, if this song has already helped this many people, I wonder how many more it could help if it had the right person help spread the message and awareness with me.”
Changing lives doesn’t stop at the music for Jelly Roll. He’s on a constant mission to pay it forward. As his career grows, so does his generosity as he extends opportunities to improve the lives of others.
“I’m being able to change people’s lives even outside of music now,” he expressed. “Now, I get to hire people. I get to hire all my friends to work for me, so that’s cool. I get to take dudes off the street and give them second chances. It’s really cool.”
As far as his personal life goes, Jelly is currently in the planning stages for a vow renewal with wife, Bunnie, who is just as loved by Jelly’s fans as he is. So much so that she even hosts her own meet and greets at his shows.
“Go Bunnie, go!” Jelly said of his wife having her own opportunity to spend time with the fans and share her story. “She’s sold a ton of them!”
“The Jelly Roll story got a documentary, the Bunnie story deserves a feature film,” he said with pure admiration for his wife. “She deserves every bit of her own identity that she gets.”
The pair has big plans for 7th year of marriage which include an epic vow renewal in Las Vegas in securing an actual anniversary date. “We never really had an anniversary because we can’t remember what date we got married,” Jelly laughed. “We know we got married between the 30th [of August] and the 1st [of September], but we just don’t remember what day, which time anyways because we were patting and drinking in Vegas. It was like a 4 or 5 day bender and the marriage just happened in the middle of it, so we’re like, let’s do this right, as adults now.”
He continued, “We’re going to parade down the Las Vegas Strip to that one little chapel that married us that drunken night, this time sober, to remember,” he shared. “Renew our vows and party in Vegas like we did that one night seven years ago.”
To hear more about the vow renewal, Jelly’s success and more, check out his entire conversation with Audavy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Brett Young’s newest album, Across The Sheets, has had an entire week to shine bright after releasing last Friday. While fans continue to soak up the new music, there’s one very familiar song on the project that has captured a lot of attention.
Included on the project is Brett’s take on Tim McGraw’s 1994 single, “Don’t Take The Girl,” a tune the 42-year-old credits to introducing him to the magic of music, and more specifically, Country.
“In 1994, in Southern California, everyone was listening to Blink 182 and [The] Offspring and Green Day on a transistor radio on the beach in Huntington somewhere and I don’t have anything against that kind of music, but I haven’t cared for it,” Brett said if his days growing up in the Golden state.
“There was one [Country] station in Southern California at the time [I was growing up] and, ‘Don’t Take The Girl,’ came on,” Young said, recalling he always blasted Country radio while riding in the car just to annoy his older sister. “I’m a young kid and I don’t especially like Country music either, but this song… I remember this thing registered in my head, way back then of, ‘That’s a 15-year-long story in four minutes. How?’ It’s perfect, it’s literally perfect. It catapulted me into when Ty Herdon released ‘What Mattered Most,’ and Shenandoah, and it just started finding 90s Country and I fell in love with it.”
With the 30-year anniversary of the song's release coming up next year, Young wanted to include it on his fourth studio album but admits he struggled to commit as he feared he could never get it as right as McGraw did. “I realized when we were making this record, I wanted to do something different, and next year, ‘Don’t Take The Girl,’ it’ll be the 30th anniversary of the release of that song, and I was like, this is the time to do it,” he said.
“I was terrified,” Young said of including the song on Across The Sheets. “I sing my own songs all the time, but Tim McGraw did it perfect. So, the idea that you could potentially make a mockery of something that was perfect.”
Young put his fears aside and worked with the same producer McGraw did for the song, Dan Huff, who Brett says, “made sure that it turned out good.”
“I’m really proud of it,” he said of his version while also saying “I love this whole record, so it’s kind of impossible to cherry-pick favorites.”
Hear more about Brett’s new album, including the re-record from a previous project he included, plus info on his family, tour with Sam Hunt,and more by checking out the entire conversation with Brett Young above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
New music from Brett Young has arrived as the Southern California native celebrates the release of his fourth studio album, Across The Sheets, available now. The singer-songwriter recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal at the Hard Rock Hotel in New York for a special album release party featuring an intimate chat about the project and exclusive performance of his favorite tracks.
“I think we’ve stretched what I’ve done as a songwriter in the past very much for this one in a way that I’m very proud of,” he said of the album as a whole. “I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
While listening to the album, Brett says fans will notice the lyrics don’t exactly line up with his current stage of life as a happily married man with two beautiful daughters. He reassures us it’s something he did by design.
“Now, it’s like life is perfect. I got the girl, the beautiful babies — if I only wrote those songs, you guys would hate my record,” he said before sharing the album centers a lot around a broken heart he experienced when he and his now wife, Taylor Mills Young, took a break from their relationship years ago while they were dating.
“For the first time, I had to write outside of what was happening in my life currently and kind of say something that everybody can relate to, which caused me to go years and years back into my past to connect to other stories and heartbreak — which I’m not currently experiencing.”
While the majority of the project centers around intense heartbreak and searching for “the one,” Young managed to include a couple love songs. One of those songs is "Uncomfortable," which he says came to be because of his “disagreement” with a popular John Mayer song.
“John Mayer had the song ‘Comfortable,’ one of my favorites when he did Any Given Thursday, which was this live performance where he did like an extended version of ‘Comfortable,’” Young shared. “I was always in love with it, but I listened to it a couple years ago — it’s perfect, it’s absolutely right, everything he is saying — but the concept of getting comfortable in a relationship as you get older, you realize that’s actually the death of a relationship.”
He continued, “Being uncomfortable, being nervous around somebody 30 years, 40 years after you’ve been together — that’s the magic sauce… So I was like, ‘I think that’s wrong,’ I want to write, ‘Uncomfortable.’”
The tune ended up presenting him with the album title, Across The Sheets, which is a lyric that ended up in multiple places across the project. “Across the Sheets is in ‘Uncomfortable,’ it’s also in a song on the record called, ‘Let Go Too Soon,’” he shared. “I didn’t realize I put those lyrics in both songs until we were putting the record together.”
“That lyric sounds so sexy and so cool… but really, it’s about the person you want to be across the sheets from in the morning when you wake up. Who you want to share your life with.”
Acknowledging his connection and success with love songs, Young poked fun at himself stating, “when I retire, I’ll just be a wedding singer.” He then shared his earliest memories of connecting to one of Country’s most impactful love songs, “Don’t Take The Girl,” by Tim McGraw, which he included on the new album as a cover. “I just cranked Country radio,” Young said, telling a story of being in the car with his sister and loving to annoy her by putting Country radio on in the car.
“‘Don’t Take The Girl,’ came on and I thought, ‘That’s incredible storytelling.’ I was already in love with… the singer side of music… and then I heard the storytelling side of music and I heard ‘Don’t Take The Girl’… I fell in love with how long of a story you can squeeze into three minutes in music.”
Brett is currently taking the many stories of his new album on the road as he opens for Sam Hunt on The Outskirts Tour, which he says is a very natural fit for his music. “Life on the road with Sam has been great,” he stated. “I think we have a similar fan base, so that’s nice… it feels natural and totally normal.”
Taking the stage each night in front of his fans isn’t the only fun Young is having on tour. He also has his family on the road with him and enjoys sharing the touring experience with the ones he loves most.
“We’ve actually started bringing the girls out,” Brett said with excitement. “When they come out, they understand I have to work. They always say, ‘Daddy, do you have to go at the stage?’ I’m like, ‘Sure do, honey. Please keep saying it like that.’”
Catch Brett “at the stage” as he performs his favorite songs — new and old — as part of his album release party with Audacy, as well as his entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
As Justin Moore nears what would be the 12th #1 song of his career with “You, Me and Whiskey,” featuring Priscilla Block, the Country music veteran is reflecting on one of the songs that got away.
The Nashville music scene is its own chaotic world as songwriters attempt to get their songs picked up by artists that will take it to its highest potential. On the other side, artists are always on the hunt for their next big hit, and with everyone pulling from the same pool, things are bound to get competitive.
During a recent interview with Katie Neal, Justin shared he’s experienced the many different emotions of securing a song, from “stealing” a hit from another artist, to losing one.
“As artists we all have stories of being on the right end and the wrong end of that whole deal so it’s kinda funny to remember that and kinda pick at each other of that.”
He continued to reflect on one of the biggest hits he’s lost to another artist after having the song on hold for nearly a year. “I had ‘Drinkin’ Class’ on hold for a long time,” Justin recalled. “I had it on hold for like, a year… it was between that song and another song and I thought they were really similar and I picked the other song."
“Not even an hour after we take it off hold, I hear that Lee [Brice] is cuttin’ it and I’m like, ‘that’s not a good sign’ I’m like, ‘Daggumit,’” Justin laughed.
Moore was also quick to share he’s been on the other side of a ‘daggumit’ moment with a song he experienced tremendous success with titled, “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.”
Sharing the song was previously recorded by Rhett Akins a couple years earlier, but never released, Moore hopped on the opportunity to make it the big hit he knew it could be. “I heard it and was like, ‘I can’t believe nobody’s put this song out. It’s so obvious to me.’ At the time, the song was 10 years old — how has no one cut this? What in the world? Am I just crazy?’”
Turns out he was just crazy good at recognizing the songs potential — something his fellow artists admitted they were jealous of after they passed on the song. “I’ll never forget, I saw Luke Bryan… he goes, ‘I’m not happy with you right now.’ and I’m like, ‘Oh God, what did I do?’”
“He goes, ‘Dallas [Davidson]’ — one of the songwriters, a mutual friend of ours — ‘has been telling me to cut this song for years!’ And I’m like, ‘Well, yeah, you dumba**! What are you doin’? How did you miss that?’ It had become a big hit at that point and he’s like ‘I don’t know.’”
Justin is hoping to celebrate another win with his song, “You, Me and Whiskey,” featuring Country newcomer Priscilla Block. While the song would be a 12th #1 for Moore, it would be a first for Block. “Fingers crossed. I’m really excited about it,” Justin said of the song's approach the top spot. “I’m glad the song’s done so well, especially getting to know Priscilla over the last couple of years… and becoming friends with her.”
He continued, “when you ask somebody to be a part of something, you hope it succeeds… hopefully it’ll be #12 for me, and her first. I want it more for her than I want it for myself.”
Hear more from Justin as he talks his biggest hits, family life and the craziest thing that’s ever happened while he was on stage during his interview with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
One listen to Chris Janson’s newest album, The Outlaw Side Of Me, and you’ll hear exactly why the Missouri native was born to be a Country star. You’ll also hear a couple of superstar guests.
While Janson’s talents surely shine bright with his unmatched energy, Country vocals and Harmonica skills, he also pulled in some big-time stars to help him elevate the album.
Alongside vocal appearances from Brantley Gilbert and Darius Rucker on the project, Chris also welcomed not one, but two musical icons, Slash and Dolly Parton, to help him out on the track, “21 Forever.” So how did he land such incredible star power on one song?
“Just ask,” he said of his approach to getting Parton and Slash on the tune. “When we wrote ’21 Forever’ we actually wrote it in kind of reverse,” he explained of the tune that come together by riffing into his phone. “I always envisioned Dolly being on it and I always envisioned Slash being on it because it reminded me it was very reminiscent of ‘November Rain’ to me by Guns N’ Roses.”
“I asked Julian [Raymond] my producer, ‘Could you reach out to Dolly? Could you reach out to Slash?’ Let’s connect the dots.’ And they both said ‘Yes.’”
Janson elaborated saying both superstars sent back an immediate ‘yes’ and even remained humble asking Janson for his feedback.
“They could’ve sang ‘Tic-Tac-Toe and Hokey Pokey and I would’ve been cool. I’d love it,” he laughed. “They’re pros and they just crushed it. They totally crushed it.”
The result is 1/14th of Janson’s The Outlaw Side of Me album, which he says is his most freeing project to date.
“I wanted to make an album, finally, that is just what I do live.” Chris expressed. “There’s a sense of freedom to it that has not been with my previous two albums.”
“The sense of freedom came from being totally the artist and not trying to wear all the hats,” he shared, explaining he handed the producer reins to Julian Raymond for this project.
Being able to focus solely on being an artist in the studio and on stage has helped Janson reach a new level of happiness in his career. Additionally, it allows for more time with family, especially his son Jesse who’s quickly making a name for himself as he joins Chris on stage and has big dreams of following in his Dad’s footsteps.
“He came up to me at the Opry about a year ago and said he wanted to sing with me,” Janson said of his son’s first request to sing Country music. “I said, ‘OK, when?’ And he said, ‘Now.’”
Making it clear he’s never pushed music on his children, Chris continued, “He made his debut singing on the Opry, crushed it. We sang, ‘The Real Bass Pro’ together because we’re real Bass Pro guys and yeah — he’s good.”
Hear more about Chris’ new album, the stories it tells and the career he’d have if he wasn’t a Country artist by checking out his full conversation with Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Darius Rucker has been in the music business a long time, so it should be no surprise he has the best show-day ritual we’ve ever heard of.
“I play golf, work out, and take a nap,” the 57-year-old told Audacy’s Katie Neal of his daytime activities on show days before clarifying a 2-hour nap is the sweet spot for him.
“We still do a shot together every night before we go on [too],” he added. “We’ve been doing that for decades. That’s still one of our traditions, I love it.”
Darius is currently keeping the traditions alive on the road with his, Starting Fires Tour. The name is a nod to his brand new single, “Fires Don’t Start Themselves,” which, according to him, has been a big hit with the live audiences.
“The reaction’s been great,” he said. “That song is such a Country song and people just love it when we play it. By the first chorus, everybody is already in so, that’s what you’re lookin for.”
The track is the lead single off Darius’ forthcoming album, Carolyn’s Boy, a tribute to his late mother arriving late Summer/early Fall 2023.
“We’re talking about doing some really cool stuff, especially in Charleston where I was born and raised,” Rucker said of plans to honor his mom with the album release. “Hopefully we’ll get something really cool and something that makes me happy, and makes my family happy too.”
“Fires Don’t Start Themselves” isn’t the only song Darius has brought on the road from the new project which he credits for having “a lot of great Country stuff.”
He also shared he plays the songs, “Have a Good Time,” “Never Been Over,” and “Still Would’ve Loved Her,” which are all included in the forthcoming project. All that in addition to his previously released collaboration with Chapel Hart, “Ol' Church Hymn.”
“Those girls are just absolutely amazing,” Darius said of working with the all-female trio that got their big-break on season 17 of America’s Got Talent.
“Anytime I see a text from one of those girls I know it’s going to be funny… I love hanging out with them when we get together. They make me laugh the whole time we’re together. I love them so much.”
It’s not all new stuff that’s fun for Darius to play on the road. The South Carolina native says he still has the best time performing his iconic cover of Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel,” a song he brought new life to in 2013.
Darius’ experience with “Wagon Wheel” is much like Luke Combs’ current experience bringing Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” to the top of the Country Charts.
“What a great cover. When I heard it, I was like, ‘This song's a smash.’” Darius said of Combs’ cover. That’s such a great song and he took it and made it his own and when you do it like that — that’s goin’ #1 fast.”
He continued, “He’s bringing it to a whole new audience. There’s a lot of people who didn’t know that song until he did it and that’s what great about those songs. You bring a great song to a bunch of new people.”
Hear more about Darius’ new album, current tour and thoughts on cover songs by checking out his entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
There’s never a dull moment when the guys of Old Dominion are around. On the road and writing music together for more than 15 years, Matt Ramsey, Brad Tursi, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers and Geoff Sprung have formed a brotherhood like no other — one we wonder if they’d ever commemorate with matching tattoos.
“I can’t get these guys to [get tattoos],” frontman, Matt Ramsey said. “They’re too scared.”
“If we can settle on one tattoo that we all get, [a] team tattoo, we each have it [I’d get one]” Rosen chimed in. “It would be a giant Old Dominion logo,” he said, sarcastically of the design they’d get.
While the guys don’t sound fully committed to the idea as of now, finding a tattoo artist won’t be an issue should they change their mind while on their No Bad Vibes tour. Ramsey shared tattoo artists are regular guests at the different tour stops and provide tour tattoos for their band and crew.
“I’ve got a couple, actually,” Ramsey said of getting tour tattoos by artists on their current tour. “Sometimes we’ll have some connection to somebody that can come just hang out and say, ‘Hey if anybody wants a tattoo.’”
The tour has proven worthy of permanent ink as it wraps its Spring leg and is scheduled to continue into the Fall, featuring new music from the group’s recently released EP, Memory Lane.
“We have ‘Some Horses,’ ‘How Good Is That,’ and ‘Love Drunk and Happy,’” Ramsey said of the brand new songs available on the EP, in addition to some previously released tracks. While all tracks reflect the bands beloved “feel good” vibes, there’s one song that sticks out for them as it represents a first for them in their 16 years of being a band.
“‘Some Horses,’ in particular is pretty special in that it’s the only song we’ve ever recorded that we didn’t write,” Ramsey shared. “That song has been around over ten years and we’ve always just loved it.”
After recently reminiscing on the song with bandmate Trevor, Matt decided to pitch the tune to the rest of the guys to be included on their next project. “I played it for them that morning and said ‘Just hear me out, let’s just give this a shot’.” Ramsey recalled. “It was really a special moment."
You can hear ‘Some Horses,’ plus two more brand new songs on the guys’ brand new EP, Memory Lane, available now. Find out more about their tour, tattoos and favorite 4th of July memories by listening to their full interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Luke Bryan is working double overtime as he prepares to head out on multiple tours, pieces together a new album, and teaches his 15-year-old how to drive.
LISTEN NOW: Luke Bryan says teaching his 15-year-old son to drive is a ‘nightmare’
Forget taking the stage in front of thousands every night, or writing the next big Country hit — Dad duty is the most stressful thing Luke Bryan has on his plate right now as he helps his son, Bo, practice for his driver’s test.
“He’s 15 so he’s doing the whole learner’s permit nightmare,” Luke told Katie Neal. “He is not a very good driver right now, so we’re having to work with him pretty hard.”
While Luke says the task isn’t coming very naturally to Bo, sounds like his son would beg to differ. “He’s very frustrating right now because he thinks he knows how to drive, but he has no idea what he’s doing,” Luke shared. “He thinks because he can operate a 4-wheeler or Polaris that he is quite proficient, but he is not, I assure you.”
It’s not all struggles for young Bo, who Luke said caught his first 10-pound bass weeks ago — beating Luke’s first by decades.
“He caught [his first 10-pund bass] a couple of weeks ago,” Luke said. “It took him 15 years, it took me 46 years.”
As Luke continues to teach the rules of the road, and take fishing flack from the fam, it’s a good thing he has a light-hearted, good-time single to play while on tour the rest of the year.
“I feel like, ‘But I’ve got a Beer in My Hand’ is something that’s really, really a fun song for the summer,” he said of the tune. “People can just sit back and listen to it while they’re at a concert, hold a beer up, have fun and dance.” Sounds like something he could use for a break from the ever-stressful driving instructor role.
Luke promises lots more light-hearted fun to come in the future as he pieces together his next studio album, which he shared is already well in the works. “I’m all about from now to the twilight of my career just having a blast when I’m on stage, playing songs that make people have fun,” he said.
“We’ve got several things recorded,” he shared of the progress on his next project. “I’d say we got around 10 songs recorded, probably going to record, six, seven, eight more songs just to be able to put out a full-length LP. As I find songs, as I write songs that I really love, we’ll go in the studio an record ‘em and just keep adding layer upon layer to the album and just put out.”
To hear more from Luke, his tour, new music and Dad duty, check out his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Inspiration can come from anywhere when you’re one of Nashville’s most successful singer-songwriters, and Jordan Davis’ 6th consecutive big hit, “Next Thing You Know,” is a perfect example.
Davis recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal for a conversation on the Superstar Power Hour and explained just how eating breakfast with his young daughter turned into a unique #1.
“I was just having breakfast one morning and it kind of hit me how fast my daughter is like [growing up],” Davis said. “I blame it on the iPhone [because] you’ll get a photo from like, a year ago and my daughter is like, in a crib… and the next thing, she’s telling me exactly what she wants for breakfast.”
Just so happened that Jordan had a writing session scheduled that day with songwriters Chase McGill, Josh Osborne and Greylan James, who coincidentally had the idea “Next Thing You Know.”
Meshing the moment of Jordan’s morning reflection and James’ title idea, “Next Thing You Know,” was born and while he loves the song, Davis said he was shocked at the quick success it had due to it breaking a major songwriting “rule.”
“There wasn’t a real chorus to it, so I was like, ‘That’s a lot of words to remember,’” Jordan recalled of his initial thoughts surrounding the song. “This is me in my songwriting brain that I’m trying to get out of, but writing a song that doesn’t have a chorus is a very good way to have that song never heard again.”
Clearly not the case for this hit that was a fan favorite from the very beginning, essentially making itself a single from Davis’ latest project, Bluebird Days.
“Probably two weeks into playing, everybody was singing every single word,” he said, noting that he started playing it before it was even released. “We were having talks about the next single and and I was like, ‘Guys, this is getting kind of hard to ignore — the way this song is reacting. From the day we released it, it just took off.”
The song continues to be a favorite for fans as it sits in the #1 spot and Davis is still receiving large fan reactions as he plays it on the road every night on Dierks Bentley’s Gravel & Gold Tour.
Hear more from Davis about the tour, newest addition to his family and how he froze up in the presence of Dolly Parton by checking out his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Brian Kelley has never been shy to show his coastal roots when it comes to his music. Known as the “Florida” half of former duo, Florida Georgia Line and titling his debut solo album, Sunshine State of Mind, the Sunshine-state native’s roots are definitely present throughout his music, but he’s ready to show another side.
Kelley is currently at work on his next solo album and while the lead single, “See You Next Summer,” might have fans thinking another beach project is on the way, they’ll have to think again.
“It’s important for me to show all sides on this new music, not just one and not just kind of that coastal Country thing, because I’m more than that,” Kelley told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “I really have dug on where I want to take this… there’s a little bit of coastal stuff, but a lot of Country stuff to be honest with you.”
Exploring his solo Country sound isn’t the only new approach BK took for this project. The 37-year-old also said he adopted a new mindset when it came to picking songs for the album, one that rid him of his ego and solely focused on finding the best songs possible, whether he wrote them or not.
“With this solo outlet, I want to do it the right way,” he shared. ”I think part of that, for me… is having kind of the Garth [Brooks] and Kenny [Chesney] mindset of, ‘yeah we’re going to write as many songs as we can and hopefully many of those make the album, but we welcome outside songs.”
The fresh approach is all part of BK’s new state of content “open mindedness,” which he says is the main difference he’s noticed since going solo.
“I’m open minded, but also have kind of a clear path of where I want to sit and where I want to stay, in a sense,” he said. That open mindedness has also prompted BK to stretch far outside his comfort zone when it comes to his music, especially in the writer’s room.
“When it comes to that mindset, I told my whole team, I was like, ‘whoever y’all want me to write with — new, old — just make me uncomfortable,” he said. “I don’t care, I’m after great songs, so I think to end up with a great project and something that you’re super proud of and to elevate where you’ve come from, you have to get uncomfortable.”
Hear more about what’s to come with BK’s second solo project, plus how he scored a free airstream, his best marriage advice and favorite song he’s written for another artist by listening to his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Megan Moroney is celebrating her very first #1 at Country radio with her debut single, “Tennessee Orange,” and while it means big things for her career, it could also mean something big for her personal life — a tattoo.
Moroney recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal on air where she recalled begging her parents for permission to get a tattoo in years past and finally got their permission — under one condition — she land a #1 on Country radio. Little did they know, as their daughter had sights set on a career as an accountant, a #1 would actually become a reality.
“My parents have been [like], ‘You can’t get a tattoo or you’re getting taken off the will,’” Moroney explained. “Back when I was going to be an accountant, I used to try and push their buttons with that and [say], ‘What if I have a #1 on Country radio?’ And they told me, ‘Yeah, Megan. If you have a #1 on Country radio you can get a tattoo.’”
While she technically has their blessing, Megan’s admits she’s having second thoughts and may just stick to celebrating with “a lot of tequila.”
“If I am able to get a tattoo, if it’s the approval thing, I’m like, ‘I don’t know if I really want one,’” she said. “I just like to push my mom’s buttons sometimes because we’re the same person and I told her that I was going to get a big [University of Tennessee] T on my arm right here if not goes #1.”
While the tattoo idea may have been a joke, Megan was a 100% serious when she had another idea to have her brother join her on stage as she performed on the main stage at last weekend’s CMA Fest in Nashville — one year after she played the festivals’ lower-profile, Spotlight Stage.
“My brother came and played with me at the spotlight stage last year… I knew I wanted my brother there with me bacuse I didn’t want to do it alone” she shared before revealing she inited her brother back this year to take on the big stage with her.
“This year, I’m flying my brother back in and he’s going to play the stadium with me, we’re trying to make CMA Fest a tradition,” she said before clarifying he’s not a professional musician — he’s an attorney.
You can catch Megan’s performance, alongside her brother, as CMA Fest airs on ABC July 19 at 8PM ET, hosted Dierks Bentley, Elle King and Lainey Wilson. Catch Megan’s full interview with Katie to hear more about CMA Fest, her #1 and new album, Lucky, above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Audacy's Katie Neal talks with Laci Kaye Booth at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville during CMA Fest 2023.
Audacy's Katie Neal talks with Lauren Alaina at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville during CMA Fest 2023.
Audacy's Katie Neal talks with Shane Profitt at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville during CMA Fest 2023.
Audacy's Katie Neal talks with Chris Lucas and Preston Brust of LOCASH at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville during CMA Fest 2023.
Joining host Katie Neal on this week's Superstar Power Hour on Audacy Country stations nationwide, singer Lainey Wilson had plenty to talk about following her huge night at the 2023 ACMs, two American Idol performances, a double dose of truck-themed number one singles, and more.
"We're doin' it... Like, we're really doin' it," Lainey tells Katie proudly at the start of their chat. "It feels different because right now I feel like a lot of the A-List artists, I'm finally starting to get to know them and that's wild to me. That makes me feel like I'm starting to gain their respect and that's when I feel like I'm really doing something."
One artist Lainey is particularly excited to have connected with is 8x-GRAMMY winner Chris Stapleton. "I talked to him after the [ACM] awards," she says. "Him and his wife were very nice and said, 'We're in your corner, let us know if you need somethin'. That to me just means so much." Lainey's certain it was genuine as well, "because they ain't said it before! I look up to them a lot; I think they've done a really great job at keeping family first. They are who you think they are. Good people."
Surrounded by good people is where Lainey thrives, her "wait in the truck" collaborator HARDY being another one of those trusted souls. Lainey is incredibly proud to have been a part of such a powerful song taking on the topic of domestic violence and is excited about the video's official selection to be screened at NYC's 2023 Tribeca Film Festival this month.
"That sounds extremely fancy... I don't know if I'm going to be able to go," she says, "gonna try to figure it out. But I mean, I knew that music video was going to be special; I think it's just as important as the song. I think he was probably writing it as he was visualizing a music video at the same time. It was just awesome to be a very small part of that -- just bringing those things to life -- and it's an important message."
Lainey's growing acting experiences in music videos, and more recently her role in Paramount's Yellowstone, has definitely brewed an interest in fleshing out her own unique stories and characters at some point in her career. "I think it has to be the right time in my life," she admits. "Right now it definitely ain't happening... Girl, you oughtta see my calendar! But I think maybe one day when I have a family -- but this will always be number one, the way things are going right now. Songwriting, that's my baby."
Another calendar-filler that Katie needed to get details on was Lainey's "new" beau, former NFL quarterback Devlin "Duck" Hodges, who fans caught a glimpse of on the ACMs red carpet just last month. "Let's talk about it," she said excitedly. Normally reserved to keeping her personal life out of the spotlight, Lainey admits "I've kept him private for two and a half years now. I made that boy wwwwwait!"
"I just kept it close to my chest," she says. "I share a lot of my life with the world and this is one thing that means a whole lot to me, and I want to be very careful with it." Letting the cat out of the bag last month just felt like the right time for her. "I want to share with the world, not too much, but I want to share with them my biggest cheerleader, my biggest champion. The person that I get to go home to... once or twice a year!" Lainey explained that the couple met through mutual friends in Nashville and hit it off immediately. Free beer and wine from 5-10PM dates also impressed her, as he likes to "ball on a budget," she says, just like she does. "He's just a good guy and he would never come in between me and what I want to do. He knows what it's like to have a dream; he had a dream of his own with the NFL. He's just like, 'Go girl, get it!'"
Looking ahead to Lainey's next Bell Bottom Country single, "Watermelon Moonshine," Wilson says the initial inspiration came from a simple need for a "Take you home, nostalgic kind of song. Especially in this season of my life," she admits, "I feel like I'm gravitating towards those things that make me feel like home. I'm craving that, and this song does that. It takes you back to that young, wild, crazy love -- like a time in your life when nothing else mattered and you were dang sure that you were in love. The truth is, you probably were not. You took a few sips of that moonshine and you thought you were drunk. You probably were not!"
"When I listen to the song and when I was writing the song it just takes me back to being in Baskin, my hometown, riding those back roads and hiding the bottle of whatever it was we were drinkin' under the seat. Run into the house hopin' mom and daddy didn't smell it on you. Those moments that kind of make you nod your head and just smile."
Of course, she's already considered the Country Crossroads possibilities that exist now with her "Watermelon Moonshine" and Pop icon Harry Styles' "Watermelon Sugar" occupying the same universe.
Lastly, Katie rightfully pins Lainey as one of today's go-to collaborators, asking how her feature on label mate Jelly Roll's "Save Me" came about. It was a long time in the making, Lainey admits. "Funny story, I haven't even shared this a lot, but I was an extra in a music video of his in, like 2013. It was one that he did with Uncle Kracker. I was a drunk girl, passed out on the ground... and I don't even know if you can see me in the video. That was my first interaction with Jelly, and I even knew then he was just a good dude. He's got a story to tell, it's important that his story is told -- and he's brave."
Listen to Katie Neal's full conversation with Lainey Wilson above, and catch the Superstar Power Hour with Katie & Companyevery weekday from 2PM - 3PM on your favorite Audacy Country station!
Words by Joe Cingrana Interview by Katie Neal
After welcoming his first child last October with wife, Gabi, road life looks a little different for former American Idol winner and Country music artist, Scotty McCreery.
The North Carolina native recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal during the Superstar Power Hour and shared his fatherhood experience thus far and opened up about what it’s really been like taking his newborn on the road with Brooks & Dunn.
“Everything is an adjustment,” he laughed. “There’s diapers everywhere, there’s bottles everywhere, toys are being thrown around, [I’m] steppin’ on little Legos or whatever. But for me, the craziest thing is like, we’re on the Brooks&Dunn [tour] with 17 to 20,000 people every night [and] I get done singing — its great and everything, people are yelling’ — then it’s like immediately you get back to the bus, warm a bottle turn the lights off, sound machine on, get the baby ready for bed immediately.”
While McCreery admits he didn’t know exactly what to expect as a Dad, he’s been enjoying every moment of it — even the moments he thought he wouldn’t be able to stomach. AKA changing diapers.
“I don’t know if I knew what to expect, I just kind of went into it blind. Like, 'OK, here we go!’” he said. “I didn’t think I’d be OK with dirty diapers, like really, really dirty diapers — I’ve got a pretty sensitive nose here — but, it hasn’t bothered me too bad. I’m OK with it.”
He continued, “I’ve just kind of followed Gabi’s [wife’s] lead, she was a pediatric nurse — and still is — so anything that goes wrong, or anything that happens and I’m like, ‘What do I do here?’ I’m just following the leader.”
While life on the road has been the most prominent change as of now, Scotty says he’s also noticed changes in other parts of career since becoming a father. For example, his songwriting. According to the 29-year-old — who is currently in the studio working on his next album — there’s a good share of baby-inspired songs to come.
“I think that I’ve found what works for me and what I’m doing is pretty autobiographical stuff and writing about life,” McCreery said before detailing what fans can expect from his next project.
“Obviously, there will be baby songs on this record, but there will be other stuff too. It’s Country. Our steel guitar player, Mike Johnson, got in the studio with us and he’s like, ‘Man, I actually get to play Country music this week!’ He was lovin’ it and I love singin’ that stuff, so hopefully folks are ready for a good dose of country music.”
Hear more about Scotty’s forthcoming new album, life on the road and that award moment with Jack Black on American Idol by checking out his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
New Dan + Shay music is in the foreseeable future.
The duo teased new music is near while joining Audacy’s Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour and according to them, it’s going to be well worth the wait,
“We’re going to have new music by the end of the year and I’m fired up for it,” Dan Smyers revealed. “We’re nearing the end of this yet-to-be announced album, It’s been a few years in the works, we don’t quite have all the details yet — we’re ironing them out as we go — but it’s definitely our best yet. We’re so proud of it and I’m just so excited to get this out there to the people.”
While new music from the power duo is exciting no matter what, they raised the anticipation by saying the forthcoming project is by far their best work to date.
“I can speak for both of us when I say this is the most fun we’ve had making an album,” Shay Mooney shared. “Usually you have two or three months — I don’t want to say to throw it together because we’ve always taken our time — but you just don’t have much time in between touring and running around all over the place. This is the first time we’ve really been able to take our time and try to make a cohesive project and really dive all the way in.”
The pair has never had any trouble connecting with fans through their music and always shoot to the top of the Country charts whenever new music drops, however the charts aren’t their focus for this era of their music.
“Getting it out into the world is going to be the win and everything beyond that is just a bonus,” said Dan.
Added Shay, “We’re in this really cool place in our life right now, where I think we’ve redefined what we see success as and we’ve kind of thought of this project as we’re going to make the album that we want to make and speak from our heart, sing what we know and not try to be anything other than just unapologetically Dan + Shay.”
Hear more from the guys including details surrounding their collaboration with Charlie Puth, why they manage their own social media accounts and how Shay got sucked into 5AM workouts with Thomas Rhett by listening to their full interview with Katie Neal above.
Tyler Hubbard has had a very successful start to his second time around in the Country music world. After going his own way following years of record-breaking success with Florida Georgia Line, the 36-year-old has found his stride as a solo artist.
“I’ve got a new perspective and it’s a great place to be — not going to wish it away too quick,” Hubbard told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “It’s a fun part of the journey and I think the first time we were so set — eyes and goals — were so set on arenas and seeing how many tickets we could sell that we forgot to maybe enjoy the season of smaller, more intimate shows.”
The solo road has been kind to Hubbard as he celebrated his first #1 within a year of it’s release and already debuted his first solo album. The "5’ 9" singer plans to carry this momentum right into more new music and according to him, he already has a big head start.
“I’ve already recorded 12 songs and I have another session in a couple weeks to go record more,” he said of the progress he’s made towards his next solo project. “I’m just stacking songs up and figuring out how I’m going to roll them out next and what the play is. I love this part of the process — writing a ton and then going and tracking the songs and kind of watching it come together — it’s been fun.”
Sounds like there’s a lot more new music to look forward to from Hubbard. Hear more about it as well as his current tour, family life and more by checking out his conversation with Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After recently celebrating his 11th #1 single with “Woman You Got,” Justin Moore is already back and climbing the charts again with “You, Me and Whiskey” featuring Priscilla Block.
While some may find this duo surprising, Justin said their voices, personalities, and camaraderie with one another has been a perfect fit since they first met.
“She and I played a show together 2 years ago or something like that — an acoustic benefit show — it was me and Lee [Brice] and a bunch of us knuckleheads about the same age and then her and I remember thinking that night, ‘That was intimidating to me when I was a brand new artist,’” Justin said of the first time he met Block.
“She stole the show! She sang her butt off, her songs were well-written and great, her rapport with the audience was awesome and I was just really impressed with her. So I went up to her after the show and said, ‘Hey, I’m Justin. I don’t know what I could ever do for ya, but if I can do anything, I’m a fan, here’s my number. Reach out.’”
As it turns out, a few months down the line, Justin was the first to reach out for a favor by asking Block to join him on “You, Me and Whiskey.”
“Two, three, four months after that, this song kind of came across my desk and I ask her for a favor— to sing on my song,” Justin said.
It’s been a natural fit for Moore and Block who also hit the road this Spring together.
“She’s great,” Moore continued. “She’s got a really bright future ahead. She’s been on the road with us this Spring and she’s really really good. I’m a really big fan and will do anything I can to help her. She’s teaching me to use TikTok and all this stuff I had no idea how to use.”
“You, Me and Whiskey” can be heard on Justin’s brand new album, Stray Dog, available now.
“I’m proud of it,” Justin said of the project. “I think the longer you do something —regardless of what industry you’re in — I think, you should get better and more comfortable and I certainly feel that way the older I get and the more opportunities I get to record albums.”
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Cole Swindell started off ACM Award week already a winner as he became an engaged man.
Happy as can be, Swindell caught up with Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of the 58th Annual ACM Awards to fill us in on everything surrounding the big proposal. From the special place he asked, to fighting Taylor Swift traffic to pick up the bling -- he filled us in on all the memorable behind-the-scenes moments.
“I did it Sunday, on the way out here [to the ACM Awards]”, Cole said. “We have both of our families coming out to the awards — we’ve never done that before — she’s never had family come out to the awards so figured it would be a cool place [to celebrate].”
He continued to share he popped the question on a special “detour” the couple took on their way to the Awards in a special spot in rural Tennessee where they had their first date.
“It just dawned on me that our first date was a video shoot for my song, ‘Some Habits,’ so that location is right outside of Nashville about 45 minutes, so we took a little detour on our way to Frisco and I took her back to the video shoot location and that’s where I proposed,” he said. “She never saw that coming — we had talked about the engagement — but she didn’t know when. She thought it was going to be out here [in Texas].”
The 39-year-old said he got right down to business after picking up the ring only 7 hours before he popped the big question. A little tighter of a time frame than he hoped for, and that’s all thanks to Taylor Swift concert traffic.
“I only had it for about seven hours. The day we were leaving, the people in Charlotte that did it flew it to Nashville and little did I remember that Taylor Swift was in town,” he explained. “I was like, ‘It’s 10:30 in the morning, I’ll be good, Imma go ahead and get [picking it up] out of the way — not good. It looked like she [Swift] was playing a pop-up acoustic show in every restaurant in the Gulch [in Nashville]. People everywhere! I didn’t miss any of the craziness of T. Swift, but got the ring and had it about 7 hours before I got it off of me and on her hand and that’s where it’ll be.”
The engagement was the perfect start to a big week for Swindell who has a whopping 5 nominations at tonight’s awards and will also be performing his mega-hot, “She Had Me At Heads Carolina” alongside ‘90s artist, Jo Dee Messina.
Catch all the action at tonight’s 58th Annual ACM Awards taking place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX. The show can be streamed via Amazon’s Prime video beginning at 7PM EDT / 6PM CDT / 4PM PDT.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Hailey Whitters is heading into tonight’s 58th ACM Awards already a winner as she was presented the awards for New Female Artist of the Year earlier this week.
“I am out of my mind, I feel like I am just floating on a cloud,” she told Audacy’s Katie Neal of receiving the award. “I’m so happy. The category was just stacked [with] so many amazing females so I’ve got goosebumps.”
The win is the perfect start to a dream-come-true summer for the 33-year-old who is headed to play shows with Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson, and Shania Twain.
“We’re going on tour with Shania [Twain] in a week,” she said with excitement. “I’m definitely going to be really extra for the Shania Tour. I’ve got a few outfits that I’m working on with a stylist and they’re pretty over the top. But if any tour you’re going to do it — it’s gotta be a Shania Twain Tour, right?”
The fun is just beginning for Whitters who is currently celebrating her single, “Everything She Ain’t” being in the top 25 on Country radio.
“Just to soak it up and be present for all of it because it’s going to go by so fast,” she said of her focus as her career continues to skyrocket. “So many cool moments that I’ve dreamt about my whole life is happening in a year.”
Catch Hailey at tonight’s 58th Annual ACM Awards taking place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX. The show can be streamed via Amazon’s Prime video beginning at 7 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. PDT.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Lainey Wilson is heading into tonight’s 58th Annual ACM Awards with a whopping six nominations. While preparing for possible acceptance speeches, the almost 31-year-old is also preparing for a special performance.
Ahead of tonight’s show, Wilson shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal that her performance will be something a little different from what fans are used to seeing from her on the road as she tours with Luke Combs.
“It is going to show a side of me that you’ve seen before, but it’s not been televised,” she shared. “It’s going to be a little more like, sexy, sassy, fiery. I’m pumped to show that side because at my live shows, I do a ‘lil turkey leggin’ and stuff like that.”
While she is opting out of “turkey leggin’” for the awards show, Wilson says her high-energy show on the road has kept her in shape.
“It’s those hour-and-a-half shows I’ve been doin' just running up and down the stage,” said when complimented on her current glow. “It is a workout. If I don’t get a workout in during the day, I don’t feel bad because I know I’m going to get one in at night… I need to put a Fitbit on my ankle or something.”
As she prepares to show a different side of herself on tonight’s performance stage, she admits she’s staying a little more in her comfort zone for her red carpet look, which every good Country fan knows means bellbottoms!
“Of course, it’s going to be bell bottoms — you know you ain’t going to see me in a dress — not just yet,” she laughed. “It’s beautiful. I’m going to have some really long flown sleeves and I can’t wait for you to see it.”
Catch Lainey at tonight’s 58th Annual ACM Awards taking place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX. The show can be streamed via Amazon’s Prime video beginning at 7 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. PDT.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
On behalf of the Academy of Country Music, Audacy’s Katie Neal revealed today that Cody Johnson will perform a special tribute to Willie Nelson at this year’s 58th annual ACM awards.
“Nominee, Cody Johnson, is going to be taking the stage, but he won’t be performing one of his songs“ Neal said in the exclusive announcement. “He’s going to be paying tribute the one, the only, the iconic, the legendary, Willie Nelson.”
Johnson added, “I grew up on Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, so to get to celebrate Willie’s 90th birthday and get to play one of his songs, it’s a big deal to me.”
The 58th Annual ACM Awards will air live from FordCenter at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Thursday, May 11 at 7PM ET / 4PM PT. Fans can tune in via live stream available exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch.
Words by Monica Rivera
Ahead of the 2023 ACM Awards, Ian Munsick caught up with Katie Neal to chat about turning 30 and getting a Ford Raptor as a birthday surprise from his wife, plus more.
After wishing him a happy belated, Ian got candid about his feels about turning 30. “I’m 30, this feels… like the most awkward year because you feel like you are now actually, finally an adult after all this time. But then I'm like I still feel kinda young.”
“We were out on the road playing in Denver and she woke me up that morning and she gave me keys to a Ford Raptor, which is pretty awesome because I’ve wanted a truck for a long time.” A big improvement from what he’s currently driving, a Hyundai, which he funnily and purposefully (we think) mispronounced.
Also chatting about his recent album release, White Buffalo, which Katie noted is “getting so much buzz.”
"I worked on this album for three years, and I really think people will know exactly who I am when they hear this record. So I’m very very excited for it to be out in the world now."
Also up for discussion, selling out arenas, what he’s excited about for the next 30 years. Listen to the entire conversation in the clip above and check out the 2023 ACM Awards on Thursday May 11 on Amazon Prime.
Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Katie Neal
Jelly Roll is on a roll with his current single, “Need A Favor” in the top 20, a new album on the way and now, he’s revealed a documentary is coming as well.
Jelly took to social media yesterday to share his documentary, Jelly Roll: Save Me, will debut May 30 via Hulu and showcase some of the most intimate parts of this life.
“This follows me from last year’s show at Red Rocks to the Bridgestone Arena,” the 38-year-old said of the documentary timeline. “It is the most intimate, personal thing I could have showed the world. It’s my daughter, my wife, my real life, my struggles, my mother, my family… They were with me for hours and hours, thousands of hours.”
He continued, “I watched the two-minute teaser — cried. I cried the first time I watched it, I cried the second time I watched the teaser, I cried the third time I watched the teaser and teared-up the fourth time.”
The documentary will release just ahead of Jelly Roll’s debut Country album, WHITSITT CHAPEL, due June 2.
“I just hope the music and the documentary connect and I hope they both thrive because it’s hard to pick one to talk about the most,” he said. “That documentary is going to be so special. But this is my debut Country album!”
As Jelly prepares for the big releases in the coming weeks, he has plenty to occupy his mind with a performance slot at this week’s 58th Annual ACM awards, airing May 11 via Amazon Prime Video. “I am nervous! I’m not even excited yet because I’m so nervous,” he said, teasing that he is taking the stage with a big-time special guest. “I’m singing with a special guest and I am nervous because that special guest can really sing and I’m new to singing… When you hear who it is you’re going to be like, ‘Oh , I see, I’d be nervous too.’”
Only adding to the nerves is the fact that Trisha Yearwood and Zach Bryan will be seated directly in front of the stage. Luckily, so will Jelly Roll’s good friend, HARDY, who he says he knows he can count on for a smile.
“HARDY is my friend, so I know I can look at him and get a smile, so I know I can look at him. I’m such a Zach Bryan fan and I’m such a Trisha Yearwood fan, so those are the ones I’ll have to avoid.”
See Jelly Roll on the The 58th Annual ACM Awards set to take place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX on May 11 and can be viewed via Amazon’s Prime video. This year’s show will be hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Luke Combs isn’t the only Country A-lister that will have a songwriting credit on Gabby Barrett’s forthcoming, second studio album.
After teasing fans with a clip of a Luke Combs-penned tune from the new album in early March, Barrett has now revealed Miranda Lambert also appears as a songwriter on the project. “I’m really excited about a lot of the songs, quite honestly,” Gabby told Audacy’s Katie Neal in an interview ahead of the 58th annual ACM Awards. “I wrote another song on the album that was written with Miranda Lambert that’s very fun. There’s so many people in the Nashville community that I haven’t gotten to write with that I did this time around, so there’s just a lot to look forward to.”
According to Barrett, fans won’t have to wait too much longer for new music to fill their speakers. “I’m almost down with it, so that’s really exciting,” she said. “Early Fall is the game-plan to get it released. Hopefully we can even release some music before that.”
The album-crafting experience has been very different for Barrett this time around as she is co-producing alongside Ross Copperman, while also not having to navigate the hurdles on a global pandemic.
“Goldmine, I’m so grateful for all the success that’s come with that, but I never got to go into a studio and see live instruments cut because of COVID — everything was over the phone,” she explained. “It’s completely different now. Going in, cutting live instruments, asking for things to be changed — or can we add this, can we add that? — so I’m very much more a part of it in a different way.”
Hear more about the album by listening to Gabby’s full conversation with Katie Neal above and be sure to catch her as as a presenter at this Thursday’s (5/11) 58th annual ACM Awards set to take place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX. The show can be streamed via Amazon’s Prime video.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
First-time ACM nominees, The War and Treaty, have already made history at this year’s 58th Annual ACM Awards by being the first Black artists to ever be nominated in the ACM Duo of the Year category.
Additionally, the husband-and-wife duo, Michael and Tanya, will take the stage for their first solo performance with a song that will fit the moment perfectly. “We’re performing, ‘Blank Page’ off of our album and it just feels so right on time with us,” Michael told Katie Neal ahead of the awards. “Being nominated, this is not just a first for us, but it’s a new thing for us. And to be able to represent all those dreamers out there and everyone who wants to see things move forward in a certain way, we can write our own history on a blank page.”
The Trotters are no strangers to the ACM Awards stage after collaborating for performances in past shows with artists including Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne, but this time, it’s different.
“We’ve done the ACMs with our friend, Dierks Bentley who introduced us to the ACMs, and we’ve of course performed with Brothers Osborne, who are also nominated — they’re our friends, but this is different,” said Tanya.
“Nowhere to hide, we’re on stage, by ourselves, with our band — our touring band that travels with us — so this is completely different for us.”
Hear more about what to expect from their performance by listening to The War and Treaty’s full conversation with Katie Neal above, and be sure to catch their performance this Thursday’s (5/11) 58th Annual ACM Awards. Set to take place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX, the show can be streamed via Amazon’s Prime video.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Ahead of the 2023 ACM Awards, Priscilla Block caught up with Katie Neal to chat all about her red carpet look at the “best night ever,” and more.
Describing the whole ACM experience as “amazing" and “crazy”, Priscilla went on to say, “it’s been a wild year. I feel like I blinked and then here we are at the ACMs again… I was up last year for 'New Female,' and I’m up again this year, so it’s just really exciting, it’s special, it’s like the best night ever.”
Block also discussed the deluxe version of her album Welcome to the Block Party, with its four additional tracks, noting “I wasn’t fully passed the 'Block Party' era,” figuring why not “add four new ones that I really love while I’m working on my second album." And while she didn’t divulge much about her sophomore project, Priscilla did say “there’s a lot going on so there’s a lot to write about it.”
After briefly chatting about working with Justin Moore, Katie inquired about Priscilla’s plans for her ACM Awards red carpet look.
“I actually recently did a clothing collaboration with SHEIN that I’m so proud of… so I’m actually wearing SHEIN on the carpet.” After some praise from Katie about opting for something affordable, Block noted, price aside, “I am obsessed with my outfit, it’s probably one of my favorite fits that I’ve worn.”
Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Katie Neal
Country fans everywhere are going wild for Corey Kent’s debut single to Country radio, “Wild As Her.” While most fans show their support by memorizing the lyrics, singing it back at live shows and streaming it over and over — others have taken their love to a new level.
Ahead of the 58th annual ACM Awards in his hometown of Frisco, TX, Corey Kent sat town with Audacy’s Katie Neal to share his reaction to several fans getting tattoos inspired by the song.
“It makes me hope they still like the song in two years,” Kent laughed. “Clearly, people are connecting with the music on a very deep level. It’s not the first time a song — or one of our songs — have been tattoos on somebody.”
He continued, “To see somebody go all in... it just means people are connecting in a very real and tangible way with the music, and at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about. Putting music out that makes people feel something. You’re not going to get a full tattoo on your arm if you don’t feel something when you listen to a song, so that’s pretty cool. It’s a vote of confidence and affirmation that we’re on the right path and we’re putting out stuff that people care about.”
Fans will have a lot more tattoo inspiration — or just music to connect with — as Kent prepares to release his album, Blacktop. The album title pays tribute to Kent’s time pouring blacktop for a living and he hopes it makes everyone who supported him along the way proud.
“Everyone there was so supportive [of my music] from day one,” Kent said of his coworkers at the pavement company. “It’s really cool to get back to playing music full-time and to make their belief in me come true.”
Kent’s album, Blacktop, will arrive June 2. Hear more about the album, fan tattoos and his first time attending the ACM Awards by checking out his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Also, be sure to catch the 58th Annual ACM Awards this Thursday, set to take place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX. The show can be streamed via Amazon’s Prime video.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
With only one week until the release of his second studio album, Never Enough, Parker McCollum is ready for fans to hear the new music which he says is straight down the middle, Country music.
“What I set out to doing [with this album] was to not change anything about what I do,” Parker told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his time on the Superstar Power Hour. “I really wanted to make this record how I’ve always made records and that’s just sittin’ around trying to write Country songs and then go record them and put the record out and get on the road.”
He continued, “Trying to stay true to my roots, what I believe in, Country music and my brand of songwriting and trying to do that, but at the same time, elevate it. It’s hard to walk that line — you don’t want to come out doing something totally different, but you want it to be something fresh and be intriguing to your fans to give ‘em something to hang on while they’re still getting what they ultimately want, which is the good ol’ stuff.”
While Parker has strived to keep each track new, fresh and true to his sound on his own album, it doesn’t mean he isn’t willing to step outside the box with other projects. He went on to share details about his collaboration on Diplo’s brand new album, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 — Swamp Savant.
“I don’t even know how it happened,” Parker said of “Lonely Long,” which appears on the new project. “He reached out — maybe got my number from the label or something — and said ‘Wanna do a song?’ I can’t even remember how it happened. At some point, the song ended up in my files and it was really good! I didn’t know what to expect, and I really liked the song.”
Hear more about Parker’s collab with Diplo plus, more behind the scenes on his forthcoming album, Never Enough, by checking out his full interview with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
It’s easy to think touring Country artists are living a life of glam as they travel from city to city with big tour buses and screaming fans, but Brett Young is here to set the record straight.
During his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal, Brett shared the common misconceptions about day-to-day tour life and got real about what really goes on behind the scenes.
“I think the misconception is that we just wake up at 9 o’clock in the morning and we’re playing corn hole in the parking lot,” he laughed. “It’s like, no. We’re sleeping in when we have the opportunity, we’re saving our voice, we have soundcheck, we have radio, we have all these things. The day is full once you wake up, you’re just trying to get as much rest as you can so your voice works.”
While giving credit to some artist camps for squeezing in fun activities here and there, Brett says he’s proud to be part of one of the quieter camps on tour.
“There are [artist] camps that are really fun and then there are camps that are really boring and I think I’m kind of the really boring camp,” he admitted. “I’m kind of OK with it now with two little babies. I’m camp sleep!”
Can’t blame Brett for that as he is father to two young daughters Presley (3) and Rowan (1), who mean more to him than anything, and according to his wife, he makes it very clear by being a helicopter parent.
“I am accused of being a helicopter Dad by my wife [Taylor],” Brett told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour.
“She’s actually a much cooler parent than me. She wants them to experience things and [is] like, ‘Let them learn for themselves,’ and I’m like, ‘Don’t go anywhere near that cliff!’ And there might not even be a cliff,” he laughed. “So yeah, I’m a little helicopter-y, I guess.”
Hear more from Brett about his family, upcoming tour with Sam Hunt and Lily Rose, and more by checking out his entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
This week on the Superstar Power Hour, Audacy’s Katie Neal got a chance to talk with HARDY, catching up with the singer and songwriter amid a break from touring in support of his new album, the mockingbird and THE CROW.
Congratulations are in order for HARDY not just for his new album, recent CMT Awards win and upcoming ACM Awards nominations, but he also got married back in October. "I've been in a really good head space in general," he tells Katie, “and really having a lot of revelations about life and all good things and just how grateful I am and how grateful I should be. Everything is just really good right now."
“I've struggled a lot with being an artist,” he adds, “and I've been really vocal about it, but I think in the past like six months just kind of having the realization that this is very special and that I should take it all in stride, as opposed to maybe fight losing my anonymity or like having fans and feeling pressure and stuff like that.”
“I've really dialed in how cool it is and how special it is,” HARDY says, “and I'm really kind of owning that now… it’s changed my perspective.”
A serious tour bus accident in 2022 that left him and everyone aboard with significant injuries, he acknowledges also “had a lot to do with that,” allowing him to “look on the positive because, you know, it could all be gone like that, and it's just all sort of happened in the last six months, but it's been great. It's been an uphill battle, but it's been awesome recently.”
Having another hit on the charts with his new single “Wait in the Truck” featuring Lainey Wilson is exciting enough, but HARDY has also written songs for plenty of other artists. “Probably ‘Up Down,’” he says would be his favorite, speaking of the track he wrote for his buddy Morgan Wallen. “’God's Country’ is up there,” he adds, of the single he wrote for Blake Shelton, “but ‘Up Down’ is a really big one for a lot of reasons.”
“One, it was my first number one and it was Morgan's first number one," he explains. “So that kind of kickstarted both of our careers in a big way. I'm just glad that was my first hit because it kind of got people's attention and that's the thing that I do really well… it established me as a writer, true to how I write.”
Another fan-favorite, and one close to HARDY, is Wallen’s single “More Than My Hometown,” which he wrote along with ERNEST and others. “I think it's really cool too,” he says, “to be one of those moments where people are rooting and keeping up with a friendship because we are. I mean, I talk to both, especially Morgan and Earn almost every day about something, never music...”
“Me and Morgan had a conversation the other day about how it's gonna be a really sad day, but a cool day at the same time, where we hopefully, one day, that we can't tour with each other because we'll be at the same level -- and ERNEST too.”
“That's kind of Nashville in a nutshell though,” he adds. “It's a competitive town, but people really are rooting for each other's success. I love that about this town.”
Telling the story of how he and Morgan actually met, Morgan’s “The Way I Talk” was peaking at radio and, a huge fan of the song, HARDY had asked his publisher to call Wallen’s team to see if he could “write with this Morgan Wallen kid,” over at his house.
Two weeks later, “he just showed up to my house and we wrote. It was me and him and Jamison Rogers actually because Jamison -- I used to live in an apartment and Jamison lived right below me -- he and I are really good friends. He just came over and wrote and then we went to Martin's Barbecue after. I think we really hit it off that day. We could tell we were going to be friends.”
HARDY leads the 2023 ACM nominations with a total of seven nods, including Song of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Plus, the Country-Rocker has set a second leg of dates for his the mockingbird & THE CROW Tour kicking off at the end of August. Tickets are on sale now.
Listen to Katie Neal's full interview with HARDY above.
Words by Joe Cingrana Interview by Katie Neal
Nothing is more important to Jake Owen than raising his two little girls, Pearl (10) and Paris (3), to know their full potential. And who better to show them than the powerful women of Country music?
Jake recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal during his time at Tortuga Music Festival and expressed how grateful he is to raise his daughters around the fearless, trailblazing women of the genre.
“They loved Shania,” Jake said of his daughters getting to watch her set at the festival. “It was fun. Those are the things that I’m lucky to do in having this career as well. Being able to take my family and stand side-stage at Shania Twain’s concert - she’s sold 100 Million albums…. Think about that!”
Jake isn’t the only one impressed by the 90s icon. He shared his eldest daughter, Pearl, was especially captivated by Twain and he was more than happy to see it.
“I think she’s just enamored by the fact that that’s possible,” Jake said of Pearl’s admiration for Shania. “I love that about the girls that are out on the radio right now. I love everything they’re doing — females in Country music — because as a father of a daughter, I love that it’s inspiring to her to see these females out here expressing themselves and singing about what they know and what they wanna say. It gives a lot of confidence to little girls like Pearl, who sits there and watches them.”
Can you say, #GirlPower?!
Hear more from Jake by checking out his full interview with Katie Neal from Tortuga Music Festival above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Since experiencing rapid success with her debut single, “Tennessee Orange,” life has been a whirlwind for Megan Moroney who received her very first ACM Nomination last week.
“I think I tweeted, ‘Am I getting PUNK’D right now?’ Moroney laughed telling Audacy’s Katie Neal about the moment she found out ahead of her appearance at Tortuga Music Festival. “It doesn’t feel real. I’m just like, ‘What’s happening?’”
The timing of her New Female Artist nomination happens to be pretty perfect for the 25-year-old Georgia native, whose debut album, Lucky, is set to release the week before the big awards show on May 5.
Additionally, she’ll be playing the opening slot for legendary duo, Brooks & Dunn, on tour that same week only adding to her “what is my life?” moments.
“I’m on tour with Brooks & Dunn that week too, so it’s just like, everything’s casual," she joked.
Tune in to see if Megan takes home the big win by tuning into The 58th Annual ACM Awards, hosted by Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks on May 11, 2023 from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX. The show will be exclusively broadcast live via Amazon’s Prime Video.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Kenny Chesney has new music on the way, but he’s taking time to make sure he gets it right.
Chesney sat down ahead of his set at Tortuga Music Festival with Audacy’s Katie Neal to talk new music and share when fans can expect some new tunes. “The one thing I can say about it [new music] is it’s still in motion,” Kenny shared. “People ask me when it’s going to come out and the best answer I have is, ‘When it’s done.’”
He continued, “It’s easy to rush it and it’s easy to put music out when people think it might be time, but I think I’ve earned the right to get it right. I mean, I love it now, but I want to be in love.”
According to Kenny, he isn’t the only one who has to be in love with the sounds before releasing new music. The tracks also have to get approval from his work camp and family.
“Lucky for me, I don’t have a lot of ‘yes,’ people in my camp,” he shared. “And that’s really important. I have a lot of people within my circle, within my camp that have really good song sense. It all starts with my producer Buddy Cannon also, I can’t get anything past him. I’ve been blessed that way.”
He continued, “Honestly, my family in East Tennessee, they are our audience, they really are. When I’m home for Christmas or Thanksgiving, they’ll tell me everybody they love, they’ll tell me what they hate. All the new artists, all the songs they love.”
While it sounds like we may have some time before hearing new music from Kenny, there’s one thing we can be sure of — it’ll be top tier once it arrives.
Hear more by checking out Kenny’s entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After 13 years in the music business, Dylan Scott finally earned his first ACM Nomination and he was so excited to share his excitement with fans, he forgot to put clothes on.
Dylan sat down with Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of his recent set at Tortuga Music Festival and shared all the details of the unforgettable moment he found out about his nomination.
“100% in my underwear, just finished a workout, in the sauna, I get a phone call from my label which was at 8:30 in the morning which I thought was weird,” he told Katie Neal. “I had no idea, It was awesome.”
He continued, “I’ve been in Nashville 13 years, had my first #1 seven years after movin’ there, had a couple since then so we’ve been bustin’ and to finally be nominated, that’s a huge win for me.”
The news wasn’t only exciting for Scott, but his young kids as well who celebrated right alongside their dad.
“My kids, when I told them I was nominated they were like, ‘You’re gettin’ a trophy!’” He laughed. “They don’t understand what a nomination and a win is, but you know what? That’s really cool seein’ my kids fired up too. Like, ‘Daddy’s gettin’ a trophy.’ Hey, I got the trophy already.”
Dylan’s nomination is in the New Male Artist of the Year category. He is up against Zach Bryan, Jackson Dean, Ernest, Nate Smith and Bailey Zimmerman.
See who takes home the big win by tuning into The 58th Annual celebration, hosted by Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks on May 11, 2023 from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX. The show will be exclusively broadcast live via Amazon’s Prime Video.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
As a successful singer and songwriter, Cole Swindell rarely finds himself recording songs he didn’t have a hand in writing, however, his latest single, “Drinkaby,” is one of the few exceptions.
Ahead of his set at this year’s Tortuga Music Fesitval, Swindell sat down with Audacy Katie Neal to share details surrounding his new single which was written by fellow musicians HARDY and Jon Pardi alongside songwriters Jordan Schmidt and Hunter Phelps.
“If I record a song I didn’t write, it means I wish I would’ve written it,” Cole said. “For me, HARDY is one of the hottest writers in town and to see Jon Pardi’s name… we go way back, back before any of us had record deals.”
“Honestly I was wondering why he [Pardi] didn’t record it,” he laughed. “I was like, ‘This seems like something he would crush, but if you’re not going to record it… [I’ll take it].’”
While recording an outside song isn’t something Swindell is particularly used to, he’s happy to re-pay the favor as he’s experienced great success from other artists cutting his songs.
“I take pride in that because people have recorded my songs and I take it as a big compliment,” Cole explained. “So to record one my buddies wrote — I don’t know how may outside cuts Jon Pari has — but it’s pretty cool me and him go a long way and my current single he is a writer on. We all win.”
“Drinkaby” will be included in the deluxe version of Swindell’s latest album, Stereotype Broken. The project will drop April 28 with a total of three new songs.
Listen to Swindell’s full conversation with Katie ahead of his set at Tortuga Music Festival above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, get help by contacting the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.
It’s been nearly two months since the Country community lost beloved songwriter-producer, Kyle Jacobs. While hearts are still heavy, Jacobs’ best friend/collaborator, Lee Brice is making sure his bright spirit lives on through music for as long as possible.
Brice recently sat down with Audacy’s Katie Neal to share the impact Jacobs had on his life and music while also detailing why his current single, “Save The Roses,” — which he wrote with Jacobs — took on a whole new meaning after his passing.
While the song was initially inspired by the loss of Brice’s cousin, it has quickly become a bold reminder to all about just how precious life is with the ones you love.
“I told my two best friends — Kyle Jacobs and Joe Leathers — I have this idea/title, it’s about my cousin,” Brice reminisced. “We wrote it, and there ended up being a bigger part of that whole story.”
On February 17, 2023, Jacobs took his own life in his Nashville-area home leaving his loved ones and the Country community with a powerful legacy through music. Brice took it upon himself to continue sharing that legacy by making the song his next single — something that was not originally in his plans.
“I had already had a couple hits off this record and I was like, ‘I really need to move onto some new stuff,’ so that’s where I was goin’” Bice shared. “And then Kyle left us and I could just not get past [that]. I wanted to put this song on the radio because now it has a whole new meaning to me. I just wanted to keep him around a little bit longer…. Because I really struggle still with why he’s not here.”
While Brice admits hitting #1 would be the ultimate tribute for his dear friend, what he finds more important is making sure those who didn’t know him get to experience his incredible craft through music for many years to come.
To hear more surrounding the song, new music and more tune into Katie and Lee’s full conversation above.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
The success continues for Lainey Wilson, who walked away with two belt buckles from last night’s fan-voted CMT Music Awards.
The awards are a continued display of fans’ love for Wilson, who hit the scene in 2020 with her debut single, “Things A Man Oughta Know.” Her career took off almost immediately following the release and has opened several doors for the 30-year-old, including securing a role on the hit series Yellowstone.
During a recent interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal, Lainey shared she’s seen an obvious elevation in her already-successful career after joining the Yellowstone cast.
“It’s kind of been this thing with ‘Yellowstone’ that’s like people kind of finally put a face to a name, Lainey shared. “That definitely changed things for me.”
She continued, “I’m getting used to it in a weird kind of way. I feel like I was born to do this anyway, so it never shocks me or anything. I just feel like, ‘alright, this is a part of it now.’”
Lainey continued on to share that having fans put a face to the name has brought some interesting attention to her physique — something she continues to be shocked by daily.
“My butt went viral on TikTok,” she laughed. “When I saw the trend on TikTok, it was around Christmas time, I guess. I thought, ‘This will last for a week or two and that’s really it.’ I still get on TikTok and I still see my big old butt. It’s crazy.”
Wilson says she has no problem embracing her assets, something she’s taken away from being a Dolly Parton fan since she was a little girl.
“Dolly Parton, she is proud of her assets and at the end of the day, if that’s what introduced me to some people, and they went and found the music because of that — I’m to that point. Whatever it takes,” she said light-heartedly.
While she’s willing to welcome all fans, regardless of how they found their way to her music, Wilson draws a harsh line at those who think she found success with anything other than hard work.
“I bout got into a fight on Instagram with somebody this morning. They commented and said, ‘She’s only famous because of her butt,’ or something like that. [I said] ‘You can kiss mine, I’ll tell ya that!”
She continued, “I’ve been here for 12 years, thank you. They finally just realized I had a big butt, but it’s been back there the whole time.”
Hear more from Lainey by tuning into her full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Six-time GRAMMY nominee and reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, Luke Combs, has fans raving with the official release of his fourth studio album, Gettin' Old.
The companion to 2022’s acclaimed, Growin' Up, the new record features 18 fresh songs from Combs and for the first time in his career — he’s included a few he didn’t write. One of those songs is, "My Song Will Never Die,” a track penned by the legendary Eric Church alongside Travis Meadows and Jonathan Singleton.
“It feels pretty great [to have a song written by Eric Church],” Luke told Audacy’s Katie Neal before detailing how he got the song. “It wasn’t like Eric called me and was like, ‘Here’s this song, you should do it.’”
“I did text him because he keeps his cards really close to his chest with his songs and what he’s doing and stuff. I asked him, I was like, ‘Hey man, are you cool with me doing this?’ He was like ‘Man, you should do it.’”
While it’s the first time Luke has included a few songs he didn’t write, it’s also the first time he’s included a cover on one of his projects. After stopping many in their tracks throughout various live shows over the last few years with his rendition of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 release, “Fast Car,” Luke has answered fans’ demand for a recorded version on the new album.
“It’s fourth album now, so you can kind of start doing some things you haven’t done before, you know?” He said of his decision to include the cover.
“I’ve been playing that song as long as I’ve been playing guitar — which is not terribly long — but I’ve been listening to that song ever since I was 4 or 5 years old…. It’s a timeless song,” he said while also expressing he hopes to bring the attention of a new generation to Chapman’s version.
While there are a few firsts on this album, Combs still gives us a healthy dose of what we already love from him. While songs range from new party anthems to beer drinking bops, Luke also shows his emotional side with tunes about family, sobriety, and personal struggles, which can be heard on the final track, "The Part.“
“It’s not on there to look for sympathy, it was more of a cathartic thing for me,” Combs explained of track 18, which explores the tough aspects of his job. “When I do feel like I’m having a bad day, a lot of times I feel guilty about it. Because I’m like, ‘I have my dream job.’”
“The Part,” explores the complete opposite of Comb’s previously released ‘Five Leaf Clover,’ which details the blessings he’s encountered in life. While the songs take listeners to two different places, Combs says they both have an important spot on the project as they are honest representations of where he’s at.
“There is an interesting juxtaposition to both of those songs being on this album,” he admitted. “On most days, I do feel like the ‘Five Leaf Clover’ guy, but some days, I feel like, ‘How did I end up here?’”
Honesty, vulnerability, and talent is exactly why Luke is here and we’re excited to see him shine and continue to solidify his already-impressive mark on Country music with this album.
Listen to Combs’ full conversation surrounding the new project and more with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
As Carly Pearce sits at the top of the charts with her single, “What He Didn’t Do,” from her album 29, the 32-year-old says it’s the perfect time to “close the book” and start a new one with new music.
“It is time to close the book,” Carly told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “I’m very happy, obviously 29 was the most successful album of my career and will probably be forever one of the biggest things that I do… It has really motivated me to continue to just write what I want to write, write how I see the world and make records that sound the way that I want them to, not what I think people want me to do.”
Carly has already channeled that motivation into new music that she says will arrive a lot sooner than fans think. Additionally, she teases that the subject matter might not be what we expect from her either.
“You’re going to get new music sooner than you think,” she said, while also confirming “What He Didn’t Do,” was the last single from 29. “I have to say this next single, I think I am the most excited than I’ve ever been to put out a new song.”
She continued, “I think a lot of people think that just because I’m happy [and in] a relationship that I’m just going to come out with a bunch of love songs and that’s just not my vibe… it’s not sunshine and rainbows.”
Between the pressure of following up her most-successful album and trying to dig for inspiration in an “uneventful” time in her life, Pearce says the creativity stemmed from several different places, including nightmares.
“I felt a lot of pressure to top 29 and I was like, ‘Well, I don’t have a lot of chaos in my life right now. Things are pretty stable.’ I would look at my boyfriend sometimes and be like, ‘Can you just yell at me?’” She laughed.
Continuing, “There is a song, I haven’t cut it, but I definitely will cut it. I had a dream, a very vivid dream, about my current relationship that was very negative. I woke up and [told him] ‘I just had a dream that you left me and he was like, ‘That’s not a dream, that’s awful. I would not call that a dream, I would call that a nightmare.’”
Pearce decided to lean into the emotion rather than run from it and says it resulted in one of her favorite songs for her upcoming project.
“I went to this writing session and I wrote this whole song about what if he really did leave me?” She said. “It ended up being one of my favorite songs and it has elements in there that sound like him and he was like, ‘What is THIS?’ I was like, ‘Sorry, welcome to dating a songwriter.”
While we still have some time before receiving this new music, it promises to be well worth the wait.
Hear more about what’s to come as well as Carly’s new live album, what it’s like being on tour with Blake Shelton and much more by checking out her conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After the release of a brand new single, “Standing Room Only,” Tim McGraw says new music is scheduled to keep on coming with plans to release his 17th studio album.
The Country veteran recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal to talk about the new single and upcoming album which he says has a number of George Strait sounding tracks.
“There’s really some good throwback Country things on this [album] that I really enjoyed doing,” Tim shared. “I got into my George Strait vein a little on a few songs.”
McGraw fans can expect a little bit of everything from the project including some tear-jerkers.
“There’s a good mixture of stuff,” Tim said. “There’s a couple of really life-affirming songs that I can’t wait for everybody to hear — one called ‘Letter From Heaven,’ that really tears me up every time I hear it.”
Not to worry, Tim promises to dry those tears right up with some fun Friday night anthems and boot scootin’ tunes as well. “I never want to have just one style of song on an album,” he shared. “I want to give ya sort of a smorgasbord to choose from.”
While no release date has been set for the project, Tim alludes to being pretty far along in the process. We’re ready for it, Tim!
Hear more about the new music and what else Tim has going on by listening to his full interview with Katie & Company above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
After recently wrapping as an opener on Keith Urban’s Light The Fuse tour, Ingrid Andress is not only applying what she learned along the way on her very own headlining tour, but to life in general.
“He has been doing this and stayed relevant for so long and to me, that’s one of the most impressive things about him,” Andress told Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of her performance at Audacy’s Leading Ladies. “To me, I’ve learned it’s because he is always curious, he’s always wanting to learn more.”
Watching Keith remain curious and never be shy to explore new ways of doing things has inspired Ingrid in more ways than one as she recently kicked off her very own headlining tour.
“Somebody as great as he is, is still asking questions and is curious… most people would think he inspires himself because he is such a legend.”
She continued, “It inspired me to realize that staying curious is how you keep your life going, is how you grow, is how you stay around… I’m definitely applying it to more than just my music.”
Just as Keith did for her, Ingrid hopes to make room for, inspire, and welcome newcomers in Country music, especially females.
“I’m taking Madeline Edwards out on the road with me — she is incredible, very soulful,” Ingrid said when asked what newcomers stood out to her. “Carter Faith is also coming out. Meghan Moroney has really blown me away with her song right now. There’s so much up-and-coming talent and I really hope there is a space for them and those of us that have been doing and fighting can help create a space for them to thrive because they are way too talented to have to deal with whatever the current situation is.”
Hear more about new artists, Ingrid’s current tour, and more by checking out her entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Katie Neal
It’s been nearly a year since Maren Morris released her Humble Quest album and fans will be excited to know she’s already working on a new project.
Ahead of her performance at Audacy’s Leading Ladiesevent on International Women’s Day, Maren shared she’s working on new music and it’s a complete 180 from her last project.
“I think my last record was super internal and organic-feeling with tons of like, guitars, steel guitar,” Maren told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “It felt like organic Country and this one Is going in a more Rock direction. Some anger? I don’t know. It’s really fun.”
While sonically, the project is shaping up quite differently than her last, Maren is still leading with vulnerability and truth as she always has.
“Thus far, it’s pretty confessional. I feel like it’s a Rock realm it’s going into,” she shared. “I don’t quite know what it is yet — they’re just demos — I’ll kind of find out once I get in studio.”
“It’s super confessional, diary, visceral, super vulnerable, but like, fun too,” she continued before explaining how excited she is to be further removed from the difficult emotions surrounding the global pandemic, which fueled her last project.
“My last record, it was during the pandemic so we tried to just do what we could during that time where everything was remote [and] doing Zoom sessions and whatnot,” she said. “This [album] feels like we’re back, back.”
Hear more about what’s to come sonically from Morris as well as some of her favorite moments across her career and what she has planned for her son’s birthday by tuning into her conversation with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Shania Twain is back with new music and ready to take it to fans around the world, live, with her 2023 Queen of Me Tour.
The trek will see Twain perform nearly 70 shows across the world, and in order to give her best each and every night the Pop Country diva says she ready to get back into her show day routine which requires lots of sleep and no solid food.
“On a show day, I have to sleep in,” she told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “If I wake up too early, I make myself go back to bed and take a nap.”
She continued, “I eat no solids on show days. About three hours before the show, I have a smoothie that is kale, spinach, banana, avocado and almond milk. I’ll usually have a protein drink somewhere along the way in there as well.”
Fueling the body with protein makes perfect sense, especially for someone like Shania who leaves it all on stage for her fans. However, for those wondering why a healthy serving of solid chicken and veggies won’t do, Shania has an answer.
“If I was to chew and eat anything heavier, I would definitely feel sluggish in the show,” she said. “And also, when you’re jumping around and you’re using your diaphragm — you’ll burp.”
A big ol’ burp in the middle of “Still The One,” yeah, I guess that don’t impress fans much!
Twain says she is more than ready to bring fans an exiting setlist full of new music, deep cuts and classics, but it isn’t all about the music… the fashion icon is also ready to make some bold statements with her outfits.
“It’s going to be a unique and very new, first-time setlist and then the fashion is going to be really unique as well,” she shared. “I’m feeling very good in my own skin and I want to just have fun with that… in a very playful and cheerful way.”
Hear more about what to expect on Shania’s Queen of Me Tour along with some stories behind the new music, her creative process, love for Harry Styles and more by tuning into her recent interview with Katie Neal above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal
Music fans everywhere have fallen in love with Kane and Katelyn Brown’s love after the release of their duet “Thank God,” from Kane’s most recent album, Different Man.
The couple, who recorded the tune on Valentine’s day 2022, are celebrating the song reaching #1 just less than a year later and it’s safe to say the world is obsessed.
The duet features the pair singing together and separate as they showcase their faith and the gratitude they’ve have for one another, something they say has been present since their very first date.
“I knew the first date,” Katelyn said of knowing Kane was the one she would marry. “I just remember having our first official date and he was talking. I wasn’t really listening to anything he was saying. In my mind I was thinking, ‘Holy crap, I’m going to marry him.’ Something just felt inside of me that like, ‘This is my person.”
While Kane took a little more time to come around as he was just starting to get his music career off the ground, when he knew she was the one he couldn’t wait to seal the deal. For Kane, that mean proposing ASAP, which turned out to be 3am.
“Kane’s a very spontaneous person,” Katelyn shared. “When he has a feeling or he knows — he goes for it.”
She continued, “Kane showed up at my house at 3am — at my parents house — while I was sleeping and proposed to me. I thought I was dreaming, [I] had no idea. [I] woke up the next morning engaged… he couldn’t even wait!”
After a day of ring shopping with some of his closest female relatives, Kane admitted he got too excited and his emotions took over causing him to ask the moment he saw her even though she was sleeping.
“It was Easter, and I had it in my pocket,” he said. “I was going to hide the ring under the bed, but there were just so many emotions so I was like, ‘Whatever let’s just do this.’”
Katelyn reflected, “I sat there and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m engaged right now, but I can’t tell anyone because everyone’s sleeping, it’s 3 o’clock in the morning.’ I’m like, ‘This is the weirdest thing ever.’”
The couple went on to wed in October 2018 and are now parents to two daughters; Kingsley and Kodi.
To hear more about their duet, plans for the future and love story by listening to their full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Ahead of playing a one-of-a-kind, totally private show for some lucky Audacy listeners, Country duo, Dan + Shay, took some time to think about who they would want to receive private concert for themselves.
“I’d say maybe Adele or somebody, that would be really, really cool,” lead vocalist, Shay Mooney, told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “Because then I could ask her if she wanted to do a song with us,” he laughed. No shame here — put those collaboration vibes out there.
While discussing other options, the pair landed on the topic of the artists that have made them feel starstruck. They included Cody Johnson, Alan Jackson and Keith Urban.
“Cody Johnson is so sick,” said Dan Smyers immediately after being asked who the last artist was who made him “lose his cool.” “I bought tickets to go see him last summer and was singing every word… He’s got a presence. It’s like when you’re around this guy, [you know] he means business.”
Added Mooney, “It reminds me a lot of the first time we met Alan Jackson,” he said before detailing the moment Jackson tapped them on the shoulder ahead of an already nerve-wrecking performance.
“I was already nervous,” said Mooney. “We were standing there, side-stage, and you could feel a shadow coming right behind us and heard this voice [say], ‘Dan and Shay, Alan Jackson.’ We were like, ‘We know who you are,” he laughed. “I was definitely starstruck in that moment."
As Chris Young continues to ready the release of a new album, he’s giving fans an exciting peek of what’s to come with recent releases, “Looking for You,” and “All Dogs Go To Heaven.” But that’s not all, Young recently shared there’s another song coming “very soon” that will have fans in the feels.
"There’s another song coming out at some point very soon that is also very, very emotional, but in a great way,” Chris told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his time on the Superstar Power Hour. “Very special, very happy. It’s going to be a lot of fun releasing this record.”
Chris continued on to share how preparing for a record release has changed over his years in the business.
“In the beginning of my career it was like, ‘pick a single and that’s the thing you get to put out,’” he said. "Now, it’s like, ‘hey, this is the single, but, we’re also going to give you all this extra stuff so you guys can totally get into this album before it drops.”
While Chris hasn’t released much information about the forthcoming project, including the release date, it sounds like it won’t be too much longer. “I mean, I could put a record out tomorrow if I felt like it,” he stated. Well, what are we waiting for? We’re too excited to wait.
Hear more about the album, a revamped tour and more by checking out Katie’s full conversation with Chris above.
Aside from her powerful vocals and mesmerizing live shows, there’s no doubt Country singer, Carrie Underwood has made a name for herself in the fitness world.
With her perfectly toned physique and admirable healthy habits, Carrie is the epitome of health for many and you’d be hard-pressed to find a single individual not trying to get a copy of her workout routine.
More than willing to motivate and provide resources for others to get healthy through her fit52 fitness app, Carrie admits there’s a lot more to it than lifting weights and running laps. The 39-year-old mother-of-two went on to share the importance of the “why” and how her motivation has shifted over the years.
“I feel like when I was in my 20s, I was definitely trying to work out to look as good as possible all the time,” she told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “I feel like as I’m older, my priorities have just shifted.”
She continued, “I see my kids and I want to be around for them as long as possible, but not just be alive as long as possible — I want to be present and be around and be involved. I think about that often.”
Additionally, Carrie hopes to inspire her sons, Isaiah (7), Jacob (4) to lead their own healthy lifestyle of their own. “There’s nothing bad about taking care of yourself,” she said. “I’m trying to be a good example for them as well.”
She added, “I really want them to be like, ‘Man, my mom was crushin’ it. Like, up until when she was in her 90s she was still working out and gardening and could haul stuff around…. My mom just kicked some booty, even as a little old lady.’”
Hear more about Carrie’s workout inspo as well as her current Denim & Rhinestones tour, Las Vegas residency, love for Rock music and more by listening to her interview with Katie Neal above.
As they celebrate the start of their No Bad Vibes Tour, Country group, Old Dominion, is also spreading some love with the recent release of four new songs.
Looking to keep spirits up as they roll across North America on their tour, the guys released “Memory Lane,” “Freedom Like You,” “Easier Said with Rum,” and “Ain’t Got To Worry,”just weeks ahead of hitting the road. Each one sure to bring good island-energy as the majority were recorded at Jimmy Buffett’s studio in Key West.
“One of the [songwriting] sessions we did was down in Key West at Jimmy Buffett’s studio and three of the four songs were from that session,” said group member, Brad Tursi. “'Ain’t Got A Worry,' 'Memory Lane,' and 'Easier Said with Rum.'”
Traveling outside of their homes in Nashville to write songs is not a new concept for the guys, who say taking a trip and being removed from every day distractions often helps them focus on the creative process.
“It is really cool to be able to be free of the pressures of your home life [and] responsibilities,” said lead singer, Matthew Ramsey. “It’s really nice to be able to just wake up — especially in place like Key West — and go play your music and then walk across the street and have a beer.”
Jimmy Buffett’s studio was a large part of the creative process for the guys this time around as they say the small space fostered big creativity and the ultimate good energy.
“It seemed like it was a time portal, it could’ve been 2022 or it could have been 1985,” said Geoff Sprung. “It’s like you walk through the door and you’re in a completely different world.”
Added Ramsey, “It’s a little, cinderblock rectangle in the middle of the chaos of Key West and it’s just memorabilia from his career and stuff everywhere.”
While Key West seems to have sparked a lot of creativity within the group, they haven’t confirmed anything surrounding a new studio album and say they’re remaining focused on their current tour for the time being.
“We’re excited, we’ve been working really hard,” said Ramsey. “We rehearsed, I think, more than ever for this tour. We just really want to bring something special to our fans. It’s been a really long time since we’ve had a good headlining tour… we’re just so excited to get out there.”
Old Dominion’s No Bad Vibes tour is currently scheduled to run through July 1. Find a full list of dates and tickets here.
Elle King is putting her official stamp on Country music with the release of her debut, full-length album, Come Get Your Wife. Full of witty remarks and sassy sentiment, the project is confirmation the former Rock singer has found a forever home in Country music.
“I’ve made this record and I have this sound that I feel is mine and it’s what Country is to me and I’m very proud of it,” Elle shared with Audacy. “It kind of encompasses everything that I do, I just didn’t know Country was the road that was going to allow me to do all of it in one little gift wrapped box, with gold teeth.”
King has served as a breath of fresh air in the Country community since she first stepped in with the release of “Different for Girls,” a duet with Country favorite, Dierks Bentley. With a personality just as big as her talent, it was clear Elle felt right at home and continued to wow with her songwriting, talent and lovable quirks.
Seven years later, she has only solidified fan’s love for her genuine spirit and wacky ways — two things that shine like the gold on her teeth.
“Come get your wife is the title of my record ‘cause a jerk shouted it to my fiancé,” Elle enthusiastically shared of the inspiration for the project title. “I was like, ‘I’m not even married!’ But, he had it comin’,” she laughed before detailing some of the bold concepts on her album.
“It’s just funny, because I have blacked out a tattoo of someone’s name,” Elle said of the idea behind a track titled, “Blacked Out.” “BUT, a lot of people got my name tattoo’d on them. One guy did it twice,” she giggled.
Clearly not one to shy away from real-life inspiration, not every song has Elle’s signature “rough around the edges,” feel. King also gets vulnerable with the song “Lucky,” a nod to everything she feels blessed with in this life including her son, Lucky, who was her inspiration for the entire album.
“There’s a song called ‘Lucky’ that’s probably my most vulnerable song on the record, and it’s about my life and everything that’s brought me here and how I feel like I just got lucky,” she told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “I don’t know what I deserve in this life, but I feel like God has blessed me. My son’s name is also Lucky so there’s a lot in it and my life changed so much when I had him so, it’s cool.”
According to Elle, the blessings continue to spill over her life and right over this album as she called in a lot of “favors” from various professionals with experience creating hit Country albums.
“The amount of people that blessed and graced this record, the list is very, very, very long,” she said. “I feel very cool and especially grateful. A lot of asks that they should of said ‘No,’ but I can’t believe they said ‘Yes’… I called in all the favors I could for this.”
Hear Elle’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal about her new album above and check out the new album, Come Get Your Wife, available now.
When Thomas Rhett isn’t playing the biggest stages in Country music or writing the next big #1 song, he’s attempting to survive elementary school all over again, and according to the 32-year-old… it’s kicking his butt!
Rhett recently shared being a dad of four girls ages 7 to 1 means a lot of schoolwork and extra-curricular activities to keep up with and it’s all more intense than he remembers it.
“It’s kicking my butt way harder than I ever felt my butt kicked when I was actually in school,” he laughed while explaining to Audacy’s Katie Neal how he attempts to keep up. “Now, it’s your fault if your kids are late, it’s your fault if their lunch isn’t packed correctly, it’s your fault if their homework isn’t finished. We’re just trying to keep up with that and extra-curricular activities — gymnastics, dance, and all these things — it’s a blast though, I’m lovin’ it.”
Rhett is clearly crushing the Dad role just as well as he crushes the Country artist role, and while he works hard to stay present with whatever role he’s in, he admits he’ll never have to worry about getting a big ego — his daughters have assured him of that.
Rhett went on to share a story of Christmas shopping with his family in the Nashville area and his 5-year-old daughter’s hilarious reaction when fans asked him for a photo.
“We were Christmas shopping up in downtown, Franklin [Nashville area] and a few people asked to take a picture,” Rhett explained. “Ada James looked at me and she said, ‘Why do people like you?’ I love how blunt kids say stuff.”
He continued, “I was just like, ‘You know Daddy sings music and I think that those folks like Daddy’s music and they wanted a picture,’ and she was like,’ That’s so weird.’”
Seeing his daughters connect the dots surrounding his career is as a full circle moment for Rhett, who grew up with a famous parent himself, ‘90s Country star, Rhett Akins. Getting to tour regularly with his dad, Rhett has vivid memories of the road and can see those same memories forming for his daughters when he takes them out with him.
“My kids love getting on the bus, they love getting in their bunks,” he said. “They think it’s the coolest thing in the world… it’s pretty full circle behave it’s exactly what I used to love to do with my Dad.”
Hear more about Thomas’ family, his goals for 2023, and the artist he dreams of having a private concert from by tuning into his interview with Katie Neal on the 'Superstar Power Hour' above.
While Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers has been keeping quite busy working on new material into the new year, Shay Mooney has been busy in another way, preparing for baby number three on the way with his wife, Hannah.
“It is so crazy to even think about,” says Shay. “Obviously she’s very pregnant right now,” he adds, “but it doesn’t really become real until the actual day that the baby comes. So right now I’m chillin’, but it’ll be kind of crazy to have that moment when we’re fully just outnumbered. It’s a wild one. Terrifying.”
Already parents to two children, Asher and Ames, Shay says he and Hannah are likely going to stick with another "A" name this time around. "I think that we’ve got a name locked down. I don’t want to say it just in case we change our minds," he admits. "We waited for the last minute to come up with a baby name, so a lot of thought has gone into that. We're actually calling him 'Dan,'" he adds, pointing to his partner who accepts with a smile and open arms.
It all started for Dan + Shay 10 years ago, when Dan remembers putting a note into his phone after hearing Shay sing, saying that he thought he was the "greatest singer of all time," and still feels that way to this day. "We're two very different people, in a way that two puzzle pieces are obviously different," says Shay, "but it was perfect the way that we complimented each other and were able to bring in what the other didn't have."
"Being in a duo is very much like a marriage," Shay adds, "as we both are married now, we kind of know that's what it is. It's a relationship and it takes time and commitment, being able to compromise, and all of these things. I can't say I had any preconceived ideas... I knew he was a hard worker and that's what I needed in my life... and the rest was kind of history."
The Country duo is currently working on their fifth studio album, their follow up to 2021's Good Things.
Check out Katie Neal's full interview with Dan + Shay above, stay tuned for more conversations with your favorite artists, and listen to the Superstar Power Hour with Katie & Company every weekday from 2PM - 3PM on your favorite Audacy Country station!
Christmas is near and Thomas Rhett is wasting no time getting in the Christmas spirit. With his very first holiday collection, Merry Christmas Y’all, available now, Rhett is already spreading Christmas cheer and has no shame about it.
“I love Christmas so much,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “Our lights are already up,” he admitted.
With his lights up and plans to get his tree in the next couple weeks, Rhett says he still has yet to finish his shopping, but it won’t take long as he have a very strong strategy.
“I haven’t bought anything,” he shared before explaining his shopping strategy. “I’m usually the guy that gets the gifts for the guys in our family. I will pick an item and buy 12 of them because there are 12 dudes in our family. Lauren usually takes care of everybody else,” he laughed.
While holiday shopping seems like it’s a breeze for Rhett, the creation of his Christmas project didn’t come easy, despite his love for the holiday. He went on to share the making of Merry Christmas Y’all challenged him far beyond his previous projects.
“Going in and recording these was a lot of fun. [Frank] Sinatra is my favorite style of Christmas music — big band, horns, strings, the whole nine-yards — so we really tried to go in and re-create the 1940s or whatever with my voice on it.”
He continued, “I will say those are the most challenging songs I’ve ever sang in my life, in the studio,” he said. “The key changes every four seconds. Legit…. I’ve sang it [Christmas music] my whole life, but when you sing it not over Frank Sinatra’s voice, it’s an extra challenge.”
Hear more about Rhett’s adventures making a Christmas album, what he’s looking forward to most on his Home Team 23 tour and his logic surrounding holiday time birthdays in his conversation with Katie Neal above.
Tyler Hubbard, formerly one-half of Florida Georgia Line, may be celebrating his his very first #1 as a solo Country artist, but his #1 job will always be being Dad.
After hitting the top of the charts with his very first #1 as a solo artist, “5 foot 9” from his debut EP, Dancin’ In The Country, Hubbard reflected with Audacy’s Katie Neal on how different things are this time around from his music to how he spends his time on tour.
“Now getting to have the different dynamic of family out [on the road] with me and this whole new season, it’s just really exciting,” Hubbard, who is currently on the road as part of Keith Urban’s The Speed of Now tour.
“It is wild,” the father of three admitted. “I’ll be putting babies to bed and changing diapers right after [my set]. I’m still sweating from the show, or I’m about to go on stage… it is fairly comical. Everything that people think a rockstar life is, is exactly what I’m not doing right now but it’s a lot of fun…. It’s those special years, [I’m] just trying to make the most of them.”
Aside from being in Dad-mode, Tyler is also in new-artist mode, which is new territory for him after the mind-blowing success he saw with duo mate Brian Kelley as Part of Florida Georgia Line. Starting from the “beginning” has it’s challenges for Hubbard and his band, but he says it’s a good experience all-around.
“Just watching fans connect the dots is really interesting and fun, it’s also challenging,” he said. “I walk out on stage and for the first three or four songs or so there’s 10,000 people sitting in chairs just watching like they’re at a theatre and it’s just unique for what I’m used to.”
He continued, “I tell the band we’re goin’ through new artist training, how to do it again, how to win a crowd over, how to get them ready for Keith and how to integrate the stories of the songs and the banter… it’s all new everything so it has been challenging.”
Hubbard seems to have a good handle on the challenge as he’s celebrating his first solo-single, “5 foot 9” hitting #1 this week at Country radio.
“It feels great,” Hubbard said of the accomplishment. “To feel the support and I just feel like everybody’s kind of accepted me with open arms and it feels really really good.”
Hear more from Tyler about his first full-length album, time on tour and why he’s said ‘No’ to collaborations for the last year by tuning into his conversation with Katie Neal above.
Russell Dickerson’s third studio album is officially out and he’s taking fans on an adventure. With 15 songs, all written by Dickerson, fans will get to know Russell’s story, from past to present through the tracks that represent some of the moments he cherishes most in life thus far.
“The first song is talking about when we’re 16 and all the dumb stuff we used to do, it’s called, ‘Blame It On Being Young,’” Dickerson told Audacy’s Katie Neal before explaining the tracks progress in chronological order. “That last song on the album is me becoming a Dad. It’s a whole journey and it’s just me. It’s my story told through all these 15 songs.”
The fully-autobiographical approach is a new one for Dickerson when it comes to his albums. The 35-year-old said he really focused on song that he loved and felt told his story versus trying to please others.
“Instead of thinking, ‘OK I have 15 slots, I need this kind of song or this kind of song,’ I picked many favorite 15 songs that I’ve written since Southern Symphony,” he shared. “I put them all together, pieced them all to this whole story.”
Included in those 15 tracks is Dickerson’s collab. with fellow artist Jake Scott, “She Likes It,” which he never planned on being a single until fans demanded it.
“All of a sudden it was like, ‘Oh dude!’ It had like 5 million streams then it was like, ‘Dude! It’s 6 and a half, go 7 and a half million a week. This is crazy!’” He recalled. “One week it was like, ‘No, we’re good.’ The next was like, ‘We’re going to radio. Right now! With fire!’”
While Scott is the only official collab on the project, there is one more voice that makes a very special appearance and it’s Dickerson’s 2-year-old son, Remington, on the last track, “Just Like Your Mama.”
“With this album we pulled out all the stops, nothing is off limits and so when we were recording this song we were like, ‘We should get Remington do a little goo goo ga ga,” Russell told Audacy’s Rob + Holly of the decision to feature Remy. It’s so magical, it makes me cry every time.”
Dickerson’s self-titled album is available now.
Georgia natives Kane Brown and Jason Aldean are not only two of today’s biggest Country stars, but they’re also good buddies. Both have seen lots of success when collaborating with other artists so we have to wonder — why haven’t they gotten together for a song yet?
“You should ask him that!” Kane told Katie Neal at Audacy’s Stars & Strings event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
“I had a song I thought was perfect for him, it’s called ‘Bury Me In Georgia,’” he said. Appears that ask didn’t go the way Brown hoped as he released it as a solo track on his most recent album Different Man. “I don’t know,” he said.
Lucky for us all, Aldean was also performing at Stars & Strings and when asked about a possible collab, it’s clear they’ve been trying to find the “right fit” for some time now.
“Kane likes to put me on blast because he’s asked me a couple times.” Jason laughed “I’ve told him before that I’d love to do something with him.”
He continued, “To me, those things are all about the song. Kane’s music and my music is really, really different so, when he sends a song to me, sometimes it’s not what I would normally do. I’ve always told him, ‘It’s about finding the right song,’ but I would love to do something with him and I think it’ll happen at some point when the right thing comes along. We just haven’t found that yet.”
Well, all good things are worth waiting for! Look forward to this pair to finding the right fit!
Georgia natives Kane Brown and Jason Aldean are not only two of today’s biggest Country stars, but they’re also good buddies. Both have seen lots of success when collaborating with other artists so we have to wonder — why haven’t they gotten together for a song yet?
“You should ask him that!” Kane told Katie Neal at Audacy’s Stars & Strings event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
“I had a song I thought was perfect for him, it’s called ‘Bury Me In Georgia,’” he said. Appears that ask didn’t go the way Brown hoped as he released it as a solo track on his most recent album Different Man. “I don’t know,” he said.
Lucky for us all, Aldean was also performing at Stars & Strings and when asked about a possible collab, it’s clear they’ve been trying to find the “right fit” for some time now.
“Kane likes to put me on blast because he’s asked me a couple times.” Jason laughed “I’ve told him before that I’d love to do something with him.”
He continued, “To me, those things are all about the song. Kane’s music and my music is really, really different so, when he sends a song to me, sometimes it’s not what I would normally do. I’ve always told him, ‘It’s about finding the right song,’ but I would love to do something with him and I think it’ll happen at some point when the right thing comes along. We just haven’t found that yet.”
Well, all good things are worth waiting for! Look forward to this pair to finding the right fit!
Old Dominion just wrapped the Here and Now Tour with Kenny Chesney and it’s given them memories to last a lifetime — including Kenny Chesney’s guitar tech smoochin’ on lead singer, Matt Ramsey’s Mom. Say what?!
Before taking the stage at Audacy’s Stars & Strings at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino earlier this week, Matt shared that Kenny Chesney’s guitar tech “made out” with his mom side stage, in front of him and his dad.
“Their guitar tech made out with my Mom, in front of me” Ramsey said nonchalantly as the guys recapped some memories from the tour. “He was giving me a hard time for not introducing him to my parents… so on the way back I was like, ‘Zeke, this is my Mom and he just grabbed her.”
He continued, “I was laughing, and so was my dad. And then it was like, it’s still going!”
Ramsey was all smiles as he shared the hysterical, yet awkward memory and sounds like his parents were good sports about the awkward “souvenir” as well.
“My mom is still happily married to my dad, but he [the guitar tech] decided to grab my mom and make us all uncomfortable,” he laughed. “My mom said, ‘That was more exciting than watching her son play a stadium full of people.’ Thanks, mom!”
Something tells us Matt will keeping his mother far away from the guitar techs on their upcoming No Bad Vibes tour which kicks off January 2023. See the dates below.
Old Dominion's 2023 No Bad Vibes Tour Dates:
Jan. 19 Evansville, Ind.
Jan. 20 Champaign, Ill.
Jan. 21 Moline, Ill.
Jan. 27 Ottawa, Ontario
Jan. 28 Toronto, Ontario
Jan. 30 London, Ontario
Feb. 9 Green Bay, Wisc.
Feb. 10 Rockford, Ill.
Feb. 11 Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Feb. 16 Rapid City, S.D.
Feb. 17 Mankato, Minn.
Feb. 18 Duluth, Minn.
Feb. 23 Idaho Falls, Ida.
Feb. 24 Boise, Ida.
Feb. 25 Kennewick, Wash.
Feb. 28 Vancouver, British Columbia
March 2 Edmonton, Alberta
March 3 Calgary, Alberta
March 9 Lethbridge, Alberta
March 10 Regina, Saskatchewan
March 11 Winnipeg, Manitoba
March 31 Key West, Fla.
Apr. 1 Key West, Fla.
Apr. 13 Reading, Penn.
Apr. 14 Albany, N.Y.
Apr. 15 Bangor, Me.
May 4 Savannah, Ga.
May 5 Jacksonville, Fla.
May 27 Morrison, Colo.
May 28 Morrison, Colo.
June 30 Lake Tahoe, Nev.
It’s been one month since the release of Little Big Town’s 10th studio album, Mr. Sun, and the project continues to fully live up to its title. While it surely lightens up fans speakers as they listen on their own, the four-member group says it’s also creating spectacular bright moments on tour.
Kimberly, Karen, Philip and Jimi recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour and shared some of their favorite songs to play live from the project while on the road.
“‘All Summer’ has been really fun to put into the set, it gets the crowd movin’” said Philip. “It’s really fun to play, I get to play a big 12-string guitar! It’s fun for me, but I love the energy it has and how it lifts peoples spirits like, immediately.”
“I love ‘Rich Man’” said Kimberly. “When we play ‘Rich Man,’ immediately people are in just because they can identify with the story and understanding what’s most important in this life. I love lookin’ at Jimi when it happens because he wrote this!”
All the members of LBT are weaved throughout the project as writers, producers etc on various tracks, but they also got creative counsel from many of their high-caliber industry pals that they say took this project to the next level.
“We’re so blessed with friends that happen to be the best songwriters in the world,” Jimi laughed. “It’s inspiring and I think that keeps pushing us, just wanting to see what we can come up with next with our friends, or whomever.”
The LBT crew has surely found their way since getting their start 20 years ago and while things may be different, they never lose touch of the fact that they’re living their dream.
“When you combine a good work ethic with dreaming big and believing in yourself, I think big things can happen,” said Karen. “We have just been really lucky to have great people around us and the right opportunity and were kept showing up and we still keep showin’ up and just tryin’ to do the work and that’s always been our mantra and it still is.”
Hear more from Little Big Town in their conversation with Katie on the Superstar Power Hour above.
Maren Morris is one of the most successful Country artists of our time, and it’s more than her music she has some fans carrying with them for a lifetime.
During her recent appearance during the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal, Maren reacted to the fact that fans have gotten tattoos of her lyrics and more surrounding her music. “I feel like it’s amazing that someone is so moved by something you wrote randomly, just in a room with two people or by yourself that they want to put it on themselves permanently,” she said. “It’s always a huge compliment.”
The compliment is one Maren has given from herself to artist, Patty Griffin as she decided to have lyrics from Griffin’s Song, "Christina," tattoo’s on her shoulder blade.
“I’ve got lyrics on my shoulder blade, Patty Griffin lyrics,” she explained. “It’s over a decade old now, but I still feel to this day, that song of hers called ‘Christina’ just, like shatters me in the best way. It’s special when someone’s music means that much to someone.”
Maren is currently in the midst of her Humble Quest tour, bringing songs from the recent, CMA-nominated album to fans live for the first time. “I didn’t really get to road test any of these songs because I wrote this all during the pandemic,” she said. “The first show of this tour was when I was really seeing the fan reaction to the songs.”
Hear more about the tour, Maren’s wardrobe, and her recent pickle ball obsession by checking out her conversation with Katie Neal above.
Cole Swindell is celebrating his third consecutive-week #1 single with arguably one of the biggest songs of his career, “She Had Me At Heads Carolina.” A creative spin on the ‘90s classic performed by Jo Dee Messina, Cole has breathed new life into the song with a unique spin on the plot.
“I think the original idea, me and Thomas Rhett were talking about if we did ‘Heads Carolina,’ how would we do that other than walking in and a girl being up there singing it on karaoke, which I’m sure happens all the time here, in Nashville and all over the country," Cole told Audacy’s Katie Neal. "That was the original thought.”
The idea proves successful indeed as the song is sitting in the #1 spot on the Country charts for a second consecutive week, which is the third single from Swindell’s Sterotype album to do that.
“It’s crazy the way things are going,” he said with a smile. “I can’t help but just be happy about it. I’ve dreamed about this, but to have three there, back-to-back like that, it’s changing my life by the day!”
He continued, “‘She Had Me At Heads Carolina’ was literally the last song I recorded for this album and I can’t imagine if that wasn’t on there… it’s scary to think about actually!”
Interesting enough, the original version written by Tim Nichols and Mark D. Sanders was the last track recorded by Jo Dee’s for her debut self-titled album in 1996.
“It really is crazy, the story of this is the last song we recorded,” Cole said. “I don’t know if anybody listening has heard, but Jo Dee Messina’s [story] about her recording ‘Heads Carolina,’ — that was the last song she recorded on her album. That kind of stuff doesnt just happen. It’s meant to be.”
Hear more about the song, music video, Cole’s tour and his experience building a house by listening to his chat with Katie Neal above.
Katie Neal looks back on the amazing career of Loretta Lynn and her impact on Country music. The icon died on Tuesday at the age of 90.
Incredible production, powerful vocals and stunning costume changes are all a sure bet at any Carrie Underwood tour stop, but Carrie shares her shows don’t always come without sacrifice.
Underwood recently joined Audacy’s Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour and discussed all the creative aspects that go into her tours and what fans can expect from her Denim & Rhinestones trek.
“There’s a lot of things we’re doing that we haven’t done before,” Underwood said of her Denim & Rhinestones tour. “I feel like we’re in such a good creative space… I feel like everybody has really just upped their game. We’ve been rehearsing lately and kind of adding new flavors to songs we’ve been playing for a really long time. Just kind of keeping things fresh and exciting.”
Carrie is also looking to keep her wardrobe fresh and exciting and she admits sometimes that means sacrificing some comfort (depending on how fabulous the piece is).
“This time I feel like my shoes don’t have to be as comfortable as I’ve needed them to be in the past,” she said of her expectations.
“Everything has to be quick-change-able, not too complicated. I don’t want things to be super-super tight when I’m singing just because it makes it harder to breathe but, who needs air??” She laughed. “If it looks fabulous enough that I could take not breathing as well, then, [its worth it].
”The sacrifices seem to be paying off as Carrie is celebrating another nomination in the Entertainer of the Year category, among others, at this year’s CMA Awards.
“Obviously [I’m] super excited,” she said of learning the news. “I knew that the nominations were coming out the next morning, but by the time the next morning got there I totally forgot and was going about my day, then I looked at my phone and I had text messages and I was like, ‘Oh! Nice!‘” She squealed. “It was kind of nice to not be anticipating [because] then I would have been nervous.”Hear more about her recent nominations, tour and why she encourages everyone to thank a quinoa farmer by listening to her full conversation with Katie Neal above.
Jelly Roll, celebrated his first #1 on the Rock charts earlier this year with “Dead Man Walking,” and is now walking all over the Country charts with his first single to Country radio, “Son of a Sinner.” While his world may seem like nothing but success and good times, the 37-year-old says that couldn’t be further from the truth as he opened up about his struggles with mental health.
“This is something I think people really need to hear,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal before detailing what struggling with mental health looks like for him. “I woke up, and for no triggered reason, I did not want to get out of bed. I could not pinpoint [why]… I just woke up and felt a cloud over my bed. Like the blanket was too heavy to push off of me.”
Jelly admits moments like the above, with nothing “validating” his lack of motivation, are the toughest for him to work through as they often trigger a downward spiral guided by anxious thoughts.
“Then the anxiety sets in, the unrealistic anxiety. ‘Is this a bad omen? Is something bad going to happen to somebody around me and this is the feeling it’s fixin’ to happen? Is something going to happen to me? Then the next thing you know, you’re checking your blood pressure for no reason.”
While depressive mornings and anxious spirals aren’t new to the singer-songwriter, he admits they are something he’s only started paying attention to in his adult years. He recalls being told to “brush it off” as a child, which he now sees as toxic and even believes contributed to his criminal behavior that landed him in jail. Jelly is passionate about speaking out on the topic now as he believes he could have benefited from someone addressing his mental health in his younger years.
“I would have realized that my need for acceptance stemmed from feeling like I wasn’t good enough,” he shared. “I felt like nobody accepted me… When you feel like nobody accepts you, there’s always that one group that will and it’s always the trouble.”
He continued, “I feel like I might have made some crazy different life decisions if I could have sat down and felt vocal enough to say, ‘Hey, I’m leaning towards this because I don’t feel accepted anywhere else.'”
Hear more about Jelly Roll’s conversation surrounding mental health, his criminal past, and the moment that changed his life in his conversation with Katie Neal above.
Audacy's I’m Listening initiativeaims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.
Kelsea Ballerini is setting the tone for the last year of her 20s with the release of her 5th studio album, Subject to Change. All about embracing the twists and turns of life and owning mistakes just as much as accomplishments, the album is one she plans to use as a guide and hopes it’ll inspire others to do the same.
“We’ve all been forced into such changes the last couple of years, the world has made it inevitable,” Kelsea told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “I loved the idea of taking the power back from change… It is a necessary part of life, it is an unavoidable part of life and so, what if instead of being tense and scared of it, I just go, ‘OK. It will be what it will be.’"
“The record is the story of all the juxtaposition of all that… I just have no idea what this year is going to unfold into and I think for me, instead of always being in forward motion, which I’m so conditioned to be in, I just am going to take it day by day.”
Kelsea will take her new songs on the road for a 10-date HEARTFIRST TOUR kicking off Saturday, September 24 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY.
“I created a world on this tour and it takes you through seasons and elements,” she said of the trek. “It’s really dramatic and there’s a lot of production. It’s only 10 shows and I just wanted it to feel really, really special for the people have waited two and a half years to do this with me.”
Hear more about the tour, new album and Kelsea’s unforgettable experiences at New York Fashion week by listening to her entire conversation with Katie Neal above.
Sam Hunt says he’s in the midst of some of the best days of his life being a first-time Dad. While he admits simultaneously balancing fatherhood and a demanding touring schedule is not easy, it’s something he’s getting used to — especially since he dreams of having more kids.
“It’s an experience I’ve always wanted to have — being a father — but now that I’ve had it, it’s definitely a life-changing deal,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “A bucket list deal… I waited a little while, but I’m glad that I became a father. I look forward to having, hopefully, some more.”
Sounds like it could be quite a few more with how much Sam enjoys being a Dad!
“[Fatherhood] has given me such a sense of purpose — at home and out on the road,” the 37-year-old shared. “A new appreciation for life in general. I think I leveled up overnight, evolved 10 or 20 years over night.”
He continued, “I waited until having my first one, but I’m trying to have as many as I can before I age out, before we age out.”
A brand new perspective on life and baby girl aren’t the only new things Sam’s celebrating — he also has a fresh single, “Water Under The Bridge,” along with a lot more new music to come with the release of his third studio album.
“This record, and the songs that I’ve been writing since the pandemic, they’re all sort of from the place,” he said. “From a guy who’s gone out into the world, experienced the world, seen a lot of things, learned a lot of life lessons but has come full circle and made it back home and is really appreciating where he’s from.”
“Water Under The Bridge,” is the first taste of Sam’s third studio album which he says is taking shape.
“I’m recording right now,” he said. “I have the songs sitting there, a couple of them are missing a line or two that I just need to get ironed out. But I’ve recorded like five or six [songs]… it’s coming together.”
Hear more about Sam’s new music, life as a dad and more in his full conversation with Katie Neal above.
There's plenty of firsts in the nominations for the 2022 CMA Awards. Katie Neal breaks it all down, exclusively from Audacy.
A marriage license isn’t the only important document Country singer Justin Moore signed on his wedding day.
During a recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal, Moore shared he is not only readying to celebrate 15 years of marriage to his wife, Kate, this month, but also 15 years since he signed his record deal. And yes, it all happened on the same day!
“She and I, we’ll celebrate being married 15 [years of marriage] in September and coincidentally, that’s when I signed my record deal — the same day, at my wedding.”
He continued, “It was just by fluke. It had to be completely done by that day and so my manager brought it and I signed it at my wedding reception. So it’s a pretty big day for us.” We’ll say! Talk about a life-changing day!
Must’ve been a good omen as well as Justin has celebrated ten #1s and is nearing an 11th with “With A Woman You Love.”
“We’re 15 years into this now — which is hard to believe — and still having hit records on the radio. I’m humbled by it, I’m super appreciative of Country radio and the fans and all the people who it takes to make this happen,” Justin expressed.
“You’d have told me this 20 years ago [that] we would be enjoying this type of success and longevity, I don’t know that I would’ve believed it.”
Hear more about what’s next for Justin, what back to school is like in this house, and more in his conversation for the Superstar Power Hours with Katie Neal above.
It’s been three years since Jon Pardi has released a studio album and that’s all about to change as he readies to debut his next project Mr. Saturday Night on September 2. With 14 songs on the track list, there’s a lot of buzz about what’s to come — especially with track 14 being titled, “Reverse Cowgirl.”
Pardi addressed the elephant on the track list while sitting down with Audacy’s Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour. Promising it’s not exactly what people think, but then again — it’s all about interpretation.
“It’s got a funny, humor twist to it, but it’s also really pretty and really romantic in a way,” he said. “When I first heard it [in 2020] I was like, ‘Man, there ain’t no way! There ain’t NO way! [Then], the whole world went through some s***, so I was like, ‘You know what? You want 'Reverse Cowgirl?' You go and record ‘Reverse Cowgirl!’
He continued “The first part of ‘Reverse Cowgirl,’ it’s a sad song! The guy wants his cowgirl to come back. Now, it may have a little twist in there, and it’s for your mind to think about. It’s the best dirty, cleanest thing you can have.”
The title alone has created a lot of anticipation surrounding the track and according to Pardi, his fans aren’t the only ones anxious to hear it… his fellow Country artists are too!
"Jake Owen makes sure he called every three months until he knew I recorded ‘Reverse Cowgirl.’ He’s like, ‘Well, if you don’t want it, you know I want that song!’” Pardi laughed. “Chase Rice, he texts me like, ‘Dude, did you record 'Reverse Cowgirl' yet? I cannot wait!’ I’ve never had a demo for so long and been so anticipated.”
While the title is surely the most eye-catching, fans are excited to hear more than just “Reverse Cowgirl.” With previously released tracks “Last Night Lonely,” the title track and “Longneck Way To Go” feat. Midland already performing well, the project is sure to continue to gain momentum. Pardi shares the track, “Your Heart or Mine,” is already set to be the next single.
“The band already knows that’s going to be the next one to come out,” he shared. “That’s definitely going to be the next single.”
Hear more about the album, Pardi’s current tour and more by listening to his conversation with Katie Neal above and be sure to check out Mr. Saturday Night, available September 2.
See the project’s full track list below:
Mr. Saturday Night Track List:
1. Mr. Saturday Night
2. Fill ‘Er Up
3. Last Night Lonely
4. Neon Light Speed
5. New Place To Drink
6. Your Heart Or Mine
7. Santa Cruz
8. Longneck Way To Go (Midland featuring Jon Pardi)
9. Raincheck
10. Workin’ On A New One
11. Hung The Moon
12. The Day I Stop Dancin’
13. Smokin’ A Doobie
14. Reverse Cowgirl
Kane Brown joins Katie Neal to talk music, family, and more during this week's Superstar Power Hour.
Kane Brown joins Katie Neal this week for the Superstar Power Hour, and gives his account of the golf ball shot that Michael Ray received.
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Lady A joins Katie Neal just in time for summer to talk about their new single, "Summer State Of Mind," and more.
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Ernest joins Katie Neal at CMA Fest to talk about his fitness journey from "father to daddy."
Russell Dickerson checks in with Katie Neal at CMA Fest to talk about fitness and music.
Carrie Underwood joins Katie this week to talk about her new album, 'Denim & Rhinestones,' and so much more.
Elvie Shane once got arrested at CMA Fest, and now he's playing it and talking with Katie Neal.
Keith Urban checks in with Katie & Company to talk about playing new music for friends, the moment he first went number one, and to look back at a few of his biggest hits.
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Brett Young talks with Katie Neal before our 'Totally Private' Audacy show in Nashville.
Maren Morris talks with Katie Neal before our 'Totally Private' Audacy show in Nashville.
Gabby Barrett checks in with Katie Neal to talk about new music and the moment she lost her cool meeting Chris Stapleton.
Carly Pearce joins Katie Neal to talk about her amazing song with Ashley McBryde, and what's next.
Dustin Lynch is all about a good time these days. Whether he’s pumping up a crowd with his new single, “Party Mode,” or soaring in the sky earning his pilot’s license, Dustin is all about keeping a “glass half full” perspective.
Thomas Rhett was shaking in his boots as he visited inmates on death row nearly two years ago as part of a prison ministry. Little did he know, the experience would bring him a song that would land a spot on his sixth studio album, 'Where We Started,' arriving April 1.
Chris Stapleton joins Katie Neal on this week's podcast to talk about his collab with Adele and how it helped score points with his daughter. Plus Maddie Font of Maddie & Tae checks in to keep us updated.
Brett Young checks in with Katie & Company for the Superstar Power Hour, plus a talk with Jordan Davis!
Sam Hunt’s “Body Like A Backroad” is a staple in modern-day Country music. After a record-breaking run on the charts, it’s painful to know the historic song almost never was! Sam Hunt gave Katie Neal the details this week during the Superstar Power Hour.
Check out our talk with "Circles Around This Town" star Maren Morris, giving us some details about her upcoming album, 'Humble Quest,' as well as our talk with Jason Aldean who just blessed us with a new song of his own!
Lee Brice joins Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour to talk about his new song, 'Soul,' and so much more.
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