Country Cruising 2027 (Courtesy Country Cruising/Flying Dutchmen Travel)
Russell Dickerson will be Country Cruising into 2027.
He's the latest artist to join next year's voyage through Tampa, Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya, alongside Craig Morgan, Randy Travis, David Nail, Paul Overstreet, Drake White, James Otto, Filmore, Hannah Dasher, Alana Springsteen, Tiera Kennedy and more.
You can find complete details about the April 11-18 trip at CountryCruising.com.
If that's far too long for you to wait to get your Russell Dickerson fix, you can check out his debut performance of "Boots" with rapper Fetty Wap on Thursday's CMA Fest special. It starts at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and follows on Hulu on Friday.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Hulu.
If you like the groove Miranda Lambert's been throwing down lately, there's more to come.
Though she hinted at it with "A Song to Sing," her duet with Chris Stapleton from July 2025, Miranda came right out and said it in "Crisco," which dropped in May: "Ain't we mixin' country and disco?"
She also spells it out in a new Instagram video, bellying up to the bar behind two bedazzled Crisco-esque cans: One says "country" and the other says "disco."
"Yeah I gotta keep movin', gotta keep groovin'/ 'Cause that song that's in my soul will carry me on down the road/ I gotta keep goin' till the going's gone/ Till it's gone, gone, gone," Miranda sings in the background.
The accompanying text confirms “Till the Going’s Gone” will drop on Friday, fueling fans' hopes there'll soon be a whole album to follow.
Miranda's most recent project was 2024's Postcards from Texas.
Blake Shelton's "Let Him In" (BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville)
Blake Shelton's latest album may be called For Recreational Use Only, but his latest hit is one he doesn't take lightly.
Co-written by HARDY, "Let Him in Anyway" comes from the viewpoint of someone worried his best friend may not make it into heaven.
“If you can hear this song and it doesn’t punch you in the gut and break your heart, you probably need to be examined in other ways,” Blake says of the song, which he'll perform on Thursday's primetime CMA Fest special on ABC.
“I just wanted this song to have a platform and a way to be heard," he adds. "That’s what I love about our writers in Nashville and what I love about country music in general. Great songs come out of this town every day, and every now and then you're lucky enough to get your hands on one. I think this is one of those songs.”
You can check out a new live video of "Let Him in Anyway," recorded during Blake's recent Vegas residency ahead of his CMA Fest performance on Thursday. You can watch for it starting at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Carly Pearce's 'Honest Woman' (BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville)
Carly Pearce will do a series of two-night residencies across America this fall to introduce her new album, Honest Woman, which arrives Aug. 28.
She co-produced her fifth record herself, leaning into the influences that started her career with guest appearances from bluegrass stars Dan Tyminski and Molly Tuttle.
"When I started making Honest Woman, I found myself rediscovering who I am and why I wanted to be a country music singer in the first place,” Carly says. “This album takes me back to the beginning of my story, where the sounds of classic country and bluegrass music shaped who I am. I’m so proud of this body of work, and I truly feel like it’s my best yet.”
The 16-track project includes her current hit, "If I Don't Leave I'm Gonna Stay" with Riley Green, in addition to the previously-released "You Can Have Him," "Church Girl" and "Dream Come True," as well as "She Don't," which is out now.
Carly's Honest Woman: Up Close shows kick off Sept. 10 in Detroit, stopping in Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Toronto and Boston before wrapping Oct. 22 in New York City.
Fan club access starts Tuesday, with tickets going on sale to the public Friday.
Here's the complete track list for Carly Pearce's Honest Woman:
“Dream Come True” “Church Girl” “She Don’t” “You Can Have Him” “How Long” “WWJD” “Same Circus” “Happy For Myself” “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” Carly Pearce & Riley Green “I Don’t Have The Heart” “He Don’t Like My Dogs” “Leave My Heart Alone” “Who’s Lying Here” Carly Pearce & Dan Tyminski “Daisy” “What If You Loved Me” Carly Pearce, Molly Tuttle & Dan Tyminski “Why God Why Me”
Lainey Wilson steps into the spotlight Thursday night for a headlining performance on ABC's annual three-hour CMA Fest special.
But Lainey has a history with the festival, formerly known as Fan Fair, that dates back to her teens.
"I was probably 14 or 15 when I saw Sugarland in a big blow-up ball and they rolled across the entire floor of the stadium, and I thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever seen," she recalls. "It was insane. And I remember Martina McBride singing 'Broken Wing.'"
While the "Somewhere Over Laredo" superstar stops short of naming a favorite, she definitely has a major contender.
"I remember every single year watching Keith Urban, like, pop up in all these random spots in the stadium," she says. "To me he's always been one of the best performers."
"I've been coming every year since I was 14 years old, so it's hard just to choose one," she adds.
CMA Fest premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams the following day on Hulu.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Hulu.
Brantley Gilbert's 'Sins of the Father' (BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville)
The release of Brantley Gilbert's eighth studio album is still a little more than a month away, but he's just released two new songs early.
The first is the title track, "Sins of the Father," which he calls the "most country song on the album."
"I’ve done my dirt/ And I’ve been washed in the water/ Lord I go to church/ And I’m still learning the gospel," Brantley sings on the track. "But tonight Lord I pray for our sons and our daughters/ Don’t make ‘em pay for the sins of the father."
At the other end of the spectrum, Brantley estimates that "Good Ol' Boys" “goes harder than probably anything I’ve ever written.”
In the end, the "Bottoms Up" hitmaker knows where he fits.
“As long as there’s a box in country music, I know where I belong,” he says. “And that’s right on the outside of it. All of my albums are a chapter of my life and this one’s no different. I don’t have skeletons in the closet – my s***’s out in the open. So if there’s any piece of my story that could help somebody, I’m cheating them if I keep it to myself.”
Sins of the Father arrives July 24, featuring Brantley's current hit, "Good Damn."
'Reba McEntire: Songs from Annie Get Your Gun' (MCA)
It's been a quarter-century since Reba McEntire made her celebrated Broadway debut in Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun.
Though her five-month run replacing Bernadette Peters in 2001 remains her only stint on the Great White Way so far, there are a couple new souvenirs you can experience.
"I took my final bow in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway 25 years ago today," Reba posted on Monday. "During my run, I recorded two songs that were released on a promotional CD and we were finally able to get those songs released on streaming services."
Meanwhile, Reba continues marking 50 years as a recording artist with monthly music capsules showcasing a new song alongside similarly themed catalog tracks. The latest, Hurt Like That, came out in May, along with the accompanying The Rise of Reba playlist.
Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere Las Vegas (Messina Touring)
Kenny Chesney set his second residency at Sphere Las Vegas in motion on Friday with a special appearance by Eric Church.
The Country Music Hall of Famer delivered a 29-song set for the sold-out crowd of nearly 17,000 people that included "Here and Now," "Livin’ in Fast Forward,” “Young,” “Beer in Mexico,” “Keg in the Closet,” “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven,” “Guitars, Tiki Bars (& a Whole Lotta Love),” "Come Over," "Noise," "All the Pretty Girls," "Carry On," "Knowing You" and "Out Last Night."
Kenny's second summer run adds both fresh visuals and set changes.
“Sphere lets me take people back home with ‘I Go Back,’ to piers that don’t exist for ‘Til It’s Gone,’ flying through downtown Los Angeles for ‘Settin’ The World on Fire,’ inside a pinball machine with ‘Big Star’ and some of my favorite places in ‘When I See This Bar,’” Kenny explained after the show. “You can take them, give them even more of what the song is.”
Eric surprised the crowd during "When I See This Bar," going on to do "Drink in My Hand" and "Springsteen."
Kenny's 2026 Sphere show wrapped with a three-song encore of "American Kids," "Anything But Mine" and "Don't Happen Twice."
The run resumes Wednesday, with shows continuing through July 11.
Ella Langley's The Dandelion Tour (Courtesy Ella Langley/Sony)
Ella Langley's Dandelion Tour will keep blooming into the fall.
The "you look like you love me" superstar is adding 21 new dates to her first headlining arena run, starting Aug. 20 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and going through Oct. 31 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Along the way, the Alabama native will play two nights at Auburn's Neville Arena; her first headlining stop at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre; and two nights at LA's Greek Theatre.
Fans can sign up online for presales, which start Thursday, before tickets become available to the public on Friday.
The extension comes on the heels of Ella winning seven Academy of Country Music awards and two American Music Awards on the strength of her four-times Platinum smash "Choosin' Texas" and its Platinum follow-up, "Be Her." Her second album, Dandelion, came out in April.
Clive Davis attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jon Platt at The Beverly Hilton on Feb. 3, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Clive Davis, the record executive known as "the man with the golden ears," has died of age-related illness, according to his family. He was 94.
Davis either discovered, signed or guided the careers of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Chicago, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Janis Joplin, Alicia Keys, Patti Smith and Whitney Houston.
A statement from Davis' family read, "To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives. He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations."
"To his family, Clive was Dad and Granddaddy, the steady presence at the center of our lives, the source of wisdom, strength, encouragement, and unconditional love. No matter how extraordinary his professional accomplishments, he never lost sight of what mattered most: the people he loved."
A lawyer by trade, New York City-born Davisjoined Columbia Records as assistant counsel in 1960. He was made president of the label by 1967 and helped to bring it into the rock era, signing acts such as Joplin's band Big Brother and the Holding Company; Santana; Blood, Sweat & Tears; and Pink Floyd.
After being fired from Columbia in 1973, he started his own labels, Arista Records and J Records, and worked for BMG and Sony Music Entertainment. Over that time, he helped revive the careers of Dionne Warwick, Santana, the Grateful Dead, Rod Stewart and Aretha Franklin; gave Barry Manilow his first #1 with "Mandy"; identified Whitney Houston as a future star and signed her at age 19; and released Alicia Keys' 2001 Grammy-winning debut album, Songs in A Minor.
Other acts Davis worked with over the years included Barbra Streisand, Sarah McLachlan, Carly Simon, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny G, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Kinks, Annie Lennox, Toni Braxton, Luther Vandross, Maroon 5 and Usher.
Davis also worked closely with American Idol in the show's early years, heading the label that released the music of winners and finalists such as Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Ruben Studdard and Jordin Sparks.
Davis' annual star-studded pre-Grammy parties became legendary and often served as a launching pad for the artist he was focusing on at the time. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 as a non-performer.
His 2013 autobiography, The Soundtrack of My Life, was a New York Times bestseller. The 2017 documentary Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives, is currently available on Netflix.
Davis, who at age 80 revealed that he was bisexual, is survived by three sons, a daughter, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, as well as his partner. His two marriages ended in divorce.
It's been a whirlwind 2026 for new male artist of year Tucker Wetmore, picking up his trophy from the Academy of Country Music just before "Brunette" became his third consecutive #1.
Simultaneously, he's been on the road with the song's namesake tour.
"The Brunette World Tour has been crazy," Tucker says. "I was overseas for seven weeks straight. Before that, I was a month and a half here in the States, and then [I've] got another month and half, two months in the fall."
"It feels like it's the tour that never ends, you know, but it's been such a blessing," he adds. "And the shows are getting bigger, the fans are getting crazier, and hopefully the music keeps up."
All the shows he's done have a singular moment in common that Tucker loves.
"My favorite part is seeing people's faces light up when they hear their favorite, like, song or lyric or guitar lick or whatever it is, and like seeing visual reactions to stuff that I'm pouring my heart out into my music, you know, and seeing them relate to the songs and just, like, scream their favorite lyric at the top of their lungs," he says. "It's my favorite thing in the world.'
You can tune in to see Tucker on Thursday's CMA Fest special, which starts at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
He resumes the Brunette Tour at Cowboys Music Festival in Calgary, Alberta, on July 2.
Taylor Swift attends the 'Toy Story 5' Los Angeles World Premiere on June 09, 2026. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TAS)
Taylor Swift is sharing the inspiration behind "I Knew It, I Knew You," her original song for Toy Story 5.
The Grammy-winning singer says an early screening of the Pixar film sparked the idea for the track, which was inspired by Jessie, the beloved cowgirl first introduced in 1999's Toy Story 2.
"We've seen her have her heart broken. Like, we've watched, you know, the car pull away," Swift said. "I get really emotional talking about this."
Jessie's backstory was memorably told through Randy Newman's Oscar-nominated song "When She Loved Me."
After seeing an early screening of the film, Swift called longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff with an idea for a song.
"I called him up and I just really quickly blurted out, like, I got to see the new Toy Story. I have to tell you all about the film, but we need to write this song. We need to write this song," Swift said. "It was just, I was so excited. It was such a frenetic form of excitement."
The country-leaning ballad explores friendship, memories and reconnecting with people from different chapters of life.
"What means a lot to me about this song is that in life you have friendships, you have memories with people, you form bonds, and then sometimes a path takes you a different way," Swift said. "Sometimes you see somebody again down the road and you're just like, 'Man, it's been a while.' Like, but you're the same person that I had all these memories with."
Toy Story 5 follows Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie as they face a new challenge when Bonnie receives a frog-shaped tablet named Lilypad, whose ideas about play threaten to upend the toys' world.
Disney is the parent company of Pixar and ABC News.
Cole Swindell's "Girl Dad" (Warner Records Nashville)
Cole Swindell's "Girl Dad" is out now, continuing the story he started with 2015's "You Should Be Here."
While his #1 dealt with losing his dad in 2013, the new song carries the story forward, imagining what he'd say to his father after getting married in 2024 and welcoming his daughter in 2025.
"I’ve spent a lot of my life chasing dreams, milestones, and moments I thought would define me," Cole wrote on social media. "Then I became a father. Getting to share these real life moments with you through my music truly means the world to me and my family. I appreciate so many of you already sharing what this song means to you from the clips you’ve heard."
The "Girl Dad" music video dropped simultaneously, picking up where the "You Should Be Here" clip left off. Cole gave his fan club, The Down Home Crew, an exclusive preview during CMA Fest.
Brothers Osborne's "Runnin' Down a Dream" (Big Machine)
Brothers Osborne are covering Tom Petty's 1989 classic "Runnin' Down a Dream" for the soundtrack of Bobby Rahal: True American Racer.
Riley Green, Rascal Flatts, Greylan James, Danielle Bradbery, Mackenzie Carpenter, The Jack Wharff Band and others also contribute tracks to the Bobby Rahal: True American Racer (Inspired By) Soundtrack, which drops Aug. 21.
Billy Bob Thornton and Mark Collie offer the original "True American Racer (500 miles)" featuring Slash, from their newly formed duo The Backbeat Troubadours.
Big Machine founder Scott Borchetta is one of the directors of the film, which focuses on Rahal's relationship with team owner Jim Trueman and their fight to win the Indianapolis 500 as Trueman battled terminal cancer.
You can watch Bobby Rahal: True American Racer on Tubi now.
Taylor Swift shakes hands with Tim McGraw during the 42nd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards, May 15, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
On June 19, 2006 — 20 years ago — a song named after a country superstar was released by a new artist. It was "Tim McGraw" by 16-year-old Taylor Swift, and the music industry would never be the same again.
Taylor started writing the song in math class, after pondering the impending end of her relationship with her boyfriend, who was a senior and would soon go off to college. She later finished it with songwriter Liz Rose. The head of her record company suggested that she rename it from "When You Think Tim McGraw" to simply "Tim McGraw," because he thought it would make Tim McGraw fans curious about her.
The song is about a girl who hopes her ex will remember her every time he thinks of her favorite song, which is by Tim McGraw. Thematically, it's somewhat of a blueprint for many of Taylor's future songs.
Tim McGraw revealed in 2025 that he was initially "a little apprehensive about" about the song, because he thought, "Have I gotten to that age now to where they’re singing songs about me? Does that mean I’ve jumped the shark a bit?" He eventually got on board with the song, though; the two became friends and have performed together many times.
"Tim McGraw" got good reviews; it hit the top 10 on the Billboard country chart and #40 on the Hot 100. It became the opening track on her self-titled debut album, which came out that October. It was a massive success, spawned four additional hit singles and set Taylor on the path to becoming the world-conquering superstar she is today.
And Taylor's new single, "I Knew It, I Knew You," is a full-circle moment, as it returns her to those country roots.
Nashville will be Keepin' It Country on Broadway to make sure everybody can experience the last touring show of Alan Jackson's career.
While the sold-out Last Call: One More for the Road -- The Finale is taking place across the Cumberland River at Nissan Stadium, there'll be a stage and screen set up downtown so fans can watch a free livestream of the concert.
Gates open at 4 p.m. CT for the Saturday, June 27, event, followed by special performances at 5 p.m. by James Carothers and Cory Farley, who've both opened for Alan and play regularly at AJ's Good Time Bar.
The livestream's set to start shortly after 6 p.m. It will feature Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and Lee Ann Womack.
Blake Shelton's just one of the many country superstars you'll see Thursday night on ABC's annual CMA Fest special.
The "Let Him In Anyway" hitmaker traces his first CMA Fest appearance to 2001, and he has a significant CMA Fest memory he associates with one of his signature songs.
"I remember standing on the stage here at Nissan Stadium and performing 'Ol' Red' for the first time, you know, after the song came out as a single," he said backstage. "I just felt like this reaction from the audience, you could hear it, and it was like, 'Oh my gosh, I think this song is gonna be a hit.'"
"It had been out, you know, for maybe two or three months, but you know it was still kinda new at radio," he explains. "And so that was the first time I thought, 'Man, we may have something here,' you know."
"And the audience was right," he adds. "You know, these are the hardcore fans. If they react to it, you've got something."
Stay tuned to see what Blake performs on Thursday, as Riley Green and GMA's Lara Spencer host the three-hour CMA Fest special starting at 8 p.m. ET.
If you've been meaning to check out the Lainey Wilson exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum but haven't done it yet, time is running out. Lainey Wilson: Tough as Nails is scheduled to finish its run Sunday, June 28, after its July 2025 opening.
The first independent album from singer, songwriter and musician Charlie Worsham is set to arrive Aug. 7, titled Once Upon a Second Time Around.
Niall Horan is set to make his Grand Ole Opry debut July 7, before he plays Nashville's Geodis Park July 9 with Thomas Rhett.
Summerfest is now officially underway along Milwaukee's Lake Michigan waterfront, after Garth Brooks' two sold-out shows Tuesday and Wednesday.
His 20-song set included “The Beaches of Cheyenne,” “Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House” and “The River,” plus a cover of Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page.” He also dedicated "Mom" to a mother and daughter in the audience.
The two concerts at American Family Insurance Amphitheater are Garth's only U.S. shows this year.
Thursday is the official opening day for the festival, with Megan Moroney, Nate Smith, Third Eye Blind, STYX, David Lee Roth, Tyrese, Christopher Cross and many more set to play through Saturday.
Summerfest continues June 25-27 and July 2-4 with even more talent, like Cody Johnson, Post Malone, Jelly Roll and Ed Sheeran.
Star Student May 2026: Arabella Dlugiewicz - Meet Arabella Dlugiewicz, our "Black Plumbing Heating & Air - Abilene Teachers FCU" Star Student of May 2026, and LAST for this school year! Arabella just graduated from Wylie High School with a 102 GPA, ranked 3rd in her class out of 342 and will be attending UT Austin McCombs Business School this Fall! She is a bright & terrific student who has been a BIG part of her school and in the community! Tune in to hear all the details about Arabella!
June 2nd, 2026 2:00pm
Mini Kiss
Mini Kiss - Mini Kiss is going to be LIVE at the 201 Mesquite Event Center Friday, May 29th! Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm!
Kaden had a chat with Mini Gene from the band about the event and everything we can look forward to! Tune in to hear it all!
