Music City Minute

This has certainly been an unusual week for country music tours. It started with Megan Moroney’s mid-show cancellation, followed by Parker McCollum rescheduling two weekend shows, and now one artist has scrapped an entire leg of his tour. In an emotional post addressed to fans, Bailey Zimmerman confirmed his 10-date European roadshow would no longer happen. The 26-year-old goes on to explain his heartbreaking decision to take some time off and focus on important matters at home. “Everything is okay, it’s just my family needs my attention and that’s what I’ve gotta do,” said the singer. The country...

Shut the front door! A second, Denver-area country concert is making headlines! On the heel of Megan Moroney’s canceled Ball Arena concert, Parker McCollum also found himself overcome with emotion during his own live set. While playing to a massive crowd at Red Rocks, July 29, the "Gold Chain Cowboy" stopped down the music and declared he is fixin’ to be a dad of two in a matter of hours. Detailing the wonderful news, McCollum expressed his joy over stepping off stage in Morrison and going straight home to support Hallie Ray through her upcoming delivery, July 30. Needless-to-say, the country star...

Country stars with tattoos are common sight in Nashville. In fact, artists without ink are pretty much unicorns. As you may know, many folks typically choose body art to honor a person, moment or achievement, which has inspired a popular growing trend among artists: matching tattoos. For instance, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean have mirroring Buck Commander motifs, while Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake share twin King of Hearts designs. Needless to say, this group is constantly growing and will soon include Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina! As it turns out, Brown and Alaina had promised to get matching diamond...

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to attend countless live shows and – as you can imagine – witnessed a fair share of onstage mishaps. I am talking everything from artists falling, smashing their instruments, breaking up fights, full on frontman meltdowns and, in a few cases, sick stars fighting for their lives. That said, personal illness causing a concert to end early or be canceled is, in my experience, surprisingly uncommon. Yet, sadly, Megan Moroney had one of those ultra-rare moments during her Denver show, July 28. After struggling through a couple of songs, the 28-year-old fought back tears as she...

Now that AI is becoming more streamlined and widely available, many industries have embraced it for its quick results and cost-saving features. So, how is it affecting the arts industry? Honestly, my favorite example involves Randy Travis who, with the help of AI, not only gained his voice back – it also gave the country legend the opportunity to release his first new music in 10 years. But wait, there’s more! According to Niko Moon, songwriters have found a creative way to use AI saying, “I’ve been hearing that, here in town with songs that are being pitched artists, one of the g...

Imagine you are global superstar playing to a stadium packed with screaming fans in the pouring rain, when suddenly on song two, your outfit comes unzipped. This oddly specific scenario sounds a lot like an anxiety dream. You know, the ones where only your missing red Swingline stapler will fix the broken office printer or you are leading a presentation only to realize too late that you are naked as a jaybird. Yet, the opening scenario was not a dream for Ella Langley, it was closer to waking nightmare. While performing in Baltimore, Maryland, Langley had just started her energetic...

Ask any professional artist and they will tell you the music business changes people. Let us look at Riley Green for example. He has built a heck of a music career that has earned him seven No. 1 hit songs and enough industry awards to fill the cab of an International Harvester. While the 37-year-old’s star power increased, at the same time, it was becoming more and more apparent that Riley Green had become a real piece of work. Seriously, you cannot tell me over the last seven years or so you have not noticed Green’s evolution from Alabama farm...

After months on the road, Morgan Wallen is in the final stretch of is Still the Problem tour. Although the 33-year-old still has four shows on his calendar, Gavin Adcock wrapped up his long spell as support act on July 18. To show his appreciation for the incredible opportunity, Adcock wanted to present Wallen with an equally unforgettable end-of-tour gift. Then came the "Deep End" singer’s reveal video, which went from fun to nightmare fuel shockingly fast. Adcock described his initial dilemma of what to get someone who can afford anything themselves. His answer was “something that they would never get”...

Up-and-coming artist Waylon Wyatt has been chomping at the bit to share exciting career milestones with fans. With his debut album fixing to drop and the first couple of shows of his world tour under his belt, the 19-year-old was feeling every bit of ten feet tall and bulletproof. While he seemed mentally prepared for his big adventure, his body was fighting for its life, literally. In a newly uploaded video, the "Leave It Alone" singer revealed he had found himself in the emergency room with sepsis. Yet, despite the grim news, the country riser then chose to follow up...

It has been four years since Florida Georgia Line rocked the country music world with their breakup. At the time, from an outsider's perspective, it seemed like Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelly were living in high-on-the-hog from their catalogue of hits. Yet, not everything that glitters is gold. As it turns out, the once inseparable friends and bandmates found themselves at crossroads, ultimately leading them on solo journeys. Thankfully, FGL's story does not end there. After reuniting for a surprise performance in March and again weeks later at CMA Fest, the prospect of a fully-fledged reunion feels closer than ever...

Nearly every artist on Music Row at one point or another has described their experience in the industry as being a part of a big family. In fact, artists mentoring and supporting each other is one of the unique foundations of country culture. Yet, at the same time, Kane Brown admits that camaraderie does not necessarily translate into genuine friendship. While reflecting on his personal and professional life, the 32-year-old confessed he feels like an outsider who, despite all of his connections in Nashville, does not have a tight knit group of professional friends. Although Brown does enjoy frequently...

After a lifetime of challenges and achievements, country legend Reba McEntire is gearing up for the most important role of her life. Earlier this year, Reba's son and daughter-in-law, Shelby and Marissa, confirmed they are expecting! Unsurprisingly, Granny Reba is already crushing her new role. In fact, she was a driving force in planning an unforgettable baby shower. The theme of the shower was so creative – Baby Archer's First World Tour! Not only did baby Archer's name appear in marquee lights, but the "Fancy" singer also commissioned a custom silver record mounted in a frame and a plaque reading "Archie Bl...

Question: how many fermented beverages and awful dance moves would earn a person free Luke Bryan tickets for life? Drawing from experience, typically one-and-a-half to two beverages will at least get someone on the dance floor. Unfortunately, after four to five drinks, overconfidence tricks us in to believing everyone needs to see our Mick Jagger moves. Needless to say, anything past that ends up being tragic and messy. Despite that sound logic, a concertgoer named Colin chose to throw caution to the wind at a recent Luke Bryan Show. This man allegedly consumed over two dozen beverages, remained lucid and...

Garth Brooks is heading back to where it all started. Fresh off a history-making sold out show at London's Hyde Park that drew over 70,000 fans, Brooks announced the Blame It All On My Roots Tour, a full-scale return to arenas featuring the comeback of his iconic Drum Pod. If that name doesn't ring a bell, it will for anyone who saw Garth in the '90s. The Drum Pod was a massive enclosure that surrounded his drummer during his 1996 world tour, and it became one of the most recognizable stage setups in concert history. That tour produced "Double Live," which...

Rhett Akins had no idea Jon Pardi was waiting backstage. Then came the words every country artist dreams of hearing. Sunday night at the Grand Ole Opry House, during a special Opry Celebrates '90s Country show, Rhett Akins finished his set and thought the night was done. It wasn't. Jon Pardi walked out from backstage, and the room changed. Pardi praised Akins as a mentor and friend before saying quote, "You've always been family to me, but I'm here to invite you to be part of a different family. Rhett Akins, I am here to invite you to become...

Jordan Davis just played a show in Canada. Getting back into the U.S. was the hard part. Jordan Davis has a new touring story, and it's a good one. After headlining a show at Caesars Windsor in Ontario last Friday, the "Buy Dirt" singer's tour bus was stopped at the Canadian border by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Officers pulled Davis off the bus, brought him inside and got serious fast. "I need you to be real serious with me, man," one officer told him. "Are you in some trouble in Indiana?" Davis told them he'd never even...

The U.S. Men's National Team doesn't just play country music after games. They play it before them too. We've talked about how John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has become the unofficial anthem of the 2026 World Cup. But it turns out country music's role with Team USA goes way deeper than a postgame singalong. The U.S. head coach revealed this week that the night before every match, his coaching staff gets together and plays country music. The manager said he's become a genuine fan of the genre and even name-dropped three artists the staff has been spinning...

Alan Jackson took the stage one last time Saturday night, and Nashville gave him a send off worthy of a legend. Saturday night at Nissan Stadium, 55,000 fans gathered to watch Alan Jackson close the book on a 35-year touring career. The show was called Last Call: One More for the Road, The Finale, and it lived up to every word. The evening started with a little drama nobody planned for – lightning rolled through Nashville forcing a full stadium evacuation right before showtime. But the weather cleared, and when Jackson finally walked out at 9:25, he did what he's always done. He ke...

Country music's most sacred stage might have a new owner. This is a big one. According to a report from Bloomberg, Ryman Hospitality Properties is exploring the sale of its 70 percent stake in Opry Entertainment Group, the company that owns the Grand Ole Opry House and the Ryman Auditorium. They've hired Morgan Stanley to find a buyer, and this comes during the Opry's 100th anniversary year. The sale wouldn't just include those two iconic venues. Opry Entertainment Group also owns WSM Radio, the station that launched the Opry back in 1925, as well as Blake Shelton's Ole Red locations, Luke Combs...

Kane Brown had a rough Tuesday. The 32-year-old country star was out golfing in Nashville when his own buddy hit a shot that caught him right in the head. The result? 23 stitches and a concussion. Brown shared photos of the gnarly injury on Instagram, showing blood on his ear and a row of stitches, with the caption, "Just a scratch." He followed that with another post saying, "They said it will prob get worse in the next 48 hours, but I'm alive and that's all that matters. Holy crap." His wife Katelyn added some context of her own, saying the ball...

Taylor Swift just showed up in Nashville and sang "Love Story" with Lainey Wilson, and the internet is losing its mind. Last night in Nashville, Lainey Wilson was closing out her set at Travis Kelce's annual Tight Ends & Friends charity concert when she told the crowd, "I don't think y'all are ready for what's about to happen." Out walked Taylor Swift. The two proceeded to duet on Swift's 2008 classic "Love Story" as the crowd erupted. Before the song, Wilson shared that years ago she came to Nashville for CMA Fest and watched a 16-year-old Swift perform at the Riverfront Stage...

2026 has been the year country and Southern rock became the soundtrack of American sports on the global stage, and we need to talk about it. First, let's rewind to February, when Team USA used Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" as their goal song at the Winter Olympics in Milan. Every time the U.S. scored, that iconic guitar riff echoed through the arena, and it became one of the defining sounds of the Games. By the time it was over, both the men's and women's hockey teams had won gold, with the men capturing their first Olympic hockey gold since the...

Last week we told you about Freddy, the German soccer fan whose World Cup road trip through the American South accidentally turned him into a country music fan. Since we last checked in, his following has exploded from 11,000 to nearly 700,000 with everyone from J.J. Watt to the mayor of Houston rolling out the red carpet. But the moment everyone was waiting for finally happened Thursday night in Oklahoma City. Freddy and his crew drove overnight from Houston to make Ella Langley's sold out show at the OKC Zoo Amphitheatre, and Ella's team made sure they got the full country...

In country music, there's an unspoken tradition: when a tour wraps, the headliner gives the opening act a gift to say thanks for sharing the road. Sometimes it's a watch, sometimes it's a bottle of something nice. But back in 2022, Tim McGraw took it to a whole different level and we're just now hearing about it. In a recent interview, Russell Dickerson revealed that at the end of their tour together, McGraw walked up to his bus, sat down and handed him $20,000 in cash. Just like that. Dickerson said quote, "Tim McGraw sat down outside my bus and just slapped...

If you haven't met Freddy yet, you're about to love him. Freddy is a German soccer fan who flew to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and decided to roadtrip his way through the American South before the games kicked off. He's been documenting the whole thing on X, and the internet cannot get enough. We're talking Waffle House, Buc-ee's, Taco Bell, which he called "the holy land,” and enough Southern hospitality content to make you proud to be an American. He's racked up over 358,000 followers, caught the attention of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and even go...

You know Dan + Shay from "Tequila" and and their latest single "Say So," but Friday night, the three-time Grammy-winning duo added a whole new line to their résumé: World Cup anthem singers. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney took the field at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the U.S. Men's National Team's opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay. In front of 70,000 fans and millions watching around the world, they delivered a stripped-down, harmony-driven rendition that went viral, almost instantly racking up over 700,000 views in just three hours. Fans are calling it...

Here's one that'll hit you right in the heart. Lainey Wilson has spent her whole career saying Tim McGraw is the reason she wanted to make country music – the two even grew up just down the road from each other in Franklin Parish, Louisiana, a few decades apart. But incredibly, the two had never actually met. That changed this past weekend at CMA Fest when McGraw invited Wilson to join him for a surprise duet of "I Like It, I Love It" at Nissan Stadium. But it's what happened backstage that has the internet in its feelings. Years ago, a yo...

First, some tough news. Justin Moore announced this week that he's stepping away from touring to focus on his health. The "This Is My Dirt" singer shared the news on Instagram, saying "This is the right decision for me and my family, and I appreciate everyone's understanding and support." Moore, who has 11 No. 1 hits to his name, has already canceled two shows in Dewey Beach, Delaware and his participation on Riley Green's Cowboy as It Gets Tour – which kicks off June 18 – is now uncertain. While Moore didn't get into specifics, he says he hopes to be back on stage later this...

CMA Fest rolled into Music City once again, and between pop-up shows, surprise guests and a reunion four years in the making, country fans got one for the books. Thursday night at Nissan Stadium set the tone early when Jelly Roll made an unannounced appearance breaking his own promise not to perform in the current stadium until the new one opens next door. The Nashville native clearly couldn't resist, delivering a fiery set to 60,000 screaming fans. But the biggest moment of the entire weekend came later that night when legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer took the mic and introduced Florida...

Two massive headlines out of Nashville today. First, Garth Brooks is reportedly considering selling his entire music catalog, and the price tag is staggering. The "Friends in Low Places" singer is seeking roughly two billion dollars for the rights to both his songwriting and recorded music. That would make it one of the largest catalog sales for a single artist in history. Brooks has sold a record 200 million albums in the U.S. – more than The Beatles, more than Elvis – and has kept a tight grip on his music for decades, famously only streaming through Amazon Music.   And then there's Luke...

Jordan Davis is celebrating his 10th #1 songs, but admits he whiffed on two huge hits. Jordan Davis just parked "Turn This Truck Around" at No. 1 on country radio, his tenth chart topper and further proof the Louisiana native is one of the best hitmakers in Nashville. But this week, Davis was refreshingly honest about the ones that got away. On a recent podcast, Davis admitted he's not always the quickest to recognize a smash, and he's got the receipts to prove it. After his single "Next Thing You Know" was climbing the charts, his brother Jacob – a hit Nashville songwriter – sent...

It’s CMA Fest week in Nashville, and there's already a major buzz building on Broadway. Yesterday, a billboard appeared on the iconic Nashville sign featuring an orange emoji, a peach emoji, the Spotify logo and a house emoji. Fans were quick to crack the code Florida, Georgia, Spotify House pointing to a surprise appearance at Spotify House at Blake Shelton's Ole Red by none other than Florida Georgia Line. It's only been a few months since Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard took the stage together at Country Radio Seminar to honor their longtime friend Jason Aldean with a performance of...

Morgan Wallen brought his Still the Problem Tour to Empower Field at Mile High this weekend for a sold out two-night stand — and the "Chasin' You" singer delivered far more than just music. Friday night's show kicked off with Wallen's signature walkout, and flanking him was none other than Broncos legend, two-time Super Bowl-winning, Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway. The stadium erupted as the two made their way to the stage before Wallen launched into over two hours of hits. Although forecasted severe weather stayed away, the night didn't go off without a hitch. During the encore performance of "Sa...

You would think the biggest news in country music would be that of the 61st annual ACM Awards in Las Vegas. However, Lainey Wilson and Devlin "Duck” Hodges appeared from left field and became the front page headline. As it turns out, on March 10, the cowboy and the hippie became man and wife. Surrounded by family and friends, including Ella Langley, Ian and Caroline Munsick, Jelly Roll, Luke and Caroline Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Wynonna Judd, the loved-up couple exchanged vows at Ruskin Cave in Dickson, Tennessee. The "Watermelon Moonshine" singer wore an Oscar de la Renta dress adorned with ch...

The latest season of "American Idol" has ended, and there were plenty of memorable moments from the season finale. However, one segment from the show left many viewers confused and somewhat divided. In a full metal moment, Carrie Underwood joined legendary rock band Mötley Crüe for a medley of "Home Sweet Home" and "Kickstart My Heart." While a number of viewers love the pulse-pounding collaboration, including fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, others commented they wish they could erase the performance from their memory. Thankfully, that latter group wasn’t responding to Carrie Underwood’s delivery specifically, rather...

Goodness gracious, this year is flying by! It is wild to think that the ACM Awards are right around the corner, and while we are still about a week away, several early wins were recently revealed. First up is Avery Anna, who was surprised on stage by family and bestie Sam Barber with the ACM New Female Artist of the Year award. Next, Tucker Wetmore was mid-concert in London when Thomas Rhett crashed his set and announced he was the New Male Artist of the Year. Wetmore’s emotional response was captured by fans, where he admits he was at a...

In the entertainment business, it can be difficult to make true friends. Yet, from time to time, twin flames are drawn to each other, igniting a lifelong bond. With that in mind, two of the most notorious besties in country music are Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. During a recent interview where they discussed their latest duet, "Songs About Us," as well as their upcoming coheadline tour, each revealed secrets about the other that only decadeslong friends would know. For example, apparently Jason Aldean’s “baseball bat” golf grip drives Luke nuts. However, thankfully, the son of a peanut farmer has be...

Typically, Wednesday nights are not very exciting. However, in Nashville, the middle of the week looks and sounds a lot different from most cities. For example, last hump day, five of the biggest names and country music casually treated fans to intimate shows across Music City. First up was Kacey Musgraves, who hosted an album release party for "Middle of Nowhere" at the Nashville Palace. The Grammy winner entertained her guests with first ever performances of "Hell On Me" and "Rhinestone." Next, Keith Urban played The Mill at Cannery Hall, where he gave fans a taste of his upcoming yacht...

When we hear the words Outlaw Country, the biggest characters that immediately come to mind are Johnny Cash, Waylon, Willie, Kris and Merle. However, there are a lot more artists that make up the subgenre that we may have forgotten about. Folks like Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Jessi Coulter, Tanya Tucker, Hank Junior and Johnny Paycheck. What is interesting about that list is it shows that Outlaw Country wasn’t only made up of former criminals. In fact, the movement was way more than someone’s jacket. It was actually a blend of sounds and ideas contradictory and in-protest again...

If you were to crack open the dictionary and look up the word legend, you would see a full-page picture of Willie Nelson right next to the definition. This week, we celebrate Ole Poncho, who turned 93 on April 29, and talk about a man who has seen and done at all! Willie’s music career began following a stint in the Air Force and finding work as a disc jockey. At the same time, he was already honing his craft writing hit songs like "Crazy" and "Hello Walls" before turning his back on Nashville and returning home to Texas. He would event...