Randy Travis’ new book, Forever and Ever, Amen: A Memoir of Music, Faith, and Braving the Storms of Life, was recognized by AudioFile with their Earphones Award, which is given out monthly to “titles that excel in narrative voice and style, characterizations, suitability to audio, and enhancement of the text.”
Randy’s new book was narrated by Rory Feek.
Randy, with the help of author Ken Abraham, shared stories of his working-class childhood, country music career, medical problems, broken marriage and more in the new biography that was released in May.
photo courtesy 117 Entertainment
“I didn’t really feel I had a book to write until I stood on the distant shore and looked back over the ripples my life has made—on myself and on others,” said Randy. “My songs were the stories of my life and I learned from those who listened, they were theirs too—my fans inspired me and continue to do so.”
Over the course of his career, Randy has recorded 18 No. 1 hits and sold more than 25 million albums. He suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2013, but with the help of wife Mary and physical therapy, he has made improvements in his speaking, walking and singing. He was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
“I learned a lot about myself going back through the chronicles of my past,” said Randy. “In my waning years of ability I have a clearer picture of the past. It’s an interesting game of patience to sit and wait for the clocks of time to expose so much. As the candle burns, it is time to share the history that made me who I am, tell the backstory to some of my songs, give insight to the challenges I faced, and reflect on the blessings through it all.”
Lady Antebellum headlined Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series in Central Park on July 26.
In addition to performing crowd-favorites such as “Bartender” and “Need You Now,” Lady A treated fans to a rendition of their current single, “What If I Never Get Over You.”
The new tune, which was helmed by longtime producer Dann Huff, finds Lady A’s Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley trading heavy-hearted vocals over a failed relationship. The duet was penned by Laura Veltz, Sam Ellis, Jon Green and Ryan Hurd.
“It’s been several years since we’ve had a chance to release a duet like this as a single,” says Charles. “When we played it for our team their excitement reassured us this song was the one to lead with out of the gate. It’s been a bit of our magic from day one. Our very first song in 2006, ‘All We’d Ever Need,’ was just written for Hillary, but she said, ‘Charles, you should sing a verse too’ and that’s how we started the co-lead singer thing.”
Watch Lady A perform “What If I Never Get Over You” on GMA.
Trisha Yearwood released a new track, “Workin’ on Whiskey,” from her upcoming album, Every Girl, which is set to drop on Aug. 30. Penned by Jessica Mitchell, Dave Thomson and Patricia Conroy, “Workin’ on Whiskey” features harmony vocals by Kelly Clarkson.
The upcoming album’s lead single, “Every Girl in This Town,” is currently No. 36 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart after seven weeks. This fall, Trisha will launch her first solo tour in five years. The Every Girl On Tour kicks off on Oct. 3 with more than 20 shows.
A gunman opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, Calif., on July 28, killing three people, including a six-year-old boy, and injuring 15 people.
Gilroy police engaged and killed the gunman, who was carrying an assault-style rifle, within minutes of the shooting. Authorities say a search is underway for a possible second suspect. Investigators believe the suspect entered the festival by cutting through a perimeter fence.
The first reports of gunshots were reported at 5:41 p.m. PT as the three-day festival was coming to an end. Gilroy is approximately 30 miles southeast of San Jose, Calif.
A number of country artists performed on July 28 from noon to 3 p.m., including Waterloo Revival, Caylee Hammack and King Calaway. All three artists checked in via Twitter to let fans know they were uninjured.
WE ARE OKAY! We left right before all this must’ve happened and we are okay. @waterloorev kingcalaway and us all played today but we believe are all safe and away from the festival now. This makes me sick. There… https://t.co/b6SjBbyMwd
— Caylee Anna Hammack (@Cayleehammack) July 29, 2019
Thank you to everyone who has called and Text, we are all okay and safe from the Garlic Festival shootings. Please pray for the victims and their families.
Shekinna Stricklin and Diamond DeShields / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It was a Big Orange Sweep at AT&T WNBA All-Star Friday Night in Las Vegas, as former Lady Vol standouts Diamond DeShields and Shekinna Stricklen won the WNBA Skills Challenge and Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest, respectively, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
DeShields, who also will play in Saturday’s AT&T WNBA All-Star Game as a reserve for Team Wilson, beat out seven other players to claim victory in the skills event. The Chicago Sky guard came from behind to upend Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones for the title. The contest included the competitors dribbling around obstacles, making a pass into a cylinder, converting a layup and then knocking down a 3-pointer.
After falling behind during the passing portion of the competition, DeShields quickly hit her layup and hustled down the court for her three-point attempt. Seconds after Jones missed her first three-point try, the former UT All-SEC performer delivered from long range to seal the win.
Stricklen, who plays for the Connecticut Sun, claimed victory in the three-point contest with her patented long-range shooting proficiency. She held off Kayla McBride of the Las Vegas Aces, 23-22, in the finals. McBride finished second a year ago as well.
AT&T WNBA All-Star Game 2019 will take place on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The 16th WNBA All-Star Game will be televised live by ABC.
In her second year in the league with the Chicago Sky, DeShields is making her first appearance in the WNBA All-Star Game. The Lady Vols have had 10 different former players named to the WNBA All-Star Game, making 32 appearances in the contest. Tennessee has been represented in all 16 of those games by at least one alum.
KNOXVILLE, TN – APRIL 13, 2019 – Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt of the Tennessee Volunteers during the 2019 Chevrolet Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
I’ve compiled an impressive list of quotes about the University of Tennessee from the rest of the teams in the SEC.
I talked to players and coaches around the Southeastern Conference recently at the 2019 SEC Football Media Days. I’ve also gone back and listened to interviews from all the rooms to gather these quotes that you may have missed.
Our Sports Animal staff, myself included, asked other teams about the Vols and items related to the University of Tennessee football team to get their view of things.
Here’s what the rest of the SEC is saying about Tennessee football in my blog, Vince’s View.
Feleipe Franks – Florida QB
(on which players he talks to around the league)
There’s a couple of guys I talk to quite often. Jarrett (Guarantano) from Tennessee. You try to keep in contact with people that are mutual just like you. I can meet somebody that has the same ideas I have or the same approach to football as I have. These are the kind of guys that you stay in contact with. I try to stay in contact with KJ Costello (Stanford QB.) Me, him and Jarrett, those are kind of a few of the guys that I still communicate with that have the same approach to football as me. Same mindset, winners, love to win, passionate about the game. Those are the kind of guys I try to keep myself around.
(on Jarrett Guarantano)
He’s a guy that I love being around. He kind of has the same mindset as me. Humble guy, but loves to work. He loves to go out there and grind for his teammates. I know what kind of person he is. Like I said, for me, I was just waiting for that production part to meet my work ethic part. Then, I knew that I would be good. He’s going to be the same way. Like I said, I know him kind of on a personal level as well as a quarterback and how he works. He’ll be just fine in everything he does. He’s a really good quarterback.
(on if he and Guarantano talk about the struggles they’ve been through)
We didn’t really talk about that specific. When we talk we try to catch-up more than anything. We try to be motivational towards each other. I don’t think we talked specifically about stuff like that. Just more motivational like ‘keep on grinding’ or ‘your time will come’ stuff like that.
Jake Fromm – Georgia QB
(on former Vol TE Eli Wolf, a grad transfer to Georgia)
Eli’s been great. Been a great addition to our football team. He’s fitting in awesome. He’s doing great. Excited to see what he can do for us this fall. It’s going to be fun when we put on the pads this camp and get to hitting somebody.
(on Georgia transfer to Tennessee, DB Deangelo Gibbs)
They’re getting a competitor. He’s a great football player and a guy who can run around and make a play at virtually any position on the field.
(on Vols OC Jim Chaney, formerly at Georgia)
Coach Chaney was awesome. Very, very, very intelligent. He was always there to have great conversations about the game of football, about schemes, about Xs and Os. He was great. You know, the offensive coordinator, he played a lot of football and had a lot of experience. It’s always great to have a coordinator like that.
(on if he’s ever been coached by anyone funnier than Chaney)
He was always cracking jokes, but he always had a switch. When he got on the field, he was all business and crawling everybody, so he was great.
(on how well he knows Jarrett Guarantano)
Yeah, so I really got to build a little bit of a relationship with him at the Manning Camp the past couple of weeks. It was awesome. Great guy. I definitely think he’s one of those guys throughout the SEC that’s a little underrated. He’s a guy who knows the offense. I think he’s going to take the next step. You know, not to mention, he’s a great guy as well.
Lamical Perine – Florida RB
(on Tennessee being a rival)
I wouldn’t say it’s a rivalry. It’s just another game. We prepare just like it’s a regular game. I wouldn’t call it a rivalry game. LSU, that’s a rivalry game.
Farrod Green – Mississippi State TE
(on playing at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville this season)
I’ve heard great things about Tennessee’s stadium, the atmosphere. I heard the fans are crazy. I’m excited to see how that goes.
Barry Odom – Missouri Head Coach
(on if he talked to Jeremy Pruitt about Odom’s offseason comments about Tennessee contacting their players about transferring there)
We were able to visit in person soon after that. I also understand how recruiting goes. We’re okay. Everybody is a competitor and wants to build their team as good as you can build it. When you’ve got good players, that’s a good thing that people want them. I haven’t given it another thought.
Cale Garrett – Missouri LB
(on if he was contacted by Tennessee about transferring there)
I don’t think anyone at Tennessee wants me to be their linebacker. Nobody really reached out to me. They knew I’m a Missouri boy. I didn’t even question it.
JR Reed – Georgia DB
(on his cousins Nigel Warrior and Deangelo Gibbs at Tennessee)
We have a really good relationship, me, Deangelo and Nigel. You know, we’re first cousins. We grew up together. We spend summers together since we were little, all the way up to the ages 12 and 13. You know, we just play really hard. Me and Deangelo trained together since high school and middle school. I’ve seen Nigel become the player that he is today. He’s definitely in a great program. I wish both of them the best of luck, but definitely ‘Go Dawgs’ and we’re going to get the win.
(on if he thinks he’ll get to go against Gibbs if he’s ruled eligible by NCAA and plays WR at UT)
You know, hopefully he gets cleared to play. If I get to go against him, I’ll definitely win that match-up every time.
(on if he’s worked out with or talked to Nigel Warrior this offseason)
I have not. Yeah, we talk here and there on the phone. I haven’t worked out with him at all.
Derek Mason – Vanderbilt Head Coach
(on Jeremy Pruitt hiring a DC rather than coaching it himself, as he did) *SportsTalk Interview
Coach Pruitt is exactly right. Coach Pruitt’s a smart man. I think he learned faster than I did. In this process, we run programs. We’re not coordinators anymore. They didn’t hire us, they hired us for our expertise, but they hired us to be the head coaches, CEOs, runners of the programs. I mean, from top to bottom, our branding to what we represent to what it looks like and you have to own that. You can’t just own the defense. That can’t work. That can only work for so long. And, what you find is, the job is much bigger than that. So, Jeremy’s done, Coach Pruitt’s done exactly what he needed to do. You know, after year one he makes a change. He was two years ahead of me, no three years ahead of me because I didn’t do it until year four or five where I hired a defensive coordinator. He’s doing it in year two. Why? Because when he looks at his program and when the AD sits down with him and talks with him about goals and expectations and what the job requires. He’s got someone in that position that understands what it was. Coach Fulmer fully understood what it was to be a head coach. He’s one of the best to do it in this conference. So, I think Jeremy’s got great wisdom being thrown his way. He’s got great mentorship in AD Fulmer, who’s been there. Now, what he’s got to do is just continue to lock down the things that are still open that have gaps because everybody’s got gaps in their program. You’re trying to close them as fast as you can. He just closed one loop. That’s a huge loop for his program to take the next step.
(on success vs. UT with three straight wins)
For us man, it simply means that we’re relevant in the SEC East conversation. I think for us, time and time again it’s been about trying to make sure we keep up with that program, you know, up the road. But, there’s a big combat zone going on in the SEC East side of the conference. Right now, looking at Tennessee, you know where they’re at. Jeremy Pruitt has done a good job, but you know for us, we got to continue to make sure we don’t just focus on Tennessee. We focus on winning games in our conference. I believe right now, this is the best football team I’ve had. I believe Tennessee is making a move to make their program better, but the reality is, for us, it’ll be about what happens in 2019, not what happened in ’16, ’17 and ’18.
Kalija Lipscomb – Vanderbilt WR
(on beating IT three years in a row)
I think it’s a big deal. I think it gives us a sense of energy and hope in our community and our program. Tennessee is always the last game, so it’s a box we got to check off.
(on what the success vs. Vols means to the fan base)
I think it’s huge. I don’t want to overstep my knowledge. I would, since in their minds, in our fan base’s mind it’s the biggest game we play each year because it’s a rivalry game. It’s something that we take seriously.
(on UT always being favorites over Vanderbilt)
It doesn’t bother me because, you know, media says what they’re going to say. At the end of the day, we have to lineup and play football. Like you stated, we’re three-and-oh in my time here, looking to be four-and-oh. Like I said, we have to line-up and play. Nothing’s given. We’re going to have to take that from them.
Ke’Shawn Vaughn – Vanderbilt RB
(on if staying undefeated vs. UT is a goal for the seniors)
The goal is to have a great season. That’s the goal. We take it one game at a time. Once we get to Tennessee, we’ll see what they’re talking about.
(on Vandy’s success vs. Tennessee)
It’s a good feeling. We aren’t at Tennessee right now. We’re focused on Georgia right now. Once Tennessee gets here we can speak on Tennessee.
(on which NFL running backs he likes watching)
Now, I like watching AK, Alvin Kamara. I like watching him.
Logan Stenberg – Kentucky OL
(on if the loss to Georgia the week before the loss to Tennessee had any impact on that game)
The Georgia game definitely hurt, but for Tennessee, we just did not have our minds right to play that game. That’s hard to admit. It will not happen again, believe me when I say that. It’s hard to go back and watch film from that game knowing that we just left so much on the field. We didn’t play like we should. We didn’t play like we can. It’s disappointing to watch that game for sure. I don’t think Georgia had an impact on that. I think that week we were just lackadaisical for whatever reason it was. I don’t think it was because of Georgia. Yeah, it definitely took a toll on our playing time. It was shown by the score.
Jared Pinkney – Vanderbilt TE
(on beating UT three years in a row)
We treat it like any other game. Yep. We got twelve on the schedule and we hope to win enough to earn a 13th opportunity. Yep. We do. We treat it like any other game.
(on success vs. UT)
Just treat it like any other game. You know, we’ve been excited in the past because it’s gotten us bowl eligible. Aside from that, we treat it like the other 12 games that we have and the ability to earn a 13th.
(on if it means anything to keep UT from becoming bowl eligible)
No. (eye roll and smile)
Tua Tagovailoa – Alabama QB
(on if he knows Jarrett Guarantano)
Well, I mean, I haven’t personally. I haven’t really gotten to meet him, you know. As some like, whereas if I know Jerry Jeudy, so I can’t really say too much.
Lynn Bowden Jr. – Kentucky WR
(on hearing that former UT hoops stars Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield using the term PB&J after he said he and Terry Wilson call themselves “Peanut Butter and Jelly”)
No. Nope. First I heard of it. Yeah. I had it first.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former University of Tennessee women’s basketball standouts Diamond DeShields and Shekinna Stricklen are in Las Vegas, Nev., as AT&T WNBA All-Star Friday Night tips off the 2019 AT&T WNBA All-Star weekend at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
DeShields, who also will appear in Saturday’s AT&T WNBA All Star-Game as a reserve for Team Wilson, is among eight players set to compete in the Skills Challenge. Stricklen, meanwhile, is among six taking part in the MTN DEW Three-Point Contest. ESPN will provide live coverage of both events beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
AT&T WNBA All-Star Friday Night 2019 precedes AT&T WNBA All-Star Game 2019, which will be played on Saturday, July 27, at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The 16th WNBA All-Star Game will be televised live by ABC.
In her second year in the league with the Chicago Sky, DeShields is making her first appearance in the WNBA All-Star Game. Stricklen, meanwhile, is a member of the Connecticut Sun, where she has spent the past five seasons of her eight-year WNBA career.
The Lady Vols have had 10 different former players named to the WNBA All-Star Game, making 32 appearances in the contest. Tennessee has been represented in all 16 of those games by at least one alum.
The Highwomen—Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby—have shared the second track, “Crowded Table,” from their upcoming self-titled album (Sept. 6).
“Crowded Table,” which was penned by Natalie, Brandi and Lori McKenna, follows last week’s release of lead single, “Redesigning Women.”
On their upcoming debut album that was produced by Dave Cobb, The Highwomen are joined by several guest musicians, vocalists and songwriters. The project features Sheryl Crow (background vocals, bass), Yola (vocals, background vocals), Cobb (acoustic/electric guitar), Jason Isbell (acoustic/electric guitar), Phil Hanseroth (bass, background vocals), Tim Hanseroth (guitar, background vocals), Chris Powell (drums) and Peter Levin (piano and keyboards) with songs written by Carlile, Hemby, Morris, Shires, Isbell, the Hanseroth twins, Rodney Clawson, Lori McKenna, Miranda Lambert and Ray LaMontagne among many others.
“Anyone can be a Highwoman,” Carlile says. “It’s about banding together, abandoning as much ego as humanly possible, holding one another up and amplifying other women every chance we get. Shoulder to shoulder. One push, one love.”
The supergroup’s name is a play on The Highwaymen—a supergroup that featured Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. The group will make their television debut on July 30 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The NCAA shared its official men’s basketball attendance data for the 2018-19 season Thursday, and the numbers proved that Thompson-Boling Arena elevated its standing as one of the nation’s biggest and brightest stages for college hoops.
Tennessee ranked fourth nationally in average home attendance, drawing 19,034 fans per game last season. And UT’s total home attendance of 342,615 fans—spanning 18 games—ranked third in the country.
Tennessee sold 13,074 season tickets last season. That number by itself, without any single-game ticket sales factored in, would have been good enough to give UT the 22nd-highest average home attendance nationally.
The NCAA’s data also showed that Tennessee boasted the fourth-highest average attendance increase from 2017-18 to 2018-19, as home crowds at Thompson-Boling Arena grew by an average of 2,824 fans last year.
Taking all games into consideration—home, road and neutral-site—a total of 621,136 fans watched the Vols in-person last season. That also ranked fourth among all Division I teams.
Vol fans have become known for their “Feed the Floor” mantra, which has helped bolster Tennessee’s homecourt advantage in tangible ways. The Vols will enter the 2019-20 season tied for the nation’s longest active home win streak at 26 games. The Big Orange were a perfect 18-0 on Rocky Top last season.
In total, more than 24.6 million fans attended 5,364 Division I games featuring 351 teams last season. The average Division I attendance for 2018-19 was 4,593.
Among conferences, the SEC ranked second in average attendance (11,527) and third in total attendance (2.8 million) last season.
Fans interested in being a part of the action at Thompson-Boling Arena this coming season are encouraged to click HERE.
After canceling two shows in Canada on July 19 and 20, Alabama has canceled their upcoming shows in Columbus, Ga., on July 26 and Bristol, Tenn., on July 27 as frontman Randy Owen continues to deal with vertigo and migraines.
Alabama’s management company, Conway Entertainment Group, released a statement on behalf of the Hall of Fame group: “Unfortunately, the group Alabama has to announce the postponement of this weekend’s concerts in Columbus, Georgia, and Bristol, Tennessee. Randy Owen has been advised by doctors that he can not perform this weekend as he continues treatment for vertigo and migraines. We apologize for any inconvenience for those that have tickets to these shows, but wish to reassure fans that Alabama is trying to reschedule these shows as soon as possible.”
Alabama is celebrating a half-century of making music with their current 50th Anniversary Tour. The cross-country trek kicked off in January with an announced run of more than 50 shows through November, featuring an array of openers, including Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Beach Boys, John Anderson, Restless Heart, Exile, John Michael Montgomery, Scotty McCreery and more.
Alabama 50th Anniversary Tour
CANCELLED July 26 | Columbus Civic Center | Columbus, GA (w/ John Michael Montgomery)
CANCELLED July 27 | Thunder Valley Amphitheatre | Bristol, TN (w/ John Michael Montgomery)
Aug. 16 | State Fair of West Virginia | Lewisburg, WV
Aug. 17 | PNG Bank Arts Center | Holmdel, NJ (w/ Scotty McCreery)
Aug. 23 | Van Andel Arena | Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Restless Heart)
Aug. 24 | The Country Fest’s Neon Nights | North Lawrence, OH
Aug. 29 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Wilkes|Barre, PA (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Aug. 31 | Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion | Gilford, NH (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Sept. 1 | Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion | Bangor, ME (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Sept. 13 | Fox Theatre | Detroit, MI (w/ Exile)
Sept. 14 | Tailgates N’ Tallboys | Peoria, IL
Sept. 27 | Martin Luther King Jr. Arena | Savannah, GA
Sept. 28 | Hertz Arena | Estero, FL
Oct. 3 | Colonial Life Arena | Columbia, SC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Oct. 4 | Legacy Arena at the BJCC | Birmingham, AL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Oct. 10 | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center | Tallahassee, FL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Oct. 11 | Spectrum Center | Charlotte, NC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Nov. 1 | WinStar World Casino & Resort | Thackerville, OK
Nov. 8 | Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center | Madison, WI (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
Nov. 9 | Bankers Life Fieldhouse | Indianapolis, IN (w/ Restless Heart)
Nov. 20 | Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, TN (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
![The Highwomen Drop Second Track, “Crowded Table” [Listen]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2019/07/26115007/Highwomen.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
