Since suffering a stroke in May 2017, Loretta Lynn, 87, has only made a handful of public appearances, but she stepped out on July 5 to attend Ray Stevens’ show at his Nashville theater, CabaRay—and she looked great.
Ray hosted Loretta and her group at his VIP booth, where they dined and watched the newest electee of the Country Music Hall of Fame perform. Ray made sure the audience knew they were in the presence of country music royalty by introducing Loretta to the crowd before his show.
“There are queens and first ladies of country music, but there’s only one Coal Miner’s Daughter,” said Ray. “Bless you, Loretta. You are a treasure!”
“It was a huge treat for me to go to Ray Stevens’ show at CabaRay this past weekend,” says Loretta. “He kept me laughing the whole time. He’s such a wonderful entertainer. I am so happy that he’ll be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year.”
Watch the CabaRay crowd give Loretta a rousing ovation below.
Morgan Wallen will follow up his bourbon-soaked, back-to-back No. 1 singles, “Up Down” and “Whiskey Glasses,” with the release of new single, “Chasin’ You,” on July 29.
Penned by Morgan, Jaime Moore and Craig Wiseman, “Chasin’ You” is featured on Morgan’s 2018 debut album, If I Know Me. The new tune showcases Morgan’s smoldering vocals as he pines for a relationship that fell apart when his girl moved West to pursue her dreams.
“This album is a celebration of music, because that’s kinda where I’m at in life right now,” says 25-year-old Morgan to NCD. “But the one that I co-wrote, ‘Chasin’ You,’ is a little more serious—it’s about looking back.”
If you weren’t lucky enough to be one of the 80,000-plus fans who descend on Nashville during each day of CMA Fest this year, Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini have you covered.
Kelsea and TR will once again co-host an upcoming three-hour television special on ABC that features 2019 CMA Fest performances from more than two dozen artists. Filmed during Nashville’s annual CMA Fest on June 6-9, the television special will include more than 30 of country music’s biggest names as they hit the stage during the four-day event, including Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Janson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Midland, Old Dominion, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett and Brett Young.
The TV special will also feature collaborations between Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus and Keith Urban; Kelsea Ballerini and The Chainsmokers; Brothers Osborne, Brooks & Dunn and Ashley McBryde; Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell; Tim McGraw and Luke Combs; Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile; and Carrie Underwood and Joan Jett.
2019 marks Thomas Rhett’s fourth year co-hosting the event, while Kelsea returns for a third year. The TV special will air on Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.
The 2019 NBA Summer League is in full swing in Las Vegas, Nev., with five VFLs in action.
Take a look at how these former Vols are performing in the Association. Updates will be posted throughout the summer on UTSports.com.
Kyle Alexander | Miami Heat
Undrafted rookie Kyle Alexander played a key role in the Miami Heat’s three victories at the 2019 California Classic. In their game-two win over Sacramento (89-88) on July 2, Alexander was good for six points on 60 percent shooting from the field. He also hauled in six rebounds. Against Golden State the following night, Alexander was given his first start of the summer, again grabbing six rebounds, this time a team-high, in 21 minutes of action in a 73-65 victory.
In Miami’s two wins in Las Vegas, Alexander has been featured in both games, playing 18 total minutes, scoring eight points, grabbing three rebounds, while adding a steal and a block.
Jordan Bone | Detroit Pistons
The formalities of his draft-day trade didn’t finalize until late Saturday night, so second-round pick Jordan Bone has not been active in the Detroit Pistons’ first two games of the 2019 Summer League. With his status as a Piston now official, Bone is likely to be active for Detroit’s matchup with the Indiana Pacers Monday at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Admiral Schofield | Washington Wizards
Second-round pick Admiral Schofield put in 23 minutes of work off the bench in Washington’s 84-79 win over the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night. Schofield recorded nine points, while bringing down five rebounds and dishing off an assist.
Jarnell Stokes | Portland Trail Blazers
2014 second-round draft pick Jarnell Stokes is playing with the Portland Trail Blazers summer league squad. In Portland’s first two matchups in Vegas, Stokes has earned two starts, playing 38 minutes, tallying 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal.
Grant Williams | Boston Celtics
In Boston’s 96-82 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night, Grant Williams tallied 12 points while shooting 50 percent from the field (4-8) and from the 3-point range (2-4). He added six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks to his ledger, in 19 minutes of action.
Here is a complete schedule of remaining summer league games for Tennessee’s five representatives:
Kyle Alexander | Miami Heat
7/9/19 vs Orlando 4 p.m. (ESPN 2)
7/10/19 vs Minnesota 7 p.m. (NBA TV)
Jordan Bone | Detroit Pistons
7/8/19 vs Indiana 5 p.m. (ESPNU)
7/10/19 vs Philadelphia 3 p.m. (NBA TV)
Admiral Schofield | Washington Wizards
7/8/19 vs Brooklyn 5:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
7/9/19 vs LA Clippers 11:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
7/11/19 vs Atlanta 6:30 p.m. (ESPN 2)
Jarnell Stokes | Portland Trail Blazers
7/9/19 vs. Utah 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
7/11/19 vs. Oklahoma City 8 p.m. (NBA TV)
Grant Williams | Boston Celtics
7/8/19 vs Cleveland 7:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
7/9/19 vs Denver 8 p.m. (ESPN 2)
7/11/19 vs Memphis 10:30 p.m. (ESPN 2)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt and the Tennessee Volunteer football team invite fans to meet the Vols inside Neyland Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 4, for “Fan Day,” which will feature an open practice followed by an autograph session.
Admission and parking are free for the event.
Gate 21 will open for fans at 1:30 p.m. and the open practice will begin at 2:30 p.m.
The autograph session will begin at the conclusion of practice at approximately 4:30 p.m.
Stations will be designated by position group on each sideline, and Pruitt will have a separate table. Fans can also take part in photo stations, enter to win contests, Kids Corner activities, and more.
Fans interested in attending the post-practice autograph session on the field will need to secure a wristband as they enter Gate 21. Wristbands will be distributed on a “first-come, first-served” basis and will only be available while supplies last. A wristband will not guarantee an autograph due to time constraints. Fans attending with a wristband may start to line up for autographs beginning at 4 p.m.
Concessions stands on the lower level will be open throughout the stadium, while the Official Athletic Team Store at Gate 20 will also be open for fans.
Members of the Tennessee Athletics ticket sales team will be available at Neyland Stadium for fans interested in purchasing season tickets or the Vol Pass for the upcoming football season.
The Tennessee Athletics’ Clear Bag Policy will be in effect for the event. More information on the policy can be found here.
Fans are also advised that if inclement weather forces practice indoors, the autograph session will be canceled.
Pairings for the 2019 Emerald Coast Classic were announced Monday, and Tennessee will face Florida State to begin the four-team tournament the day after Thanksgiving.
The two-day event takes place Nov. 29-30 in Niceville, Fla., on the campus of Northwest Florida State College. The other first-day matchup features Purdue against VCU. The winners and losers of Friday’s games meet on Saturday.
Tickets will go on sale in later this summer (www.emeraldcoastclassic.com), and the semifinal round and championship game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
The Volunteers and Seminoles have met on the hardwood eight times previously, with Tennessee holding a 5-3 advantage. The teams haven’t met since 1989. The series is tied, 1-1, when contested at a neutral site.
Tennessee is 112-99 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. That includes a four-game win streak dating to December 2017.
The Vols enter the 2019-20 campaign riding a three-game win streak over opponents from the Sunshine State spanning the last two seasons.
Under the direction of longtime head coach Leonard Hamilton, Florida State reached the Sweet Sixteen last season and finished 29-8 (13-3 ACC) to set a new school record for wins. Tennessee also advanced to the 2019 Sweet Sixteen and tied its program record for victories with 31.
Returning FSU starters Trent Forrest (9.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and M.J. Walker (7.5 ppg, .328 3FG) lead a talented backcourt. The Seminoles also welcome a top-25 signing class highlighted by five-star forward Patrick Williams.
If the Vols are matched up against Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 30, it would mark the third straight season in which the teams met. Tennessee defeated the Boilermakers in the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis, and Purdue scored an overtime win over the Vols in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee’s last meeting against VCU came at the 2014 Veterans Classic, with the Rams earning the win. The Vols lead that series, 4-1.
Blake Shelton scored the 26th No. 1 single of his career as “God’s Country” ascended to No. 1 on both the Mediabase chart and Billboard Country Airplay chart this week.
Penned by Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt and Devin Dawson, “God’s Country” is Blake’s first No. 1 single since “I’ll Name the Dogs” topped the charts in December 2017.
“This is such a powerful song and I’m so proud to be a part of it,” says Blake. “When I first heard the song I thought it sounded like a remedy. Like a cure. It just sounds like a missing link in country music for the last 10 or 12 years. It feels like a combination of ‘Ole Red’ and ‘Country Boy Can Survive’ to me, which definitely have a place in country music. Those songs are just rare.”
Wow. “God’s Country” is the #1 song at country radio this week and is already platinum. I can’t say thank you enough. Who would’ve thought that almost 20 years into my career I’d have my biggest hit yet. I love y’all!!
Between select tour dates this summer—including a gig with George Strait in Foxborough, Mass., on Aug. 17—Blake is working on his forthcoming album and filming for the next season of The Voice. Blake also recently opened a new Ole Red location in Gatlinburg, Tenn., and celebrated the grand opening of The Doghouse, a music hall and events venue expansion, at the original Ole Red location in Tishomingo, Okla.
After getting engaged in March, Chuck Wicks and fiancée Kasi Williams—who is the younger sister of Jason Aldean—will get married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on July 12.
Chuck told NCD that he expects 103 people at the destination wedding that will take place in the evening.
After the wedding, Chuck and Kasi will head to Maui, Hawaii, for their week-long honeymoon. And if you’re wondering what’s on the menu at the reception dinner, we’ve got ya covered: sea bass and filet mignon.
Chuck, who recently celebrated his 40th birthday, and Kasi have been dating since 2018.
The guys from Old Dominion—Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi and Whit Sellers—announced they will release their third studio album on Oct. 25. The upcoming self-titled project follows the quintet’s 2015 debut album, Meat and Candy, and 2017 sophomore album, Happy Endings.
The band will be co-producing the album with Shane McAnally, who helmed OD’s two previous albums.
The upcoming album has already spawned No. 1 single, “Make It Sweet.” OD’s new single, “One Man Band,” is currently No. 40 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after three weeks.
Penned by Josh Osborne with Old Dominion’s Matthew, Trevor and Brad, “One Man Band” fits the OD playbook with its clever spin on the idea of committing to a relationship instead of the solitary life: “I don’t wanna be a one man band, I don’t wanna be a rolling stone alone / Putting miles on a rundown van, baby, we can take our own show on the road / I’ll lay down the beat, you carry the tune, we’ll get tattoos and we’ll trash hotel rooms / Baby, take my hand, ’cause I don’t wanna be a one man band.”
“We actually started writing ‘One Man Band’ immediately before we were supposed to be onstage one night,” says Matthew. “The intro music was playing—we had had the idea but it just kinda struck in that moment . . . we were supposed to be walking out onstage, but instead we were sitting there next to this big speaker singing [the chorus]. Then we came back to it later—I think probably a couple of weeks later—out on the road in a dressing room and we finished that song up. You never know when inspiration is going to hit.”
Thomas Rhett will follow up his 13th No. 1 hit with the release of a nostalgic new single, “Remember You Young,” which will impact country radio on July 15.
Penned by TR, Jesse Frasure and Ashley Gorley, “Remember You Young” is featured on TR’s fourth studio album, Center Point Road, and follows the release of the album’s lead single, “Look What God Gave Her.”
“We wrote this song about the people in life that we love, and always remembering them in their youth no matter how much time passes and we all change,” Thomas Rhett said. “There’s something sentimental about remembering your very best friends who have real jobs and families now tearing it up in college, or picturing me and my wife with no cares at the Tin Roof back in Knoxville. I love that the last verse is a bit of twist with it all coming full circle. It actually makes me emotional . . . it’s easily one of my favorite tracks on the album.”
The 16-song album takes its name from the street in his Tennessee hometown that shaped much of his life experiences. TR co-penned every track on the album, which also features a who’s who of top songwriters, including Shane McAnally, Karen Fairchild, Rhett Akins, Josh Osborne and more.
In addition, the album features a number of collaborations with other artists, including Kelsea Ballerini (“Center Point Road”), Little Big Town (“Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time”) and Jon Pardi (“Beer Can’t Fix”).
“For me, Center Point Road really symbolizes what it was like to grow up in Hendersonville [Tennessee],” says TR. “First dates, first football games, first heartbreak, first kisses, success and failures. I really feel like that road shaped who I am today, and it felt fitting because the record, for the most part, is pretty nostalgic.”
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