Over the course of his 30-year career and countless number of performances, singer/songwriter Robert Earl Keen has grown accustomed to standing onstage behind the mic. On April 30, Robert Earl will finally get to sit behind the mic as the host of the new project, Americana Podcast: The 51st State.
The new podcast is dedicated to sharing and expanding the roots, reach and definition of the Americana genre. Each episode is told from the point of view of the artists who have dedicated their lives to Americana music.
“Our mission is reflected in the title,” says Robert Earl. “We want to define and expand the Americana music genre. Let’s unify the musical styles of folk, blues, bluegrass, country, string band, garage band rock into a powerful collectible under the same umbrella. Let’s make Americana, as Shakespeare said, ‘familiar in his mouth as household words.’ That is our mission. That is our goal.”
Scheduled to premiere on April 30, the first season will kick off with two episodes featuring guests Jamestown Revival and Lucero. The first season of the show will profile six artists, with new episodes releasing each month.
With fun-in-the-sun tunes like “Good Vibes,” “Fix a Drink” and “Buy Me a Boat,” it’s no secret Chris Janson loves the summertime.
To help usher in the unofficial start to the summer season over Memorial Day weekend (May 25–27), Chris will team with Westwood One to host a four-hour Summer Kick Off special.
The four-hour broadcast, which is available to stations nationwide, will feature summer-themed music from Chris and his friends, including Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood and more. In addition, many of the artists will share their favorite summer memories and activities.
Westwood One’s Summer Kick Off With Chris Janson will also remember the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. After all, Memorial Day is an opportunity to pay tribute to all of the veterans who died serving our great nation. As we relax with family and friends over the Memorial Day weekend, let’s be sure to remember those who lost their lives protecting our freedom and thank those who serve or have served in our Armed Forces.
Stations can air Westwood One’s Summer Kick Off With Chris Janson any time Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27, 2018. Check your local listings for air times.
Toby Keith will hit the road for more than 25 dates this summer and fall on his That’s Country Bro! Tour.
The tour, which makes stops in Atlantic City, Memphis, Pittsburgh and more, takes its name from a song Toby will release on May 3. More dates will be announced soon.
May 26 | Forest City, Iowa | Tree Town Country Music Festival
June 14 | Del Mar, Calif. | San Diego County Fair
June 15 | Sparks, Nev. | Nugget Event Center
June 21 | Madison, Wisc. | American Family Insurance Championship at Breese Stevens Field
June 30 | Dauphin, Man. Canada | Dauphin’s Countryfest
July 4 | Uncasville, Ct. | Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort
July 5 | Atlantic City, N.J. | Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
July 6 | Wantagh, N.Y. | Jones Beach Amphitheater
July 18 | Eau Claire, Wisc. | Country Jam USA
July 20 | Brooklyn, Mich. | Faster Horses Festival
July 28 | Crownsville, Md. | Outlaw Jam
July 29 | Columbus, Ohio | Ohio State Fair
Aug. 2 | Camrose, Alb. Canada | Big Valley Jamboree
Aug. 3 | Dawson Creek, B.C. Canada | Encana Events Centre
Aug. 5 | Everett, Wash. | Angel of the Winds Arena
Aug. 6 | Airway Heights, Wash. | Northern Quest Casino
Aug. 8 | Sturgis, S.D. | Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Aug. 10 | Schaumburg, Ill. | The Freedom and Dignity Festival
Aug. 16 | Highland Heights, Ky. | BB&T Arena
Aug. 17 | Evansville, Ind. | Ford Center
Aug. 23 | Bakersfield, Calif. | Rabobank Arena
Aug. 25 | Ontario, Calif. | Citizens Business Bank Arena
Aug. 31 | Memphis, Tenn. | Live at the Garden
Sept. 27 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Highmark Stadium
Sept. 28 | Bloomberg, Pa. | Bloomsburg Fair
Nov. 1 | Bensalem, Pa. | Parx Casino
Nov. 2 | Bensalem, Pa. | Parx Casino
Nov. 9 | Laughlin, Nev. | Laughlin Event Center
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Athletics celebrated the achievements, accolades and community service of its student-athletes at the 13th annual Volscars award show on Monday night at the Knoxville Convention Center.
The evening saw student-athletes and coaches from all sports as well as athletic personnel and other support staff come together for dinner and a celebration of the hard work and dedication put forth by the student-athletes at the University of Tennessee from the past year.
During the awards segment of the show, student-athletes highlighted the nominees and winners for each of the six award categories. The awards ranged from Comeback of the Year to Male and Female Athlete of the Year. The award results are listed below.
The baton was also passed from last year’s VOLeaders Academy Class to the newest group of student-athletes to join the prestigious, one-of-a-kind program.
AWARD WINNERS
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR Men’s Basketball vs. Kentucky – 2019 SEC Tournament Semifinals
Facing an eight-point deficit with three minutes left, No. 8 Tennessee rallied in the final moments to down No. 4 Kentucky, 82-78, in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. UT struggled to get its offense going for the majority of the second half, missing 15 out of 20 shots during a 13-minute stretch. However, the Vols responded to the adversity in a big way down the stretch. With the momentum in Kentucky’s favor with 2:58 left, UT buried three straight 3-pointers, capped by Lamonté Turner’s dagger with 30 seconds left, to storm back and pull ahead. Jordan Bone iced the game in the final seconds, knocking down all four of his free throws to send Tennessee to the SEC Tournament Championship Game for the second year in a row.
MAKE ‘I WILL GIVE MY ALL’ Matthew Dunphy (Swimming & Diving)
Matthew Dunphy will graduate from the University of Tennessee holding the record for the fastest 200 yard breaststroke in school history and can see his name scattered throughout the swimming and diving record book, but it’s the legacy he leaves behind that defines his Tennessee career. In associate head coach Lance Asti‘s own words, Dunphy was the first swimmer to pool and the last to leave. A leader on the team and eventual captain, he was at the pool hours after practice, not only bettering himself but helping his teammates improve and lower their own times. A Tennessee native, Dunphy is Orange and White through and through and truly embodies the idea of the award.
FEMALE ‘I WILL GIVE MY ALL’ Maya Neal (Soccer / Track & Field)
Maya Neal is in her fourth season as a dual-sport standout for Tennessee’s track & field and women’s soccer programs. On the track, Neal earned Second Team All-America status in the heptathlon last season before leading the Tennessee soccer program to its best season in program history as a First Team All-SEC defender – helping the Vols reach the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time ever. An active community servant at home and abroad, Maya is part of the 2019 VOL Leaders Academy that will venture to Rwanda this summer.
CO-MALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR Matthew Wade (Swimming & Diving)
Matthew Wade competed in every meet this season, notching three individual wins. The freshman won at Florida on the 3-meter board with a dive score of 391.95 and finished second on the 1-meter board. Wade won both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards in a dual meet at Virginia with scores of 350.78 and 390.08, respectively. He also qualified for the 2019 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on the 3-meter springboard by finishing fifth at the NCAA B Zones with a score of 754.15.
Jordan West (Track & Field)
In his first season with the Vols, Jordan West broke two all-time Tennessee records in the shot put, setting the freshman standard indoors and the overall record outdoors. His heave of 19.79m (64-11.25) earned bronze at the SEC Championships and was the furthest shot put distance recorded by a Tennessee Volunteer in the history of the program.
CO-FEMALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR Lily Felts (Volleyball)
Lily Felts was named to the 2018 SEC All-Freshman Team this past season, one of seven players in the conference to earn the distinction. The freshman started as a six-rotation outside hitter in each of the SEC matches and NCAA Tournament matches for the Lady Vols. She was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Oct. 8 after having 3.85 kills/set with 27 kills over two matches. Felts had a season-high 19 kills in Tennessee’s come-from-behind victory over Colorado State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. She also recorded four double-doubles on the season while helping the Lady Vols finish second in the SEC regular-season standings and advance to their first NCAA Tournament since 2012.
Ashley Ball (Rowing)
Ashley Ball rowed in the Women’s Club Four that finished second out of 51 entries at the 2018 Head of the Charles Regatta in the fall. As a freshman, she rowed in UT’s 2V8 that edged out Kansas State and Oklahoma to finish second in the finals of the Big 12 Championship last May.
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng (Swimming & Diving)
Colin Zeng continued his illustrious Tennessee career with another dominant year. Zeng won the 2019 NCAA 1-Meter National title and garnered All-America accolades for the second straight year while at Tennessee. He also placed first in the platform and 3-meter at the SEC Championships and was named the Male Diver of the Year by the SEC and NCAA. During his time on Rocky Top, Zeng has won three national titles.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Khadija (Bunny) Shaw (Soccer)
Jamaican international superstar Bunny Shaw led the Vols with 13 goals and six assists during her senior campaign, earning Second Team All-America, First Team All-Region, SEC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-SEC honors in the process. In two seasons on Rocky Top, she finished her career as UT’s all-time leader in goals per game and points per game. She also helped lead Tennessee to an Elite Eight appearance, their best showing in the NCAA Tournament in program history.
MR. TENNESSEE Grant Williams (Basketball)
Grant Williams put together one of the greatest seasons in Tennessee basketball history this year. The junior forward became the first player to win back-to-back SEC Player of the Year honors since 1995, joining VFLs Bernard King and Dale Ellis and all-time greats like Pete Maravich and Shaquille O’Neal. Williams also joined King and Ellis as the only players in program history to earn consensus first-team All-America honors.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, native led the SEC in scoring and ranked in the top 10 in rebounding, field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage. Williams helped the Vols (31-6) achieve a school-record 19-game winning streak, a program-record-tying three victories over top-five opponents and tie the most victories in a single season in program history.
MS. TENNESSEE Erica Treiber (Volleyball)
Erica Treiber was one of the most important pieces on this year’s Lady Vols’ volleyball team that finished second in the SEC and advanced to its first NCAA Tournament since 2012. Treiber was one of two players nationally and the only Power-5 player to rank in the top five in their conference in in hitting percentage (.392/3rd SEC), blocks/set (1.10/5th) and aces/set (0.37/5th). In her senior season, she set new career bests in kills, kills/set, hitting percentage, aces, digs, digs/set and points/set.
Treiber became just the third player in program history to earn either VolleyballMag.com first or second team All-American honors and became the eighth player in program history to be a two-time AVCA All-America honoree. She also became the first Lady Vols’ player since 2010 to be named national player of the week. Treiber finished her Tennessee career ranked in the top five in program history total blocks (507, 4th), blocks per set (1.15, 3rd) and hitting percentage (.358, 2nd).
INSPIRATION AWARD Madeline Banic (Swimming & Diving)
Two years ago Madeline Banic suffered a panic attack at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, forcing her to pull out. She had been battling depression, anxiety and in the summer following the championships tried to take her own life, the suicide attempt being stopped by her roommates Carrie Johnson and Christina Paspalas. Banic then withdrew from school, seeking treatment at a mental health facility in Chicago. When she returned a month later, she was unable to practice or communicate with the swim team until she had re-enrolled in school in January of 2018. An NCAA rule she is now working to try and amend, allowing student-athletes who withdraw for mental health or family emergencies to be able to return and practice with their team, re-establishing a sense of normalcy. Since Banic’s return, her teammates voted her to be a team captain, she became an NCAA Champion in the 200-medley relay alongside Nikol Popov, Meghan Small and Erika Brown, but most importantly, is using her story to give hope to others struggling in their own fight against depression and anxiety.
Carrie Underwood released her upbeat new single, “Southbound,” to country radio. Carrie debuted the song during her performance at the ACM Awards earlier this month.
Penned by Carrie, David Garcia and Josh Miller, “Southbound” follows the release of Top 20 hit, “Love Wins,” from Carrie’s 2018 album, Cry Pretty.
Michael Ray will ship his new single, “Her World or Mine,” to country radio on May 20.
Penned by Brett Beavers, Jamie Paulin and Travis Denning, “Her World or Mine” is featured on Michael’s 2018 album, Amos. The tune follows Michael’s recent No. 1 single, “One That Got Away,” which topped the Mediabase chart earlier this month.
“When we added ‘Her World or Mine’ to our live show last year, the response was immediate and now every night on the road the crowd sings it back to us,” says Michael. “I think it has resonated so strongly with fans because no matter which side you are on . . . the one who has moved on or the one who is hanging on . . . everyone has been there at some point in their life, they see themselves in this song. I certainly do.”
Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye have been a part of some big tours over the last few years, including Dierks Bentley’s Sounds of Summer Tour in 2015 and Brad Paisley’s Life Amplified World Tour in 2016—but the duo’s upcoming tour takes the cake.
On May 1, the duo will join Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty Tour 360 for more than 50 dates across the U.S. and Canada, including arenas in Las Vegas, Toronto, Denver, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Boston, Atlanta and more.
As the duo told Nash Country Daily, they are ready to “rock” the stage after plenty of rehearsing.
“We are like a week-and-a-half away from one of the biggest tours of our lives,” says Maddie. “This is gonna be a huge thing for our career [and] one of the coolest experiences we’ll have so far. And just getting to learn from one of the best every single night. But we’ve rehearsed our butts off so we feel really prepared and ready to rock and roll. We’re really excited and grateful.”
Cry Pretty Tour 360
May 1 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
May 3 – Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena at the BJCC
May 4 – N. Little Rock, AR – Verizon Arena
May 6 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
May 9 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
May 11 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 12 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center
May 14 – Sacramento, CA – Golden1 Center
May 16 – Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
May 18 – Bakersfield, CA – Rabobank Arena
May 21 – Portland, OR – MODA Center at Rose Garden
May 22 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena
May 24 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
May 25 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
May 28 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
May 31 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Centre
June 2 – Winnipeg, MB – Bell MTS Place
June 9 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
June 10 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
June 13 – Hershey, PA – GIANT Center
June 15 – Cincinnati, OH – U.S. Bank Arena
June 16 – Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse
June 18 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
June 20 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
June 21 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
June 23 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
Sept. 10 – San Diego, CA – Valley View Casino Center
Sept. 12 – Los Angeles, CA – STAPLES Center
Sept. 14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Smart Home Arena
Sept. 16 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
Sept. 18 – Wichita, KS – INTRUST Bank Arena
Sept. 19 – Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
Sept. 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sept. 22 – Lafayette, LA – Cajundome
Sept. 24 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Sept. 25 – Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena
Sept. 27 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Sept. 29 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena
Sept. 30 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
Oct. 2 – New York City, NY – Madison Square Garden
Oct. 4 – Washington, D.C. – Capital One Arena
Oct. 5 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Oct. 10 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Oct. 12 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Oct. 13 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
Oct. 16 – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena
Oct. 17 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
Oct. 19 – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
Oct. 20 – Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
Oct. 23 – Memphis, TN – FedExForum
Oct. 24 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
Oct. 26 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena
Oct. 27 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
Oct. 29 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Oct. 31 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
The guys from Lanco—Brandon Lancaster, Chandler Baldwin, Jared Hampton, Tripp Howell and Eric Steedly—dropped a new video for “Rival,” the lead single from the band’s upcoming sophomore album.
Directed by Peter Zavadil and filmed in Nashville, the new video features a diverse crowd of folks who share their personal hardships with each other in an effort to “break down walls.”
“We really wanted to capitalize on the true message behind the song that was built from different times in our lives and the stories from fans who have felt beat-down and lost, but ultimately find hope and redemption,” says Lanco’s frontman, Brandon. “Every caption on that wall was an experience that person had to overcome, and when it was knocked down you could feel the genuine joy from everyone on the set. It was a powerful moment I’ll never forget.”
Produced by Jay Joyce, “Rival” was co-penned by Brandon Lancaster and drummer Tripp Howell.
