Heather Morgan has been a songwriting staple in Nashville for the better part of this decade, having penned songs for Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Maddie & Tae, Cole Swindell and Brett Eldredge, including two of his No. 1 hits, “Beat of the Music” and “Lose My Mind.”
Now Heather is stepping out from behind the scenes to record and release her own music—and I’m SO excited for her. My interview with Heather feels like a full-circle moment, because something funny happened between us two years ago. You’ll hear that story and much more in this podcast. Hope you enjoy!
Show Participants:
Heather Morgan
Elaina Smith, host of WWTHW
Videos:
Heather “Plays It Forward” with a cover of Maren Morris’ “Bummin’ Cigarettes.”
Heather performs her new single, “Your Hurricane.”
Jimmie Allen’s debut single, “Best Shot,” reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase charts this week.
Jimmie joins Darius Rucker as the only African-American country artists to hit No. 1 with their debut singles. Darius, who became a household name in the early 1990s as the frontman of Hootie & the Blowfish, accomplished the feat in 2008 with “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.”
“If someone asked me two years ago if I thought that this would be my life today—that I’d be on the red carpet at the CMAs or my song would be the No. 1 song on country radio, I would have honestly said ‘no,'” says Jimmie. “Did I think it would happen eventually? Absolutely! Just not this soon. I’m humbled and grateful—it’s such an honor to get my first No. 1 and to know that my song is connecting with people and resonating in a way that hopefully makes us all better people in the end, because that’s really what ‘Best Shot’ is all about.”
Written by Jimmie, Josh London and JP Williams, “Best Shot” is the first single from Jimmie’s debut album, Mercury Lane. The hit single also ended Luke’s Combs’ four-week run atop the Billboard chart with “She Got the Best of Me.”
“In writing this song, we just wanted to be honest with ourselves and write something that others can empathize with,” says Jimmie.
Kane Brown joined Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood as the only country artists in 2018 to have an album debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
Kane’s sophomore album, Experiment, reached No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Top Country Albums charts this week, moving 124,000 units.
In addition, Kane has become the first male country artist to top the Billboard 200 chart with a sophomore album in more than 20 years, following Tim McGraw’s Not a Moment Too Soon in 1994.
Produced by Dann Huff, Experiment features 13 tracks, 12 of which were co-written by Kane, including his current single, “Lose It,” which is Top 5 at country radio.
If you didn’t make it to Nashville in September for the 17th annual AmericanaFest, you can still catch some of the action thanks to CMT.
CMT will air the 2018 AmericanaFest TV special on Dec. 6 at 9 p.m. ET with performances by Brandi Carlile (“The Joke”), Buddy Guy (“Damn Right, I’ve Got The Blues”), I’m With Her (“Overland”), Irma Thomas (“Time Is On My Side”), Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (“White Man’s World”), John Prine (“Summer’s End”), k.d. lang (“Trail Of Broken Hearts”), Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real (“Forget About Georgia”), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (“Hey Mama”), Fantastic Negrito, Nelson and Rateliff (“Fortunate Son”), Margo Price (“A Little Pain”), Rosanne Cash (“Everyone But Me”) and Tyler Childers (“Nose On The Grindstone”).
2018 AmericanaFest took over Nashville during the week of Sept. 11–16, with the Honors & Awards ceremony on Sept. 12 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium serving as the week’s centerpiece. More than 250 acts performed more than 500 shows over the five-day festival that took place at 62 different venues.
Check out the new promo below for CMT’s 2018 AmericanaFest TV special.
Reba McEntire returned for a second year to host the ninth annual CMA Country Christmas, a two-hour music celebration that airs on ABC on Dec. 10.
CMA Country Christmas was taped on Sept. 27 at Belmont University’s Curb Event Center in Nashville. In addition to Reba—and her multiple wardrobe changes—this year’s lineup included performances by Tony Bennett, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Amy Grant, Diana Krall, Dustin Lynch, Martina McBride, Old Dominion, Brad Paisley, Michael W. Smith, Lindsey Stirling and The Isaacs.
“I’ve always cherished celebrating Christmas alongside family and friends, taking time to reflect on the season,” says Reba. “I’m so excited CMA invited me back to host their show and am looking forward to fun singing carols with my friends.”
CMA Country Christmas airs on ABC on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. CT.
Thomas Rhett announced he will heat things up in 2019 with his Very Hot Summer Tour.
Kicking off on May 17 in Spokane, Wash., the 39-date tour will make stops in Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Nashville and more. Dustin Lynch, Russell Dickerson and TR’s father, Rhett Akins, will serve as support.
“We literally just closed out our 2018 tour in the U.K. last week and I’m already thinking about next year’s tour,” said Thomas Rhett. “I’m glad we have the winter to plan and come up with some crazy stuff for next year because I can’t think of a better way to spend the summer than out on the road with my fans. And, I get to bring my dad and two of my favorite artists in country music along for the ride.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Guided by another brace from senior forward Danielle Marcano and a shutout effort from the Volunteer defensive unit, No. 2 seed Tennessee dispatched No. 3 seed Texas A&M 3-0 Sunday night in the NCAA Tournament Round of 16. UT advances to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time in program history.
Just two and a half minutes into the match, Marcano scored her third goal of the tournament to put the Vols (16-2-3) ahead 1-0 in the early going. The score came from point-blank range off a cross from left winger Meghan Flynn, who received the ball on a pass-through from Bunny Shaw.
A Buford, Ga. native, Marcano added some insurance right out of halftime with another strike in the 47th minute, giving UT a 2-0 cushion over the 16th-ranked Aggies. Shaw curved a pass into the box before McKinley Burketttapped the ball to Marcano, who finished it off into the top shelf from 12 yards out.
Junior forward Salera Jordan put the game away in the 68th minute with a header goal, scoring off a cross from Flynn to give Tennessee a 3-0 edge. MA Vignola set up the score with a pass to Flynn into the lower left corner of the pitch.
“This is a very storied program,” head coach Brian Pensky said following the match. “Angela Kelly did a fantastic job when she was here, so we had big shoes to fill. We have been working hard and trying to fill those shoes. To be the first team in 23 years of this program to advance to the Elite Eight, it’s incredibly special.”
“For these guys to advance to the Elite Eight, that’s what it is. It’s elite. When you are one game away from a College Cup, it’s special.”
Marcano is now Tennessee’s all-time points leader in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship, with 14 points courtesy of seven goals in the last two postseason tournaments. Former Lady Vol Kylee Rossi (2005-08) previously held the record with 11 points via four goals and three assists.
“Honestly, I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” Marcano said. “I couldn’t do it obviously without Meghan. She’s had four assists in the past two games. Everybody just plays great balls in, and I’m just there to finish at the right time.”
Senior goalkeeper Shae Yanez recorded her 10th solo shutout of the season, racking up a career-high tying eight saves in the process. Tennessee has logged 12 clean sheets as a team, tying a program record that has stood since 2003.
“I am just so proud of this team,” Flynn said. “I feel like it takes everyone on the team working together to make this happen. Between our offense, our back line, the bench and our coaching staff, all of that energy contributes to the win. It really takes the whole group and I am just proud.”
Texas A&M (17-5-1) outshot Tennessee 15-13 for the match, headlined by SEC-leading goal-scorer Ally Watt who had four shot attempts with three on frame. The Aggies had three corner kicks compared to just one for the Vols.
UP NEXT: The Vols will head west to face No. 1 overall seed Stanford in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The match is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 23 at 5 PM ET at the Laird Q. Cagan Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 12/12-ranked Tennessee came out hot and never let up in a 96-31 win over Florida A&M on Sunday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols began a season 3-0 for the sixth year in a row. The Rattlers fell to 0-3 with the loss.
Sophomore guard/forward Rennia Davis notched her 10th career double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down a team-high of 11 rebounds on the day. Three other Lady Vols also finished with double-digit scoring, led by senior guard/forward Meme Jackson with 19 points. Jackson also had a career-high six steals with her previous-best being four against Central Arkansas on Nov. 30, 2017.
Freshman guard/forward Rae Burrell had another double-figure performance for UT with 14, while sophomore center Kasiyahna Kushkituah scored 13.
Freshman guard Mya Moye led Florida A&M with seven points, while Auryel Perkins collected five rebounds for the Rattlers.
The Lady Vols came out on fire, opening up the first quarter with a 20-0 scoring run led by Meme Jackson, who scored nine. Tennessee also played aggressive defensive from the opening tip, forcing 10 turnovers by the Rattlers and turning those into 19 points for UT. With a 34-10 advantage after the first 10 minutes, the Lady Vols tied for the sixth-most points ever produced in a quarter by the program.
Tennessee kept up the momentum in the second quarter by extending the lead to 58-18 going into halftime, marking the most points scored in a half this season. Keeping up the aggressive offensive effort, the Lady Vols had six different players score from beyond the arc, also the most in a game so far this year and more than any game a year ago.
During the third quarter, Tennessee shot 63.6 percent overall. The Lady Vols went on an 8-0 scoring streak, with Davis tallying six of those points. FAMU was held to only eight points throughout the quarter and committed four turnovers.
In the fourth stanza, Tennessee had another lengthy run, a 16-0 burst, with five different Lady Vols scoring in that timeframe. UT didn’t let up on the defensive side of the ball, either, as FAMU only had five points during the quarter, tying for the fourth fewest ever by an opponent.
Up Next: The Lady Vols hit the road for the first time, as they travel to Bimini, Bahamas, for the 2018 Junkanoo Jam at Resorts World Bimini on Nov. 22-24. The Lady Vols depart Tuesday afternoon and open play against Clemson on Thanksgiving day at 3 p.m. ET in the tournament’s Junkanoo Division. The winner meets the winner of Oklahoma/UAB at 2 p.m. on Saturday, while the loser plays the OU/UAB loser at 7:45 p.m. on Friday.
Quick Start: The Lady Vols started the game with a 20-0 run, holding FAMU scoreless until the 5:40 mark of the first quarter. UT went on to log 34 first-quarter points, tying for the sixth-most points scored in a quarter by any Lady Vols team.
Balanced Scoring: Tennessee has had four or more players in double figures in all three games thus far this season. Additionally, every UT player has scored at least two points in two of the three contests.
From Long Distance: Through three games Tennessee is 21-of-57 (36.8%) from behind the arc and has had seven different players hit at least one 3-pointer. Senior Meme Jackson leads the team in treys, knocking down seven so far this season.
High Pressure Defense: UT had 22 steals and forced 32 turnovers against FAMU while holding the Rattlers to just 31 points in the game, tying for the sixth fewest points scored by any Lady Vol opponent. FAMU’s five third-quarter points ties for fourth all-time for the fewest points scored in a quarter by an opponent.
Career Nights:Kasiyahna Kushkituah scored 13 points, besting her previous career high of 10 points. Meme Jackson snagged six steals, upping her career high for the second time this season. Freshman Mimi Collins also got in on the action, grabbing 10 rebounds to set a new career high.
Tennessee Lady Vols players Evina Westbrook, Rennia Davis and Meme Jackson along with head coach Holly Warlick spoke to the media in the postgame after UT defeated Florida A&M Sunday afternoon 96-31.
Lady Vols Evina Westbrook, Rennia Davis and Meme Jackson / Credit: WNML Staff
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 12/12-ranked Tennessee came out hot and never let up in a 96-31 win over Florida A&M on Sunday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols began a season 3-0 for the sixth year in a row. The Rattlers fell to 0-3 with the loss.
Sophomore guard/forward Rennia Davis notched her 10th career double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down a team-high of 11 rebounds on the day. Three other Lady Vols also finished with double-digit scoring, led by senior guard/forward Meme Jackson with 19 points. Jackson also had a career-high six steals with her previous-best being four against Central Arkansas on Nov. 30, 2017.
Freshman guard/forward Rae Burrell had another double-figure performance for UT with 14, while sophomore center Kasiyahna Kushkituah scored 13.
Freshman guard Mya Moye led Florida A&M with seven points, while Auryel Perkins collected five rebounds for the Rattlers.
The Lady Vols came out on fire, opening up the first quarter with a 20-0 scoring run led by Meme Jackson, who scored nine. Tennessee also played aggressive defensive from the opening tip, forcing 10 turnovers by the Rattlers and turning those into 19 points for UT. With a 34-10 advantage after the first 10 minutes, the Lady Vols tied for the sixth-most points ever produced in a quarter by the program.
Tennessee kept up the momentum in the second quarter by extending the lead to 58-18 going into halftime, marking the most points scored in a half this season. Keeping up the aggressive offensive effort, the Lady Vols had six different players score from beyond the arc, also the most in a game so far this year and more than any game a year ago.
During the third quarter, Tennessee shot 63.6 percent overall. The Lady Vols went on an 8-0 scoring streak, with Davis tallying six of those points. FAMU was held to only eight points throughout the quarter and committed four turnovers.
In the fourth stanza, Tennessee had another lengthy run, a 16-0 burst, with five different Lady Vols scoring in that timeframe. UT didn’t let up on the defensive side of the ball, either, as FAMU only had five points during the quarter, tying for the fourth fewest ever by an opponent.
Up Next: The Lady Vols hit the road for the first time, as they travel to Bimini, Bahamas, for the 2018 Junkanoo Jam at Resorts World Bimini on Nov. 22-24. The Lady Vols depart Tuesday afternoon and open play against Clemson on Thanksgiving day at 3 p.m. ET in the tournament’s Junkanoo Division. The winner meets the winner of Oklahoma/UAB at 2 p.m. on Saturday, while the loser plays the OU/UAB loser at 7:45 p.m. on Friday.
Quick Start: The Lady Vols started the game with a 20-0 run, holding FAMU scoreless until the 5:40 mark of the first quarter. UT went on to log 34 first-quarter points, tying for the sixth-most points scored in a quarter by any Lady Vols team.
Balanced Scoring: Tennessee has had four or more players in double figures in all three games thus far this season. Additionally, every UT player has scored at least two points in two of the three contests.
From Long Distance: Through three games Tennessee is 21-of-57 (36.8%) from behind the arc and has had seven different players hit at least one 3-pointer. Senior Meme Jackson leads the team in treys, knocking down seven so far this season.
High Pressure Defense: UT had 22 steals and forced 32 turnovers against FAMU while holding the Rattlers to just 31 points in the game, tying for the sixth fewest points scored by any Lady Vol opponent. FAMU’s five third-quarter points ties for fourth all-time for the fewest points scored in a quarter by an opponent.
Career Nights:Kasiyahna Kushkituah scored 13 points, besting her previous career high of 10 points. Meme Jackson snagged six steals, upping her career high for the second time this season. Freshman Mimi Collins also got in on the action, grabbing 10 rebounds to set a new career high.
