Eric Paslay and Wife Announce They Are Expecting First Child

Eric Paslay and Wife Announce They Are Expecting First Child

Posted on July 17, 2018

Singer/songwriter Eric Paslay and wife Natalie announced they are expecting their first child in a clever Instagram post that depicts Eric busking with a “need diaper $” sign.

“@nataliepaslay and I are so EXCITED to announce that we…!!! #NeedDiaperMoney #baby #pregnant #love #photooftheday (Photo by @norwould)”

Eric has co-penned hits for Jake Owen (“Barefoot Blue Jean Night”), Eli Young Band (“Even If It Breaks Your Heart”), Rascal Flatts (“Rewind”) and more, as well as had his own success on the charts with “Friday Night,” “Song About a Girl” and “She Don’t Love You.”

Eric and Natalie were married in 2015.

Congrats to the happy couple.

photo by Arroyo/O\’Connor-AFF-USA.com

3 Country Stars Featured on Forbes’ List of the “Top 100 World’s Highest-Paid Celebrities”

3 Country Stars Featured on Forbes’ List of the “Top 100 World’s Highest-Paid Celebrities”

Posted on July 17, 2018

Three country stars are featured on Forbes’ 2018 list of the “Top 100 Highest-Paid Celebrities.”

  • No. 45: Luke Bryan, $52 million
  • No. 59: Garth Brooks, $45.5 million
  • No. 87: Kenny Chesney, $37 million

With that kind of earning power, don’t let your parents talk you out of pursuing your country music dreams—or boxing for that matter, as Floyd Mayweather topped the list with $285 million, while George Clooney, $239 million, and Kylie Jenner, $166.6 million, rounded out the Top 3.

Luke, the top earner in the country genre, raked in the majority of his income via his headlining tour—which routinely grossed seven figures nighty—as well as his role as a judge on American Idol and his endorsement deal with Chevy.

Garth netted most of his $45.5 million from his World Tour, while Kenny collected his millions from his Trip Around the Sun Tour, endorsements with Corona and his own Blue Chair Rum.

Forbes’ 2017 list featured seven country artists, with Garth taking the top spot in the country genre.

  • No. 26: Garth Brooks, $60 million
  • No. 53: Kenny Chesney, $42.5 million
  • No. 55: Luke Bryan, $42 million
  • No. 71: Dolly Parton, $37 million
  • No. 83: Toby Keith, $34.5 million
  • No. 83: Florida Georgia Line, $34.5 million
  • No. 98: Jason Aldean, $32.5 million

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Lady Vols in the WNBA Update: July 16

Lady Vols in the WNBA Update: July 16

Posted on July 16, 2018
Credit: UT Athletics

Candace Parker was named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week following a week in which she tied for the league lead in scoring (25.3 ppg.), while ranking second in assists (7.0 apg.) and third in rebounds (9.0 rpg) among Western Conference Players. She narrowly missed a triple-double in a July 15 victory over the Las Vegas Aces when she became the first player in WNBA history to record 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. This marks the 23rd time Parker has earned Player of the Week honors, the second-most of any WNBA player behind only Tina Charles who received the honor 29 times.

Parker also narrowly missed a triple-double on July 10 vs. Seattle, turning in 21 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in a 77-75 victory over the Storm. In her only other game during the period, she contributed 21 points and seven rebounds in a July 12 loss to the Dallas Wings.

In other notable performances by LVFLs, Glory Johnson logged 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals as Dallas topped Parker’s Sparks, 92-77, on July 12, and Shekinna Stricklen tallied 10 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal on July 15 when the Sun won at Minnesota, 83-64.

In upcoming action, two former Lady Vols will hit the court on Tuesday. Johnson and the Wings will host the New York Liberty at 1 p.m. ET (Twitter, FSSW-Dal+, MSG+), while Stricklen and the Sun will look to extend their win streak to three when they host Atlanta at 7 p.m. ET (League Pass, NBCSB).

On Wednesday LVFLs Mercedes Russell and Diamond DeShields will face off when Chicago hosts first-place Seattle at noon ET (League Pass).

Johnson will be back in action on Thursday as the Wings host the Mystics at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2), and Jaime Nared and the Las Vegas Aces will travel to Phoenix, tipping off at 10 p.m. ET (League Pass).

Parker and the third-place Los Angeles Sparks will enjoy a four-day break before returning to the court on Friday to host Indiana at 10:30 p.m. ET (League Pass, SPECSN).

 

Diamond DeShields

Chicago Sky | G | 1st Season

DeShields has started 21 games for the Sky and is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 13.4 ppg. Chicago is currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 7-15.

Isabelle Harrison

Las Vegas Aces | F/C | 3rd Season

Harrison remains on the Aces’ roster but is taking a personal leave of absence due to medical reasons, per an April 28 report from the franchise.

Glory Johnson

Dallas Wings | F | 6th Season

Johnson returned to action on June 8 after missing five games due to an injury suffered in the Wings’ season-opener. She has appeared in sixteen games this season, starting eight, and is averaging 8.3 ppg and 5.9 rpg. Dallas is currently residing in fourth place in the Western Conference with a record of 12-9.

Jaime Nared

Las Vegas Aces | G/F | 1st Season

Nared has appeared in 22 games for the Aces, averaging 9.3 mpg, 2.6 ppg and 1.2 rpg. Her season high of 10 points came on June 8 against Atlanta.

Candace Parker

Los Angeles Sparks | F/C | 11th Season

Parker is coming off a double-double on Sunday when she logged a season-high 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in a 99-78 victory over the Aces.  She leads the Sparks in scoring through 23 games, averaging 17.6 ppg. After missing three games due to injury early in the season, she’s appeared in every game since, averaging 29.5 mpg. Her field goal percentage of 50.0 ranks tenth-best in the WNBA. With a record of 14-9, the Sparks currently rank third in the Western Conference.

Mercedes Russell

Seattle Storm | C | 1st Season

Originally drafted 22nd overall by New York, Russell saw action in two games for the Liberty before signing with Seattle. Through a total of 12 WNBA appearances she is averaging 7.2 mpg, 1.7 rpg and 1.4 ppg. At 16-6, Seattle currently owns the best record in the WNBA.

Shekinna Stricklen

Connecticut Sun | G/F | 7th Season

Stricklen has seen action in all 22 games for the Sun, starting 18 and averaging 17.8 mpg and 5.8 ppg. The Sun is currently in third place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 12-10.

 

UT Athletics

Blake Shelton’s Sultry New Single, “Turnin’ Me On,” Was Inspired by Gwen Stefani [Listen]

Blake Shelton’s Sultry New Single, “Turnin’ Me On,” Was Inspired by Gwen Stefani [Listen]

Posted on July 16, 2018

On July 30, Blake Shelton will ship a sultry new single to country radio: “Turnin’ Me On.”

The new tune, which Blake co-penned with Jessi Alexander and Josh Osborne, follows the release of No. 1 single, “I’ll Name the Dogs,” and No. 3 single, “I Lived It,” from his 2017 album, Texoma Shore.

“We’re sitting on my bus one day early in 2017 and I think I was in Baton Rouge,” said Blake. “I was up there alone and I had my guitar, started playing a little melody that I was hearing in my head and next thing you know I started writing a song. I wrote a verse, then I wrote a chorus, then I realized it was going somewhere and I felt good about it. Like I always [have] in the last couple of years, I called up my friend Jessi Alexander and said, ‘Man, I think I’m onto something and I need somebody way better than me to try to bring this thing home.’ She and I and Josh Osborne ended up writing this song, I’m super proud of it—and it’s not hard to figure out who this song is about.”

Blake, of course, is referencing his girlfriend Gwen Stefani. In the new tune, Blake croons “And when my body’s beside hers / There ain’t no turning back / She’s Revlon red in the blackest night / Lighting up the room in the world just like she’s turnin’ me on.”

Gwen has been a longtime spokesperson for Revlon cosmetics.

Listen to “Turnin’ Me On” below.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Trisha Yearwood Helps Honor Emmylou Harris at “Grammy Salute to Music Legends” TV Special: “Emmylou Set the Bar”

Trisha Yearwood Helps Honor Emmylou Harris at “Grammy Salute to Music Legends” TV Special: “Emmylou Set the Bar”

Posted on July 16, 2018

The Recording Academy hosted its third Grammy Salute to Music Legends television special on July 14 at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre to honor its 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. This year’s honorees included Tina Turner, Neil Diamond, Queen, the Meters, John Williams, Louis Jordan, Hal Blaine and Emmylou Harris.

Trisha Yearwood hosted the segment paying homage to Emmylou, a Country Music Hall of Fame member who has won 13 Grammy Awards over her illustrious career.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving,” said Trisha. “She is one of our true artists, true treasures. I’m proud to call her ‘friend.’ I am proud to be in an industry with her. And I’m very happy for the Grammys to welcome her into this fold—this legendary Lifetime Achievement Award. I’m just so happy for her.”

In addition to teaming with Emmylou to perform during the television special, Trisha referenced the impact that Emmylou’s music and friendship have had on her career.

“I always feel like Emmylou Harris set the bar,” added Trisha. “And somewhere always in the back of my head I’m thinking, ‘What will Emmylou think of this?’ I think it’s because I have such respect for her as an artist, and she is the definition of a true artist. I think she’s always been true to herself. And I think she has influenced female artists like myself more than she realizes in so many regards. You know, it’s kind of the ‘What would Emmylou do?’ thing for me. It is always in the back of my head.”

The Grammy Salute to Music Legends television special will air on PBS this fall.

photo by Jim Casey

Kacey Musgraves Announces More Than 20 North American Dates for Her “Oh, What a World: Tour”

Kacey Musgraves Announces More Than 20 North American Dates for Her “Oh, What a World: Tour”

Posted on July 16, 2018

After embarking on the European leg of her headlining Oh, What a World: Tour this fall, Kacey Musgraves will hit the road for more than 20 dates throughout North America in 2019.

The tour’s North American leg will kick off on Jan. 9 in Indianapolis and makes stops in Toronto, Montreal, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Denver and more through March. Kacey will perform three gigs at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium (Feb. 28, March 1 and 2), as well as two shows at both Los Angeles’ The Theatre at Ace Hotel (Feb. 14 and 15) and Austin’s Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater (March 9 and 10).

Pre-sale tickets are available now, with tickets going on sale to the general public on July 20 at 10 a.m. local time.

Oh, What A World: Tour North American Dates

1/9/19
Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
Indianapolis, Indiana

1/10/19
Royal Oak Music Theatre
Royal Oak, Michigan

1/11/19
Danforth Music Hall
Toronto, Ontario

1/12/19
Corona Theatre
Montreal, Quebec

1/15/19
State Theatre
Portland, Maine

1/17/19
The Capitol Theatre
Port Chester, New York

1/18/19
The Fillmore Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1/19/19
Boch Center Wang Theatre
Boston, Massachusetts

1/24/19
The Anthem
Washington D.C.

1/25/19
Beacon Theatre
New York, New York

1/29/19
Express Live!
Columbus, Ohio

1/31/19
Chicago Theatre
Chicago, Illinois

2/1/19
The Sylvee
Madison, Wisconsin

2/2/19
Palace Theatre
St. Paul, Minnesota

2/13/19
The Van Buren
Phoenix, Arizona

2/14/19
The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Los Angeles, California

2/15/19
The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Los Angeles, California

2/16/19
The Masonic
San Francisco, California

2/18/19
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Portland, Oregon

2/19/19
Paramount Theatre
Seattle, Washington

2/22/19
Paramount Theatre
Denver, Colorado

2/28/19
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee

3/1/19
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee

3/2/19
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee

3/8/19
The Bomb Factory
Dallas, Texas

3/9/19
Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Austin, Texas

3/10/19
Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Austin, Texas

3/19/19
Tennessee Theatre
Knoxville, Tennessee

3/21/19
Alabama Theatre
Birmingham, Alabama

photo by Jason Simanek

Kenny Chesney Breaks All-Time Record With 30th Billboard No. 1 Single, “Get Along”

Kenny Chesney Breaks All-Time Record With 30th Billboard No. 1 Single, “Get Along”

Posted on July 16, 2018

Kenny Chesney scored his 30th No. 1 single on the Billboard Country Airplay chart as “Get Along” ascended to the top spot this week.

Kenny’s 30th chart-topper breaks a tie for the all-time record he shared with Tim McGraw, who has 29 No. 1 singles on the chart, followed by George Strait (26) and Alan Jackson (26).

“I can’t think of a better song to set a record,” Kenny says. “Everything it says is everything I think makes the world a better place. To have something that has a groove that feels so good wrapped around a song that reminds us it’s the things that bring us together that will make us happy. When you get right down to it, ‘Get Along’ is a great way to have some pretty important life advice delivered.”

On July 27, Kenny will drop his 17th studio album, Songs for the Saints, which features lead single, “Get Along.” Kenny wrote or co-wrote five songs on the album, which he co-produced with Buddy Cannon. The catalyst for the new 12-song offering was Hurricane Irma, which devastated a number of Caribbean islands in September 2017, including Kenny’s home on St. John.

Currently, Kenny is on the road for his headlining Trip Around the Sun Tour.

photo by AFF-USA.com

Warrior Named to Bednarik Award Watch List

Warrior Named to Bednarik Award Watch List

Posted on July 16, 2018
Credit: UT Athletics

PHILADELPHIA – Tennessee junior defensive back Nigel Warrior has been named to the 2018 Bednarik Award Watch List. Warrior is the first Vol to be named to the Bednarik Watch list since the defensive trio of Derek Barnett, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cameron Sutton were named to the Bednarik’s preliminary list in 2016.

Warrior totaled 83 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles for the Big Orange last season. The Duluth, Ga., native also had his first career interception last season on the road at Missouri, a 70-yard return for a touchdown to give the Vols their first score of the game.

Established in 1995 the Bednarik Award is presented annually to the College Defensive Player of the Year and named after College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik. The Maxwell Football Club presents the award and head coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club and sportswriters and sportscasters from across the country vote. The Maxwell Sports Club also sponsors the Maxwell Award, Bret Bell Award and George Munger Awards to name a few.

The Bednarik Award has seen two Vols earn semifinalist honors. Kevin Burnett was UT’s first Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2004, while Eric Berry advanced in 2008.

The winner of the 2018 Bednarik Award will be announced in early December during the College Football Awards show.

Tennessee will kick off the season on Saturday, Sept. 1 against West Virginia in Charlotte, N.C., in the 2018 Belk College Kickoff. Tickets can be purchased by going to AllVols.com or by contacting the Tennessee Ticket Office at (865) 656-1200.

UT Athletics
Blake Shelton Has Some Fun on Twitter After Taking a Tumble Onstage: “And Yes I Had Been Drinking”

Blake Shelton Has Some Fun on Twitter After Taking a Tumble Onstage: “And Yes I Had Been Drinking”

Posted on July 16, 2018

Blake Shelton took a tumble onstage during his performance at the Pendleton Wisky Music Fest in Oregon on July 14.

But he didn’t let the fall get him down. After the show, Blake took to his favorite form of social media—Twitter—and asked fans to post the video: “Ok Pendleton I know somebody is bound to have video of me falling on stage last night!! Please!! I have to see it!!! Post that shit! And yes I had been drinking. A lot..”

As you might imagine, Blake’s fan came through by posting numerous angles of the spill, including @Agodfrey10 and @devore_dani.

Blake also tried to shift the blame to Pitbull, who performed at the festival earlier in the night, by saying he was just trying to show off his dance moves.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Kip Moore Announces 20+ Date “After the Sunburn Tour” With Jordan Davis, Jillian Jacqueline & More

Kip Moore Announces 20+ Date “After the Sunburn Tour” With Jordan Davis, Jillian Jacqueline & More

Posted on July 16, 2018

Kip Moore will hit the road this fall for his 20-plus-date After the Sunburn Tour.

Kicking off on Sept. 20 in Silver Springs, Md., the tour will make stops in New York, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle and more, before capping in Nashville on Nov. 17.

“Anyone who knows me, knows that the live show means everything to us,” said Kip. “It’s where we get to thank our die-hard fans that show up to every show year after year, and it’s also where we get to lay all of our cards out on the table and win over new fans. I’m excited to get out to some cities we haven’t played a full show at in a while and with all the awesome acts we have joining us, it’s going to be a hell of a fall!”

Joining Kip for various dates on the tour include Jordan Davis, Jillian Jacqueline, Caroline Jones and The Wild Feathers.

Tickets go on sale on July 20.

After the Sunburn Tour

9/20/2018 – Silver Springs, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring**
9/21/2018 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom**
9/22/2018 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount****
9/28/2018 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Co.***
10/4/2018 – Fargo, ND – Scheels Arena*
10/5/2018 – Sioux Falls, SD – The District*
10/6/2018 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee*
10/18/2018 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz*
10/20/2018 – Chattanooga, TN – The Signal*
10/25/2018 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore Auditorium*
10/26/2018 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex*
10/27/2018 – Reno, NV Grand Theatre – The Grand Sierra Resort*
10/30/2018 – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheater*
11/1/2018 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues*
11/2/2018 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern*
11/3/2018 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues*
11/5/2018 – San Francisco, CA – The Regency*
11/8/2018 – Spokane, WA – Fox Theater*
11/9/2018 – Eugene, OR – Hult Center for Performing Arts*
11/10/2018 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre*
11/17/2018 – Nashville, TN – War Memorial Auditorium*

*Dates with Jordan Davis, Jillian Jacqueline
**Dates with The Wild Feathers, Caroline Jones
***Dates with The Wild Feathers, Jillian Jacqueline
****Dates with The Wild Feathers

photo by Jason Simanek

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