After Lily Tomlin let the cat out of the bag during a Grace and Frankie panel discussion on June 2 that her 9 to 5 co-star Dolly Parton had a gig with Netflix in the works, Dolly made the official announcement on June 4.
Dolly announced that her Dixie Pixie Productions is partnering with Warner Bros. Television to produce a series of television films to premiere on Netflix in 2019. Each installment will be based on one of Dolly’s classic songs, with the country music icon appearing in select episodes.
“As a songwriter, I have always enjoyed telling stories through my music,” said Dolly. “I am thrilled to be bringing some of my favorite songs to life with Netflix. We hope our show will inspire and entertain families and folks of all generations, and I want to thank the good folks at Netflix and Warner Bros. TV for their incredible support.”
As a songwriter, I have always enjoyed telling stories through my music. I am thrilled to be bringing some of my favorite songs to life with @Netflix. We hope our show will inspire and entertain families and folks of all generations. https://t.co/jfMo5W16DY
Dolly recently teamed with Warner Bros. for two made-for-TV films: 2016’s Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors and 2015’s Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors.
Active duty members of the military, veterans or first responders who are headed to Nashville this week for CMA Fest can stop by John Rich’s new downtown honky-tonk, Redneck Riviera, for a cold one on the house.
The Big & Rich star created a Heroes Bar inside Redneck Riviera that offers servicemen and women and first responders two-for-one on all beer, wine and cocktails between opening and 10 p.m.
“[There] is a bar inside called the Heroes Bar,” says John. “If you’re active duty or a vet or a first responder, it’s first drink on the house—it is free. It’s like, ‘Thank you for your service, and what can we get you to drink?’”
Check out the full schedule of events at Redneck Riviera during CMA Fest.
June 7: Music From 12:30 p.m.–2:30 a.m.
Chris Shrader, Colt Ford, Gretchen Wilson/Jesie G, Thompson Square, John Rich to introduce Daryl Worley and The Bells, Todd O’Neil, Kasey Tyndall, Big & Rich, Morgan Myles and Big Smo
June 8: Music From 10 a.m.–2:30 a.m.
Daryl Worley & The Bells, Granger Smith, John Rich, The Belles, Jay Allen, Yankton, Todd O’Neill, John Rich introduces Parmalee, Barrett Baber, Carter Winter, Chris Shrader and McCoy
June 9: Music From 10 a.m.–2:30 a.m.
Chris Shrader, John Rich signs autographs (11 a.m.–1 p.m.), Natalie Stovall, Stephen Carey, The Belles, Allie Sealy, Myles Nelson, Tracy Lawrence and Dillon Carmichael
June 10: Music From 10 a.m.–2:30 a.m.
Chris Shrader, John Rich signs autographs (11 a.m.–1 p.m.), Jared Blake, New North, Todd O’Neil, Kitty Hawk, Jaden Michaels and The Josephines
Dolly Parton announced this morning that her Dixie Pixie Productions is partnering with Warner Bros. Television to produce a series of television films based on her songs to premiere on Netflix in 2019. She will appear in select episodes. READ MORE.
IRVING, Texas – Three Tennessee legends have been named to the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame ballot, which was announced today by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame.
Former first-team All-Americans Bobby Majors, Larry Seivers and Al Wilson were included among the 76 former players from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) on this year’s ballot.
The ballot was sent to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Courts, which will deliberate and select the class. The FBS Honors Court, chaired by NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin from Ohio State, and the Divisional Honors Court, chaired by former Marshall head coach, longtime athletics director and NFF Board Member Jack Lengyel, include an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media.
The 2019 Hall of Fame Class will be announced on Jan. 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, Calif., before the CFP National Championship game at Levi’s Stadium. Several of the electees will participate in the national championship game coin toss as well as other pregame festivities.
Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning was the last representative from UT to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, becoming the 23rd Tennessee Volunteer to earn the distinguished honor back in 2017.
To see the complete list of the players and coaches on this year’s ballot, click HERE.
Vols on the 2019 Ballot Bobby Majors – DB/Return Specialist (1969-71)
Majors, a standout defensive back for UT from 1969-71, was named a first-team All-SEC performer twice and earned unanimous first-team All-America honors 1971. A native of Sewanee, Tenn., Majors set the school record for interceptions in a single season, leading the SEC with 10 in 1970, a record that still stands today. Majors was also a dangerous return man as he holds numerous Tennessee records for punt and kick returns. His 117 punts returned, 1,163 punt return yards and four punt return touchdowns all still rank first all time at UT. Majors led the Vols to win in the 1971 Sugar Bowl and 1972 Liberty Bowl before being selected in the third round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. If chosen for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, Majors would join his brother – former UT All-American and head coach Johnny Majors – who was inducted back in 1987.
Larry Seivers – WR (1974-76)
Seivers was a star wide receiver for the Vols from 1974-76 and earned consensus first-team All-America honors in consecutive season (1975 & 1976). Seivers served as a team captain and became one of Tennessee’s first consistent receiving threats, finishing as the best of his era after leading the Big Orange in receiving yards all three of his years on the varsity squad. The Clinton, Tenn., native totaled 347 yards as a sophomore, but exploded in 1975 for 840 yards on 41 receptions. It was the first time any Tennessee receiver topped the 800-yard mark in a season, earning him All-America accolades. The following year, Seivers caught 51 passes for 737 yards and was again named All-America. Seivers was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection and was named the SEC Athlete of the Year for the 1976-77 season. Seivers finished 12th in voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1976 and currently ranks eighth in career receiving yards (1,924) and 10th in career receptions (117) at UT. Seivers was taken in the fourth round 1977 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
Al Wilson – LB (1995-98)
Remembered as one of the greatest leaders in program history, Wilson played linebacker and was a captain on UT’s 1998 team that won the inaugural BCS National Championship. Wilson was the Vols’ only All-American on the 1998 national championship team, earning consensus first-team honors. The Jackson, Tenn., native ranked third on the team that year with 77 tackles despite missing the three games to injury. His highlight was a 12-tackle performance against Florida in which he set a school record with three forced fumbles. Wilson also helped lead the Vols to four straight AP top 10 finishes and back-to-back SEC championships in 1997 and 1998. He was a two-time first-team All-SEC pick as well as a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and a semifinalist for the Butkus Award as a senior. Wilson was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos in 1999 and went on to have a stellar pro career, making five Pro Bowls and earning All-Pro honors twice in his eight-year career.
Cassadee Pope—and her dog Cuppy—helped kick off the unofficial start to CMA Fest week at Nashville’s Cumberland Park on June 3 as she headlined the inaugural Paws & Play Music Festival.
CMT and Pedigree teamed up for the event that helped celebrate the role that dogs play in making lives better.
Dogs—and their humans—participated in a number of four-legged friendly activities, including doggie yoga, canine massage and pooch portraits. Food trucks and beer vendors were also onsite as Cassadee entertained patrons from the stage.
The event was hosted in association with adoption partner Nashville Humane Association, which featured dogs for adoption.
Florida Georgia Line is coming to Sin City in December for a limited residency.
The duo will headline a five-show residency inside Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Dec. 1, 5, 7, 8 and 11. Mason Ramsey—the yodeling youngster of Walmart fame—will serve as the opener each night.
Tickets for Florida Georgia Line Live From Las Vegas will go on sale to the public on June 9 at 10 a.m. PT. General ticket prices begin at $49 and may be purchased online or at the Planet Planet Hollywood box office. Pre-sale tickets for fan club members will be available on June 5. All shows begin at 9 p.m. PT.
On June 1, Florida Georgia Line released a new single, “Simple,” which is the first offering from their upcoming fourth studio album. With more details coming soon, FGL’s next album will follow 2016’s Dig Your Roots, which spawned No. 1 hits “H.O.L.Y.,” “May We All” and “God, Your Mama, And Me.”
FGL follows in the Vegas residency footsteps of country artists such as George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Rascal Flatts and more.
Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Marlow, 22, and her longtime boyfriend, Jonah Font, 23, announced their engagement on June 1.
The couple got engaged in May before embarking on a vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Maddie shared the big news on Instagram, saying: “WE ARE GETTING HITCHED Y’ALL!! 💍 I cannot wait to spend forever with you @jonahfont 💛”
Maddie and Jonah were high school classmates in Texas.
Maddie & Tae gave fans their first taste of their upcoming sophomore album by releasing new single, “Friends Don’t,” in April. The new tune, which was penned by Maddie, Tae, Jon Nite and Justin Ebach, was co-produced by Jimmy Robbins and Derek Wells.
“I hope our fans love this song as much as we do,” said Maddie. “Anything we ever do we have them in mind and want to always create music they can connect with. We have a big story to tell on this album, and ‘Friends Don’t’ is the beginning of it all.”
“It feels so good to be back with a song like ‘Friends Don’t,’” added Tae. “This song is everything we’ve always been. Honest, vulnerable and confident. We can’t wait for our fans to hear the rest of the record.
Check out a couple of Maddie and Johah’s posts on social media.
Cole Swindell announced that he will release his third studio album, All of It, on August 17. The new album follows the release of Cole’s 2016 sophomore album, You Should Be Here, which spawned No. 1 hits “You Should Be Here,” “Middle of a Memory” and “Flatliner.”
The new album’s lead single, “Break Up In the End,” is currently No. 24 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after 14 weeks.
“I have been so excited about releasing the music for my third album, and my fans have been so patient with me while I took the time needed to make it right that I had to give them something,” says Cole. “They are the ones who got me here to this important third album, and I felt they deserve to be the first ones to get a taste of the new music so we have been quietly releasing a few of the songs every few weeks for them. It has been great to hear what they think of the songs because they are the reason I am still here getting to do this.”
In addition to making “Break Up In The End” available for purchase, Cole has released instant downloads for “Somebody’s Been Drinkin’” and “The Ones Who Got Me Here.” On June 15, Cole will release “Reason to Drink.”
To celebrate the release of the new album on Aug. 17, Cole will perform on NBC’s Citi Concert Series on Today.
SANDESTIN, Fla. – It’s easy to criticize football officials, especially if the call goes against your favorite team.
Or the team you bet on.
SEC officials seem to catch the brunt of the criticism. Perhaps it’s because all of their games are televised. Or because many of the teams are ranked. Or because it just means more.
The more meaning, the more important the game, the more important the call.
The SEC has done its due diligence in terms of scouting for the best officials, grading officials and holding them accountable – even if it’s not public accountability.
SEC and national coordinator of officials Steve Shaw said the SEC lost eight officials from last year: three to the NFL and five to retirement or performance.
Shaw said that in the last five years, the SEC has lost more officials to the NFL than any other conference. That’s worth bragging about – just like having the most players drafted by the NFL.
Of the eight new officials hired, five are minorities.
That’s not because the SEC has a quota. It’s because the five minorities are the best candidates, Shaw said.
The SEC and Big Ten have conducted minority/female football officiating clinics the past three years, going to an SEC site one year and a Big Ten site the next. Vanderbilt and Ohio State have been the hosts. That has opened the door for more minorities to be hired by both leagues.
About 48 officials are invited each year — 24 from the SEC, 24 from the Big Ten.
The initiative is supported by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, Shaw said.
The impact has apparently already been felt.
In another note, Shaw said media were invited to help officiate the South Carolina spring game. The media refs included Mike Golic Jr., Cole Cubelic, Booger McFarland, Jordan Rodgers and Laura Rutledge, among others.
They found the physical demands to be difficult. The ability to make a quick call to be challenging. The task of getting in the right position to be tough. And the job thankless.
Whether that will entice them to go easier on officials this fall remains to be seen.
But whether you take shots at officials or support the calls, the one thing the media has an obligation to do is learn the rules.
You might not score 100 percent if given a test, but a score in the 90s wouldn’t hurt before you rant.
This year’s CMA Fest will be especially rewarding for Blake Shelton.
Not only is Blake performing at Nissan Stadium on June 8, but his new venue, Ole Red Nashville, is officially celebrating its grand opening as more than 50 artists take the stage June 7-10, including Scotty McCreery, Midland, Cole Swindell, Lindsay Ell and more.
24 years after he attended his first CMA Fest as a fan—known as Fan Fair at the time—Blake has positioned himself as one of country music’s most recognizable faces. At the time, Blake was a 17-years-old aspiring singer/songwriter who had recently moved to Nashville after graduating high school in Oklahoma.
“The first CMA Fest I came to was in 1994, and it was at the Fairgrounds . . . back then it was Fan Fair, and I still call it Fan Fair now,” says Blake. “It was magical for me. I’d just moved to town during that week. My dreams were literally in front of me. These were my heroes. Country music singers shaking peoples’ hands and taking pictures with them and talking to them, and these people were real, and it had a huge impact on me.”
While Blake’s new venue is situated in the heart of Lower Broadway, downtown Nashville wasn’t always such a thriving metropolis. Now, however, it boasts venues backed by some of country’s biggest names, including Alan Jackson (AJ’s Good Time Bar), Dierks Bentley (Whiskey Row), Florida Georgia Line (FGL House) and John Rich (Redneck Riviera).
“What a blessing that [CMA Fest] has grown to this proportion and now it takes over downtown Nashville,” says Blake. “What that does for downtown Nashville, you can’t imagine how downtown Broadway has changed from 1994 to now . . . it’s literally unimaginable how far country music reaches around the globe and how far artists go out of their way to get here for this week. I don’t know anything else like it.”
Located at 300 Broadway, Blake’s new multi-level, 26,000-square-foot entertainment venue features a two-story bar and restaurant, retail area, performance space, dance floor and private VIP booths for small groups. The complex also includes a large, private event space and a 6,000-square-foot rooftop featuring an indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant with panoramic views of Lower Broadway.
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