Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean & Charles Kelley Collaborate on “Straight to Hell” Video

Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean & Charles Kelley Collaborate on “Straight to Hell” Video

Posted on May 3, 2018

For a cover of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’s “Straight to Hell” on his 2017 album, When Was the Last Time, Darius Rucker enlisted the help of a few of his A-list friends—Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley—to provide vocals on the tune.

“‘Straight to Hell’ was huge in my day—when it was played in the bar, every single person in the bar was singing and hugging their best friend,” says Darius to Nash Country Daily. “I’ve wanted to cut that song since I came to Nashville, and I kept saying I was going to cut it someday. For this record, I was thinking about cutting it. Then Charles Kelley called me out of the blue and says, ‘Man, I was just listening to Drivin’ N’ Cryin’s “Straight to Hell” and I think you should cut it, and you should let me sing on it.’ I took that as the universe telling me it was time to cut the song, and I cut it. Jason [Aldean] and Luke [Bryan] and Charles and I are good buddies, so getting them to come sing on it made it something special.”

According to a pic on Darius’ Instagram account, it looks like the guys—aka “The Troublemakers”—are shooting a video for “Straight to Hell” . . . in full Western regalia.

Ladies and Gentleman…..The Troublemakers!!

A post shared by Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) on

Darius’ new single, “For the First Time,” is currently No. 5 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. “Straight to Hell” could be his next single.

photo by Jason Simanek

Beverly Davenport removed from UT Chancellor post; first reported by Jimmy Hyams

Beverly Davenport removed from UT Chancellor post; first reported by Jimmy Hyams

Posted on May 3, 2018

The University of Tennessee fired Beverly Davenport from her position as Chancellor of the University of Tennessee on Wednesday. This was first reported by our Sports Director, Jimmy Hyams.

Davenport became the first female Chancellor UT in February of 2017.

The University of Tennessee released this statement hours after the report of the firing of Chancellor Beverly Davenport.

University of Tennessee Announces Leadership Change at UT Knoxville

KNOXVILLE – Beverly Davenport’s appointment as University of Tennessee, Knoxville chancellor will end July 1 and she will become a member of the faculty in the College of Communication and Information, UT President Joe DiPietro announced today.

“It is my responsibility as UT president to ensure the success of every campus, beginning with the leadership of every campus. A great deal is at stake in these hires, particularly given the importance of the flagship campus both to fulfilling the UT system mission and to that mission’s impact on the lives of all Tennesseans. Upon realizing that UT Knoxville needed a change from Dr. Davenport’s leadership, I decided to take action to address the leadership need,” DiPietro said.

“Dr. Davenport and I have had several conversations during her tenure as chancellor to lay out expectations,  and discuss concerns. Unfortunately, issues arose that have progressed and, while I am disappointed to have to make this change, it is necessary and in the best interests of the University.”

An interim chancellor will be named soon.

Here’s the termination letter from UT President Joe DiPietro to Beverly Davenport from WATE’s Laura Halm.

KNOXVILLE, TN – MARCH 02, 2017 – Chancellor Dr. Beverly Devenport welcomes John Currie as University of Tennessees’s new Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Craig Bisacre/Tennessee Athletics
Watch Keith Urban Perform New Single, “Coming Home,” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”

Watch Keith Urban Perform New Single, “Coming Home,” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”

Posted on May 2, 2018

Keith Urban treated fans in L.A. to an outdoor performance of tunes from his new album, Graffiti U, during his visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live on April 30.

Keith performed his current single, “Coming Home,” as well as “Same Heart,” which is also featured on the new album.

As Keith told NCD in April, he gets a peculiar feeling before he performs his songs on TV, much like he did before singing “Coming Home” at the ACM Awards.

“I was terrified—I had never played [“Coming Home”] live before and there are a lot of words,” said Keith with a laugh. “There’s a weird voice in my head that happens every time I play on a TV show and it happened at the ACMs when we did ‘Coming Home.’ The song starts and I’m walking up to the mic and the voice goes, ‘Don’t forget the words.’ Out of the blue, literally. My heart [pounds] and then it all comes out.”

Watch Keith perform “Coming Home” on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Never at a Loss for Words, Lauren Alaina Is “Doin’ Fine” as She Gears Up to Join Jason Aldean’s Tour

Never at a Loss for Words, Lauren Alaina Is “Doin’ Fine” as She Gears Up to Join Jason Aldean’s Tour

Posted on May 2, 2018

Lauren Alaina notched two No. 1 singles in 2017 as both “Road Less Traveled” and “What Ifs”—her duet with Kane Brown—reached the top of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

2018 has been just as bountiful for Lauren.

After earning the ACM Award for New Female Vocalist of the Year in April, Lauren is gearing up to join Jason Aldean’s High Noon Neon Tour, which kicks off on May 10 and runs through Sept. 29. In addition, Lauren’s new single, “Doin’ Fine,” is currently No. 28 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, marking the third time she’s cracked the Top 30 as a solo artist.

As the effervescent entertainer told Kix Brooks of American Country Countdown, part of her success may stem from the fact that she’s never at a loss for words.

“There has never been a point in my life where I was quiet,” says Lauren. “My mom said that once I started talking, I never stopped. And I sing as much as I talk. I don’t know how I don’t have laryngitis all the time where I’m just constantly losing my voice because I talk so much. I think I probably talk in my sleep. I feel confident I talk in my sleep. I don’t know how my body would go without talking.”

Fortunately for Lauren, she’s got more than 30 dates on the High Noon Neon Tour to keep crowds entertained with her singing—and talking—voice.

Johnny Cash Museum Unveils Cash’s First Gold Record for “I Walk the Line”

Johnny Cash Museum Unveils Cash’s First Gold Record for “I Walk the Line”

Posted on May 2, 2018

More than 60 years after Sam Phillips of Sun Records presented Johnny Cash with his first Gold Record for “I Walk the Line,” the rare piece of memorabilia was unveiled for display at Nashville’s Johnny Cash Museum.

Johnny Cash’s Gold Record for “I Walk the Line”

After Johnny’s death in 2003, the Gold Record was auctioned off, ending up in the hands of a private collector in Germany. Museum founder Bill Miller recently purchased the artifact from the private collector.

Johnny’s siblings, Tommy Cash and Joanne Cash-Yates, joined Sam Phillips’ son, Jerry Phillips, at the Johnny Cash Museum on May 1 to celebrate the unveiling of the Gold Record.

“I Walk the Line,” which has been certified double platinum by the RIAA, became Johnny’s first No. 1 single when it topped the charts in 1956.

photo courtesy of Johnny Cash Museum Archive

Maddie & Tae Talk Growing Up, Psychic Abilities, New Single, Upcoming Concept Album & More

Maddie & Tae Talk Growing Up, Psychic Abilities, New Single, Upcoming Concept Album & More

Posted on May 1, 2018

Jim Casey talks with Maddie & Tae about:

  • their 2014 breakout single, “Girl in a Country Song”
  • trying to enjoy their successes in the moment
  • growing as artists over the last four years
  • making the transitions between being 18-year-old girls to 22-year-old women
  • the inspiration from Maddie’s little sister for writing their new single, “Friends Don’t”
  • releasing “Friends Don’t” and the impact they hope it has
  • Tae’s “psychic” abilities
  • working with producers Jimmy Robbins and Derek Wells
  • creating their 14-song concept album
  • co-writing 13 of the album’s 14 songs
  • learning from Lee Brice and Dierks Bentley while on their tours

Participants:

  • Maddie Marlow
  • Tae Dye
  • Jim Casey, NCD editor in chief

Lady Antebellum Earns Tony Awards Nomination for “SpongeBob SquarePants Musical”

Lady Antebellum Earns Tony Awards Nomination for “SpongeBob SquarePants Musical”

Posted on May 1, 2018

Thanks to a cartoon sponge with buck teeth, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley can add a Tony Awards nomination for Best Original Score to their list of accolades.

SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and the rest of the motley crew from Bikini Bottom hit the Broadway stage in November 2017 for SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical. Directed by Tina Landau, the musical featured original songs from a bevy of artists, including Lady Antebellum, whose offering, “Chop to the Top,” was performed as SpongeBob and Sandy climb a mountain.

Other artists who penned original songs include David Bowie, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Yolanda Adams, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I.

Check out Lady A’s competition.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

  • Angels in America, Adrian Sutton
  • The Band’s Visit, David Yazbek
  • Frozen, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
  • Mean Girls, Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin
  • SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, Music & Lyrics: Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., and Domani & Lil’C

The 72nd annual Tony Awards will take place on June 10 at Radio City Music Hall.

photo by Jason Simanek

Dan + Shay Gave New Single, “Tequila,” a Cool Twist “Between Title and Content”

Dan + Shay Gave New Single, “Tequila,” a Cool Twist “Between Title and Content”

Posted on May 1, 2018

Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay are shooting their way up the charts with their new single, “Tequila,” which is currently No. 14 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after 16 weeks.

The reflective ballad, which was co-penned by Dan, Jordan Reynolds and Nicolle Galyon, is the duo’s first offering from their unannounced third studio album.

As Dan + Shay tease another announcement via Twitter—much like they did with the release of “Tequila”—Dan told Kix Brooks of American Country Countdown that he and his co-writers gave “Tequila” an intentional twist.

“One of our co-writers, Jordan Reynolds, was like, ‘We should write a song called “Tequila,”’ and he knew we drank tequila—that’s our drink of choice,” says Dan. “Obviously, our minds went to like, ‘We should write a party, feel-good, let’s-drink-tequila-and-get-crazy song,’ but in typical Nashville songwriter fashion, we spun it, and we kind of let that digest with the fans for a minute. They were all expecting this crazy thing and then we teased that haunting piano intro, and I think people were like, ‘I don’t know what’s happening here.’ I think it gave people a reason to check out the song and then when they heard the song—front to back –they realized, in typical Dan + Shay fashion, the story and nostalgia and kind of a heartbreak thing, relationship-sort-of situation. I think it’s a cool juxtaposition between the title and the actual content of the song.”

Check out the video for “Tequila” below.

photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com

Jimmy’s blog: NFL draft analyst likes the 3 Vols drafted

Jimmy’s blog: NFL draft analyst likes the 3 Vols drafted

Posted on May 1, 2018

 

By Jimmy Hyams

Based on his pre-draft comments, NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier of South Louisiana was surprised by one thing regarding Vols in the draft.

Detillier thought defensive back Rashaan Gaulden and running back John Kelly would be drafted close together.

They weren’t.

Gaulden was a third-round pick by Carolina, the 85th pick of the draft. Kelly went in the sixth round to the Rams, the 176th selection.

Detillier thought they would go late third or early fourth round. He was right about Gaulden.

“There is a little bit of a different of opinion on where he will play,’’ Detillier said. “I think really when you cut it down, that nickel position is something he excelled at and that is where I would put him right off the bat, that third cornerback.’’

Detillier thinks Gaulden is versatile enough to guard the smaller or taller receivers.

“His ball skills,’’ Detillier said, when asked what he likes about Gaulden. “He plays the ball really well in flight. He is a guy that has good one-on-one cover skills and you need some quickness to play that slot position. And he has the ability to plant and drive to the football.’’

Carolina said it plans to play Gaulden at safety.

Kelly, who rushed for 778 yards and was much more effective during the first half of last season, cried when called by the Rams and informed he’d been drafted.

“John is a guy that when he got his opportunity, he made the most of it,’’ Detillier said. “He’s got some quickness to hit the edge but he has also shown he can run pretty well between the tackles. His biggest improvement is his ability to catch the football coming out of the backfield.’’

Kelly tied for the team lead with 37 catches last season.

“He reminds me of Deion Lewis (formerly with the Patriots, now with the Titans). He is built the same way,’’ Detillier said. “A quick shifty back who is going to excel catching the ball in the flat.

“I really like him a lot. But in a pretty thick running back class, he got pushed back a little bit. I think he can be productive in the right system and the right scheme.’’

Kahlil McKenzie, a five-star recruit who had 35 tackles as a junior and never played to his potential, was drafted by Kansas City in the sixth round, the 198th pick.

“He has all the potential,’’ Detillier said. “I mean, he looks the part, but he’s never hit it as a player on the defensive side of the football and that’s why I think you have some teams that think he might be better on the offensive side.’’

In fact, the Chiefs plan to use McKenzie on the offensive line.

Although Trevor Daniel averaged 47.5 yards per punt (second in the nation), he wasn’t drafted. Yet, four punters – three from the SEC – were selected.

In most any other year, Daniel would have been drafted, Detillier believes.

Tight end Ethan Wolf signed a free agent contract with the Titans.

Detillier said Wolf is “a good sized kid’’ and is “solid across the board. I can’t give him an `A’ on anything but effort. But boy, he is a big man who knows how to get open and he is sure handed. And he is solid as an inline blocker.’’

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Jimmy’s blog: Arkansas women’s tennis team pulls a fast one

Jimmy’s blog: Arkansas women’s tennis team pulls a fast one

Posted on May 1, 2018

By Jimmy Hyams

Someone once said that rules were made to be broken.

The Arkansas women’s tennis team didn’t break a rule, but it violated the spirit of the rule. And the NCAA needs to put a clamp on the loophole.

Arkansas was 10-16 after reaching the semifinals of the SEC Tournament held in Knoxville last week. The talented team failed to have success during the regular season, and failed to meet NCAA criteria to qualify: a .500 record.

After playing well in the SEC Tournament, Arkansas coach Micael Hegarty had an idea: Try to find someone to play six matches, sweep those matches and get to .500.

Hegarty found a willing participant in Tennessee State, which had a sparkling 1-8 record in the Ohio Valley Conference. Arkansas played Tennessee State six times in Nashville the weekend of the SEC tournament, taking the first five matches 4-0 then pulling out a 4-3 squeaker in the final battle.

That made Arkansas 16-16 and eligible for one of the roughly 30 at-large bids to the 64-team NCAA tournament.

Arkansas paid Tennessee State $15,000 for the matches. TSU’s women’s tennis budget is $27,652. Arkansas’ women’s tennis budget is about $300,000.

A couple of articles indicated Hegarty didn’t get approval from Arkansas’ administration for the TSU matches.

If that’s true, how did he get approval to pay $15,000?

We asked Tennessee women’s tennis coach Alison Ojeda her thoughts on the Arkansas situation.

“He (Hegarty) has a fantastic team and they made a run (to the semis) of the SEC Tournament (in Knoxville),’’ Ojeda said. “I hate he had to get six matches in one day. That’s a lot on the players. But he wants to be in the (NCAA tournament). I respect that.’’

The Arkansas-TSU matches started at 8 a.m. and finished at about 10 p.m. – close to a 14-hour day. That’s a lot of hours used up with a 20-hour NCAA rule in place.

Some have questioned the lineup Arkansas used. Some have questioned TSU players retiring during a match.

Is it a bad precedent if the NCAA selection committee to pick Arkansas?

“Good question,’’ Ojeda said. “To be honest, I’m not sure how I’d answer that. Our job is to prepare our team on the front end, not the back end (of the schedule) and not put student-athletes in a situation to play six matches in one day. But (what Arkansas did) is within the rules.’’

Ojeda is on the ITA operating committee, which sets rules and policies.

“This is 100 percent something we’ll discuss and I guarantee, there will be a lot of conversation,’’ Ojeda said. “A lot of coaches do not want this going forward.’’

If the NCAA doesn’t step in, the SEC should.

The SEC says “it just means more.’’

It should also mean more to do things within the spirit of the rules.

In this case, Arkansas should not be rewarded for its “ingenuity’’ by the NCAA selection committee.

The NCAA will announce the field today at 5 p.m. Tennessee, which is ranked No. 38, is expected to get a two or three seed and play in the University of North Carolina regional.

Meanwhile, UT freshman Chelsea Sawyer of Clemmons, N.C., is transferring to Penn State in an effort to get playing time. UT has already given her a release.

That has left a spot open on the roster for the senior-less UT women’s team.

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