Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley are going to be doing a lot of “playing” on their co-headlining Summer Plays On Tour with Darius Rucker.
When Dave welcomed daughter Lillie Renee Haywood on December 22 and Hillary gave birth to twins Betsy Mack and Emory JoAnn Tyrrell on January 29, it brought the total number of Little Antebellums to six, joining Eisele Tyrrell, 4, Cash Haywood, 3, and Ward Kelley, 2.
With six tykes on tour this summer, Lady A will have a virtual traveling daycare.
“You know, it’s part of it,” says Charles to Kix Brooks of American Country Countdown. “We always want to put family first. We adjust. We always have. It’s like a traveling road family out there, and yeah, they almost are like little siblings already, so it’ll be interesting.”
2017 CMA Awards: (from left) Cassie & Charles Kelley; Hillary Scott & Chris Tyrrell; Dave and Kelli Haywood. photo by Curtis Hilbun
“The [older] kids have been out a lot on tour, so they play together great,” says Dave. “It’s super cute. Eisele’s the leader of the bunch, and Cash and Ward are following her around, which is super cute to watch. But to think about the fact that there will be six is just really weird to even say.”
Kicking off on July 19 in Toronto, Ontario, the 30-date Summer Plays On Tour will make stops in Seattle, Phoenix, San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia and more.
ATLANTA – Three of the four 2018 Tennessee women’s basketball signees will take part in the McDonald’s All American Game on Wednesday evening at Philips Arena.
The 17th annual McDonald’s All American Girls Game will tip off at 5 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN2. The men’s game follows on ESPN.
Tickets for the 2018 McDonald’s All American Boys and Girls Games are on sale via Ticketmaster or at the Philips Arena box office. Ticket prices start as low as $10.
Amira “Mimi” Collins, a 6-3 forward from Waldorf, Md. (Paul VI Catholic H.S. [Fairfax, Va.]); Zarielle “Zay” Green, a 6-0 guard from Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville H.S.); and Jazmine Massengill, a 6-0 point guard from Chattanooga (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy); will be in action. Collins and Massengill will play for the East, while Green is a member of the West roster. Rae Burrell, a 6-1 wing from Henderson, Nev. (Liberty H.S.), was a nominee from her home state but not among the final honorees.
Lady Vol head coach Holly Warlick and her staff followed up last season’s four-player class of McDonald’s All-Americans with a group of three this time around. That two-year total of seven is the second-most ever assembled over a two-year span by the UT program behind the 2007 (3) and 2008 (5) collection of eight. The most recent McDonald’s All-Americans bring the all-time total of Lady Vol honorees to 34, including 13 players who signed during Warlick’s six seasons as head coach.
“On behalf of the Atlanta Hawks, Philips Arena and the great city of Atlanta, we’re proud to host the 2018 McDonald’s All American Games and are excited they are returning to a region of the country with such a storied legacy of basketball,” said Dominique Wilkins, Vice President of Basketball for the Atlanta Hawks and a 1979 McDonald’s All American. “Having spent much of my life playing and living here, I know the city and fans will enjoy hosting this event and seeing the next great crop of basketball talent.”
The Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival announced the lineup for its fourth annual event on Sept. 22 and 23 in Franklin, Tenn.
Chris Stapleton, Jack White, Lionel Richie, Counting Crows and Brand Carlile are among those slated to take the stage during the two-day festival that also features a variety of food trucks and craft beers.
Tickets go on sale on March 30 at 10 a.m. CT. Two-day passes cost $185, while a Grand Champion Experience With Blackberry Farm ticket costs $2,500.
A portion of ticket sales will benefit MusiCares, a nonprofit organization that was established by the Recording Academ to provide a wide range of emergency financial assistance and addiction recovery resources to members of the music community.
The Country Music Association announced its 2018 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees on March 27:
Modern Era: Ricky Skaggs
Veteran Era: Dottie West
Musician: Johnny Gimble
Ricky Skaggs
photo courtesy of Skaggs Family Records
As far as a pioneer, Ricky Skaggs is one of the great innovators and trailblazers of modern country. Ricky led the fight to bring country music back from the depths of Urban Cowboy and pop-infused country in the early 1980s. He helped pioneer the era’s neo-traditionalist movement, drawing upon his heroes like Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. Fusing the contemporary sounds with a notable touch of bluegrass, Ricky made traditional country popular again, even racking up a No. 1 hit with a remake of Bill Monroe’s “Uncle Pen.” The decade soon gave way to more traditionalists who followed Ricky’s lead, including Randy Travis, Hank Williams Jr. and Keith Whitley. No less a figure than the legendary Chet Atkins once credited Ricky for “single-handedly” saving county music.
And his influence? To start, Ricky’s outstanding musicianship—he plays mandolin, guitar and fiddle, among others—has placed him in a different class of artists. Not only could he write and sing the songs, he could play them with a feverish ferocity. His versatility and almost jazz-like improvisational playing has certainly influenced the likes of Vince Gill and Brad Paisley, along with countless bluegrass artists.
In the last 15 years, Ricky has turned his creative attention more toward bluegrass and Christian music. Indeed, most of his Grammy honors have been earned in the bluegrass field as he helped bridge the gap between the sounds of Appalachia and the stylings of Music Row.
Ricky has also been a progressive reformer through his collaborations with artists from genres well beyond the country boundaries. He has recorded critically praised efforts with pop icon Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees and rock standout Bruce Hornsby, who has often joined Ricky on tour. Through these various pairings, Ricky has undoubtedly brought new fans to country music.
Ricky earned eight Country Music Association Awards (including Entertainer of the Year in 1985) and 15 Grammy awards. He was a member of both Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Band and Emmylou Harris’ famed Hot Band.
Dottie West
photo courtesy of the West Family
Born Dorothy Marie Marsh on October 11, 1932 near McMinnville, Tennessee, she endured an abusive childhood at the hands of her father while working as a teenager in her mother’s restaurant. Music became her outlet to escape the real world, as she began playing guitar with a local band while in high school.
After graduation, she continued her education with a music scholarship at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville. It was there she would meet Bill West, whom she would marry. The young couple moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where she began to appear on a local television program. All the while, West continued to keep her heart and mind focused on that musical mecca just a few miles up the road from her hometown – Nashville.
She made repeated trips to Music City in hopes of getting her songs heard throughout the 1950s. By 1959, she achieved her goal – a recording contract with Starday Records. Though recording success would elude her there, her compositions began to be heard around town, as she toured and became friends with such performers as Patsy Cline.
In 1963, superstar Jim Reeves recorded her song “Is This Me?” and the song became a No. 3 record on the Billboard Country singles chart. She soon signed with RCA Victor, where she recorded with Reeves on “Love Is No Excuse” and then hit solo stardom with the self-penned “Here Comes My Baby.” The song helped West become the first female artist in Country Music history to win a Grammy and launched a run of hits that included “Would You Hold It Against Me” and “Paper Mansions.”
Two of West’s hits for RCA Victor – “Country Girl” and “Country Sunshine” – were featured in television campaigns for Coca-Cola, with the latter winning a coveted Clio award for television advertising.
In 1976, West signed with United Artists Records, where she found an immediate hit with “When It’s Just You and Me.” Not long after, she was finishing up a recording session one afternoon when the next artist who happened to show up early was Kenny Rogers. The two began to harmonize on a song that she was going to record, and the rest was history. That record, “Every Time Two Fools Collide,” topped the charts in short order and served as the catalyst for a pair of Gold-selling albums, back-to-back CMA Awards for Vocal Duo of the Year, and one of the most successful tours in Country Music history.
The duets with Rogers also propelled West’s solo career to new heights, with songs such as “Are You Happy Baby?” and “A Lesson In Leavin’” becoming fan favorites. In addition to her own recorded work, she was instrumental in the careers of several other artists, musicians, and songwriters including Grand Ole Opry members Larry Gatlin, Jeannie Seely, and Steve Wariner. As she entered her fifties – an era where women in the format typically slowed down – she continued to plow ahead in new creative fields including film and theater.
On her way to an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in August of 1991, West was involved in an automobile accident. Despite three surgeries, and a valiant fight for her life, she succumbed to her injuries at the age of 58. Now, the career trajectory of Dottie West places her in the same destination that her previous duet partners of Jim Reeves, Kenny Rogers, Don Gibson, and Jimmy Dean have landed – the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Johnny Gimble
photo courtesy of the Gimble Family
Johnny Gimble was born May 30, 1926 in Tyler, Texas. The music bug bit him early, as he was playing the fiddle by age 10. Before the 1940s, he was playing professionally as a member of a band called the Rose City Swingsters alongside his brothers. One of his early gigs was playing music during Jimmie Davis’ campaign for Governor in Louisiana. After serving his country in World War II, Gimble returned to his native Lone Star State and performed on local radio shows. His musicianship would merit the attention of Bob Wills, who hired him to be a member of his Texas Playboys in 1949, an association that would last on and off through the 1960s.
His fiddle work would be heard on hundreds of classic hit recordings over the years, with Marty Robbins’ 1952 chart-topper “I’ll Go On Alone” being one early example. His tasty licks would grace classic hits from Connie Smith and Conway Twitty. In 1970, Gimble added his touch to Merle Haggard’s seminal A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (or, My Salute to Bob Wills). Over the years, Gimble’s work was heard on television series such as “Hee Haw” (where he was a member of the Million Dollar Band) and “Austin City Limits.” He was also a key element of the 1973 disc Superpickers from Chet Atkins, which featured (in addition to Atkins) Country Music Hall of Fame members Hargus “Pig” Robbins and Charlie McCoy.
In 1979, Gimble once again took on the role of a road musician, with a two-year stint in Willie Nelson’s band – also appearing in the singer’s “Honeysuckle Rose” film. In 1982, he went in front of the camera to portray the man who gave him his first major musical break – Bob Wills – in the Clint Eastwood theatrical release “Honkytonk Man.”
All along the way, Gimble continued to make melodies with his fiddle that found their way into the hearts of millions of Country Music fans around the world. In 1983, a rising young artist who grew up enamored by the music of Wills named George Strait utilized Gimble’s magic on his Right or Wrong album. This working relationship would prove to be one of the longest associations of his career. He would appear on 10 of Strait’s albums through 1992, becoming a key part of Strait’s early sound on such hits as “Baby’s Gotten Good At Goodbye” and “All My Ex’s Live In Texas.”
Gimble’s work earned him 15 CMA Awards nominations, including 14 nominations for Instrumentalist/Musician of the Year from 1975 through 1990. He won five times, in 1975, as well as 1986-87, and 1989-90. Along the way, he also tallied two Grammy trophies.
Johnny Gimble died on May 9, 2015 at the age of 88. Fans can celebrate the collection of legendary musicians as it grows a little larger with the induction of Johnny Gimble into its hallowed ranks.
With eight rescue dogs of her own, it’s no secret Miranda Lambert has a soft spot in her heart for fury, four-legged friends.
That’s why in 2009, Miranda and her mom, Bev, started the MuttNation Foundation, an organization with the mission of ending animal suffering and homelessness on every front. The foundation has successfully raised millions of dollars to aid organizations, government institutions and entities that build animal shelters for better care and increased pet adoption.
photo by Matt Thackeray
Miranda’s latest venture to nurture her love of music and mutts involved collecting dog food, treats, supplies and cash at the entrance of each venue on her recent 24-city Livin’ Like Hippies Tour. Concertgoers dropped off their donations—which will support local dog shelters in each area—at the “Fill the Little Red Wagon” activation located at the entrance of each venue before the shows.
“My fans are passionate—they care about music and they care about animals,” says Miranda. “Without them, neither my music nor MuttNation could reach as many people or help as many dogs as we do. It’s incredibly heartwarming to see The Little Red Wagon overflowing at each show and it makes me crazy happy to combine two of my biggest loves, music and mutts, every night.”
Look for the The Little Red Wagon to roll back out this summer when it jumps on the Bandwagon Tour, featuring Miranda and Little Big Town.
Luke Bryan scored the 20th No. 1 single of his career as “Most People Are Good” ascended to the top of the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
Penned by David Frasier, Ed Hill and Josh Kear, the tune is the second single from Luke’s 2017 album, What Makes You Country. The song also marks Luke’s 12th consecutive Billboard No. 1 single, which is currently the longest streak.
“I think that ‘Most People Are Good’ might be one of the best songs I’ve ever recorded,” says Luke. “I think it’s a song that truly helps people believe in people again. We seem to get reminded every day of all the negativity of what humans are, and truly it’s only .001 percent of people causing all the negativity. I mean, I truly believe that. This song preaches the innocence of children, the beauty of mothers, the beauty of relationships, the beauty of what life truly could be and should be and really is. I think that most people lay their heads down at night and try to be better and try to be good to other people. And this song captures those emotions perfectly.”
North Carolina native Canaan Cox has been surrounded by mountain music since birth, learning the mandolin, fiddle and guitar before studying musical theater at Catawba College in Henderson, N.C. After taking his talents to the high seas—where he performed on Carnival Cruise Line for three years—Canaan moved to Nashville in 2016. He recently dropped his self-titled EP, featuring the new single, “Coming Back.”
How did you get started in music?
I’ve been surrounded by music since birth. With Grandma playing the piano for our little church to Mom playing in her own band and Dad putting on every Conway Twitty record ever released, I was in it. I’m from the mountains of North Carolina, so it wasn’t long until I picked up a mandolin while listening to Ricky Skaggs and other bluegrass greats. Then came fiddle and guitar, and I always plunked around on Grandma’s piano.
At what age did you realize you wanted to make music your career?
It’s been the only dream I have ever had—to be able to do something I’m so passionate about and watch people enjoy it. I got serious about it after I wrote my first song during my freshmen year in college. One of my professor heard me sing—and he owned his own studio—so one thing led to another, and after hearing something that I created in my head come out in a full-blown production, I was hooked.
Did you study music in college?
Yes. I went to Catawba College in North Carolina and got my BFA in Musical Theatre. Throughout my time there, we studied everything from piano and theory to aural skills and ballet.
Who are some of your musical influences?
In country music, I definitely loved Joe Diffie. However, I love putting some soul and funk into my country music, so Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and even the ’90s boy band Hanson are some huge influences when it comes to my style.
What three words describe you as a musician?
Entertaining A.F. [laughing]. Can I say that? If not, dynamic, percussive, entertaining.
What would you say is unique about your sound?
My vocal abilities and timbre. I have a pop style in my abilities with riffs and vibrato, so it’s fun to be able to throw that into country music.
What does your new single, “Coming Back,” say about you as an artist?
That a negative doesn’t have to be bad. The song itself talks about a break-up—we know we shouldn’t be together, yet here we are. In writing the song, I wanted to focus more on why we were so good in the first place. I didn’t want to focus on coming back for a one-night-stand thing. I wanted the audience to be like, “Ugh, why cant I get her/him off my mind?” Is it because of that first kiss or that time we slow danced in the rain or that time she looked at me just before I told her I loved her? It’s a positive take on a negative situation.
Did you know the woman who played the lead in the “Coming Back” video?
I didn’t know her at all. However, I had a specific look in mind for her. So I searched through some modeling sites in Nashville and found the look. It was really cool reaching out to Emma about doing the video because she knew my music beforehand. We clicked immediately and it made for a fun shoot.
What was the first concert you ever attended?
Rascal Flatts. Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean were opening for them.
What’s the last song you heard that blew you away?
Coming from a musical theatre background, it’s no surprise I’ve seen The Greatest Showman four times. That soundtrack is absolutely brilliant and breathtaking. I’ve even added one of the songs to my set. But the track “Never Enough” is simply stellar. I don’t care what kind of music you listen to, if you hear this and aren’t moved, you’re dead inside.
Where is the most interesting place you’ve performed?
I performed on cruise ships for about three years. With Nashville being a tourist hot spot, there have been many times I have played downtown and people will come in and be like, “Canaan Cox? I saw you last year on the Carnival Magic.”
What family member or friend has been the most supportive of your musical career?
My dad. He is my my best friend. He jokingly calls himself my “Southeastern Regional Manager.” It was all jokes and such until he actually called me one day and got me on our local radio station, booked me a few gigs and got me the number of a venue. And fun little sidenote, he is the only one I’ve ever co-written with.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee women’s basketball standout Jaime Nared is among those earning honorable mention distinction on the 2018 AP All-America Team that the organization released on Monday.
The team was selected by a 32-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. This marked Nared’s first-ever recognition on any sort of All-America team.
A 6-foot-2 forward from Portland, Ore., Nared led Tennessee in scoring at 16.7 points per game in 2017-18 and was third on the squad with 7.4 rebounds per contest. She also ranked first in steals (73), second in three-pointers made (27), third in assists (84) and third in blocks (20), while leading the Lady Vols in free throw percentage (.820), free throws made (169) and free throws attempted (206).
With 19 double-doubles during her career, Nared’s 10 this season ranked her sixth among SEC players and seventh-most ever by a Lady Vol senior. She finished second all-time at UT in a season in free throws made (169) and 10th in free throws attempted (206), while standing fifth in career free throws made (429) and fifth in career free throw percentage (.827). Her scoring average of 16.7 is the eighth-highest all-time of any Lady Vol senior and her career point total of 1,460 ranks No. 26 on UT’s scoring list.
Nared finished fourth in the SEC in steals this season (2.2 spg.), ninth in scoring (16.7 ppg.), ninth in free throw percentage (.820), 10th in minutes played (33.4) and 14th in rebounding (7.4 rpg.). She was named WBCA All-Region, All-SEC First Team by the coaches and second team by the media, MVP of the Cancun Challenge and a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award. She also was named USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week, a two-time SEC Player of the Week, a two time College Sports Madness National Player of the Week and a three-time College Sports Madness SEC Player of the Week.
George Strait added a Texas-sized honor to his list of accomplishments on March 23. The Lone Star State native was named the “2018 Texan of the Year” by the Texas Legislative Conference.
George was recognized for his many contributions to the state of Texas throughout the years, particularly within the last year for his role leading recovery efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. George’s Hand in Hand benefit concert helped raise more than $22 million toward hurricane recovery.
“I’m so proud to have grown up in the great state of Texas and so proud to be here today to accept this unbelievable honor,” said George. “Texas is a big place filled with amazingly talented, smart people. How’d I end up here? Last year was a tough one for our great state. We’re still continuing to recover and with the help of the many loyal, kindhearted Texans, we will get these communities back on their feet again. It’s never surprising, but always amazing how in times of need, how generous the American people can be. I’ve had a great career and always been supported by the people here in Texas. This great honor is the tip-top of my list.”
George was presented with the award at the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce. He joins an array of prominent past honorees who have won the award, including George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, T Boone Pickens, Ray Benson, David Robinson and more.
It would hardly be a stretch to consider George the greatest country music artist of all time. He certainly has the numbers: 44 Billboard No. 1 singles (60 across all charts), the most of any artist in any genre of music, and 22 CMA awards, more than any other country entertainer. And few can match The Cowboy, as he’s often referred to, for longevity. He’s been a star practically since his debut in 1981 with “Unwound.” George has been a model of consistency since that time, with 33 platinum albums to prove it.
Scotty McCreery topped the Billboard Country Albums chart with his new studio album, Seasons Change, which dropped on March 16 and sold more than 40,000 units in its first week.
The 11-song offering was Scotty’s first album since 2013’s See You Tonight.
“It’s been quite a journey these last few years, and to learn that Seasons Change has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart is awesome and so gratifying,” said Scotty. “I’m glad everyone is enjoying the new music. I am so thankful to my fans, who have always been so supportive. With a No. 1 album, my first-ever No. 1 single, and my upcoming wedding to the love of my life, I just don’t see how 2018 can get any better!”
The 24-year-old, who recently proposed to girlfriend Gabi Dugal, co-wrote every track on the new album, which also features songwriters Frank Rogers, Monty Criswell, Jessi Alexander, David Lee Murphy and more. The album’s lead single, “Five More Minutes,” became Scotty’s first No. 1 single when it hit the top of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart in March.
![Chris Stapleton to Headline 2018 Pilgrimage Festival [Full Lineup]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/1446/2018/03/13100330/Chris-Stapleton.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
The full lineup is below.
