Keith Urban gave fans the first taste of his upcoming—and as of yet unannounced—10th studio album when he released his new single, “Female,” in November. While the empowering tune came together at the speed of sound—penned by Nicolle Galyon, Ross Copperman and Shane McAnally on Oct. 10 and recorded by Keith on Oct. 31—Keith normally likes to take his sweet time making new music.
“I got in the studio to start working on the new album in January of this year,” says Keith to Nash Country Daily. “Pretty much as soon as that Ripcord Tour finished, I was in the studio because it takes me the better part of a year-plus working in the studio to make a new album.”
Keith expects his 10th studio album to be ready at some point in 2018, but there’s no rush—he’s letting the songs steer him, just like he did with his critically acclaimed 2016 album, Ripcord.
“I’m working on [the songs] now, I’m writing, I’m recording. I’ve recorded a lot. I don’t know which ones are going to be on the album yet. The songs tend to tell me that. They did with Ripcord. I recorded maybe 25 songs for Ripcord and the ones that spoke to me were the ones that made the record. I have a particular vision in mind. I wish there was an audible version of ‘vision.’ People always say they can ‘visualize’ an album, I say I can ‘audio-lize’ it. I can hear it before it’s finished. So what I try to do is just bring it to life the way I already hear it in my head. But what I also do is stay extremely open to it moving into some other direction. It’s a real balancing act between, is it wandering off this cliff because it’s not being guided by me, or is that where it’s supposed to go in that direction. For me, the most valuable thing in making records is time—time to live with the decision, time to live with a song, and to keep feeling good about it before it goes out. Because once it goes out, that’s it. There’s no pulling it back after that.”
Evina Westbrook – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
Knoxville, Tenn. – Senior Jaime Nared scored 27 points and freshman Evina Westbrook dished out a career-high 12 assists to lead No. 11/13 Tennessee to a 131-69 victory over Troy on Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols (9-0) used a balanced offensive effort to put away the Trojans (4-2), as seven players reached double figures in points. Defensively, UT was able to hold the nation’s fifth highest scoring offense to 22 points below its average of 91.8 per game.
Tennessee was ready from the tip again, racing out to a 12-0 lead for the second consecutive game. UT’s All-SEC duo of Nared and classmate Mercedes Russell led the way offensively through the first quarter, with Nared going 5-for-7 from the field for 14 points and Russell scoring nine points on 3-for-3 shooting. The Lady Vols led 34-15 at the end of the frame.
UT maintained a strong advantage on the glass, hauling in 31 rebounds in the first half and tallying 73 for the game, a total that ranks No. 3 in school history. Freshman forward Rennia Davis recorded seven of those boards in addition to 10 points and four assists to lead Tennessee into the break ahead, 61-30. All nine active Lady Vols recorded at least a basket in the half, with Nared leading all scorers with 20 at the intermission.
The Lady Vols continued their offensive barrage into the second half, shooting 64 percent from the field and 4-for-7 from 3-point range in the third quarter. Their 44 points were the most scored in a single quarter in program history.
Tennessee’s unselfishness was on full display throughout the game, as the team finished with 38 assists on 54 baskets. The assist total ranked second in school history, while the number of field goals made ranked fourth.
Davis and Meme Jackson recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds each, while Cheridene Green picked up a double-double of her own, scoring a career-high 16 points and bringing down 13 boards in just 20 minutes of play. It was Davis’ fourth of the season and the first of Jackson’s and Green’s careers.
Freshman point guard Anastasia Hayes also tossed in 12 points and notched career highs with nine assists and seven rebounds. Kortney Dunbar shot 6-for-7 from the floor in the second half to finish with 17 points, and Kasiyahna Kushkituah added six points and five boards. Shatterika O’Neal finished with 15 points on 6-for-15 shooting to lead Troy offensively.
Up Next: The Lady Vols will be back at Thompson-Boling on Sunday, as No. 2/4 Texas (7-0) comes to town for a 3 p.m. showdown. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
Nared Starting Hot: Senior Jaime Nared came out with the hot hand, knocking down 14 points in the first quarter to help Tennessee to a 34-15 lead. She went on to score a season-high 27 points on the night, going 10-of-14 from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc.
Fast Starts: For the second straight game Tennessee scored more than 30 points in the first quarter, logging 34 while holding Troy to 15. On the season the Lady Vols have outscored opponents 216-114 in the first quarter.
Big Quarters Against Troy: Tennessee’s 44 third-quarter points against Troy were the most ever scored in any quarter by a Lady Vol team. The 34 points they logged in the first quarter ranked fourth. UT’s second and third highest quarter point totals also came against Troy in 2016 when they had 38 points in the fourth quarter and 35 in the first.
Assists All Around: The Lady Vols dished out 38 assists on the night, second most in program history. The only time a Tennessee team logged more assists was on Dec. 20, 1985, at Hawaii Pacific when they finished with 41. Freshman Evina Westbrook had 12 assists on the evening, tying her with the likes of Shekinna Stricklen and Michelle Marciniak for the seventh-most assists tallied in a single game.
Back-To-Back 100+: Tennessee’s wins over Alabama State and Troy are the first back-to-back 100+ point games since the 2000-01 season when Tennessee defeated Mississippi 119-52 and then went on to beat Florida 103-73 in the following game. Tennessee’s 131 points against Troy are the third most in program history and the second most ever scored in a home game.
The UT-TU game is the sixth of seven home tilts in UT’s first 10 scheduled contests. It also is the third phase of a four-game home stand.
The Lady Vols remain undefeated after romping past Alabama State, 104-51, on Sunday afternoon in Knoxville. The triumph was Tennessee’s fifth at home this season and marked the sixth time in eight games in 2017-18 that the Lady Vols have limited an opponent to 60 or fewer points.
Troy, meanwhile, brings a two-game winning streak into Wednesday’s contest. After dropping a close one at Ole Miss, 96-93, on Nov. 21, Troy won at Tennessee State, 95-66, on Nov. 27 and triumphed at home vs. Jacksonville, 89-88, on Dec. 1. GAME PROMOTIONS
There will be a post-game autograph session with Kasiyahna Kushkituah at section 116 on the concourse.
There will be a high-five tunnel for the first 50 kids every game! Pick up a wristband for the tunnel at section 113 on the concourse.
Free parking & shuttle service from UT’s Ag Campus.
Halftime performance by Austin-East H.S. African Drum and Dance
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Bob Kesling (PxP), Madison Blevins (Analyst) and Maddy Glab(Reporter) will describe the action for the Tennessee-Troy online broadcast on SEC Network+ (SECN+) and WatchESPN.
Mickey Dearstone will handle the call for IMG College/Lady Vol Network radio/online broadcasts for the 19th season. A link to the live audio stream can be found on each Hoops Central page or the Lady Vol schedule on UTSports.com.
Air time for games on the Lady Vol Radio Network is generally 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
HOME SWEET HOME
This is the 31st season that the Tennessee women’s and men’s basketball teams have called Thompson-Boling Arena home, and the Lady Vols own a 433-35 mark (.925) in the venue.
UT is 80-12 (.870) there during Holly Warlick‘s sixth season at the helm and has won seven straight at T-BA, dating back to last season.
The Lady Vols have a 586-59 (.909) home record in contests played at Thompson-Boling Arena, Stokely Athletics Center and Alumni Gym.
UT finished 13-3 at home in 2016-17.
Capacity at Thompson-Boling Arena is 21,678.
UT has led the nation in attendance 19 times in the past 26 years, finishing second the past three years after an 11-season run at No. 1.
Tennessee ranked second in the nation in home attendance last season with an average of 9,184 through 16 dates and currently ranks fourth at 7,911 per contest.
COMING UP FOR UT
The Lady Vols will welcome the highest ranked team to Knoxville since the 2013-14 season, when No. 2/4 Texas comes to Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday.
The match-up will be televised nationally on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. ET.
Following the Texas contest, UT will head west and play its first two true road games of the season at Long Beach State on Dec. 17 (5 p.m. ET/2 PT) and at #18/18 Stanford on Dec. 21 (9 p.m. ET/6 PT).
Sunday’s game vs. the Longhorns is being billed as an ORANGE OUT, with fans being asked to show up in true Tennessee Orange to counter the burnt orange of Texas.
2000 fans will receive a Lady Vol Flag.
First 350 fans receive nachos, next 250 fans receive Petros “hint of orange” tea.
There will be a halftime recognition, as UT welcomes back to Rocky Top Lady Vol National Champions spanning three different decades – the 1987 National Champions, the 1997 National Champions and the 2007 National Champions.
It’s Kids’ Day. Every Sunday home game is Kids’ Day! Check out the fun at Kids’ Corner at Gate F!
Post-game lay-ups for kids every Sunday home game!
High-five tunnel for the first 50 kids every game! Pick up a wristband for the tunnel at section 113 on the concourse.
Free parking & shuttle service from UT’s Ag Campus
TENNESSEE RESET
Tennessee is one of only two SEC schools and 15 total teams remaining unbeaten this season as of Dec. 5. League schools UT and Mississippi State stand at 8-0.
The Lady Vols are off to their best start since the 2013-14 squad began the year 10-0 en route to a 29-6 overall record.
Tennessee will try to improve to 9-0 on the season on Wednesday. If UT accomplishes that feat, it would mark the 11th time in program history that has occurred.
The Big Orange women have won seven of eight games by double-digit margins, including by 43 vs. Central Arkansas and 53 vs. Alabama State in their last two games.
The last time Tennessee opened a season with a starting five and utilized the same quintet this long was in 2007-08, when the lineup of Candace Parker, Angie Bjorklund, Nicky Anosike, Shannon Bobbitt and Alexis Hornbuckle reported for the opening tip the first 11 games of that campaign. UT went 10-1 in that span and went on to win the NCAA title with a 34-3 record and the SEC title with a 14-0 mark.
Russell has led Tennessee in scoring five times, while Nared has done so twice and Davis and Hayes tied for honors on one occasion.
Russell has scored in double figures in every game, while Hayes and Davis have done so seven times and Nared has hit 10 or more in six games.
Holly Warlick‘s squad has led at the half of all eight games, including a double-digit margin in six of those.
UT STATISTICAL NUGGETS
The Big Orange women have won the battle of the boards in every game, forging a +11.3 advantage on the glass thus far.
Tennessee leads the SEC and ranks 10th nationally, pulling down 47.2 rebounds per game, with Jaime Nared (9.3), Mercedes Russell (8.5) and Rennia Davis (8.1) leading the way.
The team is fourth nationally in defensive rebounds per game, grabbing 32.
The squad from Rocky Top has shot a higher percentage than seven of eight opponents and stands at 48.2 for the season. That rate ranks Tennessee No. 13 nationally and second in the SEC.
Mercedes Russell continues to shoot at an extremely high percentage, connecting on 69.3 percent of her shots (61 of 88). She leads the SEC with that accuracy and ranks No. 3 nationally.
Junior Meme Jackson scored in double figures in back-to-back games for only the second time in her career. The wing from Murfreesboro hit for 11 vs. Central Arkansas and then was one shy of her career high with 20 vs. Alabama State.
Nared became the 45th Lady Vol to eclipse the 1,000-point mark, netting 21 vs. Oklahoma State and moving her total to 1,004 in her 100th career game. She now stands 43rd at 1,036
Russell passed 1,000 points last season and currently ranks 30th with 1,237. She is 23 behind Latina Davis (1,260).
The Lady Vols are fourth in the NCAA in free throws attempted (221) and fifth in free throws made (152).
1,000/1,000 WATCH FOR RUSSELL
Mercedes Russell is on track to become only the sixth player in Lady Vol history to reach the 1,000-mark in both scoring and rebounding.
Russell currently has 1,237 points and 850 rebounds through eight games.
The other five players and their totals include Chamique Holdsclaw (3,025/1,295), Tamika Catchings (2,113/1,004), Sheila Frost (1,790/1,043), Glory Johnson (1,643/1,218) and Bashaara Graves (1,509/1,044).
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE
Tennessee ranks 15th nationally and second in the SEC in field goal percentage defense at .336.
The Lady Vols are 17th nationally and first in the SEC in three-point field goal percentage defense at .235.
On the season, Holly Warlick‘s squad has held opponents to an average of 58.4 points per game (62nd nationally), with six of eight foes failing to score more than 60.
Tennessee set a school record for fewest points allowed in a second half, giving up only 10 to Central Arkansas on Nov. 30.
All 10 of those points came in the third quarter, as the Lady Vols shut out the Sugar Bears in the final stanza, marking the first time UT had “pitched a shutout” in a quarter.
UCA finished with 34 points for the game, marking the 10th-lowest total ever scored by a Tennessee foe.
UT’s two games have resulted in opponents committing 24 and 23 turnovers, respectively, and the Lady Vols grabbing 13 and 14 steals, respectively, vs. Central Arkansas and Alabama State. Those totals are (or were) the highest this season.
Over the past three games, Tennessee has given up only six points on fast breaks and 16 second-chance points.
GETTING OFF TO A GREAT START
Tennessee has made a habit of getting off to great starts lately. A 182-99 first quarter tally over opponents proves it.
UT started the game 12-0 vs. Alabama State en route to a 30-12 first quarter, followed by a 31-14 second stanza on Dec. 3. The 31 is the fourth-highest point total in a quarter in school history.
The Big Orange posted a 22-8 first quarter vs. Central Arkansas.
UT went up 10-0 to open the Marquette game.
The Lady Vols were up 6-0 on Oklahoma State en route to a 24-10 first quarter lead.
The Big Orange burst out to a 7-0 advantage over South Dakota on the way to a 24-9 first quarter.
UT LAST TIME OUT (UT 104, ASU 51)
No. 12/13 Tennessee came alive on offense, with six players scoring in double digits as the Lady Vols beat Alabama State, 104-51, Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of 8,004 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tennessee (8-0) relied on offense in the paint and winning the turnover battle convincingly to produce the team’s best offensive showing since scoring 110 versus Troy last year. Senior center Mercedes Russell led the charge vs. Alabama State (1-7), scoring 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor. She now is hitting 69.3 percent (61-of-88) for the season.
Junior guard Meme Jackson fired in 19, coming up a point shy of her career best. Freshman forward Rennia Davisfilled the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Senior forward Jaime Nared and freshmen guards Anastasia Hayes and Evina Westbrook also hit double figures, contributing 14, 13 and 11 points, respectively. Redshirt junior forward Cheridene Green grabbed 10 boards, continuing her strong interior play.
Tennessee relied on suffocating defense to get its offense going at a breakneck pace in the first quarter. A quick steal and score by Westbrook helped get Tennessee off to a 12-0 start. All seven Lady Vols that played during the quarter scored on the way to an impressive 30-12 lead.
The Tennessee offensive explosion continued in the second stanza of the game, as Russell completely took over, scoring 16 of UT’s 31 points. The Lady Vols outscored Alabama State 36-10 in the paint and had zero turnovers to the Hornets’ 14 at the half, taking full advantage of a clear advantage in team length and athleticism. The teams entered the half with the Lady Vols in command, 61-26.
DOMINATING THE FIRST STANZA
Tennessee’s 30 first-quarter points against Alabama State tied for the fourth most points ever scored in any quarter by a Lady Vols team. UT bettered that in the second frame, scoring 31 to improve the fourth-best all-time total.
Through eight games UT has outscored opponents in the first quarter, 182-99.
THE SERIES VS. TROY
Tennessee and Troy are meeting for the third time in women’s basketball.
The teams first played on Dec. 14, 2013, when the #3/3 Lady Vols won, 103-64, in Knoxville.
Last season, UT won in a track meet-style game over the Trojans, 110-84, at Thompson-Boling Arena on Dec. 21
The Trojans are members of the Sun Belt Conference, and the Lady Vols are 7-6 all-time vs. that league.
Second-year Tennessee assistant coach Sharrona (Alexander) Reaves began her coaching career at Troy and helped the school to a 50-35 record during her stint there from 1995-98.
While at Troy, Reaves coached a player named Heather Lenoir (now Heather Ervin), who would later become her co-worker at Tennessee in 2016-17.
Ervin (at Troy from 1997-99) serves as Tennessee women’s basketball’s director of recruiting operations and player personnel and is originally from Sweetwater, Tenn.
LAST MEETING BETWEEN UT & TU
Alexa Middleton scored a career-high 29 points and Jaime Nared, Mercedes Russell and Jordan Reynolds posted double-doubles to lead Tennessee to a 110-84 win over Troy on Dec. 21, 2016, at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Lady Vols’ (7-4) 110 points in the win were their most since a 111-44 win over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 3, 2014. UT shot 51.3 percent from the floor and limited Troy (6-4) to just 34.3 percent shooting.
Tennessee played without its second-leading scorer, Diamond DeShields, who was held out due to injury. UT finished the game strong, scoring a program-record 38 points in the fourth quarter.
Middleton scored 15 of her 29 points in the first half and was 7-of-10 on 3-pointers, tying for the fourth-most by a Lady Vol in a single game. Nared scored 15 of her 21 points in the second half and finished with a career-high 14 rebounds. Russell had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Reynolds scored 12 points, dished out a career-high 13 assists and had eight boards. Meme Jackson posted career bests with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Schaquilla Nunn added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Claresa Banks led Troy with 19 points. Jayla Chills had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Trojans.
TROY RESET
Troy returns one starter and has six total letterwinners back from last year’s 22-11 squad that finished third in the Sun Belt with a 12-6 record but won the league tournament to earn a first round bout opposite eventual NCAA runner-up Mississippi State. The Bulldogs won that tilt by a score of 110-69.
The Trojans are led by diminutive senior guard Amanda Mendoza, who averages 14.3 points per contest and has hit 12 threes to pace TU.
Roughly 78 percent (35-45) of Mendoza’s shots have come from behind the arc. Mendoza ranks second in the Sun Belt and 43rd nationally with 3.0 threes per game.
Troy has four more players averaging double figures in points and regularly plays 13 players.
Troy has played at least 12 players in 39 consecutive games dating back to the 2015-16 season. This year, the Trojans’ bench is outscoring its counterparts, 44.6-22.6, on average.
Sky’Lynn Holmes, a 6-1 junior forward, averages a double-double of 10.6 points and 10.8 rebounds.
Troy ranks second in the NCAA, forcing 29.4 turnovers per game. The Trojans have forced 20-plus turnovers in every game this season including a program-record 48 at Tennessee State.
Troy is ranked in the top eight nationally in five categories: turnovers forced (2nd), offensive rebounds/game (3rd), scoring offense (5th), steals/game (8th), turnover margin (8th).
The Trojans have scored at least 89 points in all five games this season. Troy scored 90-plus points in five of its first six games last year.
TROY LAST TIME OUT (TU 89, JU 88)
Amber Rivers scored on a layup off an inbound play with just 0.2 left on the clock to upend Jacksonville 89-88 in the Trojans last game on Friday.
After Jacksonville’s Jasmyn Brown drilled a deep three to give the Dolphins an 88-87 lead, Troy called a timeout with 1.7 seconds on the clock advancing the ball to the offensive timeline. Kayla Robinson inbounded the ball to a wide open Rivers, who calmly banked in a layup for her only points of the contest and what proved to be the deciding basket.
Four Trojans scored in double digits, paced by Sky’Lynn Holmes with 17.
Rob Patrickon Wednesday announced his resignation as head coach of Tennessee’s women’s volleyball program. Patrick, who last month completed his 21st season leading the UT volleyball program, is the program’s all-time wins leader with 409 career victories.
His resignation is effective immediately.
“We’re very appreciative of Coach Patrick’s longstanding service to the University of Tennessee,” Associate Athletics Director and volleyball administrator Angie Boyd-Keck said. “Our program made tremendous progress under his leadership, and we wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.”
Patrick coached 16 of the program’s 18 all-time All-Americans, and his student-athletes earned 38 All-SEC honors and 26 All-South Region accolades.
He guided Tennessee to a total of nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including a program-best stretch of five straight from 2008-12.
“This is the proper time for me to move on to other opportunities, which will allow me to spend quality time with my wife and two young daughters,” Patrick said. “I am very proud of the academic and athletic successes we have accomplished during my tenure.
“I would like to thank the University of Tennessee—and especially Joan Cronan—for hiring me and giving me the opportunity to coach at this special institution. I’d also like to thank Angie Keck and Donna Thomas for all the support they have provided to me. Finally, I must extend my heartfelt thanks to the incredible assistant coaches I worked with, along with all the talented student-athletes who worked hard and sacrificed for the success of Tennessee volleyball.”
Tennessee’s most prolific seasons under Patrick came in 2004 and 2005. The 2005 Lady Vols charged all the way to the NCAA semifinals, and he was named NCAA National Coach of the Year by VBall Magazine.
The previous year, in 2004, UT posted a 32-3 (15-1 SEC) record and captured the first of two regular-season SEC Championships of his tenure (also 2011). Tennessee also won the 2004 SEC Tournament. That team’s 32 victories stand as a school record.
Following that 2004 campaign, Patrick was awarded both the AVCA South Region and SEC Coach of the Year awards, as well as CVU.com National Coach of the Year honors. He also was a finalist for AVCA National Coach of the Year.
Tennessee compiled 11 20-win seasons during Patrick’s tenure, including five in a row from 2008-2012. Prior to his arrival in July of 1997, UT had not recorded a 20-win season since 1988. His nine-year stretch of winning seasons from 1998-2006 marked the longest-such run in program history, topping the previous high of seven, set from 1978-84.
From 1997 through 2012, Tennessee volleyball finished outside the top four in the final SEC standings only one time (a fifth-place finish in 2007).
The success of the program during Patrick’s tenure was not limited to the volleyball court, however, as 47 Tennessee volleyball student-athletes earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll a total of 90 times during his career at UT.
Tennessee volleyball also has posted 11 consecutive years with a perfect 100 percent multi-year NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR). And in the most recent release of NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) data, the volleyball program posted a perfect single-year score for 2015-16.
Tennessee now will begin the process of executing a national search for its next head volleyball coach.
Between his gig as a coach on The Voice, releasing new music and making the media rounds, Blake Shelton has carved out some time in 2018 to headline a new tour.
Blake will hit the road in February for his Country Music Freaks Tour. Kicking off on Feb. 15 in Tulsa, Okla., Blake will make stops in St. Louis, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia and more during the 14-date trek.
“Look man, touring is still what I have the most fun with in this business,” says Blake to Nash Country Daily. “And I try to limit myself to not burn out on it because it’s too important to me, so when I put together a tour, it’s always important to me who’s on it and where we go.”
Brett Eldredge and Carly Pearce will serve as openers during the tour, and special guest Trace Adkins will join the ensemble in Tulsa.
“This lineup, I can’t believe it actually worked out, because Brett, his career is blowing up. He’s the new dude in country music that’s taken off, and I couldn’t be happier for him. And man, it’s tough, you know, we wanted a female artist for the tour to represent the girls in country music . . . and we’re so lucky to get Carly, and I can’t thank her enough for signing on for this tour. She’s going to make us look good. And, of course, Trace, I brought him out to keep all of our egos in check because as soon we start having fun and getting a little rowdy out there, he’ll be the one coming in there cranky and grumpy and yelling at us all and make sure that our egos are in check.”
Country Music Freaks Tour
2/15/18 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
2/16/18 Lubbock, TX United Supermarkets Arena
2/17/18 Las Cruces, NM Pan American Center
2/22/18 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
2/23/18 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
2/24/18 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
3/2/18 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
3/3/18 Bossier City, LA CenturyLink Center
3/8/18 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
3/9/18 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena
3/10/18 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
3/15/18 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
3/16/18 Baltimore, MD Royal Farms Arena
3/17/18 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum announced its slate of 2018 exhibitions.
The 2018 schedule includes exhibits featuring Little Big Town, Ralph Stanley, the Judds and Emmylou Harris. In addition, American Currents: The Music of 2017 will include artifacts from Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Randy Travis and Chris Young.
The exhibits’ opening dates are below.
March 9: American Currents: The Music of 2017 June 29: Little Big Town July 13: Ralph Stanley August 3: The Judds October 5: Emmylou Harris
Here’s what the Hall of Fame had to say about each upcoming exhibit:
Little Big Town
On June 29, the museum will open a special exhibit on Grammy and American Music Award-winning group Little Big Town, the vocal quartet made up of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook. Twenty years after forming, Little Big Town are consistent award winners, earning platinum certifications for their albums Pain Killer, Tornado and The Road to Here. In 2017, they notched a sixth consecutive CMA Award win for Vocal Group of the Year and won their fourth ACM Award for Vocal Group of the Year. They also brought their dynamic performance values and crystalline vocal harmonies to multiple concerts at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in a year-long, sold-out residency there.
Ralph Stanley
July 13 brings an exhibit devoted to legendary mountain musician Ralph Stanley, whose rendition of “O Death,” from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? film soundtrack captured the 2001 Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal. After twenty years as half of legendary bluegrass duo the Stanley Brothers, Ralph began a solo career in 1966 following the death of brother Carter Stanley. Ralph’s unique style and distinctive tenor broke new ground in bluegrass, and he became a standard-bearer for country music’s Appalachian folk roots.
The Judds
Another new exhibit will explore the lives and careers of Grammy-winning mother-daughter duo the Judds opening Aug. 3, 2018. Wynonna and Naomi Judd brought a fresh acoustic sound to country music, with unmistakable harmonies surrounding Wynonna’s powerful lead vocals. The Judds dominated the country charts during the 1980s and ’90s, and have sold more than 20 million albums and registered 20 Top Ten hits. Although the Judds dissolved in 1991 following Naomi’s hepatitis diagnosis the duo have reunited for special tours and performances. Wynonna has achieved great success as a solo artist.
Emmylou Harris
Finally, 12-time Grammy winner and Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris will be the subject of a major exhibition opening Oct. 5, 2018. From her start with Gram Parsons in California during the early 1970s to her acceptance in Nashville and mainstream country music in the 1980s, Harris has brought millions of new listeners to country music. Over 40 years into a remarkable career, she has amassed twenty-seven Top Ten hits, including seven that reached #1. She also has placed fourteen albums in the Top Ten of the Billboard country album chart.
American Currents: The Music of 2017
In addition to examining the stories of individual artists, the museum will unveil the exhibition American Currents: The Music of 2017, on March 9, 2018. The exhibit will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the major country music happenings in the prior year. Highlights of 2017 will be represented by artifacts from Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Randy Travis and Chris Young with more to be announced.
Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman have listed their estate in Franklin, Tenn., (20 miles south of Nashville) for $3.45 million.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom, 5,086-square-foot house, which was built in 1987, sits on 35.73 acres and features a gym, guest cottage, barn, garden trails, hilltop building site and more.
Keith and Nicole also own a 12,000-square-foot home in Nashville.
Moran Wallen will hit the road for his headlining Up Down Tour on Feb. 2 in Indianapolis. Morgan will make more than 20 stops during the coast-to-coast trek, including performances in Myrtle Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and more.
“I can’t wait to get on the road and play some new music for people across the country,” said Morgan. “I’ve been lucky enough to watch and learn from incredible artists and entertainers like Florida Georgia Line who took me out on their tours early on. Now, I’m excited to hit the stage as a headliner and really show everyone what I’m about.”
Morgan will be joined by opener Ray Fulcher for select dates on the tour. Tickets go on sale on Dec. 15.
Walker Hayes will launch his 13-city Good as Gold Tour on Feb. 1 in Uncasville, Conn. Walker will makes stops in Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and more before capping the tour on April 27 in San Martin, Calif.
“I am so humbled by folks wanting to see this live that we can do this,” said Walker, who named the tour after a line in his Top 15 song, “You Broke Up With Me.” “I’m so honored to have so many supporters—from my peers to the industry to country radio—on this crazy journey with me. You all have absolutely changed my life.”
Note: Peyton Manning will be OFFICIALLY inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night at the 60th annual NFF Banquet. Peyton’s induction will be broadcast live at 8:30 p.m. ET on WatchESPN.
NEW YORK – Peyton Manning rewrote the University of Tennessee football record books as a quarterback from 1994 to 1997, becoming the Volunteers’ all-time leader in passing yards (11,201), wins by a quarterback (39) and passing touchdowns (89), while winning the Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Award and the Maxwell Award, among several honors, and leading UT to the 1997 Southeastern Conference Championship.
Still, Manning didn’t mention any awards, records or specific plays when he was asked about his fondest memories during his collegiate career on Tuesday at the New York Hilton Midtown a few hours before he was set to become the 23rd Tennessee Volunteer inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame.
“Relationships,” Manning said are what he remembers most, and what he was most thankful for from his football career.
“Everybody has expressed their greatest memory has been the relationships with their teammates, coaches, equipment staff, the trainers and video directors – people that are the behind-the-scenes of a football team, but are every bit as important as the star running back,” Manning said during a press conference with the other members of the 2017 Hall of Fame Class.
“I cherish those relationships and fortunately I still have them today even though I don’t still play. That’s my greatest takeaway of my years playing football are those relationships.”
Over 50 friends, family, teammates and Tennessee personnel are in New York for Manning’s induction, proving that one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time was just as great as forming those lasting bonds of friendship as he was at tossing a perfect touchdown pass.
Manning also excelled in the classroom during his four years on Rocky Top, winning the 1997 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is given to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete, and attending the National Football Foundation banquet. Manning is just the second Campbell Trophy winner to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
“I truly took the role of being a student-athlete very seriously,” Manning said. “I had a great experience during my four years in Knoxville. I remember being amongst those other student-athletes 20 years ago. I met some great guys. I’ve been to this banquet a couple different times and it’s always one of the highlights. I’m just honored to be a part of that group.”
Mannings Become First Father-Son Duo Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
Peyton Manning’s first time at the NFF Banquet was 28 years ago when his father, Archie, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Peyton Manning was 13 years old at the time and he remembered the excitement of being in New York City for the first time.
“My mom let me and my two brothers miss school to come up here and witness our dad go into the Hall of Fame,” Peyton Manning said. “First time wearing a tuxedo. First time being in New York. It was a big deal. I can remember what a big deal it was for my dad.
“It’s kind of surreal getting to experience that same moment tonight. I’m honored to be selected to the College Football Hall of Fame, especially with all of these great players and coaches. To join my dad – it’s quite a unique honor and very humbling.”
Archie Manning is the National Football Foundation Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer following a standout career as a quarterback at the University of Mississippi.
Peyton Manning had an appreciation for his dad’s college accolades at young age. He recalled listening to old radio broadcasts of Ole Miss games as a kid.
“I really took an interest in his college football experience,” Peyton Manning said. “I used to listen to the old radio broadcasts of his games. I had a real passion for college football, so to be able to go play at the University of Tennessee – I was honored to have the opportunity to play.”
For Archie, watching his son come full circle and join him as part of the first father-son duo to be inducted as players at the NFF banquet on Tuesday night will be a special moment.
“First of all, I was excited to hear that Peyton was going to be a member of this class,” the elder Manning said. “Tennessee people know how passionate he is about college football – how much he enjoyed his journey at Tennessee.
“He was here that night I was inducted. He and my other sons were in their tuxedos. I think it means a lot to him and we’re honored. To be the first of father-son duo is great.”
Relationships, Tradition are What Make Tennessee Special
Archie Manning talked about relationships, of course, as being a main reason his son had so much success at Tennessee under head coach Phillip Fulmer.
“Peyton’s relationship with Coach Fulmer – quarterback and head coach – through the years was so positive, so good,” Archie Manning said. “David Cutcliffe was there the whole time – he’s a great coach. Randy Sanders recruited him. That whole staff. He was close to those guys. Especially, when he stayed for his senior year. He had a great experience. He loves to keep up with his teammates.
“I think Peyton did what I wish all college players would do. Slow down and enjoy that journey through college. You don’t have to sprint to be an NFL player. There’s a lot there in college – tradition and campus life. I’m proud Peyton took his time and soaked that up.”
Those relationships formed over time and the tradition of 121 years of football are part of what make coming back to Rocky Top special.
When Manning had his on-campus salute for his Hall of Fame induction earlier this fall, he invited all of Tennessee’s living Hall of Fame members to be on the field with him when he received his plaque at Neyland Stadium. His father was there, too, of course.
“The University of Tennessee is an important part of the College Football Hall of Fame,” Peyton Manning said. “The on-campus celebration back in Knoxville this fall was very special. It had all of the other living Hall of Famers represented there in Knoxville. It meant a great deal to me. All out there on the field with me when I actually received my plaque. Obviously, my dad in his role with the National Football Foundation was on the field with me, as well. That was a very special moment. I’ve always been grateful of the support from the University of Tennessee family. It’s meant a great deal to me.
“I believe I’m the 23rd Tennessee Volunteer to be inducted. That certainly says more about Tennessee than it does me. But to join guys like Johnny Majors, Reggie White, Doug Atkins, and like I said, Coach (Phillip) Fulmer and Coach (Doug) Dickey – it’s very humbling.”
The 2017 College Football Hall of Fame Class:
Bob Crable (Notre Dame), Marshall Faulk (San Diego State), Kirk Gibson (Michigan State), Matt Leinart (Southern California), Peyton Manning (Tennessee), Bob McKay (Texas), Dat Nguyen (Texas A&M), Adrian Peterson (Georgia Southern), Mike Ruth (Boston College), Brian Urlacher (New Mexico) and coaches Danny Ford (Clemson, Arkansas), Larry Kehres (Mount Union [Ohio]) and Steve Spurrier (Duke, Florida, South Carolina).
Manning is the third Tennessee quarterback to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, joining Dodd, who starred at Tennessee from 1928-30, and Cafego (1938-39).
Seventy-five All-America coaches and six elite coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 95 players and 29 coaches from the divisional ranks were on the ballot. The Hall of Fame Honors Court, comprised of members of the National Football Foundation, athletics directors, coaches and members of CoSIDA, are responsible for the final vote for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
An Unmatched Professional and Collegiate Career
After 18 outstanding years in the NFL, setting league passing and touchdown records and winning his second Super Bowl last January, Manning retired from the game of football.
Leading the Denver Broncos to a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Manning earned his 200th career win (regular season and postseason included) to become the first player to reach that milestone. He is also the only quarterback in NFL history to have led two different franchises (he won Super Bowl XLI with the Indianapolis Colts) to Super Bowl Championships. Manning retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards (71,940), passing touchdowns (539), game-winning drives (56), fourth-quarter comebacks (45) and regular-season wins (186, tied with Brett Favre). He was also a five-time NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013) and a 14-time Pro Bowl selection.
Manning is the Vols’ all-time leader in passing yards (11,201), wins by a quarterback (39), 300-yard games (18), passing touchdowns (89), pass attempts (1,381) and pass completions (863). His 11,020 total yards of offense, 10 games of 300 passing yards, 22 home wins and 13 road wins are also Tennessee records.
Manning was the 1994 SEC Freshman of the year and earned All-SEC honors in 1995 and 1996. He was an Associated Press and Football News Third-Team All-American in 1996. In 1997, Manning was a consensus All-American and won the William V. Campbell Trophy, the Davey O’Brien Award, the Johnny Unitas Award, the NCAA QB of the Year award, the Maxwell Award, the James E. Sullivan Award, the Today’s Top VIII Award and SEC Player of the Year. He led the Vols to a 30-29 win over Auburn in the 1997 SEC Championship, earning MVP honors. Manning also received the 1998 ESPY for Best College Football Player.
Up Down Tour
