Since dropping his debut studio album in 1990, Alan Jackson has been keeping it country—selling nearly 60 million albums worldwide and ranking as one of the 10 best-selling country artists of all-time.
As you probably imagined, Alan will be keeping it country in 2018 during his 28th year in the biz with the extension of his Honky Tonk Highway Tour, which kicked off in January 2017 and ran through November 2017.
More dates will be announced soon.
Alan Jackson’s 2018 Honky Tonk Highway Tour
January 19
Lexington, KY
Rupp Arena **++
January 20
Little Rock, AR
Verizon Arena ^^++
February 8
Independence, MO
Silverstein Eye Centers Arena ^^
February 9
Indianapolis, IN
Bankers Life Fieldhouse ^^
February 15
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo **
February 16
Grand Prairie, TX
Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie ^^
March 23
Toledo, OH
Huntington Center
May 24
Pittsburgh, PA
TBD
April 27
Baltimore, MD
Royal Farms Arena
April 28
Albany, NY
Times Union Center ^^
May 4
Tuscaloosa, AL
Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre
June 23
Orange Beach, FL
The Wharf ^^
July 27
Central Point, OR
Country Crossing Music Festival **
July 28
Mountain Home, ID
Mountain Home Country Music Festival **
August 16
Vienna, VA
Wolf Trap
August 17
Gilford, NH
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion ^^
September 15
Charlotte, NC
Spectrum Center ^^
**Date is already onsale
^^Tickets onsale Friday, November 17
++with special guest Lauren Alaina
Check out 36 of our favorite performance photos from the 51st CMA Awards on Nov. 8, including shots of Eric Church, Thomas Rhett, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kane Brown, Alan Jackson and more.
Jimmy Kimmel rounded up some of his country music chums for the third installment of his popular late-night bit, Mean Tweets: Country Music Edition.
The premise is simple—and hilarious—as country stars read unflattering tweets about themselves. Check out the new clip, which features Zac Brown Band, Cassadee Pope, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Randy Houser, Old Dominion, Trace Adkins, Darius Rucker, Dan + Shay, Jana Kramer, Chris Young, Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Chris Stapleton, Jake Owen, Little Big Town and Justin Moore.
1. WINNERS: Brothers Osborne 2. LOSERS: Florida Georgia Line
Brothers T.J and John Osborne scored two big wins: Vocal Duo of the Year and Music Video of the Year (“It Ain’t My Fault). After upsetting Florida Georgia Line to win Vocal Duo of the Year in 2016, many insiders—including myself—felt that FGL homeostasis would be restored this year. Not the case, even though FGL had a monster year with their tour and No. 1 hits “May We All” and “God, Your Mama, and Me.” Another big win for BO. Another middle finger to FGL.
photo by Jason Simanek
3. WINNER: Chris Stapleton
With the whiskey-soaked voice of a bearded angel, Chris Stapleton burst onto the mainstream scene at the 2015 CMA Awards when he won Album, Male Vocalist and New Artist of the Year. The honeymoon ain’t over. In 2016, Chris won Male Vocalist and Music Video of the Year. This year he scored wins for Album and Male Vocalist of the Year. Unless Chris comes out with a rap album in 2018, expect him to keep his foothold on the Male Vocalist award for years to come. Sidebar: I’d buy Chris Stapleton’ rap album.
photo by Jason Simanek
4. WINNER: Miranda Lambert
Miranda further solidified her spot among the pantheon of country music deities by winning her seventh Female Vocalist of the Year Award. It’s a mind-blowing accomplishment. Since the award’s inception in 1967, no artist has won more than four times (Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride). Miranda is not even close to being finished adding to her CMA awards total.
photo by Jason Simanek
5. WINNER: Keith Urban 6. LOSER: Sam Hunt
In 2016, Keith was nominated for Entertainer, Album, Male Vocalist and Musical Event of the Year. He won nothing. In 2017, Keith was nominated four times for Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single and Music Video of the Year. He managed to win Single of the Year for “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” One win in the past eight nominations ain’t great, but it’s better than going O-fer. On the other hand, Sam Hunt has been nominated five times in the last three years and has nothing to show for it. This year, Sam’s “Body Like a Back Road” was nominated for both Single and Song of the Year. Keep in mind that “Body Like a Back Road” spent a record 34 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. And it still wasn’t good enough in the voters’ minds to take either prize.
photo by Jason Simanek
7. WINNER: Garth Brooks
In 2016, Garth won the CMA Entertainer of the Year award for an unprecedented fifth time. In 2017, the G-man extended his record by winning the award for a sixth time. How entertaining is Garth? So much so that he can lip-sync a performance at the 2017 CMA Awards and still win Entertainer of the Year. That’s a fact . . . a sweet, sweet fact.
Before the 51st CMA Awards kicked off at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the stars walked the red carpet at the Music City Center. Check out our red carpet photo gallery featuring Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Thomas Rhett, Cam, Maren Morris, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Brothers Osborne, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and many more.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head coach Butch Jones met with the media for the final time this week during his Wednesday press conference at the Ray and Lucy Hand Digital Studio.
Jones talked about the challenges of facing Missouri’s fast paced and high-powered offense, Trey Smith‘s contributions along the offensive line and the quarterback situation heading into this Saturday’s game in Columbia, Mo.
Unstoppable Force vs. Immovable Object
Tennessee’s stingy pass defense – which ranks fourth nationally and first in the SEC, giving up just 150 yards per game – will face one of its toughest tests to date this Saturday night when it takes on the Tigers’ high-octane offense. Missouri enters the game leading the SEC in total offense (484.1 yards/game) while junior quarterback Drew Lock leads the country with 31 touchdown passes.
On the flip side, the Vols have allowed more than 200 yards passing just twice this season and have held six of their nine opponents to 137 yards or fewer through the air.
“I think we have continued to grow, develop and improve from game to game,” Jones said in regards to the Vols’ pass defense. “We will be extremely tested Saturday night. They apply so much pressure to a defense, from the tempo, to the run game, to the RPOs, to the skill sets of their players and their quarterback
“They are a very good football team. We are going to have to play our most complete football game defensively, and as a football team.”
Jones mentioned one of the most difficult things about playing this type of offense is trying to simulate it in practice.
“It’s a great challenge because so much of playing in an up-tempo football team is relying on your discipline and execution,” Jones said. “We’ve done some different things and it’s hard to completely simulate it, but we’ve tried to be creative in terms of how we go about doing it. I think it helps that a lot of these players played against them last year, so they understand the challenges that are associated with playing against this type of offense.”
Smith Continues Solid Play, Maturation Process
You could argue that true freshman offensive lineman Trey Smith has been the most impressive player for UT this season. The Jackson, Tenn., native has lived up to the hype after joining Team 121 as the nation’s top recruit in the 2017 signing class according to ESPN.
Smith is the only Vols’ offensive lineman to start every game this season and became the first true freshman to start at left tackle for Tennessee in over 30 years after doing so in last Saturday’s win over Southern Miss.
“He’s an individual who accepts every challenge,” Jones said. “He’s very competitive, wants to do exceptionally well, works his craft every day. He’s really gaining more and more confidence as the season progresses. He’s turning into one of our leaders.
“It’s different to go inside all season then to go outside. We see him continuing to grow and get better and better, and get more confidence at that position. We’ll see where we’re at from a depth standpoint Saturday night where he plays, but I think it just adds to the flexibility up front now that he’s had the game experience at left tackle.
Jones Confident in QBs Guarantano & McBride
After missing the second half of last Saturday’s win over Southern Miss, Jones said that redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Guarantano is probable for this weekend’s contest. However, Jones is also confident in the ability of true freshman backup Will McBride should the need arise for him to step in.
“He has the same temperate every day,” Jones said about McBride. “He has the same disposition. He is never too high or low. He is very consistent. He is very poised. Even when it was time for him to go in the game this last Saturday, there was no difference in his demeanor. He does not get his blood pressure up. He is very calm and collected. I think the players see that.”
McBride played the entire second half of UT’s Homecoming win over Southern Miss, leading a pair of touchdown drives in the third quarter.
Parker Henry Honored for Academic Success
Tennessee redshirt junior Parker Henry was recently selected for the East Tennessee Outstanding Finance Student Award. The Hendersonville, Tenn., native has started all eight games as the Vols’ holder this season and boasts a 4.0 GPA while double majoring in Finance and Political Science. Henry is also up for consideration to be on the CoSIDA Academic All-District team for the second straight year.
Amazon released its 2017 list of the the most requested country lyrics via Alexa.
In case you’re not familiar with Alexa, it is Amazon’s voice-activated virtual assistant that can do a number of things, including play music.
If you were having trouble remembering the name of a song you heard last night, you could address your Amazon device (Echo, Dot or Tap) by saying, “Alexa, play the song that goes, ‘I’ve got friends in low places.’” Second later, Garth Brooks’ classic, “Friends in Low Places,” would begin playing.
You get the idea.
So, what country lyrics topped this year’s list of most requested? Here’s the rundown of the Top 10, which includes everything from classics like David Allan Coe’s “You Never Even Called Me By My Name” to 2017 No. 1 hits like Luke Combs’ “Hurricane.”
Top 10 Requested Country Lyrics Via Alexa
10. “…she don’t love you, she’s just lonely…”
Eric Paslay: “She Don’t Love You”
9. “…love like there’s no such thing as a broken heart…”
Old Dominion: “No Such Thing as a Broken Heart”
8. “…cold beer on a Friday night…”
Zac Brown Band: “Chicken Fried”
7. “…head over boots for you…”
Jon Pardi: “Head Over Boots”
6. “…I finally found somethin’ I’m good at…”
Brett Eldredge: “Somethin’ I’m Good At”
5. “…chillin’ on a dirt road…”
Jason Aldean: “Dirt Road Anthem”
4. “…when the lights come on…”
Jason Aldean: “Lights Come On”
3. “…you don’t have to call me darlin’…”
David Allan Coe: “You Never Even Called Me By My Name (Album Version)”
2. “…I’ve got friends in low places…”
Garth Brooks: “Friends in Low Places”
1. “…hit me like a hurricane…”
Luke Combs: “Hurricane”
With the release of new single, “Female,” Keith Urban is giving fans the first taste from his upcoming—and as of yet unannounced—10th studio album.
The empowering tune, which was co-penned by Nicolle Galyon, Ross Copperman and Shane McAnally, boldly tackles themes of misogyny and rape culture—especially heavy topics when compared to the Top 40 stylings of recent No. 1 hits like “Body Like a Back Road” and “All the Pretty Girls.”
As an established and respected country music veteran—who is also still very relevant on the charts—and the father of two young girls, Keith is an ideal catalyst to put a song like this in motion.
Check out “Female” below, as well as the lyrics.
“Female” When you hear somebody says somebody hits like a girl How does that hit you? Is that such a bad thing?
When you hear a song that they play sayin’ you run the world Do you believe it? Will you live to see it?
Chorus Sister – shoulder – daughter – lover Healer – broken halo – Mother Nature – fire – suit of armor – sole survivor – holy water Secret keeper – fortune teller Virgin Mary – Scarlet letter Technicolor – river wild Baby – girl – woman – child Female
When somebody laughs and implies that she asked for it Just cause she was wearing a skirt Oh is that how that works?
When somebody talks about how it was Adam first Does that make you second best? Or did He save the best for last?
Repeat Chorus
She’s the heart of life She’s the dreamer’s dream She’s the hands of time She’s the queen of kings
On Nov. 7, Broadcast Music Inc. presented the 2017 BMI Country Awards, honoring the prolific songwriting career of BMI Icon Bob DiPiero, as well as the BMI Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year.
A host of artists paid tribute to Bob by performing his hits, including Brooks & Dunn (“You Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl”), Reba McEntire (“Till You Love Me”) and Jon Pardi (“Daddy’s Money”).
In addition, Ross Copperman was named Songwriter of the Year, with credits that include, among others, Locash’s “I Know Somebody,” Kenny Chesney’s “Noise” and “Setting the World On Fire,” Brett Eldredge’s “Wanna Be That Song” and Keith Urban’s “Break On Me.”
Florida Georgia Line’s “H.O.L.Y”—written by busbee and Nate Cyphert—earned Song of the Year, while Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville took home the Publisher of the Year accolade.
Keith Urban was presented with the BMI Champion award for his work supporting the next generation of songwriters and music makers.
Take a look at our red carpet photo gallery that includes shots of Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Chris Young, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Brett Eldredge, Dan + Shay and many more. All photos courtesy of Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com. If you don’t see the photo gallery below, click here.
