Luke Bryan premiered the new music video for his single “Light It Up,” which is currently No. 9 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after just nine weeks.
The video for “Light It Up,” the lead single from Luke’s upcoming What Makes You Country album, was directed by Michael Monaco and stars NBA player Jimmy Bulter, who has been to several of Luke’s concerts.
Luke will release his sixth studio album, What Makes You Country, on Dec. 8. Produced by Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens, What Makes You Country features 15 songs, seven of which were co-written by Luke.
Luke Bryan announced he will be hitting the road in 2018 with a new What Makes You Country Tour.
The first leg of the tour kicks off on Feb. 16 in Springfield, Mo., with six announced dates at this time, including stops in Louisville and Atlantic City.
Kip Moore and The Cadillac Three will serve as openers during the first leg.
Tickets go on sale on Nov. 3, with pre-sale tickets beginning on Nov. 1 through Citi’s Private Pass program. More dates will be announced soon.
Luke will release his sixth studio album, What Makes You Country, on Dec. 8. Produced by Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens, What Makes You Country features 15 songs, seven of which were co-written by Luke, including the title track. The album’s lead single, “Light It Up,” is currently No. 9 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after just nine weeks.
“My favorite part of making a new album is getting to collaborate with the songwriting community in this town,” said Luke. “It is important to me to continue to push myself to grow on all levels and I feel like we did that on this project. Making and performing music never gets old and I can honestly say I am having the time of my life. I will be forever grateful to every fan who sings along each night.”
What Makes You Country Tour
Feb. 16
Springfield, MO
JQH Arena
Feb. 17
Evansville, IN
Ford Center
Feb. 18
Louisville, KY
KFC Yum! Center
Feb. 22
State College, PA
Bryce Jordan Center
Feb. 23
Atlantic City, NJ
Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
A star-studded cast from all genres of music took the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 25 to help Kenny Rogers ride off into the sunset after a 60-year career.
The showcase, dubbed All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration, featured the final duet by Kenny and Dolly Parton, one of country music’s most beloved tandems.
The concert featured performances by the Oak Ridge Boys (“Love or Something Like It”), Elle King (“Tulsa Turnaround”), Justin Moore (“Lucille”), Billy Currington (“Morning Desire”), Jamey Johnson (“Sweet Music Man” and “Just Dropped In to See What Condition My Condition Was In”), Reba McEntire (“Reuben James”), Wynonna Judd (“You Turn the Light On”), The Judds (“Back to the Well”), Linda Davis and Hillary Scott (“Twenty Years Ago”), Alison Krauss (“Love the World Away”), Kris Kristofferson (“Me and Bobby McGee”), Lionel Richie (“Lady”), Chris Stapleton (“The Gambler”), Lady Antebellum (“She Believes In Me”), Little Big Town (“Through the Years”), Idina Menzel “(You Decorated My Life”), Idina and Charles Kelley (“We’ve Got Tonight”) and more.
Dolly Parton and Kenny performed “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” before Dolly serenaded Kenny with “I Will Always Love You.”
Dolly and Kenny closed the show with their final performance of “Islands in the Stream,” dropping their microphones like rock stars upon completion.
Kenny still has dates 13 dates left on his final tour, which caps on Dec. 16 in Buffalo, NY.
Take a look at our red carpet photo gallery—courtesy of Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com—which features Kenny, Dolly, Crystal Gayle, Lady Antebellum, Lionel Richie, Travis Tritt, Oak Ridge Boys, Justin Moore, Lee Greenwood, Idina Menzel, Elle King and more.
John Kelly and Will Ignont will be suspended for the Kentucky game as a result of the incident on Tuesday night. Members of our football team have a responsibility to represent the University of Tennessee in a first-class manner. I met with John and Will and they understand their actions were unacceptable.
-UT Athletics
Vols RB John Kelly – Credit: Scott Clarke – ESPN Images
Eric Church released a new video for his current single, “Round Here Buzz,” which is the fourth single from his 2015 album, Mr. Misunderstood.
Co-written by Eric, Luke Dick and Jeff Hyde, “Round Here Buzz” is currently No. 13 on Billboard’s Country Airplay.
Directed by Reid Long, the music video for “Round Here Buzz” again features Mickey Smay, the teenager from the “Mr. Misunderstood” and “Record Year” videos.
The 2017 Nash Next challenge is down to 10 finalists, and in the lead-up to the announcement of the champion on Nov. 1, NCD will be profiling each of the 10 finalists.
Today, we are getting to know Lick Creek.
In May, Cumulus Media and Big Machine Label Group invited aspiring country artists and bands to participate in Nash Next 2017, a grassroots talent search and artist development program for country music. Sponsored nationally by Country Inns & Suites by Carlson, the winner of the competition will receive a recording contract with Nash Next Records under the Big Machine Label Group and garner substantial exposure, commensurate with a major-label release, on Cumulus radio stations nationwide.
The 10 finalists were selected by a panel of country radio professionals and will be judged in the finale by a group that includes Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and Scott Borchetta, president and CEO of Big Machine Label Group. The 10 finalists will perform at the 2017 Nash Next finale event at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event is open to the public.
Lick Creek
Band Members: Wesley Ingram (lead guitar), Ryan King (guitar/banjo/mandolin), Steve Gragert (bass), Maddie Brown (acoustic guitar & lead vocals), Brandon Drew (drums), and Lance Stone (lead vocals) Market: Bloomington/Peoria. Ill. Website:LickCreekCountry.com Facebook: @LickCreekCountry Twitter:@Lick_Creek Instagram: @LickCreekCountry
Our diversity. We mix heavy drums, strong slide, outlaw, rock, and country. We are the kind of band that can jam on the front porch with the smell of grilled burgers in the air with just our friends and family around us, or we can play to 30,000 people in a packed venue. Either way, you get the same genuine, honest, energetic show. We truly love what we do.
What three albums would you take with you to a deserted island?
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s Second Helping and Travis Tritt’s Greatest Hits.
What’s a song you wish you had written?
The Band’s “The Weight,” which was written by Robbie Robertson.
What’s the last song you heard that blew you away?
Steel Woods’ “Axe.”
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
“Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound.”
Where is the coolest place you’ve performed?
Pickleheads’ Roadhouse at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.
What’s the first thing you do after a show?
Eat.
What’s your favorite song to cover?
The Cadillac Three’s “South.”
What’s been your most exciting or unusual fan encounter?
Neal McCoy was opening for Alabama and we were doing an acoustic show at the Illinois State Fair. We were doing a sound check with “Can’t You See” and Neal was doing a radio interview a few yards away. He stopped right in the middle of his interview and asked, “Who is that?” The DJ replied, “Lick Creek, a local band.” Neal paused to listen and said, “I’m gonna have to check them out, they sound good!” I don’t know if that’s calling him a fan, but we are gonna run with it.
What was your reaction when you learned you were one of 10 Nash Next 2017 finalists?
Darn near peed our pants.
What family member or friend has been the most supportive of your music career?
No one in this band can point to just one individual. We all have families and each one has backed us 100 percent since we started. We are very lucky that they’ve seen our potential and feel we are good enough to take this as far as we want.
The Grand Ole Opry joined forces with Women Rock for the Cure during the ninth annual Opry Goes Pink show on Oct. 24.
Kelsea Ballerini and 10-year-old cancer survivor Chrissy had the honor of flipping the switch to make the Opry’s signature barn turn pink.
Trisha Yearwood performed and introduced Chrissy as this year’s Women Rock for the Cure/Opry Goes Pink honorary survivor, symbolizing individual battles being won against the disease. Chrissy, who at age 8 was the youngest person ever to be diagnosed with breast cancer, is now cancer-free. She was joined onstage by her older sister as well as her parents, both of whom are also cancer survivors.
LANCO, Easton Corbin, Charles Esten, Runaway June and Connie Smith also performed.
Women Rock for the Cure is a Nashville-based nonprofit committed to connecting and supporting young women facing breast cancer
Following in the footprints of country stars like Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis and more, Kenny Rogers was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame on Oct. 24 by his longtime friends, the Oak Ridge Boys.
“This was, believe it or not, my last thing on my bucket list,” Kenny said during his acceptance speech.
The Music City Walk of Fame—created in 2006—is a tribute to artists of all genres who have contributed to the world through song and made a significant contribution to the music industry with a connection to Music City. Sidewalk medallions line the one-mile stretch with the names of the inductees etched in a star and guitar design. Past inductees include Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Hank Williams, Trisha Yearwood, Little Big Town and more.
Kenny received the 80th star on the Music City Walk of Fame.
In Kenny’s nearly six decades on the charts, the Country Music Hall of Fame member has sold more than 120 million albums and recorded hit songs such as “The Gambler,” “Lady,” “Islands in the Stream,” “Lucille,” “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” and more.
Take a look at the photo gallery below, courtesy of Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, sophomore linebacker Daniel Bituli and senior tight end Ethan Wolf met with the media on Tuesday afternoon in the Ray and Lucy Hand Studio to talk about the team’s prep for this Saturday’s road game at Kentucky.
The Vols will hold their second practice of the week on Tuesday afternoon at the Anderson Training Center.
Saturday’s game at Kroger Stadium is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff and will be aired live on the SEC Network with Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (analyst) and Cole Cubelic (sideline analyst) on the call.
The Vols and Wildcats are both trying to bounce back from road losses to SEC West foes last Saturday.
Vols Look to Continue Series Dominance over Wildcats
When the Vols and Wildcats meet for the 113th time this weekend, UT will be looking to extend its winning streak over Kentucky to six games.
The Big Orange has dominated the series with an all-time record of 79-24-9. Tennessee’s 79 wins in the series are the most it has against any opponent in program history. More impressively, the Vols have come away victorious in 31 of the past 32 meetings between the two programs with the only loss in that span coming on the road in 2011 by a score of 10-7.
Despite the long history of success over Kentucky, Tennessee knows that they’ll be facing a tough and talented Kentucky team in Lexington this Saturday.
“They’re a very physical team, a very tough team,” Guarantano said. “They’re 5-2, so they figure out how to win games. They definitely could have beaten Florida, but they had a few mental errors in the process. They’re definitely a very good team and we’re just looking forward to the test.”
The Vols also know they’ll be going up against another solid defense this week, which is one of the many challenges that comes with playing in the SEC.
“They have some linebackers that will run around and hit you,” Wolf said. “They play some ‘Bear’ front, which always proposes a challenge. That’s what we’ve been seeing these past couple of weeks. The biggest thing we can do is apply the Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina games and everything we learned to now because it’s going to be the same defense. Not much is going to be different, just different guys.
“We’ve got to come out here this Saturday and start from the first play and finish all the way through the last.”
Guarantano Confident in Offense
Despite the team’s recent struggles on the offensive side of the ball, Guarantano and the rest of the offense still have confidence in their ability to turn things around.
“There’s some things that we’ve done to hurt ourselves, but our confidence is still there,” Guarantano said. “I think the offensive linemen still have trust in me and John Kelly and the receivers to make plays, and John Kelly has trust in them. I think that we’re just in a good position and we’re ready to explode these next couple of weeks and just play well.”
Wolf agreed that the offense isn’t lacking in confidence and that turning things around simply comes down to execution and a passion for being successful.
“You just go out and practice every day and make plays and execute,” Wolf said. “It comes down to more than being successful at football, it comes down to loving to play it. That’s why I play the game.”
Bituli Continues to Excel
In the absence of starting middle linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr., Bituli has been one of the players to step up his game and fill that void.
Bituli leads the Vols with 57 total tackles this season and ranks fifth in the SEC with 8.1 tackles per game. The sophomore from Antioch, Tenn., returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of last week’s game at No. 1 Alabama as well.
“I was a spy on the running back, but the running back decided to stay in the box and block for the quarterback,” Bituli said when describing the play. “I actually thought Quart’e Sapp was going to get a sack, but the quarterback didn’t see me because of Quart’e’s blitz, and he just threw it and luckily I was under the ball and able to make a play.”
Among the many strides Bituli has made this season, he believes that pass coverage has been one of his biggest areas of improvement.
“I’m feeling a lot better. The coaches have done a good job of talking to me and explaining what I have to do, so I definitely feel like I’m growing into that.”
QUOTES
Freshman Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano
On his first impressions of Kentucky:
“They’re a very physical team, a very tough team. They’re 5-2, so they figure out how to win games. They definitely could have beaten Florida, but they had a few mental errors in the process. They’re definitely a very good team and we’re just looking forward to the test.”
On the offense’s overall confidence:
“There’s some things that we’ve done to hurt ourselves, but our confidence is still there. I think the offensive linemen still have trust in me and John Kelly and the receivers to make plays, and John Kelly has trust in them. I think that we’re just in a good position and we’re ready to explode these next couple of weeks and just play well.”
On what the offense has been missing recently:
“There’s no missing ingredients. I think we’re finally going to go out there and make plays like we should have been. As practice has gone on we’ve continued to do so, and I think through the weeks we’ve developed a chemistry that will be put on display.”
On John Kelly taking time to emphasize the importance of protecting the quarterback to other players after practice:
“I didn’t know he had done that until just now, but it definitely means a lot. I know the guys have my back and I sure definitely have their backs. Going into it, I’m going to fight for them and they’re going to fight for me. That’s just the way things are.”
On his first road start:
“It was definitely a good first road test going into Tuscaloosa. It’s definitely a different place, and I think that it’s just a great place to play there. The crowd was great on their side. It was magical, and I was very happy to even be able to take part in something like that.”
Sophomore Linebacker Daniel Bituli
On his 97-yard interception return for a touchdown against Alabama:
“I was a spy on the running back, but the running back decided to stay in the box and block for the quarterback. I actually thought Quart’e Sapp was going to get a sack, but the quarterback didn’t see me because of Quart’e’s blitz, and he just threw it and luckily I was under the ball and able to make a play.”
On how he feels in pass coverage compared to earlier in the season:
“I’m feeling a lot better. The coaches have done a good job of talking to me and explaining what I have to do, so I definitely feel like I’m growing into that.”
On adapting to the college level after playing at a smaller high school:
“I was actually made fun of and told that because I was at the single A level, I wouldn’t be able to hit with the older guys, so I definitely wanted to prove myself. But at the end of the day it’s football, I knew what I signed up for. I love to hit, and I am where I am because of my physicality, so it really didn’t take that long to adjust, it’s just the mental aspect and learning was the hardest thing.”
On the defense wearing down throughout the game the past few weeks:
“No excuse. Coach [Bob] Shoop preaches about it every week. We have to step it up for four quarters, and that’s on the defense, not the coaches.”
On his confidence that Tennessee can finish the remaining season strong:
“Those are my brothers in the locker room. And I know they have my back, and I have theirs, so I just have to lean on them and hope they do a good job, and they have to lean on me, hoping I’ll do mine. That’s where the confidence comes from, and we just have to get the job done.”
Senior Tight End Ethan Wolf
On frustrations over past month:
“Over the past month there has definitely been a lot of frustrations. Nobody likes losing. That’s one of the biggest things over all that we get frustrated about. We all put our heart and souls into this game 365 days a year, and when you don’t capitalize on those 12 opportunities that you get, it’s frustrating. I would say that is probably the most frustrating thing over all, there is little things we can do to improve on that. That is definitely at the top of our priority list right now is to figure things out on offense and win these last five games.”
On Kentucky’s defense:
“They have a really strong and solid secondary, back seven, linebackers too. Their defensive line is definitely solid as well. I would say their strength is back there, and they have a lot of good players. They have some linebackers that will run around and hit you. They play some bear front, which always proposes a challenge. That’s what we’ve been seeing these past couple of weeks. The biggest thing we can do is apply the Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina games and everything we learned to now because it’s going to be the same defense. Not much is going to be different, just different guys. We’ve got to come out here this Saturday and start from the first play and finish all the way through the last.”
On keeping confidence up:
“You just go out and practice every day and make plays and execute. It comes down to more than being successful at football, it comes down to loving to play it. That’s why I play the game. I don’t play the game to make a bunch of money or get the scholarship, or get to be on TV. That’s not why I play it and I don’t think that’s why anyone on our team plays. Just like anything you do in life that you love to do, if you’re not good at it or you’re failing at it you’re just going to keep coming back and trying harder and harder to succeed at it. That’s the kind of mentality that I take and I am pretty sure a lot of people on our team take. That’s where you come back to the question, how much do you love football? If you love it enough and you’re invested enough into it then it will really matter. We have the talent and the resources.”
Lick Creek
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