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.”
Local businessman Deron Lichte bought part of Reba McEntire’s former 83-acre Starstruck Farm estate in Lebanon, Tenn., (30 miles east of Nashville) for $3.1 million on Oct. 24.
Deron’s new 18-acre property, which he has dubbed Starstruck Estate, features a 12,816-square-foot home with seven bedrooms, five full bathrooms, chef’s kitchen, home theater, wine room, eight-car garage, tennis court, pool, guest house, barn, equestrian center with indoor and outdoor riding areas and more. The estate includes 18 acres of frontage on Old Hickory Lake.
Deron plans to use Starstruck Estate as a luxury event venue that will be open for weddings, galas, charity fundraisers, corporate retreats, songwriting retreats, family reunions and more. Deron is the CEO and owner of Food Warming Equipment, a global and growing commercial food-service equipment provider, which he moved from its original headquarters in Crystal Lake, Ill., to Portland, Tenn., in 2013.
Reba sold the 83-acre estate in July 2017 for $5 million to Paul H. Burch, who is currently developing a 15-home subdivision named Cherokee Meadows on part of the property.
Luke Bryan got his wife, Caroline, a big ol’ diamond ring for their 10th wedding anniversary on Dec. 8, 2016.
This year, Luke may have to get Caroline the matching necklace.
Luke is set to release his sixth studio album, What Makes You Country, on Dec. 8—yup, his 11th wedding anniversary.
Album release week will take Luke to New York City to make the media rounds, which means he won’t be spending a romantic evening at home with the wifey.
“So I am very good about anniversaries and stuff like that, but when we were planning the album and putting it out, we were throwing all these dates around,” said Luke to Nash morning show Ty, Kelly & Chuck. “I’m at the house, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, Baby, I’ll be up in New York and the album comes out the eighth.’ She looked at me and goes, ‘Hmm, interesting day for an album release.’ And I said, ‘I’m sorry, Baby.’ And then you try to spin it. ‘Well, Baby, just come to New York and we’ll eat great food and we’ll walk and go look at people at Rockefeller Plaza.’ She’s like, ‘You work 20 hours a days during album release [week] . . . but I’ll be there.’”
Listen to Ty, Kelly & Chuck on Oct. 25 at 5:30 a.m. CT and 8:30 a.m. CT to hear Luke explain his anniversary/album release predicament.
In September, Eric Church partnered with Apple Music to begin releasing 61 Days in Church, a collection of 122 live recordings from Eric’s recent 61-date Holdin’ My Own Tour.
On Oct. 23, Eric announced that the collection will also be available as a 15-LP vinyl box set, which will go on sale on Oct. 27 via 61DaysInChurch.com.
“61 Days in Church” Tour Book
With the initial shipment on Dec. 15, fans will receive the first three LPs, a commemorative tour book, an original poster and a custom road case. The remaining 12 pieces of vinyl will be shipped out once a month starting in January 2018.
“I had so much fun learning songs that were unique to whatever city we found ourselves in,” said Eric. “I learned a lot about each place, and it was special to see the crowd react to the songs that were only for them. I’m glad we recorded it and can relive it forever.”
Kip Moore, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen will join forces for four dates in December for the Tall Tales and the Truth Tour. The singer/songwriters will take the stage together each night for a special acoustic performance.
“This is something Randy and I have been cooking up for a while,” says Kip. “We’ve always had a great camaraderie, and a similar mantra, and so we thought it might be a cool way to share our stories in a more intimate setting with our fans. We did a show with Wade and mentioned the idea and then it all fell into place.”
“This tour with Kip is long overdue,” says Randy. “We were label mates for years and have been talking about doing a tour together for a while. Adding lil’ buddy Wade Bowen to the mix just seemed like a natural fit. Guaranteed good times—both onstage and off.”
The Country Music Association announced four collaborative performances set to take the stage at the 51st CMA Awards on Nov. 8.
The pairings include:
Kelsea Ballerini and Reba McEntire
Dierks Bentley and Rascal Flatts
Maren Morris and Niall Horan
Brad Paisley and Kane Brown
The all-star event also includes performances by Garth Brooks, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett and Carrie Underwood. But that’s not all—2017 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Alan Jackson will also take the stage during Country Music’s Biggest Night.
Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will team up for the 10th time to co-host the upcoming CMA Awards, which will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 8-11 p.m. ET on ABC.
![[Photo Gallery] Kenny Rogers Inducted Into Music City Walk of Fame: “Last Thing on My Bucket List”](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/1446/2017/10/25095135/Kenny-Rogers1.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
![Local Businessman Buys Reba McEntire’s Former Nashville-Area Home for $3.1 Million [Photo Gallery & Video]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/1446/2017/10/24162844/Reba.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
