Social Media Roundup: Maren’s Pose, Kelsea’s Cover, Luke Bryan’s Golf Swing, Thomas Rhett’s Family Photo & More

Social Media Roundup: Maren’s Pose, Kelsea’s Cover, Luke Bryan’s Golf Swing, Thomas Rhett’s Family Photo & More

Posted on July 14, 2017

If you don’t have time to comb through social media all day, here’s what you’ve been missing over the last 24 hours in the country music world:

  • Kelsea Ballerini covers Sigrid’s “Don’t Kill My Vibe”
  • Tyler Farr and Chase Rice go fishing.
  • Luke Bryan takes his sons to a driving range.
  • Maren Morris does some N*SYNC poses before her Atlanta show.
  • Craig Morgan teases a new episode of Craig Morgan All Access Outdoors.
  • Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen cover Guy Clark’s “Rita Ballou.”
  • Dan + Shay cover Ed Sheeran’s “Happier.”
  • Thomas Rhett gets a family photo.

All about that bass

A post shared by Tyler Farr (@tylerfarr) on

Some pre-show fun with the boys. #LBTV #HFEtour

A post shared by Luke Bryan Official (@lukebryan) on

N*SYNC pose for ATL tonight. 📷: @alexmferrari

A post shared by Maren Morris (@marenmorris) on

THIS SONG. "Happier" by @teddysphotos // @ryantedder // @itsbennyblanco 😭

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Watch Smithfield Perform an Acoustic Version of Their New Single, “When You’re Gone”

Watch Smithfield Perform an Acoustic Version of Their New Single, “When You’re Gone”

Posted on July 14, 2017

Jennifer Fiedler and Trey Smith of duo Smithfield turned some heads in 2016 with the release of their single, “Hey Whiskey,” which has since copped more than 2 million clicks on Spotify.

Now the Texas natives and longtime friends are pushing their new tune, “When You’re Gone,” a fun-loving ditty (think buzzed, not dead) that’s featured on their self-titled EP.

“‘When You’re Gone’ is a song about having fun with the one you love when they’re a little tipsy,” says Trey.

“It’s sexy, it’s sultry and different from anything else we have ever done, which we’re so excited about,” adds Jennifer.

Watch Smithfield perform an acoustic version of “When You’re Gone” below.

So Far, the Best-Selling Country Albums Released in 2017 Are . . .

So Far, the Best-Selling Country Albums Released in 2017 Are . . .

Posted on July 14, 2017

Can you believe 2017 is already halfway over? Well, it is, which means it’s time to crunch a few numbers.

Over the last six months, a plethora (yes, a plethora) of country artists have released new albums, including offerings from Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, Lauren Alaina, Brantley Gilbert, Josh Turner, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts and more.

While Chris Stapleton’s new album, From A Room: Volume 1, dominated the country sales charts—selling more than 200,000 more copies than its closest competitor—a handful of other artists have had very successful 2017 releases, too.

Here are the Top 6 country albums released in 2017, based on pure album sales according to Nielsen Music.

  1. Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 1 (419,000 pure albums)
  2. Zac Brown Band, Welcome Home (218,000)
  3. Reba McEntire, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope (183,000, which includes metrics from Nielsen’s Christian SoundsScan)
  4. Brantley Gilbert, The Devil Don’t Sleep (179,000)
  5. Little Big Town, Breaker (123,000)
  6. Alison Krauss, Windy City (110,000)

When you factor in equivalent album sales (10 song sales or 1,500 song streams from an album are treated as equivalent to one purchase of the album), Brett Young makes an appearance in the Top 5.

Here are the Top 5 country albums released in 2017, based on equivalent album sales according to Nielsen Music.

  1. Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 1 (484,000 equivalent albums)
  2. Brantley Gilbert, The Devil Don’t Sleep (284,000)
  3. Zac Brown Band, Welcome Home (274,000)
  4. Brett Young, Brett Young (250,000)
  5. Little Big Town, Breaker (210,000)
Check Out a Clip of Keith Urban’s “Live From Phoenix” Television Special [Airs Tonight]

Check Out a Clip of Keith Urban’s “Live From Phoenix” Television Special [Airs Tonight]

Posted on July 14, 2017

Keith Urban headlined the AT&T Block Party in downtown Phoenix as part of the March Madness Music Festival earlier this year. Now the performance is coming to your television screen.

Audience Network is slated to air Keith’s concert—which includes “Somewhere in My Car,” “Wasted Time” and more—tonight (July 14) at 9 p.m. ET on DirecTV and Uverse. The television special also features a sit-down interview with Keith.

“Growing up and doing a lot of solo gigs in pubs and clubs with no band, you’ve got to be the drums and the groove—you’ve got to be everything,” says Keith during the interview. “The success of the this record [Ripcord], really, it floored me. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Below, watch a clip of Keith in action at the AT&T Block Party.

Dolly Parton’s “Christmas of Many Colors” Earns Emmy Nomination

Dolly Parton’s “Christmas of Many Colors” Earns Emmy Nomination

Posted on July 14, 2017

Dolly Parton’s holiday television special Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love received an Emmy nomination in the Television Movie category.

Starring Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Schroder, Gerald McRaney and Alyvia Alyn Lind, the sequel was the follow-up to Dolly’s original family story, Coat of Many Colors, which aired in early 2016.

Dolly’s Christmas of Many Colors will competed against Black Mirror, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Sherlock: The Lying Detective and The Wizard of Lies in the Emmy’s Television Movie category.

“I am so very proud and excited to have Christmas of Many Colors be nominated for an Emmy award,” says Dolly. “Special thanks to my partner and executive producer Sam Haskell, a wonderful cast and crew, [producer] Steve Herek and Pamela Long for a great script. And a special thanks to all of the many fans that watched it.”

“This project for me was a celebration of the family and the beautiful story of Miss Dolly Parton,” adds Jennifer Nettles. “Each day I played Avie Lee Parton was a joy. For Christmas of Many Colors to be nominated and celebrated further by the Emmys thrills me.”

The 69th Emmy Awards will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 17 on CBS.

Watch Will Lexington of “Nashville” Put His Charm to Work in the TV Drama’s New Budweiser Commercial

Watch Will Lexington of “Nashville” Put His Charm to Work in the TV Drama’s New Budweiser Commercial

Posted on July 13, 2017

Nashville’s Will Lexington (played by actor Chris Carmack) put his charm to work in a Budweiser spot during a recent episode of the CMT drama.

The fictitious clip opens with Will taming a vicious dog and helping an old woman cross the street before he enters a seedy bar and wins over an unsavory-looking group of patrons.

Check out the Bud spot below.

Social Media Roundup: Michael Ray’s Seal, Jason Aldean’s Hair Weave, Chris Janson’s Harmonica Skills, Reba’s Fundraiser & More

Social Media Roundup: Michael Ray’s Seal, Jason Aldean’s Hair Weave, Chris Janson’s Harmonica Skills, Reba’s Fundraiser & More

Posted on July 13, 2017

If you don’t have time to comb through social media all day, here’s what you’ve been missing over the last 24 hours in the country music world:

  • Michael Ray kisses a seal.
  • Jason Aldean mistook a hair weave for a dead squirrel.
  • Reba McEntire, Lee Ann Womack and Brandy Clark performed at a benefit for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
  • Chris Janson played the hell of the harmonica on the Opry stage . . . again.
  • Granger Smith quizzed his touring crew about another crazy week on the road.
  • Peyton Manning coached Brad Paisley on his Nationwide jingle writing.
  • A Thousand Horses played in Nashville to support Musicians On Call.
  • Shania Twain will be performing at the US Open (tennis) in August.
  • RaeLynn and Chris Lane are in Cosmo.
  • Sara Evans crushes a piñata.
  • Aaron Tippin throws it back to Aaron Tippin.

Found me a jersey girl @jenksclub #signSEALEDdelivered 📸: @dustbar

A post shared by Michael Ray (@michaelraymusic) on

been a crazy week…

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Reba McEntire Sells Nashville-Area Estate for $5 Million [Check Out the Pics]

Reba McEntire Sells Nashville-Area Estate for $5 Million [Check Out the Pics]

Posted on July 13, 2017

Reba McEntire sold her lakefront estate in Lebanon, Tenn. (30 miles east of Nashville) for $5 million, according to bizjournals.com.

The 83-acre property, known as Starstruck Farm, 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 frontage on Old Hickory Lake.

Reba listed the house in August 2016 for $7.9 million, before settling for $5 million.

Check out the photo gallery and video below.

Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini Are the “CMA Fest” Co-Hosts With the Most [Watch TV Teaser]

Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini Are the “CMA Fest” Co-Hosts With the Most [Watch TV Teaser]

Posted on July 13, 2017

If you weren’t lucky enough to be one of the 80,000-plus fans that descended on Nashville during each day of CMA Fest in June, Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini have you covered.

Kelsea and TR will co-host an upcoming three-hour television special on ABC that features 2017 CMA Fest performances from a bevy of artists, including Garth Brooks, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum and Brad Paisley, as well as special collaborations featuring Darius Rucker and Karen Fairchild, Dierks Bentley and Cole Swindell, and Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris.

The CMA Fest special airs on Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

Watch the CMA Fest teaser below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWdzsDnj0Jj/?taken-by=thomasrhettakins

photo by Jason Simanek

Robertson Earns Spot on Outland Trophy Watch List

Robertson Earns Spot on Outland Trophy Watch List

Posted on July 13, 2017
Jashon Robertson – UT / Credit: UT Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee senior offensive lineman Jashon Robertson has been named to the watch list for the 2017 Outland Trophy as announced by the Football Writers Association of America on Thursday.

The Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the nation’s top interior lineman by the FWAA All-America Committee. The winner is chosen from three finalists who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.

Robertson is among 81 players selected to the pre-season watch list and is one of 11 players from the Southeastern Conference to be named to the list. The Nashville native has started 34 games during his Tennessee career and was a key part of a UT offensive line that paved the way to record-breaking offensive numbers in 2016. The Vols set program records in points scored (473) and touchdowns (63) last season and won their third consecutive bowl game by defeating Nebraska, 38-24, in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.

The 2017 Outland Trophy watch list is comprised of 24 offensive tackles, 21 defensive tackles, 20 centers and 16 offensive guards. The list will be trimmed to six or seven semifinalists on Wed, Nov. 15. Six days later, three finalists will be named by the FWAA. The winner of the 72nd Outland Trophy – named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn at the turn of the 20th century, will be announced live on ESPN at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thurs., Dec. 7.

The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 23 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. The complete watch list for the Outland Trophy can be seen HERE.

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