Thomas Rhett scored his eighth career No. 1 single as “Craving You” hit the top of both the Mediabase and Billboard Country Airplay charts today after only 15 weeks.
“Craving You,” which features vocals from Maren Morris, is the fastest rising single of TR’s career. Penned by Julian Bunetta and Dave Barnes, the tune is the first single from Thomas Rhett’s upcoming third studio album.
âI heard this song went number one this morning while I was on vacation with my family,” said Thomas Rhett. “It just reminded me how everything about this song has been fun. From having Maren sing on it, to making a really rad video to just feeling the energy from the fans each night when we play it live. Itâs an unbelievable way to start out this record . . . I really canât wait to share more.”
If you haven’t been able to catch Dierks Bentley’s energetic What the Hell World Tour over the last seven months, his new video for “What the Hell Did I Say” is a good glimpse of what you’re missing. The new clip features footage of Dierks in action onstage, as well as his interactions with his beer-drinking, good-timin’ fans.
“What the Hell Did I Say,â which was co-penned by Ross Copperman, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, looks to follow in the footsteps of Blackâs three previous No. 1 singles, âSomewhere on a Beach,â âDifferent for Girlsâ and âBlack.â
The charity packages, which range from $40 all the way up to $100,000, include items such as autographed guitars, signed lyric sheets, her “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” outfit, her “flying horse” motorcycle from her Las Vegas residency and dinner with her and her husband.
Take a look at some of the packages below.
$40
Now on CD
Now deluxe digital download
1 Instant Grat Track of “Lifeâs About to Get Good”
Kids Can Clubhouse membership
Shania Keychain
Shania Felt Banner
$500
Printed & numbered signed lyric sheet
Now Deluxe digital download
Now Deluxe CD
Now Deluxe Vinyl
1 Instant Grat Track of “Lifeâs About to Get Good”
Kids Can Clubhouse membership
1 Ticket to the Listening Event (Nashville)
$2,500
Autographed acoustic guitar
Letter of authenticity
Now Deluxe digital download
Now Deluxe CD
Now Deluxe Vinyl
1 Instant Grat Track of “Lifeâs About to Get Good”
Kids Can Clubhouse membership
Shania autographed & personalized Shania Kids Can platinum plaque
$7,500
“Man! I Feel Life a Woman” outfit designed by Marc Bouwer
Now deluxe digital download
Now deluxe autographed CD
Autographed DVD of Still the One: Live From Vegas
1 Instant Grat Track of “Lifeâs About to Get Good”
Kids Can Clubhouse membership
Shania autographed & personalized Shania Kids Can platinum plaque
$100,000
Famous horse motorcycle â autographed
Personalized & signed helmet
Letter of authenticity
Now deluxe digital download
Now deluxe autographed CD
Now deluxe vinyl
Autographed DVD of Still the One: Live From Vegass
1 Instant Grat Track of “Lifeâs About to Get Good”
Shania Kids Can tee-shirt
Shania Kids Can baseball hat
Shania felt banner
Shania key chain
Shania Kids Can vinyl sticker
Kids Can Clubhouse membership
Shania autographed & personalized Shania Kids Can platinum plaque
4 Kids Can Clubhouse members only listening party tickets (Nashville)
$100,000
Dinner with Shania & Fred (Nashville)
Autographed guitar by Shania
Now deluxe digital download
Now deluxe autographed CD
Now deluxe vinyl
Autographed DVD of Still the One: Live From Vegass
1 Instant Grat Track of “Lifeâs About to Get Good”
Shania Kids Can tee-shirt
Shania Kids Can baseball hat
Shania felt banner
Shania key chain
Shania Kids Can vinyl sticker
Kids Can Clubhouse membership
Shania autographed & personalized Shania Kids Can platinum plaque
Letter of authenticity
4 Kids Can Clubhouse members only listening party tickets (Nashville)
Honorary Shania Kids Can member of the board listed on the website
Before taking the stage at Boston’s TD Garden on July 7 with wife Faith Hill for their Soul2Soul Tour, Tim McGraw and opener Charlie Worsham performed an impromptu jam of Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy.”
The tune, which was written by Larry Weiss and became one of Glen’s signature hits, reached the top of both the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1975.
Watch Tim and Charlie’s rhinestone-studded performance.
A driver who injured three pedestrians by slamming her SUV into them to stop a fight has surrendered to police.
It happened around 1:15 Friday afternoon at Montgomery Village. Officials say the suspect 21-year-old MaKayla Patrick rammed her car into two girls fighting in a parking lot on Daylily Drive. Patrick was a friend of one of the girls involved.
Three victims were sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police say Patrick turned herself in Saturday morning.
Maren Morris announced her engagement to Ryan Hurd today (July 9) in an Instagram post.
In the photo, Maren is sitting in her beau’s lap with a Corona Light in her right hand and an engagement ring on her left hand, with the simple caption: “Yes.” đ
Ryan’s fans may recognize the photo as an ode to his single, “Love in a Bar,” which he wrote about falling in love with Maren: “We found love in a bar / In the back of a patio corner / Away from the lights / It was us and Corona / And hearts on fire like the cigarettes you smoke / When you drink now we can’t turn back / Cause the words came out / And the truth can’t lie / And we’ve been saying it with our eyes the whole time / That you have my whole heart / Yeah, we found love in a bar.”
The happy couple met at a writing session in 2013 and have never shied away from publicly expressing their affection for one another, including an Instagram post Maren made in April 2017 in which she noted “Your heart is unlike anyone’s I’ve ever known . . . “
We trust you and your family enjoyed a safe Fourth of July holiday celebrating the birth of the greatest country in the world 241 years ago. Of course, one of the most uniquely American traditions is college footballâcan you believe that we are just 59 days from our season-opener on Monday, Sept. 4 in Atlanta’s brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium vs. Georgia Tech? And by my count, there are only eight more “empty” Saturdays between today and our home-opener in Neyland Stadium on Sept. 9. Starting off our season with three games in 13 daysâincluding two contests away from home as we then head to the Swamp on Sept. 16âis as daunting an opening stretch as any in the country, and I am extremely impressed with the leadership and focus of Coach Butch Jones, his staff and our team as they prepare for the season.
An annual milestone in the countdown to kickoff happens on Monday when Coach Jones, along with seniors Emmanuel Moseley, Jashon Robertson and Kendal Vickers travel to Birmingham for SEC Media Days. The progress that has been made rebuilding the Tennessee football program under Coach Jones’ leadership is amazing. In the short time I have been here (99 days today), it has been awesome to observe the chemistry amongst his staff and see how much our coaches truly care about our student-athletes and the traditions of the Big Orange. Our tremendous momentum in recruiting is a testament to Coach Jones’ leadership, organization, attention to detail and the fact that veteran college football observers know the future is extremely bright for the Tennessee football program!
IN THE BLACK FOR 2017 AS FISCAL YEAR 2018 BUDGET UNVEILED
Our financial staff has been especially busy these last few weeks as the fiscal year 2017 ended June 30. I am pleased that UTAD will report another year in the “black” when we close out the books and report results for FY16-17. In the meantime, we are now off and running as of July 1 with fiscal year 2018. Two hallmarks of Tennessee Athletics will be fiscal responsibility and transparency, and thus today I am pleased to provide this overview of our athletic budget for July 1, 2017-Â June 30, 2018.
Our UTAD operating budget for FY17-18 is $133.7 million. Here are a few specific budget details as we look to further enhance the experience for 500+ female and male student-athletes on 20 sports teams, provide the resources to compete for and win championships while also working toward providing the best fan experience in the Southeastern Conference and the country.
When you break down the numbers, it gives you a true appreciation of the fact that everyone’s support matters. Every single fan makes a difference, as 26 percent of our annual revenue comes directly from ticket sales, including more than 21 percent (close to $29 million) coming from the sale of Tennessee football tickets alone. Gifts made by members of the Tennessee Fundâtotaling more than $28.3 millionâaccount for a significant 21 percent of our annual revenue.
So, between ticket sales and personal gifts to the Tennessee Fund, our individual fans collectively provide nearly half of our total annual revenue. We recognize and appreciate the fact that fans who bring their families to Knoxville from Clarksville or Sweetwater or Jackson or Marietta, Ga., could decide at any time to spend that time and money elsewhere. The best fans in the world deserve to enjoy a world-class experience when they travel to Rocky Top for a gameâwe have work to do in this area, especially for our fans who currently sit in the south and east areas of Neyland Stadium.
Obviously, we are fortunate to be a charter member of the best athletics conference in the country, and a big chunk of our annual revenue comes from SEC and NCAA distributions which total about $40 million (close to 30 percent of our annual revenue). Additionally, our loyal Vol Network corporate partners and sponsors provide an important $11.6 million in revenue (8.7 percent). Thanks for remembering this any time you and your family have an opportunity to patronize those partners!
Tennessee Athletics remains one of only 25 or so programs nationally that operate in the black without direct university funding, tuition or tax dollars.
On the expenses side, nearly 50 percent of our budget goes directly into our sports program operating/travel/recruiting ($44.6 million), scholarships ($14.4 million) and student-athlete support services such as sports medicine, strength training and academic services ($7.4 million).
About 10 percent of the budget goes into regular facility maintenance and utility paymentsâwe’ve previously talked about our painting project at Neyland, and as you can imagine, large stadiums come with big light and power bills!
You will also note that we are intentionally carving out money from annual operating revenues to save for a strategic Neyland Stadium renovation fund (a $3 million line item this year). This stands as proof of our determination to improve fan experience through basic enhancements like entry points in and out of the stadium, safety and security, restrooms and concessions, etc. Certainly, this historic project will require an exponentially larger total, but this allocation is an important component of how we ensure that future generations of Tennessee fans will be able to continue to come to love and enjoy the unique Neyland Stadium experience.
Yesterday we announced the addition of Janeen Lalik as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Initiatives. In addition to being a key member of our senior leadership team, she’ll work daily with UTAD’s Fan Experience department (formerly known as athletic marketing & promotions), ticketing, VFL Films, corporate partnerships, licensing, and serve as the UTAD liaison to IMG College/Vol Network.
As I write this, Senior Associate AD/Assistant Provost Dr. Joe Scogin is leading the 2017 class of our VOLeaders Academy on a service trip to Vietnam. Our VOLeaders Academy is a dynamic partnership between Tennessee Athletics and the UT Center for Leadership and Service and the Center for Sport, Peace and Society.
Each annual class of VOLeaders spends a full academic year learning how to positively impact their team, campus and communities, culminating with an international service trip. Last summer, our VOLeaders traveled to Rio. Now this year, they’re serving in Vietnam. These incredible opportunities serve as further examples of the extraordinary student-athlete experience we can provide at UT.
BIG ORANGE CARAVAN ROLLING TOWARD NASHVILLE, TRI-CITIES
This summer’s edition of the resurgent Big Orange Caravan concludes with events in Nashville and the Tri-Cities on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. The Nashville event, which coincides with the 51st annual UT All-Sports Picnic, is completely sold out! Tuesday’s event at the Kingsport Farmers Market can accommodate a much larger group, so if the Tri-Cities is an easy drive for you and your family, I’d like to personally invite you to join me, Bob Kesling, Coach Jones, women’s tennis coach Alison Ojeda and director of track & field Beth Alford-Sullivan for an evening of fun and festivities. As I’m sure the nearly 2,000 UT fans who attended the Chattanooga and Memphis events would attest, this year’s new-look caravan has been a blast! Click here for complete event details.
Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics John Currie announced Friday that Janeen Lalik (last name pronounced: LAHL-ick) is joining the UTAD leadership team as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Initiatives.
A native of Troy, Michigan, Lalik boasts deep relationships across intercollegiate athletics and currently serves as Senior Vice President of College Athletics for Ticketmaster, a post she has held since early 2016.
Her responsibilities at Tennessee will include leadership of UTAD’s fan experience department (formerly known as athletic marketing & promotions), ticket operations, broadcasting and VFL Films, corporate partnerships, merchandise and licensing, and game production. Lalik will also serve as the UTAD liaison to IMG College/Vol Network.
“To be able to recruit an executive with Janeen Lalik’s experience and credibility throughout the intercollegiate athletics world speaks volumes about the momentum of both the University of Tennessee and Knoxville,” Currie said. “Janeen’s fingerprints are all over intercollegiate athletics, as she has made a remarkable impact in creating partnerships and revenue to enhance both the student-athlete and fan experience over the last 20 years.
“I am excited about the impact Janeen will have across the department and university as a key member of our senior leadership team and know that her ability to collaboratively develop ideas and solutions will further enhance and strengthen our brand as well as our fan and corporate partner relationships. We aspire to be the national leader in fan experience and customer service, and Janeen’s fresh perspective will benefit our fans, student-athletes and the University of Tennessee community as a whole.”
Lalik officially begins her duties in Knoxville on July 24.
“I’ve worked closely with collegiate athletic departments for nearly 20 years, so I’m looking forward to immersing myself inside a department and working to make a difference from within,” Lalik said. “To have this opportunity at an institution like the University of Tennessee, with its revered brand and rich history, is very humbling. This is a department headed in the right direction, and I’m thankful to John Currie for the opportunity to join the outstanding team already in place at Tennessee.”
Prior to joining Ticketmaster, Lalik spent 18 years overseeing incredible collegiate partner growth at IMG College/ISP Sports (ISP Sports was acquired by IMG College in 2010).
With Lalik occupying one of the company’s executive posts, IMG College evolved into the leading multimedia, marketing and licensing/brand management company in America.
In her role as Senior Vice President for New Business Development, Lalik used her gifts for relationship development to grow IMG’s collegiate partnerships to more than 100âin addition to multiple conferences and bowls.
Prior to ISP’s acquisition, Lalik’s productivity at ISP landed her a spot on Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list in 2009. In 2008, she was named a Woman Extraordinaire by Triad Business Journal.
When she joined North Carolina-based ISP in 1997, the five-year old company had just three university clients. Lalik’s leadership saw ISP’s pre-acquisition client list grow to more than 60 university partners, including Alabama, Duke, Georgia, Notre Dame, Syracuse and UCLA. She was named a vice president in 2005 and a senior vice president in 2007. The growth that took place under her direction led to ISP’s evolution from a regional presence to a national force on the intercollegiate multimedia rights landscape.
Lalik’s career in sports began with the Palace of Auburn Hills and the NBA’s Detroit Pistons in 1991. She served the organization until moving to ISP Sports in 1997.
A 1991 Central Michigan graduate with a degree in Business Administration/Marketing, she is an active mentor for women throughout the athletics industry through Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA).
WHAT THEYâRE SAYING
âJohn Currie has made a home run hire for my alma mater. Janeen is the rare person in this business with ample experience in both sponsorship/media/marketing and ticket sales. The fact she knows these businesses from the outside contractor perspective will be extremely valuable as John crafts strategy for the future. Plus, sheâs one of the finest people Iâve known in more than 40 years of association in the college sports world.â
–Â Mark Dyer – Executive VP, IMG College Business Ventures (and VFL)
âWhat a tremendous team addition Tennessee has made with longtime athletics industry executive Janeen Lalik. She has a heart for what a campus and institution of higher learning mean for students and those who provide them with a competitive, academic and leadership development experience. Janeen can lead the conversations that compel individuals and business partners to support collegiate athletics. She has forged relationships and friendships throughout her career and is considered an industry trailblazer, mentor and role model.â
–Â Chris Plonsky – Womenâs Athletics Director/Executive Senior Associate AD for External Services, University of Texas
âThis is a remarkable âgetâ for the Vol Nation! Janeen Lalik is one of the most talented, trusted professionals in the college sports industry. Her work ethic is unparalleled, and she is a proven leader. She was a key to much of the growth and success of ISP Sports and IMG College and a large part of the reason we were able to build four national market-leading companies in our enterprise. I am really happy for her and for your terrific athletic director and my friend, John Currie.â
–Â Ben Sutton – Chairman Emeritus, IMG College, LLC (founder of ISP Sports)
âJaneen Lalik represents nothing short of a âgrand slam hireâ at the University of Tennessee. Janeen’s entire body of work speaks perfectly to this appointment as Senior Associate AD for Strategic Initiatives. Again, Janeenâs career has been dramatically underscored at ISP, IMG, and Ticketmaster, by both innovation and futuristic modeling. Janeen is a very rare professional commodity, whereby John Currie made a very thoughtful, if not artful, leadership acquisition.â
–Â Kevin White – Vice President, Director of Athletics & Adjunct Professor of Business Administration, Duke University
âI couldnât be more excited for UT, the SEC and our relationship with both. Janeen and I started our careers together almost 30 years ago, and the impact I have seen her make wherever she goes is nothing short of remarkable. The results she drives are hard to articulate, as they start with each co-worker, client, innovation, strategy and organizational goal. I have never seen a more humble person leave a bigger impact with each interaction. Her fingerprints are all over some of the most impressive media rights deals in college athletics; to see her return to that industry in such a significant role is an incredible move for her personally and for college athletics, most especially UT. John Currie should be commended for this hireâabsolutely tremendous!â
–Â Sean Henry – President, CEO & Alternate Governor, Nashville Predators
Lauren Alaina may have been feeling under the weather, but that didn’t stop her from performing her new single, “Doin’ Fine,” on Fox & Friendsâ All-American Summer Concert series this morning (July 7).
While the New York crowd braved the rain, Lauren belted out her new ditty, which she co-penned with Emily Shackleton and busbee. After the performance, Lauren told the hosts, “I’m not feeling great today, but I wanted to be here, obviously, with you guys, and if [the crowd] is gonna stand in the rain, I’m going to sing for you.”
Big & Rich are slated to release their upcoming sixth studio album, Did It for the Party, on Sept. 15. The 13-song offering includes new single, “California,” which is currently No. 39 on Billboardâs Country Airplay chart after 17 weeks.
“This new record is gonna rock America’s boots off,” said John Rich. “Can’t wait for y’all to hear it.â
“It’s been a blast working on this album and we can’t wait for everyone to hear our new songs,” added Big Kenny.
Big & Rich fans can pre-order the album now on Apple Music/iTunes, Amazon and Google Play, where they will receive an instant download of âCalifornia,â along with the title track, âDid It for the Party.â
A driver who injured three pedestrians by slamming her SUV into them to stop a fight has surrendered to police.
Did It for the Party Track Listing
