Vanderbilt head football coach Derek Mason visited with our Jimmy Hyams, 1-on-1, at SEC Spring Meetings in Destin.
Hear what Mason said about what getting to a bowl game last season meant to the program, the recent success against Tennessee, the UT rivalry and much more.
Listen below.
Tennessee pitcher Eric Freeman visited with our Jimmy Hyams, 1-on-1, at SEC Spring Meetings in Destin.
Hear what Freeman said about his special recognition from the league, his community service work, his time at Tennessee, his future and more. Listen below.
Thomas Rhett stopped by the Today show (June 2) to chat with the hosts and perform on the plaza as part of the Citi Concert Series.
In addition to talking about the recent adoption of daughter Willa Gray, his impending newborn daughter and upcoming new music, Thomas performed a number of songs, including “Die a Happy Man,” “Craving You” and “Star of the Show.”
You can watch everything below, including a backstage interview with Jesse Addy from NASH FM 94.7 in New York City.
After 50 years as a recording artist, Charley Pride can add another feather to the cap of his Hall of Fame career: the Recording Academy will honor Charley with its 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Academy will honor Charley with a ceremony and live tribute concert on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at The Beacon Theatre in New York City. PBS will air the show, Grammy Salute to Music Legends, at a later date.
Other 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award winners include Jimmie Rogers, who is known as the “Father of Country Music,” as well as Shirley Caesar, Ahmad Jamal, Nina Simone, Sly Stone and the Velvet Underground. Dwight Yoakam will salute Jimmie Rodgers with a live performance at the show.
Charley, a three-time Grammy winner, is considered country music’s first African-American superstar. He signed to RCA Victor in 1967 and earned a string of No. 1 hits, including “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me),” “(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again,” “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’,” “Amazing Love” and many more.
Charley won the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year award in 1971 and Top Male Vocalist in 1971 and 1972. Charley was the first African-American to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage and he became the Opry’s first African-American member in 1993.
The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording. The recipients are determined by vote of the Recording Academy’s national board of trustees.
Congrats, Charley.
Dan + Shay, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride, Drake White, Sara Evans and Lady Antebellum will take part in a special outdoor CMT Crossroads featuring Earth, Wind & Fire.
Some of Earth, Wind & Fire’s biggest hits—such as “September,” “Let’s Groove” and “Shining Star”—will get a country twist as a bevy of country stars perform songs from EWF’s catalog. Earth, Wind & Fire, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, has won six Grammy Awards over its 40-plus-year career.
CMT Crossroads With Earth, Wind & Fire and Friends will air June 23 at 10 p.m. ET on CMT.
Unlike videos for “Little Red Wagon” and “Vice,” Miranda Lambert decided to keep it simple in a new video for her current single, “Tin Man.”
The black-and-white clip features the reigning ACM Female Vocalist of the Year sitting in the shower with her guitar as she belts out the tune, which is currently No. 40 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
Without overthinking it, there could be a number of reasons—both literally and metaphorically—Miranda chose the bathroom backdrop for her video about heartbreak, including:
Whatever her reason for choosing the shower, the result is a rendition of “Tin Man” that will send chills up your spine. Watch Miranda’s new video below.
Luke Combs’ debut single, “Hurricane,” was No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for two consecutive weeks in May. The North Carolina native is the first solo male artist to reach No. 1 with his debut single since Darius Rucker in 2008 with “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.”
On the strength of “Hurricane,” Luke is dropping his debut album, This One’s For You, today (June 2). The 12-song offering, which was recorded in March 2016, features a dozen songs that Luke co-wrote.
“I think it’s a good synopsis of who I am,” says Luke to Nash Country Daily. “I don’t think there’s one track that sounds the same as another. It’s not in one lane. From track to track, it’s different every time. I wrote some of these songs over two years ago, so it’s been a long journey for these songs, and I’m excited for people to finally get their hands on them. We’ve got folks who have been to 30-something shows at this point. And they’ve heard stuff on the album a bunch of times, and they’re ready to be able to listen to it in their car or at home.
“I have a couple different favorite songs on the album. ‘Hurricane’ led to me having the opportunity to make the album, so I love that song. ‘I Got Away With You’ is probably my favorite written song on the album. It’s a little slower love song. Very broken down. We play one song live called ‘Honky Tonk Highway,’ and it closes the album out. That’s my favorite song to play live because it gets the crowd going.”
This One’s For You Track Listing
UPDATE: Chris Stapleton published a letter regarding his cancellations on his website the evening of June 1, stating the following:
Dear Everybody,
First of all, I want to thank you for all of the positive thoughts and kind words you have shared over the last few days. So many of you have been inconvenienced and I’m grateful for your patience and graciousness.
After seeing a specialist, I have some information to share. I’m on the road to recovery from a broken bone & a detached tendon in my right index finger. The doctor is hopeful that with some physical therapy I will be playing guitar again soon. Right now, I can’t possibly give you guys the show you deserve. I always want to give you my very best.
There is little in this world that I enjoy more than getting to make music with all of you night after night. Thank you for the privilege. Your support and understanding through all of this lets me know now, more than ever, I have the best fans in the world.
Sincerely,
Chris Stapleton
UPDATE #2: On the evening of Friday, June 2, Chris Stapleton posted a list of rescheduled tour dates.
Rescheduled Dates
Go to Chris Stapleton’s website for more information.
ORIGINAL STORY
Bad news for fans of Chris Stapleton who hoped to catch one of his upcoming shows.
The smooth-crooning country star canceled nine June tour dates, including stops in Nashville, Cincinnati and Birmingham, Ala.
Chris’ team made the announcement via his website on May 31, stating: “Unfortunately, the next three weeks of The All-American Road Show have been postponed. Below is the full list of dates we are working to reschedule. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Hold on to your tickets for now, and stay tuned for updates.”
Canceled Dates
photo via Chris Stapleton’s Instagram
Tennessee men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes visited with our Jimmy Hyams, 1-on-1, at SEC Spring Meetings in Destin.
Hear what Barnes said about why the league is better, the impact of the SEC/BIG 12 Challenge, replay in basketball, how recruiting has changed in college basketball, his two newcomers Chris Darrington and James Daniel and more.
Listen below.
June 1
By Jimmy Hyams
SANDESTIN, FLA. – Eight Lady Vols national championship banners hang from the rafters at Thompson-Boling Arena.
So do 22 Final Four banners (18 NCAA, 4 AIAW).
This is a proud program with a rich tradition, a program that was the face of women’s basketball for about 30 years. But no longer.
That mantle belongs to UConn.
And in last season’s national championship game, two SEC battled for the title, but neither was Tennessee.
Stunningly, it’s been eight years since the Lady Vols made it to the Final Four – by far the longest drought in school history. The previous skid was three years.
Coach Holly Warlick was asked how long it’s been since UT made the Final Four.
“It’s been a while,’’ she said at the SEC Spring Meetings.
Do you know the years?
“It’s been a while,’’ she repeated.
Surely, Warlick knows the number of years. She might even know the number of days.
Does it gnaw at her?
“It gnaws at me when we lose a game,’’ said Warlick, entering her fifth year as the Lady Vols coach. “I don’t want to lose any game. I think we should win every game when we step foot on the court. And we should be competitive in every game we play.
“If you ask what drives me, I want to put a team out there that is competitive every time they touch the floor. Why wouldn’t you be? Why wouldn’t you be competitive and work hard in practice? Why wouldn’t you do that on a basketball court?
“I am driven to win. I want to win. I think I’m going to win in everything I do. When you don’t win and you lose, it’s not very fun.’’
By that definition, the past four years haven’t always been fun for Warlick, because she has had seasons with double-digit loses, SEC Tournament losses, Elite Eight losses.
Make no mistake, anything short of a Final Four doesn’t sit well with Warlick.
“Truthfully, yes,’’ she said, when asked if the Final Four is the program barometer. “That’s just in my blood. … Yeah, our goal is to win a national championship and we will continue to strive for that. And I think that’s what these kids come to Tennessee for, to compete at the highest level. And I think that’s what you’ve got to do in order to hold up a trophy, you’ve got to compete at the highest level.’’
Is the Lady Vols brand as strong as ever?
Warlick says yes.
“It is (synonymous) with success, with tradition,’’ Warlick said. “We’re still succeeding in recruiting. We’re still competing.
“One thing great about the Tennessee brand, we don’t quit. We’re going to keep grinding. We’re going to keep representing the University of Tennessee and the Lady Vols brand as best we know how.’’
With the return of Diamond DeShields, Mercedes Russell and Jaime Nared and the signing of the nation’s top-ranked class, Warlick said, on paper, she has her most talented team.
“I’m real excited about the four freshmen coming in, bringing their energy,’’ Warlick said.
Warlick thinks the newcomers should be ready to contribute right away considering their experience on the national level with AAU teams, playing in all-star games, and playing for state championships.
The newcomers will also give UT the depth it has lacked in recent years. In fact, Warlick is confident the Lady Vols can go two-deep at every position.
“I’m excited that we can do things I love to do,’’ she said. “We can press a little bit more. We can run a little bit more. We can get after it on the defensive end. I hope you’re going to see a team be uptempo and control the tempo, make it fast, spread the ball, spread the floor. I plan on playing a lot of people.’’
Another thing Warlick likes is the versatility of so many players who can play multiple positions.
“If you can shoot the 3 and penetrate, it’s just hard to guard (you),’’ Warlick said. “I look at players who are difficult for us to defend and those are the type players that can do multiple things. They can post up, catch and shoot or drive and pull up.
“Those type of players are tough to guard. I want our players to be versatile also because there are not too many people that just get locked in on one position. … I think the more versatile a player can be the better.’’
Perhaps that versatility and depth and freshmen energy can help raise another banner at Thompson-Boling Arena and end the eight-year Final Four drought.
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