Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany, have a bun in the oven.
The happy couple announced that they are expecting their first child together in a pair of Instagram posts today (May 8). On Jason’s Instagram pic, Brittany and Jason were literally sitting next to a bun in the oven, with a caption that read: “Been hard to keep this secret but we couldnt be happier to add to our family. This year just gets better and better. #bunintheoven👶🏼”
On Brittany’s Instagram page, she posted a pic of Jason with his hand on her stomach that read: “SURPRISE!!! WE ARE PREGNANT!!! This was the hardest secret we’ve ever had to keep 🙈 This journey for us has been full of many happy times & also many tears… The biggest rollercoaster we have ever been on, without a doubt! All of the moments of heartache were followed by the biggest blessing in the entire world!! We will never take one moment for granted & can’t wait to meet you, sweet baby!!! 👶🏼💛”
“It’s definitely something we’ve talked about and something we want to do,” Jason told NASH Prep. “And, I think that’s just kinda like whenever it’s meant to be, it’s just gonna happen. You know, I’d like to say it’s gonna happen next week, but that’s just kind of—that’s a little up in the air there. But, I’m definitely—we’re down for that 100 percent, and, you know, we’ll see whenever that time comes.”
Jason, already a father of two young daughters—Keeley (13) and Kendyl (8)—from a previous marriage, married Brittany in 2015 during a beach ceremony in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The couple celebrated their two year anniversary on March 21, 2017.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 9 Tennessee begins postseason play this week in the SEC Tournament, which will be hosted by the Vols at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. For all your information on the tournament, please visit the SEC Tournament Gameday Information page HERE.
The Big Orange have secured a first-round bye and will begin their quest for a third SEC Tournament championship on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of No. 6 LSU and No. 11 Missouri, who will square off on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.The tournament is a single-elimination format with the winner securing the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Media & Broadcast Info
All 11 games of this year’s SEC Tournament will be aired lived on the ESPN family of networks. Wednesday’s first-round games and Thursday’s quarterfinal games will be carried on the SEC Network, while Friday’s semifinals will be broadcast on ESPNU and Saturday’s title game will air in primetime on ESPN.
For Wednesday and Thursday’s day sessions Adam Amin (PxP), Amanda Scarborough (Analyst) and Laura Rutledge (Field) will be on the call. The night sessions on those days will feature the broadcast trio of Beth Mowins (PxP), Michele Smith (Analyst) and Holly Rowe (Field). Scarborough will join that trio as they call both semifinal games on Friday as well as Saturday’s championship game on ESPN.
Radio coverage for any Tennessee games will be carried on Sports Radio WNML (FM 99.1 or AM 990) and UTSports.com. There will also be radio coverage for all 11 games by IMG Radio on one of the following channels: Sirius 137 / XM 190 or Sirius XM Channel 84 College Sports Nation.
Live stats for all 11 games will be available on the softball schedule page at UTSports.com HERE.
Tournament Schedule
View the full tournament schedule below:
Wednesday
Game 1 | #5 Alabama vs. #12 Arkansas | 12 p.m. ET| TV: SEC Network
Game 2 | #8 Ole Miss vs. #9 Mississippi State | 2:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network
Game 3 | #7 Kentucky vs. #10 South Carolina | 5 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network
Game 4 | #6 LSU vs. #11 Missouri | 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network
Thursday
Game 5 | #4 Texas A&M vs. Game 1 Winner | 12 p.m. ET| TV: SEC Network
Game 6 | #1 Florida vs. Game 2 Winner | 2:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network
Game 7 | #2 Auburn vs. Game 3 Winner | 5 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network
Game 8 | #3 Tennessee vs. Game 4 Winner | 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: SEC Network
Friday
Game 9 | Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner | 3 p.m. ET| TV: ESPNU
Game 10 |Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner | 5:30 p.m. ET | TV: ESPNU
Saturday
Game 11 |Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner | 8 p.m. ET| TV: ESPN
Need to Know
For the second consecutive season, the Vols have secured a first-round bye and enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed. UT will be looking to win its third SEC Tournament in program history after taking home the title in 2006 and 2011. This is the second time that the SEC Tournament will be hosted in Knoxville and the first time since 2009.
Weekend Lookback
The Vols are coming off a big road series win over then No. 6 Texas A&M to jump from the No. 4 to the No. 3 seed. UT road its hot bats to two consecutive victories over the Aggies after dropping the series opener on Friday night. The Big Orange broke out for eight runs in each of Saturday and Sunday’s wins, giving them three victories over top-10 opponents in the span of seven days.
Vols in the SEC Tournament
UT has had great success in the SEC Tournament throughout the years. The Vols have won two tournament championships (2006 & 2011) and boast the third best record in the SEC Tournament among conference schools with a 26-21 all-time record. LSU has the best record at 40-20, followed by Alabama at 36-23. The Orange and White have advanced to the semifinals the past two years and went all the way to the final in 2015 before falling to Auburn in extra innings. Tennessee’s senior class is 4-3 in the SEC Tournament.
Fan Information/Stadium Policies
Please be advised that the university’s clear bag policy for all of its athletic venues will be in effect for the SEC Tournament and every other event at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. In order to enhance safety and expedite fan entry at Tennessee athletic events, the university is implementing new safety policies for fans bringing bags into all athletic venues.
Only one clear plastic bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or a one-gallon, clear, resealable plastic storage bag per person will be permitted. Fans will also be allowed a small clutch purse not to exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches. Fans interested in purchasing an approved clear bag may visit the Official Team Store at Neyland Stadium, VolShop locations in the Student Union, 17th & Cumberland Avenue and University Commons; as well as other area retailers.
For more information on the new bag policy and all other stadium policies please visit the SEC Tournament Gameday Information page HERE.
What’s Next?
The Vols will wait to see their seeding for the NCAA Tournament, which will be revealed on Sunday night’s NCAA Selection Show at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2. UT is likely to be a top-16 seed and host an NCAA Regional for the 13th straight season.
If Willie Nelson’s 84th birthday wish was to have another No. 1 album, he got it.
Willie dropped his new album, God’s Problem Child, on April 28, the eve of his 84th birthday. One week later, God’s Problem Child is the No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200, selling 36,000 equivalent albums according to Nielsen Music.
The new 13-song offering—seven of which were co-penned by Willie and producer Buddy Cannon—is Willie’s first solo album of all new songs since 2014’s Band of Brothers, which also reached No. 1.
Over the last few years, Willie has been especially active in the studio, recording a duet album with Merle Haggard—Django and Jimmie—in 2015, as well as tribute albums to George Gershwin and Ray Price in 2016. The former, Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin, won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
God’s Problem Child Track Listing & Songwriters
“Little House On The Hill” (Lyndel Rhodes)
“Old Timer” (Donnie Fritz / Lenny LeBlanc)
“True Love” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
“Delete And Fast Forward” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
“A Woman’s Love” (Mike Reid / Sam Hunter)
“Your Memory Has A Mind Of Its Own” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
“Butterfly” (Sonny Throckmorton / Mark Sherrill)
“Still Not Dead” (Willie Nelson / Buddy Cannon)
“God’s Problem Child” (Jamey Johnson / Tony Joe White)
You never know what’s going to come out of the mouth of actor Chris Pratt—but we do know what he smells like thanks to an amusing anecdote he shared with Seth Meyers.
Chris, who has recently been making the late-night television rounds to promote his Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, stopped by Late Night With Seth Meyers on May 3 and told the host about his first encounter with Tim McGraw—a meeting that took place at the Academy Awards.
“Tim and Faith [Hill], they’re awesome,” said Chris. “I’m a big country music fan and a huge fan of Tim McGraw. I did meet him. I have his cologne, yeah, Southern Blend. It’s really good. If you get a chance, get some. It’s nice. [My wife] Anna [Faris] loves it. And she always knows if I put a little Southern Blend on, she’s going to have to endure some lovemaking.
“We went to the Oscars and it was such an amazing night, star-studded night, and there’s Tim McGraw. And I’m just starstruck, you know, there’s Tim and Faith and I keep glancing at him . . . At the end of the show everyone was filing out . . . I’m looking at Tim McGraw as we’re filing out, I’m getting closer and closer [and thinking] ‘This is my chance to talk to Tim McGraw’ and he catches me staring at him a few times . . . he had performed a song that night. I said, ‘Hey, Tim, that was a great song tonight.’ He’s like, ‘Thank you,’ and he kinda like [thinks] ‘I’m going to avoid you, you might be a weirdo.’ I said, ‘I’m just a huge fan of both you [and Faith]’ and he’s like, ‘Thank you, thank you.’ I said, ‘I’m wearing your cologne,’ and I’m not sure if he was just, like, being polite, but he was like, ‘Ah, thank you.’ And then there was that moment I was like, ‘Oh, no. I’m wearing your cologne? No, no.’ Really gut-wrenching and embarrassing.”
The funds from the Jake Owen Foundation will be used to send students to the INTEL International Science & Engineering Fair, expand the STEP Into Kindergarten Program and implement the new Academic Youth Development Program. The $15,000 donation will make a difference for students of all ages: 210 pre-K students will prepare to enter kindergarten through the STEP program; 200 eighth graders will get support as they transition to algebra through the Academic Youth Development Program; and two high school students will represent Vero Beach High School—Jake’s alma mater—at the INTEL International Science & Engineering Fair on May 14 in Los Angeles.
Kudos, Jake, on a job well done.
And since this is a Jake Owen story, check out his new video for “Good Company,” a tune that is currently No. 53 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after two weeks.
Jim Casey talks with Kelleigh Bannen about her Irish name, her podcast series, This Nashville Life, what it means to be a member of CMT’s Next Women of Country class, her new single, “Church Clothes,” working on new music and more.
The boys from Dan + Shay had a little fun over the weekend by “crashing” a couple’s wedding reception. The surprise performance delighted the bride, Madeline, who claimed she was Dan + Shay’s “biggest fan.” Dan + Shay posted several videos as an Instagram Story of the memorable day.
After singing their No. 1 single, “From the Ground Up,” for the bride and groom’s first dance, Dan + Shay stuck around to perform several more tunes, including a cover of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” and their current single, “How Not To,” among others.
Check out the videos below of Dan + Shay in action.
Photos via Dan + Shay Instagram.
Videos via Mary Beth North’s Facebook and David Meister’s Facebook
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — No. 9 Tennessee scored early and often for an 8-3 victory in the rubber game against No. 6 Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon at the Aggie Softball Complex.
Meghan Gregg hit a grand slam in the second inning and finished the day with five RBIs to move into fourth on UT’s single-season RBI list with 71. Brooke Vines also had a good day at the plate with a hit and two RBIs as the Vols finished with nine hits and scored eight runs for the second consecutive game.
Vines got the Volunteers off to a good start with an RBI single in the top of the first inning. Jenna Holcomb displayed some heads up baserunning to score from second on the play after walking earlier in the inning.
Tennessee’s lead didn’t last long however, as Tori Vidales lined a two-run homer over the left-field fence in the bottom of the first to give the Aggies a 2-1 lead. Vidales hit a solo home run in the first inning of Saturday’s game as well.
The Vols (44-9, 16-7 SEC) didn’t waste any time retaking the lead in the second, as Gregg hammered a 2-1 pitch over the wall in center field for a grand slam, spotting UT a 5-2 lead. It was Gregg’s third grand slam of the season and the sixth overall for the Big Orange this year.
Texas A&M (42-9, 16-7 SEC) cut into the lead in the bottom of the third with another home run from Vidales, her second of the game and third of the series. The solo shot was her 13th of the season and lowered the deficit to two heading into the fourth inning.
Chelsea Seggern got that run back for the Vols in the fifth with an RBI double to the gap in right center, driving in Katie Weimer all the way from first base. The Orange and White added another pair of runs in the sixth to increase their lead to five. Gregg drove in her fifth run of the game with a single to right field before Vines brought in Holcomb with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-3.
The Aggies didn’t go down quietly in the seventh, making things interesting with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Vidales smashed her third home run of the game, a three-run shot, to make it 8-6 before Moss got Sartain to ground out to end the game.
Moss got the win to improve to 23-2 on the year despite giving up five runs. Caylan Arnold tossed three innings of relief, allowing one run while striking out three Aggies.
UP NEXT: Tennessee begins postseason play in the SEC Tournament on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The Vols will be the No. 3 seed and play the winner of the 6/11 matchup, which will take place on Wednesday.
GREGG MOVES UP RECORD LISTS: With her grand slam in the second inning, junior Meghan Gregg moved into sole possession of fourth on UT’s single-season RBIs list. She added another RBI in the sixth to up her season total to 71. She needs just three more to pass Tonya Callahan (73 in 2006) for third and seven more to move into first place, overtaking Kristi Durant (77 in 2005) and Bridget Jackson (77 in 1996).
Gregg also moved into a tie for first on Tennessee’s career grand slams list with four, tying current volunteer assistant coach Madison Shipman. Her three grand slams this season are also the most by one player in a single season in program history.
TOURNEY TIME!: With the regular season over, the Vols will begin postseason play this week at the SEC Tournament, which will be hosted at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville. With today’s win, Tennessee locked up the No. 3 seed for the second straight season and will have a first-round bye before opening its postseason on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of the 6/11 matchup.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee starter Garrett Stallings threw six strong innings, but the Volunteers could not muster any runs in Game Two of this week’s series against Arkansas, falling to the Razorbacks, 2-0, on Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tennessee and Arkansas split the series, which was reduced to two games due to rain over the previous days. The Vols enjoyed a 5-4 win over the Razorbacks in Game One, which started on Thursday, but was completed at midday on Saturday.
With the loss, Tennessee moves to 24-19 (7-15 SEC) on the season, while No. 14 Arkansas improves to 35-13 (14-9 SEC).
Luc Lipcius’ single to left field in the second inning was the Vols’ lone hit of the game. He moved into scoring position on a passed ball, but Arkansas starter Trevor Stephan induced a pair of foulouts to leave him stranded.
Tennessee’s Jordan Rodgers reached base in the fourth inning after an error by Arkansas’ third baseman Jared Gates. The senior was unable to score after Stephan induced a Luc Lipcius flyout to center and sent Andre Lipcius down swinging for his eighth strikeout.
Matt Waldren reached base twice. He was hit by a pitch in the fifth and drew a walk in the seventh. Waldren has now reached base in each of his past eight games played, which is his longest streak this season.
Both teams held each other scoreless until the top of the fifth inning, when Arkansas’ Dominic Fletcher hit a one-out home run to right field to give the Razorbacks the lead. This marked Fletcher’s second homer of the series.
Arkansas right-handed pitcher Trevor Stephan (5-3) racked up 11 strikeouts and limited Tennessee to just one hit over seven scoreless frames.
Stallings (3-2) had a strong start, striking out three of his first five batters faced, but allowed six hits and two runs over the remainder of his six innings pitched.
Left-handed pitcher Zach Warren came in for relief in the top of the seventh frame, striking out three of the five batters that he faced.
TENNESSEE QUICK HITS
With the loss, Tennessee moves to a 33-27 all-time record against Arkansas, including a 14-13 mark in games played in Knoxville.
On Deck for the Vols: Tennessee plays back-to-back midweek contests next week, hosting Belmont on Tuesday, May 9 before traveling to Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, May 10. The Vols then continue on to Lexington for a three-game set visiting SEC opponent Kentucky Wildcats (Friday, May 12 – Sunday, May 14).
Saturday’s doubleheader attendance at Lindsey Nelson Stadium: 1,598
The boys from Dan + Shay had a little fun over the weekend by “crashing” a couple’s wedding reception. The surprise performance delighted the bride, Madeline, who claimed she was Dan + Shay’s “biggest fan.” Dan + Shay posted several videos as an Instagram Story of the memorable day.
