Bluegrass duo Dailey & Vincent got an unexpected surprise during their 100th appearance on the Grand Ole Opry on Friday night (Jan. 30) when Marty Stuart invited them to officially join the Opry.
“Country music needs you,” said Marty after the duo’s 30-minute set. “Country music loves you. And the Grand Ole Opry welcomes you.”
Comprised of Jamie Dailey (guitar, bass, vocals) and Darrin Vincent (mandolin, guitar, bass, vocals), the duo formed in 2007 and have earned a number of honors over their decade-long career, including multiple International Bluegrass Music Association awards and three Grammy nominations.
“This is one of the most special things that has ever happened to us,” said Jamie Dailey. “We’re so thankful.”
“I have no words,” added Darrin Vincent. “I’m so honored. The Lord is so faithful to us.”
The duo will be formally inducted into the Opry on Saturday, March 11.
Thomas Rhett is kicking off the new year with a new video for “American Spirit.” Written by Thomas Rhett, Jaren Johnston and Chris DeStefano, the tune appears on the deluxe edition of TR’s 2015 album, Tangled Up.
“‘American Spirit’ is one of my favorite songs to sit down and play on an acoustic guitar,” said Thomas Rhett. “So, I knew I wanted to make a video for it . . . just to share with our fans. I knew I wanted it to be simple and something that would pull on the heartstrings and I think it’s the perfect blend of that.”
Shot outside of Nashville, the video for “American Spirit” features Thomas Rhett kicking back with his guitar and enjoying some down-home activities—including riding a four-wheeler and playing with his dogs—while footage from his past concerts is interspersed.
The clock struck midnight in Nashville on New Year’s Eve and country stars took to their social media accounts to send their best wishes for a very happy and healthy new year.
2016 could arguably go down as one of the craziest years—with divisive presidential campaigns and so many celebrity deaths, including Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds to close out the year—many of us couldn’t wait for 2017 to take over.
Now that the new year is here, we can all start fresh and make 2017 the best we can. Here’s to a very happy and healthy new year for us all. Check out the well wishes from your favorite country stars.
Congratulations are in order for Runaway June’s Jennifer Wayne and William Michael Morgan. The couple announced their engagement Friday (Dec. 30) via Twitter.
Jennifer and William’s announcement comes on the heels of both Kacey Musgraves and Kelsea Ballerini’s engagements revealed to all on Christmas Day.
“Its you and me…Forever @wmmorgan,” Jennifer captioned a photo showing off her ring with her hand on top of his.
That’s definitely a great way to ring in the new year. Congratulations to the happy couple.
The brothers of High Valley—Brad and Curtis Rempel—are closing out 2016 with their very own music special, featuring their hit single, “Make You Mine,” which airs tonight (Dec. 30) on the Audience Network.
The Audience Network—an AT&T television network available on DirecTV and AT&T U-verse—features original series, specials and films. As part of the Audience music concerts special, artists across all genres, including High Valley, Brandy Clark, Bebe Rehxa, The Band Perry and Good Charlotte, taped exclusive performances and in-depth artist interviews.
If you don’t get the AT&T channels, you can catch High Valley’s performance of their single, “Make You Mine,” from their current album, Dear Life, right here at Nash Country Daily.
NCD sat down with the duo earlier this year and Brad told us about writing the song that has become a hit. “[In the writing session] I said, ‘How can we write something that simple and that real as “I’ll Fly Away,” a song that will feel old the first time you hear it, like you’ve known it your whole life?’ That’s all we were going for, just simple,” Brad explains. “I can tell you that our band—normally, we record something in the studio and we feel great about it, but then it takes a long time to rehearse it, work it up. ‘Make You Mine’—day one we played it live. It was like second nature, which was awesome, a really good sign.”
The Audience music concert featuring High Valley premieres tonight (Dec. 30th) at 9 p.m. ET/PT on DIRECTV channel 239 and U-verse channel 1114.
She may be known for her current single, “Lights Down Low,” her sexy new video with husband Eric Decker, the reality show Eric & Jessie: Game On or as co-host of CMT’s Redneck Island with Steve Austin, but Jessie James Decker is closing out 2016 just like the rest of us—with a glass of wine and plans to make her resolution last more than three weeks.
The “Lights Down Low” singer sat down with Nash Country Daily to talk about her New Year’s Eve plans and resolutions for 2017.
What is your New Year’s resolution? “I make New Year’s resolutions like everyone else does. I do the ‘I’m gonna workout, get toned and lose weight and get better and get a more muscular, bigger butt’ and then I give up like three weeks later. But maybe this year I will not.”
What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? “We don’t really have a big kind of thing we do for New Year’s. My family is so big on Christmas that we like blow it all out during Christmas and then everyone is just like pooped out by New Year’s. But my husband and I will probably have a glass of wine and watch some fireworks and ring in the New Year together watching the countdown on TV.”
Earlier this month on Dec. 15, Reba McEntire announced plans to release a new gospel album, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope. The double-album, which will be released on Feb. 3, will feature 10 classic hymns and 10 brand-new songs.
“One album has 10 hymns on it, songs that I grew up singing all my life,” said Reba via Facebook. “And the other one are 10 brand-new songs. It’s a joint partnership with Nash Icon and Capitol Christian. I was thrilled to death to get to do a gospel album, I’ve been wanting to do one forever.”
In addition to classic hymns like “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art,” Sing It Now will feature “Oh, How I Love Jesus,” which you can hear below in a new lyric video.
Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope Track Listing
“Jesus Loves Me”
“Oh, How I Love Jesus”
“When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder”
“Oh Happy Days”
“Amazing Grace”
“I’ll Fly Away”
“In the Garden/Wonderful Peace” ft. The Isaacs
“Swing Low Sweet Chariot/Swing Down Chariot”
“How Great Thou Art”
“Softly and Tenderly” ft. Kelly Clarkson & Trisha Yearwood
It’s never easy to lose someone and it’s especially hard when those people have made an impact on our lives. 2016 saw the passing of 10 country artists who have touched our lives with their music, including legendary artists Merle Haggard and Ralph Stanley and those we lost way too soon like Joey Feek and Craig Strickland.
Let’s take a look back and remember with fondness the country artists we lost in 2016.
CRAIG STRICKLAND: 1986-2016
Died: Jan. 4 Age: 29
Backroad Anthem’s lead singer, Craig Strickland, was found dead Monday morning (Jan. 4). According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Craig’s body was recovered along the shoreline of Kaw Lake in an area known as Bear Creek Cove, near where his boat was found capsized one week earlier.
Died: Feb. 22
Age: 87 Sonny James, the country singer behind hits like “Young Love” and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, died Feb. 22 at age 87. The cause of death was not given. Sonny scored the first of his 23 No. 1 singles in 1957 with “Young Love,” which hit the top on both the country and pop charts. Sonny reached No. 1 on the country charts in 1965 with “You’re the Only World I Know,” kicking off his most successful period. During one point in his career, from 1967 to late 1971, he had a string of 16 consecutive No. 1 country singles, including “I’ll Never Find Another You,” “Heaven Says Hello” and “Here Comes Honey Again.”
Sonny was welcomed as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1965. Other accolades included induction to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2006, Sonny received the highest honor of his career, election to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Sonny leaves behind his wife, Doris, whom he married in 1957.
JOEY FEEK: 1975-2016
Died: March 4
Age: 40
Joey Feek, part of the country duo Joey + Rory, died March 4 of cancer at age 40. Joey passed away in hospice care in her hometown of Alexandria, Ind., after a two-year battle with cancer. She grew up performing with her family’s band before moving to Nashville in 1998 and signed with Sony Records, where she recorded an album that was shelved after leadership changes at the label. She also recorded a solo album for Rory’s Giantslayer Records before the official formation of Joey+Rory in 2008. Their debut album, The Life of a Song, came out in 2008 and featured the sassy “Cheater, Cheater.” Their albums drew great critical acclaim and the couple was named Top New Duo at the 2010 ACM Awards.
The couple welcomed a baby girl, Indiana, in Feb. 2014. In December 2015, Joey + Rory earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, and in February 2016, their new album, Hymns That Are Important to Us, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart.
MERLE HAGGARD: 1937-2016
Died: April 6
Age: 79 Merle Haggard, one of the legendary figures of country music, died April 6 on his birthday, at age 79 from complications of pneumonia. Merle scored 38 Billboard No. 1 hits, won the Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year honor in 1970 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.
Merle released his debut single, “Sing a Sad Song,” in 1963. He later signed with Capitol Records, where he saw the bulk of his early success. Merle’s 1969 anthem “Okie From Muskogee” effectively captured the feelings of the middle class and their attitudes toward the anti-war protesters of the era. “The Fightin’ Side of Me,” “I Wonder if They Ever Think of Me” and other tunes made statements for the so-called Silent Majority without being condescending. He earned the title “Poet of the Common Man” with slice-of-life songs like “Mama Tried,” “If We Make It Through December” and others. His 38 Billboard No.1s place him third on the all-time chart-toppers list behind George Strait and Conway Twitty. Merle was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.
EMILIO: 1962-2016
Died: May 16
Age: 53 Emilio Navaira, a Tejano singer who crossed over in country music, died on May 16 in New Braunfels, Texas. He was 53. Known by the moniker Emilio, the singer released his first country single, “It’s Not the End of the World,” which hit the Top 30 on the Billboard country chart, in 1995. His first country album, Life Is Good, saw some success reaching No. 13 on the Billboard chart. In 1997 he followed that up with his second country album, It’s On The House, which did not see near the success of the first. Emilio slowly faded from the country music scene gravitating more toward Tejano music. In 2002 Emilio’s album, Acuérdate won the Grammy award for Best Tejano Album.
GUY CLARK: 1941-2016
Died: May 17
Age: 74
Texas troubadour Guy Clark passed away in Nashville May 17 after a long illness. The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer was 74 years old. Guy became a prolific songwriter, penning such tunes as “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” “L.A. Freeway,” “That Old Time Feeling,” “She Ain’t Going Nowhere,” “Let Him Roll,” “Rita Ballou,” and “Texas 1947.” His songs were recorded by a who’s who of country legends, including Johnny Cash, George Strait, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Alan Jackson, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill and more. Ricky Skagg’s scored a No. 1 song with Guy’s “Heartbroke” in 1982.
Guy recorded more than 20 albums over his career, including his 2013 Grammy-winning Best Folk Album, My Favorite Picture of You. Guy was preceded in death by his wife, Susanna, in 2012. He is survived by son Travis and daughter-in-law Krista McMurtry Clark and two grandchildren.
RALPH STANLEY: 1927-2016
Died: June 23
Age: 89
Ralph Stanley, one of the stalwarts of bluegrass music and an important figure on the scene since starting the Clinch Mountain Boys band in 1946, died June 23, from complications with skin cancer. He was 89. Ralph gained his earliest fame in the Stanley Brothers duo, which he formed with his brother Carter. Ralph forged his own popularity when he went solo in 1966, following Carter’s death from complications of cirrhosis. He re-formed the Clinch Mountain Boys, which at one time included Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley.
Ralph gained an entirely new audience with the release of the 2000 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? He sang a chilling a cappella version of the Appalachian dirge “O Death” in the movie. Dr. Ralph, who has received two honorary doctorates in music from Lincoln Memorial University and Yale, continued to perform with the Clinch Mountain Boys until his death. He is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has been inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor.
BONNIE BROWN: 1938-2016
Died: July 16
Age: 77
Bonnie Brown Ring, one-third of the Hall of Fame group The Browns, passed away July 16 following complications from lung cancer. The Arkansas native was 77 years old. Her older siblings, Maxine and Jim Ed, performed together in the early ’50s, and after Bonnie graduated from high school, she joined the group, expanding it to a trio. The Browns performed on The Louisiana Hayride and found chart success with “I Take the Chance” and “I Heard the Bluebirds Sing.” In 1959, the trio recorded one of the biggest hits of the era with “The Three Bells,” which topped Billboard‘s Country charts and led to appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The Browns were invited to become Grand Ole Opry members in 1963. In 1967, Bonnie and Maxine decided to leave the trio to spend more time with their families, and Jim Ed embarked on a very successful solo career. In March 2015, The Browns were announced as new inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Bonnie is survived by daughters Kelly Bulleit and Robin Shaver and sister Maxine.
JEAN SHEPARD: 1933-2016
Died: Sept. 25
Age: 82
Jean Shepard passed away Sept. 25 at age 82 after entering hospice care earlier in the week. At age 14 Jean was spotted by country star Hank Thompson singing and playing bass in the all-girl band she’d formed called the Melody Ranch Girls. A stint on the Springfield, Missouri Ozark Jubilee was followed by Grand Ole Opry membership in 1955. Her hit duet “A Dear John Letter” with Ferlin Husky was the first post-World War II country record featuring a female vocalist to sell a million copies.
Jean became a member of the Opry on November 21, 1955 and last appeared on November 21, 2015 when she became the only female to reach 60 years of Opry membership. In 2011, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Jean is survived by husband Benny Birchfield and sons Don Robin Hawkins, Harold Franklin Hawkins II and Corey Birchfield.
HOLLY DUNN: 1957-2016
Died: Nov. 15
Age: 59
Holly Dunn passed away Nov. 15 at the age of 59. The singer was battling a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Born Aug 22, 1957, Holly was best known in the 1980’s for her Top 10 hit, “Daddy’s Hands” and No. 1 hit “You Really Had Me Going.” She released ten albums, including Cornerstone,The Blue Rose of Texas, Life and Love and All the Stages, and charted 19 songs.
As Holly’s career started to slow down, she retired from music in 2003 to pursue another passion—painting. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March 2016, Holly passed away at a hospice facility in New Mexico, surrounded by family and friends.
Here’s something to think about: Chris Young and Cassadee Pope’s “Think of You” is the Best Country Single of 2016 as voted by Nash Country Daily readers.
NCD nominated 10 singles, and then we asked you—our readers—to vote for the best country single of 2016. And vote you did. After thousands of ballots were cast, Chris and Cassadee’s “Think of You” reigned supreme with 28 percent of the vote.
“Think of You,” which was co-written by Chris, Corey Crowder and Josh Hoge, was released in January and reached the top spot on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart in May. The tune was the second single released from Chris’ 2015 album, I’m Comin’ Over, and it is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the Grammys on Feb. 12, 2017.
Rounding out the Top 5 in our Best Single Vote include Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind” (19%), Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” (17%), Miranda Lambert’s “Vice” (14%) and Maren Morris’ “My Church” (7%).
As 2016 comes to a close and we look back fondly over the year in country music, we noticed that quite a few country stars have taken a spill onstage in 2016. Five falls stood out to us this year and because no one was mortally wounded, we can look back at these falls as the price of doing business.
Here are our Top 5 falls in 2016.
5. Keith Urban falls as he runs between stages.
July, 2016 Keith Urban is known as a free-wheeling mover onstage. At this concert there were two stages the Aussie singer had to maintain. Getting from one stage to another in the dark could be a hazard for anyone. Keith did the best he could as he passed through throngs of fans, but he couldn’t avoid taking a spill. Keep your eye on Keith after the man in the blue shirt passes by. It’s not pretty.
4. Luke Bryan falls onstage in Montreal.
February, 2016 Luke Bryan may be our favorite country music fall-er. The “Move” singer has fallen offstage more times than we can count. Three times in 2014 alone—Charlotte, N.C., Indianapolis, Ind., and Greensboro, N.C. 2016 seemed to be looking up for the superstar until a fateful night in February. Luke didn’t fall off the stage per se, he fell on the stage—slipping as he was trying to catch a beer from a stagehand. Oops. Maybe Luke will fare better in 2017.
3. Granger Smith falls offstage at New Jersey show.
December, 2016 In country’s most recent—and most serious—fall, Granger Smith was standing on a monitor that gave way, sending Granger offstage and into a metal barricade. Granger returned to the stage to finish his set, but later visited a nearby emergency room where he was diagnosed with two broken ribs and a punctured and collapsed lung. Don’t worry, Granger is recovering.
2. Thomas Rhett falls offstage in Charlottesville, Va.
February, 2016 Thomas Rhett likes to keep things moving onstage during his shows with songs like “Get Me Some of That,” “Make Me Wanna,” “It Goes Like This” and “T-Shirt,” but it was during his song “Southside” that he moved a little too much. As he was singing the lines Shake it ’til you just can’t shake it no more / Shake that thing all your way to the flo, TR went down to the flo. But he didn’t miss a beat. The singer kept on singing even while laying in the crowd.
1. Tim McGraw falls off stage at Harvey’s Lake Tahoe.
July, 2016 Tim McGraw was right in the middle of singing “All I Want Is a Life” when he took a misstep and plunged to the ground surrounded by fans. We love this because Tim is mid-song and he doesn’t stop singing after the fall, he just continues with the lyrics. Showing off his wicked sense of humor, Tim then says to the crowd, “Be careful, there’s a hole there.” Way to go, Tim.
![Reba McEntire Reveals Track Listing for New Gospel Album, Including “Oh, How I Love Jesus” [Listen]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2016/12/26151819/Reba-McEntire-Album-cover.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
CRAIG STRICKLAND: 1986-2016
SONNY JAMES: 1928-2016
JOEY FEEK: 1975-2016
MERLE HAGGARD: 1937-2016
EMILIO: 1962-2016
GUY CLARK: 1941-2016
RALPH STANLEY: 1927-2016
BONNIE BROWN: 1938-2016
JEAN SHEPARD: 1933-2016
HOLLY DUNN: 1957-2016
