Kane Brown recently released his latest single to country radio, “Like I Love Country Music.”
Now if you thought the song was fun – you ain’t seen nothing yet!
Check out the music video for Kane Brown’s “Like I Love Country Music” in all of its boot scootin’ boogieing glory.
Photo Courtesy of Kane Brown
Cole Swindell just released a fun video for his song “Down To The Bar” – one of the 13 tracks on his recently released album Stereotype.
Earlier this year Cole’s Down To The Bar tour featured Travis Denning and Ashley Cooke – so when it came time to film the video for the song of the same name, Cole knew Travis, Ashley and also the track’s co-writer and guest vocalist HARDY had to be a part of it.
Cole shares, “I had so much fun on my Down To The Bar Tour with Travis and Ashley out on the road with me this spring. We just carried that good time over to this video and I hope fans can see how much fun that tour was for all of us. This video would not have been the same without them and it’s awesome to have HARDY be such a big part of the song/video as well. They added a lot to the tour and it just felt right to have them in the video that the tour was named after.”
Check out Cole Swindell’s music video for “Down To The Bar” here…
Photo Courtesy of Cole Swindell
Earlier this month Priscilla Block wrapped up the first leg of her Welcome To The Block Party tour.
Now Priscilla is taking the party overseas!
Priscilla shared, “The US Tour was such a success, we’ve decided to take this thing overseas!! I had the opportunity to play C2C Festival this year and it was unreal. I can’t wait to get back to Europe and show everyone what the full Block Party is all about.”
This August Block will have a handful of dates that will see her playing all over the UK.
Fans worldwide will be looking to hear this one from Priscilla Block…it’s “My Bar.”
Photo Credit: Logen Christopher
HOOVER, Ala. – No. 1/1 Tennessee begins postseason play Wednesday evening at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama.
The Vols will play either No. 8 seed Vanderbilt or No. 9 seed Ole Miss on the SEC Network in Game 7 of the tournament at Hoover Met Stadium. Due to potential of weather delays, the time of first pitch is TBD. Check the SEC’s website for the most up-to-date information regarding game times.
The Big Orange enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed after claiming their first SEC regular season title since 1995. UT is a top-four seed for just the second time since 2005.
Win or lose on Wednesday, Tennessee is guaranteed to play at least one more game on Thursday after earning a bye into the double-elimination rounds of the tournament due to securing a top-four seed.
On the call for Tennessee’s tournament opener on Wednesday will be Tom Hart (PxP), Chris Burke (Analyst) and Dani Wexelman (Field). Hart and Wexelman, along with Kyle Peterson, will also call all of the evening games on Thursday and Friday, while Hart, Burke, Peterson and Kris Budden (Field) will team up for Saturday’s semifinals and Sunday’s championship game.
Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson call the game on the Vol Network (FM 99.1/AM 990) as well as UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.
The Vol Network had added multiple radio affiliates to broadcast remaining Tennessee baseball SEC games this season. The complete list of new affiliates is below. Please check your local listings prior to each weekend. Game coverage varies by station.
Chattanooga: WFLI (FM 97.7, FM 100.3, AM 1070)
Cleveland: The Buzz (FM 101.3)
Cookeville: WKXD (FM 104.7)
Lawrenceburg: WWLX (FM 106.1, FM 93.1, AM 590)
Muscle Shoals, AL: WSBM (FM 97.9, AM 1340)
Oneida: WBNT (FM 105.5)
Pulaski: WKSR (FM 107.7, FM 100.9, AM 1420)
Overall Record: 28-27
in Hoover: 7-16
Other Sites: 21-11
Last 10 Games: 3-7
Last Appearance: 2021 (3-2; runner-up)
Tournament Appearances: 17
Tournament Titles: 3 (1993, 1994, 1995)
Tennessee is making its third straight appearance at the SEC Tournament after missing the event in 2017 and 2018. The Vols finished runner-up in last year’s SEC Tournament—their best ever finish in the current format and best overall since 1995.
All-SEC Vols
Tennessee was well-represented in the SEC’s postseason honors with a league-high five players named to the all-conference teams and three Vols earning major awards. In total, six UT players racked up nine overall selections on the All-SEC first and second teams, as well as the SEC All-Freshman team and SEC All-Defensive team. The Vols’ five honorees on the All-SEC teams marked the second most in a single season in program history, just one behind the 1994 squad, which had six.
Coach of the Year: Tony Vitello
Pitcher of the Year: Chase Dollander
Freshman of the Year: Drew Beam
All-SEC First Team
Trey Lipscomb – 3B
Drew Gilbert – OF
Chase Dollander – SP
All-SEC Second Team
Drew Beam – SP
Chase Burns – SP
SEC All-Defensive Team
Drew Gilbert – OF
SEC All-Freshman Team
Drew Beam – SP
Chase Burns – SP
Blake Burke – DH/1B
Freshman Phenoms
Tennessee’s freshman class has been nothing short of outstanding this season. The dominance and ability of the freshman class has been on full display in the SEC Weekly Awards. Entering the season, only eight Vols were named SEC Freshman of the Week since the award began in 2006. This season alone, seven Vols have earned SEC Freshman of the Week and five different players have taken home those honors.
Fight at the Bat Rack
Tennessee leads the country in home runs (137) and slugging percentage (.613) while ranking inside the top 15 in runs per game (3rd), total runs (2nd), batting average (12th), on-base percentage (5th), hits (12th), doubles (8th), triples (17th) and walks (3rd).
Commanding the Zone
UT couples its tremendous offense with superb pitching, leading the nation in ERA (2.37), WHIP (0.95), hits allowed per nine innings (6.15), walks allowed per nine innings (2.39) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.51), while also ranking sixth nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (10.8).
Following the SEC Tournament this week, the Vols will likely return home to host an NCAA Regional for the second consecutive year. The NCAA Selection Show will air on Monday, May 30 at noon ET on ESPN2.
-UT Athletics
CARY, N.C. – Tennessee was one of just five schools to have multiple players named semifinalists for the 2022 Golden Spikes Award, USA Baseball announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Senior third baseman Trey Lipscomb and freshman pitcher Chase Burns were both named to the 31-man list of semifinalists for the 44th Golden Spikes Award, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top amateur baseball player.
Burns was on the award’s midseason watch list while Lipscomb played his way on to the list of semifinalists with an incredible regular season in which he proved to be one of the top players in the Southeastern Conference.
Lipscomb, a first-team All-SEC selection and Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist, shattered his career highs in every offensive category while leading the conference with 74 RBIs and 158 total bases during the regular season. He also finished tied for the SEC lead with 21 home runs and ranked among the league leaders in runs scored (t-2nd – 61), slugging percentage (2nd – .749) and hits (t-7th – 74).
The Frederick, Maryland, native also ranks among the national leaders in a handful of offensive categories, boasting top-15 marks in RBIs (4th), total bases (10th), home runs (14th) and slugging percentage (14th).
Burns has lived up to his lofty preseason expectations and then some with a stellar freshman campaign, serving as Tennessee’s Friday-night starter for the majority of the season. The Gallatin, Tennessee, native posted a 7-1 record and a 2.53 ERA in 14 appearances, 13 of which were weekend starts. His ERA ranks second in the SEC while his 88 strikeouts rank second on the team and fourth in the league. Burns was named an All-SEC second team selection and also earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team earlier this week.
Per USA Baseball’s Release:
The list of semifinalists will be sent to a voting body consisting of baseball media members, select professional baseball personnel, current USA Baseball staff and the previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 150 voters. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of semifinalists. On June 8, USA Baseball will announce the finalists, and voting for the winner will begin that same day.
Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2022. Beginning with the semifinalist announcement and continuing through the finalist round voting deadline, fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player on GoldenSpikesAward.com.
The winner of the 44th Golden Spikes Award will be named on Friday, June 24, on ESPN. To stay up-to-date on the 2022 Golden Spikes Award visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Twitter and Instagram.
-UT Athletics
Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello previewed the Vols in the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover on Tuesday with UT’s first game being Wednesday afternoon at 5:30pm ET.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 2022 Southeastern Conference postseason honors were announced on Monday afternoon and Tennessee was well-represented with a league-high five players named to the all-conference teams and three Vols earning major awards.
In total, six UT players racked up nine overall selections on the All-SEC first and second teams, as well as the SEC All-Freshman team and SEC All-Defensive team.
The Vols’ five honorees on the All-SEC teams marked the second most in a single season in program history, just one behind the 1994 squad, which had six.
Three Vols earned major awards, led by head coach Tony Vitello, who was named the SEC Coach of the Year for the first time after leading the Big Orange to the best regular season in program history. Tennessee went 49-7 while leading the country in victories and posting the top RPI in the land. UT achieved its first-ever No. 1 ranking in any poll and ended up spending seven weeks as the unanimous No. 1 team in the country. The Volunteers smashed program records in season home runs, ERA (not including the shortened 2020 season) and attendance while winning the conference for the fourth time in program history. UT won the conference by a record six games and won the eastern division by 10 games, also a league record.
Vitello is just the third coach in program history to earn SEC Coach of the Year honors, joining S.W. Anderson (1951), and Rod Delmonico, who won it in back-to-back years in 1994 and 1995.
Chase Dollander earned SEC Pitcher of the Year acclaim after a stellar debut season on Rocky Top. The Georgia native is just the second player in program history to garner the honor, joining former big leaguer Luke Hochevar, who won the award in 2005.
Dollander was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week twice and led the conference in ERA (2.30), opponent batting average (.158), fewest hits allowed (35) and fewest walks allowed (nine). The sophomore right hander also finished tied for second in the SEC with eight wins, posting a perfect 8-0 record in the regular season. His 90 strikeouts also led the team and ranked tied for second in the league despite missing two weeks of action due to an injury.
Though the Vols had multiple worthy candidates, pitcher Drew Beam took home SEC Freshman of the Year honors after an impressive first year at Tennessee. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native holds the second-lowest WHIP in the country (0.84) and held opponents to a .184 batting average, the second-best mark in the SEC. Beam accumulated an 8-1 record and burst onto the scene by throwing a complete-game, two-hit shutout on the road at then No. 3 Vanderbilt on April 3, earning him numerous national pitcher of the week honors.
The freshman right hander earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors twice and was also named the SEC Pitcher of the Week on April 4. Beam is the second player – and the first pitcher – in program history to garner SEC Freshman of the Year honors, joining former big leaguer J.P. Arencibia (2005).
This year marks the first time in program history that the Vols had the SEC Coach of the Year, SEC Pitcher of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year in the same season, adding yet another accomplishment to the list of impressive records and accolades.
Aside from the major postseason awards, Tennessee also had five players earn All-SEC recognition and three players named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Dollander, Trey Lipscomb and Drew Gilbert were all named All-SEC first team selections while Beam and fellow freshman pitcher Chase Burns were voted to the second team by the league’s coaches. Beam, Burns and Blake Burke all garnered spots on the SEC All-Freshman team, as well.
Lipscomb, who was among the favorites to win SEC Player of the Year, was the first-team selection at third base after a breakout senior season. The Frederick, Maryland, native shattered his career highs in every offensive category while leading the conference with 74 RBIs and 158 total bases. He also finished tied for the SEC lead with 21 home runs and ranked among the league leaders in runs scored (t-2nd – 61), slugging percentage (2nd – .749) and hits (t-7th – 74). Lipscomb was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 28 and earned multiple National Player/Hitter of the Week honors after becoming just the fourth player in program history to hit for the cycle, doing so in a win over Iona on Feb. 25.
Gilbert earned All-SEC postseason recognition for the first time in his UT career after another excellent season for the Big Orange. As Tennessee’s cleanup hitter, Gilbert finished the regular season with a team-high and SEC-best .385 batting average and ranked second on the team with 57 RBIs, which was also tied for fourth in the conference. The Stillwater, Minnesota, native led the team with 17 doubles and four triples (both career highs) and hit eight home runs. He also drew a career-high 31 walks and led the team with a .485 on-base percentage, a mark that ranked third in the SEC. Gilbert was the lone Vol named to the SEC All-Defensive team, positing a .989 fielding percentage while recording three assists from center field.
Burns backed up his lofty recruiting ranking with a stellar freshman campaign, serving as Tennessee’s Friday-night starter for the majority of the season. The Gallatin, Tennessee, native posted a 7-1 record and a 2.53 ERA in 14 appearances, 13 of which were weekend starts. His ERA ranked second in the SEC behind Dollander and just ahead of Beam while his 88 strikeouts ranked second on the team and fourth in the league. Burns was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on March 28 and was named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, as well.
Burke rounded out UT’s list of players to earn SEC postseason accolades, garnering a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team after batting .366 and blasting 10 home runs in just 71 at-bats. The talented freshman drove in 26 runs , scored 23 times and would have led the team with a 1.375 OPS, a .859 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage if he had the minimum required number of at-bats.
The complete list of SEC postseason award and all-conference teams can be seen HERE.
Coach of the Year: Tony Vitello
Pitcher of the Year: Chase Dollander
Freshman of the Year: Drew Beam
All-SEC First Team:
Trey Lipscomb – 3B
Drew Gilbert – OF
Chase Dollander – SP
All-SEC Second Team:
Drew Beam – SP
Chase Burns – SP
SEC All-Defensive Team:
Drew Gilbert – OF
SEC All-Freshman Team:
Drew Beam – SP
Chase Burns – SP
Blake Burke – DH/1B
-UT Athletics
This past weekend Blake Shelton was on hand in Texas for the NASCAR All-Star Race where he was the Grand Marshall.
Blake got the drivers going with this…
Blake also performed a concert as a part of the festivities – where among the songs he sang was his latest hit “Come Back As A Country Boy” – which is from his Body Language Deluxe Album
Check out the music video for “Come Back As A Country Boy.”
Photo Credit: Todd Stefani
Eric Church ended his massive Gather Again tour this past weekend in New York City at the world famous Madison Square Garden.
Fans know that along with Eric, singer Joanna Cotten, has been a major part of Eric’s music and tour, so when Joanna was under the weather, you can’t just hand those duties off to anyone.
That’s why Eric called Ashley McBryde to fill in.
Back in 2017, Eric Church brought a relatively unknown Ashley McBryde out on stage with the introduction, “I mentioned I had a guest and there’s a young lady here who I have become a massive fan of, and you guys are gonna be a massive fan of her real soon. She’s just starting this journey of her career and she’s unquestionably my favorite artist out right now that’s not out yet, but she will be real soon. So I invited her to come out and just her and I are gonna do an acoustic song that she wrote… please make welcome Ashley McBryde.”
Ashley recalls her reaction when Eric called her about performing at MSG this past weekend, “When Eric asked, ‘Hey, can you come fill in?’ I said yes without even knowing how I’d get there. Talk about respect… any time Eric’s asked me to do something it has caused me to level up. I got to take a master class in entertaining while on stage.”
Talking about Ashley Eric said, “When Joanna had to sit this one out, we immediately knew who to ask. Ashley is meant for arena stages, and she’ll be headlining her own show at MSG soon.”
McByrde added, “Stepping into Joanna Cotten’s boots… I don’t take it lightly,”
Of course Eric knew Ashley was up to speed with his music as she also joined him on stage at the ACM Awards earlier this year.
Photo Credit: Anthony D’Angio
Jimmy Allen reached number-one with Brad Paisley earlier this year with their song “Freedom Was A Highway.”
Earlier this month Jimmie and Dylan Scott joined forces on the song “In Our Blood.”
Now Jimmie has another collaboration on the way…and it’s one we didn’t see coming, but we’re totally interested.
Jimmie and J Lo…Jennifer Lopez, have a song coming out Friday called “On My Way.”
While we wait to hear that new one, you can check out the music video for Jimmie Allen’s current single at country radio, “Down Home.”
Photo Courtesy of Jimmie Allen
