Walker Hayes is inside the Top-10 on the Billboard country airplay chart with “AA” – a song that’s trying to work it’s way to number-one.
Now the track has a new fan – who also happens to be namechecked in the tune…Nick Saban.
The legendary football coach met Walker, and his wife Laney, this week and provided his seal of approval to “AA.”
Check out the music video for Walker Hayes Top-10 (and climbing) hit “AA.”
Photo Courtesy of Walker Hayes
The city of Knoxville celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 World’s Fair this Saturday.
Admission to the event at World’s Fair Park is free. There will be music, exhibits, food trucks and fireworks to end the day.
A special souvenir will be sold which will help raise money for the Sunsphere Fund. European handcrafted glass ornaments are being released by Joy to the World, an ornament company founded by Knoxville resident Lisa Kelechava, to commemorate the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the World’s Fair.
In addition to the World’s Fair ornaments, Joy to the World will also create a Gay Street Sign ornament which will be priced at $20 and be released on June 1st.
For a link to purchase this ornament, please go to https://shop.visitknoxville.com/products/40th-worlds-fair-anniversary-ornament
Elle King recently topped the country music airplay chart with Miranda Lambert and their smash hit “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).”
Elle is now following it up with another duet…this time with Dierks Bentley, and “Worth A Shot.”
This isn’t the first time Elle and Dierks have joined forces musically – Elle was a part of Dierks’ number-one song “Different For Girls” back in 2016.
Elle says “Dierks took a chance and brought me into the country world. I couldn’t make my own country record, which is my favorite album I’ve ever made, without including the person who gave me a seat at the table.”
She adds, “To be honest, Dierks and I just have fun no matter what we do, especially singing and performing great songs. This song is all about trying to get back to the beginning of something, and so it’s only right that we go back to where it all started for me.”
Check out the music video for “Worth A Shot” – that takes Elle King and Dierks Bentley back to the Old West.
Photo Credit: Matthew Berinato
After the passing of Naomi Judd – fans wondered if The Judds announced The Final Tour, scheduled for this fall, would still take place.
It was during the recent celebration of Naomi’s life at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville where Wynonna shared her plans, “So, I made a decision…I’m gonna have to honor her and do this tour.”
The audience validated Wynonna’s choice with a explosion of applause at the announcement.
While already announced special guest Martina McBride will continue to be on the shows – Wy is getting a little support from an all star list of country music artists throughout the tour…including, Brandi Carlile, Little Big Town, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood and Ashley McBryde.
The tour also grew by one date as a show at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky was added.
The final public appearance and performance of The Judds was this year’s CMT Music Awards.
Photo Credit: Katie Kauss/Getty Images for CMT
Chase Rice is getting ready to work on a new project, and he’s ready to take his music in a more personal direction than ever before.
As Chase honored the passing of his father this week, he shared on social media, “Lost my dad 14 years ago today (May 18th). Never got a chance to drink a beer with him or take him on man to man, which is probably good cause he would have whipped my ass. He was one of the good ones. And he’s all over this next album, I dove into stuff that’s affected me for years but never talked about. Can’t wait for him to hear it, and y’all. Love you dad.“
Chase also shared another important figure in his life right now that might inspire music for his new project, “Don’t think for a second there ain’t gonna be a song about Jack on this new album.”
We can’t wait to see what Chase Rice comes up with.
The first taste of his new musical direction is “If I Were Rock & Roll.”
Headline Photo Credit: Kaiser Cunningham
Additional Photos Courtesy of Chase Rice
Tim McGraw appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – during his stop on the late night talk show he talked about his role in 1883, being an empty nester, his current tour, how he proposed to Faith Hill, and then how she really slapped in during the filming of their TV show.
Watch the segment here…
Photo Courtesy of Tim McGraw
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers homered three times in the first inning and never took their foot off the gas in a 27-2 annihilation of Mississippi State in Thursday night’s series opener at Dudy Noble Field.
Tennessee (47-7, 23-5 SEC) had a perfect start to the road showdown. After a groundout to start the game, Luc Lipcius, Jordan Beck and Drew Gilbert hit back-to-back-to-back home runs to spot the Big Orange a 3-0 lead in the blink of an eye.
The Vols’ tied the single-game program record with seven long balls and totaled a season-high 25 hits on the night. The 25-run margin of victory was the largest for an SEC game in program history.
While the offense was pouring on the runs, Chase Dollander was mowing down Bulldog hitters in a dominant performance on the mound to improve to 8-0 on the year. The sophomore right hander had six strikeouts in six no-hit innings and issued just one walk before exiting the game after a lengthy top of the seventh inning.
That offensive onslaught continued in the third as Gilbert and Jorel Ortega drove in runs before standout freshman Blake Burke smashed his 10th home run of the season, a three-run shot into the second deck of the porches in right-center field.
The Vols scored three more times in both the fifth and sixth innings, highlighted by a three-run homer to dead center from Ortega. The redshirt sophomore infielder mashed his second homer of the night, and 14th of the season, in the eighth inning. Ortega finished the night with a game-high five hits and eight RBIs, both of which were career bests.
UT posted its largest offensive outburst in the seventh inning, plating seven runs. Lipcius crushed his second home run of the night – a two-run shot to left – prior to an RBI single by Ortega, a two-run double by Evan Russell and an RBI single from Christian Scott.
Eight of UT’s nine starters collected a base knock in the game while seven had multiple hits and three tallied four or more hits on the night
SEC Player of the Year candidate Trey Lipscomb went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, his second game this season with four or more hits and his 20th multi-hit outing of the year. His strong at-bats were mirrored by Russell, who was 4-of-5 with three doubles and three RBIs. His doubles came in consecutive innings as he posted an extra-bagger in the fifth, sixth and seventh.
Mississippi State (26-28, 9-19 SEC) scored two runs in the last three innings, but in all, it was a quiet offensive night for the Bulldogs, who dropped their ninth SEC game in their last 10 contests.
The Big Orange will look to secure the series with a win tomorrow night. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed online on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
BIG ORANGE BOPPERS: Tennessee tied the program record for home runs in a single game for the second time this season, also hitting seven against James Madison on March 9. This comes after the Vols crushed six homers in their midweek bout with Belmont on Tuesday, May 17, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
EIGHT WITH TEN: Blake Burke’s third inning home run made him the eighth Volunteer hitter with 10 or more home runs this season. Others on the list include three who had homers tonight, Luc Lipcius, Jordan Beck and Jorel Ortega, plus Trey Lipscomb, Evan Russell, Christian Moore and Cortland Lawson.
BIGGEST MARGIN VS. THE LEAGUE: In the victory, Tennessee surpassed its previous highest margin of victory in an SEC game of 20 runs, done on May 8, 2010 against Georgia, 25-5.
RUNS, RUNS, RUNS: 27 was the most runs Mississippi State has given up in a single game since 1966.
-UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee softball begins NCAA Tournament action this weekend as the Lady Vols play host to the 17th consecutive Knoxville Regional at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. UT was selected as the No. 11 national seed and welcomes Ohio State, Oregon State and Campbell to Rocky Top for the postseason event.
Limited tickets are available at AllVols.com and can also be purchased at the Sherri Parker Lee ticket office when gates open to the public one hour prior to first pitch of the first game each day. Parking is free for all games in lots S14 and C25 adjacent to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium and Regal Soccer Stadium, and fans should note that Tennessee Athletics’ clear bag policy will be in effect.
Fans are encouraged to visit the Tennessee softball gameday information page before making their way to Sherri Parker Lee to familiarize themselves with gameday policies and procedures.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE: The four-team regional will take place Friday to Sunday as a double-elimination tournament, with the winner advancing to the Super Regional round. After Oregon State and Ohio State square off Friday at 4 p.m. to begin the Knoxville Regional, the Lady Vols will open NCAA Tournament play against the reigning Big South Conference Champions of Campbell at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, May 20
Game 1: Ohio State vs. Oregon State | 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
Game 2: Tennessee vs. Campbell | 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 21
Game 3: G1 Winner vs. G2 Winner | 12 p.m.
Game 4: G1 Loser vs. G2 Loser | 2:30 p.m.
Game 5: G3 Loser vs. G4 Winner | 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 22
Game 6: G3 Winner vs. G5 Winner | 2 p.m.
Game 7: G6 Winner vs. G6 Loser (If necessary) | 4:30 p.m.
HOSTING IS A HABIT: Tennessee’s 17 consecutive regional hosting bids tie Florida and Alabama for the longest streaks of any team in the country. UT will make its 19th overall NCAA Tournament appearance and owns a 78-42 record in the postseason showcase.
The Lady Vols have advanced past the Regional round 11 times overall and boast a 46-16 all-time record during the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
STRONG REGIONAL: Among the 16 regional host sites, the 2022 NCAA Knoxville Regional field owns the second-highest average RPI at 37. Campbell is the second-highest rated No. 4 seed—checking in the RPI at 74—while Ohio State and Oregon State come in at No. 25 and 37, respectively.
ALL-REGION HONOREES: Tennessee’s standout trio of Erin Edmoundson, Kiki Milloy and Zaida Puni were each recognized on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Southeast Region Teams on Thursday. Edmoundson and Milloy were named to the second team, while Puni received third team accolades.
NOTING THE FIELD: Tennessee owns a 16-5 combined all-time record against Ohio State, Oregon State and Campbell and has faced all three teams at least once in the last three years.
Ohio State (35-15, 13-9 B1G)
Oregon State (33-19, 9-15 Pac-12)
Campbell (37-17, 21-6 Big South)
UP NEXT: The winner of the Knoxville Regional will take on the winner of the Tuscaloosa Regional in the Super Regional round next weekend, May 27-29.
-UT Athletics
DALLAS – Four members of the top-ranked Tennessee baseball team were selected as semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Thursday afternoon.
Tennessee is the most-represented team on the list with four semifinalists of the 39 candidates. The Volunteers also represent just under half of the 10 Southeastern Conference players that earned a spot.
The Dick Howser Trophy, one of the most prestigious awards in college baseball, is given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting by the NCBWA in conjunction with the Dick Howser Trophy Committee and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
The three UT starters –Drew Beam, Chase Burns and Chase Dollander– have each been terrific this year. Dollander and Beam currently have the No. 1 and No. 2 lowest WHIP in the country with 0.76 and 0.80 figures, respectively. The trio has combined for 22 wins, led by the freshman Beam with eight while both Burns and Dollander have seven.
Burns, a freshman from Gallatin, Tennessee, holds the SEC lead in ERA at 2.34 entering the weekend while Dollander and Beam also rank 1-2 in the conference in opponent batting average. Both Dollander and Burns are jockeying for the team lead in strikeouts, punching out 84 and 82 batters, respectively, this year.
Trey Lipscomb has been outstanding for the Big Orange at the plate. He currently leads the SEC in home runs (20), RBIs (72) and total bases (150). He is also making a splash in the national leaderboards, ranking fourth in RBIs and 10th in homers. The senior from Frederick, Maryland is tied for the third-most single-season home runs in program history and is just four away from the all-time record. Similarly, he is ranked No. 8 in single-season RBIs and needs just four more to be top-five in program history.
This is the 35th year of the Dick Howser Trophy. The finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 9. The 2022 award will be presented at Charles Schwab Field in downtown Omaha, the home of the College World Series for the 10th year. The winner will be unveiled on MLB Network on Friday, June 17, in the 9 a.m. (CT) hour, before a press conference with the winner will be held at 10 a.m., the opening day just prior to the first game of the 75th NCAA College World Series.
-UT Athletics
The Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame, presented by First Horizon, proudly announces its class for the 41st Induction Ceremony.
The dinner and induction ceremony is set for Thursday, August 25th at the Knoxville Convention Center. Chipper Jones, an eight-time All-Star, the 1999 National League MVP, 2008 National League Batting Champion, and 2018 inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame will be the guest speaker. Hospitality begins at 5:30 p.m.; Master of Ceremonies Bob Kesling will make welcoming remarks before dinner at 6:30 p.m.; the induction ceremony begins at 7:30 p.m.
The Class of 2022 Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame class includes: Sharrieffa Barksdale (Track & Field), Hoyt Carroll (Coaching), Claire Donahue (Swimming), Gordon Heins (Coaching), Joe Hendee (Swimming), Jimmy Hyams (Media), Buck Jones (Track & Field), Vance Link (Community Contributor), Willie Poplar (All-Around), and Randy Sanders (Coaching).
Jimmy Hyams – Media
Jimmy Hyams is sports director for 99.1 The Sports Animal in Knoxville, TN
where he is co-host of Sports Talk. During football season, he also co-hosts
Football Finals, the SEC Notebook and Sunday Sports Sound-Off. And he has
hosted a Golf Talk show for 22 years.
After 20-plus years as a sportswriter, Hyams changed professions in 1998 and
was named the 1999 Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year. He also won the
award in 2004.
Hyams has won the Tennessee Sportswriter of the Year award five times
(1991, 2000, 2007, 2016, 2018) and has won 50 statewide writing awards. He
is the only person in Tennessee to win the sportswriter and sportscaster of
the year awards.
Hyams is also a regular guest on the Sunday Sports Source TV show that airs
year round. He serves on six committees in Knoxville and he was a member of
the 2015 Leadership Knoxville class.
Having covered Tennessee football and basketball since 1985, Hyams has also
covered a variety of other sports, including golf and tennis. He wrote a book
about Peyton Manning in 1998. He is the SEC football editor for Lindy’s
magazine and writes a regular blog at his radio station.
Before moving to Knoxville in 1985, Hyams worked at several Louisiana
newspapers. He was sports editor of the Natchitoches Times at age 16. He
also worked for the Shreveport Times (1977-78) and Baton Rouge Morning
Advocate (1978-83). Hyams is a native of Natchitoches and a graduate of
Northwestern State University. He is married to Melanie Sharpe Hyams and
they have two daughters, Leslie (29) and Valerie (26).
Limited seating available. Visit www.gkshof.org for tickets. Purchase tickets for $200 each, or purchase a table of 10 for $2,000. All ticket and auction proceeds benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, which serves more than 6,700 youth and teens at 21 Club locations in Knox, Blount, Loudon, Claiborne, and Anderson Counties. www.bgctnv.org
Who: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley
What: Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony
When: Thursday, August 25, 2022
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – General Reception
5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. – VIP Reception
6:00 p.m. – Ballroom doors open
6:30 p.m. – Program Starts
7:00 p.m. – Dinner
Where: Knoxville Convention Center Ballroom
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About Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley (BGCTNV)
BGCTNV strives to provide a world-class Club experience that puts success within reach of every young person who walks through its doors, putting them on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future. The organization provides a safe, caring environment for Club members during the summer and after school and offers more than 35 fun and educational programs covering a range of topics, including STEM, the Arts, Health & Wellness, Fitness Programs & Team Sports, and Summer Learning Loss Prevention. Serving more than 6,700 youth annually, BGCTNV is made up of 21 Clubs in Blount, Loudon, Anderson, Claiborne, and Knox Counties. For more information, visit bgctnv.org.
