John Osborne of Brothers Osborne, with brother TJ, shares the story behind their song “I’m Not For Everyone.”
Check out this version of “I’m Not For Everyone” from their album release party for Skeletons
Photo Credit: Eric Ryan Anderson
A Day In The Country – May 12th – Kacey Musgraves, Jordan Davis, Dierks Bentley & Kix Brooks
This is A Day In The Country with Paul Koffy – May 12th
On this day in 2018, Kacey Musgraves was the musical guest on SNL
Also in 2018, Jordan Davis made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry — on a recent appearance he performed his latest single “Almost Maybes”
In 2015, Dierks Bentley was at number-1 with “Say You Do”
And a very happy birthday to Kix Brooks
Photo Credit: Miller Mobley
Jake Owen’s “Made For You” Is Made For Two…Weeks At Number-One
Congrats to Jake Owen – his song “Made For You” is spending its second week on top of the country music airplay chart!
Jake says that he had a connection to this song right from the first moment he heard it, “I love this song so much. One of my best buddies sent this song to me. I knew the minute I heard it come through my email that…I pulled my car over and listened to every lyric and it just totally resonated so much with me. Just love…the story of love and the things that we all deal with and the feelings that we have…whether it’s one on one with our significant other or not, or it’s the feeling you get from the father of the girl you’re taking out or vice versa. So this song…everybody was made for somebody, and I think this song really truly depicts that.”
Jake also adds, “Although we may not find that person right off the bat…it takes time to find that person in our life, but when you do find that person that you were made for…there’s no doubt that you were made for each other.”
Check out the music video for Jake Owen’s 2-week number-one hit…”Made For You.”
Photo Credit: Robby Klein
Dan + Shay Are Glad To Be Announcing Their Arena Tour
It didn’t take long after announcing their tour plans for Dan + Shay to share how they feel about getting back out their with fans, “Already getting emo thinking about being in the same room as y’all again.”
Dan + Shay posted, “nothing makes us hAppier than being abLe to say that the (arena) tour is OFFICIALLY happening and kicks off septemBer 9th in greenville, sc. also excited to annoUnce the we have added los angeles (Staples Center) + san diego (Pechanga Arena San Diego) to the tour.”
They added, “froM the bottom of our hearts, thank y’all so much for being patient with us on all of this. we’ve missed y’all more than you know, and promise it will be so worth the wait. trust us. comment which show(s) we’ll see you at! we’ve literally never been more excited for anything in our entire lives.”
Fans will be glad to hear this one from Dan + Shay when they’re out on the road…
Headline Photo Credit: Catherine Powell
Additional Photo Courtesy of Dan + Shay
Zac Brown Band is Back With The Comeback Tour!
The announcing of tours returning is rolling on, and this is a big one!
After a 14-month hiatus from the road due to quarantine, Zac Brown Band is coming back with The Comeback Tour!
Zac Brown says, “We couldn’t be more excited to get back out on the road and share our new music with our fans, it’s been a long, difficult year for everyone and we’re fired up to be reuniting with our crew, get back on tour, and celebrate a brand new world.”
Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning this Friday, May 14th at 12pm local time at ZacBrownBand.com.
Special guests include singer-songwriters Teddy Swims, Ashland Craft, Gabby Barrett, Adam Doleac and Devin Dawson, who will join the band throughout the tour.
Headline Photo Credit: Credit: Alex Chapman
Additional Photos Courtesy of Zac Brown Band
Callie Twisselman’s “Two Hands” Music Video – Available Now
In a way, Callie Twisselman says she was born to make music, “I always knew singing and being a country music artist was what I wanted to do. My mother was a local country singer and I was about 10 years old when I decided that was the path that I wanted to take. I really believe growing up on a seven generation grain and cattle ranch helped shape who I am as an artist today and Instilled in me the hard work, determination and patience it would take to be able to chase such a big dream. It makes me so happy that I get to share my music with the world and all I hope for is that people enjoy it and relate to the stories I tell.”
In 2017, Callie made the move from the West Coast to Music City – and last month she released her debut single, “Two Hands.”
She shares the story behind the song, “‘Two Hands’ is a story about a girl who can be hard to handle and a handful at times, but her man accepts her and loves her just the way she is. The message behind the song is that you shouldn’t try to be something you’re not, be yourself and the right person will love you for who you are.”
Looking to make her mark with her first music video, Callie says, “It’s a light hearted fun upbeat song and that’s really where the inspiration came for the music video. We shot the video in my hometown at a local diner that I grew up going to, and came up with this concept to have my character be this bubbly, flirty waitress. It was so much fun and practically all of the cast were family members of mine which made it even more special to me.”
Check out the music video from Callie Twisselman for her debut single “Two Hands.”
Photos Courtesy of Callie Twisselman
Jimmy’s blog: Neuheisel likes UT players taken in draft
By Jimmy Hyams
(This is the first in a three-part series from a recent interview with former Power 5 head coach and CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel on SportsTalk radio The Sports Animal. Part One is about UT players taken in the most recent draft.)
Tennessee had only two players taken in the most recent NFL draft, but CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel thinks both will make a huge impact with their pro teams.
Receiver Josh palmer, who never had a 500-yard or five-touchdown season at Tennessee, was the 77th overall pick in the draft, going to the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round.
Trey Smith, despite a decorated college career, went in the sixth round to Kansas City due to medical concerns.
“Josh Palmer, to me, is an excellent receiver,’’ Neuheisel said on SportsTalk last week.
Neuheisel pointed out that Palmer made big-time catches against defensive backs at Georgia and Alabama.
“He’s a 50-50 ball catcher,’’ Neuheisel said, “but he probably tips the scales in 65-35 in favor of him because of his athleticism.
“He’s a guy that was a product of inconsistent quarterbacking.’’
If Tennessee had better quarterback play during Palmer’s career, Neuheisel thinks Palmer could have been drafted higher.
Neuheisel thinks Palmer landed in a perfect situation, as quarterback Justin Herbert set an NFL rookie record for touchdown passes in a season, and two veteran receivers – Mike Williams and Keenan Allen – will take pressure off Palmer to produce immediately while also serving as tutors.
“Josh Palmer might find himself in the conversation for Rookie of the Year before you know it,’’ Neuheisel said.
The former head coach at Colorado, Washington and UCLA is equally high on Smith, who suffered from blood clots in 2018 but didn’t miss any playing time the last two years.
“I think the Kansas City Chiefs got a steal,’’ Neuheisel said. “They’ve got to be elated that they got somebody of that talent at that point in the draft.’’
The lone issue with Smith is whether the college regimen that allowed him to play will be suitable for NFL teams.
“We all keep our fingers crossed that Trey is healthy and past the medical issues that have plagued him,’’ Neuheisel said. “Obviously, that’s the reason he fell to the sixth round. A lot of teams were unwilling to take the risk, given that they’re not sure exactly what his long-term prognosis is.’’
The fact that Tennessee has had just 13 players drafted in the past seven years is an indication of how far the program has fallen, when you consider Alabama had 10 players taken in the most recent draft, six in the first round.
Tennessee has had six first-rounders in the past 13 years.
“It’s a huge barometer,’’ Neuheisel said of the draft. “Absolutely a huge barometer.’’
Sponsored by Big Kahuna Wings: The wings that changed it all
A Day In The Country – May 11th – Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson, & Steve Wariner
This is A Day in the Country with Paul Koffy – May 11th
On this day in 2016, Tim McGraw‘s “Humble and Kind” was certified Gold
In 2014, Dierks Bentley released the video for “Drunk On A Plane”
In 2004, Gretchen Wilson released her debut album Here For the Party – which included the number-one smash hit “Redneck Woman”
And on this day in 1996 Steve Wariner was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry
Check out Steve Wariner’s number-one song “You Can Dream Of Me”
Photo Courtesy of Steve Wariner
Chris Young Owns One Of Keith Whitley’s Guitars – and He Geeked Out About It
This past Sunday country music remembered one its greatest that left this world way too soon.
May 9th was the 32nd anniversary of the passing of Keith Whitley.
During the 1980s Keith had a string of hits including “I’m No Stranger To The Rain,” “When You Say Nothing At All,” and “Don’t Close Your Eyes.”
Keith Whitley influenced many of today’s country music hit makers – including Chris Young.
Back in 2011 Chris had an opportunity to actually buy a guitar once owned by his musical hero. Chris shares, “They found this guitar that Keith actually owned and played, and it was one of the three guitars that he used on the road between ’84 and ’89, right before he died, when he was really having number-ones and having hits.”
He adds, it wasn’t just the guitar, “It’s so cool. It’s still got the original luggage tag on it with his signature.”
Chris Young is not usually tempted into making extravagant purchases, but he knew this was something that he could not pass up, “I don’t buy much stuff, but when that came by, I was like, ‘That’s one of a kind. I gotta have that.’ So…and I’m a huge Keith Whitley fan anyway, so for me, it means a lot to have it.”
It was the perfect find for Chris because the guitar was not in perfect condition — it was a piece of musical equipment that was used by Keith, Chris says, “It’s got all the dings and the scratches, but it’s in really, really great shape for being as old as it is. I mean, you think about…I think…I’m not exactly sure what year, but I think it’s early ’80s, so, I mean, just the fact that the guitar has held up this well and the case is in such great shape, and it’s actually the original case. And yeah, I geeked-out a little bit over that.”
Having the guitar in his possession, Chris Young knew the perfect spot to play it for the first time in public, “Keith Whitley has always been one of my musical heroes, so to get the chance to hold a piece of history in my hands and play his guitar on the Opry stage was beyond awesome.”
Since that day in October of 2011 on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, Chris Young has not used Keith Whitley’s guitar in public.
While it’s still in his collection, and Chris will occasionally use it for inspiration — he jokes that it’s hard to write a song using a guitar that once belonged to his idol, “There’s pressure! Oh, trust me, there’s…’cause I’m gonna use it to write with, and I mean, you don’t want to come out of the gate and the first song you write on Keith Whitley’s old guitar is terrible.”
While Chris has racked up a bunch of number-one hits since 2011 – he admits that so far they have not been written on Keith’s guitar.
Chris is using his own guitar in the video for this one – check out “Famous Friends” – Chris’ current single at country radio with Kane Brown…
Headline Chris Young Photo Credit: Jeff Johnson
Keith Whitley Photo Credit: Jim Shea
Chris Young Performance Photos Credit: (c) 2011 Grand Ole Opry / Joel Dennis
Russell Named Top 10 Finalist for Senior CLASS Award
OVERLAND PARK, KAN. – Tennessee outfielder Evan Russell has been named one of 10 finalists for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award, as announced by the award committee on Monday.
The Senior CLASS Award recognizes student-athletes who excel both on and off the field. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
After a slow start to the season, Russell has been one of the top hitters in the SEC during league play. The senior outfielder leads the conference with 29 RBI in SEC games and also ranks third in home runs (10) and fourth in slugging percentage (.721) during league play. He has had two three-homer games this season, becoming the only player in program history to have multiple three-homer games in their career.
Russell is the first player in program history to be named a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. The Lexington, Tennessee, native is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient and, in 2019, became the eighth player in program history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 candidates announced earlier in the season. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through June 7. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2021 College World Series® in June.
The complete list of 2021 Senior CLASS Award candidates can be seen HERE.
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