Sam Hunt will try to score his eighth No. 1 single with the release of “Breaking Up Was Easy in the ’90s.”
Penned by Sam, Chris LaCorte, Zach Crowell, Josh Osborne and Ernest K. Smith, “Breaking Up Was Easy in the ’90s” will impact country radio on Oct. 12. The tune is featured on Sam’s No. 1 sophomore album, Southside, which was released in April 2020.
The new breakup song has Sam yearning for the days before smartphones and social media, as he croons the chorus: “I’m sick of sitting at the house / Dying on my phone / Wishin’ I was somewhere I could be alone / Try to let you go but somethin’ always reminds me / I bet breaking up was easy in the ’90s.”
Listen to “Breaking Up Was Easy in the ’90s” below.
Vols HC Jeremy Pruitt / Credit: 99.1 The Sports Animal
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt previewed the upcoming top-15 matchup against No. 3/3 Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 10 in Athens, Ga. with media members during his weekly press conference on Monday. The No. 14/12 Vols head into Week 3 on an eight-game win streak, which dates back to the 2019 season. UT’s 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff with the 2-0 Bulldogs will be broadcast on CBS.
Full Video Transcript Opening statement…
“Looking back at last week’s game, I felt like offensively there was some improvement there. Again, we didn’t have a turnover and we need to continue to protect the football. One thing I’d like to see: I felt like there were too many times there were too many orange jerseys watching the play finish. We got to do a better job of being technical up front. We’ve got to be able to sustain and finish blocks. Defensively, disappointed in the lack of turnovers. Obviously, we had a couple of opportunities there and didn’t finish on the ball. Didn’t think we played particularly well in the backend of our defense. We’ve got to improve there. Still too many mistakes, too many mental errors. We’ve got to be able to clean that up. Special teams wise we missed a field goal, we kicked a kickoff out of bounds and there wasn’t much opportunity other than that in the punt return game. We have to continue to improve there.
“When you look at Georgia this week, I think it’s one of the better teams that I’ve seen in college football over the last couple of years. I think these guys have a lot of team speed. They’re big. They’re physical at the line of scrimmage and out on the perimeter they’ve got good running backs. Good skill players that get the guys the ball and give you multiple looks. On the defensive side, create a lot of negative plays. Special teams, because of their athleticism, they’ve got good returners. They’ve got good speed and they’re physical on the coverage team, so they don’t have a weakness. It’ll be a tremendous challenge for us, but it’s something we’re looking forward to.”
On the UT defense…
“We’ve been very inconsistent, particularly in the backend. If you put stress on your backend, you have to be able to eliminate big plays and I felt like from a technical standpoint we need really to improve there. We need to improve with our eyes. I felt like having our eyes in the wrong spot got us in trouble in several plays on Saturday and that’s just goes back to eye discipline – we have to be looking at the right stuff. We need to get more turnovers.”
On the health status of OL Jahmir Johnson and DL Elijah Simmons…
“Both of those guys will be available this week.”
On Cade Mays facing Georgia…
“I know Cade’s really happy he’s getting a chance to play. He’s very thankful for that. He went against most of these guys every single day. When you’re a competitor on both sides of the ball, it won’t be no different for the kids from Georgia. They’re used to going against Cade; Cade’s used to going against them. So, they’ll be real familiar with each other.”
On what about this Tennessee team gives him the most confidence…
“They’re willingness to work. They’re very coachable. They understand that we’re not playing at the level that we feel like we’re capable of playing. They understand that we’ve got to go to work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to improve. There are lots of things from a technical aspect that we need to really improve on. We need to improve on our effort and finishing.”
On getting some guys back in the secondary and how physical Tennessee’s football team is…
“We should be gaining some guys back, but listen, as we all know with the testing three days a week, it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen. So, we continue to work a lot of different guys. If we would’ve played today, Bryce (Thompson) probably would’ve been able to play the entire time, so he should be ready to go.
“From a physicality standpoint, we need to improve in a lot of areas – that (the secondary) would be one of them. When we talk about sustaining and finishing, I just didn’t see us finishing blockers, finishing runners. On the perimeter, it’s not to the level we want to be at.”
On what challenges Georgia will present on Saturday…
“I’ve said before, Georgia’s got a really good football team. They’re very well coached. They’ve got good players. They’re going to be there Saturday, so we need to focus on the things that we can control, which is us. We’ve got lots of things that we need to work on. We started working on them last night and we’ll continue through the rest of the week.”
On what he thought of Wanya Morris’ performance against Missouri and what he respects about Richard LeCounte of Georgia…
“Wanya played better this week than he did last week, and he should. He didn’t have near enough practices to be ready to play at a high level the first week. He got three more this past week and he’ll get three more this week. We need him to continue to improve. Richard’s a guy that’s played a lot of ball there at Georgia. He makes plays in the back end. He’s really good and has good eyes. He breaks on the ball well and is a good tackler. He’s a good football player.”
On the jumbo package that the Vols ran in Saturday’s win…
“I felt like the way Missouri plays defense, it probably gave us the best opportunity to ensure that we would have a chance to block everybody in the box. They really put a lot of guys up there and it gave us the best opportunity Saturday. We’ll pick and choose how we use it as the season goes on.”
On what Georgia QB Stetson Bennett brings to the table…
“He obviously is a smart young man. You can see him getting in and out of plays. He moves wide receivers if they’ve got somebody that they can’t block on the perimeter. He gets them in position. He gets the ball out of his hand and doesn’t take sacks. He plays with confidence and I’ve got a lot of respect for him by the way he’s played in the two games that he’s come in. You can see that his teammates have confidence in him also.”
On how he has felt about the play from Jaylen McCollough and Theo Jackson…
“I think all of these guys have got to play at a higher level. I believe the more they practice, they’ll improve. We’ve got to do that. Our competition is going to continue to improve every week and we’ve got to raise our level of play in the backend.”
On if some of the issues in the backend are due to Bryce Thompson being banged up…
“There’s probably a lot of reasons. I’d say the first one probably starts with us, as coaches. We’ve got to do a better job of coaching them up. Players need to have better discipline and (be) looking at the right stuff. We’ve got to be more fundamentally sound in the techniques we use. Most of the guys we have that are playing, they’ve played a lot of ball for us. It’s not like it’s their first time. So, we’ve got to create the right habits every day in practice, so it shows up on gameday.”
On what he saw from the running backs and offensive line on Saturday…
“I feel like we were committed to running the football. That gave us an opportunity to do that. I also feel like we left a lot of yards out there. We ran one particular play 10 times in the game and we only blocked it correctly four times. We’ve got to eliminate those mistakes to give us a chance to have more success.”
On if he believes in needing a signature win to establish a program and if the team is looking at the upcoming matchup with Georgia as just another game on the schedule…
“We really don’t control the schedule. We play whoever the next team is on our schedule. Our team has continued to improve over the last couple of years and we’ve got to continue to do that. We’re nowhere (near) where we want to be. We understand the teams that are in this league and the teams that have had success. When you watch week in and week out, the teams that consistently play the right way, whether it’s securing the football or taking the football away, not making mental mistakes and really playing with an edge, with toughness and effort and all of the intangibles, the teams that can do that over and over and over and sustain, they’re the ones that have success in this league.”
On taking cues from Georgia’s defense and implementing that at UT…
“It starts with having good players. They have good players. They’re multiple with their schemes. They do a really nice job playing man-to-man. They deny the ball. They mix in a lot of different looks. You have to protect the quarterback. You have to be able to establish a run game a little bit to take pressure off the quarterback. You have to be able to throw and catch the football. There’s going be tight windows. There always is against teams that play good defense in this league. I’ve said it many times that the defensive backs place limitations on the defense. They’ve got good defensive backs and they place a lot of pressure on them.”
On who’s idea it was to implement the jumbo package and what they call it…
“Well, Jim (Chaney) has been doing this for a long time, so obviously it’s his idea. What we call it I have no idea. The name that we use might be 12 heavy.”
On the defensive line’s play over the last two weeks…
“We need to be more consistent up front. We need to play harder. We need to sustain for a longer period of time. I think we need to be tied in together with the linebackers and the outside linebackers. Our football team has a long way to go. We have to continue to work hard a improve. Knowing the players on our team and the people on our staff, we’re going to work hard to do that.”
On the offensive line’s improvement…
“There’s not one position on our team that doesn’t need to improve. We have to work hard to do that, particularly the offensive line. They understand that they need to work harder. They need to practice better. They need to finish better in practice. The way you practice is the way you play. It’s our entire team. We have to work hard this week at practice to create the right habits so we can sustain and do it for long periods of time.”
On Jarrett Guarantano’s and the receivers’ performances on Saturday…
“I didn’t feel like we got away from man coverage on Saturday. We need to improve at the wide receiver position. We need to play faster. We need to create some separation at the top of routes. We need to make sure we line up properly to make sure we get success. There were probably two plays in the game that I wish we would have thrown the ball away. Those could have possibly been turnovers, and we can’t have those plays.”
On the receivers needing to be better against man coverage against Georgia…
“I believe it’s a challenge for them. They will get man coverage not only this week, but every week in this league. It’s the way this league is. The windows are very small and there’s very little zone coverage. There are tight windows. You have to be able to separate and you have to be able to make contested catches.”
Carrie Underwood’s first Christmas album, My Gift, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart this week. The new album marks Carrie’s eighth No. 1 on the chart.
The holiday offering, which features a combination of beloved traditional favorites and original material that celebrate Carrie’s faith and the spiritual nature of Christmas, moved 42,767 equivalent units, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. The album also debuted at No. 8 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
My Gift was produced by Greg Wells and mixed by Serban Ghenea. The album features a world-class orchestra led by conductor David Campbell. My Gift will also be released on vinyl on Oct. 30.
During a new episode of her weekly podcast, Living & Learning With Reba McEntire, Reba revealed she has a new boyfriend, actor Rex Linn.
“Yeah, yeah, I am [dating],” said Reba to guest co-host Melissa Peterman. “A very, very sweetheart of a guy, Rex Linn. And we’ve been talking during the pandemic. We had dinner with Rex, was it in January? . . . And then February on it was the COVID pandemic and we were talking, texting, FaceTime. And that’s a really good way to get to know people . . . It’s good to have a person to talk to, laugh with, get into subjects about what’s going on. Discussions about our past, our family, funny stories, him being an actor, me being an actress. And he’s very into my music. I’m very into his career. It’s just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny, very smart, and is interested in me, too.”
Reba’s 26-year marriage to Narvel Blackstock ended in October 2015. Reba dated Anthony “Skeeter” Lasuzzo for about two years before breaking up in May 2019.
Rex Linn, 63, is a well-known character actor who has co-starred in a number of TV shows and movies, including Cliffhanger, Rush Hour, Wyatt Earp, Tin Cup, CSI Miami and more.
photos: Rex Linn by Janet Gough, AFF-USA.com; Reba McEntire by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
Tanya Tucker will release a new album, LiveFrom The Troubadour, on Oct. 16.
The 15-song offering was recorded at West Hollywood’s iconic venue, The Troubadour, in October 2019. LiveFrom The Troubadourfeatures a number of tunes from Tayna’s catalog, including “Delta Dawn,” “Strong Enough To Bend,” “Blood Red and Goin’ Down,” “Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)” and more. The set also includes a medley of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” and Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” along with six songs from Tanya’s most recent album,While I’m Livin’.
A portion of the album’s proceeds will benefit The Troubadour.
“There are so many people and places hurting right now, and for me, being on the road since I was a kid and knowing these legendary venues like the Troubadour aren’t bringing in a dime right now without performances, it just makes sense to give back,” says Tanya. “I can’t be with the fans, so this is my love letter to them, a live album with some of those old records, and our new songs fromWhile I’m Livin’.”
Listen to Tanya sing “Delta Dawn” below.
Live From the Troubadour Track List
1. Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)
2. Jamestown Ferry
3. What’s Your Mama’s Name, Child
4. Blood Red And Goin’ Down
5. Strong Enough To Bend
6. I’m On Fire / Ring Of Fire (Medley)
7. Mustang Ridge
8. The Wheels Of Laredo
9. I Don’t Owe You Anything
10. High Ridin’ Heroes
11. Hard Luck
12. Interlude
13. Bring My Flowers Now
14. Texas (When I Die)
15. It’s A Little Too Late
16. Delta Dawn
Morgan Wallen will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on Oct. 10.
Morgan will take the stage for two performances, as comedian/actor Bill Burr tackles the hosting duties.
“Doesn’t get much bigger than this when it comes to television,” said Morgan via Twitter. “Thank you @nbcsnl for having a good ole boy and his friends on to sing our stories.”
In the past five years, a handful of country stars have performed on SNL, including Blake Shelton (January 2015), Zac Brown Band (March 2015), Chris Stapleton (January 2016, January 2018), Maren Morris (December 2016), Margo Price (April 2016), Sturgill Simpson (January 2017, January 2018), Kacey Musgraves (May 2018), Thomas Rhett (March 2019) and Luke Combs (February 2020).
The Country Music Association announced Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker will host the 54th annual CMA Awards on Nov. 11. The show will air live from the Music City Center in downtown Nashville at 8 p.m. ET.
“I’m thrilled to be back hosting the CMA Awards and even more thrilled that I get to share the stage with Darius Rucker,” says Reba. “We’re looking forward to a night of celebrating great country music and hope you’ll tune in and watch!”
“I look forward to the CMA Awards every year because of the incredible performances and the opportunity to celebrate the year in country music,” says Darius. “To be invited to host this year’s awards alongside Reba—are you kidding me? It is an absolute honor. Even though this year will look a little different than normal, I know that we’re all eager for a night of musical celebration, and this year’s show definitely won’t disappoint!”
This will be the fifth time Reba hosts the CMA Awards, while Darius will be making his debut as emcee.
photos: Reba McEntire by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com; Darius Rucker by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
Carrie Underwood released her first-ever Christmas album, My Gift, on Sept. 25.
The 11-song album features a combination of beloved traditional favorites, such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silent Night” and “Away in the Manger,” as well as original material, including “Sweet Baby Jesus” and “Let There Be Peace.”
Penned by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin in 1943, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is a holiday staple that has been recorded by a number of A-list artists, including Judy Garland, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, John Legend and more.
Listen to Carrie sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” below.
Jarrett Guarantano was efficient, the offensive line controlling and the dynamic duo was, well, dynamic.
Tennessee delivered a solid performance in its latest home opening start since 1962, handling an outmanned Missouri team 35-12 at Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Tennessee is 2-0 in SEC for the first time since 2016 and the third time since 1998. UT has also won six SEC games in a row for the first time since 2000.
Guarantano, who struggled with accuracy in the Vols’ season opener, was 14 of 23 passing for 190 yards and one touchdown as he engineered scoring drives of 75, 65, 75, 92 and 47 yards.
“He’s continuing to work hard to put us in the right plays,” Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “We put a lot on him and he can handle it.
“There were only three times in the game I didn’t feel like Jarrett probably made the right read. That’s three out of 76 (plays).”
Tennessee’s much hyped offensive line lived up to its billing, creating creases for Tennessee’s running backs and helping the Vols go four-for-four on fourth down.. Georgia transfer Cade mays, ruled eligible earlier in the week, got the start at right tackle and also played right guard and left tackle. He made a few clearing blocks, sometimes when he pulled.
Pruitt was reluctant to heap too much praise on Mays or the offensive line until he views film. But he did explain why UT is playing so many linemen.
“We’ve got guys that quarantined for multiple weeks so we’re not in shape to play an entire game,” Pruitt said. “Also, we feel like we’ve got a lot of guys that deserve to play.”
Due to the pandemic, Pruitt said he might not have all of his offensive linemen for a given game “so you better be able to mix and match.”
Tennessee scored touchdowns on five of its eight not-trying-to-run-out-the-clock possessions, a rate any coach would love.
Much of that success was due to the offensive line, making all four fourth-down ties and converting six-of-13 third downs.
It was also a credit to running backs Ty Chandler and Eric Gray, who might comprise the best tandem in the SEC.
Name a better twosome?
Gray said before the season they were a “dynamic duo.” They played like it against Missouri.
Chandler had 90 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.
Gray had 105 yards on 16 carries, caught a touchdown pass and scored twice.
“I think Eric Gray and Ty Chandler are on of the best duos in college football,” Guarantano said.
Tennessee pounded Missouri for 232 yards on 51 carries.
“The first part of being good in the run game is you gotta do it, you gotta establish the run,” Pruitt said.
Pruitt was particularly pleased with UT’s fourth down efficiency. He even rolled the dice and went for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 34-yard-line on the first possession of the game.
“It’s a mindset,” Pruitt said.
Pruitt pointed out his players and staff have fought through the pandemic for months and are forging ahead.
“We’re not living in fear,” he said. “We’re sure not going to play in fear or coach in fear.”
Guarantano was effective on four quarterback sneaks, scoring two touchdowns and converting twice for a first down.
Does Guarantano have the freedom to check to the sneaks?
“No,” Pruitt said, perhaps remembering the debacle at Alabama last season. “We call the plays from up top (press box).”
Tennessee was also five-for-five in the red zone, scoring each time the Vols penetrated Missouri’s 20-yard line.
That’s in stark contrast to UT’s struggles last year.
“That was an emphasis this year,” Guarantano said. “We were one of the worst teams in the country last year.”
As the Vols prepare of next week’s game at Georgia, Pruitt was asked what he has learned about his team.
“We have a bunch of guys that are winners, good kids, good men that work hard,” Pruitt said. “They’ve got an edge and are doing the right things and competing. I love coaching these guys.”
Are the Vols ready to compete with Georgia?
“Absolutely,” Pruitt said. “They’ve got good players. They’ve got good coaches. But we do, too.”
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