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Beyoncé’s 'Cowboy Carter' has left the stable

Blair Caldwell; Parkwood/Columbia

Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, is available worldwide now. 

The superstar already had a smash on her hands with "Texas Hold 'Em," which made Beyoncé the first Black female artist to reach #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and Hot 100 charts with a country song.

The lead track, released along with "16 Carriages" on Sunday, February 11, also spent four weeks at the top of the U.K. music charts.

In a statement, Bey said of Cowboy Carter, "The joy of creating music is that there are no rules. The more I see the world evolving the more I felt a deeper connection to purity. With artificial intelligence and digital filters and programming, I wanted to go back to real instruments, and I used very old ones."

The release, which blends the genres of country, blues, zydeco, and Black folk among others, also drew inspiration from films like Quentin Tarantino's Hateful Eight, The Coen BrothersO Brother, Where Art Thou? and more. 

Queen Bey said, "I didn't want some layers of instruments like strings, especially guitars, and organs perfectly in tune. I kept some songs raw and leaned into folk."

She continued, "All the sounds were so organic and human, everyday things like the wind, snaps and even the sound of birds and chickens, the sounds of nature."

Beyoncé revealed the album was five years in the making, and follows Renaissance. "I was initially going to put Cowboy Carter out first," she explains, "but with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world. We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance. But I had to trust God’s timing." 

“I think people are going to be surprised because I don’t think this music is what everyone expects,” she says, “but it’s the best music I’ve ever made.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


HARDY dug into Joe Diffie's "old recordings from the '90s" for 'HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE'

Disney/Frank Micelotta

HARDY's star-studded Joe Diffie tribute album, HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE, has arrived.

The 17-track collection comprises duet renditions of some of Joe's songs and hits, with the help of some of country music's biggest stars, including Morgan WallenLainey WilsonLuke Combs, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Reba McEntire.

Speaking to the press ahead of DIFFTAPE's release, HARDY shared about the project's genesis and how they dug back into Joe's archived recordings for the album.

"By the grace of God, HIXTAPE number three is going to be a little bit different and it's going to be called DIFFTAPE. We have gotten a hold of all of Joe Diffie's old recordings from the '90s, the actual sessions themselves," Hardy explains.

"We have basically done what we do with HIXTAPE and we've taken some of Joe's vocals out and all that, and we've added some of the biggest singers in country music to help him sing some of his biggest hits," he continues. "It's going to be bad*** and I'm really excited about it."

HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE is out now on all digital music platforms. 

Here's the full track list for HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE:

"John Deere Green (Joe Diffie, Morgan Wallen & HARDY)"
"Pickup Man (Joe Diffie, Post Malone)"
"Ships That Don't Come In (Joe Diffie, Toby Keith & Luke Combs)"
"Third Rock From The Sun (Joe Diffie, Blake Shelton, HARDY & Brooks & Dunn)"
"Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox (If I Die) (Joe Diffie, Tracy Lawrence, Lainey Wilson &The Difftones)"
"Bigger Than The Beatles (Joe Diffie, Jon Pardi & Old Dominion)"
"Honky Tonk Attitude (Joe Diffie, Luke Bryan & Randy Houser)"
"Is It Cold In Here (Joe Diffie, Reba McEntire & Jake Worthington)"
"Texas Size Heartache (Joe Diffie, Clint Black & Larry Fleet)"
"Home (Joe Diffie, Darius Rucker & Hailey Whitters)"
"C-O-U-N-T-R-Y (Joe Diffie, Aaron Tippin & ERNEST)"
"So Help Me Girl (Joe Diffie, Mark Wills & Nate Smith)"
"New Way (To Light Up An Old Flame) (Joe Diffie, Randall King & Sammy Kershaw)"
"If The Devil Danced In Empty Pockets (Joe Diffie, Jack Ingram & Koe Wetzel)"
"A Night To Remember (Joe Diffie, Lauren Watkins & Kameron Marlowe)"
"In Another World (Joe Diffie, Chris Young)"
"Life Had Plans For Me (Joe Diffie, HARDY & Parker Diffie)"

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Little Big Town + Sugarland to reunite onstage at 2024 CMT Music Awards

Courtesy of CMT

Little Big Town and Sugarland will join onstage for a world premiere collaboration at the 2024 CMT Music Awards.

Boasting a combined 44 nominations, the country hitmakers last shared the CMT Music Awards stage 15 years ago alongside Jake Owen for a cover of The Dream Academy's "Life In A Northern Town." The collab also appeared on Little Big Town's 2007 album, A Place To Land.

Little Big Town and Sugarland are the latest acts to join the star-studded performance lineup, which includes Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, Sam Hunt, Jelly Roll, Bailey Zimmerman, Cody Johnson, Old Dominion, Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum, Brittney Spencer and host Kelsea Ballerini.

The 2024 CMT Music Awards air live from Austin, Texas, on April 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.

Before that, you can also catch Little Big Town on CMT Storytellers: Little Big Town, airing April 5 at 8 p.m. ET on CMT.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Nashville notes: Scotty McCreery's "Red Letter Blueprint" lyrics + Reba McEntire gets a birthday shoutout

Scotty McCreery's new song, "Red Letter Blueprint," drops Friday, but you won't have to wait to preview its lyrics. Scotty's shared the full lyrics on X, formerly known as Twitter, ahead of the track's release. "Red Letter Blueprint" will be the latest preview of Scotty's upcoming album, Rise & Fall, arriving May 10.

Live In The Vineyard Goes Country has added Kylie Morgan, Callista ClarkJosh Ross, Brittney Spencer, Brett Kissel and more to its performance lineup. They join previously announced artists Scotty McCreery, Rodney Atkins, Sara Evans and ERNEST, among others. For the full lineup, head to liveinthevineyard.com/litvgc.

Reba McEntire's celebrating her birthday, and Martina McBride's given her a special birthday shoutout on X. "Happy Birthday to my friend @reba! She has truly set the standard and is such an inspiration to all of us females in country music. Thank you for all of the wonderful memories over the years and for being such an incredible artist and person," Martina shared.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Tyler Hubbard calls opening for Kane Brown a full-circle moment

ABC

Several years ago, then-newcomer Kane Brown landed one of his first opening slots with Florida Georgia Line

Now, the country superstar's tapped the duo's Tyler Hubbard to open for him on his In The Air Tour, and Tyler couldn't be more thrilled.

"It was incredible to watch him take on the challenge and grow a ton on that tour and now it’s full circle," says Tyler. "Now I’m getting to open up for him and I’ve watched him play and I’m just like, 'Wow!' He’s really grown into something special and he’s just an awesome dude. He’s a great artist."

"I think [Kane] has really found himself and knows who he is and what he wants to be," Tyler continues as he beams with pride about Kane. "It’s just cool to see because it’s not every day that you have that story and not every day that you get to see artists keep it together and be consistent and put out great music and maintain a family and do what he’s doing."

"A lot of love for Kane. I’m excited to be back out with him, and I know we’re going to have a good time," he adds.

Kane's In The Air Tour with Tyler kicks off Thursday in Charlottesville, Virginia. For tickets and Tyler's full tour schedule, head to tylerhubbardofficial.com.

Tyler's currently #7 on the country charts with "Back Then Right Now," the lead single from his forthcoming sophomore album, Strong. The 13-track project arrives April 12 and is available for preorder and presave now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Chris Janson shares story behind chest anchor tattoo: "I was just saving it until I ever got married"

John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA

Chris Janson is giving fans another peek into the story behind his tattoos.

In his latest Story Behind My Tattoos Instagram video, Chris shared the genesis behind the anchor tattoo on his chest with his wife Kelly's name. 

"Now this one's my favorite. I actually do love this tattoo. It says Kelly on it, it's an anchor," Chris shares, before explaining how the longtime ink appeared. "I had the anchor started with my buddy Will, and it hurt so bad when it was going on. I'm not gonna lie. So I just got the outline."

"And then we got married she's like, 'Why do you have an outline of an anchor on your chest?' And I said, 'Well, I was just saving it until I ever got married, if I ever got married.' And one and done with Kelly," he recalls. "So the first thing I did was go and get it filled it and put her name across my chest, so it's there forever."

Chris is currently making his way up the country charts with "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get." It's the first new release since his 2023 album, The Outlaw Side Of Me, which spawned the #1 hit "All I Need Is You."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson land features on Beyoncé's new album, 'Cowboy Carter'

Parkwood/Columbia

Beyoncé's new album, Cowboy Carter, is already out in some parts of the world, so the featured artists on the album have now been revealed.

The 27-track project includes several interludes, which see guest stars serving as DJs on a fictional radio station called KNTRY. Country icon Dolly Parton is included on an interlude called "Dolly P," and she introduces Bey's version of her classic song "Jolene" -- for which Beyoncé has changed the lyrics. She also briefly appears in the intro of the song "Tyrant."

Fellow country legend Willie Nelson is featured on two interludes: "Smoke Hour Willie Nelson" and "Smoke Hour II."

Meanwhile, Post Malone, who's been dabbling in country music lately, is on the track "Levii's Jeans," and Miley Cyrus sings on a song called "II Most Wanted."

Also of note: Beyoncé has recorded a version of The Beatles' 1968 classic "Blackbird," and in the song "Ya Ya," she interpolates The Beach Boys' classic song "Good Vibrations." That song is introduced by the voice of Linda Martell, a major Black female country star.

Cowboy Carter, which arrives Thursday at midnight, also includes Bey's #1 hit "Texas Hold 'Em."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Zach Bryan welcomes Bruce Springsteen for surprise onstage performance

Mindy Small/Getty Images

After headlining a concert in San Diego on Monday, March 25, you’d think Bruce Springsteen would take a few days to relax on the West Coast before his San Francisco show on Thursday, March 28, but apparently, The Boss had other plans.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer instead decided to hop on a plane back to New York and, according to video posted to social media, popped up onstage at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center to join Zach Bryan for his Wednesday, March 27, show.

According to setlist.fm, Zach, who was dressed in a Springsteen T-shirt, shared the stage with Bruce for his two-song encore, performing "Revival" and an unreleased track, "Sandpaper," with additional help from Zach's tour opener, Maggie Rogers.

Zach is set to play a second night at Barclay’s Center on Thursday. For a full list of upcoming tour dates, head to zachbryan.com.

Zach's latest full-length album is his 2023 self-titled record, which spawned the Grammy-winning duet with Kacey Musgraves, "I Remember Everything."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Chris Young's mugshot could appear on a T-shirt

Disney/Scott Kirkland

Would you buy a T-shirt with Chris Young's mugshot if he endorsed it?

The "Aw Naw" singer took to Instagram recently to tease a new merch item: an orange T-shirt with his mugshot printed on the front and him holding up a "DISMISSED" sign. 

"Let’s go!!!! #newmerch," Chris captioned his Instagram post. The boomerang video, soundtracked to a snippet of his song "Double Down," also shows Chris laughing while holding up the T-shirt.

Chris was arrested on January 22 at a Nashville bar after he allegedly assaulted a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission agent. Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk later said his office had "reviewed all evidence in the case and determined all charged will be dismissed."

Will Chris' mugshot drop on his merch store? You can follow his socials to find out.

Chris' latest album, Young Love & Saturday Nights, arrived March 22 and features its title track, which is approaching the top 20 of the country charts.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Reba + more join HARDY's 'HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE'

Courtesy of Big Loud Records

More of your favorite stars will appear on HARDY's upcoming Joe Diffie tribute album, HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE.

Arriving Friday, the star-studded project will feature Luke Combs, Lainey WilsonLuke Bryan, Jon Pardi, Old Dominion, Darius Rucker, Reba McEntire, Hailey Whitters, Tracy Lawrence, Jake Worthington, Toby Keith and Joe's son Parker Diffie.

They join the previously announced list of artists, including HARDY, Blake Shelton, Chris Young, Nate Smith, Brooks & Dunn, ERNEST, Clint Black, Mark Wills, Kameron Marlowe and Sammy Kershaw.

"I'm super excited about DIFFTAPE. I think it's a one-of-a-kind project and we're the first people to do something like this," says HARDY. "Especially having the original recordings and the fact that we have his family's blessing to do it, it's all really special."

While you wait for HIXTAPE: Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE to drop, you can take a listen to the "Pickup Man" featuring Post Malone and the HARDY and Morgan Wallen-assisted "John Deere Green"; out now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Hailey Whitters on her signature style + seeing young girls dress like her

ABC

By now, you probably know Hailey Whitters has a signature style — one that often has her in a bright prairie dress. But did you know that this distinctive look came about serendipitously?

"I don't know if I ever intentionally settled on that," Hailey tells ABC Audio. "You know, when I first started out, it was me and my creative director, and we were broke. I would wear a lot of her hand-me-downs, or we would go to a thrift store or a vintage store and buy a bunch of things."

"If you saw the things that we'd done to make work in like photoshoots, you'd be amazed," she says.

While not created intentionally, Hailey says her present-day fashion style harkens back to her younger days.

"I grew up doing dance recitals since I was 3 years old, and being in costume and kind of being a little over-the-top and a little extra [has] always been really fun to me," she shares. "So we just leaned hard into it and just kept going."

Now, Hailey's inspired young girls to dress like her, and she loves seeing them out at shows.

"It's been so cute. I was on the Luke Bryan tour, and someone in his crew was like, 'There are so many girls out in the crowd right now that look like you.' They wear these little prairie dresses and cowgirl boots and ribbons in their hair, and it's so cute," Hailey shares. 

Hailey's currently on tour with Dan + Shay on their Heartbreak On The Map Tour. For a full list of dates, visit Hailey's website.

Hailey's currently making her way up the country charts with "I'm In Love," the title track off her latest six-song EP.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Nashville notes: Ryan Larkins' "The Painter" + Tanya Tucker's Tequila Cantina

Rising singer/songwriter Ryan Larkins, who co-wrote Cody Johnson's "The Painter," is releasing his version of Cody's hit on Friday. You can presave the track now to be the first to hear it when it drops.

Tanya Tucker is teaming up with longtime Nashville staple Nudie's Honky Tonk to open Tanya Tucker’s Tequila Cantina on May 2. Per a press release, Nudie’s second floor "will transform into a lively cantina-style bar, reflecting the spirit and charisma of Tanya Tucker herself." "I’m over the moon about Tanya Tucker's Tequila Cantina," says Tanya. "It’s been a dream for several years to join the big boys on Broadway and [Nudie's owners] Bill and Shannon Miller are making it all possible."

Emily Ann Roberts has dropped the music video for her song "Find Me a Man." "Most girls have the music they turn to when they’re taking their time getting ready for a night out, and that’s what I wanted to paint a picture of in the music video," shares Emily.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Hear a teaser of Megan Moroney's unreleased summer anthem

ABC

Megan Moroney may have just released "28th of June," but that's not stopping her from teasing more new music.

The "Tennessee Orange" singer recently hopped on TikTok to tease an unreleased breakup tune.

"Throwback to how I used to care about where you went, where you been, who you're with/ Losing my patience and checking locations and rereading texts that you sent/ I would cry 1, 2, 3, too many times/ Just wasting my prime on a guy who was more wrong than right," goes a verse, which Megan lip-synchs in her car in the video.

"Now I don't even know what I'm missing/ Don't care what it is or it isn't/ Don't need your attention or your time/ They said 'did you hear that'/ I say 'no thanks I'm fine/ I think I could wish you the best/ The truth is I couldn't care less/ How sweet it is to be so, so indifferent," she continues in the drum-heavy chorus.

You can hear the teaser clip in full now on Megan's TikTok.

Megan's currently in the top 20 of the country charts with her latest single, "I'm Not Pretty." You can find it on her debut album, Lucky, which arrived in 2023 and features the #1 hit "Tennessee Orange."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Watch Kane Brown's daughter Kingsley pick his tour outfits

ABC

Kane Brown's kicking off his In The Air Tour Thursday, and he's enlisted his daughter Kingsley to be his fashion consultant for the stage.

"got some help packing for tour," Kane captioned an Instagram Reel.

The video features Kane and Kingsley picking out outfits for his tour, with Kingsley being the main decider on what goes in Kane's suitcase and what doesn't.

"Is this one perfect? How about this this one?" Kingsley asks her dad as she picks out the black-colored outfits for him. "Yeah, I like those. Good pick," Kane replies. 

But not every choice got a "yes" from Kane. 

"Those are a little bright," Kane tells Kingsley as she picks up a pair of red socks.

After choosing all her favorite clothes, Kingsley and Kane put the folded clothes into pieces of luggage, all ready to follow Kane on tour.

"Say, 'We did it!'" Kane tells his 4-year-old, to which she echoes, "We did it!" "Say 'And that's how we pack,'" he adds. "That's how we pack," Kingsley says with a smile on her face.

You can watch the full Reel on Kane's Instagram.

For Kane's full In The Air Tour schedule, visit kanebrownmusic.com.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Beyoncé's 'Act 2: Cowboy Carter' track list includes Dolly's "Jolene"

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The world gets to see Beyoncé as "Cowboy Carter" on Friday when her country album drops, but before then, she's giving fans a taste of what to expect.

Bey revealed the track list to her forthcoming album on Instagram, which confirms Dolly Parton's thoughts that she recorded a new rendition of "Jolene." It includes lead single "Texas Hold 'Em" and advance track "16 Carriages," and songs titled "My Rose," "Desert Eagle," "Just for Fun" and "The Linda Martell Show," named after one of the first Black country artists to be commercially successful and the first to play the Opry.

Also seen in the graphic are Dolly and Willie Nelson's names, a hint that they are somehow involved with the album. Act 2: Cowboy Carter officially drops March 29 and is available for preorder now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


How many games will the Cardinals win this year?