Transcript

10.2.26 · Country Weekly

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Speaker 1: Now it's time to catch up with Country Weekly, where
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Speaker 1: we dive into news and gossip from the world of
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Speaker 1: country music. I'm your host, Ken Dawkins, and I will
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Speaker 1: be reading from various sources found online. As a reminder,
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Speaker 1: Radio Eye is a reading service intended for people who
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Speaker 1: are blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult
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Speaker 1: to read printed material. We'll begin with the first article.
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Speaker 1: This goes back to September 26th, in case you missed it,
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Speaker 1: from the Lexington Herald-Leader, written by Valerie Honeycutt Spears. Andy
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Speaker 1: Beshear opens Kentucky Office of Music, cites Childers, Stapleton, Lynn,
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Speaker 1: and Monroe. Governor Andy Beshear on Friday announced the opening
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Speaker 1: of the Governor's Office of Music, a new office dedicated
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Speaker 1: to highlighting Kentucky's storied music legacy and to supporting Kentucky artists, venues, festivals,
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Speaker 1: and music businesses, the news release said. He announced the
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Speaker 1: new office on stage at the Bourbon and Beyond Music
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Speaker 1: Festival in Louisville. Beshear has signed an executive order creating
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Speaker 1: the office. Music is part of who we are in Kentucky.
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Speaker 1: We are proud of our musical heritage. From Bill Monroe
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Speaker 1: to Loretta Lynn to Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton, said Beshear,
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Speaker 1: we created the Office of Music because Team Kentucky wants
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Speaker 1: to make sure our Commonwealth remains a place where musicians
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Speaker 1: can build a career, where venues and festivals can thrive,
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Speaker 1: and where people can come together to enjoy great music.
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Speaker 1: In 2024, when then-North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced the
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Speaker 1: new North Carolina Music Office, officials said there were only
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Speaker 1: a small number of states that had a state-supported music office,
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Speaker 1: including Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Beshear's executive action launched the
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Speaker 1: website kymusic.ky.gov, which includes the Kentucky Music Industry Directory as
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Speaker 1: a resource to connect artists, venues, business leaders, and more
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Speaker 1: to fuel ongoing collaboration and growth. Kentucky artists, venues, music businesses,
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Speaker 1: and festivals were encouraged to register on the Kentucky Music
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Speaker 1: Industry Directory. Beshear appointed Sebastian Kitchen, Deputy Secretary of the
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Speaker 1: Tourism Arts and Heritage Cabinet, to serve as Executive Director
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Speaker 1: of the Governor's Office of Music. Governor Beshear's action today
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Speaker 1: is a win for our artists, our economy, energizing both
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Speaker 1: with support for our musicians, venues, and festivals, which are
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Speaker 1: economic engines for their communities and for the Commonwealth, said Kitchen,
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Speaker 1: In such a divided time, music brings people together, as
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Speaker 1: we see these two weeks as hundreds of thousands of
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Speaker 1: people come together in Kentucky to listen to music, enjoy
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Speaker 1: our world-class hospitality, stay in our hotels, and experience all
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Speaker 1: of the reasons that make Kentucky such a great place
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Speaker 1: to visit, live, and work. The Governor's Office of Music,
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Speaker 1: working with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, has also designed a
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Speaker 1: Kentucky Sounds Like Home license plate, which will be available
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Speaker 1: soon to celebrate the Commonwealth's music legacies. Kentucky's arts industry,
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Speaker 1: including music, has a $ 6. 9 billion economic impact, supporting over 51,000 jobs,
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Speaker 1: Beshear's news release said. It noted the independent live entertainment
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Speaker 1: industry in Kentucky generates $ 577 million in economic output, $ 300
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Speaker 1: million in state gross domestic product, and $ 27. 8 million in
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Speaker 1: tax revenue. It also employs 1,757 people, and supports 4,413
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Speaker 1: other jobs, with $ 169 million in wages and benefits, according
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Speaker 1: to the National Independent Venue Association. Music fans attending independent
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Speaker 1: shows generated $ 88 million in offsite spending in 2024 alone,
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Speaker 1: including $ 73. 4 million on lodging, $ 7. 7 million at restaurants and bars,
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Speaker 1: and $ 3. 8 million in shopping, along with $ 2. 1 million on gas, parking,
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Speaker 1: and transportation, according to NIVA. Those venues served more than 2.1
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Speaker 1: million people. The National Independent Venue Association and its Kentucky chapter,
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Speaker 1: NIVA Kentucky, in a statement praised the creation of the office,
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Speaker 1: calling it the next step in bipartisan effort to strengthen
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Speaker 1: the state's music economy. NIVA's statement said the state music office,
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Speaker 1: established by Beshear's executive order, builds on Senate Bill 324,
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Speaker 1: sponsored by Senate President Robert Stivers, a Republican from Manchester,
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Speaker 1: which took effect July 15th with legislative support from both parties.
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Speaker 1: SB 324 directed a study of the needs of Kentucky's
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Speaker 1: musicians and music venues and recommendations to support industry growth.
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Speaker 1: Kentucky is setting an example for the nation by backing
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Speaker 1: the small businesses and nonprofits that bring their communities to
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Speaker 1: life through live performance, Stephen Parker, executive director of NIVA,
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Speaker 1: said in that group's statement. Independent stages launch careers, create jobs,
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Speaker 1: and give people a place to belong. NIVA Kentucky made
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Speaker 1: sure their voices were heard, and Governor Beshear and lawmakers
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Speaker 1: from both parties listened and turned that advocacy into action,
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Speaker 1: Parker said. Kentucky's musical heritage runs deep, from the Everly
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Speaker 1: Brothers and Loretta Lynn to Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers,
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Speaker 1: My Morning Jacket, and Cage the Elephant, said Joe Argebright,
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Speaker 1: president of NIVA Kentucky. Establishing a dedicated governor's music office
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Speaker 1: It's a powerful step toward ensuring that legacy continues to thrive,
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Speaker 1: he said. Now we move on over to countrynow.com with
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Speaker 1: the first article dated September 28th. Ella Langley shares how
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Speaker 1: she's learned to handle the criticism that comes with success.
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Speaker 1: Ella Langley got candid with fans about one of the
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Speaker 1: biggest challenges that has come with living out her dreams
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Speaker 1: during a recent stop on her Dandelion tour. The powerhouse
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Speaker 1: singer-songwriter has been making it a habit to open up
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Speaker 1: with fans more before introducing certain songs on the set
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Speaker 1: list of the headline run, and her sold-out show at
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Speaker 1: the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, was no different. During
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Speaker 1: the show, she slowed things down, sat on a stool,
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Speaker 1: and opened up about the amount of criticism that has
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Speaker 1: come with her massive rise in success over the past year.
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Speaker 1: Growing up in a small town, this is saying a lot.
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Speaker 1: I don't think I've ever had more opinions on myself
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Speaker 1: and my life than I have in the past year,
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Speaker 1: Langley admitted. She goes on to say that everything from
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Speaker 1: the way she looks and speaks to the clothes she wears,
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Speaker 1: the way she moves, and even the way she sings
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Speaker 1: and writes her music has been picked apart by the public.
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Speaker 1: At first, it bothered me. I won't even lie. At first,
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Speaker 1: I was like, what am I going to do about this?
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Speaker 1: I don't know. If this is what I'm signing up
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Speaker 1: to do, I don't know about this. I signed up
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Speaker 1: to sing music, and I love to do what I do,
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Speaker 1: but if this is what it's going to be the
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Speaker 1: whole entire time, I mean, damn, I don't know if
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Speaker 1: I'm strong enough for this, Lord. I don't know. When
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Speaker 1: those moments of doubt and fear start to creep in,
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Speaker 1: Langley thinks about her younger self and imagines that those
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Speaker 1: harsh words are being directed to that girl who worked
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Speaker 1: so hard to get to this point in her life.
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Speaker 1: This reminds her just how strong she's been and how
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Speaker 1: far she's come. That's the girl that rode in on
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Speaker 1: the 15-passenger van night after night after night. She rode
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Speaker 1: in a Honda Accord night after night after night, chasing
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Speaker 1: her dream, living on bar food, living on tip jar money.
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Speaker 1: She didn't have anything but a dream. and the ability
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Speaker 1: to get up and do it every single day. So
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Speaker 1: I'm going to tell you right now I'm proud of
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Speaker 1: that girl that everybody seems to be picking on a
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Speaker 1: little bit, Langley stated, with confidence as she closed out
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Speaker 1: her moment in reflection. The vulnerability came as the Be
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Speaker 1: Her singer continues the Dandelion Tour, which is set to
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Speaker 1: wrap up on October 31st with the final show at
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Speaker 1: Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Despite any criticism
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Speaker 1: that lies ahead, Ella Langley's career continues to move forward
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Speaker 1: at a rapid pace. She has plenty to look forward
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Speaker 1: to in coming months, including her tour, along with the
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Speaker 1: 2026 CMA Awards in November. She has headed into the
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Speaker 1: star-studded night a top nominee with nine nominations, adding another
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Speaker 1: major milestone to what has already been a massive year
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Speaker 1: for her. Next, Chase Matthew found Jason Aldean, a 68
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Speaker 1: Pontiac on Facebook marketplace, as the perfect end-of-tour gift. Chase
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Speaker 1: Matthew first fulfilled his dream of joining Jason Aldean on
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Speaker 1: the road back in 24. marking the first time he
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Speaker 1: had ever toured with a major country act. This year,
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Speaker 1: with a growing fan base, more music, and more success
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Speaker 1: under his belt, he got the opportunity to return as
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Speaker 1: direct support for Aldean on the Songs About Us tour.
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Speaker 1: To commemorate what those opportunities have meant to him, Matthew
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Speaker 1: presented Aldean with the perfect end-of-tour gift. Just days after
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Speaker 1: the 22-city trek came to a close, the rising country
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Speaker 1: star took to Instagram to show the world what he
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Speaker 1: had picked out for his tourmate, as a token of appreciation.
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Speaker 1: Since touring with Aldine meant so much to Matthew, he
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Speaker 1: knew this present had to be a special one and
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Speaker 1: a personal one. Touring with Jason has been a full
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Speaker 1: circle thing for me. Getting to come back out this
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Speaker 1: year as direct support made it even more special, so
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Speaker 1: I knew I had to get him an end of
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Speaker 1: tour gift that represented how much it meant to me.
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Speaker 1: What the heck do you get a guy that has everything,
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Speaker 1: Matthew asked himself. After a lot of thought and brainstorming
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Speaker 1: ideas that didn't quite work out, He ultimately decided to
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Speaker 1: hunt down a new set of wheels for Aldine that
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Speaker 1: also paid tribute to one of his biggest hits. I
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Speaker 1: landed on a vintage hot rod. I knew it had
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Speaker 1: to be a 68 because of the line in My
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Speaker 1: Kind of Party, he explained, referring to the lyrics of
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Speaker 1: the opening verse, I got the cover off the 68.
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Speaker 1: He continued, when I found this Pontiac Le Mans on
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Speaker 1: Facebook Marketplace, I knew it was the one. I've spent
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Speaker 1: the last couple of months getting it dialed in and
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Speaker 1: putting my own touches on it. To me, nothing screams
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Speaker 1: badass country singer and America quite like a 68 Pontiac convertible.
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Speaker 1: So here's to pulling the cover off the 68. The
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Speaker 1: All My Exes singer ended his caption by expressing his
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Speaker 1: gratitude to Jason Aldean for all the fun, wisdom, and
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Speaker 1: valuable experiences he shared with him over the years. Thank you,
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Speaker 1: Jason Aldean, for everything you've taught me and the inspiration
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Speaker 1: you have been to me and to my career. Chase
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Speaker 1: Matthews' time on the Songs About Us tour may have
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Speaker 1: come to a close, but he still has one more
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Speaker 1: show on the calendar with Aldine in 2026. On December 11th,
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Speaker 1: he will take the stage at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas,
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Speaker 1: where he'll warm up the crowd ahead of the final
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Speaker 1: stop on Aldine and Luke Bryan's co-headlining Double Down Tour 2026. Next,
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Speaker 1: Lady A's Charles Kelly reveals rare blood cancer diagnosis. Lady
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Speaker 1: A's Charles Kelly, 45, has been diagnosed with a rare
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Speaker 1: form of blood cancer called multiple myeloma, The country star
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Speaker 1: took to social media early Tuesday with his wife Cassie
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Speaker 1: by his side to share the news with fans. Kelly
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Speaker 1: revealed that the cancer was discovered after he sustained a
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Speaker 1: couple of random rib fractures. This prompted his doctor to
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Speaker 1: have him undergo several blood tests, and they ultimately discovered
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Speaker 1: the cancer through one of the last tests they ran.
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Speaker 1: Kelly's remaining positive throughout the diagnosis and says he feels
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Speaker 1: hopeful about the road ahead. I'm young, I feel healthy,
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Speaker 1: and the treatments I will say have just come so far,
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Speaker 1: even in the past five years, that even life expectancy
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Speaker 1: just far exceeds what it used to be. And I
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Speaker 1: don't know, I really feel hopeful. I really do, he
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Speaker 1: shared on the video message. He explained that they have
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Speaker 1: a friend who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma just weeks
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Speaker 1: before him, and they've been leaning on her throughout the process.
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Speaker 1: We have a friend going through this right now, and
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Speaker 1: she's been sharing some of her journey. She's about two
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Speaker 1: months ahead of me on this, and it helped me
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Speaker 1: so much watching that. Kelly, who began his sobriety journey
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Speaker 1: back in 2022, compared this health challenge to his sobriety
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Speaker 1: journey and explained that being open and honest with everyone
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Speaker 1: about what he's going through has been freeing. He hopes
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Speaker 1: to continue working as he undergoes treatment and is keeping
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Speaker 1: a positive outlook on life. I think in sobriety, it's
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Speaker 1: all about one day at a time and that we're
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Speaker 1: not in control. And so that's the way we're looking
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Speaker 1: at it. I mean, right now I feel great. We
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Speaker 1: got a new record coming out soon with Lady A
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Speaker 1: and then we got Christmas shows. And this first six
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Speaker 1: months of treatment, I believe is not going to be
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Speaker 1: too super invasive. I can still work. I think physically
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Speaker 1: I feel like myself. I'll have tough days, but I
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Speaker 1: want to keep working, he shared. Even going out last
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Speaker 1: weekend was like, even after knowing the news, it was like,
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Speaker 1: this is where I belong. I need to be happy
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Speaker 1: and doing what I love to do and spending and
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Speaker 1: sucking up as much time with my family as I can.
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Speaker 1: But I'm hopeful, I really am. We just want to
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Speaker 1: let you all know and I'll try to let you
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Speaker 1: in when I feel like it's appropriate throughout the journey.
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Speaker 1: According to Cleveland Clinic, Multiple myeloma happens when healthy plasma
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Speaker 1: cells become abnormal cells that multiply and produce more abnormal proteins.
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Speaker 1: This can cause medical issues that can affect your bones, kidneys,
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Speaker 1: and blood cells. Charles Kelly and his wife Cassie have
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Speaker 1: weathered their share of challenges together, including Kelly's battle with alcoholism.
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Speaker 1: Cassie stood by his side as he sought treatment, and
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Speaker 1: the couple has continued to support one another throughout their journey.
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Speaker 1: They have two children, Ward Charles, born February 11, 2016,
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Speaker 1: and Archer Lancaster, born in September 2025. Now we're on
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Speaker 1: to CountryCentral.com with the first article dated, they don't date
13:27
Speaker 1: them here, looks like the 29th of September, I guess.
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Speaker 1: Riley Green shares That's Just Me tour dates. Riley Green
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Speaker 1: has announced a 29-date run in 2027 in support of
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Speaker 1: his fourth studio album, That's Just Me. The tour launches
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Speaker 1: April 1st in Spokane and wraps up July 31st in
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Speaker 1: Milwaukee with Muscadine Bloodline, Randy Houser, Jake Worthington, and Hannah
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Speaker 1: McFarlane splitting support duties across the run. Tickets go on
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Speaker 1: sale to the general public on Friday. The more interesting
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Speaker 1: piece of the announcement is what Green is doing alongside it.
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Speaker 1: He's partnering with local schools and tour markets to build
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Speaker 1: the rollout around Friday night football traditions, band performances, pep rallies,
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Speaker 1: with choreographed cheer and dance routines, student artwork, and original content,
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Speaker 1: some of which was folded into the local tour announcements themselves.
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Speaker 1: The tie-in isn't arbitrary. Green played high school football and
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Speaker 1: went on to quarterback at Jacksonville State before music took over,
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Speaker 1: and the initiative reads as an extension of that rather
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Speaker 1: than a marketing overlay. He's donating $ 1 from every ticket
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Speaker 1: sold to participating schools in that market, with an additional
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Speaker 1: $ 2 per ticket going to the Buford Bonds Charitable Fund.
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Speaker 1: The run comes on the heels of the That's Just Me,
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Speaker 1: Green's 19-track fourth album, which drew notices from the New
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Speaker 1: York Times and Billboard. The record includes five solo rights,
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Speaker 1: among them My Way, which debuted on CBS's Marshalls, where
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Speaker 1: Green appeared in a guest role. The closest the tour
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Speaker 1: comes to our neck of the woods will be in
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Speaker 1: Knoxville on April 30th at the Food Center Arena. Next,
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Speaker 1: Noah Kahan reveals new song Draw You Out for Hunger Games.
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Speaker 1: This week, Noah Kahan shared that he'll be releasing a
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Speaker 1: new song called Draw You Out next week, serving as
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Speaker 1: the lead single from the Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping.
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Speaker 1: That's the album. The track arrives on October 2nd with
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Speaker 1: the full soundtrack following November 13th. Kahan shared the news
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Speaker 1: Thursday morning, writing that the song came from a place
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Speaker 1: he'd wanted to reach for a long time. This is
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Speaker 1: something I've always wanted to do, and I'm grateful for
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Speaker 1: the opportunity to write for this moving film, having adored
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Speaker 1: the works of art by Suzanne Collins, he wrote. I
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Speaker 1: was already totally connected and inspired by the tragic yet
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Speaker 1: hopeful story of Haymitch and Lenore Dove, and writing a
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Speaker 1: song about the purpose, grief, and perseverance through pain that
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Speaker 1: they exemplify was an experience I'll always be grateful for.
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Speaker 1: This is an incredible film, and I'm so honored to
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Speaker 1: be a small part of it. The song reunites Cahan
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Speaker 1: with producer Aaron Dessner, who co-wrote and co-produced the track.
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Speaker 1: The two worked together on The Great Divide, Cahan's May
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Speaker 1: release that debuted at number one, and posted the biggest
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Speaker 1: streaming debut of 2026. Draw You Out was recorded at
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Speaker 1: Long Pond Studio in New York, along with Gold Pacific
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Speaker 1: and East Iris Studios in Nashville. The soundtrack brings together
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Speaker 1: 29 cross-genre artists and is executive produced by Dave Cobb,
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Speaker 1: That's Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson's producer. Cahan is currently
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Speaker 1: on the sold-out Green Divide World Tour, which ran through
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Speaker 1: North American stadiums this summer and continues into arenas across
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Speaker 1: the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand this fall. Next,
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Speaker 1: Zach Bryan announces new EP and teases song Backwards. Zach
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Speaker 1: Bryan has given fans a firm date for his next project,
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Speaker 1: speaking from the stage in Toronto this The Oklahoma singer-songwriter
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Speaker 1: announced that his forthcoming EP will arrive October 16th and
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Speaker 1: confirmed that the unreleased song, Backwards, will appear on it.
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Speaker 1: The date closes the loop on a rollout that's been
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Speaker 1: running since early summer. Brian first revealed the project, tentatively
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Speaker 1: titled Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs, on July 3rd,
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Speaker 1: when he uploaded acoustic snippets of two unreleased songs, Lodi
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Speaker 1: Wen and Better Friends, to YouTube. The EP's name appeared
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Speaker 1: only in the captions of those videos, both of which
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Speaker 1: were later deleted. Backwards is the first track formally confirmed
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Speaker 1: from the track list beyond those two. Brian debuted it
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Speaker 1: in the same stripped-down style as the others, performing alone
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Speaker 1: with a guitar, and it joins a growing pile of
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Speaker 1: loose material fans have been cataloging all year. Breakfast in Bed,
17:46
Speaker 1: Pocket Change, You'll Get By, and You and I have
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Speaker 1: all surfaced in one form or another, though none have
17:52
Speaker 1: been officially tied to the project. The approach is familiar
17:56
Speaker 1: territory for Brian, whose post-album EPs have developed a following
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Speaker 1: of their own. Summertime Blues followed American Heartbreak in 2022,
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Speaker 1: and the folk-leaning Boys of Faith arrived just weeks after
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Speaker 1: the self-titled record in 2023. Both have held up as
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Speaker 1: favorites in a catalog, where the smaller releases often carry
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Speaker 1: almost as much weight as the major ones. Young Manhood
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Speaker 1: and Other Donatable Organs follows With Heaven on Top, his
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Speaker 1: sixth studio album, released this past January. The timing puts
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Speaker 1: the EP less than a week after his With Heaven
18:29
Speaker 1: on Tour wraps up October 10th in Auburn, Alabama. Now
18:34
Speaker 1: we tiptoe over to SavingCountryMusic.com for news and commentary. First article,
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Speaker 1: September 28th, Treaty Oak revivals too little, too late on
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Speaker 1: object throwing. Well, it finally happened. As anyone with any
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Speaker 1: good sense knew, at some point, someone was going to
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Speaker 1: end up seriously hurt and in the hospital due to
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Speaker 1: being hit by something thrown during a Treaty Oak revival show.
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Speaker 1: According to reports, that finally happened on September 18th at
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Speaker 1: the Jiffy Lube Center in Bristow, Virginia. Numerous videos caught
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Speaker 1: a chair flying through the crowd and clearly hitting numerous concertgoers.
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Speaker 1: A Treaty Oak revival fan named Haley Lader posted on
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Speaker 1: TikTok that she was in the hospital with a concussion
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Speaker 1: after being hit by the chair. This also comes after
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Speaker 1: numerous other chair throwing incidents and injuries. In August, someone
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Speaker 1: else threw a chair in the air at the Rock
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Speaker 1: Country Festival in Hastings, Michigan, and those are in no
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Speaker 1: way isolated incidents. People have also thrown trash cans and
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Speaker 1: quite literally anything not nailed down during the band's shows.
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Speaker 1: It's likely there have already been dozens of injuries at
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Speaker 1: Treaty Oak revival shows due to the rampant activity of
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Speaker 1: people throwing objects at the stage. The very first time
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Speaker 1: Saving Country Music witnessed Treaty Oak revival live in April
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Speaker 1: of 25, a roughly 13-year-old girl was hit in the
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Speaker 1: back and the head of a mostly full beer can
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Speaker 1: and crumpled to the ground in tears. She likely suffered
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Speaker 1: a concussion as well, and it wasn't during Boomtown, which
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Speaker 1: is the song when most of the flying objects occur,
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Speaker 1: it was during the second song of the set. Finally,
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Speaker 1: in a direct manner, Treaty Oak Revival has asked their
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Speaker 1: fans to stop throwing objects during their concerts, and specifically Boomtown,
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Speaker 1: where the supposed tradition started. Sure, give them credit for
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Speaker 1: finally taking some responsibility, but it's too little too late,
20:25
Speaker 1: says Saving Country Music, for Haley and others who ended
20:29
Speaker 1: up injured at their concerts. It's too late for the
20:32
Speaker 1: credibility of the band and the media who not only
20:34
Speaker 1: defended the practice, but used it for marketing and mocked
20:37
Speaker 1: those who took issue with it, including Saving Country Music
20:40
Speaker 1: and performers like Braxton Keith, who've also stood up to
20:43
Speaker 1: this behavior. And ironically, at this late stage, there's little
20:48
Speaker 1: if any chance the pleas from the band will actually
20:50
Speaker 1: end the practice they've set the president. On Thursday, September 24th,
20:54
Speaker 1: the entire band, led by frontman Sam Canty, in a
20:58
Speaker 1: video statement said, we've seen the videos and we're not
21:01
Speaker 1: happy with what we're seeing. We put signs up, but
21:04
Speaker 1: I guess you all don't see them. So we will
21:06
Speaker 1: say it from us directly. Please stop throwing stuff into
21:10
Speaker 1: the crowd were at the stage during Boomtown. We're all
21:13
Speaker 1: for beer showers, we're all for crowd surfing, we're all
21:16
Speaker 1: for raging and having a good time, but please do
21:19
Speaker 1: not throw hard objects into the crowd. It's hurting people
21:22
Speaker 1: and we don't condone it, so please take care of
21:24
Speaker 1: each other, we're family, let's have fun. But this comes
21:28
Speaker 1: after years of the band, their representatives and many of
21:31
Speaker 1: their fans, and certain members of the press that have
21:33
Speaker 1: been completely permissive of the practice, and totally dismissive of
21:37
Speaker 1: any criticism of When Saving Country Music first broached the
21:41
Speaker 1: subject and witnessing the injury of a young girl in
21:43
Speaker 1: the audience, the band's manager, Eli Kidd, came to Saving
21:47
Speaker 1: Country Music to defend them, saying in part, stop being
21:50
Speaker 1: such a bitch. Meanwhile, Rolling Stone Country and writer Josh
21:54
Speaker 1: Crutchmer facilitated this dismissive and permissive attitude by the band
21:58
Speaker 1: and their manager in a puff piece published back on
22:01
Speaker 1: November 28th of last year. Instead of scrutinizing the situation,
22:06
Speaker 1: pointing out the injuries that had occurred, and questioning the
22:09
Speaker 1: band and their management about it, Rolling Stone and Crutchmer
22:12
Speaker 1: acted as stenographers and used the behavior as marketing, just
22:16
Speaker 1: as the band has done heretofore, saying in the headline,
22:19
Speaker 1: nevermind the beer throwing. Well, this nevermind mentality and the
22:23
Speaker 1: canard that behavior was simply beer showers is what facilitated
22:27
Speaker 1: the injury and hospital visit by a young woman in Virginia.
22:31
Speaker 1: Instead of holding individuals like the band's manager Eli Kidd
22:34
Speaker 1: accountable or asking him tough questions, The article canonized the
22:38
Speaker 1: manager as a strong defender of the band. Treaty Oak
22:42
Speaker 1: revival audiences are mostly made up of young adults and
22:44
Speaker 1: outright children. The media and management are supposed to be
22:48
Speaker 1: the adults in the room, protecting them. Instead, they let
22:51
Speaker 1: Miss Haley and Virginia and others down. At least when
22:54
Speaker 1: the practice evolved to people throw chairs, garbage cans, and
22:57
Speaker 1: anything not nailed down, Whiskey Riff, who previously had also
23:01
Speaker 1: hand-waved away Treaty Oak revival behaviors themselves, admitted it was
23:05
Speaker 1: getting out of hand, and six months before the Rolling
23:08
Speaker 1: Stone puff piece. Furthermore, there is absolutely no indication that
23:12
Speaker 1: any of Tritty Oak's fans will actually comply with their
23:14
Speaker 1: new request to cease throwing objects. At this late stage,
23:19
Speaker 1: the curse has been cast. When the band played at
23:21
Speaker 1: the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium in
23:23
Speaker 1: Nashville in May, they went out of the way to
23:26
Speaker 1: post signs and project on the screen behind the stage
23:29
Speaker 1: that read, Let's show some respect to the Ryman. Please
23:33
Speaker 1: do not throw things. We love you. What happened? People
23:37
Speaker 1: threw things. Lots of people did. Little of any respect
23:40
Speaker 1: was shown to the Ryman, or more importantly, the band's wishes. Next,
23:46
Speaker 1: Two Step Inn Festival reveals Pac-27 lineup. Weather put a
23:51
Speaker 1: damper on festivities at the Two Step Inn in Georgetown,
23:54
Speaker 1: Texas in 2026, with the second half of the Saturday
23:58
Speaker 1: getting washed out completely, including headliners Brooks and Dunn. The
24:02
Speaker 1: festival ended up refunding tickets in full for the entire day,
24:06
Speaker 1: even though half of the lineup still took the stage.
24:09
Speaker 1: But undaunted, they have announced their return for 2027 with
24:12
Speaker 1: a stacked lineup that will include Brooks and Dunn hopefully
24:15
Speaker 1: finally making their two-step debut on Saturday, April 17th, and
24:19
Speaker 1: record-setting country superstar Ella Langley headlining the event on Sunday,
24:23
Speaker 1: April 18th. Located just north of Austin, the two-step in
24:28
Speaker 1: is Country Music's Megafest that looks to blend country legends
24:31
Speaker 1: in with independent country stars. Texas music stalwarts and a
24:35
Speaker 1: dash of mainstream up-and-comers, all of these ingredients can be
24:39
Speaker 1: found in the 2027 lineup, including Texas natives Parker McCollum,
24:44
Speaker 1: Whiskey Myers, Josh Abbott Band, and Flatland Cavalry, country legends
24:48
Speaker 1: Clint Black, Pam Tillis, Lori Morgan, and Tracy Lawrence, and
24:51
Speaker 1: top-line stars from the more independent world like Charles Wesley
24:54
Speaker 1: Godwin and Jake Worthington. Caitlin Butts will also make her
24:59
Speaker 1: return after performing at the Fest in the past, but
25:02
Speaker 1: getting rained out last year as well. Along with playing
25:05
Speaker 1: a solo set, Caitlin will be partnering with Carter Faith
25:08
Speaker 1: to pay tribute to Dolly Parton. As always, the two-step
25:12
Speaker 1: in includes some questionable choices. Sure, Sheryl Crow has fans.
25:15
Speaker 1: It just continues to be a strange pairing when she
25:17
Speaker 1: appears on country festivals. Stella Lefty certainly has fans, too,
25:22
Speaker 1: but a lot of detractors as well. We'll have to
25:24
Speaker 1: see what Stella's standing is come of April next year,
25:28
Speaker 1: but one thing next year's lineup does not have is
25:30
Speaker 1: a handful of the hip-hop EDM names that have previously
25:33
Speaker 1: sullied the lineup. Ludacris, Diplo, Big X Da Plug, who
25:37
Speaker 1: was a big disappointment in 26, T-Pain, and others have
25:41
Speaker 1: appeared previously. Instead, Two Step In is bringing in a
25:44
Speaker 1: host of country and country-adjacent Hispanic artists that much better
25:48
Speaker 1: fit the fest's profile while still working to expand the
25:51
Speaker 1: attendees' palette. Dustin De La Garza, Los Hermanos Mendoza from Bakersfield,
25:57
Speaker 1: and Mayoli from Hawaii will give the 2027 Two Step
26:01
Speaker 1: In some good texture. Now we hitchhike over to Taste
26:05
Speaker 1: of Country with the first article published on the 28th
26:08
Speaker 1: of September. Cody Johnson runs his tour differently than most.
26:13
Speaker 1: Cody Johnson knows how to run a tour, and Walker
26:16
Speaker 1: Montgomery says you can see it in the way he
26:18
Speaker 1: treats his entire crew. Montgomery, the son of John Michael
26:22
Speaker 1: Montgomery and nephew of Montgomery Gentry's Eddie Montgomery, recently joined
26:26
Speaker 1: Taste of Country Nights and talked about his time on
26:29
Speaker 1: the road with Johnson. Most larger-scale country tours will have
26:33
Speaker 1: some sort of catering backstage for the crew on hand,
26:36
Speaker 1: but Montgomery said that the catering at Johnson's show was exceptional,
26:40
Speaker 1: with plenty of steak and fried chicken, but the food
26:43
Speaker 1: wasn't what impressed him most. He said Johnson runs his
26:46
Speaker 1: tour like a tight ship, and that really stood out
26:48
Speaker 1: to him. When your whole crew, your whole band, treats
26:51
Speaker 1: my guys like you're one of them, you're like you're
26:53
Speaker 1: supposed to be there. That comes from the top to me,
26:56
Speaker 1: so I think it's a real testament to how he
26:58
Speaker 1: runs his organization. It sounds like Johnson has created the
27:02
Speaker 1: kind of tour where everyone is treated like they belong,
27:04
Speaker 1: whether they're part of his regular crew or just coming
27:07
Speaker 1: along for the ride. And apparently the food isn't too
27:10
Speaker 1: bad either. Montgomery joked that it was definitely better than
27:13
Speaker 1: a typical county fair barbecue. Taste of Country has had
27:16
Speaker 1: the pleasure of interviewing hundreds of country artists over the years,
27:19
Speaker 1: and when they talk about good backstage vibes, a few
27:22
Speaker 1: names come up constantly. Johnson's is usually one of them.
27:25
Speaker 1: Now we see why, and we have confirmation that it's true.
27:29
Speaker 1: And here's a quick list from Taste of Country, 11
27:32
Speaker 1: country singers who dated and how it ended. It's great
27:35
Speaker 1: news for six of these 11 country music singers who dated.
27:38
Speaker 1: They're either still married or stayed married until death did
27:40
Speaker 1: them part. Married, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Divorced, Carly
27:46
Speaker 1: Pearson and Michael Ray. Started dating in 2018 and eventually
27:49
Speaker 1: got married in late 2019. Next summer, they announced their divorce. Married,
27:55
Speaker 1: Karen Fairchild and Jimmy Westbrook of Little Big Town. Broke up,
27:59
Speaker 1: Jana Kramer and Brantley Gilbert. Married, Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood.
28:04
Speaker 1: Everybody knows that. Divorced, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton. Few
28:08
Speaker 1: divorces were as shocking as Blake and Miranda. Rest in peace,
28:13
Speaker 1: Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Divorced, Kelsey Ballerini and
28:17
Speaker 1: Morgan Evans. Ballerini married Evans in 2017 and then surprised
28:22
Speaker 1: the country music world by announcing their divorce in 2022.
28:27
Speaker 1: And married until he died, Waylon Jennings and Jesse Coulter. Divorced,
28:32
Speaker 1: George Jones and Tammy Wynette. And married Marty Stewart and
28:36
Speaker 1: Connie Smith. Well, this concludes the reading of Country Weekly
28:40
Speaker 1: for this week. If you have any comments or suggestions
28:42
Speaker 1: about this program, call us please at 859-422-6390. Thank you
28:48
Speaker 1: for joining me. And on behalf of everyone here at
28:50
Speaker 1: Radio Eye, this is Ken Dawkins wishing you a great day.