Transcript

6.27.25 · Country Weekly

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Speaker 1: Time now to catch up with Country Weekly, where we
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dive into news and gossip from the world of country music.
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I'm your host, Ken Dawkins, and I'll be reading from
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various sources found online. As a reminder, RADIOI is a
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reading service intended for people who are blind or have
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other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
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We'll begin with the first article, dated June twenty fourth,
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from People dot Com. Country Tim McGraw forced a backout
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of Colorado concert amid back surgery recovery. Tim McGraw has
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been forced to back out of a concert in Colorado
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next month as he recovers from back surgery. The country
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superstar was set to perform at the Professional Bull Rider's
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Last Cowboys Standing event on July twenty one, according to
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a previous press release. PBR CEO Sean Gleeson issued a
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news statement on Monday announcing that the country group Cross
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Canadian Ragweed will perform in his plays Cross Canadian wat
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Ragweed will step in for Tim McGraw as he recovers
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from back surgery to open the Last Cowboys Standing Show
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on July twenty first in Fort Collins, and we couldn't
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be more thrilled the band is back together, ready to
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bring the house down at an unforgettable night of world
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class music and the greatest bull riding on earth. You
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won't want to miss it, The statement continued. We're sending
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our very best to Tim for a quick recovery and
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hope to see him at a future PBR event. John
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Party is still scheduled to perform on July twenty second
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at the event, per a concert poster. A rep for
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McGraw had no comment. While it's unknown when McGraw underwent surgery,
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a joint statement from Colorado State University in PBR states
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it was recent. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to
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fans who wanted to see Tim McGraw, and we wished
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him the very best in his recovery, the statement added.
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According to the statement, ticket holders have the option to
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receive a full refund by contacting ram's ticket office. Announcement
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comes after Deadline reported in January that the performer had
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exited inn untitled Netflix Rodeo series due to the need
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for back surgery, and I think we reported on that.
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In May, McGraw gave an update on his health on
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Tracy Lawrence's TL's Roadhouse podcast. I can tell you that
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after double knee replacements and three back surgeries and now
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a torn rotator cuff and a ruptured disc, all the
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things that are going on, there were times this year
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that I thought this might be it. He said, this
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might be time to hang it up. The musician said
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he still works out, but approaches it carefully. I can't
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move quickly. There's no turning real quick or doing anything
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like that. Everything has to be very intentional. Everything that
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I do has to be very methodical. I have to
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do cold plunges, I have to do infrared saunas. I
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have to do massages. McGraw released his latest album, Standing
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Room Only, in August of twenty twenty three. He recently
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starred in Paramount Plus's eighteen eighty three, a limited series
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prequel to Yellowstone Next. Cody Johnson pauses show after fight
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breaks out amid God Bless America performance. Cody Johnson had
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to break up a fight at his show this weekend.
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On Saturday the twenty first, the country star took the
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stage at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio for
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his second night at the venue, where a fight broke
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out amid his performance. Of God Bless America per My
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san Antonio and fan captured TikTok footage of the concert.
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Fans can be seen grabbing at one another and falling
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to the ground in the crowd as his band plays
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in the background. Johnson addresses the brawl while speaking to
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the audience. I mean this is not a Travis Scott concert,
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he said, appearing to refer to the twenty twenty one
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Astro World tragedy where ten audience members at his concert
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were killed and thousands were injured due to a crowd rush.
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That's a crowd crush at NRG Park in Houston, Johnson added,
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These kids in the crowd, there are all kinds of
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things in here that don't need to happen. Later, the
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dirt chieap artist tells the crowd that the police have arrived,
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to which the crowd cheered. According to The Daily Mail,
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Johnson had spoken to the crowd about unity and not
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being divided before launching into God Bless America for the
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publication after the Brawley joke, well so much from my
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speech on the not being divided. Reps for Johnson have
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not yet responded to People's request for comment. Last month,
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Johnson announced at the twenty twenty five Academy of Country
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Music Awards that he and wife Brandy are expecting a
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little boy. We decided to make this our announcement to
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the world and our gender reveal as well, he told
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people exclusively of the happy reveal, though he did not
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specify the baby's due date. He and Brandy share daughters,
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Clara May ten and Corey eight. Johnson's currently in the
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midst of his twenty twenty five Leather Deluxe to Her,
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which will run through the fall next Dolly Parton announces
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Las Vegas residency thirty two years since her last extended
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run in the city. Grab your rhinestones. Dolly Parton is
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returning to Vegas. On Monday, the nine to five singer
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announced her limited residency at the Coliseum at Caesar's Palace
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in Las Vegas that will take place this December. Parton,
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who is now seventy nine, last performed an extended run
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in Neon City thirty two years ago. To say I'm
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excited would be an understatement. I haven't worked Vegas in years,
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and I've always loved singing there, Parton said per a
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press release. I'm looking so forward to the shows in
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the Coliseum at Caesar's and I hope you are as well.
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See you all there, Grab your rhinestones. Vegas is calling
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the ten time Grammy winner road on Instagram for the
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Dolly Live in Las Vegas shows. Parton will be at
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the Coliseum for six shows on December fourth, sixth, seventh, tenth, twelfth,
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and thirteenth, taking place during National Finals. Rodeo Fans can
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expect to hear many hit songs from Parton's decades long career,
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including nine to five, Joline, I Will Always Love You
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in Coat of Many Colors. Tickets for Parton's limited engagement,
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which promises a hit driven concert event, go on sale
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or did go on sale this past Wednesday. Among the
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special packages fans can purchase are the Dolly Forever VIP package,
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which includes access to a pre show reception at Dolly's
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Rhinestone Lounge per Rolling Stone. Barton's past performances in Las
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Vegas includes several shows at the Riviera Hotel back in
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the early eighties, along with four concerts at the Mirage
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Hotel in nineteen ninety three. Of course, both hotels are
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long gone. Parton gushed about performing in Vegas, telling the Tennessee,
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and in twenty twenty two about her nineteen eighty shows,
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had a great time staying in some of the world's
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best hotels, eating free food, and trying to not order
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so much room service as a way to pass the
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time between my shows. She equipped, It's a magical city,
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and I love how much the city celebrates entertainment. It's
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hot out there, though, so besides the shows and the casinos,
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there's really not a whole lot to do. Parton also
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hosted the twenty twenty two Academy of Country Music Awards
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in Las Vegas. Next Ronnie McDowell rushed to the hospital
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after country singer slurs his words on stage. Ronnie McDowell
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has been hospitalized following a medical incident over the weekend.
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During his performance on Saturday at the Summer Solstice Music
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Festival in Ole, Pennsylvania, the country star began slurring his
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words during the first songs of his set. Nashville based
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news outlet WKRN reported that Ronnie's tour manager said he
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was not making sense during his set. The tour manager
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stopped to show three or four songs in to take
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Ronnie seventy five to the side to check in with
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how he was feeling per w KRN. Ronnie responded no
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and said that he thought he might have suffered a stroke.
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Ronnie's son, Tyler Dean mcdewell posted on Facebook late Saturday
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evening that he has focused on his father's health amid
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the medical incident. I know you're all concerned. I promised
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no one is more worried than I am. He began,
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Please understand, this is an incredibly stressful time and right
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now my focus is on my dad. If there's anything
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that needs to be shared, I promise we will. He
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asked for fans to pray for his family. Tyler shared
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more updates the following day. Just wanted to let everyone
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know I made it to Pennsylvania, Ronnie's son, Ronnie Dean
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and I are in the room with Dad. He's talking
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to us and we're waiting to do the MRI, he wrote,
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adding that he'll keep fans posted. Hours later, he let
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fans know that Ronnie was very excited when he brought
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his dad a few things for his hospital stay. Another update,
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brought Dad some popcorns and kumbuka. Ronnie Dean brought his
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comfy shoes, favorite brush, and Vietnam hat. Dad was very
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excited about all this like a kid in a candy store.
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Figured it all could use a little levity. On Sunday,
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Ronnie's official Facebook page noticed that the family would be
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updating their personal platforms soon. On Monday, they shared an
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additional update about Ronnie's hospitalization. I have Dad in the car.
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We're on our way home, he wrote. He also posted
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about his father being released from the hospital, confirming that
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the country singer suffered a mini stroke during his Saturday concert.
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The country musician rose to prominence, of course, during the
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late nineteen seventies, for his song The King Is Gone,
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which paid tribute to Elvis Presley. Ronnie is also known
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for a country hits older Women, You're going to ruin
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My bad reputation, and All Tied Up. Most recently, he
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was featured on Dolly Parton's twenty twenty three song I
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Dreamed About Elvis from her album rock Star. More concert
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problems now as we head over to Country Living with
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their article dated June twentieth, Luke Bryan cancels concerts after
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halting show and offering refunds. Luke Bryan is in the
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middle of his country song came on to her and
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it seems the performances are causing some strain on his voice.
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During his Thursday night show a week ago in Rogers, Arkansas,
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he stopped the show and made a surprising announcement every
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one would be getting refunds. Fans share videos from the
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event on tik tok, and Luke clearly was struggling with
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his voice during the concert. At one point, he stopped
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singing and said, I'm going to get real with you all.
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This is the weirdest thing I've ever dealt with in
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my life. I cannot have my voice in this venue.
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For some reason. It happens every time. I don't know why,
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but you guys keep showing up year after year to
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see me put on a show. You know, I saw
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Luke Colmbs do this a couple of years ago when
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he was having a weird night on stage, and I said,
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you know what, that's pretty cool. He continued, you know what,
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I don't give a damn I'm going to refund everybody
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their tickets tonight. We're going to keep doing the damn show. Okay,
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We're just going to make this what it is. I
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don't know why I do this every time, but you
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all can hear, so we're going to make the most
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of it. Let's just do it. After the Arkansas concert
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on Thursday, Luke was scheduled to perform in Dallas on
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Friday in Louisiana on Saturday. He later shared that those
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dates had been rescheduled due to illness. Those shows will
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now take place in September. Luke thanked his fans for
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their understanding. After this weekend shows, Luke has a scheduled
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break until It's tour resumes on July tenth. And now
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we move on to parade dot Com dated June twenty third.
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Beloved nineties country band still sounds amazing despite rude fans
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at concert. Anyone who grew up listening to the nineteen
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nineties country music situation had the legendary band Shenanoa on
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their playlist with classic hits including two Dozen Roses, Sunday
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in the South, and next to You, next to Me,
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and I Want to Be Loved like that. Their music
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always makes you want to sing along. While the band
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performed on Saturday the twenty first at the Rock the
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South Festival in Cullman, Alabama, and it's clear that lead
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singer Marty Raybund sixty five still has the same powerful
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set of pipes that he had back in the nineties.
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Shenandoah sounded truly incredible, though some concert goers were disappointed
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and annoyed over rude fans talking and being loud during
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their performance. There's no arguing with the fact that his
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vocals are totally on point, but man, why did people
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feel the need to chatter away during the concert. One
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person who watched the clip declared, all those people talking
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and ruining it would make me crash out, to which
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the creator replied, trust me. Right after this video they
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received a Southern talking to and they moved on. Another
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fan added, Shenandoah having a daytime set is criminal. During
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the rude talking in the crowd, people still couldn't get
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over how great the band sounds. One person said, crazy,
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he's that old and he still sounds amazing. Someone else
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noted Marty raybon Is Country Music Royalty, and the creator agreed,
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saying he's on my Mount Rushmore for country for sure.
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Sheenandeau is on tour all summer, with dates scheduled into August,
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and that includes two in Kentucky on July eleventh. They'll
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be at the Rock the Country event at Ashland and
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then down at the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center on July twelfth.
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Now we move on down the road to saving country
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music for News and commentary. First article date of June twentieth.
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Jason Isbel delivers landmark performance in return to Telluride. It's
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a shame you can't get away from all the political
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polarization in the US at the moment, and that's it's
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even more difficult for some to separate the politically polarizing
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aspect of Jason Isbel's social media presence from the landmark
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legacy he's assembling in music, says saving country music. Why
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this man in his backing band the four hundred unit
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are opening shows for the Turnpike Troubadours is beyond confound
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when he performs one of the most jaw dropping progressive
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southern rock shows ever placed on stage, except when you
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factor in the parsing of his fan base due to
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his polarization. But as he proved headlining the tellur Ride
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Bluegrass Festival and Beautiful Colorado Thursday Night, anyone recusing themselves
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from Jason Isbel's music either an album form, but especially
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in the live arena are doing a dramatic disservice to
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their life's musical experience and the fulfillment they could be
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receiving from it. And that assessment comes from someone who's
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been dragged by Isabel on social media directly. I guess
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that's the writer of the article anyway. Jason Isbel set
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at the Tell You Ride felt uncommonly inspired, which Telluride
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tends to do with the incredible views and expanse it
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affords its performers. Isabel first played Tell You Ride as
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a member of the Drive By Truckers, and he told
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the story of being a little worried about a Southern
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rock band taking the stage at a bluegrass festival. What
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he found was one of the most open hearted audiences
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in music, that as long as your music and intent
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is honest, they embrace you with open arms. Then Isbel
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launched into a four hundred unit rendition of a Trucker's
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song Decoration Day with perhaps the most epic solo ever
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performed on the song, starting on the slide and then
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finishing with fingers on frets. Isbell's no Dwayne Allmon or
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Dickie Betts, but as someone known first for their songwriting
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He's a monster on his own leads or trading licks
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with guitarist Sadler Vaden, making for an enviable one and
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one a combo, or any musical outfit. You add on
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top of that songs that have gone on to define
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the pinnacle of writing over the last decade plus, and
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you have true apex musical experiences. When you can leave
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songs like Cover Me Up, Elephant and Cast Iron Skillet
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on the shelf and still have the audience walk away
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feeling entirely fulfilled, you know you're a boss with a
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stacked catalog. Isbell did play quite a few selections from
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his twenty twenty five acoustic solo album Foxes in the
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Snow that's full band style. This included a pretty epic
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version of the new song Ride to Roberts that mentions
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the legendary Roberts Western World on Lower Broadway in Nashville.
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Isabelle and Saddler Vaden's teamed up to a cross acoustic style,
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sending the song well past the boundaries of the recorded version.
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This is a common occurrence for an Isbel's song rendered live.
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You wouldn't go as far as to call it a
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jam band, but often Isabel allows songs to breathe and
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a performance in the audience reception to choose when conclusion comes.
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That's what made Decoration Day, Ride to Roberts and the
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one song where the recorded version does stretch its legs
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a bit, this Ain't It So epic? On the legendary
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Tell You Ride stage, Isabel wasn't going to cater is
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set to the bluegrass crowd. That's not what's expected until
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you're ride anyway. He remarked about having to follow up
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Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, who played right before him.
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I gave up a long time ago trying to follow
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up that. But he did play a more bluegrass style
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version of his song bury Me, which is probably his
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most country bluegrass song in his catalog. As the world
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implodes outside an Irrespective of any polarizing aspect, Isabel and
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his music is nearly two hour set to Tell You
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Ride was music's sublimity, and it concluded with an incredible
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version of the Saving Country Music twenty twenty three Song
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of the Year, King of Oklahoma, and for a couple
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of choice hours in the Mountains of Colorado, all was
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right with the world, no matter how wrong things are
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otherwise next, major layoffs hit ACM Awards, MCA Nashville. Is
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something amiss in the major label world or are they
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just getting a head start on the inevitable replacement of
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virtuality all human labor with AI. Either way, two of
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country music's major entities are cutting staff, and no matter
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how they spin it, when you're downsizing as opposed to growing,
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it's usually not a good sign. Ever, since the Academy
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of Country Music Awards moved to Prime video, it felt
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like they're on more shaky ground when they were broadcast
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on network TV. It's really hard to know exactly how
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successful the awards have been on Prime because we don't
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get any real ratings, and if Amazon does both about engagement,
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you have to take it with a grain of salt
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since the numbers aren't coming from an impartial third party.
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A month after the twenty twenty five ACM Awards, on
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May eighth, the organization laid off one quarter of its staff,
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or five people total. That seems pretty significant even for
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a smaller organization. This includes the Coordinator of Events, Senior
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manager of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, Director of Publicity and
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Media Relations, and Manager Creative and Content production. Of course,
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the official line from the ACM Awards tried to paint
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a rosy picture. MCA, which is the old UMG Nashville
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part of the Universal Music Group, also recently laid off
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a reported dozen staffers, which again feels like a big number.
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The companies in the process of reorganizing and perhaps as
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trimming fat as the label looks to focus more on
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digital and social media strategies. But again, you don't lay
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off a dozen people if everything's going well. If you're
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a fan of the mainstream country music industry, should you
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be worried? If you've been voting for the music row
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system governing country music to implode, should you be happy?
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It's hard to determine at this point, but if we
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continue to see more layoffs, it will definitely speak to
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a deepening trend that either is about emerging weakness in
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the major label world or a dramatic shift to streamline
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manpower and rely more on AI and younger talent to
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replace the old guard. Now we slide over to the
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boot dot com. When the first article published on June
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twenty fourth Flat River Band Oakridge Boys new collaboration looks
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mighty familiar. Flat Riverband asked the Oakridge Boys to help
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them recreate a scene from a legendary American television show.
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The result is a new music video for Leaving Louisiana
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in the Broad Daylight, co starring the show's biggest star,
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Dukes of Hazard. Star John Schneider helps the Flat River
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Band get to the performance that fits because Bo Duke
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was in the room the first time The Oaks sang
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the song. About forty six years ago, they made an
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appearance on the TV show that was so well received
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that Boss Hogg made all the legal troubles disappear. The
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new video, premiering exclusively at Taste of Country, can be
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seen on Taste of Country. It begins with Schneider on
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the phone with his fictional brother Luke Duke about another
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speed trap in Hazzard County. He thoughtfully decides to call
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the Flat River Band, who don't believe it's him until
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he does the Bo Duke voice the good Deed backfires. However,
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instead of taking his advice and rolling through the country
19:31
nice and slow, the band decides that spending all day
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in jail and all night singing with the Oakridge Boys
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at the Boar's Nest sounds perfect. So they hit the gas,
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get arrested by two police officers that look more like
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Daisy Dukes than Roscoe P. Coltrane, and get sentenced to
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an eternity of singing country music. The original Dukes of
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Hazzard clip follows a similar plot line. Two original members
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of the Oakridge Boys d Allen and That's Dwayne Allen
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and William Lee Golden join the fr for the performance.
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The whole experience is a delightful reminder of how good
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the song, released back in nineteen seventy nine is. It
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went number one for the Oaks a year later. Sadly,
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Joe Bond's All of the Oakridge Boys has since died.
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As we know, two Dukes of Hazard cast members critical
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to that scene also passed on. James Best played the
20:19
sheriff and Sir el Book played Boss Hogg. Original clips
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found online don't show the Oakridge Boys getting caught up
20:26
in the speed trap, just what happens afterwards. Flat Riverband
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grew up watching the show and later became friends with
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the Oakridge Boys. We still vividly remember the episode where
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Roscoe's set up a speed trap and J. D. Hogg
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had the Oakridge Boys perform leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight,
20:43
they tell to a taste of Country. It was such
20:46
a memorable moment for us. Now being able to perform
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that song live and in studio with the Oaks feels
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like a childhood dream come true. Next, Ella Langley slaps
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on a fake mustache to perform with Riley Green. Ella
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Langley had some fun with the rumor Mill during a
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recent stop on Riley Green's Damned Country Music Tour in Franklin, Tennessee.
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Langley has been a mainstay opening act on the tour
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since it launched last November, giving her and Green a
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lot of opportunities to perform their number one hit duet
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you Look Like You Love Me, But last Thursday, It's
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a week ago. Langley added a special twist to the performance.
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She slapped on a fake mustache that looked a whole
21:24
lot like Green's real one. Based on the fan film
21:28
footage of the moment, it looked like Green was just
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as surprised as the audience to see Langley rocking a stash.
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Gave the crowd of amused look as she debuted it,
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but gamely extended his hand to help her on stage
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and sing the song, Langley also cracked up and had
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to keep putting her hand up to her face to
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keep the mustache in place as she was performing. After
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making sure everyone in the crowd got a chance to
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see it, she took off the fake mustache and slapped
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it on the Green's shirt before they launched into the
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first chorus. According to fan comments on social media, post
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copies of Langley's face mustache were also distributed to fans
22:02
in the front row at the show. Green's real mustache
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has been the subject of some fan debate in recent weeks,
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as part of some ongoing rumors about his romantic life.
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Ever since Langley and Green put out their first duet,
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You Look Like You Love Me, fans have been wondering
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if there might be something going on between them more
22:19
than just on stage chemistry. They both denied any romantic
22:23
link between them. In December of twenty four, Green said
22:25
that Langley was too smart to date him, but rumors
22:29
continued to fly, especially after they released a second song
22:32
together called Don't Mind If I Do, which also happened
22:35
to be the title track of Green's album. Some fans
22:38
thought that they saw Green kissing Langley in a video,
22:40
but others thought it was just a quick peck on
22:42
the cheek and not a romantic smooch, and in recent
22:45
performances the two have given together, such as at the
22:48
twenty twenty five ACM Awards earlier this month, some fans
22:51
have set on social media that their on stage chemistry
22:54
has changed. They theorized that a break up might have happened, or,
22:57
in the words of one fan, I know a failed
22:59
situation where I see one. More recently, Green shaved his
23:03
famous mustache just days after Langley told the press that
23:06
she was the one who encouraged him to keep it.
23:09
And the newest video Langley posted, She's singing along to
23:11
a country song that features an element of talk singing.
23:14
That's a pretty rare thing to encounter in a country
23:17
hit these days. But that same style of singing also
23:19
makes an appearance and you Look Like You Love Me,
23:22
Langley and Green's duet. While we talked at the outset
23:25
about Tim McGraw's living with his back and other problems,
23:29
The Boot has a list this week of thirteen country
23:32
singers living with serious chronic illness. Carly Piis, Mark Chestnut,
23:37
and Colt Ford all made headlines in twenty twenty four
23:40
for major medical issues. But they're not the only country
23:43
singers who are living with serious illness. In fact, living
23:46
with serious chronic illness is just a fact of life
23:48
for a number of country stars. Willie Nelson lives with
23:52
a serious chronic illness, but he doesn't let that hold
23:54
him back. The Country Music Hall of Famer still tours
23:57
and releases new music every year as part of a
23:59
schedule that would be difficult for much younger artists. But
24:02
here's the Boots list of thirteen country stars who were
24:05
living with serious health conditions. Carley Pearce peracarditis. Carly Pearce
24:11
is just thirty four years old, but she revealed in
24:14
May of last year that she'd been diagnosed with a
24:16
heart condition called pera carditis. The condition is an inflammation
24:20
of the tissues surrounding the heart, and Pierce says she
24:22
has to watch her heart rate on stage as a result,
24:25
especially during one particular song. Colt Ford heart problems, cancer
24:31
and autoimmune disease. Colt Ford has faced several different health
24:35
problems in recent years, including eye cancer and an autoimmune
24:38
disease called myasthenia gravis. His ongoing health battles came to
24:43
a head in April of last year, when he suffered
24:45
a near fatal heart attack after a show in Arizona.
24:49
Mark Chestnut has heart problems. Mark Chestnut has canceled shows
24:53
several times in recent years over unspecified health problems, but
24:56
the situation turned far more serious in June of last year,
25:00
the nineties Country Traditionalists suffered a heart issue that led
25:03
to an emergency quadruple bypass surgery, and he's canceled all
25:07
of his upcoming appearances as he recuperates. Shania Twain is
25:12
blessed with lime disease. Shaniah disappeared from the limelight for
25:16
a number of years. As we know and fans had
25:18
no idea she was fighting a long term health battle.
25:21
She contracted lime disease in two thousand and three after
25:24
a tick bite, and Twained battled vocal problems, including dysphonia
25:28
for years, completely losing her voice at one point. She
25:31
finally underwent open throat surgery, and while her voice has
25:34
not returned to what it was before, she's been able
25:36
to resume recording and performing. And of course, Randy Travis
25:41
has his phasia. Randy has been mostly unable to work
25:44
in music since a stroke in twenty thirteen took away
25:47
most of his ability to speak and sing. He's made
25:50
a number of public appearances and remains a beloved figure,
25:53
but so far this hope of recovering enough to return
25:56
to singing has not materialized. He did release a new
25:59
single Time Where That Came From in May of twenty
26:02
twenty four, with assistance of AI. Alan Jackson has Charcott
26:07
Marie tooth disease. Alan Jackson revealed in twenty twenty one
26:11
that he had been living with a degenera of nerve
26:13
condition for more than ten years. This causes this disease
26:17
causes nerve damage in the body, primarily in the arms
26:19
and legs. The country icon has grown unstable on stage,
26:23
and he stepped away from touring in twenty twenty five,
26:26
though he shared plans for one final All Star show
26:28
in Nashville next year. And as we mentioned Willie Nelson,
26:32
he has emphysema. Struggled with breathing issues for years, including emphasema.
26:37
His breathing challenges have become so bad that he even
26:40
gave up smoking grass in twenty nineteen, though he still
26:43
uses edibles. Clay Walker has multiple sclerosis. Walker has been
26:49
living with multiple sclerosis since nineteen ninety six, and wow,
26:53
has he ever proven doctors wrong. He was initially told
26:56
he'd be in a wheelchair by two thousand and dead
26:58
by four but nearly thirty years later, he's still going strong.
27:02
He performed Banned against MS in two thousand and three
27:06
to encourage fundraising and education about the illness. John Driskell
27:10
Hopkins ALS Zach Brown Band member John Driskell Hopkins revealed
27:15
his ALS diagnosis in May of twenty two. Also known
27:18
as Louke Griggs's disease, ALS can cause weakness in the
27:21
legs and feet, problems with coordination, slurred speech, and much more.
27:26
It is debilitating and fatal over time. Hopkins and his
27:29
wife Jennifer have launched a foundation called hop On a Cure,
27:32
which raises funds to end ALS, and for now he
27:35
remains active with Zack Brown Band. Trace Atkins heart problems.
27:41
Atkins's second wife famously shot him in the heart during
27:44
an argument over his drinking, and though he survived after
27:47
open heart surgery, the country star still has to have
27:50
regular heart checkups as a result of the damage that
27:52
the bullet inflicted. Eric Paisley has diabetes Paisley has been
27:57
living with type one diabetes since he was ten, but
28:00
he doesn't let it slow him down. He maintains an
28:02
active schedule as performer and songwriter. Ray Lynn has diabetes
28:08
also lives with type one diabetes. Like Paisley, she not
28:10
only thrives, but routinely routinely makes appearances for fundraising and
28:15
awareness on the topic. And Chris Christofferson, like Shania Twain,
28:19
has lime disease. He suffered memory loss for years do
28:23
what was believed to be either Alzheimer's or dementia, but
28:25
the Country icon made what some call a miracle recovery
28:29
after doctors determined that he was being treated for the
28:31
wrong ailment. He actually lived with lime disease, and once
28:34
he began receiving right treatments, he began to improve dramatically.
28:39
While this concludes the reading of Country Weekly for this week,
28:42
if you have any comments or suggestions about our program,
28:45
kindly call us at eight five nine four two two
28:47
sixty three ninety. Thank you for joining me and on
28:51
behalf of every one here at Radio Eye. This is
28:53
Ken Dawkins, wishing you a great day.