Music City Minute

For generations, New York City and Times Square have been the location to ring in the New Year. However, for folks looking for a different vibe, Music City has become a popular New Year’s Eve hub. Once again, "Nashville’s Big Bash Live" will attract tens of thousands of revelers to Bicentennial Capitol State Park for high-voltage performances from Bailey Zimmerman, Brooks & Dunn, D...

Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire and Jelly Roll all agree rodeo and country music go together like peas and carrots or straight pipes on diesel trucks. In fact, I can think of a number of champions who traded in their felt numbers and spurs to pursue an entirely different type of life on the road with guitar and microphone. Having said that, the three country music icons realized an opportunity for Nashv...

Over the weekend, artists, across several disciplines, gathered in the oval office where they were recognized as Kennedy Center Honorees. During a speech preceding the medallion ceremony, the President called the class of 2025 "icons" that are the very best in arts and culture who have uplifted, inspired and unified millions. First in line to receive his medallion was George Strait, who was also c...

The Happy Cowboy, Niko Moon and his wife, Anna, have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season, exclusively sharing with "People" magazine their family is expanding. The songwriting duo admits their journey into parenthood has not been an easy one. However, they are endlessly grateful for resources like IVF, because it has given them the opportunity to grow their little family. Niko and Anna wi...

Ever since Zach Top hit the music scene, there has been a lot of speculation about his relatives. For example, one popular rumor claims that his dad is Alan Jackson. Naturally, the internet has offered several interesting theories on this topic (which Top has neither confirmed nor denied), but sadly, they are based on conjecture rather than facts. That being said, there is a familial tie that can...

What do you get the ultimate Garth Brooks fan in your family for Christmas? I have the answer for you, his latest book and CD combination. "The Anthology, Part VI: The Comeback, The Next Five Years," takes fans behind the scenes to explore the planning and execution of Brooks' Dive Bar Tour, Stadium Tour, drive-in concert series and essentially "wraps up" this chapter of his career. In all, the co...

Tracy Lawrence was gearing up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his Mission: Possible Turkey Fry and Concert . However, he and his team were left devastated when one of the refrigerated trucks holding 650 frozen turkeys broke down, causing them to spoil. Needless to say, it was a huge setback and almost no time to recover. Thankfully, all was not lost and a miracle was in the works. L...

There is no denying Cody Johnson is tough as nails. Before hitting it big and country music, Johnson was a professional bull rider and prison guard. However, even those experiences were not enough to prepare him for the physical and mental toll of a severely perforated eardrum. The "Till You Can’t" singer admits the recovery from emergency eardrum surgery has been excruciating. Compounded by...

As 2025 winds down, several major country stars are giving their fans a lot to look forward to in the New Year. Your boots and cowboy hat will be clocking overtime two-stepping at country shows across Denver. Empower Field at Mile High will be hosting Morgan Wallen for back-to-back shows May 29 and 30. Russell Dickerson's Russellmaina will shake the boulders loose May 13 at Red Rocks. On April 16,...

No doubt Ella Langley is making good money. While saving earnings are important, Langley hilariously admitted spending it is a lot more fun. I feel like this is a super relatable situation. How many artists do we know that went from one jar of peanut butter in the fridge to superstardom practically overnight? Fortunately, the "Choosing Texas" singer made a responsible choice and invested in a hous...

Last week, Miranda Lambert celebrated her birthday and her husband, Brendan, got her a unique gift. Apparently, the Texas native is a big fan of dinosaurs, and so her husband was able to procure a life-size metal dinosaur statue. Although Lambert calls it a T-Rex, I would say it looks more like a velociraptor, but that is neither here nor there. The fact is I am sure Miranda Lambert has everything...

Cody Johnson and his wife Brandi recently announced the birth of their third baby, a boy named Jaycee. The "Till You Can't" singer also shared some details of the birth story, admitting little Jaycee wasted almost no time coming into the world. Johnson said on October 21, at about 2:30 in the morning, miss Brandi informed him that her water just broke. While racing to the hospital, the T...

Artificial intelligence is all around us, just like the sci-fi movies predicted. However, AI has moved far beyond things like Alexa and Siri, with creators producing chart-topping AI-generated songs under the guise of a band or singer, who are as equally artificial as the music. Recently, one of these characters called Breaking Rust made history with the song "Walk My Walk," reaching No. 1 on Bill...

Typically, most folks do not consider music a “fallback” career. However, a surprisingly high number of (mainly male) country artists casually landed in Nashville after their professional sports dreams evaporated. For instance, George Birge and Jake Owen both played championship level golf in college with plans to go pro before changing trajectory. While being naturally competitive and...

This week, America pauses to honor our veterans. Originally observed to commemorate the end of World War I, November 11 officially changed from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954 to recognize all American veterans. As you know, patriotism runs deep country music. Therefore, in a way, it is not surprising to hear that some of country's biggest stars such as Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Krist...

This week, Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks are celebrating 20 years of marriage (which in the entertainment industry is more like 100 years). While speaking at an event, Miss Trisha admits being present is one of the most important foundations of a relationship. Drawing from her personal experience, Yearwood declared marriage isn’t going to work if the couple are never together. That is why...

The 2025 CMA Awards are just over a week away. Excitement is palpable across Nashville, especially among artists who are nominated for major categories such as Album of the Year, Male and Female Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the year. That same buzz of anticipation can be felt right here in the studio, as 98.5 KYGO is nominated for the CMA Major Market Radio Station of the Year. The acad...

While several families in our neighborhood have been slow to take down their Halloween decorations, there are just as many (or more) families who are full speed into the holidays. Thankfully, for those of us having a hard time moving forward, Nashville's biggest stars come to the rescue, serving up a giant helping of Christmas spirit, which will pair nicely with our eggnog. The "CMA Country Christ...

American author, (and let’s be real, the great grandpappy of the Outlaw Country writing style) Mark Twain, famously said, "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t." A shining real world example of that quote can be found in the creation of Jake Owens' latest project "Dreams to Dreams." Owens explains he was feeling ver...

A stroll down the Honky Tonk Highway in Nashville will confirm the city is overflowing with spirits. However, a few of Music City's famous haunts are serving up a lot more than high-octane cocktails and live country music. One of the most gorgeous destinations is the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, where guests can enjoy luxury amenities or take in a live show at the Grand Ole Opry....

Over the years, a lot of stories have circulated about celebrities and their requirements (or demands) preceding a performance. These stipulations are called a "rider," and this topic really ramped up after the Van Halen "no brown M&Ms" requirement was made public. This is also where I feel an artist's true nature is revealed. For example, Jelly Roll needs a brand new package of socks at every...

Drake White and his band were involved in a very scary bus accident that sent their driver to the hospital. Pictures from the scene showed front-end damage to the bus and busted windshield. Although the "Luckiest Man" singer and his band were ultimately unharmed, they made a group decision to cancel their night's show in Albany. White apologized and thanked fans for their support. He also requeste...

Over the decades, plenty of country music stars have appeared in TV shows and movies. Of those, a select few went on to develop a successful second career in acting. Folks like Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and Trace Adkins immediately come to mind, and of course, Tim McGraw. For a better part of his professional life, McGraw has had one foot firmly planted in both music and film &nda...

Lainey Wilson will be making her big screen debut in the near future. The "Hang Tight Honey" singer will be appearing in her first feature film called "Reminders of Him." Although Wilson isn’t playing the lead, she does play an important role as a friend to the main character and is teased in the official trailer. The new film "Reminders of Him" is set to be released on March 13, which happe...

The Country Music Hall of Fame has officially welcomed its class of 2025. This year's inductees included Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash and music producer Tony Brown. Each new member was recognized during the medallion ceremony, where friends and family gathered to perform some of their biggest hits and shared stories from the often-bumpy road of their success. Kenny Chesney and Tony Brown were o...