#grand-ole-opry

#grand-ole-opry

Booking shows is not a career for the faint of heart. Beyond coordinating schedules, hosting live music night after night requires a skilled ear behind the sound board to make sure the drums don't overpower the bass, and that the vocals don't overpower the drums.

Despite the injury, he remains fully mobile and in good spirits as he continues his recovery. Stevens still plans to release his upcoming album, 'Favorites Old & New,' this Friday.

The Way I Am plays like an hour of prime contemporary country radio: It hits the expected marks crisply and efficiently, sometimes even memorably.

Graceland is located in south Memphis, about a 15-minute drive from Beale Street downtown and just 10 minutes from Memphis International Airport. Arriving by train? Memphis Central Station, served by Amtrak's City of New Orleans, is around 15 minutes away. Visitors can park in Graceland's secured lot (for a fee), or hop on the free hourly shuttle linking the estate with Sun Studio, where Elvis first recorded "That's All Right."

Bailey's the real deal. He came in and wanted the best Guinness in Boston - and we were happy to deliver. Next thing you know he's taking photos with everyone, talking with the crowd, and picking up the entire tab. That's the kind of guy he is.

Maybe we ran into an old acquaintance at the supermarket and said "Let's catch up sometime" or told our friends we would "check out" the boring-sounding show they spent the past five minutes recommending? That's what country-music superstar Jelly Roll appeared to do after the Grammys last week when, in response to a question about the state of the country, he said he had "a lot to say"

Opener "Islands of Men" shimmers with rapturous possibility. A steady drum beat punctuates the crowd's anticipation before Emily Green's guitar throbs to life, and then frontman Cameron Winter's vocals warble in the foreground, a tentative entrance that quickly builds into an infernal madrigal. As the opening tease explodes into driving chords-"Will you stop running away from what is real?"-a keyboard riff dances underneath the chaos.

We made this record with a sense of immediacy and in the moment expression with the pure intention of simply having fun and making people forget about everything else, even if for only 44 minutes. Thank you to everyone that "gets it" and to all the writers for the kind words and love.

Jeff Hanna, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder and de facto leader, is tucked into a nondescript booth at El Palenque, a 30-years-plus local restaurant in a Nashville strip mall, talking about "Nashville Skyline," a pensive track from their EP, "Night After Night." The family-owned Mexican restaurant is the kind of place he's gravitated toward since starting a jug band with friends in Long Beach before migrating to Los Angeles' folk/rock scene.

49 Winchester will release their new album Change of Plans on May 15 via Lucille Records / MCA. It's their first record for a major label after two on New West, and they made it with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson). The album includes their cover of Black Sabbath's "Changes," which was released back in November, and the new single from the album is the anthemic rocker "Pardon Me." Watch the video below.

After my workout, I become a fireman by checking my phone and seeing what's happening in the business, because there's always something burning. I respond to urgent messages so that I can focus on the day's mission. When you have 35-plus artists, there's always a meeting, new music to be made, and the next TV show to schedule. I eat light in the morning; I like to let the workout burn. I'm more of a green tea person, as that

Tim McGraw has announced the "Pawn Shop Guitar Tour," a 33-date outing across North America this summer. The tour includes a trio of stadium dates at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, PA; Fenway Park in Boston, MA; and Target Field in Minneapolis, MA, with very special guests The Chicks and Lady A. 49 Winchester and Timothy Wayne will also join McGraw for select dates over the course of the run.