I will never be able to believe that I deserve this, unless I receive it as a representative of my family, my mentors, my collaborators, my promoters and my friends. That's the only way I can deal with this.
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.
"Inflation, fuel, and all other related touring costs have increased exponentially in the last year. However, despite some saying otherwise, I'm afraid our ticket prices have not."
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.
Mostly, I'm very excited and honored to be working with my dear friend Ian Cripps, and to finally bring to fruition a vision we initially shared together over ten years ago. I wrote words to what is happening in the world and my life in real time, and played with a group of musicians I deeply love and respect. Together, we made an album that is very fun and will hopefully offer some relief from darkness in the world.
I'm blessed to have T Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records. After we did the last record, which I love listening to, this one just sort of happened. I like to say sometimes I make the right moves, like you can go left or right at any point, and one of the right moves was hooking up with T Bone for Look Up, and now for this one, which I'm calling Long Long Road, because I've been on a long long road.
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.
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.
Originally from Illinois and now based in Maine, where he has lived for the past four years, Pokey LaFarge brings a lived-in perspective to American roots music. Drawing from early jazz, blues, swing and folk traditions, his songwriting balances warmth, rhythm and emotional clarity without slipping into nostalgia for its own sake. Over the years, LaFarge has grown into a confident bandleader, known for performances that feel loose but intentional, with space for both musicianship and connection.
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.
The country music superstar who recently ranked in the Top 20 of Pollstar's Artists of the Millennium List (which is based on ticket sales) is bringing his Word on the Street Tour to the Bay Area. Bryan performs Aug. 14 at Shoreline Amphitheatre. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Jan. 30, lukebryan.com. There is a Luke Bryan fan club member presale running 8 a.m. Jan. 27 to 5 p.m. Jan. 29, lukebryan.com.
Alabama country singer Drayton Farley has announced a new album, A Heavy Duty Heart, due March 27 via One Riot Records ( pre-order). Like 2023's great Twenty On High, it was produced by Sadler Vaden (of Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit), and it was recorded live to tape in Nashville with Drayton's touring band. It's got 10 new songs, three of which are out now, and two of those actually recently premiered on TV shows.
