Country Music News

25 years later, you can hear Reba McEntire sing on Broadway

'Reba McEntire: Songs from Annie Get Your Gun' (MCA)

It's been a quarter-century since Reba McEntire made her celebrated Broadway debut in Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun

Though her five-month run replacing Bernadette Peters in 2001 remains her only stint on the Great White Way so far, there are a couple new souvenirs you can experience. 

"I took my final bow in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway 25 years ago today," Reba posted on Monday. "During my run, I recorded two songs that were released on a promotional CD and we were finally able to get those songs released on streaming services."

Reba McEntire: Songs from Annie Get Your Gun features "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun" and "I Got Lost in His Arms" from her performances as sharpshooter Annie Oakley. 

Meanwhile, Reba continues marking 50 years as a recording artist with monthly music capsules showcasing a new song alongside similarly themed catalog tracks. The latest, Hurt Like That, came out in May, along with the accompanying The Rise of Reba playlist. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Hey baby, let's go to Vegas: Tim McGraw returns to The Colosseum

Tim McGraw: Live in Las Vegas (Live Nation/Caesars)

Tim McGraw will be Live in Las Vegas for five performances at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace this fall. 

His Oct. 23-24 and Nov. 4, 6 and 7 shows follow his December 2025 run during the National Finals Rodeo.

Presales start Tuesday, before tickets go on sale to the public Friday. 

The "Live Like You Were Dying" hitmaker is set to kick off his Pawn Shop Guitar Tour July 9 in Bethel, New York. 

He released the trek's namesake tune in May, along with "Song for America," which celebrates the 250th birthday of the U.S. on July 4. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Kenny Chesney brings the Chief to second Sphere Las Vegas kickoff

Kenny Chesney Live at Sphere Las Vegas (Messina Touring)

Kenny Chesney set his second residency at Sphere Las Vegas in motion on Friday with a special appearance by Eric Church.  

The Country Music Hall of Famer delivered a 29-song set for the sold-out crowd of nearly 17,000 people that included "Here and Now," "Livin’ in Fast Forward,” “Young,” “Beer in Mexico,” “Keg in the Closet,” “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven,” “Guitars, Tiki Bars (& a Whole Lotta Love),” "Come Over," "Noise," "All the Pretty Girls," "Carry On," "Knowing You" and "Out Last Night." 

Kenny's second summer run adds both fresh visuals and set changes. 

“Sphere lets me take people back home with ‘I Go Back,’ to piers that don’t exist for ‘Til It’s Gone,’ flying through downtown Los Angeles for ‘Settin’ The World on Fire,’ inside a pinball machine with ‘Big Star’ and some of my favorite places in ‘When I See This Bar,’” Kenny explained after the show. “You can take them, give them even more of what the song is.”

Eric surprised the crowd during "When I See This Bar," going on to do "Drink in My Hand" and "Springsteen."

Kenny's 2026 Sphere show wrapped with a three-song encore of "American Kids," "Anything But Mine" and "Don't Happen Twice."

The run resumes Wednesday, with shows continuing through July 11.  

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'You look like you' need more Ella Langley tour dates

Ella Langley's The Dandelion Tour (Courtesy Ella Langley/Sony)

Ella Langley's Dandelion Tour will keep blooming into the fall. 

The "you look like you love me" superstar is adding 21 new dates to her first headlining arena run, starting Aug. 20 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and going through Oct. 31 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Along the way, the Alabama native will play two nights at Auburn's Neville Arena; her first headlining stop at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre; and two nights at LA's Greek Theatre.

Fans can sign up online for presales, which start Thursday, before tickets become available to the public on Friday. 

The extension comes on the heels of Ella winning seven Academy of Country Music awards and two American Music Awards on the strength of her four-times Platinum smash "Choosin' Texas" and its Platinum follow-up, "Be Her." Her second album, Dandelion, came out in April. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Iconic record executive Clive Davis dies at 94

Clive Davis attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jon Platt at The Beverly Hilton on Feb. 3, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Clive Davis, the record executive known as "the man with the golden ears," has died of age-related illness, according to his family. He was 94.

Davis either discovered, signed or guided the careers of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Chicago, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Janis Joplin, Alicia Keys, Patti Smith and Whitney Houston.

A statement from Davis' family read, "To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives. He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations."

"To his family, Clive was Dad and Granddaddy, the steady presence at the center of our lives, the source of wisdom, strength, encouragement, and unconditional love. No matter how extraordinary his professional accomplishments, he never lost sight of what mattered most: the people he loved."

A lawyer by trade, New York City-born Davis joined Columbia Records as assistant counsel in 1960. He was made president of the label by 1967 and helped to bring it into the rock era, signing acts such as Joplin's band Big Brother and the Holding Company; Santana; Blood, Sweat & Tears; and Pink Floyd.

After being fired from Columbia in 1973, he started his own labels, Arista Records and J Records, and worked for BMG and Sony Music Entertainment. Over that time, he helped revive the careers of Dionne Warwick, Santana, the Grateful Dead, Rod Stewart and Aretha Franklin; gave Barry Manilow his first #1 with "Mandy"; identified Whitney Houston as a future star and signed her at age 19; and released Alicia Keys' 2001 Grammy-winning debut album, Songs in A Minor.

Other acts Davis worked with over the years included Barbra Streisand, Sarah McLachlan, Carly Simon, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny G, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Kinks, Annie Lennox, Toni Braxton, Luther Vandross, Maroon 5 and Usher.

Davis also worked closely with American Idol in the show's early years, heading the label that released the music of winners and finalists such as Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Ruben Studdard and Jordin Sparks.

Davis' annual star-studded pre-Grammy parties became legendary and often served as a launching pad for the artist he was focusing on at the time. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 as a non-performer.

His 2013 autobiography, The Soundtrack of My Life, was a New York Times bestseller. The 2017 documentary Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives, is currently available on Netflix.

Davis, who at age 80 revealed that he was bisexual, is survived by three sons, a daughter, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, as well as his partner. His two marriages ended in divorce.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Tucker Wetmore reveals his favorite moment on the Brunette Tour

Tucker Wetmore (Disney/Christopher Willard)

It's been a whirlwind 2026 for new male artist of year Tucker Wetmore, picking up his trophy from the Academy of Country Music just before "Brunette" became his third consecutive #1. 

Simultaneously, he's been on the road with the song's namesake tour. 

"The Brunette World Tour has been crazy," Tucker says. "I was overseas for seven weeks straight. Before that, I was a month and a half here in the States, and then [I've] got another month and half, two months in the fall."

"It feels like it's the tour that never ends, you know, but it's been such a blessing," he adds. "And the shows are getting bigger, the fans are getting crazier, and hopefully the music keeps up."

All the shows he's done have a singular moment in common that Tucker loves.  

"My favorite part is seeing people's faces light up when they hear their favorite, like, song or lyric or guitar lick or whatever it is, and like seeing visual reactions to stuff that I'm pouring my heart out into my music, you know, and seeing them relate to the songs and just, like, scream their favorite lyric at the top of their lungs," he says. "It's my favorite thing in the world.'

You can tune in to see Tucker on Thursday's CMA Fest special, which starts at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

He resumes the Brunette Tour at Cowboys Music Festival in Calgary, Alberta, on July 2.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


The inspiration behind Taylor Swift's top-10 hit from 'Toy Story 5'

Taylor Swift attends the 'Toy Story 5' Los Angeles World Premiere on June 09, 2026. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TAS)

Taylor Swift is sharing the inspiration behind "I Knew It, I Knew You," her original song for Toy Story 5.

The Grammy-winning singer says an early screening of the Pixar film sparked the idea for the track, which was inspired by Jessie, the beloved cowgirl first introduced in 1999's Toy Story 2.

"We've seen her have her heart broken. Like, we've watched, you know, the car pull away," Swift said. "I get really emotional talking about this."

Jessie's backstory was memorably told through Randy Newman's Oscar-nominated song "When She Loved Me."

After seeing an early screening of the film, Swift called longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff with an idea for a song.

"I called him up and I just really quickly blurted out, like, I got to see the new Toy Story. I have to tell you all about the film, but we need to write this song. We need to write this song," Swift said. "It was just, I was so excited. It was such a frenetic form of excitement." 

The country-leaning ballad explores friendship, memories and reconnecting with people from different chapters of life.

"What means a lot to me about this song is that in life you have friendships, you have memories with people, you form bonds, and then sometimes a path takes you a different way," Swift said. "Sometimes you see somebody again down the road and you're just like, 'Man, it's been a while.' Like, but you're the same person that I had all these memories with."

Toy Story 5 follows Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie as they face a new challenge when Bonnie receives a frog-shaped tablet named Lilypad, whose ideas about play threaten to upend the toys' world.

Disney is the parent company of Pixar and ABC News. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Cole Swindell delivers more 'real life moments' with 'Girl Dad'

Cole Swindell's "Girl Dad" (Warner Records Nashville)

Cole Swindell's "Girl Dad" is out now, continuing the story he started with 2015's "You Should Be Here." 

While his #1 dealt with losing his dad in 2013, the new song carries the story forward, imagining what he'd say to his father after getting married in 2024 and welcoming his daughter in 2025. 

"I’ve spent a lot of my life chasing dreams, milestones, and moments I thought would define me," Cole wrote on social media. "Then I became a father. Getting to share these real life moments with you through my music truly means the world to me and my family. I appreciate so many of you already sharing what this song means to you from the clips you’ve heard."

The "Girl Dad" music video dropped simultaneously, picking up where the "You Should Be Here" clip left off. Cole gave his fan club, The Down Home Crew, an exclusive preview during CMA Fest.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Brothers Osborne are 'Runnin' Down a Dream' for racing doc

Brothers Osborne's "Runnin' Down a Dream" (Big Machine)

Brothers Osborne are covering Tom Petty's 1989 classic "Runnin' Down a Dream" for the soundtrack of Bobby Rahal: True American Racer

Riley Green, Rascal Flatts, Greylan James, Danielle Bradbery, Mackenzie Carpenter, The Jack Wharff Band and others also contribute tracks to the Bobby Rahal: True American Racer (Inspired By) Soundtrack, which drops Aug. 21.

Billy Bob Thornton and Mark Collie offer the original "True American Racer (500 miles)" featuring Slash, from their newly formed duo The Backbeat Troubadours.

Big Machine founder Scott Borchetta is one of the directors of the film, which focuses on Rahal's relationship with team owner Jim Trueman and their fight to win the Indianapolis 500 as Trueman battled terminal cancer. 

You can watch Bobby Rahal: True American Racer on Tubi now.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'I hope it takes you back to that place': Taylor Swift debuted 20 years ago with 'Tim McGraw'

Taylor Swift shakes hands with Tim McGraw during the 42nd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards, May 15, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

On June 19, 2006 — 20 years ago — a song named after a country superstar was released by a new artist. It was "Tim McGraw" by 16-year-old Taylor Swift, and the music industry would never be the same again.

Taylor started writing the song in math class, after pondering the impending end of her relationship with her boyfriend, who was a senior and would soon go off to college. She later finished it with songwriter Liz Rose. The head of her record company suggested that she rename it from "When You Think Tim McGraw" to simply "Tim McGraw," because he thought it would make Tim McGraw fans curious about her.

The song is about a girl who hopes her ex will remember her every time he thinks of her favorite song, which is by Tim McGraw. Thematically, it's somewhat of a blueprint for many of Taylor's future songs.

Tim McGraw revealed in 2025 that he was initially "a little apprehensive about" about the song, because he thought, "Have I gotten to that age now to where they’re singing songs about me? Does that mean I’ve jumped the shark a bit?" He eventually got on board with the song, though; the two became friends and have performed together many times.

"Tim McGraw" got good reviews; it hit the top 10 on the Billboard country chart and #40 on the Hot 100. It became the opening track on her self-titled debut album, which came out that October. It was a massive success, spawned four additional hit singles and set Taylor on the path to becoming the world-conquering superstar she is today.

And Taylor's new single, "I Knew It, I Knew You," is a full-circle moment, as it returns her to those country roots.

 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Nashville's 'Keepin' It Country on Broadway' for final Alan Jackson show

'Keepin' It Country on Broadway' (MCA)

Nashville will be Keepin' It Country on Broadway to make sure everybody can experience the last touring show of Alan Jackson's career.

While the sold-out Last Call: One More for the Road -- The Finale is taking place across the Cumberland River at Nissan Stadium, there'll be a stage and screen set up downtown so fans can watch a free livestream of the concert.

Gates open at 4 p.m. CT for the Saturday, June 27, event, followed by special performances at 5 p.m. by James Carothers and Cory Farley, who've both opened for Alan and play regularly at AJ's Good Time Bar. 

The livestream's set to start shortly after 6 p.m. It will feature Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and Lee Ann Womack.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


The CMA Fest audience told Blake Shelton 'Ol' Red' was a hit

CMA Fest 2026 (Country Music Association/ABC)

Blake Shelton's just one of the many country superstars you'll see Thursday night on ABC's annual CMA Fest special. 

The "Let Him In Anyway" hitmaker traces his first CMA Fest appearance to 2001, and he has a significant CMA Fest memory he associates with one of his signature songs. 

"I remember standing on the stage here at Nissan Stadium and performing 'Ol' Red' for the first time, you know, after the song came out as a single," he said backstage. "I just felt like this reaction from the audience, you could hear it, and it was like, 'Oh my gosh, I think this song is gonna be a hit.'"

"It had been out, you know, for maybe two or three months, but you know it was still kinda new at radio," he explains. "And so that was the first time I thought, 'Man, we may have something here,' you know."

"And the audience was right," he adds. "You know, these are the hardcore fans. If they react to it, you've got something."

Stay tuned to see what Blake performs on Thursday, as Riley Green and GMA's Lara Spencer host the three-hour CMA Fest special starting at 8 p.m. ET. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Nashville notes: Niall Horan's Opry debut + Charlie Worsham's indy album

If you've been meaning to check out the Lainey Wilson exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum but haven't done it yet, time is running out. Lainey Wilson: Tough as Nails is scheduled to finish its run Sunday, June 28, after its July 2025 opening. 

The first independent album from singer, songwriter and musician Charlie Worsham is set to arrive Aug. 7, titled Once Upon a Second Time Around

Niall Horan is set to make his Grand Ole Opry debut July 7, before he plays Nashville's Geodis Park July 9 with Thomas Rhett. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Garth Brooks sets Summerfest in motion, with Megan Moroney and Nate Smith still to come

Summerfest 2026 (Courtesy Summerfest)

Summerfest is now officially underway along Milwaukee's Lake Michigan waterfront, after Garth Brooks' two sold-out shows Tuesday and Wednesday.

His 20-song set included “The Beaches of Cheyenne,” “Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House” and “The River,” plus a cover of Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page.” He also dedicated "Mom" to a mother and daughter in the audience. 

The two concerts at American Family Insurance Amphitheater are Garth's only U.S. shows this year. 

Thursday is the official opening day for the festival, with Megan Moroney, Nate Smith, Third Eye Blind, STYX, David Lee Roth, Tyrese, Christopher Cross and many more set to play through Saturday. 

Summerfest continues June 25-27 and July 2-4 with even more talent, like Cody Johnson, Post Malone, Jelly Roll and Ed Sheeran.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Rock & Roll Denim turns Koe Wetzel into a fashion entrepreneur and model

Koe Wetzel (Rock & Roll Denim)

If you've never thought of Koe Wetzel as a full-fledged fashion icon, it may be time to start. 

The "High Road" hitmaker is partnering with Rock & Roll Denim for his own summer menswear line. 

The limited-edition collection includes caps, T-shirts, polos and TEK Western shirts, plus short- and long-sleeve Pearl Snap shirts from the Fort Worth-based brand. 

Koe's collection even boasts a Texas-shaped camo pattern.

“It’s very important for us to be able to move around the way we do, and Rock & Roll Denim is what I want to be in whenever I’m on stage,” he says. “Moving around as much as we are, making sure we can do the splits if we need to. It’s very vital to what we do on stage. I don’t think we could just stand in place and play the music that we do. Acting crazy on stage kind of goes with the sound that we have.”

The pieces range from $35 to $73 and are available at RockAndRollDenim.com, Cavender's and Boot Barn. 

One extra bonus to shopping online? You can check out Koe doing his best "blue steel" as he models quite a few of the items. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Enjoy Eric Church's July Red Rocks shows from the comfort of home

Eric Church's Red Rocks livestreams on nugs (Courtesy nugs)

If you couldn't get tickets to Eric Church's three sold-out concerts at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre in July, there's now a way for you to see the shows. 

All three nights will stream live on the concert platform nugs; each show is expected to be completely different, though they all celebrate the 20th anniversary of Eric's time as a recording artist. 

The July 6-8 livestreams are on sale now and are available individually or as a set. HD versions go for about $25 each or $60 for all three, while 4K quality will be $30 each or $75 for the package. Members of Eric's Church Choir fan club will get a $10 discount. 

You can find complete info at nugs.net.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'Signs' point toward a romantic new tune from Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan's 'Signs' (MCA)

We're getting a better picture of what Luke Bryan's new album, Signs, will be like. 

The first taste of the record came in February with "Word on the Street," which doubles as the name of his summer tour. Luke's current top-20 hit, "Country and She Knows It," followed in March, before the arrival of "Fish Hunt Golf Drink" in May. 

On Wednesday, Luke teased a "new song coming soon" on his socials, following it up with a preview on Thursday. 

"When you lit up my phone/ Said you were coming a little later on/ I can't imagine a world where you don't," Luke sings in a clip that shows him standing in a field wearing khakis and a white T-shirt. "'Cause leaning on the side of my Chevy/ I was feeling like the luckiest guy/ Like the stars were falling just right."

"It could've been just me and the guys," he continues, "with that truck bed full of empties/ But you took the same old night I've lived a thousand times/ And made it a memory." 

While we don't know the date the romantic track will drop, it's called "Made It a Memory." 

The full Signs album arrives Sept. 18, with Luke's Spotify page seeming to indicate it has a dozen cuts. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Little Big Town's Carousel gig in Colorado

Little Big Town (Disney/Connie Chornuk)

Little Big Town's headed to Colorado to play the 40th anniversary of The Carousel Ball this fall. 

The Oct. 3 gala at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel raises money for the Colorado-based Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes.

“We are honored to welcome Little Big Town to this year’s Carousel Ball,” event chairs Dana Davis and Barbara Davis say in a news release. “For nearly five decades, the Carousel Ball has brought together an incredible community united by one goal—to improve the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes and help accelerate research toward better treatments, prevention, and ultimately a cure. We are deeply grateful to Little Big Town for joining us in support of this special evening."

Reba McEntire, Lionel Richie, Lenny Kravitz and the Goo Goo Dolls have provided The Carousel Ball entertainment in years past. 

Little Big Town's 12th album, It's a Dying Art, comes out Aug. 28. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Megan Moroney's playing doctor and she's here with your 'Medicine'

Megan Moroney's 'Cloud 9' (Sony)

"Beautiful Things" is Megan Moroney's latest hit to float down from Cloud 9 and ascend to the top five of the country radio charts. 

But if you look at the other end of the ranking, there's another track from her latest album that's just beginning its climb. 

"Medicine" comes with a bit of a warning: If you're a man who's ever treated a woman badly, Dr. Moroney will see you now. 

"'Medicine' is a song I wrote with some of my favorite people about giving a guy a taste of their own medicine," Megan explains. "I just find it hilarious that anytime I've ever treated a guy like 10 percent of how they've mistreated me, they freak out. And so this song is just kind of giving them a taste of their medicine."

"And it's a fun honky-tonk song, and I hope that I will see all of y'all line dancing to this one very soon," she adds.

Megan swings by Summerfest in Milwaukee on Thursday, before a Friday stop in Grand Rapids. On Saturday, she plays Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. 

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Nashville notes: Redferrin's 'Crazy' video + Maren Morris' 'Hard Liquor'

The visualizer for Maren Morris' "Hard Liquor and Soft Rock" drops Thursday at 9 a.m. CT. The newly recorded song was written during the sessions for her debut album and will be included in HERO: A Second Wind, which drops June 26.

The next preview track from Dan + Shay's new album, Young, is "Marry You Again." It drops June 26, ahead of the album's Aug. 21 release date. 

Former professional motocross racer Redferrin learned bull riding from PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney for his new "Crazy" video

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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