Pulse – Country Music News

Carly Pearce sits at the top of the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart this week with her latest single, "What He Didn't Do." The song gives Carly her fourth career Number One. She shared the news on social media yesterday (Sunday, March 26th) writing in part, "When I wrote this song, I needed to be reminded of my worth & that I deserved better— and y'all have shown me that I DO matter . . . This season of my life started so painful, and is ending so beautiful. What a way to end the 29 chapter."

"What He Didn't Do" is featured on her 2021 album, 29: Written In Stone, which came on the heels of her short-lived marriage to fellow artist Michael Ray.

Carly will take the stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for the 100th time on Tuesday, April 11th.

Dierks Bentley's latest hit single, "Gold," is a good example of his "headspace" when he reluctantly returned to Nashville to work on his current album, Gold & Gravel. He tells us: "I really honed in on the direction of this album when I came back to Nashville from Colorado. I did not want to come back. I wanted to stay in Colorado forever, but I got sucked back into Nashville. But when I got here, I actually realized how much I missed this place. It's a great town, great friends, great people and obviously great music, and this record really kind of took a direction there. I wrote the song ‘Gold,' which is about something that could look like gravel but actually could feel like gold, depending on your perspective, and so just having an attitude for gratitude was a big part of my head space going into this record."

"Gold" sits at Number Seven and climbing this week on the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart.

Dierks' Gold & Gravel Tour kicks off on June 1st in Toronto with Jordan Davis and rotating special guests Elle King, Tracy Lawrence, Tyler Braden, Caylee Hammack, Hot Country Knights, Kameron Marlowe, The Cadillac Three, The Red Clay Strays, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Shane Smith & the Saints, Caitlyn Smith, and Hailey Whitters.

Elle King made a surprise appearance at Chouteau High School in Tulsa, OK before her show in the area on Friday (March 24th). She received a letter from senior Emma Hughes, praising her teacher, Cathy Welker-Graham, who is an avid Elle King fan and Chouteau High's teacher of the year. King arrived via her tour bus and, in addition to playing "America's Sweetheart" for the teacher, she visited with students and posed for lots of pictures.

King said, "I didn't always have the greatest experience in school, but every few schools I would find a teacher who believed in me, and it gave me confidence and they told me that I could do something great with my life even if I was different. So I think that great teachers should be celebrated. It was important to me that we show this deserving teacher some well-earned gratitude."

King's sold-out show at Cain's Ballroom included guests Welker-Graham and Hughes from Chouteau High School.

Following her school day, King traveled to The Church Studio where she and her band recorded a new song. The legendary Church Studio was built as a church in 1915 and was purchased in 1972 by music pioneer Leon Russell, who converted it into a world-renowned recording studio that is cited as being the heart of the "Tulsa Sound."

Little Big Town and Brad Paisley will headline a fundraising event for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, an organization that raises money for research on a cure for Parkinson's Disease. The event, called "A Country Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's," will take place at Nashville's Fisher Center at Belmont University on April 26th. It includes a dinner and performances by the headliners as well as some special guests.

Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman posted a message on Instagram about the benefit show, but also revealed her own mother has Parkinson's. She wrote, "As you grow up, there's a part of life that one doesn't plan for. I'm there right now. My precious mother has Parkinson's Disease, and she is fighting it like a warrior. I have learned in recent years that Parkinson's is incredibly complex and devastatingly debilitating," she writes.

Kip Moore has released a new song and music video called "Kinda Bar," from his upcoming fifth studio album, Damn Love. He co-wrote and co-produced the song, while the video serves as the prequel to Kip's recently released video for "Damn Love."

"Kinda Bar" is the second track from Damn Love, due out on April 28th.

Kip kicked off his Damn Love World Tour with sold-out arenas in Australia, his first-ever show in New Zealand, and will continue with shows in South Africa, The U.K., and Europe. His headlining U.S. run is set to launch in Saginaw, MI on August 24th.

Luke Combs' new album, Gettin' Old, is available everywhere today (Friday, March 24th). The project follows on the heels of Growin' Up, which was released less than a year ago. He recorded the songs on both albums largely at the same time and ultimately decided they didn't fit on one project, but rather, two.

Luke tells us: "It's just this crazy juxtaposition, right? That's where I feel like I am. It's like when I'm home I'm changing diapers and when I'm not home I'm on stage performing in front of thousands of people and it's like it's just so crazy different and that's where a lot of these songs kind of came from is that headspace of just feeling that way, and so then I realized my songwriting and what I want to do sonically in the studio has changed, but all of these songs kind of existed at the same time, right, and so I wanted to kind of showcase that there is this marked difference of where my music has been and where it maybe is going."

Gettin' Old includes 18 new songs.

Luke kicks off his headlining World Tour tomorrow (Saturday, March 25th) in Arlington, TX at AT&T Stadium.

This year's ACM Awards week will once again include the Topgolf Tee-Off and Rock On Fundraiser, taking place on Wednesday, May 10th at Topgolf The Colony in The Colony, TX ahead of the 58th ACM Awards. The event will be followed by a separately ticketed fundraiser all-star concert on the golfing green called ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Morgan Wallen & Friends. Morgan will be joined by HARDY, Lainey Wilson, ERNEST, Bailey Zimmerman and DJ 13lackbeard.

General Admission tickets on the green are separate from the Topgolf Tee-Off and Rock On tournament access and will be available to ACM Members, ACM A-List subscribers, 58th ACM Awards ticket holders, and Topgolf Friends and Family through an exclusive presale which started yesterday (Thursday, March 23rd). Remaining tickets will be available for a general public on-sale beginning today (Friday, March 24th) at 10 a.m. CT through AXS. All proceeds benefit ACM Lifting Lives.

Morgan said, "ACM Lifting Lives does great work providing aid in times of need to folks inside and outside of the music industry. My band and I are excited to help them raise funds to continue doing this amazing work."

Wynonna Judd and Ashley McBryde, The Black Crowes and Darius Rucker, Jelly Roll, and Tyler Hubbard have been added to the growing lineup of performers at the 2023 CMT Music Awards set to air live from Austin, Texas' Moody Center on Sunday, April 2nd at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. The show will also be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.

Wynonna returns to the CMT Music Awards stage following last year's performance of "Love Can Build A Bridge" which was the final time she sang publically with her mother, the late Naomi Judd. This year, Wynonna will team with recent tourmate Ashley for a debut television performance.

The Black Crowes and Darius will premiere a collaboration of the band's hit, "She Talks to Angels." The two acts will also collaborate on CMT Crossroads, which will tape that week in downtown Austin. The episode will air later this summer.

Jelly Roll will perform his hit single "Need A Favor," while Tyler will deliver his first solo awards performance with his current hit song, "Dancin' In The Country."

The new performers join previously announced Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Cody Johnson, Kane Brown + Katelyn Brown, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini and Lainey Wilson as performers and Avery Anna, Chapel Hart, Jackson Dean, Lily Rose, Megan Moroney and Nate Smith, who will perform from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.

Additional performers, presenters and details about the 2023 CMT Music Awards, hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, will be announced soon.

Chris Lane is now in the market for a good lawn guy AND a good car mechanic after he accidentally drove his lawn mower into the back of one of his cars. He shared the funny video taken from his home security cameras on social media this week writing, "Anybody know of any good mechanics? #fail #accident #yardwork"

Chris gets back to what he does best -- entertaining fans -- beginning on Saturday (March 25th) in Surprise, AZ.

More than a year after topping the country charts with "Thinking 'Bout You," Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter celebrated the feat with a party in Nashville on Tuesday (March 21st). Dustin co-wrote the song, which is his eighth Number One hit and went on to become a six-week Billboard Number One, his longest-running chart-topper.

During the party, Dustin told reporters that "Thinking 'Bout You" was quite a process in the making. "I remember singing the demo, and then we knew right away, 'Hey, we need to get someone to sing the second verse, the female portion of this. Who's that gonna be?' Little did we know that would be about two and a half years before we would find the right person to sing on it (laughter) and thank goodness we did, so we were able to put it out and it has gone on to be a record-setting song for all of us."

Dustin is climbing the charts with his latest single, "Stars Like Confetti."

Carly Pearce will commemorate her 100th performance on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Tuesday, April 11th with some special merchandise that includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other items, Country Now reports.

The line of merchandise is now available exclusively on Opry Entertainment websites ryman.com and opry.com and in Opry Entertainment retail stores in Nashville.

Carly said, "I am also so excited to have a new merchandise line launching with the Grand Ole Opry. It will forever be a huge part of my story & a huge passion in my life to continue to keep the Opry at the forefront of our genre."

According to a release, Carly plans more collections to be released throughout the year.

Her performance on the Grand Ole Opry will air on Circle Television as a special Opry Live on Saturday, April 22nd.

Dan + Shay resurfaced on social media on Tuesday (March 21st) night after a couple month hiatus to update fans on what's been keeping them so busy. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney wrote in part, "We've been spending every single day in the studio working on a new album that we can't wait for you to hear . . . We've written songs, recorded songs, written more songs, recorded more songs, and feel so good about how things are shaping up. As soon as it's ready, you'll be the first to know."

They ended the post with, "Thank y'all so much for being patient with us while we prepare for the next chapter. It truly means the world . . ."

In the meantime, Dan + Shay's latest single, "You," hovers just outside the Top 10 on the Mediabase chart this week.

Dolly Parton's new book, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, spotlights the icon's lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own distinct style. The book is the second in a trilogy, following Dolly's 2020's release, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. It will be released on October 17th and will retail for $50.

Dolly said, "I am happy, proud, and excited to present my book Behind the Seams to the public. It is my hope that you will enjoy a look at my life in costume and hair and get to know some of the great people who have helped shape my life and my look. Enjoy!"

Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones features behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly's life and career, and the largest reveal of her private costume archive, which spans her fashions from the 1960s to now.

Ingrid Andress is the latest featured artist on NPR's iconic "Tiny Desk" concert series, sharing stripped-down, live versions of "Feel Like This," "Yearbook" and her chart-topping debut single, "More Hearts Than Mine."

Earlier this week it was announced that Ingrid is set to perform at Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL this August.

She is currently out on her headlining The Good Person Tour, with recent sold-out shows at New York's Gramercy Theatre and Boston's Sinclair. She's set to continue the global trek tonight (Thursday, March 23rd) in Grand Rapids, MI before heading overseas in May and wrapping up in Norway on May 24th.

John Osborne and Lucie Silvas are officially parents! The couple welcomed their first children, twins Arthur and Maybelle, yesterday (Tuesday, March 21st) in the wee hours of the morning in Nashville. John shared the news on social media with a post of both the babies' names, time of birth, and weight writing, "We did it. y'all. @luciesilvas is a damn warrior princess."

Arthur was born one minute earlier than Maybelle. He weighed in at 3 lb., 13 oz. and measured 15½ in., while Maybelle weighed 5 lbs., 1 oz. and measured 18 in.

The babies' early arrival forced John and TJ Osborne to cancel out on their scheduled appearance at the Love Rising charity concert held at the Bridgestone Arena on Monday (March 20th) night just hours before.

Luke Bryan closed out the Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo on Sunday (March 19th) night with the highest attendance of the season with 74,779 fans in NRG Center. The concert marked Luke's 10th appearance at the rodeo.

He said, "I can't believe this is my 10th year to play the Houston Rodeo. Riding out to the center stage and feeling that energy from the fans makes this event one of my favorite places to play. It is an honor and I'm so thankful for the opportunity."

Luke returns to Resorts World Theatre tonight (Wednesday, March 22nd) through the 25, returning for shows on March 31st and April 1st. Tickets and a limited number of VIP packages for all upcoming Luke Bryan performances at Resorts World Theatre are available at www.axs.com/lukeinvegas.

Luke stars alongside Katy Perry & Lionel Richie on their sixth season as celebrity judges on ABC's American Idol.

Darius Rucker will share co-headlining duties at his second Riverfront Revival festival with Turnpike Troubadours when it takes place at North Charleston, South Carolina's Riverfront Park on Saturday, October 7th and Sunday, October 8th. The event will also feature performances by Lainey Wilson, Band of Horses and Greensky Bluegrass, as well as Niko Moon, Megan Moroney, and Elvie Shane, to name just a few.

Tickets go on sale to the public this Friday (March 24th). A portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold will once again benefit the Arts in Healing program at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

Megan Moroney, Nate Smith, Avery Anna, Chapel Hart, Jackson Dean, and Lily Rose have all been added to the lineup of performers at the upcoming 2023 CMT Music Awards. The up-and-coming artists will perform on the Ram Trucks Side Stage. The CMT Music Awards, hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, will air live from Austin, TX on April 2nd on CBS.

The newcomers join previously announced performers Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood and Kane Brown, who will perform with his wife, Katelyn Brown.

Fan voting for the CMT Awards continues online at vote.cmt.com.

BRELAND is bringing his second annual "BRELAND & Friends" concert to fans worldwide via Mandolin livestream. The April 4th concert at the Ryman Auditorium features performances by Tyler Hubbard, Ashley Cooke, Danielle Bradbery, Gary Levox, Ingrid Andress, K. Michelle, and Nate Smith, among others. The event benefits Nashville's Oasis Center and their mission to aid local at-risk youth.

Luke Combs and his wife, Nicole, are expanding their family again! Luke announced the big news on social media yesterday (Monday, March 20th) with a short video of pictures of him with his wife and nine-month-old son, Tex, wearing a T-shirt that reads "big brother." The caption reads, "Joining the 2 under 2 club! Baby boy #2 coming this September!!" The song playing in the post is a new one called "Take You With Me" which will be featured on his new album, Gettin' Old, due out on Friday (March 24th).

Tex will turn one year old on June 19th.

Luke's World Tour kicks off on Saturday (March 25th) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.

Jon Pardi will set out on his first official headlining global run, called the Mr. Saturday Night World Tour, beginning in Belfast on August 25th. The trek includes multiple dates across the U.K. plus stops in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Oslo, and Stockholm. The North American leg opens on September 28th in Knoxville, TN. Opening acts include Midland, Jackson Dean, Randall King, Ella Langley, and DJ Highmax on select dates. The general onsale for the tour begins Friday (March 24th) at 10 a.m. local time on LiveNation.com or JonPardi.com.

Jon's current single off his 2022 Mr. Saturday Night album, "Your Heart Or Mine," is a current Top 30 hit and climbing on country radio airplay charts.

Brothers Osborne bowed out of last night's (Monday, March 20th) Love Rising benefit concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena just hours before due to John Osborne being on baby watch with his wife, Lucie Silvas. He posted an apology on social media writing in part, "Turns out my and Lucie's twins, Maybelle and Arthur, have picked up the Osborne tradition of arriving unannounced and could be here any second now!"

He added, "To our dear friends that will be there tonight, on and off stage, show the world what our town is made of and let's fight to keep Nashville full of the love, light, and inclusivity that it is known for. For that is the type of place we want to raise our children. Go get ‘em. Love y'all."

The twins will be John and Lucie's first children.

Love Rising featured performances from Maren Morris, Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell, Hayley Williams, Hozier, and Brittany Howard, to name a few. It benefited the Tennessee Equality Project, inclusion tennessee, OUTMemphis, and The Tennessee Pride Chamber.