Music

"I typically don’t respond to stuff when I’m getting run down on a social platform but here’s the deal," country star says after governor's appearance at Jacksonville show draws criticism Luke Bryan defended bringing out “very polarizing” Gov. Ron DeSantis Friday night at the country star’s Jacksonville, Florida concert. During the show, Bryan announced that proceeds from his Sunshine State gigs would go toward the Florida Disaster Fund, which is raising money for those impacted by Hurricane Ian; Bryan’s Florida shows were initially postponed due to the hurricane. In announcing...

Vince Gill, Ray Stevens and Marty Stuart are among the country artists and behind-the-scenes movers and shakers who will be inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2022.The Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville revealed its 2022 inductees on Friday (Oct. 28). Gill and Stevens will be inducted as solo artists along with "American Pie" hitmaker Don McLean, while Stuart is set for induction alongside his Fabulous Superlatives, who include Chris Scruggs, Harry Stinson, Kenny Vaughan and Mick Conley."Since I originally came to Nashville to be a session musician...

"Kanye came to Skechers and Skechers said no. Do you realize how insanely satisfying that is?" Saturday Night Live mocked Kanye West’s unsolicited visit to the Skechers headquarters with a new ad where the shoe company championed its hardline stance against anti-Semitism while also celebrating the fact that the rapper even considered Skechers. “Here at Skechers, we pride ourselves on two things: Making stylish, comfortable shoes at an affordable price, and having zero tolerance for anti-Semitism,” said Cecily Strong’s marketing director. “That’s why this week, when Kanye West showed up...

Willie Nelson's former home in Nashville is on the market for $2.5 million, and pictures show a splendid rural retreat that's a true piece of country music history.Nelson's 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom hand-built log cabin, which the country music icon built for himself, sits on 150 rolling rural acres in Goodlettsville, Tenn., just half an hour outside of Nashville.Dubbed "The Hideaway," the main residence centers around a great room that encompasses the living room and kitchen, and there's a loft sleeping space as well as a stone fireplace. The exposed beams and...

D.H. Peligro, longtime drummer for Dead Kennedys who also briefly played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has died at the age of 63. Dead Kennedys announced the death of Peligro (real name Darren Henley) Saturday on social media, adding he died at his Los Angeles home. “He died from trauma to his head from an accidental fall,” the band said in a statement. “Arrangements are pending will be announced in the coming days. Thank you for your thoughts and words of comfort.” Dead Kennedys' drummer D.H. Peligro (Darren Henley)...

Thirty-one years ago today, on Oct. 29, 1990, Vince Gill earned his first gold record, signifying sales of 500,000 copies, with his 1989 album, When I Call Your Name.All four singles from When I Call Your Name reached the Top 25, including a duet with Reba McEntire, "Oklahoma Swing," and the title track, which peaked at No. 2. The album was Gill's fourth, and his first for MCA Records; he previously released three records on RCA Records. The singer-songwriter co-wrote eight of the disc's 11 tracks, which include contributions from hit songwriters such as Rosanne...

For decades, a major piece of counter-culture history was wedged behind a bed in Merl Saunders’ San Francisco house.  The crude pipe looks like something a teen may have cobbled together at summer camp, but according to art historian Steve Cabella, it’s basically a religious object. A so-called “spirit pipe,” this particular pot implement was made by LSD pioneer Augustus Owsley Stanley for Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia, and it’s been MIA for decades. “I’ve bought party pipes from rock people before,” Cabella — owner of California antiquities shop The...

Celebrated singer-songwriter Sierra Ferrell will embark on a lengthy headlining tour this spring. The West Virginia native will start her nearly two-month-long trek with a stop at Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, Mo., on March 2. She'll take the stage at cities across the U.S., including Chicago, New Orleans and San Francisco, before wrapping things up with a performance at Seattle's Neptune Theatre on May 7."Performing live music in front of our fans is everything to me," Ferrell says in a statement. "That free flow of energy, back and forth,...

Manuel Turizo was in Madrid when Chris Martin called. Coldplay was on tour in South America and the band wanted the Colombian star to join the band in Bogotá to perform his smash hit “La Bachata.” Turizo immediately agreed and caught a flight to his native Colombia for the show. He’s still windblown: “I was in shock,” Turizo tells Rolling Stone over Zoom from Miami. “The fact that they invited me to perform was insane. It’s like a bucket list moment for sure. I did that!” “Chris kept thanking me...

Parker McCollum is making his debut on Austin City Limits on Saturday (Oct. 29), and Taste of Country and The Boot are sharing two songs from his performance ahead of the episode in this exclusive premiere.The upcoming episode focuses on Lone Star Country, which showcases McCollum's roots in Conroe, Texas. McCollum has made a huge splash with his major-label debut album, 2021's Gold Chain Cowboy, which earned him two No. singles with "Pretty Heart" and "To Be Loved by You."The ACM New Male Artist of the Year and CMA New...

I T’S NO LONGER the mid-Nineties, but Shania Twain is still the reigning queen of country pop. Just look at the over-the-top reaction from the Gen Z crowd when Harry Styles brought her onstage at Coachella this year, or check out Post Malone rocking out during Twain’s AMAs appearance a few years back. Or take a listen to Rina Sawayama’s glittery banger “This Hell,” which kicks off with Twain’s iconic “Let’s go girls!” For Sawayama, Twain has been a lifelong influence. The British Japanese star incorporates Twain’s country anthems into...

To get to the heart of Lainey Wilson's new Bell Bottom Country album, skip ahead to track No. 6, "Me, You and Jesus." The soft-spoken, mid-tempo, acoustic lyrical showcase doesn't scream radio hit, and it might go unnoticed on the first listen through these 14 songs, but ..."The only things that get me through hard times are my faith and my people," she tells Taste of Country, exhaling after one heck of a year.Wilson — whose "Heart Like a Truck" is one of her two songs approaching the country Top 20 — has...

Recovery Mode "I'm feeling great!" the artist wrote on Instagram, saying he's expected to recover by Billie Eilish's shows in December Finneas is on the mend — and being an Optimist — after undergoing surgery following an electric bike crash that “demolished” his collarbone and fractured his right elbow. On Thursday, he shared an update with fans about his health, saying he’s “feeling great” after the crash. “Last Friday, I had the pleasure of crashing my electric bike, flying over the handlebars and absolutely demolishing my collarbone as well as...

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman have never been the couple to shy away from public displays of affection — they have been spotted kissing on red carpets and stages across the globe! So, of course, Kidman would share another spicy smooch for her husband's birthday.The country singer turned 55 on Oct. 26 ,and per usual, his wife honored the occasion with a social media post."Happy Birthday my love," she writes next to a photo of the two sharing a romantic kiss, with Urban cradling her face.Some would argue that the post is a...