Music

Judith Durham, the Australian folk hero who recorded worldwide hits with the Sixties band the Seekers, has died at the age of 79. Universal Music Australia confirmed to the Associated Press that Durham died Friday at a Melbourne hospital following a battle with the lung disease bronchiectasis. “Our lives are changed forever losing our treasured lifelong friend and shining star,” the surviving members of the Seekers — Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley and Athol Guy — said in a statement. “Her struggle was intense and heroic, never complaining of her destiny...

Naomi Judd's family have obtained a court order that temporarily seals the late country star's death records from public release.NBC News reports that Judd's husband, Larry Strickland, and her two daughters, the Judds singing partner Wynonna Judd and actor Ashley Judd, filed for injunctive relief in Williamson County, Tenn., on Monday (Aug. 1), asking a judge to keep Judd's records sealed from public release after authorities concluded a standard investigation into Judd's death.In documents NBC obtained, the Judd family argue that photos, videos and other evidence investigators collected depict the...

In the continual reordering of the popular-music canon, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: Joni Mitchell’s complex, emotive, cerebral, ever-evolving music is ranking higher than ever. Her 1971 album Blue landed in the Top Three on Rolling Stone‘s most recent ranking of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and artists from Taylor Swift to Harry Styles to Mitski to Phoebe Bridgers have been dropping her name for years. And when Mitchell recently returned to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival for her first performance since a near-fatal 2015...

Now in its second year, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix returns on Friday (Aug. 5), kicking off a jam-packed weekend of racing, food, super trucks and, of course, music. Over the course of three days, a lineup of country stars will take the stage, beginning with a Friday night performance headlined by Aaron Lewis."It's gonna be cool. I'm excited," says Jackson Dean, who is also performing as part of Friday night's lineup, along with Abby Anderson and Deana Carter. A fast-rising up-and-comer in the genre whose single, "Don't...

Beyoncé and Madonna have teamed up for a royal collaboration, “Break My Soul (The Queens Remix).” The latest remix of Beyoncé’s Renaissance single arrived on Friday, just in time to get the weekend party started. The percolating remix interpolates Madonna’s “Vogue” with Beyoncé flipping the script for the iconic spoke-sung section of the 1990 song, where the Material Girl lists Hollywood stars from the Golden Age. In Bey’s take, she pays homage to both current and past influential Black women who have been game-changers for the culture — from Aaliyah,...

Vince Gill and Amy Grant's daughter, Corrina, joined Gill live on stage during his performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Thursday night (Aug. 4), and she broke down in tears during an emotional performance of his song in tribute to her mother, "When My Amy Prays."Gill is performing a 4-night run at the iconic venue, which is known as the Mother Church of Country Music, from Aug. 4-7. According to a Facebook post from a fan who was on hand for Thursday night's performance, Gill ended the...

Earlier this week, Sheila Watko, a traffic reporter for NBC’s Philadelphia affiliate, spiced up a morning report by delivering it entirely with Beyoncé song titles.  In total, Watko squeezed in 15 references and only received a few groans from her co-workers after she began the report by quipping, “If you’re just waking up, I hope that you had some ‘Sweet Dreams,’ but traffic is getting ‘Heated,’ and it’s starting to ‘Break My Soul’ just a little bit.” Those groans turned to impressed and only slightly exasperated chuckles the deeper Watko...

Evan Paul hosts Taste of Country Nights, On Demand, a weekly country music interview podcast that focuses on the music. Follow wherever podcasts are found, like Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave a rating and review. ​​​​​​​​​​​This show is part of the Townsquare Media On Demand network.I don't think I will get an invite to Brooke Eden's upcoming wedding, but if I did, I would need a passport, because it's going to be in Mexico. I got the chance to sit down with this amazing woman and chat with her about so many things, from what it was like coming out in...

Donald Glover returns to his musical alter ego Childish Gambino to feature on “I Love You More Than You Know,” a track off Black Party’s album, Hummingbird, which arrives on Friday, August 5. On the contemplative track, the two reflect on life and mortality over the song’s laidback, summery vibes. “Wishin’ that I could pause/God let me borrow that universal remote/With no rehearsal they wrote a whole verse,” Childish Gambino raps. “That’s the earth we get served with no regrets/With no shoes and no shirt and that’s birth/I never meant...

LoCash appeared on Good Morning America earlier this week to perform their summer song, "Beach Boys," with the Beach Boys members Mike Love and Bruce Johnston.LoCash members Chris Lucas and Preston Brust co-wrote the tune with Love and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, along with songwriters Dallas Wilson and Jared Mullins. The song features samples of the Beach Boys' classic 1964 hit "I Get Around," as well as original lyrics about bringing "the country to the beach."The country duo released the original version on their Woods & Water EP in November of 2021, and Love...

Slim Wilson lived a hell of a life. A tramp in the classic sense, he hopped trains and traveled the country, picking up all manner of scars from bullets and knives along the way. For money, he did odd jobs and threw dice, but Slim proudly proclaimed he wasn’t a gambler — he was a cheat. He was also a pimp, did time for murder, and was in Missouri State Penitentiary for armed robbery when he met the folklorist Bruce Jackson in 1964. On top of all that, Slim was,...

Luke Combs and his wife Nicole have been hitched for two years! The pair each took to social media individually to mark the occasion and gush about their partner, with the superstar calling his wife — a new mother to the couple's child — an "angel.""Can’t believe it’s been 2 years since I got to marry this angel," he writes next to a photo from their wedding on Aug. 1, 2020. "@nicolejcombs you make everyday of my life better than the one before. I love you so much and I can’t...

Flatbush Zombies’ Meechy Darko has teamed up with Freddie Gibbs and DJ/producer A-Trak for a new song, “On God,” off his upcoming solo debut, Gothic Luxury. Produced by Jay Versace and Dot Da Genius, “On God” begins with a grandiose flourish but settles into a groove that’s still propulsive, but also subtle and unsettling in its own ways. Meechy Darko and Freddie Gibbs trade sprawling, heavy, and brutally honest verses on the five-minute track, while A-Trak arrives at the end to show off his signature scratching skills.  Along with dropping...

Gary Allan is parting ways with his record label of more than 25 years, Universal Music Group Nashville. In a social media post shared on July 29, the "Watching Airplanes" singer announced the split, thanked his label for the support and shared his enthusiasm for his next chapter."For the last 25 years plus, UMG Nashville has been my record label home. I am very thankful to the staff members at Decca, MCA, and EMI for the belief and support they have had in me, but it is now time for...