Dierks Bentley fans can look forward to familiar themes on his upcoming album, Riser, including a few lonesome songs and some songs about drinking a nice, cold beer. There are some new elements to the music too due to where Dierks is in his life right now as a husband and father.

He adds, “You know my dad passed away, so that’s all kind of tied into it. Just kind of look at the world around me and making observations on that.”

No matter what project he’s working on, Dierks always takes care to put some kind of new sound on every album.

“I think ‘new’ is what is exciting about country music, you know?” Dierks explains. “”New’ is what got me into country music. Hearing Hank, Jr.  sing when I was 17-years-old was totally new to me. It might’ve been old to somebody else, but for me that was a brand new sound, and it just was…exciting.”

The first single from Riser is titled “Bourbon in Kentucky.” It will hit the airwaves next week.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Sara Evans will hold her annual fan club party June 6 in Nashville, and you could be singing onstage with her at the event. From now through Saturday, Sara is taking video submissions of fans singing their favorite songs from her catalog. On May 27, five finalists will be announced, after which fans will you can for your favorite at SaraEvans.com.

The grand prize winner will be announced on May 31. The lucky fan and a guest will be flown to Nashville for the event. For all of the details, go to Bandpage.com’s Sara Evans page.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Tim McGraw is releasing live tracks recorded on his Two Lanes of Freedom tour all summer long starting with this Friday’s release of “Southern Girl.”  More live tracks will be released June 7, June 21, July 12 and July 26 at TimMcGraw.com as part of the McGraw Overdrive Series Live project.  All of the featured songs will come from Tim’s latest album, also titled Two Lanes of Freedom.

Tim says, “The sound and energy from a live show gives an entirely new perspective to any song.  I’m always looking for ways to give the fans something extra.”  He adds, “It’s a first for me to release live tracks this way, and that’s exciting.”

Tim’s Two Lanes of Freedom tour continues this week with shows in St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati.

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George Strait has scored his 25th #1 on Billboard‘s Country Albums chart with Love Is Everything, extending George’s reign as the artist with the most chart-toppers on that tally. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard are tied for distant second place, with 15 #1 albums apiece.

According to Nielsen Soundscan, Love Is Everything moved nearly 120,000 copies in its first week for a #2 debut on the overall Billboard 200 chart. This project is George’s 18th top-10 album on the Billboard 200, tying him with Paul McCartney for the fourth-most top 10s on that chart. Only Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan have posted more top-10 albums, respectively.

Love Is Everything‘s success has been fueled by George’s latest hit, “Give It All We Got Tonight.” He says, “I’m thankful that my fans are excited about the new album and enjoying the music.” 

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Chris Young will release his fourth studio album this year, and he wants you to help him announce all the details. Between now and Friday, May 31, fans can go to ChrisYoungCountry.com to take part in the announcement.

He says, “I feel like this new record really captures my live show for the fans and so I want them to be part of revealing info about this new album.”

Chris’s new album features his latest single, “Aw Naw,” which is now available for digital download.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Kree Harrison may just be starting out on her country career after scoring the runner-up slot on American Idol this season, but she’s not going into the country music world blind.  Kree has lived in Nashville for 13 years now and counts country star Kacey Musgraves as one of her best friends.

The two native Texans met through a mutual Nashville songwriter friend, who told them both before meeting, “Y’all are from the same tribe.”

Kree tells ABC News Radio, “We went and hung out one night, me and her and our friend Elice and literally have been inseparable ever since.”

You may have seen Kacey in the audience at American Idol this season cheering Kree on, and Kree is incredibly proud of Kacey’s success on the country charts.

“It’s really hard to find good girls that are supportive and not competitive, and she and I are the epitome of that,” Kree says of Kacey.  “If you can’t tell, we just support each other so much.”

Kree even supported Kacey by singing background vocals on her debut album, Same Trailer, Different Park.  Kree hopes Kacey returns the favor for Kree’s upcoming debut album, too.  While Kacey would love for Kree to record some of her songs on that album, Kacey tells ABC New Radio that Kree can write a mighty fine tune herself.

“Kree’s an amazing songwriter in her own right, and she can just sing the absolute pants off anything she chooses,” Kacey says, adding, “I want the world to hear her songs.”

Kree is now headed out on the road with the rest of the American Idol finalists this summer.  She’s also set to make her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 4 before really starting to work on her debut album.

Says Kree, “This is happening to such a deserving person, and not only that, but such a humble one.  So, I’m excited for her.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Darius Rucker is back on top of the country chart with his latest hit, “Wagon Wheel,” and he’s just released his third country album, True Believers, which appears destined to be another big seller.  Though Darius has established himself as one of country’s top stars, he still has to deal with some small-minded people as the only black man in the format.

Things got especially heated earlier this week when a Twitter user told Darius to “Leave country to the white folk.”  Darius shot back, “WOW. Is this 2013 or 1913.”  He then added, ” I’ll take my grand ole Opry membership and leave your racism.”

Darius tells Rolling Stone that tweet was shocking to him.  He says, “Sometimes people will say, ‘You’re not country,’ and I know what that means, because they can’t be talking about the music.  But when somebody says to leave country music to the white folks, that is unbelievable to me…But that’s life.”

Darius knows he’ll have to deal with that kind of ignorance in some shape or fashion for the rest of his life.

He says, “I’m a black guy in country music, and there are people who don’t like that.  But it’s not going to make me quit.”

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Willie Nelson is gathering his large, musical family for an 80th birthday show at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square June 6. Willie is set to perform along with different bands led by two of his sons, two of his daughters and two of his granddaughters, respectively.

Proceeds from the concert will go to the BioDiesel Alliance and Animal Welfare Institute. A special Willie Nelson “Artist Spotlight” t-shirt, pen and bandana will be available online and at select Hard Rock locations to commemorate the event.  Willie actually celebrated his 80th birthday April 30.

A select number of tickets are available through Ticketweb.com.

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Josh Turner is one of the many country stars with a personal connection to the deadly tornadoes that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma Monday. Josh’s truck driver hails from Moore; thankfully, the driver and his family are okay. Jason tweeted, “For those who were not so fortunate, I pray for peace & comfort during the aftermath of this terrible tragedy.”

Rascal Flatts‘ Joe Don Rooney also sent out a prayer, tweeting, “My thoughts & prayers are with my home state of Oklahoma. May God’s love & grace be with all affected by these horrible storms.”

Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood also tweeted late Monday, “Growing up in tornado alley, you always know what could happen…it doesn’t change how devastating it is when something does happen. #pray.”

Reba, who grew up in Chockie, OK, added, “All my prayers go out to the folks in Oklahoma dealing with these tornadoes. Stay safe everyone!!!!”

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Brad Paisley has become one of Nashville’s biggest cheerleaders. He gave a surprise performance of “Southern Comfort Zone” at Nashville mayor Karl Dean‘s citywide address Monday, and Brad will appear as himself on the season finale of Nashville Wednesday night on ABC.

As a longtime resident of Music City, Brad is excited to spread the word of how cool his adopted hometown has become in the past few years. Nothing illustrates that change like the section of Nashville called the Gulch, home to the world’s most famous bluegrass club, The Station Inn. It’s now surrounded by some of the city’s hottest shops and restaurants, like Watermark.

“My wife and I went to eat at Watermark down in the Gulch, which is the hippest little area in Nashville,” Brad tells ABC News Radio. “I mean, they’re filming episodes of Nashville down there. They’re doing all of this, and I’m walking out of the Watermark, and I just realized the Station Inn is right there.”

He adds, “When I used to go to the Station Inn and see somebody like Junior Brown or I would go down there and see, like, Larry Cordle play or whatever, I used to think to myself, ‘I probably oughta make sure that I’m packing when I go down to that area of town.'”

Now that the Gulch has been revitalized, Brad is happy to report The Station Inn is still going strong.

He says, “It doesn’t change The Station Inn except that it really helps everybody. In that sense, it really does sort of illustrate just what’s happened to Nashville.”

Look for Brad on ABC’s Nashville Wednesday night at 10 ET.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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